The Circle of Grace
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· 17 viewsThis is the circle of Grace, this thought is taken from 3 related greek words charis, charisma and eucharisteo
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The Circle of Grace
The Circle of Grace
Definition of Grace: The desire and the power god gives us to do his will-joyfully
1 Corinthians 15:10 (NIV)
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
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Philippians 2:13 (NIV)
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
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Factors of grace
Factors of grace
1. Given to everyone - Titus 2:11 (NIV)
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.[3]
2. Given freely - Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.[4]
3. Given as needed - 2 Peter 3:18 (NIV)
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.[5]
4. Can be resisted - Hebrews 12:15 (ESV)
15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;[6]
5. Given to the humble - James 4:6 (ESV)
6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”[7]
Grace. God’s gift of righteousness is received by faith, but is rooted in His grace. Grace is a dominant theme in the New Testament, but has Old Testament roots. Those roots are sunk deep in the compassionate and caring nature of God, who can be appealed to for mercy “according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion”(Ps. 51:1).
In the New Testament “grace”(charis) has become a pivotal theological term. There grace affirms a radical view of relationship with God. It affirms God’s attitude of love and acceptance. It affirms each person’s helplessness. Grace is action of a caring God who stoops to lift us up, not because of any merit in ourselves, but simply because of His great self-sacrificial love.[8]
b. The angel’s announcement of Jesus’birth to Mary (1:28-38).
1:28-31. The angel said that Mary was highly favored (kecharitomene, a partpart. related to the noun charis, “grace”; the verb charitoois used elsewhere in the NNT only in Eph. 1:6). Also Mary had found favor (charis, “grace”) with God. Obviously God had bestowed a special honor on her. She was a special recipient of His grace.
Gabriel’s admonition (Luke 1:30-31) was the same as to Zechariah: Do not be afraid, for you will have a Son (cfcf. vv. 13). As with John (v. 13b), the naming was by the angel (v. 31).[9]
5485. cháris; gegen. cháritos, fem. noun from chaíro (5463), to rejoice. Grace, particularly that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, favor, acceptance, for a kindness granted or desired, a benefit, thanks, gratitude. A favor done without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and benevolence of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor. Cháris stands in direct antithesis to érga (2041), works, the two being mutually exclusive. God’s grace affects man’s sinfulness and not only forgives the repentant sinner, but brings joy and thankfulness to him. It changes the individual to a new creature without destroying his individuality (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:8, 9).
(I) Cháris, when received by faith, transforms man and causes him to love and to seek after the righteousness of God. Cháris is initially regeneration, the work of the Holy Spirit in which spiritual life is given to man and by which his nature is brought under the dominion of righteousness. The maintenance of this condition requires an unbroken and immense supply of grace. Grace remains constant in, and basic to, a believer’s fight without against the devil and his struggle within against sin. Renewal is stimulated and impelled by God’s illuminating and strengthening of the soul, and will continue and increase so long as the soul perseveres. God’s grace insures that those who have been truly regenerated will persevere until the end of life. This entire work is called sanctification, a work of God “whereby we are renewed in the whole man and are enabled more and more to die daily unto sin and to live unto righteousness”as is stated by the Westminster Shorter Catechism (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:10).
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I. The Word “GRACE”in the New Testament
Archbishop Trench in his Synonyms of the New Testament says of this word, “It is hardly too much to say that the Greek mind has in no word uttered itself and all that was at its heart more distinctly than in this.”This was his comment regarding the word “grace”as it was used in the language of pagan Greece. In the case of the use of the same word in the Greek New Testament, we can repeat this Greek scholar’s words, substituting the word “God”for the word “Greek.”It is hardly too much to say that the mind of God has in no word uttered itself and all that was in His heart more distinctly than in this.
We will look first at the way the word was used in pagan Greece, Greece with its philosophy, its athletics, its poetry and drama, its wonderful architecture and statuary, its blue skies and rugged mountains, its love of the beautiful. The word itself is a beautiful word, charis. It is pronounced as follows: ch as in Scotch loch, or as in our word chasm, a as in father, i as in police, and the s as in cerise. The voice is stressed on the first syllable. The Christian poet wrote “Grace! ’tis a charming sound, Harmonious to the ear; Heav’n with the echo shall resound, And all the earth shall hear. Saved by grace alone! This is all my plea: Jesus died for all mankind, And Jesus died for me.”But of the latter, the Greeks of the pre-Christian era knew nothing.
Charis referred first of all to “that property in a thing which causes it to give joy to the hearers or beholders of it.…After awhile it came to signify not necessarily the grace or beauty of a thing, as a quality appertaining to it; but the gracious or beautiful thing, act, thought, speech, or person it might be, itself—the grace embodying and uttering itself, where there was room or call for this, in gracious outcomings toward such as might be its objects …There is a further sense which the word obtained, namely, the thankfulness which the favor calls out in return.…In the ethical terminology of the Greek schools charis implied ever a favor freely done, without claim or expectation of return.…Thus Aristotle, defining charis , ‘lays the whole stress on this very point, that it is conferred freely, with no expectation of return, and finding its only motive in the bounty and free-heartedness of the giver’.”Charis was also used to describe an act that was beyond the ordinary course of what might be expected, and was therefore commendable.
This word the inspired writers take over into the New Testament. In a few instances it has its distinctively classical meaning, but in the other places where it is used, it takes an infinite step forward to a deeper, richer, more wonderful content of meaning. Luke uses it in its purely classical meaning when he says (4:22), “And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.”Here the word has its classical meaning of that property in our Lord’s words which caused them to give joy to the hearers. How wonderful it must have been to hear the Lord Jesus speak in human speech and human tones. Not only was the content of His words gracious and beautiful, but the tones of His voice must have reflected all the depth of His personality, the intensity of His convictions (John 2:17), the fervor of His desire to serve (Matt. 20:28), the pathos and tenderness of His sorrow (Matt. 23:37–39). It was the infinite God speaking with human lips and in human tones.
Both Luke (17:9) and Paul in Romans 6:17 and II Corinthians 8:16 use charis in its classical meaning of “thankfulness.”Peter uses the word in its meaning of “that which is beyond the ordinary course of what might be expected, and is therefore commendable,”in his first epistle (2:19, 20), where the words “thankworthy”and “acceptable”are the translations of charis which appears in the Greek text. Surely, for a slave to manifest a spirit of patient submission toward a master who mistreats him, is an action beyond the ordinary course of what might be expected and is therefore commendable. The usual reaction on the part of a slave who is mistreated is to rebel against his master.
But how this purely classical meaning of the word describes what took place at Calvary. All the human race could expect in view of its sin, was the righteous wrath of a holy God, that and eternal banishment from His glorious presence. But instead, that holy God stepped down from His judgment seat and took upon Himself at Calvary’s Cross, the guilt and penalty of human sin, thus satisfying His justice and making possible the bestowal of His mercy. And this He did, not for those who were His friends, but His bitter enemies, unlovely creatures saturated with sin. Charis in classical Greek referred to a favor conferred freely, with no expectation of return, and finding its only motive in the bounty and free-heartedness of the giver. This favor was always done to a friend, never to an enemy. Right here charis leaps forward an infinite distance, for the Lord Jesus died for His enemies (Rom. 5:8–10), a thing unheard of in the human race. Surely this was beyond the ordinary course of what might be expected and is therefore commendable. This is what John is speaking of in his first epistle (3:1) when he says, “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God.”The words “what manner of”are from a Greek word which means “what foreign kind of.”That is, the love shown by God at the Cross is foreign to the human race. Man simply does not act that way (Rom. 5:7, 8, 10). That is why God’s action at the Cross in dying for lost humanity is an action beyond the ordinary course of what might be expected and is therefore commendable. Here is one of the strongest proofs of the divine source of the Bible. The substitutionary atonement never came from the philosophies of man but from the heart of God.
Thus, the word charis comes to its highest and most exalted content of meaning in the New Testament. It refers to God’s offer of salvation with all that that implies, which salvation was procured at Calvary’s Cross with all the personal sacrifice which that included, offered to one who is His bitter enemy and who is not only undeserving of that salvation but deserves condign punishment for his sins, offered without any expectation of return, but given out of the bounty and free-heartedness of the giver. This means that there is no room for good works on the part of the sinner as a means whereby he could earn his salvation, or after salvation whereby he might retain that salvation. Paul sets grace over against works as things directly in opposition to one another so far as the means of salvation is concerned (Rom. 4:4–5, 11:6). But Paul is very careful to make plain that good works naturally issue from and are required by grace (Titus 2:11–12).
Furthermore, he shows that this grace is unlimited in its resources. In Romans 5:20 he says, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”The word “abound”is from a different Greek word than that which is translated “abounded.”It is a compound word made up of a verb which means “to exist in superabundance,”and a prefixed preposition which means “above.”The translation could read “grace existed in superabundance and then more grace added to this superabundance.”
Thus, salvation is a gift, to be received by the open hand of faith, not something to be earned. Dear reader, if you have been attempting to find acceptance with God by your good works, if you have been depending in the least upon any personal merit, will you not now cast aside all this, and accept the free grace of God by faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, the One who died on the Cross for you, pouring out His precious blood as the God-appointed sacrifice for sins? “For God so loved the world that He gave His Son, the only begotten One, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish but have everlasting life”(John 3:16).
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Charis is used in the n.t., of that spontaneous act of God that came from the infinite love in His heart, in which He stepped down from His judgment throne to take upon Himself the guilt and penalty of human sin, thus satisfying His justice, maintaining His government, and making possible the bestowal of salvation upon the sinner who receives it by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who became a Sin-offering for him on the Cross (Rom. 3:24).
Charis also refers to the salvation which God provides, which salvation includes justification, sanctification, and glorification (Tit. 2:11). In Rom. 3:24 it is justifying grace. In Eph. 1:2 it is sanctifying grace, the enabling grace of God in the operation of the Holy Spirit in the life of the yielded saint. See also II Cor, 12:9, 8:6, 7; Heb. 4:16, 12:28.[12]
Past Benefits of Grace
I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus …even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you. (1:4, 6)
The first benefit of being a saint is the grace of salvation. Both which was given and was confirmed in the Greek are in the aorist tense, indicating action completed at a particular, definite point of time. At the moment a person trusts in Jesus Christ, he receives God’s grace and the testimony of Christ is confirmed in him. Once we are in Christ the grace of God is ours. Paul is grateful [I thank my God always concerning you] for those who have received the grace of salvation. His passion was to see people redeemed, and his joy was greatest when that happened. Keeping a proper perspective, his thanks is directed God-ward.[13]
Grace (charis) was a common Christian greeting, which Paul had just used in the previous verse in his salutation. The basic meaning of the word is “favor,” but in regard to God’s saving men through His Son it always has the special and distinct sense of undeserved and unrepayable kindness or mercy given to sinners. It is super-magnanimous giving, giving that is totally undeserved and unmerited. It need not, in fact cannot, be repaid. God’s saving grace is free and unearned.
In order to understand the true meaning and significance of God’s grace we need to understand three things that cannot coexist with grace: guilt, human obligation, and human merit.
Grace Cannot Coexist with Guilt
First of all, grace cannot coexist with guilt. Grace provides for the alleviation of guilt. God cannot say, “I am gracious and I give you salvation, but one false move and I’ll take it away.” That would not be a gracious gift, but a qualified, legal gift that could be taken away whenever we fell short of God’s requirements. Grace would not be grace if God said, “I will save you if you don’t sin.” If we could keep from sinning we would not need grace, because we would merit salvation, we would deserve it. If grace were given and then later withheld in the least degree because of sin, it would not be the grace taught in Scripture. Grace involves unmerited, undeserved, and permanent forgiveness. Grace can operate only where there is sin. Without need of forgiveness there is no need of grace.
Man can neither escape from nor atone for his own sin. He is guilty and helpless in himself Because God is holy and just He cannot ignore sin. It must be punished, and its penalty is death (Rom. 6:23). Yet this same verse that declares sin’s penalty also declares the way of its removal, its atonement: “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” By His work on the cross, Christ fulfilled the demands of God’s justice by taking the penalty of our sins upon Himself. In this was God’s supreme provision of grace. When Jesus Christ became guilty for our sin, the price was paid in His death. And once God sovereignly acts in grace to forgive a person’s sin because of trust in His Son’s work, that person is totally and forever free of guilt. He stands in grace, which is continually dispensed to him (Rom. 5:1–3). All guilt is removed and can never return. Grace is God’s gift that completely and permanently overrules guilt.
I have talked with Christians who are so absolutely distraught with guilt that they no longer are able to cope with life. They cannot accept the reality of forgiveness. They have long before trusted Christ as Savior and understood the truth of grace theologically and theoretically. But they do not understand it practically. This is often because they fail to separate the feelings of guilt that result from sin from the ultimate condemnation of the guilty. Sin not only produces feelings of guilt but real guilt, for we are guilty for the sins we commit. Yet that is the very guilt that Christ bore on the cross and that God’s grace in Christ removes. We feel it, we may be chastened for it (Heb. 12:3–11), but we will never be condemned by it. The pain that follows sin is not a mark of condemnation or rejection by God, but is a reminder that we have sinned and should also be a deterrent to further sin.
To have the benefit of being a saint but not be able to experience its full blessing because of doubting is tragic. Still some Christians apparently cannot believe that God could be so completely gracious. Yet incomplete or temporary grace would not be grace. Of course we cannot earn it. Of course we can never deserve it. Of course we can never repay it. That is what makes grace grace.
What greater motivation for becoming a Christian could an unbeliever have, and what greater consolation could a believer have, than to know that in Christ all sins—past, present, and future—are forgiven forever? In Christ all guilt and all penalty are permanently removed. In Him we will stand totally guiltless and holy for the rest of eternity. When God saves, He ultimately takes away all sin, all guilt, all punishment. That is grace.
Grace Cannot Coexist with Human Obligation
Second, grace cannot coexist with human obligation. We are not to say, “Well, God was gracious to me and He saved me, and now I have to pay Him back.” Grace is a free gift, not a loan. Grace makes us totally indebted to God, but because the cost is so great we cannot repay it, and because His grace is so great we need not repay it. In other words, we are completely indebted, but we have no debt. We cannot pay for our salvation either before or after we are saved.
In discussing the relationship of faith and works to God’s grace, Paul writes, “Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor [charis, grace], but as what is due” (Rom. 4:4). If we were able at any time or in any way to earn God’s forgiveness, it would be our due. We would earn it and God would owe it to us. We may thank our employer for getting our paycheck to us on time and for paying us willingly and gladly, but we do not thank him simply for paying us. If we have worked for it as we should, we deserve the money and he is obligated to pay it. In paying his employees what they have earned, an employer is not being gracious but simply honest and just. And if for any reason he will not pay for work done, his employee can demand his money, because by right it belongs to the worker.
But grace does not operate on the principle of works, of earning. It is the giving of that which has not been earned or deserved. In relation to God’s gift through His Son, it cannot be earned or deserved. Money can be given or it can be earned. But God’s grace can only be given.
How could we pay for what is priceless? To offer God the greatest love and devotion and obedience and service we have could not approach paying for what He offers us in Jesus Christ. To do so would be like offering a few pennies to pay the national debt. Beside God’s grace our very best works are even more of a pittance.
What makes the message of Christ such good news is that we do not need to pay for salvation. By itself, the truth that we cannot earn salvation would be bad news, the very worst of news, because it would leave man entirely hopeless. But grace makes it good news, the very greatest of news, because grace has made it unnecessary to pay for salvation. Our sinful limitations make it impossible; God’s abundant grace makes it unnecessary. God in Christ has paid for it; we have only to receive it through Him.
We owe God our highest love, our deepest devotion, and our greatest service as expressions of our gratitude and because all we have and are belong to Him—but not because these are able in the least way to buy or repay His gift of love and mercy to us. We love Him; but we are only able to love Him because first “He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). We owe Him everything out of gratitude; we owe Him nothing out of obligation.
Grace Cannot Coexist with Human Merit
Third, grace cannot coexist with human merit. Grace is not offered simply to “good” people. In relation to each other, some people obviously are morally better than others. But in relation to God’s righteousness, our very best is “like a filthy garment” (Isa. 64:6). A person’s goodness, in relation to other people and certainly in relation to God, is not considered in God’s grace. Merit, like guilt and obligation, has no part in grace. Jesus, speaking to the religious and moral Jewish leaders, shocked them with the fact that tax collectors (traitors to their own people and usually dishonest) and prostitutes (the lowest members of that society) would enter the kingdom of God before those religious leaders (Matt. 21:31–32). Luke 18:9–14 gives the classic account of a morally good man condemned to hell and a morally bad man headed for heaven.
For centuries Israel believed that God had chosen them as His special covenant people because they were better than others. They firmly believed this, in spite of the fact that God had told them otherwise at the very beginning. “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers” (Deut. 7:7–8).
Paul points out that, though the Jews had many blessings and many advantages, especially as recipients of God’s special revelation of Himself, they were not chosen because they were deserving. In many ways they were especially undeserving (Rom. 2:17—3:20). To Gentiles he gave the same warning. They were no better, “for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin” (3:9). Among ourselves we can distinguish between those who are humanly better and those who are worse, but before God every person spiritually stands the same—sinful and condemned in regard to his own merit, his own righteousness. “There is no distraction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (3:22–23). Even in himself—in fact especially in himself—Paul recognized no righteousness, no merit before God. In his own eyes he was the foremost of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15) and “the very least of all saints” (Eph. 3:8).
But again God’s grace turns bad news into good. Because of His grace we do not need to merit salvation. Paul was eternally grateful for the grace of God which was given … in Christ Jesus.
In recent years we have been able, through magazines, newspapers, and television, to see vividly the terrible plight and anguish of people in such places as Cambodia, Afghanistan, Central America, and the Middle East. The sensitive Christian who lives in a free, peaceful country cannot help asking, “Why, Lord, have you given me so much? Why am I free to live peacefully, free to worship where and as I choose, free to work, free to raise my family as I think best, free to have fellowship with other believers?” We know it is not because we are more deserving of blessing. We are blessed because of God’s grace and for no other reason.
Three Reasons for God’s Grace
God has three reasons, three motives, for being gracious to us. First, He provides salvation in order that those who are saved may produce good works. Good works touch and help the lives of others, including telling them of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Paul tells the Ephesians, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). In another letter he instructs Titus that Christ “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14). Later in the epistle he explains, “This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men” (3:8). God saved us to do good works because good works benefit men. God wants His children to touch all the world with their goodness, made possible through His Son.
Second, saving grace is meant to bring blessing to believers. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, … made us alive together with Christ, … in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4–7). God graciously saves us in order that He can pour out His great blessings on us forever.
Third, and most importantly, God saves us through grace in order to glorify Himself. Grace is given “in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church” and that “to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever” (Eph. 3:10, 21). Jesus taught that the primary purpose for letting our light shine before men, made possible by our salvation, is to “glorify [our] Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Jesus’ own primary purpose in going to the cross, which made our salvation possible, was to glorify His Father and to be glorified Himself (John 12:28; 17:1, 4–5). God’s glory is dearly on disphy in the gracious and powerful work of salvation.
The Lord’s gracious salvation is given in order for the saved to bring blessing to other men through good works, to bring blessing to believers themselves, and above all to bring glory to Himself. He is gracious for the world’s sake, for His children’s sake, and for His own sake.
even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you. (1:6)
We receive God’s grace when the testimony of Christ is confirmed—that is, settled, made steadfast and solid—in us. Testimony is the Greek marturion, meaning “witness,” as it is sometimes translated (see Acts 1:8). It is from this term that we get the English martyr. Christ’s witness is settled and confirmed in us when we trust in Him as Lord and Savior. At that moment, and forever after that moment, we stand in God’s grace.
In the New Testament marturion is most commonly used in relation to the gospel, and first of all to its proclamation. The Holy Spirit empowered the apostles, and continues to empower all Christ’s disciples, to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). Paul’s own calling centered in his “solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21; cf. v. 24), whether his testimony was accepted or not (22:18). The Lord assured Paul that he would not die until his testimony for Him was complete, the final witness being in Rome (23:11).
The context indicates that the deepest meaning of marturion (or marturia), however, is in its representing the gospel itself, not merely its proclamation. The testimony of which Paul counseled Timothy not to be ashamed was the “testimony of our Lord” (2 Tim. 1:8), that is, the gospel of the Lord. John tells us that “the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 John 5:11). The greatest testimony is not about the message of salvation but is the message of salvation. It is not when we hear the testimony about Christ, but when we have the testimony concerning Christ … confirmed in us, that we become partakers of God’s grace.
In 1 Corinthians 1:4, then, we see the divine offer of grace, and in 1:6 the positive human response to grace. When a person in faith accepts God’s offer, grace becomes operative. All sin is forgiven and all guilt is removed, forever. At that time God begins to pour out the superabundance of His blessings and riches on His new child, and He will not stop throughout all eternity. That is the extent of God’s grace.
Present Benefits of Grace
That in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, … so that you are not lacking in any gift. (1:5, 7a)
The first benefits of grace for the believer are established in the past, totally completed when we trust in Christ. Other benefits are present, a continuing treasury of riches given throughout our earthly lives. In Christ we are continually enriched in everything. A key word in verse 5 is in. We are enriched in everything … in Him. The in Him qualifies the in everything. That is, we have everything that Christ has to give, and He gives everything we need—though many times not everything we want. God’s “divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3), which is all a believer needs and should be all he wants. In Jesus Christ we “have been made complete” (Col. 2:10). “All things belong to [us]” (1 Cor. 3:21).
Among the most important of the things we have in Christ are all speech and all knowledge. Again the all is qualified. We have all the speech and knowledge necessary to accomplish all God wants us to do. We will always be able to say everything God wants us to say and to know everything He wants us to know His will is concurrent with His enablement.
All Speech
The particular speech in mind here is that of telling God’s truth. God gives every believer the capacity to speak for Him. We do not all have eloquence, an impressive vocabulary, or a captivating personality. But we all have the necessary God–given ability, the same capability and the same capacity; to speak for Him in the unique way that He wants us to speak.
Besides lack of holiness, I believe the most common failure of Christians is in not speaking for their Lord. The most frequent excuses are “I don’t know what to say” or “I don’t know how to say it” or “I just don’t think I can do it.” Paul shatters these excuses. We are enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge. Witnessing is no more optional for “ordinary” believers than for the apostles. “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8). We can witness and we must witness. We have no excuses for not giving testimony to Christ. We can speak; we can testify, just as those of the early church testified. Those saints prayed, “Grant that Thy bond–servants may speak Thy word with all confidence” (Acts 4:29). God was quick to answer and provide, and “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness” (v. 31). As believers, we too have the Holy Spirit, and He will enable us, like them, to speak for the Lord with confidence and boldness.
Though every believer has access to bold witnessing, it is obvious that we do not all take advantage of it. Confident and faithful witnessing not only requires God’s empowering but our willingness. Paul asked the Ephesian church, “Pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19). Like an arctic river in deep winter, our mouths are frozen. It is so easy to talk ourselves out of talking to others about the gospel.
When some Christians lead a person to the Lord, they are more amazed that God actually used them than that the miracle of the new birth took place. They are shocked that they are able to witness effectively.
As a young ministerial student I was sent out to preach to the crowds at the bus depot. After about two weeks I decided that this was not very effective, because of the many distractions. People waiting in a ticket line or getting on or off a bus were not the most attentive. So I started to walk up and down the street speaking to people individually and found this approach to be much more fruitful. One day as another student and I were out witnessing, we came upon two fellows on their way to a YMCA dance and we each picked one of them to talk with. After briefly presenting the gospel to my nervous listener, I asked him if he wanted to confess Jesus as Lord and receive Him into his life—to which he replied, “Yes.” At first I was more surprised than pleased. The Lord had really used me to bring someone to Himself! What a blessing that always is.
Many years later, after much training and experience in proclaiming the gospel, a man approached me outside the church one day and said, “I’m Jewish and I want to know how to be Christian.” All I needed to do was to tell him. After we had looked at Scripture and prayed together, he received the Lord. Even when we confidently expect the Lord to use us, it is still no less amazing and wonderful when He does. Whether we are experienced or inexperienced, our willingness to witness is the key to God’s using us.
When we are willing to open our mouths to speak for Him, we can be sure that He will give us the right thing to say. It is not that we put our minds in neutral but that we submit our minds to Him to use as He sees fit and to empower as He has promised. We need to be prepared, in knowledge of God’s Word, in prayer, in cleansing, and even in witnessing techniques. We are to “be diligent to present [ourselves] approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15) and we are always to be “ready to make a defense to everyone who asks [us] to give an account for the hope that is in [us]” (1 Pet. 3:15). We are to be patient, diligent, and gentle in our presenting the faith (2 Tim. 2:24–25). But with all our study and faithfulness and prayer, only God’s Spirit can bring a person to Himself.
All Knowledge
Despite His empowering, God does not expect us to speak from a vacuum. With provision of all speech necessary He also provides all knowledge necessary. It is not that we know everything, even about the gospel. Now we know only “in part” (1 Cor. 13:12), But we are given everything we need to know to speak effectively for the Lord. God has given us enough revelation and will give us enough understanding to speak His truth to the world. We have His Word and we have His Spirit to interpret it. “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him. For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God” (1 Cor. 2:9). Such things are not knowable or acceptable to the natural man, “for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (v. 14). God hides “these things from the wise and intelligent and [reveals] them to babes” (Matt. 11:25). Only to believers does He give “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6).
It is necessary to claim and to use the knowledge God provides for us in order for it to be effective in our witnessing. In Christ we know God, His Spirit, His truth, His revelation, and His power. Yet Paul prayed for the Ephesians that God would give them “a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Eph. 1:17). Likewise he prayed for the Colossian church that they would “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, … bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:9–10). We must internalize the knowledge God gives in order to make it truly ours.
God has given us all speech, but we must open our mouths in order to use it. God has given us all knowledge, but we must appropriate it. Just as we were graciously saved, we are also graciously gifted. God has made us fit for the kingdom, “qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col. 1:12).
All Gifts
Paul moves from the specific provisions of speech and knowledge to God’s general provision of all gifts that a believer needs to serve Him. A Christian is never lacking in any gift that he needs to live a full and faithful life.
Not lacking is in the present tense and is therefore still referring to present benefits of believing. In light of the corruption in the Corinthian church, it may seem strange that Paul would state categorically that they lacked nothing. Unlike the Thessalonian and Philippian churches, the Corinthian church was exceptionally lacking in spiritual maturity and in moral purity. But they were not lacking, Paul says, in any spiritual gift. They did not have the same spiritual maturity and moral character as believers in those other churches, but they had all of the same resources.
Paul was speaking of God’s provisions, not their use of His provisions. God had already provided them with everything and continued to provide them with everything, despite the fact that they were so unfaithful and perverse in using His gifts and in being thankful for them. (And they sought gifts they did not have, as we see in 1 Cor. 14.) The apostle seemed to be emphasizing two things in this statement. First, the believers in Corinth, as believers everywhere, did not need to look for, and should not try to look for, additional special blessings or gifts. God has already provided every spiritual gift His children need or may have. Second, believers should claim and begin to use the gifts that the Lord has given them. The Corinthians lacked no gifts, only the willingness to use them.
The word gift is the Greek charisma, which is specifically a gift of grace, derived from the term for grace (charis) used in verses 3–4. The gifts of which they had no lack were gifts provided by “the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus” (1:4). The particular blessings of speech and knowledge seem to refer primarily to presenting the gospel to the world; the general gifts of verse 7 seem to refer primarily to ministering to fellow believers. God’s resources dispensed to the churches are adequate to reach the world and adequate to build the church.
Our English word charismatic comes from the plural (charismata) of the term used here, and refers to the endowment by God of gracious gifts to His people to minister to His church. It does not refer to the endowment of special, extraordinary gifts to those who are supposedly more spiritual or more advanced in the faith, as maintained by many in what is generally known as the charismatic movement. God endows all believers with charismata, although, as with His other blessings, these gifts are often ignored or misused.
As believers we all have spiritual gifts, given since the Lord redeemed us, and we have them as fully as we need them and can have them. Because of indifference or ignorance it may take years to recognize them and many more years to develop them, but we already possess them. Many of us, like the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12:1), are ignorant of our spiritual gifts and even of the fact that we possess them. We need to recognize that we have spiritual gifts and we need to identify them and use them. We need to know whether we have the gift of teaching, preaching, exhortation, administration, helps, giving, or whatever it may be. And we then must be responsive to the Spirit as He uses us to minister with the gifts He has given us.
We are born spiritually just as we were born physically, with everything complete and intact We do not add arms or legs or organs as we mature physically. These grow and develop, but they are not added. Likewise when we are born spiritually, we are undeveloped but complete. We need spiritual food and exercise in order to grow, but we do not need and we will not be given additional “spiritual parts.” If we do not grow, or if we regress, it is not because we lack God’s resources but only because we do not use them. When a Christian falls into sin, laziness, ineffective service, or impurity it is not because he lacks anything from the Lord. It is because he is not appropriating what he has. In Christ we “have been made complete” (Col. 2:10). We already have been given everything we need for spiritual health, vitality, growth, and reproduction. A Christian can never say, “I need this spiritual blessing, or that spiritual gift or ability.” We need nothing else from God. God has been abundantly faithful; He has given us everything. Failure is never on God’s side, but always on ours The only lack, the only shortcoming, is in our commitment to use our divine resources.
Future Benefits of Grace
Awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1:7b–9)
God’s grace not only provides past and present benefits, but also future benefits. God has saved us by His grace; He presently empowers us with gifts of His grace; and He guarantees the final fulfillment of His grace. The best is yet to come. The faithful believer cannot help being eschatological. We are grateful for past grace, we seek to be responsible in using present grace, but our greatest joy is looking forward to future grace. We watch, we wait, and we hope for the Lord’s next coming, His final coming. We have work to do on earth, gifts to employ for the Lord. And as long as He has work for us here, it “is more necessary” for us to remain. But to enter the future life, to be forever with Christ “is very much better” (Phil. 1:23–24) because our true home, our true citizenship is in heaven (3:20). We are constantly feeling the tug of that world to come. We are awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are looking for Jesus to come. We are confident He is coming, and we know it could be soon.
The Greek word apekdechomenous (awaiting eagerly) means to wait with eager anticipation and also with activity. It is not idle, passive waiting, as when sitting on a street corner waiting for a bus. It involves working while we wait and watch and hope. We know that God takes care of His own. We wait eagerly, but not anxiously. We live in a hopeless world, and often we cannot help grieving for it, as Jesus grieved over Jerusalem (Luke 13:34). But the world’s hopelessness does not steal our hope. We can say with Paul, “I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (2 Tim. 1:12). It is that very day which is the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The revelation refers to His manifestation without the veil of humanity He wore in His incarnation. At His next coming He will be fully revealed in blazing splendor.
cf. confer (Lat.), compare
v. verse
MacArthur, J. 1996, c1984. 1 Corinthians. Includes indexes. Moody Press: Chicago
GRACE
1. CHARIS (Η¬ΑΉΒ , (5485)) has various uses, (a) objective, that which bestows or occasions pleasure, delight, or causes favourable regard; it is applied, e.ge.g., to beauty, or gracefulness of person, Luke 2:40; act, 2 Cor. 8:6, or speech, Luke 4:22, R.VR.V., “words of grace”(A.VA.V., “gracious words”); Col. 4:6; (b) subjective, (1) on the part of the bestower, the friendly disposition from which the kindly act proceeds, graciousness, loving–kindness, goodwill generally, e.g., Acts 7:10; especially with reference to the Divine favour or grace, e.g., Acts 14:26; in this respect there is stress on its freeness and universality, its spontaneous character, as in the case of God’s redemptive mercy, and the pleasure or joy He designs for the recipient; thus it is set in contrast with debt, Rom. 4:4, 16, with works, 11:6, and with law, John 1:17; see also, e.g., Rom. 6:14, 15; Gal. 5:4; (2) on the part of the receiver, a sense of the favour bestowed, a feeling of gratitude, e.g., Rom. 6:17 (“thanks”); in this respect it sometimes signifies to be thankful, e.g., Luke 17:9 (“doth he thank the servant?”litlit., ‘hath he thanks to’); 1 Tim. 1:12; (c) in another objective sense, the effect of grace, the spiritual state of those who have experienced its exercise, whether (1) a state of grace, e.g., Rom. 5:2; 1 Pet. 5:12; 2 Pet. 3:18, or (2) a proof thereof in practical effects, deeds of grace, e.g., 1 Cor. 16:3, R.V., “bounty”(A.V., “liberality”); 2 Cor. 8:6, 19 (in 2 Cor. 9:8 it means the sum of earthly blessings); the power and equipment for ministry, e.g., Rom. 1:5; 12:6; 15:15; 1 Cor. 3:10; Gal. 2:9; Eph. 3:2, 7.
To be in favour with is to find grace with, e.g., Acts 2:47; hence it appears in this sense at the beginning and the end of several Epistles, where the writer desires grace from God for the readers, e.g., Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; in this respect it is connected with the imperative mood of the word chairo, to rejoice, a mode of greeting among Greeks, e.g., Acts 15:23; Jas. 1:1 (margmarg.); 2 John 10, 11, R.V., “greeting”(A.V., “God speed”).
The fact that grace is received both from God the Father, 2 Cor. 1:12, and from Christ, Gal. 1:6; Rom. 5:15 (where both are mentioned), is a testimony to the Deity of Christ. See also 2 Thess. 1:12, where the phrase “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ”is to be taken with each of the preceding clauses, “in you,”“and ye in Him.”
In Jas. 4:6, “But He giveth more grace”(Greek, ‘a greater grace,’R.V., marg.), the statement is to be taken in connection with the preceding verse, which contains two remonstrating, rhetorical questions, “Think ye that the Scripture speaketh in vain?”and “Doth the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) which He made to dwell in us long unto envying?”(see the R.V.). The implied answer to each is ‘it cannot be so.’Accordingly, if those who are acting so flagrantly, as if it were so, will listen to the Scripture instead of letting it speak in vain, and will act so that the Holy Spirit may have His way within, God will give even ‘a greater grace,’namely, all that follows from humbleness and from turning away from the world. See Benefit, Bounty, Liberality, Thank.[14]
b. on the part of God and Christ; the context will show whether the emphasis is upon the possession of divine grace as a source of blessings for the believer, or upon a store of grace that is dispensed, or a state of grace (i.e. standing in God’s favor) that is brought about, or a deed of grace wrought by God in Christ, or a work of grace that grows fr. more to more. God is called oJ qeo;" pavsh" cavrito" 1 Pt 5:10; cf. B 21:9.-cavrin didovnai tiniv (Anacr. 110 Diehl; Appian, Ital. 5 §10): without a dat. Js 4:6a. tapeinoi`" divdwsi cavrin (Pr 3:34) Js 4:6b; 1 Pt 5:5; 1 Cl 30:2. The Logos is plhvrh" cavrito" J 1:14. Those who belong to him receive of the fulness of his grace, cavrin ajnti; cavrito" vs. 16 (ajntiv 2). Cf. vs. 17. th;n cavrin tauvthn ejn h|/ eJsthvkamen this state of grace in which we stand Ro 5:2.—5:17; 1 Cor 1:4; 2 Cor 4:15 (the work of grace in conversion; cf. Ac 11:23); 6:1; Gal 1:6 (by Christ’s deed of grace); 2:21; 5:4; Col 1:6; 2 Ti 2:1; Hb 12:15; 13:9; 1 Pt 1:10, 13; 3:7 (sunklhronovmoi cavrito" zwh`" fellow-heirs of the gracious gift that is life); 5:12; 2 Pt 3:18; Jd 4; IPhld 11:1; ISm 6:2. The Christians stand uJpo; cavrin under God’s gracious will as expressed in the act of redemption Ro 6:14f, or they come uJpo; to;n zugo;n th`" cavrito" aujtou` 1 Cl 16:17 (zugov" 1). The preaching of salvation is to; eujaggevlion th`" cavrito" tou` qeou` Ac 20:24 or oJ lovgo" th`" cavrito" aujtou` (=tou` kurivou) 14:3; 20:32. Even the good news of the gospel can be called hJ cavri" tou` qeou` 13:43; cf. 18:27; MPol 2:3. to; pneu`ma th`" cavrito" the Spirit from or through whom grace is given Hb 10:29
4. of exceptional effects produced by divine grace, above and beyond those usu. experienced by Christians (inscr. megavlai cavrite" tou` qeou`: FCumont, Syria 7, ’26, 347ff), in the churches of Macedonia 2 Cor 8:1 and Corinth 9:14; cf. vs. 8. The martyr is in full possession of divine grace ISm 11:1. Paul knows that through the cavri" of God he has been called to be an apostle, and that he has been fitted out w. the powers and capabilities requisite for this office fr. the same source: Ro 1:5; 12:3; 15:15; 1 Cor 3:10; 15:10a, b (for the subject matter cf. Polyb. 12, 12b, 3 aujto;n [Alex. the Great] uJpo; tou` daimonivou teteucevnai touvtwn w|n e[tucen=whatever he has received he has received from the god. [For this reason he does not deserve any divine honors.]); 2 Cor 12:9; Gal 2:9; Eph 3:2, 7f; Phil 1:7.—The cavri" of God manifests itself in various carivsmata: Ro 12:6; Eph 4:7; 1 Pt 4:10. This brings us to a number of passages in which cavri" is evidently to be understood in a very concrete sense. It is hardly to be differentiated fr. duvnami" (qeou`) or fr. gnw`si" or dovxa (q.v. 1a. On this subj. s. Wetter [below] p. 94ff; esp. 130ff; pap. in the GLumbroso-Festschr. ’25, 212ff: cavri", duvnami", pneu`ma w. essentially the same mng.; PGM 4, 2438; 3165; Herm. Wr. 1, 32). oujk ejn sofiva/ sarkikh`/ ajllΖ ejn cavriti qeou` 2 Cor 1:12. oujk ejgw; de; ajlla; hJ cavri" tou` qeou` su;n ejmoiv 1 Cor 15:10c. aujxavnete ejn cavriti kai; gnwvsei tou` kurivou 2 Pt 3:18. Cf. 1 Cl 55:3; B 1:2 (th`" dwrea`" pneumatikh`" cavri"). Stephen is said to be plhvrh" cavrito" kai; dunavmew" Ac 6:8. Divine power fills the martyr’s face w. a radiant glow MPol 12:1 (but s. 1 above). As the typical quality of the age to come, contrasted w. the kovsmo" D 10:6.
The Greek word is charis which could mean charm. There must be a certain loveliness in the Christian life. A Christianity which is unattractive is no real Christianity. Grace always describes a gift, and a gift which it would have been impossible for a man to procure for himself, and which he never earned and in no way deserved. Whenever we mention the word grace, we must think of the sheer loveliness of the Christian life and the sheer undeserved generosity of the heart of God.
When we think of the word peace in connection with the Christian life we must be careful. In Greek the word is eirene, but it translates the Hebrew word shalom. In the Bible peace is never a purely negative word; it never describes simply the absence of trouble. Shalom means everything which makes for a man’s highest good. Christian peace is something quite independent of outward circumstances. A man might live in ease and luxury and on the fat of the land, he might have the finest of houses and the biggest of bank accounts, and yet not have peace; on the other hand, a man might be starving in prison, or dying at the stake, or living a life from which all comfort had fled, and be at perfect peace. The explanation is that there is only one source of peace in all the world, and that is doing the will of God. When we are doing something which we know we ought not to do or are evading something that we know we ought to do, there is always a haunting dispeace at the back of our minds; but if we are doing something very difficult, even something we do not want to do, so long as we know that it is the right thing there is a certain contentment in our hearts. “ÿIn his will is our peace.ÿ”
[15]
2 Samuel 9 (NIV)
1 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” “Your servant,” he replied. 3 The king asked, “Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet.” 4 “Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.” 5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “Your servant,” he replied. 7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” 8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” 9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was crippled in both feet.
[16]
Gift translates charisma, which denotes a specific expression of charis (“ÿgraceÿ”) and therefore carries the idea of a grace gift. It refers to the general categories of spiritual gifts that Paul explains in ÿRomans 12ÿand ÿ1 Corinthians 12ÿ. God sovereignly bestows these enablements on believers according to His own divine will, totally apart from any personal merit, qualification, or seeking. Therefore, “ÿsince we have gifts [charismata, plural of charisma] that differ according to the grace [charis] given to us,ÿ”Paul admonished believers in Rome, “ÿlet each exercise them accordinglyÿ”(ÿRom. 12:6ÿ).
In the present passage, Paul uses the singular charisma in the same way as Peter does in his first letter: “ÿAs each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;…so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amenÿ”(ÿ1 Peter 4:10–11ÿ). In both instances the apostles are speaking of each believer’s unique spiritual giftedness, which may encompass several specific gifts.
A believer’s divine giftedness is inseparable from his divine calling. At salvation, each Christian’s grace gifts are bestowed on him uniquely to equip him to serve God in the specific area or areas of ministry to which he has been called. The grace gifts are divine enablements for effective service of the Lord. Timothy’s giftedness prepared him not only for preaching and teaching but also to “ÿdo the work of an evangelist, [in order to] fulfill your ministryÿ”(ÿ2 Tim. 4:5ÿ).
That gift of God for preaching the Word already is in you, Paul reminded Timothy. It was received at salvation but had not come to full fruition; it was not being employed to the full extent of Timothy’s calling and of the Spirit’s power. In ÿchapter 4ÿhe explains explicitly what he means by to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you. “ÿPreach the word,ÿ”he admonishes; “ÿbe ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instructionÿ”(ÿ2 Tim. 4:2ÿ).
Through the laying on of my hands may mean that Paul laid his hands on Timothy at the time of his conversion, which corresponded to the time of receiving his unique spiritual giftedness. Or it may mean that Timothy’s spiritual endowment was extraordinary, being received, or perhaps enhanced at a later time, through the…hands of the apostle, as well as through “ÿthe laying on of hands by the presbyteryÿ”(ÿ1 Tim. 4:14ÿ), and “ÿin accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning youÿ”(ÿ1 Tim. 1:18ÿ).
But Paul’s basic admonition to Timothy, and to every believer, remains unchanged. Divine giftedness is to be continually rekindled, fanned into flame, in order that Christ may fully work out His will for us and through us. The very fact that we have giftedness from God demands its full and constant use. And the fact that every believer has a divinely bestowed gift means that every believer has a divinely equipped ministry.
Whatever specific gifts our giftedness may embrace, they are continually to be exercised in God’s power for the extension of His kingdom, for the building of His church, and for the glory of His name. If a believer has the gift of prophecy, it should be exercised “ÿaccording to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulnessÿ”(ÿRom. 12:6–8ÿ). And in every case, he should not be “ÿlagging behind in diligence, [but be] fervent in spirit, serving the Lordÿ”(ÿv. 11ÿ).
Although Timothy’s gift was given to him by God through the Holy Spirit and placed within him, it could not become evident or begin to function until he was commissioned to minister. In a similar though not as unique a way, every believer must genuinely and unreservedly devote himself to serving the Lord in the energy of the Spirit before his giftgiftedness can become truly evident or effective. When our heart’s desire is to please the Lord, the Lord will guide us by that desire into the specific areas of service for which He has gifted us. The Lord does not mock His children. He lovingly bestows desires that correspond to His gifts.
When we begin to function in the area in which God has gifted us, our boldness in His service will grow, because we know we are doing what He has appointed and equipped us to do. Nothing gives a believer more courage and more protection from being ashamed of Christ than knowing he is in the Lord’s will and is operating his gift in the power of the Holy Spirit.
[17]
5486. Η¬ΑΉsµa chárisma; gegen. charísmatos, neut. noun from charízomai (5483), to show favor. A gift of grace, an undeserved benefit. The suffix –ma, indicates the result of grace. Equivalent to dó¯ron (1435), gift. In the NNT used only of gifts and graces imparted from God, deliverance from peril (2 Cor. 1:11); the gift of self–control (1 Cor. 7:7); gifts of Christian knowledge, consolation, confidence (Rom. 1:11; 1 Cor. 1:7); redemption, salvation through Christ (Rom. 5:15, 16; 6:23; 11:29). Specifically of the gifts imparted to the early Christians and particularly to Christian teachers by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:4, 9, 28, 30, 31; 1 Pet. 4:10). As communicated with the laying on of hands (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6).
The relationship between the grace of God in Christ Jesus and the gifts which it bestows is indicated in 1 Cor. 1:4–7. In 1 Cor. 1:4 Paul says, “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ.”What is translated “which is given you”is the fefem. aoaor. pass. part. té¯dotheíse (té¯ [3588], the [dat. fem]; dídomi [1325], to give) preceded by the dedef. art. and would be better translated “which was given to you”(a.t.) referring to the grace of God given in Christ Jesus. Whoever has that grace is not lacking, 1 Cor. 1:7 says, in any gift. Chárisma is the instantaneous enablement of the Holy Spirit in the life of any believer to exercise a gift for the edification of others.
Syn.: dó¯ron (1435), a gift; doreá (1431), a free gift; dó¯rema (1434), a favor, something given; dóma (1390), a gift; dósis (1394), act of giving; merismós (3311), a dividing, distribution of gifts.
Ant.: kríma (2917), the sentence pronounced; katákrima (2631), condemnation with a subjection to punishment following; krísis (2920), the act of judgment; katákrisis (2633), the act of condemnation.
[18]
4:10. Believers should be diligent in using their spiritual gifts. Each gift (charisma) is to be used to serve (diakonountes; cfcf. diakonos, “deacon”) or “minister to”others. The phrase faithfully administering (hos kaloi oikonomoi) could also be translated “as good stewards.”A “steward”was one who served as a house manager; he had no wealth of his own, but distributed his master’s wealth according to his master’s will and direction. The “gift”(charisma) stems from God’s grace (charitos). His grace is manifested to His church as believers exercise their spiritual gifts in service to each other. His grace is evident in its various forms, that is, it is “manifold”(nasb), variegated, rich in variety (poikiles; cf. 1:6, where Peter said trials are poikilois, or varied).
[19]
THANK, THANKS (Noun and Verb), THANKFUL, THANKFULNESS, THANKSGIVING, THANKWORTHY
A. Nouns.
1. CHARIS , (5485)), for the meanings of which see Grace, No. 1, is rendered “thank”in Luke 6:32, 33, 34; in 17:9, “doth he thank”is litlit., ‘hath he thanks to;’it is rendered “thanks (be to God)”in Rom. 6:17, R.VR.V. (A.VA.V., “God be thanked”); “thanks”in 1 Cor. 15:57; in 1 Tim. 1:12 and 2 Tim. 1:3, “I thank”is, lit., “I have thanks;”“thankworthy,”1 Pet. 2:19, A.V. (R.V., “acceptable”). See Accept, D, No. 2.
2. EUCHARISTIA(2169)), eu, well, charizomai, to give freely (EngEng., eucharist), denotes (a) gratitude, “thankfulness,”Acts 24:3; (b) giving of thanks, thanksgiving, 1 Cor. 14:16; 2 Cor. 4:15; 9:11, 12 (plurplur.); Eph. 5:4; Phil. 4:6; Col. 2:7; 4:2; 1 Thess. 3:9 (“thanks”); 1 Tim. 2:1 (plur.); 4:3, 4; Rev. 4:9, “thanks;”7:12.¶
B. Verbs.
1. EUCHARISTEO (2168)), akin to A, NoNo. 2, to give thanks, (a) is said of Christ, Matt. 15:36; 26:27; Mark 8:6; 14:23; Luke 22:17, 19; John 6:11, 23; 11:41; 1 Cor. 11:24; (b) of the Pharisee in Luke 18:11 in his self–complacent prayer; (c) is used by Paul at the beginning of all his Epistles, except 2 CorCor. (see, however, eulogetos in 1:3), GalGal., 1 TimTim., 2 Tim. (see, however, charin echo, 1:3), and TitTit., (1) for his readers, Rom. 1:8; Eph. 1:16; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2 Thess. 1:3 (cpcp. 2:13); virtually so in Philm. 4; (2) for fellowship shown, Phil. 1:3; (3) for God’s gifts to them, 1 Cor. 1:4; (d) is recorded (1) of Paul elsewhere, Acts 27:35; 28:15; Rom. 7:25; 1 Cor. 1:14; 14:18; (2) of Paul and others, Rom. 16:4; 1 Thess. 2:13; of himself, representatively, as a practice, 1 Cor. 10:30; (3) of others, Luke 17:16; Rom. 14:6 (twice); 1 Cor. 14:17; Rev. 11:17; (e) is used in admonitions to the saints, the Name of the Lord Jesus suggesting His character and example, Eph. 5:20; Col. 1:12; 3:17; 1 Thess. 5:18; (f) as the expression of a purpose, 2 Cor. 1:11, R.V.; (g) negatively of the ungodly, Rom. 1:21.¶ Thanksgiving is the expression of joy Godward, and is therefore the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22); believers are encouraged to abound in it (e.ge.g., Col. 2:7, and see C, below)[20]
Why Should We Be Thankful?
Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:2
I. The Apostle Paul clearly gives us an example of a thankful attitude.
A. In nearly every epistle, Paul’s first words are those of thanksgiving and praise to God.
1. Paul made this suggestion in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks.…”
2. Paul’s thanksgiving was not dependent on his personal circumstances. He continued to thank God despite many hardships (2 Cor. 11:22–33).
3. Paul’s thanksgiving is evidenced in prayer (1 Thess. 1:2).
a) For Paul, this externalizing was spontaneous, flowing out of his love for Christ and the saints of Christ’s Church.
b) We should echo Paul, as we recognize our indebtedness to God for the gift of life itself and for His providence in sustaining us (2 Cor. 1:8–11).
B. Paul used the Greek word for thanksgiving often.
1) The word for thanksgiving in Greek is eucharistía, from eu, “well,”and cháris, “grace, thanks.”When we consider God’s cháris, “grace,”we are compelled to have eucharistía, “thanksgiving.”
2) In pre–Christian Greek literature, however, the word eucharistía is rarely used.
3) Outside the Gospels and Revelation, the word “thanksgiving”occurs in the New Testament only in the writings of Paul.
(a) The word eucharistía, itself does not actually occur in the Gospels, but similar words are used such as euloge;sas, “blessed”(Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22) and euchariste;sas, “having given thanks”(Luke 22:17; John 6:11, 23).
(b) The noun appears only twice in Revelation, which was written long after all of Paul’s epistles, so it is quite possible that John borrowed Paul’s usage.
II. For Paul, thanksgiving is also a duty.
A. In 1 Thessalonians 1:2, the kjv says, “We give thanks to God always for you all.…”
1) Paul expresses thanksgiving as simply something he does (1 Thess. 1:2). But in 2 Thessalonians 1:3 the Greek text has the expression, opheílomen eucharisteín, translated “we are bound to thank,”or “it is our duty to thank God always for you.”
2) Paul further declares that thanksgiving is not an elective exercise but mandatory (2 Thess. 2:13).
B. In 1 Thessalonians chapters one and two, Paul connects the duty of thanksgiving with prayer, “We give thanks to God always for you all making mention of you in our prayers.”
1) We must thank God for others’benefits and blessings as well as for ourselves. In order to do this we must have others on our minds as we go to prayer.
2) If we practice this form of thanksgiving, it will revolutionize our own lives and our relationships with others.
C. Paul elsewhere stresses the necessity of thanksgiving. He attributes the darkness of the heathen world to a lack of thanksgiving and praise (Rom. 1:21).
III. What should be the extent of our thanksgiving? (1 Thess. 1:2).
A. Paul tells us our thanksgiving should be “always.”
1) Thanksgiving and prayers must be constant attitudes manifested all day long, seven days a week. Note how many times the word, pántote, “always,”occurs in this connection (Rom. 1:9; 1 Cor. 1:4; Eph. 5:20; Col. 1:3; 4:12; 1 Thess. 3:6; 2 Thess. 1:3, 11; 2:13; Phile. 1:4).
2) This does not mean we are constantly praying, but that we are always ready to pray and alert for opportunities to pray (Col. 4:2).
B. Paul also stresses that our thanksgiving should be inclusive, “for you all.”
1) Paul did not leave anyone out in verse two, “for you all.”Every believer that is a part of a local congregation has been called into the body of Christ.
2) Therefore every member is vitally important to every other member of the church. In each member of our church we can find reason for praise on the fact of his calling alone. Yet above this, we ought to seek to be able as well to give God praise for the spiritual qualities we see in each one.
C. Paul further instructs us that our thanksgiving should be informed.
1) A believer must exercise his memory as he gives thanks in prayer.
(a) In 1 Thessalonians 1:2 Paul says, “…making mention of you …,”or, in other words, recalling each believer by name. The word mneía, “remembrance or mention,”is always used in connection with prayer (Rom. 1:9; Eph. 1:16; 1 Thess. 1:2; Phile. 1:4).
(b) In order to bring others before God in prayer, we must first be able to mnemoneúontes, “to call to mind.”This verb form is followed by the adverb adialeíptos, “without ceasing, without allowing any lapse of time”(Rom. 1:9; 2 Thess. 2:13). Thus we must constantly be filling our memory bank with the names and faces of fellow believers as did Paul.
2) A believer must also exercise his observation to feed his memory.
(a) We should detect how faith manifests itself in what others do, and find things in their lives worth imitating.
1) Some may be weary from doing their work for Christ’s kingdom. The word for labor in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 is kópos, “fatigue resulting from labor.”We should likewise be diligent.
2) Others may be carrying heavy burdens of life. The word for “patience”is hupomone;. It implies being hopeful despite the circumstances. Seeing such patience causes our faith to increase as well.
(b) We must likewise remember all these needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ as we offer up prayers for them continually, thanking God especially for their faith and inclusion in the eternal life to come.
[21]
a) An Attitude of Thanksgiving Conforms
to His Will
1 Thess. 5:16–18[22]
g) Praise God with Thanksgiving
Ezra 3:11; Neh. 12:24; Ps. 69:30; Ps. 147:7–9[23]
1 [1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Zondervan: Grand Rapids
2 [2] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Zondervan: Grand Rapids
3 [3] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Zondervan: Grand Rapids
4 [4] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Zondervan: Grand Rapids
5 [5] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Zondervan: Grand Rapids
6 [6] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Standard Bible Society: Wheaton
7 [7] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Standard Bible Society: Wheaton
[8]Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. 1987. The teacher's commentary. Includes index. Victor Books: Wheaton, Ill.
1 part. participle
2 NT New Testament
3 cf. confer, compare
4 v. verse
[9]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. 1983-c1985. The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures. Victor Books: Wheaton, IL
1 gen (genitive)
[10]Zodhiates, S. 2000, c1992, c1993. The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.) . AMG Publishers: Chattanooga, TN
[11]Wuest, K. S. 1997, c1984. Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader . Eerdmans: Grand Rapids
[12]Wuest, K. S. 1997, c1984. Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader . Eerdmans: Grand Rapids
[13]MacArthur, J. 1996, c1984. 1 Corinthians. Includes indexes. Moody Press: Chicago
1 e.g. exempli gratia, for example
2 R.V. Revised Version, 1881—1885
3 A.V. Authorized Version (King James’), 1611
4 lit. literally
5 marg. margin
[14]Vine, W., & Bruce, F. 1981; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996. Vine's Expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words . Revell: Old Tappan NJ
[15]The letters to the Galatians and Ephesians. 2000, c1976 (W. Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, Ed.). The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed. The Westminster Press: Philadelphia
1 [16] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Zondervan: Grand Rapids
[17]MacArthur, J. 1996, c1995. 2 Timothy. Moody Press: Chicago, Ill.
1 gen (genitive)
2 NT (New Testament)
3 fem (feminine)
4 aor (aorist [2 aor. for second aorist])
5 def (definite)
[18]Zodhiates, S. 2000, c1992, c1993. The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.) . AMG Publishers: Chattanooga, TN
1 cf. confer, compare
[19]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. 1983-c1985. The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures. Victor Books: Wheaton, IL
1 lit. literally
2 R.V. Revised Version, 1881—1885
3 A.V. Authorized Version (King James’), 1611
4 Eng. English
5 plur. plural
6 ¶ ¶ indicates that all the N.T. occurrences of the Greek work under consideration are mentioned under the heading or sub–heading.
7 No. number
8 Cor. Corinthians
9 Gal. Galations
10Tim. Timothy
11Tit. Titus
12cp. compare, see also
13e.g. exempli gratia, for example
[20]Vine, W., & Bruce, F. 1981; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996. Vine's Expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words . Revell: Old Tappan NJ
[21]Zodhiates, S. 1998, c1998, c1994, c1993. Sermon starters : Volumes 1-4. AMG Publishers: Chattanooga, TN
[22]Elwell, W. A., & Buckwalter, D. 1996, c1991. Vol. 5]: Topical analysis of the Bible : With the New International Version. Includes indexes. Baker reference library. Baker Book House: Grand Rapids, Mich.
[23]Elwell, W. A., & Buckwalter, D. 1996, c1991. Vol. 5]: Topical analysis of the Bible : With the New International Version. Includes indexes. Baker reference library. Baker Book House: Grand Rapids, Mich.