Spir Dynamics 302, 1124/93; Eph 1206, 5/23/90; Rev 9:1 11/25/82

DOCTRINE OF THANKSGIVING

A. Definition.

1. Thanksgiving is that form of worship in which the Church Age believer acknowledges the benefits related to the divine initiative of antecedent grace in eternity past and in time.

a. The divine initiative of antecedent grace in eternity past is the provision of our very own portfolio of invisible assets.

b. The divine initiative of antecedent grace in time is the function of the three spiritual skills.

2. The biblical definition of worship is the basis for the true function of thanksgiving. This definition is given in Jn 4:24, “God is a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship by means of the Spirit [filling of the Spirit] and by means of [truth] doctrine.”

3. Thanksgiving is worship and an expression of the wonderful functions of the problem solving devices on the FLOT line of the soul.

a. All true worship in the Church Age is based on the two power options: the filling of the Holy Spirit and the metabolization of doctrine.

b. The filling of the Holy Spirit plus the metabolization of doctrine plus the problem solving devices on the FLOT line of the soul equals true thanksgiving. The application of doctrine through the use of the problem solving devices produces the only true thanksgiving.

c. Thanksgiving is the application of Bible doctrine to experience through the function of the problem solving devices.

d. Thanksgiving has no meaning, even for believers, until they are consistently functioning under the spiritual skills. Thanksgiving is a part of the daily function of the ten problem solving devices deployed on the FLOT line of the soul.

4. Thanksgiving is a part of the spiritual life. Thanksgiving is a part of worship. Therefore, thanksgiving must be related to the function of the three spiritual skills. Thanksgiving is not some shallow, fleeting system of gratitude for something. It is a system of worship of God; it is capacity for worship; it is capacity for life; it is a reflection of the three spiritual skills.

a. Thanksgiving is a moment by moment mental attitude produced by the spiritual skills in the soul. It is a part of the divine viewpoint of life. Thanksgiving is the mental attitude that comes from the function of spiritual skills. This attitude is a part of capacity for life, and is based on maximum Bible doctrine in the soul.

b. Thanksgiving is the mental attitude forged from cognition and inculcation of Bible doctrine plus subsequent capacity for life from metabolized doctrine in the right lobe.

(1) Col 2:7, “Having been rooted and having been edified in Him, and being stabilized by means of doctrine as you have been taught, overflowing with thanksgiving.” There is a relationship between your consistent perception of Bible doctrine and your attitude of thanksgiving toward God. Bible doctrine gives capacity for gratitude.

(2) Col 1:12, “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us for a share in the endowment of the saints in the light.” “In the light” is the instrumental of manner, which is an idiom stating the manner in which the believer is qualified for a share in the endowment of the saints—in the light of the infallible word of God. The only way that you qualify for a share in the endowment is through metabolized doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness.

c. Thanksgiving is coterminous with the attainment of spiritual capacity righteousness and subsequent conveyance of escrow blessings for time.

d. Thanksgiving is both an expression of the spiritual skills and the capacity for divine blessing in time. Thanksgiving is the expression from capacity for appreciation of God and the mental attitude of gratitude toward God. Thanksgiving is your daily attitude toward God.

e. Thanksgiving is an act of giving thanks, grateful acknowledgement of the benefits of the grace of God. Hence, it is an expression of gratitude toward God based on your doctrinal capacity to appreciate who and what He is. Only winner-believers have capacity for true thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is more than an expression of gratitude, more than appreciation in a human sense. It is appreciation for God which cannot exist apart from the function of the spiritual skills.

f. Eph 5:20, “always be thankful with reference to all things toward God, even the Father, through the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Obedience to this command demands the filling of the Spirit, metabolized doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness, and the function of the problem solving devices.

g. Thanksgiving is first of all directed toward God, and as an overflow it is capacity and appreciation for life.

4. Thanksgiving is an index of the spiritual status of the believer. The greater the content of metabolized doctrine in the believer’s right lobe, the greater the capacity for mental attitude thanksgiving in the life. The increased usage of the problem solving devices of the protocol plan of God results in increased capacity for thanksgiving toward God.

5. Each function of a spiritual skill is related to the true concept of thanksgiving.

a. “Always be thankful” in Eph 5:20 is related to the filling of the Spirit in Eph 5:18. Thanksgiving accompanies rebound (1 Jn 1:9) as an expression of gratitude for the forgiveness of sins, restoration to fellowship, and the filling of the Holy Spirit.

b. Thanksgiving is related to metabolized doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness. The greater the content of metabolized doctrine in the believer’s stream of consciousness, the greater the capacity for the mental attitude of thanksgiving. Col 1:10, “That you might walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing to all, bearing fruit in every good work; in fact, constantly growing up by means of metabolized doctrine from God.” Compare Col 1:12 above.

c. Thanksgiving is related to all of the problem solving devices.

(1) Once you begin to understand rebound by grace, inevitably it becomes an expression of gratitude to God for the forgiveness of sins and restoration to fellowship with God.

(2) Thanksgiving is related to the filling of the Holy Spirit as the means of expressing our appreciation to God. Without the filling of the Spirit we cannot even possess true thanksgiving to God.

(3) The faith-rest drill results in capacity and expression of thanksgiving.

(4) Grace orientation is a continual source of thanksgiving to God.

(5) Doctrinal orientation provides greater and greater capacity for thanksgiving until the capacity is so great that God shares his happiness with the believer.

(6) A personal sense of destiny is a source of thanksgiving for the believer oriented to the objectives, purpose, and understanding of God’s will, plan, and purpose.

(7) Personal love for God the Father adds motivational virtue to our thanksgiving.

(8) Impersonal love for all mankind relates interpersonal relationships to mental attitude thanksgiving toward God. You are thankful regardless of unjust treatment.

(9) Sharing the happiness of God provides tremendous contentment in life, and therefore, thanksgiving and tranquility in every circumstance in life.

(10) The ultimate in mental attitude thanksgiving and the overt expression of gratitude toward God comes from occupation with Christ. Without occupation with Christ, capacity for life, or Bible doctrine in the soul, thanksgiving has no meaning. Thanksgiving reaches its peak in personal love for God the Father and occupation with the person of Christ.

6. Thanksgiving is spiritual orientation to life through residence, function, and momentum inside the operational type divine dynasphere.

7. Thanksgiving fulfills the divine mandates of:

a. 1 Thes 5:18, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

b. Eph 5:20, “Always be thankful with reference to all things to God even the Father through the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

B. Metabolized doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness produces thanksgiving toward God.

1. 2 Cor 9:15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”

2. Rev 7:12, “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and ability belong to God forever and ever. Amen.”

3. Ps 100:4, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, honor His person.”

C. Thanksgiving is a function of prayer.

1. Eph 1:16, “I do not cease giving thanks for you, and I make mention of you in my prayers.”

2. Col 1:3, “We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.”

3. Col 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.”

4. Phil 4:6, “Stop worrying about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

D. Giving causes thanksgiving. 2 Cor 9:7-12. “Each one on the basis as he has determined by means of his right lobe so give, not reluctantly, nor from compulsion; for God loves a gracious giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good of intrinsic value deed. Even as it stands written, `He has scattered abroad, He has given to the poor, His righteousness [virtue] abides forever.’ Now He that provides graciously the seed to the sower provides graciously for the act of eating, and at the same time multiplies your seed sown and enlarges the harvest of your grace virtue. Because of your generosity, you will be enriched in all things which through us produces thanksgiving to God. Because the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but also overflowing through many with thanksgivings to God.”

E. Food should be accepted with thanksgiving, 1 Tim 4:3-4.

1. This applies to all food, anytime, anywhere. God has created food to be received with thanksgiving.

2. Thanksgivings before meals is a part of grace orientation with special emphasis on the appreciation of God’s logistical grace provision.

3. Thanksgivings before meals sanctifies the food, protecting the believer’s health from any possible impurities in the food and so that the food will fulfill any requirements of the body when metabolized.

4. 1 Tim 4:3-4, “{men} who forbid marriage {and advocate} abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is beneficial, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.”

F. Additional Related Principles.

1. Thanksgiving is often a public acknowledgment or celebration of worship, 1 Chr 16:7-36.

2. The justice of God demands that the believer being blessed have capacity for that blessing. Capacity for blessing means thanksgiving potential. Thanksgiving potential depends on the amount of Bible doctrine in the soul of the believer, so that the believer who is blessed is occupied with the Giver as well as the gift. And to enjoy the gift, the person who is thankful must be occupied with the Giver. True happiness is loving the Giver more than the gift. True thanksgiving is to be occupied with the Giver more than the gift. Capacity for life is to enjoy the Giver more than the gift. You cannot give thanksgiving for what you do not possess.

3. Thanksgiving is a priestly sacrifice, Ps 116:17, 107:22; Amos 4:5; Heb 13:15. Thanksgiving is the mental attitude of the spiritually adult believer.

4. Thanksgiving is a function of the believer with capacity for life, Col 3:5; 2 Cor 4:15, 9:10-11. Personal testimonies of mature believers are found in Dan 2:23; Jn 11:41; Rom 1:8; 1 Cor 1:4; Phil 1:3; 2 Tim 1:3.

5. Believer’s who are positive to doctrine are motivated to give thanksgiving regarding others, 1 Thes 3:9.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------