Sometimes Grace (5485 charis) is translated as thank or thanks
(a total of 10 times in the New Testament)
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, the one giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
2 Corinthians 2:14 But Thanks be to God, the one always leading us in triumph in Christ and the one revealing through us the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place.
2 Corinthians But thanks be to God, who gives the same earnestness for you in the heart of Titus.
2 Corinthians 9:15 But thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.
1 Timothy 1:12 and I have thanks to him empowering me, our Lord Jesus Christ, because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.
2 Timothy 1:3 I have thanks to God, whom I worship from my forefathers in a pure conscience, how unceasingly I have remembrance concerning you in my petitions night and day.
And this is how Jesus spoke in the gospel of Luke;
Luke 6:32-34 and if you love the ones who love you, what thanks is there to you? For even sinners love the ones who love them. And if you do good to the ones who do good to you, what thanks is there to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks is there to you? For sinners lend to sinners so that they may receive the equal things.
Luke 17:9 does the master have thanks to that slave because he did the things commanded him? I think not.
God gives Grace, we in return give thanks and that is the acceptable worship. Not sacrificing all kinds of animals or “doing things for God”, but being thankful and then doing everything out of thankfulness to God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thankfulness will be our motivation for doing things, not trying to earn something or “paying God back”.
In a very real way, thankfulness must be our motivation, is the motivation of God’s elect, in serving God. Really, what else could it be? Thankfulness is the only motivation that keeps us going, while all others fail us sooner or later. Thankfulness lasts, everything else runs out. What will we be doing in heaven? Praising God out of our thankfulness!
And what can I “give” to God anyway, everything belongs to him already, so it’s THANKS! And through us being thankful, God is glorified.
What shall I render to the Lord for all his Grace to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. (Psalms 116:12+13 I filled in Grace, actually it says benefits)
Now we look at giving thanks,(2168), thankfulness, (2169) and thankful 2170. We see in the Greek that those words all have Grace in it; check it out;
eucharisteó: to be thankful, Greek Word: εὐχαριστέω (2168), Verb, 38 times in the New Testament
Short Definition: I thank, give thanks
Definition: I thank, give thanks; pass. 3 sing: is received with thanks.
2168 euxaristéō (from 2095 /eú, "good" and 5485/xaris, "grace") – properly, acknowledging that "God's grace works well," i.e. for our eternal gain and His glory; to give thanks – literally, "thankful for God's good grace."
eucharistia: thankfulness, giving of thanks, Greek Word: εὐχαριστία, ας, ἡ,(2169) Noun, Feminine,
Short Definition: thankfulness, gratitude, ( 15 times in the New Testament)
Definition: thankfulness, gratitude; giving of thanks, thanksgiving.
2169 euxaristía (from 2170/euxáristos, "thankful for God's grace") – properly, thankfulness (thanksgiving) – literally, "the giving of thanks for God's grace." See 2168 (euxaristeō).
eucharistos: thankful, Greek Word: εὐχάριστος, ον, Adjective, (2170), 1 time in the New Testament
Definition: thankful, grateful.
Cognate: 2170 euxáristos (from 2095 /eú, "well" and 5483/xarízomai, "grant freely") – properly, thankful for God's grace working out what is (eternally) good; grateful, which literally means "grace-ful (thankful) for God's grace" (what brings His eternal favor). 2170/euxáristos only occurs in Col 3:15. See 2168 (euxaristeō).
Let us look at the scriptures with 2168, 2169 and 2170 in it.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give THANKS, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.
Colossians 3:15-17 and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you also were called in one body, and be THANKFUL. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with GRACE in your hearts to the Lord. And in everything, whatever you do in word or in work, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving THANKS to God the Father through him.
Colossians 2:6+7 therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, having been rooted and being built up in him and being confirmed in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it with THANKSGIVING.
Ephesians 5:3+4 but let not fornication and all uncleanness, or greediness be named among you, as is fitting for saints; also baseness and foolish talking, or joking (the things not becoming), but rather THANKSGIVING.
Ephesians 5:20 giving THANKS at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, even to God the Father,
2 Corinthians 4:15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase THANKSGIVING, to the glory of God.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 but we ought to always give THANKS to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
Jesus Christ giving THANKS before a meal, the last supper, before multiplying the fish and bread;
Matthew 15:36, 26:27, Mark 8:6, 14:23, Luke 22:17,19, John 6:11,23, 1 Corinthians 11:24
Jesus Christ praying to his Father; John 11:41
One of the ten lepers who were healed; Luke 17:15+16 and one of them, seeing that he was cured, returned glorifying God with a loud voice and fell on his face at his feet, THANKING him. And he was a Samaritan.
And we have the example of all the angels, the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders giving thanks to God in heaven;
Revelation 4:9, 7:12 and 11:17
And the serious warning to all of us in Romans 1:21 because knowing God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were THANKFUL. But they became vain in their reasonings and their undiscerning heart was darkened.
And the rest are;
Luke 18:11 Acts 24:3, 27:35, 28:15 Romans 1:8, 14:6, 16:4 1Corinthians 1:14, 10:30, 14:7+10 2Corinthians 1:11, 9:12+13,
Ephesians 1:16 Philippians 1:3, 4:6 Colossians 1:3, 4:2 1Thessalonians 1:2, 2:13, 3:9 2Thessalonians 1:3
1Timothy 2:1, 4:3+4 Philemon 1:4
I do hope that you see now that we absolutely give Grace to our heavenly Father!!The matter of fact is; you will, you should, you must. How could you not do it? It’s in you, I’m sure…
By giving thanks in return to our heavenly Father and by being thankful we are giving grace back to God.
I often wonder, what did Barnabas see in the church in Antioch?
Acts 11:23 when he came and saw the Grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all with purpose of heart to abide near the Lord.
So what did Barnabas see? I am sure he saw a group of brethren THANKFUL for all that God had done for them through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! I am 100% confident that is what he saw!
Look at what God has done for you and me; sending Jesus his only son to die in our place. He made us alive, because we were dead. He made us his righteousness in Christ Jesus, us who had no righteousness He gave us His Holy Spirit to dwell in us and to lead us and guide us. He empowers us to overcome sin by his grace and makes us fit for his heavenly kingdom.
We have a gazillion reasons to be thankful. And most of all I do not deserve any of this at all!
SO YOU SEE, BEING THANKFUL IS GIVING GRACE TO GOD.
Grace, thanks and being thankful
Being a Christian equals living thankful to God in everything!
Therefore receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have Grace, by which we may serve God well-pleasingly, with reverence and godly fear;
(KJ3 Literal Translation) Hebrews 12:28
I really wonder if this scripture could be read this way;
Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, (New International Version) or;
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, English Standard Version (ESV)
Anyone receiving God’s Grace will be thankful and become more thankful as they continue in their Grace-relationship with our Lord and Savior and that thankfulness will help them through all their trials and tribulations by the Grace of God! We were not aware of the Grace of God, but in by his Grace he elected us before the foundation of the world, called us, and maybe we were still unaware of Grace, and keeps us by his Grace and brings us home by his Grace. So beginning to end, it’s all his Grace and the more anyone realizes that, the more thankful they will become.
Words will not convince others to believe, but an example of a thankful Christian, thankful for God’s Grace and all that God has done that may make words unnecessary. Isn’t that the best testimony that God’s way really works?
The thankful ones will shine the brightest; have peace with God and a real hope too! And a thankful one can’t easily be shaken off or led astray from the Lord who did all these amazing things for him or her! Do you remember our early brothers and sisters and the apostles? Many of them endured great persecution and torture and some even gave their life for their Lord and Savior, they thankfully went to their deaths, rejoicing! How is that possible? By the Grace of God and they were thankful to their Lord and Savior that what happened to them didn’t matter anymore.