By Pastor Antonee Leo Aguilar
Thanksgiving is a powerful force. In ancient and modern cultures, it is a profound way of expressing gratitude and reinforcing the form of a positive community. In the Christian faith, thanksgiving is not just a casual expression of thanks; it is a deeply theological act that acknowledges the goodness of God, the blessings He bestows, and the hope He offers. In the book of Colossians, Paul takes thanksgiving beyond the surface-level acknowledgment of gifts. He uses it to build up the church, confront heresy, and encourage perseverance in the faith.
The Complexity of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is more than a simple, polite gesture or a ritualistic formula. It is a social and spiritual bond that connects people. In our everyday lives, giving thanks creates a sense of connection between the giver, the receiver, and the community. But in Colossians, the act of giving thanks has an added layer of complexity, as it forms a triangle of relationship: God, the believer, and the larger community of faith. For Paul, thanksgiving becomes a means of both deepening his relationship with the churches he oversees and introducing the rich theological themes that run through his letters.
What is striking about the letter to the Colossians is that the overwhelming significance of Thanksgiving is remarkable. While Paul speaks of giving thanks in many of his letters, in Colossians, it takes center stage. Throughout the letter, Paul always connects/weaves thanksgiving into his appeals, and he does so in a way that goes far beyond just a casual mention of gratitude. Thanksgiving became a way for Paul to counter the theological problems in Colossae, particularly the syncretic heresy that sought to add to the sufficiency of Christ.
Rooted in Salvation
At the heart of Paul’s theology of thanksgiving in Colossians is the work of Christ. Thanksgiving, for Paul, is always rooted in the great salvation that Christ has accomplished. It is not just a thanksgiving for blessings or good things in life but for the act of redemption that has already occurred through Christ’s death and resurrection.
Paul reminds the Colossians that they were once trapped in darkness, alienated from God. Still, now, through Christ, they have been transferred into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Col. 1:13). This transformation—the shift from darkness to light, from alienation to adoption—becomes the foundation of all thanksgiving. The Colossians’ ability to give thanks is grounded in what God has already done for them in Christ.
But this salvation is not just an abstract theological truth but a personal, dynamic experience that calls for a response. Thanksgiving becomes the believer’s appropriate response to the power of God’s redemption, which has broken the chains of sin and set them free. In other words, thanksgiving in Colossians is always a response to the gift of salvation, a gift that has been freely given but must be fully embraced by the believer.
A Response to Present Realities
While thanksgiving in Colossians is deeply rooted in the past work of Christ, it also has a powerful connection to the present. Paul doesn’t simply ask the Colossians to give thanks for something that happened long ago; it is now irrelevant. Instead, he calls them to recognize the present realities that flow from that past salvation.
Thanksgiving is a dynamic force, and in Colossians, Paul uses it to address both the positive and negative realities the church is facing. On the positive side, he encourages the believers to give thanks for their faith in Christ, their love for one another, and their call to live holy lives (Col. 1:4-5). These are not abstract ideals but fundamental, everyday aspects of the Christian life worthy of thanksgiving.
On the negative side, thanksgiving serves as a countermeasure to the heresy that threatens to undermine the sufficiency of Christ. In Colossae, false teachers added layers of mysticism and human philosophy to the gospel, as though Christ alone was not enough. Thanksgiving, for Paul, becomes a weapon against this error. When the church remembers the greatness of what God has
done in Christ—how He has reconciled them to Himself through Christ’s death and resurrection—they are reminded that no additional rituals or philosophies are needed. Thanksgiving reminds them that Christ is sufficient.
Facing Toward the Future Hope
Finally, thanksgiving is a look back to the past and a forward-facing act. For Paul, thanksgiving is always connected to the believer’s eschatological hope of resurrection, renewal, and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises. Thanksgiving is not just about what God has already done but also about what He will do in the future.
This future hope is the ultimate source of strength for the believers as they face suffering, persecution, and the trials of life. In the midst of present difficulties, thanksgiving helps believers keep their eyes fixed on the hope set before them. As Paul encourages the Colossians to persist in prayer with thanksgiving, he links this practice to the eschatological promise of Christ’s return and the final restoration of all things (Col. 4:2). The act of thanksgiving, then, is not just a
reflection on the past, but a living, active orientation toward the future.
This forward-facing nature of thanksgiving is central to the unity and perseverance of the church. Thanksgiving helps believers move beyond the present conflicts and divisions by focusing on the future hope. It becomes a communal activity, not just an individual one, as the church collectively looks toward the day when Christ will return, and all things will be made new.
Theological and Practical Implications of Thanksgiving
What are the implications of Paul’s theology of thanksgiving for us today? First, thanksgiving reminds us of the importance of reconciliation. In the face of conflict—whether within the church or outside our church context—thanksgiving serves as a bridge, reminding us of the common grace we share in Christ and helping us to transcend our differences. Just as Paul called
the Colossians to unity through their shared thanksgiving, we are also called to reconcile and build bridges with those whose perspectives may differ from ours.
Secondly, the intellectual knowledge we gain should be able to foster humility by reminding us that all understanding and insight ultimately come from God. The focus should be on honoring Him rather than seeking personal glory. Thanksgiving encourages us to acknowledge our biases, blind spots, and presuppositions as we share the wonderful truth, with the help of the Holy Spirit, within the community. We must remember that God uses each of us in different ways as we where we can be effective workers in His vineyard.
Finally, thanksgiving does not affirm error but acknowledges that Christ has already defeated it. As we navigate life's challenges and continue to reflect on His character, Thanksgiving serves as a reminder that we are not fighting for victory but rather celebrating the victory that has already been won, whether it be over an addiction or any type of sin. This victory comes through Christ; our confession, our obedience, and our expressions of gratitude acknowledge this truth, helping us to live in accordance with it.
Conclusion
As Paul teaches in Colossians, THANKSGIVING is a powerful, transformative practice that shapes the believer’s relationship with God, others, and the world. It is rooted in the past work of Christ; it enables the believer to persevere in the present and points toward the future hope of resurrection.
Thanksgiving is not merely an expression of gratitude but a dynamic force that builds up the church, confronts error, and fosters unity in the body of Christ.
For us today, thanksgiving is an antidote to division, a call to humility, and a reminder of the glorious hope that awaits us in Christ.