“And they that use this world, but not abusing it; for the fashion of this world passes away” I Cor. 7:31
To bless the earth Thou sendest, from Thine abundant store The waters of the springtime, enriching it once more. The seed by Thee provided is sown o’er hill and plain And Thou with gentle showers dost blest the springing grain.
The year with good Thou crownest, the earth Thy mercy fills, The wilderness is fruitful, and joyful are the hills, With corn the vales are covered, the flocks in pastures graze; All nature joins in singing a joyful song of praise. (Ps. 65, Psalter Hymnal)
This kind of song we sing during the Thanksgiving season. Surely this is pleasing to the Lord. He always delights in responses of gratitude. But because gratitude is not natural for us, it is important for us to conduct serious, deep, soul-searching inventory of ourselves, with the purpose of bringing out more responses of heart-felt gratitude. To do this it is also extremely important to have a proper Scriptural perspective of material things. This is necessary at all times, but especially during the Thanksgiving season.
Basically, all of our Christian living is spiritual. Salvation is something spiritual, the fear of the Lord is something spiritual. But the Lord gives to men who are living souls and spiritual beings a physical world to live in, a world in which we receive and need food and clothing, homes and jobs, farms and businesses, and many other physical gifts and necessities. With all these, He wants us to serve Him. Thanksgiving has to do with these physical gifts, but never as separate from the spiritual aspects of life.
There is what some people have called, the “two pile” idea of life, the “pile” of good things in life and the one of the bad, adverse things in life. And as long as the pile of good and favorable things is bigger than the one of bad things we have something to be thankful for. If the amount of good things far outnumbers the one of evil things we hear people say, “We have so much to be thankful for.” And who would say that this is wrong? But what if the pile of bad things seems bigger than the other one? Or if there is not too much difference? Surely this has been and still is the experience of many people and Christians in this life. Then, as far as our feelings are concerned, the reaction is usually quite different.
But the Lord always wants us to have the proper and right reaction. Regarding the adverse things the Scriptures speak much of being submissive. The Heidelberg Catechism says we must be patient in adversity. The prophet Habakkuk also knew about the “pile” of bad things. Listen (Ch. 3:17, 18), “For though the fig tree shall not flourish, neither shall fruit be on the vines; The labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no food; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
Regarding prosperity Paul says that God “gives us richly all things to enjoy.” The Catechism says we must be thankful for the “pile” of good things. Scripture abounds in passages telling us that we must be thankful for material blessings. Spurgeon says that the greatest trial for a Christian is not persecution, but that “pile” of good things, prosperity. How well Moses knew this long ago, warning the Israelites again and again, as we read in Deuteronomy 8. When Israel shall enter the land of Canaan, with its abundance of good things they shall eat and be full. But then they must bless the Lord their God. And he warns them that especially then they should beware lest they forget the Lord their God in not keeping His commandments.
To most of us the Lord has given in 1981 another “pile” of good things. In spite of inflation and recession. Compared with what the Scriptures call daily bread, even the un–employed have much, generally speaking. For all this the Lord wants us to be thankful. In the words of this text the requirement is expressed very aptly in these words, we must use them but not abuse them.
There are many translations of this verse. I prefer the one I quoted. What does it mean that we use the things of this world, or that we abuse, or misuse them?
Abusing them basically means that we use them for ourselves. Surely we can and usually do use Thanksgiving Day for ourselves. We are so happy and thankful because we have so much. I, I, I have so much. Abusing the things God gives us is also seen in being gluttonous, with man making a god of his belly and digging his grave with his teeth. Also when we complain and gripe much about the high cost of living and inflation, while in church we piously confess to believe in the providence of our heavenly Father. We abuse God’s good gifts when we constantly want more for our own enjoyment and pleasure. We abuse them when the very thought of contentment is foreign to our thoughts and desires.
On the other hand, properly using the things of this world is rooted in and being aware of the fact that we are saved by grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have deserved absolutely nothing, not even daily bread. All Christian living begins with this basic knowledge and experience. Using this world further means that we are deeply aware that we are stewards of these gifts, not really owners. Also that we realize that the more the Lord gives us, the more we owe Him. After all, doesn’t the Christian confess that everything is for the Lord and that He makes us heartily willing and ready to live unto Him? It further means that we are thankful for the gifts received, giving God the credit also for our ability to work, to do business, or whatever. God also wants us to enjoy the good things He has given us, but not make idols of them. Of course, using these things also means that we try to be contented, and constantly discipline ourselves against discontentment. Never, never may we or our children say, “I hate this or that kind of food.” In the world people are thankful because they are happy for themselves. In God’s kingdom with the receiving of many good things we are happy, of course, and want to be thankful, but it is always finally a gratitude away from ourselves. It means to be thankful to the Lord, with deeds and words. Basically it is the same as Christian love, which is the opposite of selfishness, a giving away, a living for someone else.
This kind of living, this kind of thankfulness brings true happiness. There is always happiness in the fear of the Lord.
The fashion of this world passes away, says Paul. Another version speaks of the form of this world passing away. This reminds me of a film we saw on television some time ago showing the sinking of the mighty Titanic in 1912. Fifteen hundred people drowned, within two hours. Very impressively that giant of the sea was pictured as sinking deeper and deeper into t he water. Finally it was gone. Can you imagine anyone trying to board this ship at this time, or clinging to it? The form of this world is passing away, every day. Like this sinking ship. The end may be near. Therefore, Paul means to say, don‘t abuse this world by becoming engrossed in its riches; don’t live as if you are married to the world. Instead, have the right perspective, by using it, knowing that it is all temporary and all of the Lord and for the Lord.
The fool is thankful only for himself. He is abusing and misusing God’s good gifts. He is building his house on the sand. The storms are coming.
In Christ we can have the right perspective, and a proper sense of values of all the things of this world, also on Thanksgiving Day. In Christ we can have the right vision and attitude. We are only passing through. But while we are passing through He usually gives us many of these material things to enjoy and to serve Him with. And we know that when the form of this world does pass away, either with our own death, or the end of the world, we will lose nothing. We will have Christ always, and with Him a new heaven and earth. Therefore, bless the Lord, O my soul.