When the message of Christ dwells among us richly, fueling our singing, our hearts will be filled with gratitude to God (3:16). In verse 17 Paul urges us to give thanks to God the Father through the Lord Jesus in whatever we are doing or saying. Thanksgiving is inevitable for those who know the message of Jesus; it also something we should consciously choose.

Confidence in the genuineness of any valuable commodity is often difficult. In 1300 King Edward I of England decreed that gold and silver had to be tested and approved by master craftsmen before being sold. Later, London artisans were required to bring finished metal goods to Goldsmiths’ Hall to be checked, and if those items met the quality standards of the craftmasters there, they would be marked with a special stamp of approval—called a Hallmark. But over the years the word came to refer to any mark guaranteeing purity or genuineness.
What is the hallmark of genuine Christianity? What is the outward sign that a person is truly Christian, or that a community of Christians is the real thing? What is the inevitable fruit of obeying the gospel? There are many potential hallmarks:

But I have been struck by another recurring note as the Bible describes those who know God in Christ: thanksgiving.
The Beginning of Thanksgiving
Lack of thanksgiving is the hallmark of the rebellious, unregenerate human heart (Rom 1:21). There is something pathetic and perverse when people’s hearts are filled with joy at the experiences of delight the world delivers, yet they refuse to thank the God from whose hand they come. Enjoyment of a delicious meal, a stunning sunset, an intimate moment—all have the capacity to overflow in thanks to their creator, but instead there are vague nods to Mother Nature or lucky stars. The truth gets suppressed because giving thanks to God means acknowledging his goodness and our dependence. It runs the risk of entering the world of moral obligation towards God which secular humanity wants to avoid at all costs.
When a person stops suppressing the truth and quits their rebellion, thanksgiving to God springs to life. At first it may only be gratitude for the experiences of common grace— food that nourishes the body and tastes good to boot, relationships that bring connection and joy, or the expanse of incredibly blue sky that thrills the eye. ‘For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving’ (1 Tim 4:4). The simple act of turning our joy in life into thanks to God is a profoundly relational event. Everything has changed.
But simple thanks to our Creator is the shallowest of Christian thanksgiving. For all true Christians have experienced God’s special grace to us in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Every page of the New Testament rings with the thrill of grace lavished on undeserving sinners.
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Written by M. D. Perkins |
Monday, May 16, 2022
The mainline denominations were riddled with theological liberalism, particularly in their view of Scripture. Theological liberalism doubted the Bible’s relevance for modern times and sought to make it more palatable for the modern man. When psychiatric professionals said homosexuality was healthy and normal, the push by theological liberals was to rethink the Bible in light of it. Gradually over the next 40 years, the mainline churches would become affirming of homosexuality – ordaining gay clergy, solemnizing gay marriages, promoting LGBT political causes, and declaring homosexuality no longer sinful.

Over the past 50 years, homosexuality has been one of the most controversial topics among Christians. Is it a sin? Does the Bible endorse gay marriage? Is homosexuality an expression of God’s design? These questions have obvious answers and yet they have swirled around us incessantly – causing confusion and calling us to change our historic views. The confusion is not a result of the Bible being unclear – rather, it is the fruit of decades of targeted debates and attempts to shift conservative Christian views.
A Brief History of “Gay Christianity”
For two thousand years of Church history, homosexuality was understood to be an abomination (Leviticus 18:22), an incitement of God’s wrath (Genesis 19), a dishonorable passion (Romans 1:26), unnatural relating (Romans 1:27), and a lifestyle that kept a person from inheriting God’s Kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). This biblical understanding shaped Western social views until the 19th century as the influence of naturalism began to diminish biblical thinking. But it wasn’t until the 20th and 21st centuries that the Christian church would come to rethink homosexuality as well.
The first Christian book to directly challenge the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality was published in Britain in 1955 but the ideas surrounding “gay Christianity” (the movement to affirm homosexuality in the Church) would not find a broad voice in America until the 1970s. This was due, in part, to the American Psychiatric Association – under direct pressure from gay activists – removing homosexuality from their list of mental disorders in 1973. Even though this was not a religious decision, the ripple effects throughout the Church would be enormous.
The mainline denominations were riddled with theological liberalism, particularly in their view of Scripture. Theological liberalism doubted the Bible’s relevance for modern times and sought to make it more palatable for the modern man. When psychiatric professionals said homosexuality was healthy and normal, the push by theological liberals was to rethink the Bible in light of it. Gradually over the next 40 years, the mainline churches would become affirming of homosexuality – ordaining gay clergy, solemnizing gay marriages, promoting LGBT political causes, and declaring homosexuality no longer sinful.
Evangelicals did not immediately follow suit. Many actively pushed back against the onslaught of gay social causes while also lamenting the worldliness of the mainline denominations. But, as debates surrounding gay marriage intensified in the 2000s and 2010s, more evangelical leaders began to openly embrace affirming theology. Other leaders simply became vague about their views – refusing to give straightforward answers when asked. As the culture has been won over to the LGBT agenda, there is tremendous pressure on evangelicals to rethink their strident positions.
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The family, as the smallest of the three institutions, is headed by the father, followed by the mother, who submits to her husband’s authority. Under them are the children, who submit to both parents. The family is not only the smallest unit but also the foundational one, created by God before both the church and government. These two realities have far-reaching implications for both the church and society. If families are unhealthy, the church and society will likewise be unhealthy. Conversely, healthy families will lead to healthier churches and stronger societies. 

A blueprint is a guide for constructing something — it’s a design or pattern that can be followed. Want to build the best house? Draw up a blueprint and adhere to the design carefully.
In its literal sense, a blueprint is a detailed plan printed on blue paper, traditionally used for constructing buildings. However, the concept of a blueprint extends beyond architecture to encompass strategic planning in various areas of life. For example, a business plan can be seen as a blueprint for achieving profitability. Religions or philosophies offer blueprints for guiding one’s way of living. A blueprint, thus, serves as a guide to help you know what steps to take. In the same way, God has designed a blueprint for the family, the church, and the government.
There are three key observations I would like to make about God’s blueprint for the family:
1. Authority:One defining characteristic shared by all three institutions—the family, the church, and the government—is authority. Each has its own God-ordained structure of authority, with God being sovereign over all. For example, the king is the authority over the government, the elders hold authority within the church, and the father is the authority within the family. These structures are vital for maintaining order and fulfilling God’s purpose for each institution.
2. Love:In both the church and the family, God has designed these institutions to function in a posture of love—towards Him and towards one another. Authority without love distorts the very purpose of these institutions. A family or a church that operates under authority but lacks love will not flourish according to God’s design. Imagine a family where children are disciplined but not loved; such children would likely grow up emotionally scarred and psychologically damaged. Love, therefore, is a critical component of God’s blueprint for families, ensuring that discipline and guidance are rooted in care and compassion.
3. Training ground:The family, as the smallest of the three institutions, is headed by the father, followed by the mother, who submits to her husband’s authority. Under them are the children, who submit to both parents. The family is not only the smallest unit but also the foundational one, created by God before both the church and government. These two realities have far-reaching implications for both the church and society. If families are unhealthy, the church and society will likewise be unhealthy. Conversely, healthy families will lead to healthier churches and stronger societies.
Another way to say it is that families serve as the ‘nursery’ for both the church and society. Just as plants in a nursery are tended to carefully until they are ready to be transplanted into a more permanent setting, the family nurtures children in a context of loving authority. Here, children learn submission, love, and discipline before being ‘transplanted’ into church membership (if they are truly converted) and into society as law-abiding citizens. If they are not healthy within the family, they won’t thrive once they step into the church or broader society.
God’s Blueprint for the Husband-Wife Relationship
Husbands – For the Husband to love his wife like Christ loves the Church:
Eph. 5:25-33 gives God’s blueprint for husbands:
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 
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