Within the letters of the NT that the apostle Paul penned, are several beautiful insights into his prayer life. The next segment of our study will involve looking into a few aspects of his prayer life as we seek to learn from him. In this lesson, our focus will be on Paul giving thanks for his brethren, with particular focus on his thanksgiving at the beginning of many of his letters.
The practice of Paul, in most of his epistles, was to begin by assuring his brethren that he gave thanks to God for them (see Rom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:4; Phil. 1:3-4; Col. 1:3; 1 Thes. 1:2; 2 Thes. 1:3). How encouraging that must have been to know that the apostle was praying for them!
Looking a little more attentively, we note that the apostle frequently thanked God for their faith, hope and/or their love (see the passages listed above). In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, he refers to the Thessalonians’ “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope.” This verse is insightful regarding the mission of the Christian (and the church) and to what we should give thanks to God for concerning our brethren. Obviously, if Paul repetitively mentioned these things, they must be significant reasons to give thanks!
Concerning the faith of the brethren at Rome, he says, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all of the world.” Paul says near the end of this letter, in Romans 16:19, that their “obedience” had become known to all. Thus, we know that Paul is giving thanks for their obedient faith (compare Rom. 1:5). This makes sense since it is obedient faith that will lead to salvation (see Heb. 5:9).
In the 2nd letter to the Thessalonians, Paul expressed thanks to God for the growing faith and love of his brethren (see 1:3).
Additionally, it should be noted that Paul thanked God for the grace that God had afforded his brethren in Christ (1 Cor. 1:4). This is what God had supplied his brethren, the wonderful blessings in Christ Jesus that cannot be earned (see and compare Eph. 1:3-12). The former… the faith, hope and love, are faithful responses of the Christian to this amazing grace. Paul was thankful for what God had made possible on behalf of his brethren and he was thankful for his brethren when they responded appropriately to the grace of the Lord!
We should note that Paul giving thanks for his brethren was not relegated to something he said when he wrote them a letter! It was something that he did “always” (see 1 Cor. 1:4; Phil. 1:4).
Paul had a particular fondness for the brethren at Philippi that He took to the Father’s throne. He gave joyful thanks unto God for them because of the fellowship they enjoyed together in the work of the Lord (see Phil. 1:5). Paul thought of them as a vital part of all that he did, and gave thanks accordingly. Paul was thankful for their material blessings (4:15), their care (4:10), and sharing in his suffering (4:14), as well as participating in his proclamation and defense of the Gospel (1:7).
We should note in this prayer that Paul wasn’t merely thankful for the Philippians, but in particular he expressed his thanks for them to God. God had blessed Paul with and through the Philippians. God is always the ultimate object of our thanksgiving (see 1 Thes. 5:18). He makes all good things possible (Jm. 1:17; Rom. 8:28).
Let us express our thanks to God continually for the faith, hope and love of our brethren, and the grace that we share in, as we seek to work together with Him (see 1 Cor. 3:1-9) for the greatest cause on earth!
Daren Schroeder
