“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Colossians 3:17 KJV
God likes us to do what’s right; because then we make good decisions and that pleases Him. When we choose to say and do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, we are making a conscious effort to please God.
- Do the things you say please God?
- Do the things you do please God?
- Do the things you think please God?
- Do the attitudes you display please God?
I Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
According to the dictionary, the word glory means “adoring praise and thanksgiving.” So what does that definition mean?
- adore: worship as divine – God is divine.
- praise: glorify God in words – The things we say.
- thanksgiving: the expression of gratitude – The things we do.
So, then, every action we perform and every word we say should be done to please Jesus, while thanking God for all that Jesus has done for us.
Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
To do something in the name of someone else is to use their name and their authority; and you represent them in all you do. As believers, we represent Christ everywhere we go, in everything we say and do. Just like an ambassador represents his country in a foreign land, we represent our Savior in a “foreign” land. This world is not our home.
In John 17:14, Jesus said, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
We are ambassadors of Heaven, representing Christ in everything we say and do. That’s why God tells us to “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…” It’s a gentle reminder who we represent. “…giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” And a vital part of representing Jesus is to express our gratitude to God through His Son. Without gratitude, we can’t do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Hebrews 13:15 says, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”