Ungrateful
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Topical Encyclopedia
The term "ungrateful" refers to a lack of thankfulness or appreciation, particularly towards God and His provisions. In the Bible, ingratitude is often depicted as a moral failing and a sign of a hardened heart. It is associated with a failure to recognize God's blessings and a refusal to honor Him for His goodness.

Biblical References:

1. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 : "But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy." This passage lists ingratitude among other sinful behaviors that characterize people in the last days, indicating its seriousness in the eyes of God.

2. Romans 1:21 : "For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts." Here, the Apostle Paul describes the descent into sin that begins with a failure to thank God, highlighting ingratitude as a root of spiritual decline.

3. Luke 6:35 : "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked." Jesus teaches that God's kindness extends even to the ungrateful, setting a standard for believers to emulate divine grace and mercy.

4. Psalm 107:8-9 : "Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men. For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." The psalmist calls for gratitude towards God, emphasizing His provision and care for humanity.

Theological Implications:

Ungratefulness is seen as a failure to acknowledge God's sovereignty and benevolence. It is a condition that can lead to further spiritual decay, as it often accompanies pride and self-centeredness. The Bible encourages believers to cultivate a heart of gratitude, recognizing that every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17).

Practical Application:

Believers are encouraged to practice thankfulness in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18), recognizing that gratitude is a key component of a healthy spiritual life. By acknowledging God's blessings, Christians can maintain a humble and dependent relationship with their Creator, fostering a spirit of worship and obedience.

Historical Context:

In the ancient world, gratitude was a fundamental aspect of social and religious life. Ingratitude was seen as a breach of social and divine order. The biblical narrative often contrasts the grateful with the ungrateful, using accounts and parables to illustrate the consequences of both attitudes.

Moral and Ethical Considerations:

Ungratefulness is not merely a personal failing but has communal implications. It can lead to a breakdown in relationships, both with God and with others. The Bible calls for a community of believers who are marked by thankfulness, reflecting the character of Christ in their interactions and worship.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (a.) Not grateful; not thankful for favors; making no returns, or making ill return for kindness, attention, etc.; ungrateful.

2. (a.) Unpleasing; unacceptable; disagreeable; as, harsh sounds are ungrateful to the ear.

Greek
884. acharistos -- ungracious, ungrateful
... ungracious, ungrateful. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: acharistos Phonetic
Spelling: (ach-ar'-is-tos) Short Definition: ungrateful Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/884.htm - 7k
Library

Whether Favors Should be Withheld from the Ungrateful?
... OF INGRATITUDE (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether favors should be withheld from the ungrateful?
Objection 1: It seems that favors should withheld from the ungrateful. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether favors should be withheld.htm

Oh Ungrateful and Impious Age, Prepared for Its Own Destruction by ...
... Book I. 65 Oh ungrateful and impious age, prepared for its own destruction
by its extraordinary obstinacy! If? Oh ungrateful and ...
/.../65 oh ungrateful and impious.htm

Absalom the Ungrateful Son
... THE OLD TESTAMENT ABSALOM THE UNGRATEFUL SON. Some time later Absalom, David's son,
prepared a chariot and horses and fifty men to run before him. ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/absalom the ungrateful son.htm

Cannot they Then be Saved, Who, Continuing in their Wicked and ...
... Lord's Day 32 Question 87 Cannot they then be saved, who, continuing in their
wicked and ungrateful lives, are not converted to God? ...
/.../various/the heidelberg catechism /question 87 cannot they then.htm

God Showed Himself, by the Fall of Man, as Patient, Benign ...
... Book III Chapter XX."God showed himself, by the fall of man, as patient, benign,
merciful, mighty to save Man is therefore most ungrateful, if, unmindful of ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xx god showed himself by.htm

Or the Gods of Heaven Should be Said to be Ungrateful If...
... Book VII. 12 Or the gods of heaven should be said to be ungrateful if?
Or the gods of heaven should be said to be ungrateful if ...
/.../arnobius/the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/12 or the gods of.htm

Whether Ingratitude is Always a Mortal Sin?
... For one ought to be grateful to God above all. But one is not ungrateful to God
by committing a venial sin: else every man would be guilty of ingratitude. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether ingratitude is always a 2.htm

The Ten Lepers
... And I am very much afraid that when the Bible tells us that nine out of ten of those
lepers were ungrateful to God, it tells us that nine out of ten of us are ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xxviii the ten lepers.htm

Concerning the Neglect of the Commemoration.
... Concerning the Neglect of the Commemoration. I. The Churchmen of Rome are in danger
of forgetting past judgments and mercies, and becoming ungrateful to God. ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon lxxxiv concerning the.htm

Sixth Suggestion.
... idol. And what is so impious, so ungrateful, as to obtain a benefit from
God, and to render thanks to blocks of wood and stone? ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter xxvi sixth suggestion.htm

Thesaurus
Ungrateful (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Not grateful; not thankful for favors; making no returns, or making ill
return for kindness, attention, etc.; ungrateful. ...Ungrateful (2 Occurrences). ...
/u/ungrateful.htm - 7k

Nevertheless (153 Occurrences)
... repayment. Then your recompense shall be great, and you will be sons of the
Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (WEY). ...
/n/nevertheless.htm - 37k

Unkind (7 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Wanting in kindness, sympathy, benevolence, gratitude, or the like; cruel;
harsh; unjust; ungrateful. Multi-Version Concordance Unkind (7 Occurrences). ...
/u/unkind.htm - 8k

Ungrudging (1 Occurrence)

/u/ungrudging.htm - 6k

Ungracious (1 Occurrence)

/u/ungracious.htm - 7k

Thankless (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Not acknowledging favors; not expressing
thankfulness; unthankful; ungrateful. 2. (a.) Not obtaining ...
/t/thankless.htm - 7k

Repayment (6 Occurrences)
... repayment. Then your recompense shall be great, and you will be sons of the
Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (WEY). ...
/r/repayment.htm - 8k

Recompense (79 Occurrences)
... repayment. Then your recompense shall be great, and you will be sons of the
Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (WEY). ...
/r/recompense.htm - 30k

Beneficent (3 Occurrences)
... repayment. Then your recompense shall be great, and you will be sons of the
Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (WEY). ...
/b/beneficent.htm - 7k

Speakers (6 Occurrences)
... (WEY). 2 Timothy 3:2 for men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful,
arrogant, evil speakers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, profane, (DBY YLT) ...
/s/speakers.htm - 8k

Resources
What is common grace? | GotQuestions.org

What is Westboro Baptist Church? | GotQuestions.org

What are some encouraging Bible verses? | GotQuestions.org

Ungrateful: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Ungrateful (2 Occurrences)

Luke 6:35
Nevertheless love your enemies, be beneficent; and lend without hoping for any repayment. Then your recompense shall be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
(WEY NAS RSV NIV)

2 Timothy 3:2
for men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, evil speakers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, profane,
(DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Ingratitude of Man to God

Ingratitude of Man to Man

Ingratitude to God: A Characteristic of the Wicked

Ingratitude to God: David

Ingratitude to God: Exceeding Folly of

Ingratitude to God: Guilt of

Ingratitude to God: Illustrated

Ingratitude to God: Inexcusable

Ingratitude to God: Israel

Ingratitude to God: Lepers

Ingratitude to God: Nebuchadnezzar

Ingratitude to God: Prosperity Likely to Produce

Ingratitude to God: Punishment of

Ingratitude to God: Saul

Ingratitude to God: Unreasonable

Ingratitude to God: Warnings Against

Ingratitude: A Characteristic of the Wicked

Ingratitude: Absalom

Ingratitude: Chief Butler

Ingratitude: Citizens

Ingratitude: David to Joab

Ingratitude: David to Uriah

Ingratitude: David's Companions to David

Ingratitude: Israel

Ingratitude: Israelites to Gideon

Ingratitude: Israelites to Moses

Ingratitude: Jeremiah's Enemies

Ingratitude: Joash

Ingratitude: Laban

Ingratitude: Laban to Jacob

Ingratitude: Men of Keilah

Ingratitude: Men of Keilah to David

Ingratitude: Nabal

Ingratitude: Often Exhibited by Relations

Ingratitude: Often Exhibited by Servants

Ingratitude: Often Exhibited: To Benefactors

Ingratitude: Often Exhibited: To Friends in Distress

Ingratitude: Pharaoh's Butler to Joseph

Ingratitude: Punishment of

Ingratitude: Saints should Avoid the Guilt of

Ingratitude: Saul

Ingratitude: Saul to David

Ingratitude: Shechemites

Ingratitude: should be Met With: Faithfulness

Ingratitude: should be Met With: Persevering Love

Ingratitude: should be Met With: Prayers

Ungrateful

Ungrateful People

Related Terms

Nevertheless (153 Occurrences)

Unkind (7 Occurrences)

Ungrudging (1 Occurrence)

Ungracious (1 Occurrence)

Thankless (1 Occurrence)

Repayment (6 Occurrences)

Recompense (79 Occurrences)

Beneficent (3 Occurrences)

Speakers (6 Occurrences)

Wicked (476 Occurrences)

Moses (9295 Occurrences)

Sons (2429 Occurrences)

Ungracious
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