Ingratitude or ungratefulness is a lack of gratitude or thankfulness. The Bible warns against ingratitude by showing the negative consequences of a lack of thankfulness and emphasizes the importance of giving thanks to God. In the Old Testament, the Israelites faced consequences for complaining in the wilderness. In the New Testament, Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one returned to thank Him. Jesus remarked that the nine were ungrateful. Paul further warns in Romans that ingratitude hardens the heart, leading to further sins. The Bible encourages us to live a life of continual gratitude, giving thanks in all circumstances. Ultimately, God’s mercy, as symbolized in the serpent lifted in the wilderness and Jesus on the cross, shows His grace even in our struggles with gratitude.
Rather than emphasizing the negative trait of ingratitude, the Bible focuses more on the positive trait of expressing thanks. Psalm 140:13 explains, "Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence." Giving thanks to God is an act of righteousness and the right response to His presence in our lives. The Bible calls people to "give thanks" multiple times. Paul says to give "thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20). Lest a reader believe Paul couldn't actually have meant "always," he elaborated in Colossians 3:17 "whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." And lest a reader question Paul's challenge to give thanks "for everything," he elaborated in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Most humans struggle to live up to this standard of gratitude. However, God is merciful and gracious. He provided Moses' serpent on a pole to rescue His people from the consequences of the sin of ingratitude. That serpent on a pole remains a symbol of healing even today. Jesus connected His death on the cross with this powerful symbol of rescue from the consequences of sin when He explained, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life" (John 3:14–15). Praise God for such a gift of mercy as we learn to live in continual gratitude toward Him.