God Breathed Words

Posted on May 15, 2021May 16, 2021 by christianwordsblog

SELF-INTEREST (and altruism)

Do nothing according to self-interest or according to vain conceit, but in humility be esteeming one another surpassing themselves. (Philippians 2:3; Berean Literal)

The word in Greek is ἐριθεία eritheia, and means mercenary or self-seeking. At a casual glance, this might rule out self-interest as Godly, but a fuller quotation suggests otherwise:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others… (ibid 2:3-4 ESV)

Posted on April 25, 2021April 25, 2021 by christianwordsblog

HERESY

I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.

(1 Corinthians 11:18-19)

The word that is translated ‘differences’ is αἵρεσις hairesis or heresy.

The English language borrowed words from other languages (notably Greek) for concepts our pagan forebears did not have before becoming Christian. For example, standing in alignment (rihtwis, the right-wise or way) with your king was critical, so we have righteous; but how and why you chose your deity was not: Frige, Thor, Wotan, Tiw, take your pick; mix and match!

Posted on April 25, 2021April 25, 2021 by christianwordsblog

TONGUE – the power of speech

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (James 3:5b-6)

The word ‘tongue’ translates γλῶσσα glossa which, as in English, means both the organ of speech and speech itself, in other words, language.

Posted on February 28, 2021February 28, 2021 by christianwordsblog

DELIBERATE (SIN)

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,but a fearful expectation of judgement, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26-27)

Humanity is in an adversarial relationship with God, that is our natural state. The writer of Hebrews says that once that realisation has dawned, in other words, been revealed by God, the soul is in a parlous position. For thereafter continuing to behave as we have been has dire consequences which are eternally lethal.

Posted on February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 by christianwordsblog

PLEASING (GOD)

without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

The verb that is translates ‘to please’ is εὐαρεστέω euaresteó and means ‘to be well-pleasing’, which be extension could be ‘to render good service’. This verse reads literally:

and apart from faith it is impossible to please well, for it behoveth him who is coming to God to believe that He is, and to those seeking Him He becometh a rewarder. (YLT)

The writer of Hebrews clarifies an eternal truth, that the unregenerate, that is anyone that is not granted salvatory faith, can never do anything to gain to God’s favour.

Posted on February 17, 2021 by christianwordsblog

DISCIPLE

… any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:33)

The word translated ‘disciple’ is μαθητής mathétés and it means one who subjects themselves to mental effort or rigour; mathematics, clearly a subject that demands much intellectual application, derives from the same root, mathema, which is literally ‘that which is learnt’.

A disciple, then, is different to a ‘follower’. During his ministry, large numbers of people followed Jesus from town to town and mountainside to lakeside, but only a handful transitioned into discipleship, why was this? Because few were willing to make the necessary effort or to pay the extreme cost of worldly renunciation. Jesus outlines by this first employing plain language:

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple …’ (ibid 14:25-26)

Posted on January 7, 2021January 7, 2021 by christianwordsblog

ANGER

‘In your anger do not sin’: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV)

Many deem anger to be a sin, so to what does Paul elude here? Actually, he quotes from the Septuagint:

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
    You have given me relief when I was in distress.
    Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
O men, how long shall my honour be turned into shame?
    How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.
Be angry, and do not sin;
    ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. (Psalm 4:1-4)

David is crying out to God but also pleading with his enemies (possibly rhetorically). He is asking them to bear their anger and not act upon it. And it is this that Paul reiterates to the man and woman now set apart in Christ to deal differently with anger, knowing full well that any opposition, prejudice or persecution will provoke anger.

Posted on January 5, 2021July 17, 2023 by christianwordsblog

GOSPEL (of Christ)

…If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

(Galatians 1:9)

Taken from the Anglo Saxon godes spell, ‘good words or speech’ the English language derives the word ‘gospel’. The Greek word translated ‘gospel’ is εὐαγγελίζεται euangelizetai, stands for the act of good speaking, literally communicating a good message. And for Paul, the message was sacrosanct and if any choose to deliver a different ‘gospel’, one did so at your eternal peril.

Twice Paul offers this imprecation at the beginning of Galatians. To Paul it was a serious matter to understand and communicate the gospel without deviation or corruption.

Posted on January 1, 2021February 15, 2022 by christianwordsblog

DWELL (Tabernacle)

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God’. (Revelation 21:3)

John the Apostle receives a vision:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (ibid 21:1-2)

In this new earth, God will dwell with his people. The word ‘dwell’ translates a Greek verb σκηνόω skénoó, which literally means to camp, to live in a tent and in some versions is ‘to tabernacle’, referencing the Holy Tent in which God dwelt with his people Israel in Sinai.

Posted on December 30, 2020December 30, 2020 by christianwordsblog

STRUGGLE

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrew 12:4)

The Greek word translated ‘struggle’ is ἀνταγωνίζομαι antagónizomai, from anti ‘against’ and agónizomai ‘contend with’, whence English derives the verb ‘to agonise’. The common usage of agónizomai was in the context of warfare or an athletic contest, and it refers to the physical, mental and emotional exertion in contending with an enemy.

The writer of Hebrews references Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, who –

knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:42-46)