Sunday, July 17, 2011
It Has Been Awhile
Guess the time just comes when you know it is time to jump back in and say hello to everyone. It has been awhile. I have been doing some other writings, just not blogging on the internet. After reading some of the things some of the writings from other preachers from the main denomination I have been writing about I can tell Ihave grown and moved on. How refreshing that is. The arrogant I know more than you do going to hell no matter what you do attitude has been removed Thank You Jesus. I maybe back again one day but not on this blog. The Walk with Wayne will be a Walk With Jesus, much better I promise you. Thanks for your comments and excuse any other comments that hackers have made on this. Apparently if you dont use your blog on a regular basis someone else will. God bless you all and never ever give up on God. He will not fail you .........
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
TRANSPARENCY #19
Jesus said, "There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him in the last day."(Jn. 12:48)(N.I.V.) Jesus also said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall pass away."(Lk. 21:33)(K.J.V.) He said, "...He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life..."(Jn. 5:24)(K.J.V.) And He said, "...If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed."(Jn. 8:31)(K.J.V.)
Jesus' words did not disappear when He left the earth. He told His disciples He would send "...the Comforter..."(Jn. 16:7)(K.J.V.) And the Holy Spirit, He told them, "...will guide you into all truth..." "...whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak..."(Jn. 16:13)(K.J.V.)
Paul would later say, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..."(Col. 3:16)(K.J.V.) And James wrote, "...be ye doers of the word...'(Ja. 1:22)(K.J.V.) It is no wonder, after what Jesus had said about the Holy Spirit guiding them that Paul would later say, "...take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."(Eph. 6:17)(K.J.V.)
The Holy Spirit continued to convey the will of Jesus in words. And these words, if one truly knows Jesus, are more than just statements of doctrine or theology, or development of models for worship or church polity. These words go to the center of what kind of people Christians should be and how they should treat one another. Jesus' life depicted that and His words direct us to that way of life.
In these few writings I have done I have attempted to define the negative ways folks treat one another by pointing to the use of words by the Holy Spirit that teach such things. The confessional transparency of brothers, it seems, means very little to some. And the directives of the Holy Spirit prove that without a shadow of a doubt.
In this last writing on this subject I hope simply to summarize the negative ways the Holy Spirit says men treat one another.
Again, I give credit to Spiros Zodhiates for the definitions of the words. There are numerous other lexicographers who could have been referred to like Thayer, Arndt and Gingrich, etc. It would be hard to estimate how long it took to do this study. Zodhiates' Word Study is about 1500 pages long and I literally went through every letter of the Greek alphabet from alpha to omega selecting the negative ways one can treat another. I know it took weeks if not months to do this. If one person is converted from the error of negativism and looking down a self-righteous nose at others and mistreating transparent brothers the effort will have been worth it.
So in capsule form here are the ways some treat others' transparency.
"destroy" "consume" "wish evil against" "curse" "defraud" "hurt" "treat with indignity" "pretend" "extortion" "ungentle" "unmerciful" "not compassionate" "deceitful" "damage" "harm" "burdensome" "slander" "to hurt reputation or smite with reports or words" "verbal abuse against someone" "destroying one's good name" "contention" "false accuser" "perjurer" "to swear falsely" "throw out" "hostility" "enmity" "misuse" "accuse falsely" "love of strife" "rivalry" "avenger" "treat with scorn" "bursts of anger" "afflict" "trouble" "jealousy" "envy" "to judge" "fraud" "to go to law" "hinder" "wish anyone evil or ruin" "to speak against" "slander" "to speak evil of" "pronounce sentence against" "oppress harshly" "give judgment against" "injury" "malice" "prone to anger" "wrath as an outburst of a vengeful mind" "to hate" "active ill will" "reproach" "one depriving another of his property openly" "take advantage of someone" "defrauder for gain" "be a busybody" "shrewdness" "the employment of any means necessary to reach an end" "accuse falsely" "unjust" "proud" "highminded" "to make a secret agreement" "persecuter of others" "to act spitefully" "evil statements" "pain felt at the sight of excellence" "to overflow with talk" "and idle or triffling tattler" "to speak deceitfully" "lying or false witness" "a lie" "a secret slander" "whispering" "showing special favors...to the influential in order to gain personal advantage and profit" "a person who is eager to gain even if such gain degrades his character" "refuses to lay aside...enmity or to listen to terms of reconciliation"
In conclusion, the Greek word "ought" also speaks directly to the characters of above repute.
"...if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."(I Jn. 4:11)(K.J.V.)
"He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked."(I Jn. 2:6)(K.J.V.)
"...we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard..."(Heb. 2:1)(K.J.V.)
"...ye ought rather to forgive him..."(II Cor. 2:7)(K.J.V.)
"We...ought to bear the infirmities of the weak..."(Ro. 15:1)(K.J.V.)
"...to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think...'(Ro. 12:3)(K.J.V.)
"...we ought to obey God rather than men."(Acts 5:29)(K.J.V.)
"...justice, mercy and faithfulness...You ought to have practiced..."(Mt. 23:23)(N.I.V.)
"...tattlers...and busy bodies...speaking things which they ought not..."(I Tim. 5:13)(K.J.V.)
"Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not so to be."(Ja. 3:10)(K.J.V.)
Jesus' words did not disappear when He left the earth. He told His disciples He would send "...the Comforter..."(Jn. 16:7)(K.J.V.) And the Holy Spirit, He told them, "...will guide you into all truth..." "...whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak..."(Jn. 16:13)(K.J.V.)
Paul would later say, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..."(Col. 3:16)(K.J.V.) And James wrote, "...be ye doers of the word...'(Ja. 1:22)(K.J.V.) It is no wonder, after what Jesus had said about the Holy Spirit guiding them that Paul would later say, "...take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."(Eph. 6:17)(K.J.V.)
The Holy Spirit continued to convey the will of Jesus in words. And these words, if one truly knows Jesus, are more than just statements of doctrine or theology, or development of models for worship or church polity. These words go to the center of what kind of people Christians should be and how they should treat one another. Jesus' life depicted that and His words direct us to that way of life.
In these few writings I have done I have attempted to define the negative ways folks treat one another by pointing to the use of words by the Holy Spirit that teach such things. The confessional transparency of brothers, it seems, means very little to some. And the directives of the Holy Spirit prove that without a shadow of a doubt.
In this last writing on this subject I hope simply to summarize the negative ways the Holy Spirit says men treat one another.
Again, I give credit to Spiros Zodhiates for the definitions of the words. There are numerous other lexicographers who could have been referred to like Thayer, Arndt and Gingrich, etc. It would be hard to estimate how long it took to do this study. Zodhiates' Word Study is about 1500 pages long and I literally went through every letter of the Greek alphabet from alpha to omega selecting the negative ways one can treat another. I know it took weeks if not months to do this. If one person is converted from the error of negativism and looking down a self-righteous nose at others and mistreating transparent brothers the effort will have been worth it.
So in capsule form here are the ways some treat others' transparency.
"destroy" "consume" "wish evil against" "curse" "defraud" "hurt" "treat with indignity" "pretend" "extortion" "ungentle" "unmerciful" "not compassionate" "deceitful" "damage" "harm" "burdensome" "slander" "to hurt reputation or smite with reports or words" "verbal abuse against someone" "destroying one's good name" "contention" "false accuser" "perjurer" "to swear falsely" "throw out" "hostility" "enmity" "misuse" "accuse falsely" "love of strife" "rivalry" "avenger" "treat with scorn" "bursts of anger" "afflict" "trouble" "jealousy" "envy" "to judge" "fraud" "to go to law" "hinder" "wish anyone evil or ruin" "to speak against" "slander" "to speak evil of" "pronounce sentence against" "oppress harshly" "give judgment against" "injury" "malice" "prone to anger" "wrath as an outburst of a vengeful mind" "to hate" "active ill will" "reproach" "one depriving another of his property openly" "take advantage of someone" "defrauder for gain" "be a busybody" "shrewdness" "the employment of any means necessary to reach an end" "accuse falsely" "unjust" "proud" "highminded" "to make a secret agreement" "persecuter of others" "to act spitefully" "evil statements" "pain felt at the sight of excellence" "to overflow with talk" "and idle or triffling tattler" "to speak deceitfully" "lying or false witness" "a lie" "a secret slander" "whispering" "showing special favors...to the influential in order to gain personal advantage and profit" "a person who is eager to gain even if such gain degrades his character" "refuses to lay aside...enmity or to listen to terms of reconciliation"
In conclusion, the Greek word "ought" also speaks directly to the characters of above repute.
"...if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."(I Jn. 4:11)(K.J.V.)
"He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked."(I Jn. 2:6)(K.J.V.)
"...we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard..."(Heb. 2:1)(K.J.V.)
"...ye ought rather to forgive him..."(II Cor. 2:7)(K.J.V.)
"We...ought to bear the infirmities of the weak..."(Ro. 15:1)(K.J.V.)
"...to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think...'(Ro. 12:3)(K.J.V.)
"...we ought to obey God rather than men."(Acts 5:29)(K.J.V.)
"...justice, mercy and faithfulness...You ought to have practiced..."(Mt. 23:23)(N.I.V.)
"...tattlers...and busy bodies...speaking things which they ought not..."(I Tim. 5:13)(K.J.V.)
"Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not so to be."(Ja. 3:10)(K.J.V.)
Friday, September 4, 2009
TRANSPARENCY #18
One morning this week I was talking with a person I love dearly. We were talking about our shortcomings in life and that person made the comment: "I hope I am forgiven." That individual is a church goer, and has been for years, a true believer in Jesus Christ, and one who I know has repented of and confessed sins numerous times, and probably in her daily prayers continues to do so.
Her statement made me wonder what in the world causes such a person to doubt forgiveness. There might be a number of things of the world. It is a guarantee that the Lord never provoked such an idea in the head of one of His children who was so transparent. So what in the world would cause her to feel that way? I believe it is the fruit of negativism that is working in her life. I believe it is the persistent pressure of the negativists of this world. And I further believe she has been constantly bombarded with carping, captious, and cruel criticism for years.
The Holy Spirit knew that God's humble children would meet such discouragement so He gave us a long list of negative behaviors to expect from those who refuse to honor the confessional transparency of their brothers.
psi negative responses
pseudadelphos--"...false brothers..." "...denotes those who had become outwardly members of the Christian church, sharers in its fellowship of life and love, but in reality were not so inwardly."
"...because of (some men who were Christians in name only), false brethren(pseudadelphous) who had been secretly smuggled in(to the Christian brotherhood); they had slipped in to spy out our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus,..."(Gal. 2:4)(Amplified)
"Many times on journeys, (exposed to)...perils from those posing as believers(pseudadelphois)-but destitute of Christian knowledge and piety;"(II Cor. 11:26)(Amplified)
pseudomai--"...to speak falsely or deceitfully..." "...to defraud..." "...falsify..."
"Lie(pseudesthe) not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;"(Col. 3:9)(K.J.V.)
"A trustworthy witness will not lie,(pseudetai) But a false witness utters lies."(pseude)(Prov. 14:5)(N.A.S.B.)
pseudomartus--"...a lying or false witness..."
"...the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witnesses(pseudomarturian) against Jesus, to put Him to death;..."(Mt. 26:59)(K.J.V.)
pseudomartureo--"...to bear false witness..."
"For many bare false witness(epseudomarturoun) against Him, but their witness agreed not together."(Mark 14:56)(K.J.V.)
pseudos--"...a lie..." "Lying in general..."
"Therefore, rejecting all falsity(pseudos) and done now with it, let every one express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another."(Eph. 4:25)(Amplified)
"...the devil..." "...he is a liar,(pseustes) and the father of it."(Jn. 8:44)(K.J.V.)
psithurismos--"...whispering...particularly of slander...hurtful gossip..."
"For I am fearful lest somehow or other I may come and find you not what I desire to find you...lest perhaps there may be factions(quarreling), jealousy, temper(wrath, intrigues, rivalry, divided loyalties), selfishness, whispering,(psithurismoi) gossip, arrogance,(self-assertion) and disorder among you."(II Cor. 12:20)(Amplified)
psithuristeas--"...a secret slanderer..."
"...God gave them over to a base and condemned mind...(They were) secret backbiters and gossipers,"(psithuristas)(Ro. 1:28-29)(Amplified)
Her statement made me wonder what in the world causes such a person to doubt forgiveness. There might be a number of things of the world. It is a guarantee that the Lord never provoked such an idea in the head of one of His children who was so transparent. So what in the world would cause her to feel that way? I believe it is the fruit of negativism that is working in her life. I believe it is the persistent pressure of the negativists of this world. And I further believe she has been constantly bombarded with carping, captious, and cruel criticism for years.
The Holy Spirit knew that God's humble children would meet such discouragement so He gave us a long list of negative behaviors to expect from those who refuse to honor the confessional transparency of their brothers.
psi negative responses
pseudadelphos--"...false brothers..." "...denotes those who had become outwardly members of the Christian church, sharers in its fellowship of life and love, but in reality were not so inwardly."
"...because of (some men who were Christians in name only), false brethren(pseudadelphous) who had been secretly smuggled in(to the Christian brotherhood); they had slipped in to spy out our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus,..."(Gal. 2:4)(Amplified)
"Many times on journeys, (exposed to)...perils from those posing as believers(pseudadelphois)-but destitute of Christian knowledge and piety;"(II Cor. 11:26)(Amplified)
pseudomai--"...to speak falsely or deceitfully..." "...to defraud..." "...falsify..."
"Lie(pseudesthe) not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;"(Col. 3:9)(K.J.V.)
"A trustworthy witness will not lie,(pseudetai) But a false witness utters lies."(pseude)(Prov. 14:5)(N.A.S.B.)
pseudomartus--"...a lying or false witness..."
"...the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witnesses(pseudomarturian) against Jesus, to put Him to death;..."(Mt. 26:59)(K.J.V.)
pseudomartureo--"...to bear false witness..."
"For many bare false witness(epseudomarturoun) against Him, but their witness agreed not together."(Mark 14:56)(K.J.V.)
pseudos--"...a lie..." "Lying in general..."
"Therefore, rejecting all falsity(pseudos) and done now with it, let every one express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another."(Eph. 4:25)(Amplified)
"...the devil..." "...he is a liar,(pseustes) and the father of it."(Jn. 8:44)(K.J.V.)
psithurismos--"...whispering...particularly of slander...hurtful gossip..."
"For I am fearful lest somehow or other I may come and find you not what I desire to find you...lest perhaps there may be factions(quarreling), jealousy, temper(wrath, intrigues, rivalry, divided loyalties), selfishness, whispering,(psithurismoi) gossip, arrogance,(self-assertion) and disorder among you."(II Cor. 12:20)(Amplified)
psithuristeas--"...a secret slanderer..."
"...God gave them over to a base and condemned mind...(They were) secret backbiters and gossipers,"(psithuristas)(Ro. 1:28-29)(Amplified)
TRANSPARENCY #17
Just two more blogs after this one and I will be finished with the negative ways men treat the true confessional transparency of sinful brothers. I want to thank those who have read and responded to my writings. You are encouraging and benevolent in your comments. I have no way of knowing how many are reading these because my counter quit at 1400. I am sure, as some have suggested, that I have been writing for a reason, perhaps personal. I don't know. I do know that I enjoy studying scripture and this is an avenue through which I can share some of my studies and I appreciate your comments. Some comments have come from out of the country, some have suggested I write a book, some just express gratitude for scriptural study. I do not, in my opinion, deserve any handclaps about my writing, and that is not false humility as some of the negativists might suggest....
I hope to study a few more words in the next two writings and in the last I hope to summarize all the negatives from Alpha to Omega in just a few words.
I have wondered as I have done this study if it were possible that a person can negatively endanger himself or herself spiritually by persisting in negative attitudes toward the true confessional transparency of others.
For years I studied the tenth chapter of Acts. Recently, due to personal circumstances, something unique to me, resulting from a study of this passage, has occurred to me. I think I missed some of the "necessary inferences" that have been there all the time.
Peter was an apostle. There is no doubt he was Spirit filled.(Acts 2) And there is no doubt he was inspired and his writings were inspired. (Jn. 14)(Jn. 16)(I &II Peter) There is something about Acts 10 that "infers" that even men with such spiritual power might need a little nudging and instruction to completely grasp the height and depth of God's love and His unlimited grace and mercy. Jesus had already given the great expanse of God's love.(Jn. 3:16) And after Peter got the whole picture he was later to write that God is "...not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."(II Pet. 3:9)(N.I.V.) However the account in Acts 10 reveals that Peter at this point was not so convinced of that fact. So God presented him with a miraculous object lesson.(Acts 10:9-16) And Peter's theology was shaken and reformed. The lesson came through a divine messenger, a miraculous vision and a direct word from the Holy Spirit. The gospel and God's forgiveness is for all, so go preach to a Gentile. And when he did go he made a comment that should sober the negativist of any day. It was profound, striking and went to the heart of God's dealings with men. Peter said: "God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean."(Acts 10:28)(N.I.V.) And that is exactly what God had told him. "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."(Acts 10:11)(N.I.V.)
What a lesson! Peter listened to God. Hundreds of years earlier Jonah had gotten the same lesson. Go preach to the Ninevites he was told. He ran from the truth. Some believe he went as far as present day Spain trying to escape the fact that it was possible for those to repent that he thought were unworthy of repentance. God gave him an object lesson in the form of the belly of a big fish.
It is strange just how stubborn some can be about God's forgiveness and its total unlimited nature. And to what degree they will go to circumvent the fact of God's forgiveness to all sinners. After Jonah had preached and the Ninevites had repented, scripture says Jonah was "...displeased...exceedingly...and he was very angry..."(Jonah 4:1)(K.J.V.) He knew the truth about God. He said of God. "You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and (when sinners turn to You and meet Your conditions;) You revoke the sentence of evil against them."(Jonah 4:2)(Amplified)
Those who know this account realize that Jonah was so distraught over these people being able to repent that he literally asked God to take his life. God simply asked him the question: "Do you do well to be angry?"(Jonah 4:9)(Amplified)
Is it possible that the nay-sayers of our day need object lessons like Peter and Jonah got. What is the problem with other people being forgiven. What is the problem with confessional transparency in other folks' lives. God offered mercy, kindness, forgiveness, revoking of a death sentence, purity and cleanliness. He still does to all men, even to blatant sinners. But there are still those who are "...displeased..." that some could possibly receive the forgiveness of God.
The Holy Spirit knew there were and would be those who would limit God's forgiveness to their own prejudiced form of religion. So he listed numerous possible human responses to their fellowmen.
phi negative responses
phaulos--"...evil deeds..." "...statements..."
"For every wrongdoer(phaula) hates (loathes, detests) the light and will not come out into the light, but shrinks from it, lest his works-his deeds, his activities, his conduct-be exposed and reproved."(Jn. 3:20)(Amplified)
"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil (phalon) work."(Ja. 3:16)(K.J.V.)
phtheiro--"...to spoil...in a moral or spiritual sense..."
"Make room for us; no one we wronged, no one we ruined,(ephtheiramen) no one we exploited."(II Cor. 7:2)(Interlinear) "...we have defrauded no man."(K.J.V.)
phthoneo--"...to envy..."
"Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying(phthonountes) one another."(Gal. 5:26)(K.J.V.)
phthonos--"...pain felt and malignity conceived at the sight of excellence or happiness..."
"...he knew that it was out of spite(phthonon) that they had brought Jesus before him."(Mt. 27:18)(N.E.B.)
"...they did not like to retain God in their knowledge..." "...being..." "...full of envy..."(phthonou)(Ro. 1:29-30)(K.J.V.)
"...the works of the flesh are..." "...envyings..."(phthonoi)(Gal. 5:19,21)(K.J.V.)
"...be done with every trace of wickedness(depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity(pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges(envy, jealousy)(phthonous) and slander and evil speaking of every kind."(I Pet. 2:1)(Amplified)
phuluareo--"...to overflow with talk..." "...chatter..." "...talk in an idle, trifling manner against someone..." "...talking...falsely.."
"So when I arrive, I will call attention to what he is doing, his boiling over and casting malicious reflections upon us with insinuating language.(phluaron) And not satisfied with that, he refuses to receive and welcome the (missionary) brethren himself, and also interferes with and forbids those who would welcome them, and tries to expel (excommunicate) them from the church."(II Jn. 1:10)(Amplified)
phluaros--"...to boil..." "...an idle or trifling tattler..."
"...they learn to be...tattlers(phluaroi) also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."(I Tim. 5:13)(K.J.V.)
phrenapates--"...deceiver..."
"...there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers..."(phrenapatai)(Titus 1:10)(K.J.V.)
I hope to study a few more words in the next two writings and in the last I hope to summarize all the negatives from Alpha to Omega in just a few words.
I have wondered as I have done this study if it were possible that a person can negatively endanger himself or herself spiritually by persisting in negative attitudes toward the true confessional transparency of others.
For years I studied the tenth chapter of Acts. Recently, due to personal circumstances, something unique to me, resulting from a study of this passage, has occurred to me. I think I missed some of the "necessary inferences" that have been there all the time.
Peter was an apostle. There is no doubt he was Spirit filled.(Acts 2) And there is no doubt he was inspired and his writings were inspired. (Jn. 14)(Jn. 16)(I &II Peter) There is something about Acts 10 that "infers" that even men with such spiritual power might need a little nudging and instruction to completely grasp the height and depth of God's love and His unlimited grace and mercy. Jesus had already given the great expanse of God's love.(Jn. 3:16) And after Peter got the whole picture he was later to write that God is "...not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."(II Pet. 3:9)(N.I.V.) However the account in Acts 10 reveals that Peter at this point was not so convinced of that fact. So God presented him with a miraculous object lesson.(Acts 10:9-16) And Peter's theology was shaken and reformed. The lesson came through a divine messenger, a miraculous vision and a direct word from the Holy Spirit. The gospel and God's forgiveness is for all, so go preach to a Gentile. And when he did go he made a comment that should sober the negativist of any day. It was profound, striking and went to the heart of God's dealings with men. Peter said: "God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean."(Acts 10:28)(N.I.V.) And that is exactly what God had told him. "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."(Acts 10:11)(N.I.V.)
What a lesson! Peter listened to God. Hundreds of years earlier Jonah had gotten the same lesson. Go preach to the Ninevites he was told. He ran from the truth. Some believe he went as far as present day Spain trying to escape the fact that it was possible for those to repent that he thought were unworthy of repentance. God gave him an object lesson in the form of the belly of a big fish.
It is strange just how stubborn some can be about God's forgiveness and its total unlimited nature. And to what degree they will go to circumvent the fact of God's forgiveness to all sinners. After Jonah had preached and the Ninevites had repented, scripture says Jonah was "...displeased...exceedingly...and he was very angry..."(Jonah 4:1)(K.J.V.) He knew the truth about God. He said of God. "You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and (when sinners turn to You and meet Your conditions;) You revoke the sentence of evil against them."(Jonah 4:2)(Amplified)
Those who know this account realize that Jonah was so distraught over these people being able to repent that he literally asked God to take his life. God simply asked him the question: "Do you do well to be angry?"(Jonah 4:9)(Amplified)
Is it possible that the nay-sayers of our day need object lessons like Peter and Jonah got. What is the problem with other people being forgiven. What is the problem with confessional transparency in other folks' lives. God offered mercy, kindness, forgiveness, revoking of a death sentence, purity and cleanliness. He still does to all men, even to blatant sinners. But there are still those who are "...displeased..." that some could possibly receive the forgiveness of God.
The Holy Spirit knew there were and would be those who would limit God's forgiveness to their own prejudiced form of religion. So he listed numerous possible human responses to their fellowmen.
phi negative responses
phaulos--"...evil deeds..." "...statements..."
"For every wrongdoer(phaula) hates (loathes, detests) the light and will not come out into the light, but shrinks from it, lest his works-his deeds, his activities, his conduct-be exposed and reproved."(Jn. 3:20)(Amplified)
"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil (phalon) work."(Ja. 3:16)(K.J.V.)
phtheiro--"...to spoil...in a moral or spiritual sense..."
"Make room for us; no one we wronged, no one we ruined,(ephtheiramen) no one we exploited."(II Cor. 7:2)(Interlinear) "...we have defrauded no man."(K.J.V.)
phthoneo--"...to envy..."
"Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying(phthonountes) one another."(Gal. 5:26)(K.J.V.)
phthonos--"...pain felt and malignity conceived at the sight of excellence or happiness..."
"...he knew that it was out of spite(phthonon) that they had brought Jesus before him."(Mt. 27:18)(N.E.B.)
"...they did not like to retain God in their knowledge..." "...being..." "...full of envy..."(phthonou)(Ro. 1:29-30)(K.J.V.)
"...the works of the flesh are..." "...envyings..."(phthonoi)(Gal. 5:19,21)(K.J.V.)
"...be done with every trace of wickedness(depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity(pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges(envy, jealousy)(phthonous) and slander and evil speaking of every kind."(I Pet. 2:1)(Amplified)
phuluareo--"...to overflow with talk..." "...chatter..." "...talk in an idle, trifling manner against someone..." "...talking...falsely.."
"So when I arrive, I will call attention to what he is doing, his boiling over and casting malicious reflections upon us with insinuating language.(phluaron) And not satisfied with that, he refuses to receive and welcome the (missionary) brethren himself, and also interferes with and forbids those who would welcome them, and tries to expel (excommunicate) them from the church."(II Jn. 1:10)(Amplified)
phluaros--"...to boil..." "...an idle or trifling tattler..."
"...they learn to be...tattlers(phluaroi) also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."(I Tim. 5:13)(K.J.V.)
phrenapates--"...deceiver..."
"...there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers..."(phrenapatai)(Titus 1:10)(K.J.V.)
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
TRANSPARENCY #16
The gospel is God's simple plan to save mens' souls.(Ro. 1:16) It is the story of the loving heart of God expressed to a world full of sinners. The expression came by way of the sacrifice of God's only begotten Son. And it was real, not imagined, and culminated by that Son hanging from spikes on a cruel and crude piece of wood.
Resurrection morning came and not too far from that piece of wood Jesus came out of that rock-hewn tomb a triumphant Savior.(Ro. 1:4) He later ascended to heaven and there awaits His return to gather up His flock and return with them to Paradise.(Acts 1:11)(I Thess. 4:14,17) But before He left here, after His resurrection, He gave His apostles a simple way of salvation.(Mt. 28:18-20) And that way is extended to all men.(Jn. 3:16) And by that way men can become the children of God.(I Jn. 3:2)
Certainly He expects our behavior to be representative of those who are Sons of God. "...ye are the salt of the earth..."(Mt. 5:13)(K.J.V.) "...forgive men their trespasses..."(Mt. 6:14)(K.J.V.) "...when ye pray..."(Mt. 6:7)(K.J.V.) "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth...'(Mt. 6:19)(K.J.V.) "Judge not..."(Mt. 7:1)(K.J.V.) "...cast out the beam out of thine own eye..."(Mt. 7:5)(K.J.V.) "Enter ye in at the strait gate..."(Mt. 7:13)(K.J.V.) "Beware of false prophets..."(Mt. 7:15)(K.J.V.) Numerous passages could be cited pertaining to the expected morality and behavior of God's children, their growth, maturity, dedication, conviction and commitment.
But aren't we thankful God understands each one of us? He knows our weaknesses, our inconsistencies, our failures, our immaturity, our faithlessness. He knows our natures. And He conveys to us how He planned to handle that after we became His sons. "...He is faithful and just(true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins(dismiss our lawlessness) and continuously cleanse us from all unrighteousness--everything not in conformity to His will..."(I Jn. 1:8)(Amplified)
The one important fact about being transparent before God is that when done honestly we come to terms with the fact that we are all truly sinful and in need of that kind of treatment from God.
I am so thankful that Jesus gave us practical and real life lessons about sin, transparency and God's forgiveness. He told the story of the "...two sons..."(Lk. 15:11-32) as an illustration. He told the truth about Peter's denials.(Mt. 26:68-75) He recounted the facts about Paul's early failure.(Acts 7:58)(Acts 9:1-2) John's transparency about sin was noted.(I Jn. 1:8) David's murderous and adulterous life and his forgiveness were written for our reading.(Ps. 32:1-5)(Ps. 51:1-3) Numbers of other accounts of mens' weaknesses and God's willing forgiveness are recorded.
When I fall down on my knees I know there is more than an outside chance that I am forgiven. My transparency does not go unnoticed. David said "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me and heard my cry." "He brought me up also out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings."(Ps. 40:1-2)(K.J.V.)
We have used the example of a man drowning in a lake. A passer-by stops and throws the man a rope. We compared the throwing of the rope and the reaching out by the man for the rope as the way of forgiveness. As all examples are this probably was a weak one. Sad not, however, that there are those in this world who are so calloused that they would hear the screams of the penitent sinner, the lost, have the rope and simply pass by the miserable person and look the other way.
The Holy Spirit knew there would be negative characters like that who treated their fellow man is such negative ways. So He filled the N.T. with possible negative responses to the transparency of others.
epsilon negative responses
hubrizo--"...to act spitefully toward someone..." "...treat shamefully...""...injure..." "...abuse..."
"...there was an attempt both on the part of the Gentiles and Jews together with their rulers, to insult and abuse and molest(hubrisai)(Paul and Barnabas) and to stone them,"(Acts 14:5)(Amplified)
"For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be made sport of and scoffed and jeered at and insulted(hubristhesetai) and spit upon;"(Lk. 18:32)(Amplified)
"...the others seized his servants, treated them shamefully(hubrisan) and put them to death."(Mt. 22:6)(Amplified)
hubristes--"...insolent persecutor of others who mistreats them for the pleasure which the affliction of the wrong brings him..."
"(They were)...slanderers, hateful to and hating G0d, full of insolence(hubristas)..."(Ro. 1:29-30)(Amplified)
"Though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and was shamefully and outrageously and aggresively insulting(hubristen)(to Him), nevertheless I obtained mercy because I had acted out of ignorance and unbelief."(I Tim. 1:13)(Amplified)
"...Christ Jesus, the Messiah, came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am foremost."(I Tim. 1:15)(Amplified)
hupoballo--"...to introduce underhandedly..." "...to make a secret agreement..."
"So they(secretly) instigated(hupebalon)) and instructed men..."(Acts 6:11)(Amplified)
hupselophroneo--"...arrogant..." "...highminded..." "...proud..."
"Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty(snobbish, highminded,(hupsela phronountes) exclusive),..."(Ro. 12:16)(Amplified)
"As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be proud and arrogant and contemptuous of others..."(hupselophronouein)(I Tim. 6:17)(Amplified)
"...do not become proud and conceited(hupselaphronei) but rather stand in awe and be reverently afraid."(Ro. 11:20)(Amplified)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
TRANSPARENCY #15
One of the sweetest confessions from a sinful man is in Luke 18. The publican stood afar off and said, "...God, have mercy on me, a sinner."(Lk. 18:13)(N.I.V.) What a transparent person he was! It is almost a given that the proud man in the parable Jesus told, a Pharisee, was not impressed with the publican's openness and frankness about his sinfulness. For the Pharisee, you see, was too enamored with his own personal perfection to give this publican the time of day. He told God simply that he was thankful he was not like this publican.(Lk. 18:11) Notable that Jesus said that the transparent man was the one who "...went home justified before God..."(Lk. 18:14)(N.I.V.) And Jesus further said the Pharisee would eventually be humbled for his exalted idea of himself.(Lk. 18:14)
There are two words in the early Greek language, exomologeo and homologeo, which mean, according to Zodhiates, "...confess..." "...assent..." "...concede..." "...admit..." These words speak directly to and volumes about the openness and transparency of men.
Initially all men being saved confess Jesus as Lord and confess their sins. "...they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing(exomologoumenoi) their sins."(Mt. 3:6)(Amplified) "...if you confess(homologeses) with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth you confess(homologeitai) and are saved."(Ro. 10:9-10)(N.I.V.) "If anyone acknowledges(homologese) that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God."(I Jn. 4:15)(N.I.V.)
Yet we are not perfect, so those who live within the realm of reality and outside the Pharisaic self-righteous state, become transparent, confess their sins and allow others the equal right to look to the throne of God and go to the altar of forgiveness.
God expects confession, not only initially at conversion, but subsequent to conversion. And He honors the confession of His Son's name initially and the confession of sins thereafter by His children. And confession is necessary for obvious reasons. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."(I Jn. 1:8)(N.I.V.) "If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar,...'(I Jn. 1:10)(N.I.V.) Yet He says: "If we confess(homologomen) our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."(I Jn. 1:9)(N.I.V.)
We are even encouraged to be expectantly transparent with one another. "Confess(exomologeisthe) to one another therefore your faults--your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins; and pray(also) for one another, that you may be healed and restored--to a spiritual tone of mind and heart..."(Ja. 5:16)(Amplified)
Jesus taught us that our transparency will not go unnoticed. "Whoever then will acknowledge(homologesai) me before men, I will acknowledge(homologeso) him before My Father in heaven;..."(Mt. 10:32)(N.E.B.) "...he who conquers(is victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase or blot out his name from the Book of life; I will acknowledge him (as Mine), and confess(homologeso) his name openly before My Father and before His angels."(Rev. 3:5)(Amplified)
Ultimately the Bible teaches us that confessional transparency will occur even among the Pharisees of this world and those who self-righteously cast a disgusting glance at others' sincere transparency. "For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess(exomologesetai) to God--that is, acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise."(Ro. 14:11)(Amplified)
It would be far better to place our hope in Him now through confession. We all have that right. "So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess, and our acknowledgement(homologian) of it, for He who promised is reliable(sure) and faithful to His word."(Heb. 10:23)(Amplified)
That is about all I know the N.T. says about confession. Wouldn't it be wonderful if men were as reliable as God in honoring the transparency of the lost, the broken, the hopeless?
The Holy Spirit knew men would be negative about their brothers' transparency. So He gave us a long list of possible negative responses toward others' transparency.
sigma negative responses
skolios--"...bent..." "...warped..." "...unjust in contrast to gentle, tolerant..."
"...masters..." "...who are harsh..."(skoliois)(I Pet. 2:18)(N.I.V.)
"...masters..." "...who are surly-overbearing, unjust, and crooked."(Amplified)
stenazo--"grumble from impatience..." "...ill humor..."
"Don't grumble(stenazete) against each other, brothers,..."(Ja. 5:9)(N.I.V)
sukophanteo--"...to inform against..." "...accuse falsely..." "...to extort by false accusation..." "...calumniate..."
"Receive thy servant for good: let not the proud accuse me falsely."(sukophantesatosan)(Ps. 119:122)(Septuagint)
"He that oppresses(sukophantou) the poor, increases his own substance..."(Prov. 22:16)(Septuagint) (...will only come to poverty..."(Prov. 22:16)(N.A.S.B.)
sumbouleuo--"...to plot..."
"...they plotted together(sunebouleusanto) to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him."(Mt. 26:4)(N.A.S.B.)
"...from that day on they planned together(ebouleusanto) to kill Him."(Jn. 11:53)(N.A.S.B.)
sunomosia--"...to swear together..." "...conspiracy..."
"...the Jews banded together and took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty in this conspiracy..."(sunomosian)(Acts 23:13-14)(N.E.B.)
tau negative reponses
tameion--"...any place of privacy, a room, closet..." "...where one cannot be easily seen..."
"Whatever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard and listened to in the light, and what you have whispered in (people's) ears and behind closed doors,(tameiois) will be proclaimed upon the housetops."(Lk. 12:3)(Amplified)
There are two words in the early Greek language, exomologeo and homologeo, which mean, according to Zodhiates, "...confess..." "...assent..." "...concede..." "...admit..." These words speak directly to and volumes about the openness and transparency of men.
Initially all men being saved confess Jesus as Lord and confess their sins. "...they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing(exomologoumenoi) their sins."(Mt. 3:6)(Amplified) "...if you confess(homologeses) with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth you confess(homologeitai) and are saved."(Ro. 10:9-10)(N.I.V.) "If anyone acknowledges(homologese) that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God."(I Jn. 4:15)(N.I.V.)
Yet we are not perfect, so those who live within the realm of reality and outside the Pharisaic self-righteous state, become transparent, confess their sins and allow others the equal right to look to the throne of God and go to the altar of forgiveness.
God expects confession, not only initially at conversion, but subsequent to conversion. And He honors the confession of His Son's name initially and the confession of sins thereafter by His children. And confession is necessary for obvious reasons. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."(I Jn. 1:8)(N.I.V.) "If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar,...'(I Jn. 1:10)(N.I.V.) Yet He says: "If we confess(homologomen) our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."(I Jn. 1:9)(N.I.V.)
We are even encouraged to be expectantly transparent with one another. "Confess(exomologeisthe) to one another therefore your faults--your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins; and pray(also) for one another, that you may be healed and restored--to a spiritual tone of mind and heart..."(Ja. 5:16)(Amplified)
Jesus taught us that our transparency will not go unnoticed. "Whoever then will acknowledge(homologesai) me before men, I will acknowledge(homologeso) him before My Father in heaven;..."(Mt. 10:32)(N.E.B.) "...he who conquers(is victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase or blot out his name from the Book of life; I will acknowledge him (as Mine), and confess(homologeso) his name openly before My Father and before His angels."(Rev. 3:5)(Amplified)
Ultimately the Bible teaches us that confessional transparency will occur even among the Pharisees of this world and those who self-righteously cast a disgusting glance at others' sincere transparency. "For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess(exomologesetai) to God--that is, acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise."(Ro. 14:11)(Amplified)
It would be far better to place our hope in Him now through confession. We all have that right. "So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess, and our acknowledgement(homologian) of it, for He who promised is reliable(sure) and faithful to His word."(Heb. 10:23)(Amplified)
That is about all I know the N.T. says about confession. Wouldn't it be wonderful if men were as reliable as God in honoring the transparency of the lost, the broken, the hopeless?
The Holy Spirit knew men would be negative about their brothers' transparency. So He gave us a long list of possible negative responses toward others' transparency.
sigma negative responses
skolios--"...bent..." "...warped..." "...unjust in contrast to gentle, tolerant..."
"...masters..." "...who are harsh..."(skoliois)(I Pet. 2:18)(N.I.V.)
"...masters..." "...who are surly-overbearing, unjust, and crooked."(Amplified)
stenazo--"grumble from impatience..." "...ill humor..."
"Don't grumble(stenazete) against each other, brothers,..."(Ja. 5:9)(N.I.V)
sukophanteo--"...to inform against..." "...accuse falsely..." "...to extort by false accusation..." "...calumniate..."
"Receive thy servant for good: let not the proud accuse me falsely."(sukophantesatosan)(Ps. 119:122)(Septuagint)
"He that oppresses(sukophantou) the poor, increases his own substance..."(Prov. 22:16)(Septuagint) (...will only come to poverty..."(Prov. 22:16)(N.A.S.B.)
sumbouleuo--"...to plot..."
"...they plotted together(sunebouleusanto) to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him."(Mt. 26:4)(N.A.S.B.)
"...from that day on they planned together(ebouleusanto) to kill Him."(Jn. 11:53)(N.A.S.B.)
sunomosia--"...to swear together..." "...conspiracy..."
"...the Jews banded together and took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty in this conspiracy..."(sunomosian)(Acts 23:13-14)(N.E.B.)
tau negative reponses
tameion--"...any place of privacy, a room, closet..." "...where one cannot be easily seen..."
"Whatever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard and listened to in the light, and what you have whispered in (people's) ears and behind closed doors,(tameiois) will be proclaimed upon the housetops."(Lk. 12:3)(Amplified)
Thursday, August 20, 2009
TRANSPARENCY #14
My childhood and life have been spent hearing messages to support truth with truth. How many times have we heard scripture quoted to this effect:
"Study to show thyself approved..."(II Tim. 2:15)(K.J.V.) "...all scripture is given by the inspiration of God...that the man of God may be perfect..."(II Tim. 3:16-17)(K.J.V.) "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness..."(II Pet. 1:3)(K.J.V.) Sermon after sermon were intricately pieced together by masters of the language, the method and the Book. No fact was left uncovered. The Great Bible Doctrines were skillfully attested to by great Bible scholars, rich and deep in Scriptural concepts, men of depth and immense knowledge. Thank God for men like that who were loving and caring.
But is it possible to be so filled with such acumen with respect to facts of the letter of the law and miss the Spirit of it? Jesus addressed the scholars of His day and chastised them for just that attitude. For He said they had forgotten the "...weightier matters..." such as equity, compassion, sincerity.(Mt. 23:23) So it has therefore been my experience that some of the most intelligent and well read have been the meanest people I have ever known. And they come straight out of the ranks of Biblical scholarship.
At the hands of such teachers broken folk are made to feel so unworthy, so lost, so sinful, so fallen, so guilty, so inadequate, so useless, so hopeless. Sad that in such circles "When I am broken..." "He lives to take away my sins..." "...runs to the weary, the worn, the weak..." "I know My Redeemer lives..."are impossible phrases and hidden from men by such harsh judgmentalism.
I have often wondered how a Bible genius can be so negative. How can one so intricately understand the plan without truly understanding the Man. How can a perfect church be preached while refusing the broken the right to be "called out" of brokenness? How can such great lessons be preached on forgiveness and the proclaimers be so unforgiving? How can confessional transparency hit them right between the eyes and they smugly turn away?
The Holy Spirit knew that spirit would exist among men. So He gave us an extensive list of behaviors such attitudes generate.
pi negative respones
panourgia--"...shrewdness..." "...cunning..." "...the employment of any means necessary to realize an end..."
"...the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."(panourgia)(I Cor. 3:19)(K.J.V.)
"We have renounced disgraceful ways--secret thoughts, desires and underhandedness, methods and arts that men hide through shame; we refuse to deal craftily(to practice trickery and cunning)(panourgia) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God; but we state the truth openly-clearly and candidly..."(I Cor. 4:2)(Amplified)
periergazomai--"...bustle about..." "...be a busybody..."
...we hear that some of your number are idling their time away, minding everybody's business but their own..."(periergazomenous))II Thess. 3:11)(N.E.B.)
periergos--"...people who scurry about..." "...meddling..." "...in other peoples' affairs..." ...overwrought with unnecessary care..." "...also a standard term for black arts or magic..."
"...they learn to be idle going around to the houses, not only and idle but also gossips and busybodies,(periergoi) speaking the things they ought not."(I Tim. 5:13)(Interlinear)
"A number who had practiced sorcery(perierga) brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly..."(Acts 19:19)(N.I.V.)
pleonektes--"...defrauder for gain..."
"...you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is...greedy..."(pleonektes)(I Cor. 5:11)(N.I.V.)
"...nor greedy ones(pleonektai)...the kingdom of God will inherit."(ICor.6:10)(Interlinear)
"...no...greedy person...(pleonektes) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."(Eph. 5:5)(N.I.V.)
pleonekteo--"...take advantage of someone..." "...defraud..."
"...we have exploited(epleonektesamen) no one."(II Cor. 7:2)(N.I.V.)
"For this is the will of God, that you should be consecrated..." "That no man transgress, and overreach his brother and defraud(pleonektein) him in this matter or defraud his brother in business..."(I Thess. 4:3,6)(Amplified)
propetes--"...rash..." "...careless...""...headlong or out of control..."
"...in the last days..." "...people will be..." "...treacherous(betrayers), rash(propeteis) inflated with self-conceit..."(II Tim. 3:1,2,4)(Amplified)
prophasis--"...pretense..." "...outward show..." "...pretext put forth to cover one's real intent..."
"...we never resorted either to words of flattery or to any cloak to conceal greedy motives or pretexts(prophasei) for gain..."(I Thess. 2:5)(Amplified)
"Study to show thyself approved..."(II Tim. 2:15)(K.J.V.) "...all scripture is given by the inspiration of God...that the man of God may be perfect..."(II Tim. 3:16-17)(K.J.V.) "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness..."(II Pet. 1:3)(K.J.V.) Sermon after sermon were intricately pieced together by masters of the language, the method and the Book. No fact was left uncovered. The Great Bible Doctrines were skillfully attested to by great Bible scholars, rich and deep in Scriptural concepts, men of depth and immense knowledge. Thank God for men like that who were loving and caring.
But is it possible to be so filled with such acumen with respect to facts of the letter of the law and miss the Spirit of it? Jesus addressed the scholars of His day and chastised them for just that attitude. For He said they had forgotten the "...weightier matters..." such as equity, compassion, sincerity.(Mt. 23:23) So it has therefore been my experience that some of the most intelligent and well read have been the meanest people I have ever known. And they come straight out of the ranks of Biblical scholarship.
At the hands of such teachers broken folk are made to feel so unworthy, so lost, so sinful, so fallen, so guilty, so inadequate, so useless, so hopeless. Sad that in such circles "When I am broken..." "He lives to take away my sins..." "...runs to the weary, the worn, the weak..." "I know My Redeemer lives..."are impossible phrases and hidden from men by such harsh judgmentalism.
I have often wondered how a Bible genius can be so negative. How can one so intricately understand the plan without truly understanding the Man. How can a perfect church be preached while refusing the broken the right to be "called out" of brokenness? How can such great lessons be preached on forgiveness and the proclaimers be so unforgiving? How can confessional transparency hit them right between the eyes and they smugly turn away?
The Holy Spirit knew that spirit would exist among men. So He gave us an extensive list of behaviors such attitudes generate.
pi negative respones
panourgia--"...shrewdness..." "...cunning..." "...the employment of any means necessary to realize an end..."
"...the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."(panourgia)(I Cor. 3:19)(K.J.V.)
"We have renounced disgraceful ways--secret thoughts, desires and underhandedness, methods and arts that men hide through shame; we refuse to deal craftily(to practice trickery and cunning)(panourgia) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God; but we state the truth openly-clearly and candidly..."(I Cor. 4:2)(Amplified)
periergazomai--"...bustle about..." "...be a busybody..."
...we hear that some of your number are idling their time away, minding everybody's business but their own..."(periergazomenous))II Thess. 3:11)(N.E.B.)
periergos--"...people who scurry about..." "...meddling..." "...in other peoples' affairs..." ...overwrought with unnecessary care..." "...also a standard term for black arts or magic..."
"...they learn to be idle going around to the houses, not only and idle but also gossips and busybodies,(periergoi) speaking the things they ought not."(I Tim. 5:13)(Interlinear)
"A number who had practiced sorcery(perierga) brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly..."(Acts 19:19)(N.I.V.)
pleonektes--"...defrauder for gain..."
"...you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is...greedy..."(pleonektes)(I Cor. 5:11)(N.I.V.)
"...nor greedy ones(pleonektai)...the kingdom of God will inherit."(ICor.6:10)(Interlinear)
"...no...greedy person...(pleonektes) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."(Eph. 5:5)(N.I.V.)
pleonekteo--"...take advantage of someone..." "...defraud..."
"...we have exploited(epleonektesamen) no one."(II Cor. 7:2)(N.I.V.)
"For this is the will of God, that you should be consecrated..." "That no man transgress, and overreach his brother and defraud(pleonektein) him in this matter or defraud his brother in business..."(I Thess. 4:3,6)(Amplified)
propetes--"...rash..." "...careless...""...headlong or out of control..."
"...in the last days..." "...people will be..." "...treacherous(betrayers), rash(propeteis) inflated with self-conceit..."(II Tim. 3:1,2,4)(Amplified)
prophasis--"...pretense..." "...outward show..." "...pretext put forth to cover one's real intent..."
"...we never resorted either to words of flattery or to any cloak to conceal greedy motives or pretexts(prophasei) for gain..."(I Thess. 2:5)(Amplified)
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