Transparency #6

Before I started writing about I Cor. 13 in February of this year, I was attempting to write some things on the subject of transparency. My interest on the subject had been aroused by some recent statements such as "Let's be transparent..." or "We want to be transparent..." I had earlier actually heard some church leaders make some of the same suggestions.


As far as God is concerned all things are transparent. The writer of Hebrews told us "There is nothing in creation that can hide from Him; everything lies naked and exposed to the eyes of the One with whom we have to reckon."(Heb. 4:13)(NEB) Even so, it is obvious that God wants His people to be transparent with Him. So He said through John "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."(I Jn. 1:9)(NIV) True transparency before God begins on our knees, and maybe even our faces, as we acknowledge our sinfulness and plead for His forgiveness. He is true to His word. He forgives.


There is another way of transparency taught us in scripture that is not so often readily accepted so graciously. James tells Christians "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another..."(Ja. 5:16)(KJV) So often when this is done some kind of spiritual Hammer is brought heavily down on the transparent and Mt. 18:15-19; I Cor. 13; Mt. 7; Mt. 5:7; etc.,etc.,etc...go unheeded. "Love your neighbor as yourself..."(Mt. 22:39)(NIV) and "In everything do to others what you would have them do to you..."(Mt. 7:12)(NIV) to some, by the way they treat others, might as well be Aesop's Fables. Therefore the transparent often becomes victim to all sorts of negative behaviors and attitudes.


The wisdom of the Holy Spirit is seen in the way He elucidates("throws light on") the various possibilities of such negative approaches to others.


In preparation for this study I have attempted to get just as close to the writing of the early inspired disciples as I could. I used Spiros Zodhiates' Greek word study for the selection of the words which have some negative connotations and express negativity toward others in some degree or another. I went from alpha to omega in an attempt to select these words. And with each word I have attached Zodhiates definition and a passage that exemplifies its usage. Some of the words express attitudes that lead to negative behavior. Others are specifically a negative behavior that affects others.


If my brother comes to me with a problem, a sin, a confession , will I treat him in some of the negative ways described by the Holy Spirit or will I treat him with love and forgiveness?


ALPHA...


alazon--"a boaster"


"...people will be lovers of self and (utterly) self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate(greedy) desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters..."(alazones)(II Tim. 3:2)(Amplified)


analisko--"to take away" "destroy" "consume"


"But if you bite and devour one another(in partisan strife), be careful that you (and your whole fellowship) are not consumed(analothete) by one another."(Gal. 5:15)(Amplified)


anathematizo--"to curse"


"...more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath(anethematisan) not to eat or drink until they have killed him..."(Acts 23:21)(NIV)


ara--"wish evil against a person"


"...their mouth is full of bitter curses."(aras)(Ro. 3:14)(NEB)


apatao--"being deceived by the vain empty, idle words of others"


"Let no one deceive(apatato) you with empty words..."(Eph. 5:6)(NIV)


apostereo--"to deprive" "wrong" "defraud one another of what belongs to him"


"...do not defraud..."(apostereses)(Mk. 10:19)(Amplified)


"Do not refuse and deprive and defraud(apostereite) each other (of your due marital rights)..."(I Cor. 7:5)(Amplified)


atopos--"hurtful" "evil"


"...pray that we may be delivered from wicked(atopon) and evil men, for not everyone has faith."(II Thess. 3:2)(NIV)


allotrioepiskopos--"one who busies himself with what does not concern him"


"...let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or any sort of criminal; or as a mischief maker(a meddler)(allotriepiskopos) in the affairs of others--infringing on their rights."(I Pet. 4:15)(Amplified)


alazoneia--"an ostentacious quack" "showing off to fellow mortals" "vainglorious pursuit of honors"


"But as it is, you boast(falsely) in your presumption and your self-conceit.(alazoneiais) All such boasting is wrong."(Ja. 4:16)(Amplified)


aphilagathos--"a person who may have pity but does not necessarily do anything to relieve the suffering of another through self-denial"


"...without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,..."(aphilagathoi)(II Tim. 3:3)(NIV)


atimazo--"to dishonor" "treat with indignity"


"...you(in contrast) have insulted-humiliated, dishonored and shown contempt for(etimasate)-the poor. Is it not the rich who domineer over you? Is it not they who drag you into the law courts?"(Ja. 2:6)(Amplified)


anupokritos--"to pretend"


"Let love be unhypocritical(anupokritos) abhorring the evil, clinging to the good."(Ro. 12:9)(Interlinear)


harpax--"given to rapacity or extortion"


"...I wrote to you not to mix with if any brother he is being called a fornicator or a greedy man or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or a swindler(harpax) with such a man not to eat."(I Cor. 5:11)(Interlinear)


anemeros--"ungentle" "fierce"


"...unloving, irreconcilable, slanderous, without self-control, savage(anemeroi), not lovers of good."(II Tim. 3:3)(Interlinear)


aischrokerdos--"eager of sordid gain" "dishonorable gain" "gaining popularity...showing special favors" "to the influential in order to gain personal advantage and profit"


"I warn and counsel the elders among you--the pastors and spiritual guides of the church--as a fellow elder and as an eyewitness(called to testify) of the sufferings of Christ..." "Tend the flock...not dishonorably motivated(aischrokerdos) by the advantages and profts(belonging to the office) but eagerly and cheerfully."(I Pet. 5:1-2)(Amplified)