Questions On Bible Words

Answer The word "love" in 1 Cor. 13 refers to the highest form of love we can express for one another. It is from the Greek word "agape" which emphasizes unselfish, active good will toward another. It differs from the other words used by the Greeks that describe either patriotism, friendly affection and sexual interaction. It calls us to the highest form of behavior.

How do we obtain this type of love? We observe the example of God, especially that of Jesus dying on the cross, and we imitate this type of love. John 13:1-35, Eph. 5:1-2. Although there are sometimes exceptional examples of love that approaches this unselfish, sacrificial action, generally speaking, it can only be seen in its most consistent and perfect degree within God and the actions He displays toward us. Rom. 5:6-11. Contact Gary

Question 2. What does the word "lust" mean?

Answer The word "lust" simply means desire, passionate longing or lust. It can either be a desire that is good or evil depending on its object and how it is fulfilled.

The word is translated in the NASB version as coveting, desire, desires, earnestly, impulses, long, lust, lusts, and lustful. Sometimes these are good and sometimes evil. What makes lust evil is the way that we intend
to fulfill, against the will of God, to our destruction and His dishonor. James 1:12-15.

As to looking in an evil way at a woman, yes, the Scriptures warn against that. Mt. 5:27-30. We are to have pure motives and actions toward all, including women and the sexual longing which is good in and of itself, is to be fulfilled in a loving marital relationship, not simply for our own selfish sinful gratification. Heb. 13:4. Contact Gary

Question 3. You hear "Christian this, Christian that, etc....What makes all these things truly Christian? Or is the word Christian being over used? We are to the point that we are sort-of sick hearing "Christian this, Christian that....? Please don't get us wrong, we want to serve God and do what is right, but it seems that you can't talk to people without them saying (the above).

Answer There is no such thing as a "Christian nation" or a "Christian College" or "Christian music", etc. There may be Christians in a nation. There may be Christians in a college and the College may teach religious subjects, but that does not make the college or nation "Christian". There may be songs about Christ, but that does not make it "Christian". In Acts 11:26 "The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." "Disciple" simply means "follower". To be a "follower" one would have to do whatever the one they were following said. In Acts 20:28 Jesus purchased the church "with his own blood" which referred to His death on the cross. We reach that blood, or receive the blessings of his death through baptism: Romans 6:3 "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." But before one can be properly baptized, one must first hear the gospel (Rom 10:17), and believe that Jesus is the Christ, Son of God (John 8:24) and that our sins caused him to have to go to the cross, and then repent of them (Acts 2:37-38).

Yes, the term "Christian" is overused, abused and misused. Contact Danny

Question 4. What does the word Adam mean?

Answer Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with the Greek and Hebrew: 119. âdam to show blood (in the face) i.e. flush or turn away—be dyed, made) red (ruddy). 120. âdâm ruddy, i.e. a human being 127. àdâmâh ground: soil (from its gen. Redness), country, earth, ground.

ADAM, the name of the man created in the image of God appears to be derived from the Hebrew ddam which means "he or it was red or rudy", like Edom. It apparently refers to the ground from which he was formed, which in the Hebrew is Adamah which is derived from (119) which means red. Contact Danny

Question 5. How would you define legalism. I have heard that there are churches that seem to practice legalism, but what is it? This term 'legalism' seems like someone's idea to brand a practice that they don't believe in or else they don't want to believe in.