Tag: kalos

Romans 14:16 – The Right Thing?

Posted on by Will

Romans 14:16 – The Right Thing?

Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;

Truth to Learn

Sometimes doing “the right thing” can cause harm to others.

Behind the Words

“Good” is translated from agathos, meaning “benevolent, profitable, or useful.” There is another Greek word translated “good.” It is kalos, which refers to the intrinsic character or quality of goodness. Agathos, however, is often used to express the quality of actions or deeds.

The words “spoken of as evil” are translated from the verb blasphēmeō. The noun form, blasphēmia, is the source of our English word “blasphemy.” The verb is made up of a form of blaptō, meaning “to hinder” or “to injure” and phēmē, meaning “a saying” or “a rumor.” Hence, blasphēmeō means “to say something injurious about someone else.”

Meaning Explained

By “your good” in this verse Paul is referring to the things that your conscience and the Spirit of God allow you to do. Paul has already told us that nothing is unclean in and of itself. As long as it is not something specifically forbidden in the New Testament (like getting drunk or eating that which you know has been offered to idols) and you have a clear conscience toward God about doing it, then it is okay. But if that “right thing,” which your conscience and the Spirit of God allow you to do, causes your brother or sister to stumble in their own Christian walk, then you need to reconsider whether it is really “the right thing” after all.

The principle here is that the welfare of your brothers and sisters is more important than your own satisfaction. In fact, that’s exactly what Paul told the church at Philippi:

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

The example that Paul used in this case was Jesus Christ. Even though He is divine, that is, part of the godhead (He is God), He lowered himself and took on the form of a man and offered up His perfect life and His righteousness so that we might be saved and be given the righteousness that He alone deserves. And Paul said a very similar thing to the Corinthians:

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. (1Corinthians 10:23-24)

If we are constantly striving to strengthen and encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ and we are seeking to please God our Father, then we will not be very focused on what we want for ourselves. When we are focused only on ourselves, however, even the good things that we see as permissible can end up causing trouble for others.

Application

Let’s all consider how our actions can affect the spiritual lives of other Christians. Are we so determined to do “the right things,” that we don’t care if they cause other Christians to stumble? Wouldn’t it be better to abstain from a permissible practice than to cause harm to a brother or sister in Christ?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Romans 12:21 – Good Versus Evil

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Romans 12:21 – Good Versus Evil

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Truth to Learn

The proper way for a Christian to combat evil is with good.

Behind the Words

The word translated “overcome” is nikaō, a verb form of the noun nikē, which refers to “a conquest or victory.” Hence, nikaō means “to subdue, conquer, or overcome.” In both instances in this verse it is expressed in the imperative mood indicating something all Christians are to do.

“Evil” is from the Greek word kakos, which refers to that which is worthless in and of itself. Thus, it is often translated as depraved, wicked, or evil. It is expressed here with the definite article, so it literally refers to “the evil thing” or “the evil one.”

The word “good” is translated from agathos, meaning “profitable or beneficial.” It refers to general goodness whereas the Greek word kalos, which we looked at in verse seventeen, refers to something that is inherently good but not necessarily benefitting others.

Meaning Explained

Paul started off this chapter by stating:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

Throughout the remainder of this chapter, he has been showing us what it looks like when a person is a living sacrifice, totally submitted to God; for instance, someone who has presented his or her body as a living sacrifice to God will not repay evil for evil and will not avenge himself or herself.

In the past few verses Paul has not been giving us commandments so much as he has been showing us what the evidence of our submission as a living sacrifice looks like. And so, he wraps up this chapter with a final piece of evidence of a person who is totally submitted and committed to God. This person does not allow himself to be overcome with evil; instead, he overcomes evil with good. A literal translation of this verse could be:

Do not be conquered under the evil one, but conquer the evil one with goodness.

Some would say that “the evil one” refers to Satan, for he is sometimes referred to in that manner. In this case, however, I believe Paul is referring to anyone who does evil to you. If the result of an evil act on you causes you to do evil in return, then you have succumbed to the temptation of retaliation and you have demonstrated that you are not fully submitted to God. But, if evil is done to you and there is within you the ability to plan and carry out goodness toward the one doing evil, then you are showing that you are still lying on the alter, a living sacrifice to God, and He will use you when you live that way.

Application

It’s not easy to remain on the altar because we each have a sin nature that wants us to be in control and wants to get even with those who hurt us. However, by the power of the Holy Spirit we can remain submitted to our Lord and we can respond to the evil done to us with goodness. That’s sacrificial living. It’s pleasing to God because it allows Him to receive all the glory and all the praise.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Romans 12:17 – Reactive or Proactive?

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Romans 12:17 – Reactive or Proactive?

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

Truth to Learn

We should be benevolently proactive, not selfishly reactive.

Behind the Words

The word translated “repay” is apodidomi, which is a compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Hence apodidōmi means “to give away” of “to deliver up.” In the current context it can certainly be interpreted as “repay,” although it does not imply repayment of something owed.

“Evil” is from the Greek word kakos, referring to “that which is worthless in and of itself.” It does not refer to a bad effect (that would be the word ponēros) but to an intrinsic worthlessness. Thus, kakos usually refers to an evil thing or an evil action.

The words “Have regard” are translated from pronoeō. This is made up of pro, meaning “before, in place or time” and noeō, which refers to “action of the mind (to think, perceive, or consider).” Thus, we see that pronoeō means “to consider in advance, to plan ahead, or to premeditate.”

“Good” is from kalos, which refers to “that which is good in quality or character.” It is often translated as “beautiful.”

Meaning Explained

In this verse Paul contrasts two thoughts. Do you see what they are? He says,

Don’t be reactive and respond with evil acts when evil acts are done to you. Instead, be proactive and consider ahead of time what good things you are going to do for others.

When someone does something to us that is unkind, offensive, hurtful, or just downright mean, our first reaction is to respond in kind and “get even.” I’m sure we’ve all heard the expression, “I don’t get mad – I get even.” That’s precisely what Paul is telling us not to do. Don’t allow your sin nature to control your actions. That’s the result of our “flesh” which Paul was talking about back in chapter 8 when he said:

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:5-8)

We should not behave like the unsaved do. They are slaves to their flesh and have no choice but to obey it because they are spiritually dead. But we have been set free from the bondage of our flesh and are now spiritually alive. We have a choice and that choice should always be to do good, not evil.

Application

Do you want to please God? If so, then you need to let His Spirit control your thoughts and actions, not your own flesh. Your choices are to please yourself or to please God. Which will it be?

“Ouch! That makes my own toes hurt!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Romans 11:20 – Faith and Fear

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Romans 11:20 – Faith and Fear

Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.

Truth to Learn

Salvation should not produce pride, but reverential fear.

Behind the Words

“Well said” is translated from the Greek word kalōs, meaning “well, justly, or aptly.” It is as if Paul is agreeing with this objection. We could paraphrase this as “Very well then.”

The words translated “unbelief” and “faith” in this verse are closely related. The word translated “unbelief” is apistia, which is a compound word made up of a, meaning “not or without” and a form of pistis, meaning “faith or belief.” It is based on the verb peithō, meaning “to persuade or to win over.” Hence, pistis is the condition of having been convinced of a truth so that the person now believes the truth. The word translated “faith” is pistis. So you see Paul is making a contrast between the apistia (lack of faith) and pistis (having faith).

“Stand” is from histēmi, meaning “to stand upright, to stand in place, or to stand firm.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, which indicates a past completed action with an ongoing effect, but the emphasis is on the ongoing effect. In other words, in the past we stood because of faith and, as a result, we are in an ongoing condition of standing because of faith.

The word translated “haughty” is the Greek word, hupsēlophronō, which is a compound word made up of hupselos, meaning “high, in place or character” and a form of phroneō, meaning “to think” or “to be of a certain mind.” “Haughty” would literally be translated as “high minded.” In today’s English it means “haughty, arrogant, or puffed up.”

Meaning Explained

Paul starts off this verse with “Well said.” It is as if Paul is agreeing with the objection expressed in the previous verse. Now he goes on to state the part that he does agree with, and then he will give a word of caution about this type of thinking.

Paul agrees that the Jews were rejected for not believing and that we stand because we believe. But he then gives this warning, “Do not be haughty, but fear.” His warning is that we should not become arrogant, thinking that we are something special because God chose to graft us into the olive tree; instead, we should be filled with reverential fear. Paul will explain why in the next verse.

Because we believe that we are sinners and that Jesus Christ gave his perfect, sinless life on our behalf, God has declared us to be as righteous as Christ. Through this righteousness we are seen by God as sinless, He has adopted us as His sons and daughters, and we are guaranteed eternal life instead of eternal damnation in hell, which is what we deserve because of our sinfulness. We would not have believed these truths and we would not be partakers of His holiness had the Jews accepted Jesus as the Messiah when He offered Himself to them.

Because of our sin nature, we are prone to believe ourselves something special because of God’s free gift of salvation. And, because others rejected God’s truth, we are prone to believe that they are less than we are.

Application

Let us once again take stock of our own unworthiness and the blessing of God’s grace. Let our gratefulness be shown in giving all we have to and for Him. Let us humble ourselves before our Lord and Master, for He is worthy!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Romans 10:15 – Evangelists in Full Bloom

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Romans 10:15 – Evangelists in Full Bloom

And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Truth to Learn

Those who preach the gospel are seen as particularly beautiful.

Behind the Words

The word “sent” is from apostellō, meaning “to send away.” The Greek word pempō also means “to send,” but its emphasis is primarily on the destination, whereas apostellō emphasizes the purpose or mission. Our English word “apostle” is derived from this word.

“Beautiful” is normally the translation of the Greek word kalos. In this verse, however, it is the word hōrios, which literally refers to “the right hour or season.” Figuratively, it is used in reference to a flower in full bloom or to a woman who is beautifully adorned and ready for marriage. Hence, it is a reference to something that is in its most beautiful state.

The word that is translated as “preach the gospel” is euangelidzō, from which we get our English word “evangelize.” This word is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of angellō, which means “to deliver a message.” Our English word “angel” comes from this word, referring to a messenger of God. Therefore, we see that euangelidzō means “to deliver a good message” or “to announce the good news.”

Meaning Explained

Before Jesus was taken up into heaven he gave His disciples specific instructions regarding what He wanted them to do. He said: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15) Matthew recorded the message a little differently. Here’s how he recorded it: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; (Matthew 28:19, 20a)

Even though this message was specifically given to His eleven disciples (and later to the Apostle Paul), it is implied that we too are given the command to preach the gospel and to make disciples. Because the eleven were given this command, they are referred to as Apostles (ones who have been sent with a message).

Today’s verse now gives us some insight as to how God views those who openly proclaim the message of salvation. He does so by quoting a passage from Isaiah:

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7)

The reason for referring to the feet is because it is the part of the body that transports us to where there are people who need to hear the message. Our Father sees exquisite beauty in the preaching of the Good News of salvation.

Application

For many of us, sharing the gospel message is difficult and we feel awkward doing so. But just because it isn’t easy doesn’t relieve us from the responsibility of doing it. Let’s each one of us commit to sharing the gospel message with someone new this week. You may feel awkward doing it, but you may be awkwardly opening the door to eternal life for someone else! And, keep in mind that as you preach the Gospel to the lost of this world, you will be perceived by our Father as being as beautiful as a rose in all its glorious blooming splendor.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Romans 8:28 – Called for Goodness Sake

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Romans 8:28 – Called for Goodness Sake

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Truth to Learn

God is producing goodness in Christians because He has decided to do so.

Behind the Words

The words “all things” are from pas, meaning “all” or “every.” It is expressed here as a neuter plural noun, thus “all things.”

The Greek verb sunergeō is translated “work together.” It is made up of sun, meaning “together with” and ergō, meaning “to work.” It is expressed as a third person singular verb so it could be translated as “he or she works together.”

“Good” is from agathos, meaning “good and benevolent” or “useful.” There is another Greek word translated “good.” It is the word kalos, meaning “inherently good without necessarily being benevolent” or “beauty as a harmonious completeness.” An easy way to distinguish the two is to think of kalos as specific goodness or beauty and agathos as general goodness.

The word translated “called” is from klētos, meaning “one who is called, invited, or appointed.” It is a noun, not a verb.

Meaning Explained

What does Paul mean by “all things work together for good?” The key is the word translated “good,” meaning “general goodness.” Paul is saying that even though some of the things that happen to us don’t necessarily seem very good, all things work together for our general goodness.

As we mentioned above, the verb “work together” is a singular, third-person verb. The subject for this verb is not “all things.” How do we know? The word translated “all things” is a plural subject. In Greek, as in English, the number of a verb (singular or plural) must always agree with the number of its subject, so the subject of this verb must be singular. As it turns out, the subject is not stated but simply implied. That’s why some translators render the first part of this verse as, “And we know that God works all things together for good.”

Who are those people for whom He works together all things? Paul says they are “those who love God.” Only we who have recognized our own sinfulness and need for salvation can fully appreciate the sacrifice that God made to have our sins paid for. And only we can really love God for having done it for us.

He also says it is “those who are the called according to His purpose.” As we noted above, the word “called” is not a passive verb, but a plural noun (as in, those who are the called ones). Those for whom God works all things together for good are those who are the called ones according to His (God’s) purpose. Paul is saying clearly that our being called to Christ and salvation is not of our own doing. It is wholly God’s doing and it is according to His purpose. We don’t know why God called us to salvation but we do know, according to Paul, that He is purposeful in calling us.

Application

When we are in the midst of trials we should be encouraged for two reasons. The first is that the Holy Spirit is our prayer partner and the second is that no matter how bad things seem, God is going to use whatever is happening to us ultimately to produce good in us, and that brings the glory back to Him.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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