Tag: blasphemeo

Romans 14:16 – The Right Thing?

Posted on by Will

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 humility let each consider others better than himself. Let each of you consider not only his own interests, but also 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 beneficial; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of others. (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 © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 3:8 – Misrepresented Truth

Posted on by Will

And not say, "Let us do evil that good may result"—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.

Truth to Learn

All sin will be judged, no matter what our excuse may be.

 

Behind the Words

The phrase “Let us do” is translated from the verb poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” If you have followed our teaching on the use of the word “let,” you might assume that this verb is written in the imperative mood (a command), but it isn’t. It is expressed in the subjunctive mood, which indicates possibility or probability. So the quote might be translated as “We should do evil that good may come.”

“Slanderously reported” is from the Greek verb blasphēmeō, meaning “to speak evil of” or “to intentionally damage someone else’s reputation.” When used against God, this verb is often translated “blaspheme.”

The word translated “affirm” is the Greek verb phēmi. It is based on the obsolete verb phaō, meaning “to shine.” Phēmi means “to bring to light by speech” or “to make known one’s thoughts.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verses Paul has taught that God is not glorified when someone commits sin; God is glorified when He judges sin. It is His act of judgment, in keeping with who He is, that brings Him glory. But the Jesuits of the first century, among others, had perverted Paul’s teaching on this subject claiming that Paul and the other Apostles were teaching that we all ought to sin greatly so that God would be greatly glorified. After all, as Paul surely had stated before and will later proclaim in this epistle:

But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. (Romans 5:20)

Paul taught that God, in the salvation of people, would be glorified in proportion to the depth and pollution of the guilt which was forgiven. This is true, but how easy it is to misrepresent this as teaching that people ought to sin in order to promote God’s glory! You see, instead of stating it as an inference, which they drew from the doctrine, those who attacked Paul’s teaching declared that Paul taught we ought to sin to bring glory to God. He counters that argument right here by openly exposing the falsehood of what others say about his doctrine. At the same time, he openly declares that those who attack him will receive condemnation. He is also convinced that the condemnation that these false accusers will receive is appropriate because they perverted the truth of God for their own purposes.

 

Application

We are all sinners, so when our lives are compared to the perfect life that Christ lived we will all be found guilty as sinners and it will be shown that our righteousness is like filthy rags. For the past few verses Paul’s teaching has been “God will judge every sin of every man.” Those sins will either have been judged at the cross and declared as fully paid for (everyone who believes and accepts this sacrificial gift) or the sins will be judged and the sinners declared guilty at the coming Great White Throne, where the payment for sins will be eternity in the lake of fire.

Where will your sins be judged?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 2:24 – Visible Evidence

Posted on by Will

For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you," as it is written.

Truth to Learn

The actions of some Christians bring shame to our God.

 

Behind the Words

The word “blasphemed” is transliterated from the Greek. That is, the Greek word is brought directly over into English. The Greek word is blasphēmeō, which is made up of a form of blax, meaning “slow” or “stupid” and phēmē, meaning “rumor” or “fame.” It refers to “abusive or reviling words, especially an attack on someone’s name or reputation.”

“Gentiles” is translated from ethnos, meaning “a race” or “a tribe.” It is used by Jews to refer to anyone who is not a Jew, implying idolatry and ignorance of God. It was used by early Christians in a similar way in reference to those who are ignorant of God.

 

Meaning Explained

For the past few verses Paul has been telling the Roman Christians (and us) that talking about faith and a relationship with God means nothing unless that faith is put into practice. It doesn’t matter how much we know about God and about what He expects of us if we aren’t putting it into action. Now he takes it one step further. He says that not only did the Christians in Rome dishonor God by not keeping the Law, he says that they are the reason that the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles. In this case, the term Gentiles is a reference to those who are not Christians. It’s one thing to be known as the people of God. It’s quite another thing to be known as the people of God but live such a life that God is disparaged because of you.

In this verse Paul says “as it is written” but he does not specifically mention where it is written. The implication is that he was quoting scripture but he recognized that these people knew the scriptures well enough that he didn’t have to quote it. He may have been talking about one of the following passages:

And now what have I here," says the LORD, "For My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them Make them wail," says the LORD, "And My name is blasphemed continually every day.  (Isaiah 52:5)

Therefore say to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profane among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am Jehovah,’ says the Lord Jehovah, ‘when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.’”  (Ezekiel 36:22, 23)

Keep in mind that to those who are unsaved and know that we are Christians, we are God’s representatives. The way we behave reflects directly on our God. What they see in us may be all they know of God. What kind of a God do we portray?

 

Application

I’m once again reminded of a saying I heard as a young Christian, “If you were convicted for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

Well, would there?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Peter 2:2 – Ungodly Witnesses

Posted on by Will

And many will follow their licentious ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

Truth to Learn

Professing Christians who live un-Christ-like lives bring the whole body of Christ into disrepute.

 

Behind the Words

All of the writings from which the New Testament was translated were written during the first century AD. Unfortunately, none of the original versions of these writings are still around. What we have are copies, or portions of copies, of copies, of copies, etc. As a result of this copying and re-copying over a period of time, words sometimes got changed, added, or deleted by the copiers. These variations in the text are referred to as “variant readings.” Today’s verse is one example of this. The most reliable of these copies uses the word aselgeia, here translated “licentious.” This Greek word refers to “debauchery, sexual excess, absence of restraint, or insatiable desire for pleasure.” Other copies of this letter instead use the word apōleaia, which refers to “the state after death where one realizes that he or she is lost and has no hope of salvation.” Translations that use this textual source often translate this word as “destructive ways.”

The word “disrepute” is translated from blasphēmeō, meaning “to slander someone’s reputation with harsh words.”

 

Meaning Explained

Even though we have disagreement regarding the precise word Peter used, as with virtually all textual disagreements in the New Testament, the difference between “destructive” and “licentious” does not affect our doctrinal view. But it does slightly alter what Peter is saying about these false teachers. Whether we refer to the heretical teaching of these false teachers as “leading people into an eternal state where salvation is no longer possible” or “leading people into a false religion which has no restraint from pleasures,” it is evidence of a man made religious substitute for true Christianity.

It’s amazing to me how often “popular” churches are preaching a watered down gospel or misleading heresies. People seem to flock to them, probably because these churches are non-threatening to their sinful way of life, and comfortable. In some cases it’s because the church actually caters to their particular sinful practices without condemning them or proclaiming the truth about them.

It is difficult to convince someone involved with one of these churches that they are being led astray because they don’t want to see the truth. The fact of the matter is, however, that many unsaved people on the outside can see through the façade and know that something’s wrong with their religion. This type of religion in the name of Christianity has caused many others to turn away from God and even to categorically claim that all Christians are this way, which is precisely what Peter said would happen.

 

Application

One thing that I want all of us to see here is that, in a sense, we are all proclaimers of our beliefs in the way that we live our lives and behave in front of others. Are you proclaiming a message that is consistent with the truth of the Word? Or, are you proclaiming a false religion that merely professes Christianity without demonstrating it?

That’s something to think about!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 2:7 – Blasphemous Wealth

Posted on by Will

Don’t they blaspheme that beautiful name by which you are called?

Truth to Learn

The conversation of the rich and famous is more an indication of their devotion to God (or lack thereof) than their wealth.

Behind the Words

The word “blaspheme” is not a translation but a transliteration. That is, the translators took the Greek word and brought it directly into English. The Greek word is blasphemeō. The meaning of the word is “to vilify, speak evil of, or slander.”

“Beautiful” is translated from the Greek word kalos, which means “good” or “beautiful.” This serves to further emphasize the vileness of the blasphemy by these rich people.

The words “name by which you are called” could be more accurately translated, “the name having been called upon you.” The verb “you are called” is a form of epikaleō. This is made up of epi, meaning “on, over, or upon” and kaleō, meaning to call. It is expressed here in the passive voice, indicating something done to the subject. When we are called Christians, we are identified with the Lord Himself. But it is also the name given to us by God when He called us. God chose us and He called us to be His, as Paul says in the book of Romans:

And whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also declared righteous; and whom He declared righteous, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

Meaning Explained

James has been speaking about how we hold rich people in higher esteem than poor people. We offer the choice seats in church to these rich people and we treat the poor as if they were trash. We do such things for strictly selfish reasons. We think we can benefit from the wealth of the rich people and we’re afraid of what others will think of us if we are friendly to poor people. That’s nothing more than selfishness, and it is sin! There are some rich people who love Jesus Christ and are submitted to his leading in their lives, but these are the exception rather than the rule. The value we place upon people should be based on their submission to God, not their wealth.

Three of the Gospel writers recounted the story about the devout, rich man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. After the man refused to give up his riches to follow Jesus, Jesus turned to his disciples and said:

“Children, how hard it is for those trusting on riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Mar 10:24b, 25)

To such people as this, the name of Christ is no more than a swear word.

Application

Do you judge people based on the type of job they have, the type of car they drive, or the house they live in? These may be signs of monetary wealth, but they give you no clue as to a person’s spiritual wealth. You can only tell that by observing how they respond to God’s Word, how they treat others, and especially how they talk.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

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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