dishonor – Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: dishonor

Romans 2:23 – Walk the Walk!

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Will

You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

Truth to Learn

Christianity is faith in action, not just good sounding words.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “boast” is kauchaomai. Some Greek Lexicons indicate that this is derived from auchen, meaning “a neck,” which boastful people hold in a proud manner. The verb kauchaomai means “to boast” used both in a good or bad sense.

“Dishonor” is from atimadzō, which is a compound word made up of the privative a, implying negation or “without” and a form of timē, which means “honor.” Hence, the verb atimadzō means “to dishonor” or “to cause a loss of dignity.”

The word “breaking” is translated from parabasis. This is another compound word which is made up of para, meaning “beside” or “beyond” and a form of bainō, meaning “to go.” Hence, parabasis literally means “to go beyond” or “to transgress.” It expresses the sense of going beyond a limit that has been established by the law. This is different from the word hamartia, typically translated “sin,” which means “to miss the mark.” The difference is that a person can sin without being under an express command or law, but he or she can only transgress (or break) a specific law or set of commands.

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is very clear and very simple. The Jewish Christians in Rome believed strongly in the Law and even boasted about having received it from God and of knowing it through God’s revelation. This was God honoring … in word! At the same time, by their disobedience of the Law they caused dishonor to God … in deed.

Even today it’s fairly easy to learn the language of the Christian faith and to talk the talk. I’m sure we have all met people who know all the right things to say at all the appropriate times. They can quote Scripture with ease and recite Biblical stories in excruciating detail. They are quick to demonstrate their knowledge with relevant facts and figures. In some cases they may even be teaching a Sunday school class, helping others learn the facts. The problem comes when these people do not demonstrate their knowledge by their actions. They don’t walk the walk. As a result, instead of being a shining example of Christianity in action, they are an embarrassment to those of us who know and love the Savior, and they dishonor the God they claim to serve.

The Apostle John, in teaching what true love is all about, warned us to love in deed, not just in word:

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1John 3:18)

It’s important to know what the Bible teaches, and it’s particularly refreshing when we meet someone who can make Biblical truths easily understandable. It’s even more important to be a living example of Christianity.

Application

We who have been washed clean by the blood of Christ and who have the entire Bible at our disposal, give worship, praise, and honor to God … in word!

But, do we at the same time by our sinfulness, selfishness, and lack of faith dishonor the God we love … in deed?

In God's service, for His glory,

James 2:6 – Worldly Irony

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Will

But you dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?

Truth to Learn

It’s ironic that we tend to give the most consideration for the people who care the least about us.

Behind the Words

The Greek word that is translated here as “dishonored” is atimadzō. This is made up of the privative a, meaning “without,” and a form of timē, which means “honor.” Hence, atimadzō means “to treat without honor,” “to abuse,” or “to treat shamefully.”

“Poor man,” as we saw in verse two, refers to someone who “crouches or cowers like a beggar.” In its common usage it refers to someone who is extremely poor.

The Greek word translated “oppress” is katadunasteuō. This is made up of two Greek words, kata, which means “down” and dunastes, meaning “a ruler” or “an officer,” from which we get our English word dynasty. As we put these together we get the notion of putting someone down to rule over them or, “lord it over them.”

“Drag” is the translation of a form of helkuō, which means “to draw someone in (not necessarily by force).” It is the word that Jesus used when He said:

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all peopls to Myself. (John 12:32)

Meaning Explained

James is pointing out to the early Christians that they were treating the poor people shamefully and giving the rich people special honor, even though the rich people treated them badly and persecuted them.

The dramatic contrast between this verse and the previous one is obvious. How we treat others is often based on selfishness and pride. How God treats us is based on our heart.

Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, put it this way:

Perhaps it might be understood somewhat ironically: “You despise the poor, do you, and are disposed to honor the rich! Look then, and see how the rich treat you, and see whether you have so much occasion to regard them with any peculiar respect.”

Rich, powerful, and famous people are seldom satisfied with their money, position, or honor. They want more, and they want it for themselves. They nearly always have an elevated opinion of themselves and they tend to lord it over those who have less than they do. This is the sin nature at work and it is exacerbated by the world system we live in:

Because all that which is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. (1 John 2:16)

Application

Some of the kindest, most humble, and most considerate people are poor in the eyes of the world. Likewise, some of the meanest, most arrogant, and selfish people are rich in worldly goods. If you could choose, which of these would you want to have as friends?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:21 – The Master Potter

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Will

Romans 9:21 – The Master Potter

Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Truth to Learn

God made us, we did not make Him. He has the right to make us and use us however He sees fit.

Behind the Words

“Potter” is translated from the Greek word kerameus, which refers to “someone who shapes clay into useful or artistic objects, a potter.”

“Clay” is from pēlos, which means “wet muddy clay.”

The word translated “lump” is phuroma, which refers to “a mixture of liquid and solid that is kneaded.” The same word is used to describe a mass of clay and a mass of bread dough.

Meaning Explained

In explaining the previous verse we noted that what Paul said was, “Now wait a minute! Who are you to argue with God?” Do we have the right to tell God that He made a mistake? Do we have the right to tell the perfect, eternal, sinless, all knowing, all powerful God that He is wrong?

That is arguing from the human point of view. Paul now completes the argument by making it from God’s point of view. He does this by making reference to another Old Testament passage. This one is also quoted from Isaiah:

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on Your name, who arouses himself to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have delivered us into the power of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand. (Isaiah 64:6-8)

In making this argument Paul is clearly showing that God is the one who has made us and not the other way around. Since He made us, He is the potter and we are the clay. This in not just a metaphorical statement. We really are made of clay. Our father Adam was made from the dirt.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

In today’s verse Paul is declaring that God, as the potter, has the power and the right to make one vessel (man or woman) unto a dishonorable end and another one to an honorable end.

As we have said before, this expresses a big God, little man perspective. Unfortunately, today it is in vogue to believe in a big man, little God perspective, where we are the ones in control and we tell God what we want Him to do. But that’s not the way it really is! We have “turned it upside down.”

Application

God is the one who is in control, and He will do as He pleases. He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and whom he wants to He will harden. He makes one vessel unto honor, pardoning him or her by His grace, and He makes another vessel unto dishonor, condemning him or her to Hell for his or her sinfulness and impenitent heart.

Who are we to tell God, “That’s not fair!”?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 2:23 – Walk the Walk!

Posted on October 5, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:23

You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

Truth to Learn

Christianity is faith in action, not just good sounding words.

Behind the Words

Meaning Explained

The Apostle John, in teaching what true love is all about, warned us to love in deed, not just in word:

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1John 3:18)

Application

We who have been washed clean by the blood of Christ and who have the entire Bible at our disposal, give worship, praise, and honor to God … in word!

But, do we at the same time by our sinfulness, selfishness, and lack of faith dishonor the God we love … in deed?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, you can call the church phone (618) 614-3070 and leave a message telling us your name and e-mail address or you can send an e-mail to:

Romans 1:24 – God Gives Up

Posted on August 20, 2009 by admin

Romans 1:24

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

Truth to Learn

God deals directly and harshly with those who deny Him.

Behind the Words

The expression “gave them up” is translated from the Greek word paredoken, which is a compound word made up of para, meaning “alongside” or “to a place beside” and a form of didomai, which is the verb meaning “to give.” This word means to “give over to someone or something” or to “surrender something to another.”

“Uncleanness” is translated from akatharsia, which is a compound of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of kathairō, meaning “to cleanse, either physically, morally, or spiritually.” In this case Paul is referring to moral uncleanness.

Meaning Explained

Back in verse 21 we said that these people became vain and that their hearts were darkened. We noted at that time that these actions were expressed in the passive voice, indicating that these things were done to them. The previous verses implied that it is God who did these things to them. In today’s verse it is no longer an implication, but a clear statement.

Today’s verse says that because these people have decided to worship idols of created things instead of the creator of all things, God “gave them up.” And what did God give them up to? He surrendered them to the uncleanness of their own lusts. God did not force them to indulge in unclean practices, fulfilling their wicked lusts; He simply stopped preventing them. He allowed them. In effect, He let go of the reigns and let them do what their own inner desires were driving them to do. Today’s text tells us that in satisfying their own inner lusts these people “dishonor their own bodies among themselves.” The actions of their lusts involve their bodies in a way that is dishonoring to themselves and even against nature itself, according to verse 26.

Paul will spend the next few verses giving a more detailed explanation of what these dishonoring practices are. The point of this verse is, because these people refuse to give God his rightful place in their lives, God lets them have their way and allows them to be completely controlled by their sinful desires.

Notice that this is just the first of God’s “giving them up.” In this verse He gives them up to uncleanness. In verse 26 it is to dishonoring passions and in verse 28 it is to a worthless mind. This explains a lot about what is happening in Western society today as secular humanism has continued to spread. We, as a society, have not given God His rightful place and, as a result, He has allowed our society to decline into a state where satisfying self is the prime directive.

The real tragedy is that this type of thinking has even pervaded the Church and the lives of Christians!

Application

Let us not allow ourselves to be seduced into thinking like the world system. God did not create us to serve our own lusts. He created us to serve Him. Instead of serving ourselves, let us give God His rightful place through our worship and praise of Him and through our submission to His will.

And let us be a beacon of light in a world of darkness!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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