Tag: properly

1 Thessalonians 4:12 – Lacking In Nothing

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that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may have need of nothing.

Truth to Learn

There is a key to receiving everything that we need in life.

 

Behind the Words

The word “that” is from the Greek conjunction hina, which means “so that” or “in order that.”

“You may walk” is translated from the verb peripateō. This word is composed of peri, meaning “around” and pateō, meaning “to walk.” Paul uses this word frequently to express “the manner in which we live our lives.” It is expressed here in the present tense, subjunctive mood indicating the possibility of such action as an ongoing event.

The word “properly” is from the Greek adverb euschēmonōs. This word is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of schema, which refers to “the external form or appearance of something.” Thus, euschēmonōs means “in good form” or “in the proper manner.”

Exō is the word translated “outside.” It is derived from the preposition ek, meaning “out” or “out of.” It is a reference here to those who are outside the church, that is, non-Christians.

The words “have need of” are translated from the Greek word chreian, which specifically refers to “a debt.” As used here, it refers to a lack of something or to have need of something.

“Nothing” is from the Greek word mēdeis. This is a double compound word made up of mē, meaning “not,” de, meaning “and, but, or even,” and eis, meaning “one.” When we put these all together we find that mēdeis means “not even one (thing)” or “nothing.”

 

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse begins with a conjunction (hina) meaning “so that.” Whenever a verse begins with a conjunction, we have to look back to see what it is joining the current verse to. In this case, we have to look back to the end of verse ten, “But we urge you, brothers, that you increase more and more;” and, in order to know what it is that has to be increased, we have to look back at verse nine. It says, “…concerning brotherly love …” In other words, one of the reasons that we have to greatly increase our love for others more and more is “so that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.”

In yesterday’s verse we learned the first reason that we need to increase our brotherly love. It is so that we can keep from crossing the line to meddling and instead lead a quiet life, mind our own business, and work hard at whatever task we have been given to do. Now Paul teaches us that another reason for increasing our love more and more is so that it will guide our footsteps in life. If we continue to focus on being more loving, showing genuine brotherly love to others, it will continue to instill a habit in us regarding the proper way to live. Notice that this is not just to our brothers and sisters in Christ; by developing the habit of brotherly love, we will act the way God wants us to toward those who are outside the church as well.

Paul also tells us that if we develop the habit of showing genuine brotherly love to all people, we will have all our needs met; we will be lacking in not even one thing.

 

Application

God never promises us that we will have everything we want, but He does promise us that we will have everything we need if we learn to show genuine brotherly love to all people.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 13:13 – Light or Dark?

Posted on by Will

Romans 13:13 – Light or Dark?

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

Truth to Learn

Our words and deeds should show forth the light of Christ.

Behind the Words

The word in the previous verse translated “put on” is enduō, which means “to sink into” or “to put ourselves into.” It is expressed in the middle voice which means that it is something that we must do to ourselves; it is not something that someone else can do for us.

The word “walk” is from peripateō, which literally means “to walk around.” Figuratively, it refers to how a person lives his or her life (walking the road of life).

“Properly” is translated from a form of euschēmōn which is made up of eu, meaning “good or well” and schema, referring to “the external form or condition.” Thus, euschēmōn refers to something that is “well formed” or that has a good external appearance. It is often translated as honorably, decently, or honestly.

“Revelry” is from the Greek word kōmos, referring to conduct involving “feasting, drunkenness, impurity (especially sexual), and gross obscenity.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous two verses Paul told us to wake up and cast-off, or lay-aside, the works of darkness and put on the weapons of our spiritual warfare.

Now, having put on the weapons of our warfare, we should walk properly or honorably, and Paul tells us to do this “as in the day.” A literal translation of this expression would be, “as if in the daytime.” The point he is making is that it is not daylight yet; it is still nighttime and we are surrounded by the works of darkness, but we need to wake up and perform the deeds of righteousness as if we were fully exposed to the world by bright light, knowing that our Lord and His “light” are coming to destroy darkness. That is, we should be behaving as if Christ had already come. The Apostle John recorded a similar message in the following words of our Lord:

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. (John 3:19-21)

Paul now goes on to make a short list of the types of activities that go on in darkness by those who love the darkness. These include partying, drunkenness, lewdness (implying illicit sexual activity), insatiable desire for pleasure, arguing, and jealousy or anger. These are the things that unsaved people do because they don’t have any way of restraining themselves. We, on the other hand, have the Holy Spirit, and we should be beacons in the night showing forth the light of our good deeds as an example of godliness.

Application

Do you yearn for the Light of Life, or do you prefer darkness? Are your words and actions a light to those in darkness around you? Or, do your actions resemble the deeds of darkness?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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