Biblical definitions of Believing, Faith, Love, and Flesh
God continues to convict me to write what He reveals in my heart and soul. This paper will examine Biblical definitions of foundational words such as Believing, Faith, Love (agape), and Flesh (sarx) to comprehend the correct meaning of Scripture. The Holy Spirit reveals, as with all languages, that words could have different meanings based on the context of the sentence and the inherent difficulty in translating one language to another. We must never assume that we understand any verse unless we know the correct biblical definitions of the words. Knowing when and who is speaking, to whom he is speaking, and why he is speaking will also give a far greater opportunity to understand the text. By the end of the paper, we will better understand the Biblical meanings of these foundational words.
I would ask all to pray for the Holy Spirit to open the hearts, minds, and souls of everyone reading this paper and bind all of Satan's evil spirits of fear, doubt, and confusion that would stop someone from comprehending what is trying to be conveyed in this paper.
Believing/Believes (verb) Faith (noun)
Look what we could miss if we do not know the biblical definition of believing and faith. In English, "believing" is often defined using the noun faith (having faith). When defining "faith," it refers to those who "have belief." Neither word is defined from another source; the result is confusing, leaving it up to each individual to decide. I used the Hellenic Communication Services to do a word study on "believing." They stated, "The Greek words for believe (verb) and faith (noun) are "pistevo" and "pistis". In the Greek language, pistis (faith) is derived from pistevo (believe).
Before doing my research, I accepted an incomplete understanding of what it meant to believe in Christ. For me, believing in Christ meant I acknowledged Him as the Son of God and my Savior. As He indeed came to earth and died for my sins. Any deeper Biblical meaning was completely hidden. Which misled me to think I had fulfilled 1 John 3:6 and was indeed saved and entitled to go to Heaven.
What became very clear early in the study of the word believe can have multiple meanings in Greek and English based solely on the context of the sentence. "Believing that George Washington existed," "Believing in the US dollar," or "Believing the instruction sequence to be correct." All have different meanings. Since I never knew or saw George personally, my belief is whether he existed. Could George be a fictional character made up in History? My belief in Jesus Christ was essentially not much different than stating that George Washington was a real person and was the first President of the United States. Believing in the existence of the dollar is not an issue because I see and touch them daily. The meaning of "believing" here concerns the trust of the dollar to be of value now and in the future. Believing in the sequence of complicated instructions again would have nothing to do with whether it exists but all to do with whether one should expect to achieve the desired outcome if one does not rely on, adhere to, and obey all the instructions.
I submit that the correct Biblical definition in many passages of Scripture, like believing in Christ, Gospel, God," combines all three concepts. Therefore, I concur with Hellenic Communication Services that "believing" is trusting, adhering/relying, and obeying. I suggest that everyone do their own word study.
John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever is trusting, adhering/relying, and obeying (believing) him should not perish, but have everlasting life".
Do you agree it gives a more profound, more accurate Biblical meaning and eliminates the possibility of accepting inaccurate concepts as I did? The whole concept of Salvation changed from not only acknowledging Christ for who He is to giving up all pretense that I could save myself using my natural abilities. To completely, trusting, adhering/relying, and obeying Him. Believing in Him now sounds like the same concept as Christ being my Lord. I must confess that I liked the Savior part but missed the fact that Christ is my Lord, and I am to be His bondservant.
Our willingness to accept the wrong definition does not happen by accident, and Satan plays a more significant role than initially thought. Is Satan also responsible for why there is so much confusion over the fact that believing is an action verb? One must continue to do whatever the verb tells us to do in order to receive whatever outcome it describes. See what happens to your Biblical understanding if you replace "trusting, adhering /relying on and obeying" everywhere you see the word "believing/believes" in Scripture and replace the words trust, reliance/adherence, and obedience everywhere the noun' faith" is used.
John 3:18, Whoever believes (trusting, adhering to, relying on and obeying) in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe (trusting, adhering to, relying on and obeying) stands condemned already because they have not believed (trusted, relied obeyed) in the name of God's one and only Son.
John 14:1, Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe (trusting, adhering/relying and obeying) in God believe (trusting, adhering/relying and obeying) also in me.
Romans 10:9, If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe (trusting, adhering/relying on and obeying) in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Heb 11:6, And without faith (trust, reliance/adherence, and obedience) it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe (trusting, adhering/relying on and obeying) that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Ephesians 2:8, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (trust, reliance/adherence, and obedience) —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Romans 5:1-2, Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, (trust, reliance/adherence, and obedience) we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith (trust, reliance, adherence, and obedience) into this grace in which we now stand. And we[ boast in the hope of the glory of God.
Mark 11:22, Have faith (trust, reliance/adherence, and obedience) in God," Jesus answered.
Love
How important is it to know the Greeks had many different words describing different kinds of love (Eros (sexual), Philia (brotherly), Storage (family), and Agape, which is the most common form used in NT? To the Greeks, Agape was the highest expression of love. It is unrelenting; it cannot and will not fail, even at the expense of your own life. The Greek word agape is used 106 times in the NT. The top four books are 1 John with 14, 1 Corinthians with 11, Ephesians with 10, and 2 Cor with 9.
This could cause a considerable problem when translating Scripture from Greek to English. English does not have that kind of variety to choose from. So, unfortunately, the English translation makes no differentiation to the different forms of Greek words and replaces them with the words "love" or sometimes "charity." Leaving the reader in the dark as to which type of love is being described. This, therefore, makes it very difficult to understand the original concept that Scripture is trying to convey. How can we possibly fulfill God's greatest commandment (not an optional request) if we do not know the true biblical meaning of which type of love was used?
Matthew 22:37-39, Love (agape), the Lord your God with my whole heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And second is like it: Love (agape), your neighbor as yourself.
Is it not interesting that it says the same commandment is in the Old Testament?
Deuteronomy 6:5, Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Leviticus 19:18, Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD (Jehovah)
Scripture gives us great insight to the meaning of agape love
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 give us great insight to the meaning of agape love? "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
John 13:34, A new command I give you: Love (agape), one another. As I have loved (agape), you, so you must love one another.
Is not, unconditional, sacrificial, devotional a better description of the agape love Jesus showed us? Would we not get a better concept and greater significance to Scripture if that definition is used instead of love? `
Romans 13:10, Love (unconditional, sacrificial, devotional) does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love (unconditional, sacrificial, devotional) is the fulfillment of the law".
1 John 4:8, 8 Whoever does not love (unconditional, sacrificial, devotional) does not know God, because God is (unconditional, sacrificial, devotional) love.
1 John 4:19, We love (unconditional, sacrificial, devotional) him, because he first loved (unconditional, sacrificial, devotional) us.
Could comprehending the meaning of "God is love" in be the cornerstone of our faith?
Flesh
The word flesh is primarily translated from two Hebrew words, basar and se'er, and one Greek word, sarx. In the King James NT, sarx is used 151 times, with Romans having the highest usage 23 times. Confusion comes because flesh is another word in Scripture that has multiple meanings depending on the context of the sentence.
You can appreciate the controversy with Scripture, especially in Romans because one must discern which definition to use. One must not underestimate the inherent difficulty in translating correct meanings from one language to another. Often, just using different sentence structures from one language to another makes it impossible to do word-for-word translation.
One definition
The flesh of a man (living creature) is the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with the blood of both man and beasts as found in;
Luke 24:39, Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself ! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.
John 1:14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 Corinthians 15:39, All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men , another flesh of beasts , another of fishes, and another of birds.
Judges 8:7, Then Gideon replied, "Just for that, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.
1 Kings 21:27, And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
2 Corinthians 10:3, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (same sentence but two different meanings)
Philippians 1:24, Jesus's statement to His Apostles "But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
Second definition
It can also denote the opposite, where the whole refers to the part, especially when referring to the sexual organs, such as the circumcision of the flesh.
Genesis 17:14, Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.
Galatians 6:13, Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.
Third definition
Is describing natural or physical origin, generation, humanity, or relationship as found in.
Romans 1:3, Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.
Luke 3:6, And all flesh shall see the Salvation of God.
Acts 2:17, And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
Fourth definition
Is the sensuous nature of man, "the animal nature," without any suggestion of depravity
Ephesians 5:31, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
The use of flesh one, two, three and four are not describe or impute anything sinful in us. It does not describe anything that entices or gives us a reason to be disobedient to God's will.
Fifth definition
It is the one that causes the most controversy as describing "Flesh" that we inherited because Eve and Adam sinned. This word "sarx" in King James is translated as "flesh" and leaves it to each individual to decide its proper Biblical meaning. The NIV translates the word "sarx" as "sin nature" when Scripture describes what was imputed into mankind because of Adam and Eve's sin. This allows the reader to comprehend the proper meaning. Most professing Christians believe in the concept of original sin. But we do not understand its profound negative effect on our relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost until the Holy Spirit convicts us to the truth.
Romans 5:12, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
It describes our earthly sinful nature of man, the unregenerated us, describing the old self-reliant, faithless us who rebelled against God. In the flesh, we were hostile and insubordinate; we trusted our wisdom, not God's. Nothing we did in the flesh (sinful nature) could please God.
Galatians 5:19-21, 19 The acts of the flesh (sinful nature) are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The consequence of being inputted with Adam's sin, is that all of mankind became slaves to sin. Adam and Eve's shame caused them to hide from God after disobeying and eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. When God confronted Adam in the garden, he dared to blame God for disobeying because he had given him Eve. I am equally convicted, that is why the Jews, even though they were chosen as God's chosen and had His Ten Commandments, could not stop sinning. It was the same sin/shame cycle that caused them to move away from their relationship with God. We were separated because of this flesh/sinful nature that we inherited, which causes us to move away. This sinful, nature, makes it so much easier to accept Satan's lies as truths, creating more shame, which moves us further away, allowing for even more sin. The great news is God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit agape love is endless. God through the blood of His Son has given us way to reestablish that agape relationship by putting to death that sinful nature on the cross.
Romans 1:18- 20, Since what may be know about God is plain to them, because God made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that that men are without excuse.
Luke 5:32, I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
2 Corinthians 7:10, Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to Salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Galatians 5:24, 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh (sinful nature) with its passions and desires.
We cannot wholly value or accept Their most precious gift of agape love until we finally bend our knees with repentant hearts and make Jesus our Lord and Savior.
For most of my adult life, I wondered why God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would want us to read the Bible. Hopefully, we will agree that without knowing the correct Biblical definition of these fundamental words, Satan has an easy time keeping us away from knowing or doing our part of the New Covenant. Could this lack of proper understanding contribute to why Scripture states in Mathew, "The road is narrow, and the way hard and many try, but only a few make it to Heaven"?
Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or further discussion. Please feel free to use this paper to help others on their journey to Salvation. When two or more are gathered, we are having Church.
Much agape
Your brother in Christ
Ed
You can reach me at my dental office or by e-mail at edtrizzino@hotmail.com
