If something is inexcusable, we mean that it is really bad. The Greek word for this is anapologetos, and the apostle Paul uses it twice — once in Romans 1 and another time in Romans 2. In the first instance, he says that those who live lives of moral defiance, in the light of what …
Trying to Spin the Curse
The word anathema means cursed or damned. And of course, because God is just, this condemnation does not occur apart from sin — it is the natural and necessary condition that results from sin. Those who plotted against Paul’s life wickedly placed themselves under a great curse (Acts 23:14), vowing that they would eat nothing …
The Problem is in the Other Guy
The word impenitent refers to a sinner who has the bit in his teeth. The word (amentanoetos) occurs once (Rom. 2:5), and refers to a heart that is both hard and impenient, as seen best in someone who condemns in others what he himself does. In this context, this is a high form of impenitence …
Neglect
The verb ameleo means to neglect, and it is used in various ways in the New Testament. Those foolish individuals who were invited to the wedding of the prince in Christ’s parable made light of it (Matt. 22:5). Timothy is commanded by Paul not to neglect the gift that was in him (1 Tim. 4:14). …
Brawling
One word in the New Testament expresses a virtue negatively — by reference to the sin concerned. The word amachos is rendered as “not a brawler” in one place (1 Tim. 3:3), and “no brawler” in another (Tit. 3:2). In the first Paul is describing the character of the ideal elder — he is not …
All Other Sins Are Outside the Body
The New Testament has one other general word for sin, which is hamartema, a word used a total of four times. The first is found in Mark 3:28, where Jesus says that all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, along with their blasphemies. He goes on to say that blasphemy against the Holy …
Stacked Up to Heaven
Sin is mentioned by name (hamartia) three times in the book of Revelation. The first is in the first chapter, where we are told that Jesus Christ is the first begotten from the dead, and is the prince over all kings. He is the one who loved us, and washed us from our sins with …
Propitiation: The Display Case of Love
Not only is the verb for sinning common in 1 John, so is the noun. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin (1:7). If we say that we have no need of this cleansing, the truth is not in us, and the sin we deny we have is in us (1:8). But if …
Sin Unto Death
In his first epistle, John uses the verb hamartano a number of times. If we claim that we have not sinned, we are representing God to be a liar, because He says that we have sinned (1:10). John writes so that we will not sin (2:1), but if we do sin (2:1), we have an …
The Hand of Faith
God did not spare the angels who sinned (hamartano), and so He cast them into Tartarus, which was the lowest pit of Hades (2 Pet. 2:4). False teachers are like the false angels, not staying within appropriate boundaries. They have eyes full of adultery, and they cannot quit sinning (hamartia) — they are cursed children …