Examining The Greek Words For Carnal and Justify To Understand Scripture And Dispel Heresy!
Some people tell me that learning the Greek and having a Greek dictionary or any commentary with the original Greek expounded is useless. However they are really having a problem with how to interpret if they don't know Greek.
Now here's some examples of words in the the New Testament that have dual meaning. I would like to discuss some words that can get confused or used to justify a false doctrine. If it wasn't for thorough research on Greek and Hebrew, I don't think the Calvinist scholars who translated the King James Bible would be able to get that translation from Hebrew and Greek to British English of 1611. When you study the Greek, you are bound to be able to understand how the Bible operates than just reading it by the surface.
As said, search the Scriptures! After I spent hours listening to the preaching of Dr. John F. Macarthur of Grace To You, I was inspired to further search the Greek to dispel two heresies namely the "carnal Christian" and "salvation by faith and works" which are both on their road to Hellfire.
I. First, let us discuss the world carnal occurs differently in the New Testament with more than one Greek word
Carnal can have more than one meaning. Note that while I am a King James-onlyist and my current Calvinist stand makes me love the King James even more. Now let's see the differences between how carnal is used in the Bible.
Carnal as in sinful is used as "sarkos" (σαρκὸς). When you think of talking about the idea of the carnal Christian, the idea of sarkos is used in Romans 8:7 where it says, "Because the carnal (sarkos,σαρκὸς)mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The whole statement is that the mind that is fleshly is is really in hostility against God due to the fallen human nature.
A person may want argue about 1 Corinthians 3:1 which says, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ." However the Greek here is different which is sarkinois (σαρκίνοις) or fleshly which has only one occurrence compared to sarkos which has 38 occurrences.
Sarkinois refers to the immaturity of young believers which however differs them from sarkos that talks about going in enmity against God. A young believer is struggling with sarkinois but he or she is never sarkos.
II. Second and last, let us discuss the Greek for justification in order to understand Paul and James
Justification comes in two different meanings. In the dictionary, justify means to "show or prove to be right or reasonable." and "declare or make righteous in the sight of God."
When Paul was speaking of justification, he speaks of dikaioutai (δικαιοῦται) and dikaiōthōmen (δικαιωθῶμεν)which is to be declared righteous in the sight of God. When Paul speaks one is justified by faith and not by works, he uses the the Greek words that mean to be declared or made righteous in the sight of God.
James' justification is to "show or prove to be right or reasonable". That is, while James does not teach salvation by works but he stresses that true salvation results to works. The Greek word James uses isedikaiōthē (ἐδικαιώθη) which is to prove one's faith to be genuine. What James is stressing is that if you are truly saved, you are shown or proved to be right. James was talking about the results, not the root of salvation. To be justified by one's works is to be proven right, not to get right but to be proven right.
In short, Paul and James do not contradict each other. They talked about two types of justification that must be understood in context. Paul spoke that a man is made right not by his good works. Meanwhile, James spoke that a man is proven right by the good works that spring out of authentic faith.
Now here's some examples of words in the the New Testament that have dual meaning. I would like to discuss some words that can get confused or used to justify a false doctrine. If it wasn't for thorough research on Greek and Hebrew, I don't think the Calvinist scholars who translated the King James Bible would be able to get that translation from Hebrew and Greek to British English of 1611. When you study the Greek, you are bound to be able to understand how the Bible operates than just reading it by the surface.
As said, search the Scriptures! After I spent hours listening to the preaching of Dr. John F. Macarthur of Grace To You, I was inspired to further search the Greek to dispel two heresies namely the "carnal Christian" and "salvation by faith and works" which are both on their road to Hellfire.
I. First, let us discuss the world carnal occurs differently in the New Testament with more than one Greek word
Carnal can have more than one meaning. Note that while I am a King James-onlyist and my current Calvinist stand makes me love the King James even more. Now let's see the differences between how carnal is used in the Bible.
Carnal as in sinful is used as "sarkos" (σαρκὸς). When you think of talking about the idea of the carnal Christian, the idea of sarkos is used in Romans 8:7 where it says, "Because the carnal (sarkos,σαρκὸς)mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The whole statement is that the mind that is fleshly is is really in hostility against God due to the fallen human nature.
A person may want argue about 1 Corinthians 3:1 which says, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ." However the Greek here is different which is sarkinois (σαρκίνοις) or fleshly which has only one occurrence compared to sarkos which has 38 occurrences.
Sarkinois refers to the immaturity of young believers which however differs them from sarkos that talks about going in enmity against God. A young believer is struggling with sarkinois but he or she is never sarkos.
II. Second and last, let us discuss the Greek for justification in order to understand Paul and James
Justification comes in two different meanings. In the dictionary, justify means to "show or prove to be right or reasonable." and "declare or make righteous in the sight of God."
When Paul was speaking of justification, he speaks of dikaioutai (δικαιοῦται) and dikaiōthōmen (δικαιωθῶμεν)which is to be declared righteous in the sight of God. When Paul speaks one is justified by faith and not by works, he uses the the Greek words that mean to be declared or made righteous in the sight of God.
James' justification is to "show or prove to be right or reasonable". That is, while James does not teach salvation by works but he stresses that true salvation results to works. The Greek word James uses isedikaiōthē (ἐδικαιώθη) which is to prove one's faith to be genuine. What James is stressing is that if you are truly saved, you are shown or proved to be right. James was talking about the results, not the root of salvation. To be justified by one's works is to be proven right, not to get right but to be proven right.
In short, Paul and James do not contradict each other. They talked about two types of justification that must be understood in context. Paul spoke that a man is made right not by his good works. Meanwhile, James spoke that a man is proven right by the good works that spring out of authentic faith.