November 23, 2011

 

Transliteration: apeithés
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-i-thace’)
Short Definition: unbelieving, disobedient
Definition: unbelieving, disobedient, who will not be persuaded.

 

Colossians 3:5-7

5 ) So put to death your worldly impulses: sexual sin, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 ) It is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 ) You used to behave like them as you lived among them. 8 ) But now you must also get rid of anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene speech, and all such sins.

 

Some time ago I did a Wednesday Word Study on the word ‘repent’ which means to change your mind.  When you read the definition of disobedient it follows along with that precisely.  A disobedient person is someone who ‘will not be persuaded’ or will not change their mind!  It also goes on to say that disobedience is unbelieving or unbelief.

 

In doing further research I found this definition which I think brings even greater clarity.

Cognate: 545 apeith?s (an adjective) – literally, unwilling to be persuaded (by God) which shows itself in outward disobedience (outward spiritual rebellion); disobedient because unpersuaded.   [Note the root, 3982 /peíth? (“persuade”).]

 

545/apeith?s (“unpersuaded”) begins with the decision to reject what God prefers, with His offer to persuade about His preferred-will (cf. 2307/thél?ma). See 543(apeitheia).

 

I think that everyone reading today’s blog can agree that the sins mentioned in verses 5 and 7 are acts of disobedience.  But I want to take this even further.  If you are unwilling to be persuaded by God – in ANY area – you are in disobedience.

 

I’ve written a couple of blogs about what a person believes or comes to believe throughout their life and how it affects their walk with God.  If we grow up believing and doing what is told to us to believe from tradition or because Aunt Ida always believed that, then we could very well be living a life that is unpersuaded towards the truth of God.

 

If we are so entrenched into traditional beliefs that we close our minds to new thoughts about the truth of God, we are literally, unwilling to be persuaded by God and this is disobedience and unrepentance.

 

When you listen to a new concept about a spiritual precept don’t shut off your mind because it is different from what you always thought to be true.  It just may be that God is trying to show you the truth of the matter and your unwillingness to listen could prove to be disobedience.  Don’t fight against God’s revelation knowledge.

 

Throughout my journey with the Lord over these last 50 years I’ve kept an open mind.  I am thankful that I did, for my realization of what the truth is has grown and changed many times. 

 

For as I have learned and grown I have realized that I did not have the full truth.  I’ve also learned that just because a person is a clergy member or older doesn’t necessarily mean they have the whole truth either.

 

So I made up my mind decades ago to listen with an open mind to whoever was teaching about God or the bible, but that I would listen openly with a Holy Spirit filter.  I would listen prayerfully asking God to show me what to keep and what to toss.  I’ve prayed earnestly for God’s revelation knowledge in all things.

 

I made up my mind that I was willing to ‘change my mind’ if I felt the new knowledge was correct and accurate.  I was determined to not let pride stand in my way of learning all that I could learn even if it meant admitting that what I thought I knew had been wrong.  I felt, and still do, that it is much more important to know the accurate truth than to appear to be right or admit I was wrong.

 

I do not want to be disobedient, unwilling to be persuaded, when God is trying to show me more of His truth.  So today as you listen to this blog and other teachers of His word, listen with an open mind and your ear leaning towards the Holy Spirit to show you amazing new things that only He can show you.

 

Keep an open mind and be willing to be persuaded.

 

No matter what your beliefs are, I want to thank you for visiting my Christian blog!