In the context of the Bible, the term "defines" refers to the act of explaining or making clear the meaning of words, concepts, or doctrines. The Bible itself serves as a defining authority for many aspects of Christian faith and practice, providing clarity and understanding through its teachings.

Scriptural Definitions

The Bible often defines key concepts through direct statements or through the narratives and teachings of its characters. For example, the nature of God is defined in various passages. In Exodus 34:6-7 , God defines Himself to Moses: "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and truth, maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin."

Similarly, the concept of love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 : "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Doctrinal Definitions

The Bible also defines key doctrines that are central to Christian belief. The doctrine of salvation, for instance, is defined in Ephesians 2:8-9 : "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."

The nature of sin is defined in Romans 3:23 : "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This definition underscores the universal need for redemption and the grace offered through Jesus Christ.

Moral and Ethical Definitions

The Bible provides definitions for moral and ethical behavior, guiding believers in their conduct. The Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17 serve as foundational definitions of moral law, covering aspects such as honoring God, respecting parents, and prohibiting murder, adultery, theft, and false testimony.

In the New Testament, Jesus further defines ethical behavior in the Sermon on the Mount, particularly in Matthew 5:3-12 , where He outlines the Beatitudes, describing the attitudes and characteristics that define a blessed life.

Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in defining and illuminating the truths of Scripture for believers. In John 16:13 , Jesus promises, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come."

Conclusion

The Bible serves as a comprehensive source for defining the principles, doctrines, and moral guidelines that shape the Christian faith. Through its teachings, believers gain a clearer understanding of God's nature, human nature, and the path to righteous living.3742. hosiotes -- piety, holiness
... Cognate: 3742 (from 3741 , "what is by the Lord") -- properly, what God sanctions,
ie what the Lord defines (ordains) as holy and just. See 3741 (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3742.htm - 7k

4994. sophronizo -- to recall one to his senses, admonish
... control. Cognate: 4994 (from 4998 , "truly ") -- being radically-moderate,
ie living as defines (used only in Tit 2:4). See 4998 (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4994.htm - 8k

5543. chrestos -- serviceable, good
... See 5544 (). On the spiritual plane, 5543 ("suitable, usefully kind")
describes what defines is -- and therefore also useful! "We ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5543.htm - 7k

1653. eleeo -- to have pity or mercy on, to show mercy
... Cognate: 1653 -- to show mercy as defines it, ie as it accords with His truth ()
which expresses "God's covenant-loyalty-mercy" (ie ). See 1656 (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1653.htm - 8k

2480. ischuo -- to be strong, have power
... That is, that brings what the defines is success ( victory, cf. 1 Jn 5:4). Accordingly,
faith (4102 ) and 2480 () are directly connected (Js 5:16). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2480.htm - 9k

How Apuleius Defines the Gods who Dwell in Heaven, the Demons who ...
... Book IX. Chapter 8."How Apuleius Defines the Gods Who Dwell in Heaven,
the Demons Who Occupy the Air, and Men Who Inhabit Earth. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 8 how apuleius defines the.htm

Whether Augustine Fittingly Defines Confession?
... OF THE NATURE OF CONFESSION (THREE ARTICLES) Whether Augustine fittingly defines
confession? Objection 1: It would seem that Augustine ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether augustine fittingly defines confession.htm

Whether Sin is Fittingly Defined as a Word, Deed, or Desire ...
... i) defines sin in reference to the end, by saying that "sin is nothing else than
to neglect eternal things, and seek after temporal things": and again he says ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether sin is fittingly defined.htm

The Gaze of the Soul
... of a philosophic turn of mind he may take another course and lose us in a welter
of metaphysics or snow us under with psychological jargon as he defines and re ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tozer/the pursuit of god/vii the gaze of the.htm

The Sin of Silence
... 'Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world,' defines the duration
of the promise, and it defines also the duration of the duty. ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the sin of silence.htm

From Letter xxxix. --(For 367. ) of the Particular Books and their ...
... From the thirty-ninth Letter of Holy Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, on the Paschal
festival; wherein he defines canonically what are the divine books which ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/from letter xxxix for 367 of.htm

Whether Contrition is an Assumed Sorrow for Sins, Together with ...
... There is another definition which defines contrition, only as an act of virtue;
but at the same time including the difference which confines it to a special ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether contrition is an assumed.htm

Moral Depravity.
... He defines moral depravity to be the same as "sinfulness." He also, in one part
of his essay, holds and maintains, that it is always and necessarily, voluntary ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xxiii moral depravity.htm

The Papacy not the Antichrist
... The Antichrist, therefore, is also "the coming one," or "he that cometh." This defines
his relation to the world, " which has long been expecting some ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/the papacy not the antichrist.htm

The Definition of "Person"
... De substantia) gives a definition of first substance; and in this way Boethius
defines person. ... In this sense he defines "nature" (Phys. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/the definition of person .htm

Defines (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Defines (1 Occurrence). Hebrews 4:7 he again
defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long ...
/d/defines.htm - 6k

Charity (29 Occurrences)
... legal, and lacking in the quality of moral choice and personal relation which give
life its value (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Love itself defines men's relation to ...
/c/charity.htm - 23k

Zebulun (46 Occurrences)
... questionable rendering. "The word sopher (`scribe' or 'writer') defines the
word shebhet (`rod' or `pen') with which it is conjoined. The ...
/z/zebulun.htm - 29k

Judicial (2 Occurrences)
... Proverbs 17:23 defines the wicked person as one who is always prepared to take a
"bribe out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of justice"; on the other hand ...
/j/judicial.htm - 25k

Jumping (14 Occurrences)
... Paul defines the two as (1) "my kinsmen," (2) "my fellow-prisoners," (3) "who are
of note among the apostles," and (4) "who also have been in Christ before me ...
/j/jumping.htm - 12k

Fixes (3 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 4:7 he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long
a time afterward (just as has been said), "Today if you will hear his voice, don ...
/f/fixes.htm - 7k

Town (861 Occurrences)
... clerk," "writer," "town clerk," "scribe," is found in this meaning only in Acts
19:35, "when the townclerk had quieted the multitude." Cremer defines the word ...
/t/town.htm - 39k

Ebenezer (3 Occurrences)
... The latter is probably identical with `Ain Sinia, North of Bethel. This defines
the district in which it may be found; but no identification is yet possible. ...
/e/ebenezer.htm - 9k

Eben-ezer (3 Occurrences)
... The latter is probably identical with `Ain Sinia, North of Bethel. This defines
the district in which it may be found; but no identification is yet possible. ...
/e/eben-ezer.htm - 9k

Damn
... In all other cases, it refers to men, and defines the destiny that befalls them
as the result of sin: Judas is the "son of perdition" (John 17:12). ...
/d/damn.htm - 13k

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