The term "effaced" generally means to erase or obliterate something, making it indistinct or unrecognizable. In a biblical context, the concept of effacement can be understood both literally and metaphorically, often relating to the removal or blotting out of sin, the erasure of names, or the destruction of memory.

Biblical Usage and Themes

1. Effacement of Sin: One of the most significant uses of the concept of effacement in the Bible is the removal or blotting out of sin. In Psalm 51:9, David pleads with God, "Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities." Here, the psalmist seeks divine forgiveness, asking God to efface his transgressions, thus restoring his relationship with the Lord. This theme is echoed in Isaiah 43:25, where God declares, "I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more."

2. Names Blotted Out: The Bible also speaks of names being effaced from the book of life or from memory as a form of divine judgment. In Exodus 32:32-33, Moses intercedes for the Israelites, saying, "But now, please forgive their sin. But if not, then blot me out of the book You have written." The LORD responds, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book." This passage underscores the seriousness of sin and the potential for one's name to be effaced from the record of the righteous.

3. Effacement as Judgment: Effacement can also refer to the destruction or obliteration of nations or peoples as a form of divine judgment. In Deuteronomy 9:14, God speaks to Moses about the Israelites' rebellion, saying, "Let Me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven." This reflects the severity of God's judgment against persistent disobedience and idolatry.

4. Metaphorical Effacement: The concept of effacement can also be understood metaphorically in terms of humility and self-denial. In Philippians 2:7, Christ is described as having "emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness." This self-effacement is a model for believers, emphasizing the importance of humility and servanthood in the Christian life.

Theological Implications

The idea of effacement in the Bible carries profound theological implications, particularly concerning sin, judgment, and redemption. The effacement of sin through divine forgiveness is central to the message of the Gospel, highlighting God's mercy and grace. Conversely, the effacement of names as a form of judgment serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of unrepentant sin.

In the New Testament, the ultimate effacement of sin is accomplished through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As stated in Colossians 2:14, "having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross." This act of divine grace ensures that believers' sins are effaced, granting them eternal life and a restored relationship with God.

Overall, the concept of effacement in the Bible underscores the transformative power of God's forgiveness and the importance of living a life marked by humility and obedience to His will.(imp. & p. p.) of Efface.

A Portrait once Effaced must be Restored from the Original. Thus ...
... Section 14. A portrait once effaced must be restored from the original. ... Section
14. A portrait once effaced must be restored from the original. ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 14 a portrait once.htm

Psalm IX.
... godly. "Thou hast effaced their name for the world, [354] and for the
world's world. The name of the ungodly hath been effaced. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm ix.htm

How Holy Love Returning into the Soul, Brings Back to Life all the ...
... good works, and the reward which he had promised them; because sin, which alone
had blotted them out of the divine memory, is totally effaced, destroyed and ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xii how holy love.htm

Introduction to the Treatise on the Incarnation of the Word.
... materialism and superstition. To restore the effaced likeness the presence
of the Original was requisite. Accordingly, condescending ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/introduction to the treatise on.htm

Peter Stood Up.
... We therefore discharge a delegated office in the name of Christ."[70] After beseeching
the emperor that the name of Acacius should be effaced, in which he is ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter iii peter stood up.htm

Early Lessons in the Life of Faith
... than fifty years have passed since that day, but the impression left upon my
child-mind, of a Being invisible but able to hear and help, has never been effaced ...
/.../goforth/how i know god answers prayer/ii early lessons in the.htm

Of Indulgence and Pure Volition. The Question Illustrated.
... if He did not will them? For, by showing what He more wills, He has effaced
the lesser volition by the greater. And in as far as ...
/.../tertullian/on exhortation to chastity/chapter iii of indulgence and pure.htm

Number and Order of the Separate Books.
... it between the greater and lesser prophets, or in other words, out of the third
into the second division, because of dogmatic grounds, and so effaced a trace ...
/.../davidson/the canon of the bible/chapter iv number and order.htm

The New Testament Canon in the First Three Centuries.
... Aramaic basis, the discourses,(140) of which Papias of Hierapolis speaks, until
the traces of another original than the Greek were all but effaced; it appeared ...
/.../davidson/the canon of the bible/chapter vi the new testament.htm

First Conversation
... renewed, and after that the flowers and fruit appear, he received a high view of
the Providence and Power of GOD, which has never since been effaced from his ...
/.../lawrence/the practice of the presence of god/first conversation.htm

Effaced (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Efface. Multi-Version Concordance
Effaced (1 Occurrence). Colossians 2:14 having effaced...
/e/effaced.htm - 6k

Eduth (3 Occurrences)

/e/eduth.htm - 8k

Nailed (9 Occurrences)
... Colossians 2:14 having effaced the handwriting in ordinances which stood out against
us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it also out of the way, having ...
/n/nailed.htm - 9k

Effatha (1 Occurrence)

/e/effatha.htm - 6k

Stephen (13 Occurrences)
... Stephen standing there, his gaze piercing into heaven, while time and human limitations
seemed effaced for him, marks one of the most historic moments in the ...
/s/stephen.htm - 33k

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Effaced: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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