In the context of the Bible, the concept of "lacks" often pertains to the absence or deficiency of something necessary or desired, whether it be material, spiritual, or moral. The Scriptures address various forms of lack, providing guidance and insight into how believers are to understand and respond to these deficiencies.

Material Lack

Material lack, or poverty, is a recurring theme in the Bible. The Scriptures acknowledge the reality of poverty and the challenges it presents. In the Old Testament, God's law provided for the poor through various means, such as gleaning laws (Leviticus 19:9-10) and the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:10). The wisdom literature also addresses material lack, emphasizing the importance of diligence and hard work. Proverbs 10:4 states, "Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth."

In the New Testament, Jesus' teachings often highlight God's concern for the poor and the responsibility of His followers to care for those in need. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3), indicating a spiritual dimension to material lack. The early church exemplified this care by sharing resources to ensure that "there was no needy one among them" (Acts 4:34).

Spiritual Lack

Spiritual lack refers to the absence of a right relationship with God or a deficiency in spiritual maturity. The Bible frequently calls believers to recognize their spiritual needs and seek fulfillment in God. In the Beatitudes, Jesus highlights the blessedness of those who recognize their spiritual poverty and hunger for righteousness (Matthew 5:3, 6).

The Apostle Paul addresses spiritual lack in his letters, urging believers to grow in their faith and knowledge of Christ. In Ephesians 4:13, he writes about attaining "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" . This growth is seen as a remedy for spiritual deficiency.

Moral Lack

Moral lack, or the absence of righteousness, is a condition that the Bible attributes to the fallen nature of humanity. Romans 3:23 states, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" , highlighting the universal moral deficiency that separates humanity from God. The Scriptures teach that this lack can only be remedied through faith in Jesus Christ, who provides righteousness to those who believe (Romans 3:22).

The Bible also calls believers to pursue holiness and moral integrity. In 2 Peter 1:5-7, Peter exhorts Christians to "make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love" . This pursuit is seen as essential to overcoming moral lack.

Divine Provision

Throughout Scripture, God is portrayed as the ultimate provider who meets the needs of His people. Psalm 23:1 declares, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want" , affirming God's sufficiency in addressing all forms of lack. Jesus assures His followers of God's provision, saying, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

Believers are encouraged to trust in God's provision and to be content in all circumstances. The Apostle Paul exemplifies this attitude in Philippians 4:11-12, where he writes, "I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound" . This contentment is rooted in the assurance that God will supply every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).4239. praus -- meekness
... [The term "meek" often lacks this -- ie of () .]. meek. Apparently a primary word;
mild, ie (by implication) humble -- meek. See also praios. see GREEK praios. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4239.htm - 6k

249. alogos -- without reason
... 249 () means "acting like a " (see Jude 10), ie utterly unreasonable (absurd).
[249 () describes behavior that lacks sound moral (spiritual) reasoning.]. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/249.htm - 7k

3007. leipo -- to leave, leave behind
... Word Origin a prim. verb Definition to leave, leave behind NASB Word Usage lack
(1), lacking (2), lacks (1), need (1), remains (1). be destitute, lack. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3007.htm - 6k

2399. idiotes -- a private or unskilled person
... 2399 (from 2398 , "own") -- properly, of one's ; used of a person who lacks education
or status -- hence, easily misunderstood as being uninstructed (unrefined ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2399.htm - 7k

4641. sklerokardia -- hardness of heart
... 4642 , "hard because dry" and 2588 , "heart") -- properly, of heart because of a
lack of moisture (lubricant); an obstinate, hard heart which lacks the oil of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4641.htm - 7k

3361. me -- not, that...not, lest (used for qualified negation)
... 1), cannot (1), cannot* (6), case (1), certainly* (1), devoid* (1), ever* (3), except
(2), fear* (2), inevitable* (1), keep (2), kept (1), lacks* (1), make (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3361.htm - 8k

379. anapologetos -- without excuse
... 379 () then refers to something that completely lacks merit. [379 () comes
from " privative" ("not") and ("to defend, excuse"). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/379.htm - 8k

574. haplos -- simply, sincerely
... Js 1:5,6: " 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to
all (574 ) and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/574.htm - 7k

4560. sarkinos -- of the flesh
... Cognate: 4560 (an adjective, derived from 4561 , "flesh") -- properly, of flesh
(human), which lacks the heavy derogatory sense of 4559 ("carnal"). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4560.htm - 7k

3498. nekros -- dead
... 3498 (an adjective, derived from , "a corpse, a dead body") -- dead; literally,
"what lacks life"; dead; (figuratively) not able to respond to impulses, or ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3498.htm - 7k

2638. chaser -- needy, lacking, in want of
... 2637, 2638. chaser. 2639 . needy, lacking, in want of. Transliteration:
chaser Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-sare') Short Definition: lacks. ...
/hebrew/2638.htm - 6k

2637. chaser -- to lack, need, be lacking, decrease
... decrease NASB Word Usage become empty (1), decreased (2), depriving (1), empty
(1), have...lack (1), lack (2), lacked (2), lacking (4), lacks (2), made him a ...
/hebrew/2637.htm - 6k

5493. sur -- to turn aside
... depart (45), departed (7), deposed (1), deprives (2), do away (1), escape (1), get
(1), go away (1), gone (1), keep away (1), keeps away (1), lacks (1), leave ...
/hebrew/5493.htm - 7k

369. ayin -- nothing, nought
... having a nor (1), having no (2), helpless* (1), incurable* (1), infinite* (1),
infrequent* (1), innumerable* (1), inscrutable* (1), lack (4), lacks (1), leaves ...
/hebrew/369.htm - 7k

Whether Unformed Faith is a Gift of God
... 2. Again, just as an act is said to be deformed because it lacks the form which
it ought to have, so is faith said to be unformed because it lacks the form ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article two whether unformed faith.htm

The First Question, Whether the Soul is Corporeal; Breath and Wind ...
... But then, again, you give me some anxiety when you say, "If the soul lacks body,
so as to be (as some persons are pleased to suppose) of hollow emptiness, of ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 18 the first question whether.htm

Adam not Innocent, but Holy.
... has. He lacks nothing at any given moment. To ... unholy. Sin being absolutely
absent, holiness lacks nothing, but is complete. Adam ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/x adam not innocent but.htm

Whether any one Can be Perfect in this Life?
... remain. Therefore none can be perfect in this life. Objection 2: Further,
"The perfect is that which lacks nothing" (Phys. iii, 6 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether any one can be.htm

Whether Every Being is Good?
... Hence goodness does not limit being. Reply to Objection 2: No being can be spoken
of as evil, formally as being, but only so far as it lacks being. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether every being is good.htm

Whether Three Accompanying Conditions of an Oath are Suitably ...
... what is lawful. A rash oath lacks judgment, a false oath lacks truth, and
a wicked or unlawful oath lacks justice. Reply to Objection ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether three accompanying conditions of.htm

Whether Every Human Action is Good, or are There Evil Actions?
... as he is lacking in goodness, and is said to be evil: thus a blind man is possessed
of goodness inasmuch as he lives; and of evil, inasmuch as he lacks sight. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether every human action is.htm

The Necessity of Increased Faith
... But it is said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Faith is the
vital part of salvation. If a man lacks faith he lacks everything. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the necessity of increased faith.htm

Sleep, the Mirror of Death, as Introductory to the Consideration ...
... That, says he, which is dissolved lacks sensation; and that which is without
sensation is nothing to us. Well, but it is not actually ...
/.../tertullian/a treatise on the soul/chapter xlii sleep the mirror of.htm

Baptized with Fire
... It is the foundation, as it were, of all Christian fervency. If our love lacks
fervency, it lacks the vital element that makes it effective. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/talk twenty baptized with fire.htm

Lacks (27 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Lacks (27 Occurrences). ... (WEB NAS RSV NIV). James 2:15 Suppose
a Christian brother or sister is poorly clad or lacks daily food, (WEY). ...
/l/lacks.htm - 13k

Lack (86 Occurrences)
... (WEY). James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to
all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him. ...
/l/lack.htm - 33k

Poetry
... themselves. Bible poetry lacks therefore such close adherence to formal rules
as that which characterizes Greek, Arabic or English poetry. ...
/p/poetry.htm - 48k

Lacking (53 Occurrences)

/l/lacking.htm - 22k

Qualities (7 Occurrences)
... (See NAS NIV). 2 Peter 1:9 For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what
is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. (See NAS). ...
/q/qualities.htm - 8k

Zebidah (1 Occurrence)
... Eieddila ek Rhuma. In 2 Chronicles 36:5 Massoretic Text lacks these names,
but the Septuagint Codex Vaticanus has Zechora th. Nereiou ...
/z/zebidah.htm - 8k

Jo'ab (120 Occurrences)
... there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or
who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread." (See RSV ...
/j/jo'ab.htm - 34k

Libertine
... Many of them found their way to Jerusalem, and there established a synagogue. Noah
Webster's Dictionary. 1. (n.) A free thinker who lacks moral restraint. ...
/l/libertine.htm - 7k

Lip (20 Occurrences)
... lips" (Psalm 17:1). These expressions do not convey, as a rule, the idea that the
utterance proceeds merely out of the lips, and that it lacks sincerity and ...
/l/lip.htm - 18k

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