In biblical terminology, the concept of "slack" is often associated with negligence, laziness, or a lack of diligence. The term is used to describe a failure to act with the necessary urgency or commitment, particularly in spiritual, moral, or communal responsibilities. The Bible frequently warns against slackness, emphasizing the importance of diligence and faithfulness in one's duties.

Old Testament References

1. Proverbs 10:4 · "Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." This proverb contrasts slackness with diligence, highlighting the consequences of laziness. The verse underscores the principle that hard work and diligence lead to prosperity, while slackness results in poverty.

2. Proverbs 18:9 · "Whoever is slack in his work is brother to him who destroys." Here, slackness is equated with destructiveness. The verse suggests that failing to fulfill one's responsibilities can be as harmful as actively causing damage.

3. Ecclesiastes 10:18 · "Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks." This imagery illustrates the tangible consequences of slackness. Neglecting responsibilities leads to deterioration and ruin, both physically and spiritually.

New Testament Insights

While the New Testament does not use the term "slack" explicitly, the concept is present in teachings about vigilance and readiness. Believers are encouraged to be diligent in their faith and service.

1. Romans 12:11 · "Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." This exhortation calls for continuous diligence and enthusiasm in serving God, warning against spiritual slackness.

2. Hebrews 6:12 · "Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." The author of Hebrews warns against spiritual sluggishness, urging believers to follow the example of those who have demonstrated faith and perseverance.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, slackness is seen as a failure to live up to the standards set by God. It reflects a lack of commitment to God's commandments and a disregard for the responsibilities entrusted to individuals. The Bible encourages believers to be diligent in their spiritual lives, emphasizing that faith without works is dead (James 2:26).

Practical Applications

In practical terms, the Bible's teachings on slackness can be applied to various aspects of life, including work, family, and community involvement. Christians are called to be diligent stewards of their time, talents, and resources, recognizing that their efforts contribute to the advancement of God's kingdom.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of slackness serves as a warning against complacency and negligence. Through various scriptures, believers are reminded of the importance of diligence and the consequences of failing to fulfill their God-given responsibilities.1. (n.) Small coal; also, coal dust; culm.

2. (n.) A valley, or small, shallow dell.

3. (superl.) Lax; not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as, a slack rope.

4. (superl.) Weak; not holding fast; as, a slack hand.

5. (superl.) Remiss; backward; not using due diligence or care; not earnest or eager; as, slack in duty or service.

6. (superl.) Not violent, rapid, or pressing; slow; moderate; easy; as, business is slack.

7. (adv.) Slackly; as, slack dried hops.

8. (n.) The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon it; as, the slack of a rope or of a sail.

9. (a.) Alt. of Slacken

10. (v. t.) Alt. of Slacken

813. ataktos -- out of order, out of place
... of order, out of place. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: ataktos Phonetic
Spelling: (at'-ak-tos) Short Definition: disorderly, slack Definition: (lit ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/813.htm - 7k

328. anazonnumi -- to gird up
... 328 (from 303 , " to down" and 2224 , "gird, take out slack") -- properly, raise
up a tunic (= "tighten the belt"), "girding oneself"; (figuratively) getting ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/328.htm - 7k

1019. braduno -- to retard, to be slow
... hesitate, delay, tarry. From bradus; to delay -- be slack, tarry. see GREEK bradus.
(bradunei) -- 1 Occurrence. (braduno) -- 1 Occurrence. 1018, 1019. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1019.htm - 6k

2223. zone -- a belt
... kept there, also: a purse. 2223 -- a belt (waistband), pulled tightly to
remove all the slack from a garment. 2223 ("a belt") was ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2223.htm - 7k

1618. ektenes -- stretched, fig. zealous, earnest
... also the root of English terms, "tension" and "tense") -- properly, stretch , ie
fully because completely taut; (figuratively) at , without slack because fully ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1618.htm - 7k

3576. nothros -- sluggish, slothful
... Transliteration: nothros Phonetic Spelling: (no-thros') Short Definition: dull,
sluggish Definition: blunt, dull, hence spiritually; sluggish, remiss, slack. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3576.htm - 6k

1619. ektenos -- intently, fervently
... Cognate: 1619 (an adverb) -- properly, fully-stretched, ie describing the verbal
idea as , to its necessary (full) potential ("without slack"); , without undue ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1619.htm - 6k

2224. zonnumi -- to gird
... Cognate: 2224 () -- to gird, ie "to pull the belt" to remove slack so a
person could move quickly. See 2223 (). Word Origin a prim. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2224.htm - 6k

7504b. rapheh -- slack
... rapheh. 7505 . slack. Transliteration: rapheh Short Definition: exhausted. Word
Origin from raphah Definition slack NASB Word Usage exhausted* (2), weak (2). ...
/hebrew/7504b.htm - 5k

3462. yashen -- to sleep
... to be slack or languid, grow old. A primitive root; properly, to be slack
or languid, ie (by implication) sleep (figuratively, to ...
/hebrew/3462.htm - 6k

7503. raphah -- sink, relax
... let it go (1), let me alone (1), let us alone (1), let go (1), limp (1), loosens
(1), lose courage* (1), lost (1), put off (1), relax (2), slack (2), subsided ...
/hebrew/7503.htm - 6k

309. achar -- to remain behind, tarry
... continue, defer, delay, hinder, be late slack, stay there, tarry longer.
A primitive root; to loiter (ie Be behind); by implication ...
/hebrew/309.htm - 6k

2973. yaal -- to be foolish
... dote, be become, do foolishly. A primitive root; properly, to be slack, ie
(figuratively) to be foolish -- dote, be (become, do) foolish(-ly). 2972, 2973. ...
/hebrew/2973.htm - 6k

6113. atsar -- to restrain, retain
... assemble -- X be able, close up, detain, fast, keep (self close, still), prevail,
recover, refrain, X reign, restrain, retain, shut (up), slack, stay, stop ...
/hebrew/6113.htm - 6k

7423b. remiyyah -- laxness, slackness
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition laxness, slackness NASB Word Usage idle
(1), lazy man (1), negligent (1), negligently (1), slack (1). ...
/hebrew/7423b.htm - 5k

7423. rmiyah -- deceit, treachery
... remissness, treachery From ramah; remissness, treachery -- deceit(- ful, -fully),
false, guile, idle, slack, slothful. see HEBREW ramah. 7422, 7423. ...
/hebrew/7423.htm - 5k

7504. rapheh -- an Israelite in the line of Saul
... weak From raphah; slack (in body or mind) -- weak. Raphah, Raphah. See rapha', Rapha'.
Riphah. See riyphah. see HEBREW raphah. see HEBREW rapha'. ...
/hebrew/7504.htm - 5k

5203. natash -- to leave, forsake, permit
... 7), abandoned (5), allow (1), cast away (1), ceased (1), drawn (1), fall (1), forego
(1), forsake (3), forsaken (2), forsook (1), hangs slack (1), leave (2 ...
/hebrew/5203.htm - 6k

Wesley and his Horses
... I scarcely ever remember any horse (except, two, that would fall head over heels
anyway) to fall or make a considerable stumble while I rode with a slack rein. ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/wesley and his horses.htm

Answer on the Different Reasons for Prayer Being Heard.
... [1639] Wherefore we also ought not to grow slack in the earnestness of the prayers
we have begun, if we fancy that the answer comes but slowly, for fear lest ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xxxiv answer on the.htm

A Sermon for the Time Present
... CH SPURGEON,. At [1]the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington. "In that day it shall
be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 33 1887/a sermon for the time.htm

Letter of Martin Luther to Pope Leo X.
... I have indeed inveighed sharply against impious doctrines, and I have not been slack
to censure my adversaries on account, not of their bad morals, but of ...
/.../luther/concerning christian liberty/letter of martin luther to.htm

Gratitude for Deliverance from the Grave
... Faith takes a bright and cheerful view of matters, and speaks very confidently,
"I shall not die, but live." When we are slack as to our trust in God, and give ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/gratitude for deliverance from the.htm

Bear up the Hands that Hang Down, by Faith and Prayer...
... Can there be a lazy saint? Can there be a prayerless saint? Does not slack praying
cut short sainthood's crown and kingdom? Can there be a cowardly soldier? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter ix bear up the.htm

The Abiding of the Spirit the Glory of the Church
... Being discouraged by the humiliating contrast, they began to be slack; and as they
were quite willing to accept any excuse, and here was an excuse ready made ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/the abiding of the spirit.htm

The Road to Rome
... He saw the mountain torrents leap and flash, and grow always bigger and stronger.
He saw them slack their speed and widen their beds in the upland valleys. ...
/.../chapter xii the road to.htm

The Adventures of Saint George of England.
... "Go away, go away, oh, hard-hearted knight, Go away to glory and fame; If you ever
come back You'll not find me slack To change my state and name!". ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter three the adventures of.htm

Dedicatory
... I have indeed inveighed sharply against impious doctrines, and I have not been slack
to censure my adversaries on account, not of their bad morals, but of ...
/.../luther/first principles of the reformation/dedicatory.htm

Slack (19 Occurrences)
... 3. (superl.) Lax; not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as, a slack
rope. 4. (superl.) Weak; not holding fast; as, a slack hand. ...
/s/slack.htm - 12k

Slacken (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (v.) To become slack; to be made less tense, firm,
or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather. ...
/s/slacken.htm - 7k

Slackness (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The quality or state of being slack.
Multi-Version Concordance Slackness (3 Occurrences). 2 Peter ...
/s/slackness.htm - 7k

You-ward (9 Occurrences)
... 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness;
but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but ...
/y/you-ward.htm - 9k

Us-ward (4 Occurrences)
... 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but ...
/u/us-ward.htm - 7k

Long-suffering (23 Occurrences)
... 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but ...
/l/long-suffering.htm - 13k

Lax (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Not tense, firm, or rigid; loose; slack;
as, a lax bandage; a lax standard of discipline; lax fiber. ...
/l/lax.htm - 6k

Gather (251 Occurrences)
... 8. (vt) To haul in; to take up; as, to gather the slack of a rope. 9. (vi) To come
together; to collect; to unite; to become assembled; to congregate. 10. ...
/g/gather.htm - 47k

Interests (8 Occurrences)
... sins. (BBE). Ezra 4:22 Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should
damage grow to the hurt of the kings? (See NIV). Psalms ...
/i/interests.htm - 8k

Fail (130 Occurrences)
... 49:8), the English Revised Version "must be let alone for ever"; "failing" for
"was darkened" (Luke 23:45); for "fail" (Ezra 4:22), "be slack," "be missing ...
/f/fail.htm - 43k

What does it mean that God is not willing for any to perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9)? | GotQuestions.org

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Slack: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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