Unformed
Jump to: Webster'sConcordanceThesaurusHebrewLibrarySubtopicsTerms
Topical Encyclopedia
The term "unformed" in a biblical context often refers to the initial stages of creation or the early development of life, particularly in the womb. It is a concept that underscores the sovereignty and omniscience of God in the process of creation and the formation of life.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 139:16 : "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be." This verse is a profound testament to God's intimate knowledge and involvement in the creation of life. It emphasizes that even before a person is fully formed, God is aware of their existence and has a plan for their life. The "unformed body" signifies the embryonic stage, highlighting the belief that life begins at conception and is known by God from the very start.

2. Genesis 1:2 : "Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters." While not directly using the term "unformed," this passage describes the earth in its initial, unformed state before God began the work of creation. It illustrates the power of God to bring order and life out of chaos and nothingness.

Theological Implications:

The concept of the "unformed" is significant in discussions about the sanctity of life and the belief in God's providential care over creation. It suggests that life is sacred from its earliest stages and that God's creative work is ongoing and purposeful. The idea that God sees and knows the "unformed" body reinforces the belief in His omniscience and the intrinsic value of every human life.

Creation and Formation:

In the broader narrative of Scripture, the process of formation from the unformed is a recurring theme. From the creation of the world to the formation of individuals in the womb, the Bible portrays God as the ultimate Creator who brings life and order. This theme is evident in the creation account in Genesis, where God transforms the formless void into a structured and vibrant world.

Moral and Ethical Considerations:

The understanding of "unformed" life as seen by God has implications for ethical discussions, particularly in areas such as bioethics, abortion, and the beginning of life. The belief that God knows and values life from its unformed state informs the Christian perspective on the dignity and worth of every human being, regardless of their stage of development.

Conclusion:

The biblical concept of the "unformed" serves as a reminder of God's intimate involvement in the creation and sustenance of life. It calls believers to recognize the sanctity of life and to trust in God's sovereign plan for each individual, even from the earliest moments of existence.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (a.) Decomposed, or resolved into parts; having the form destroyed.

2. (a.) Not formed; not arranged into regular shape, order, or relations; shapeless; amorphous.

3. (a.) Unorganized; without definite shape or structure; as, an unformed, or unorganized, ferment.

Strong's Hebrew
1564. golem -- an embryo
... substance. Word Origin from galam Definition an embryo NASB Word Usage unformed
substance (1). substance yet being imperfect. From ...
/hebrew/1564.htm - 6k
Library

Whether Unformed Faith is a Gift of God
... Article Two Whether Unformed Faith is a Gift of God. Whether Unformed Faith is a
Gift of God ... 1. It seems that unformed faith is not a gift of God. ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article two whether unformed faith.htm

Whether Unformed Faith Can Become Formed, or vice Versa
... Article Four Whether Unformed Faith can become Formed, or Vice Versa. Whether
Unformed Faith can become Formed, or Vice Versa We ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article four whether unformed faith.htm

Whether one who Disbelieves one Faith Can have Unformed Faith in ...
... Article Three Whether One Who Disbelieves One Article of Faith can Have Unformed
Faith in the Other Articles. Whether One Who Disbelieves ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article three whether one who.htm

Whether Faith is a virtue
... 3. Again, it was said in the preceding article that formed and unformed
faith are of the same species. But unformed faith is not ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article five whether faith is.htm

Whether There is Hope in the Damned
... 2. Again, just as faith can be formed and unformed, so can hope. Now there
can be unformed faith in devils and in the damned, according ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article three whether there is 2.htm

Whether Servile Fear is Substantially the Same as Filial Fear
... Filial fear seems to be related to servile fear as formed faith is related to unformed
faith, since the one is accompanied by mortal sin, and the other is not. ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article five whether servile fear.htm

Letter xiii. --On Being Self-Opinionated.
... to make those persons practise humility and renunciation, to give up their notions
and self-will than in the case of young people of unformed character; or ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/letter xiii on being self-opinionated.htm

Whether Purification of the Heart is an Effect of Faith
... But faith exists together with the impurity of sin, as is obvious in those whose
faith is unformed. Hence faith does not purify the heart. ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article two whether purification of.htm

Whether to Believe is to Think with Assent
... of God should therefore be conceived as without the thought of God, since it contains
nothing which remains to be formed, and which could be unformed." In this ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article one whether to believe.htm

For they Say, "Though These Things be True, yet did not Moses ...
... house of God, or be changed, as the soul and body of man are): therefore the common
matter of all things visible and invisible (as yet unformed though capable ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter xvii for they say.htm

Thesaurus
Unformed (2 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Unorganized; without definite shape or structure; as, an unformed, or
unorganized, ferment. Multi-Version Concordance Unformed (2 Occurrences). ...
/u/unformed.htm - 7k

Unfortunate (4 Occurrences)

/u/unfortunate.htm - 7k

Unforgotten (1 Occurrence)

/u/unforgotten.htm - 6k

Informed (39 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) of Inform. 2. (a.) Unformed or ill-formed;
deformed; shapeless. Multi-Version Concordance Informed (39 Occurrences). ...
/i/informed.htm - 17k

Rude (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (superl.) Unformed by taste or skill; not nicely finished; not smoothed or polished; --
said especially of material things; as, rude workmanship. ...
/r/rude.htm - 8k

Purposed (44 Occurrences)
... Psalms 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were
recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being. ...
/p/purposed.htm - 20k

Formed (91 Occurrences)
... Psalms 139:16 Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance, and in Thy book they were
all written--even the days that were fashioned, when as yet there was none ...
/f/formed.htm - 34k

Beheld (95 Occurrences)
... Psalms 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were
recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being. ...
/b/beheld.htm - 33k

Resources
What is anthropological hylomorphism? | GotQuestions.org

Does the Bible teach that life begins at conception? | GotQuestions.org

Is abortion murder? | GotQuestions.org

Unformed: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Unformed (2 Occurrences)

Genesis 1:2
And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
(See JPS)

Psalms 139:16
Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me , When as yet there was none of them.
(See JPS ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Unformed

Related Terms

Revised

American

Version

Battle (282 Occurrences)

Unformed (2 Occurrences)

Unhappy (17 Occurrences)

Unfree (1 Occurrence)

Untoward (1 Occurrence)

Owe (10 Occurrences)

Oracle (57 Occurrences)

Living (3112 Occurrences)

Lunatick (2 Occurrences)

With (66342 Occurrences)

Immaculate

Ill (137 Occurrences)

Fare (13 Occurrences)

Targum

Truth (380 Occurrences)

Devils (48 Occurrences)

Disaster (131 Occurrences)

Deep (237 Occurrences)

Dictionaries

Disastrous (2 Occurrences)

Dayspring (2 Occurrences)

Demons (54 Occurrences)

Miscarriage (4 Occurrences)

Mercy (467 Occurrences)

Mishap (1 Occurrence)

Poor (276 Occurrences)

Creature (73 Occurrences)

Communion (8 Occurrences)

Accident (3 Occurrences)

Anger (387 Occurrences)

Asylum

Ahaziah (34 Occurrences)

Adverse (6 Occurrences)

Sleep (136 Occurrences)

Hapless (3 Occurrences)

Dial (2 Occurrences)

Bethhoron (12 Occurrences)

Beth-horon (12 Occurrences)

Conception (6 Occurrences)

Kingdom (409 Occurrences)

Nero

Press (57 Occurrences)

Taxing (3 Occurrences)

Tax (43 Occurrences)

Pontus (3 Occurrences)

Heifer (22 Occurrences)

Lamentations (6 Occurrences)

Captivity (141 Occurrences)

Wine (282 Occurrences)

Slavery (31 Occurrences)

Slave (148 Occurrences)

Book (211 Occurrences)

Baruch (24 Occurrences)

Ahaz (42 Occurrences)

Jehovah (20094 Occurrences)

Yahweh (6653 Occurrences)

Servant (738 Occurrences)

Justification (6 Occurrences)

Mary (50 Occurrences)

Lord (59401 Occurrences)

Israel (27466 Occurrences)

Archaeology

Minor (2 Occurrences)

Asia (22 Occurrences)

Religion (23 Occurrences)

Babylonia (17 Occurrences)

Assyria (124 Occurrences)

Anem (1 Occurrence)

Unforgotten
Top of Page
Top of Page