Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of the Bible, the concept of "being" encompasses existence, essence, and the nature of God and humanity. The term is foundational to understanding the nature of God, human identity, and the relationship between the Creator and His creation.
God as the Ultimate BeingThe Bible presents God as the ultimate and self-existent Being. In
Exodus 3:14, God reveals Himself to Moses with the name "I AM WHO I AM," indicating His eternal and self-sustaining nature: "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And He said, 'You are to say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’" (
Exodus 3:14). This declaration underscores God's unchanging and independent existence, distinguishing Him from all created beings.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul affirms God's role as the source of all life and being. In
Acts 17:28, he states, "For in Him we live and move and have our being." This passage highlights the dependence of all creation on God for existence and sustenance.
Human Beings as Created in God's ImageThe Bible teaches that human beings are created in the image of God, which imparts a unique dignity and purpose.
Genesis 1:27 declares, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." This imago Dei (image of God) concept implies that humans reflect certain attributes of God, such as rationality, morality, and relationality.
Human beings, while distinct from God, are called to live in relationship with Him. This relationship is characterized by worship, obedience, and love. The fall of humanity, as described in
Genesis 3, disrupted this relationship, introducing sin and death into the world. However, the redemptive work of Jesus Christ offers restoration and reconciliation with God.
The Nature of Being in ChristIn the New Testament, the nature of being is further explored through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:16-17 emphasizes Christ's preeminence and sustaining power: "For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."
Believers are called to find their true being and identity in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 states, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" This transformation signifies a renewed existence, characterized by a restored relationship with God and a life led by the Holy Spirit.
Eternal Being and the Hope of ResurrectionThe Bible also addresses the eternal aspect of being, particularly in the context of life after death. Jesus speaks of eternal life as a present reality and future hope for believers. In
John 11:25-26, He declares, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die."
The hope of resurrection and eternal life is a central tenet of Christian faith, affirming that human beings are destined for an eternal existence with God. This hope is grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which serves as the guarantee of believers' future resurrection and eternal being with God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
p. pr. & vb. n.) of Be.
2. (p. pr.) Existing.
3. (n.) Existence, as opposed to nonexistence; state or sphere of existence.
4. (n.) That which exists in any form, whether it be material or spiritual, actual or ideal; living existence, as distinguished from a thing without life; as, a human being; spiritual beings.
5. (n.) Lifetime; mortal existence.
6. (n.) An abode; a cottage.
7. (adv.) Since; inasmuch as.
Greek
1096. ginomai -- to come intobeing, to happen, to become... to come into
being, to happen, to become. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
ginomai Phonetic Spelling: (ghin'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I come into
being...666. apousia -- abeing away, ie absence
... abeing away, ie absence. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: apousia
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-oo-see'-ah) Short Definition: absence Definition...
2070. esmen -- are, be, have ourbeing, have hope.
... 2069, 2070. esmen. 2071 . are, be, have ourbeing, have hope.... Word Origin first
pers. pl. pres. ind. of eimi, qv. are, be, have ourbeing, have hope....
5297. hupophero -- to bear bybeing under, to endure
... to bear bybeing under, to endure. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: hupophero
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-of-er'-o) Short Definition: I endure, suffer...
551. apeirastos -- untried, untempted
... Speech: Adjective Transliteration: apeirastos Phonetic Spelling: (ap-i'-ras-tos)
Short Definition: untried, inexperienced, incapable ofbeing tempted Definition...
563. aperispastos -- without distraction
... Speech: Adverb Transliteration: aperispastos Phonetic Spelling: (ap-er-is-pas-toce')
Short Definition: without distraction, withoutbeing distracted Definition...
1553. ekdemeo -- to be away from home, absent
... 1553 (from 1537 , " and " and 1218 , "a population, people") -- properly,
out from home, ie with the ofbeing ("away from home")....
4134. pleres -- full
... Cognate: 4134 (an adjective) -- ; used ofbeing of the presence of the Lord
(His provisions) which is the definition of a life. See 4130 ()....
139. hairesis -- choice, opinion
... The term stresses the -- and hence howbeing a Sadducee (Ac 5:17) was sharply
distinguished frombeing a Pharisee (Ac 15:5; 26:5)....
3952. parousia -- a presence, a coming
... [3952 () is "used in the east as a technical expression for the The word means
literally 'thebeing beside,' thus, 'the personal presence' " (K. Wuest, 3, , 33...
Strong's Hebrew
5315. nephesh -- a soul, livingbeing, life, self, person, desire...... a soul, living
being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion.
Transliteration: nephesh Phonetic Spelling: (neh'-fesh) Short Definition: soul.
...7946. shalanan --being at ease
... 7945, 7946. shalanan. 7947 .being at ease. Transliteration: shalanan Phonetic
Spelling: (shal-an-awn') Short Definition: ease....being at ease...
4142. musabbah --being changed, enclosed, be set, turning
...being changed, enclosed, be set, turning. Transliteration: musabbah or musabbah
Phonetic Spelling: (moo-sab-baw') Short Definition: changed....
3426. yesh --being, substance, existence, is
... 3425, 3426. yesh. 3427 .being, substance, existence, is. Transliteration:
yesh Phonetic Spelling: (yaysh) Short Definition: there....
2910. tuchah -- inward parts
... 2909, 2910. tuchah. 2911 . inward parts. Transliteration: tuchah Phonetic
Spelling: (too-khaw') Short Definition:being. Word Origin...
1564. golem -- an embryo
... substance yetbeing imperfect. From galam; a wrapped (and unformed mass, ie As the
embryo) -- substance yetbeing unperfect. see HEBREW galam. 1563, 1564....
4427a. malak -- to be or become king or queen, to reign
... actually going to reign (1), appoint (1), appointed (1), became king (123), become
a king (1), become king (1), become king (2), becomes king (1),being king (1...
3182. yacheph -- barefoot
... barefoot,being unshod. From an unused root meaning to take off the shoes; unsandalled
-- barefoot,being unshod. 3181, 3182. yacheph. 3183 . Strong's Numbers
2476. chalushah -- weakness, prostration
... part. of chalash Definition weakness, prostration NASB Word Usage defeat (1).being
overcome. Feminine passive participle of chalash; defeat --being overcome....
120. adam -- man, mankind
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition man, mankind NASB Word Usage any man
(2), anyone (4), anyone's (1),being* (1), common sort* (1), human (19...
Library
A Discourse Concerning theBeing and Attributes of God
A Discourse Concerning theBeing and Attributes of God. <. A Discourse Concerning
theBeing and Attributes of God Samuel Clarke. Table of Contents....
The Upper Room:Being a Few Truths for the Times
The Upper Room:Being a Few Truths for the Times. <. The Upper Room:Being
a Few Truths for the Times John Charles Ryle. Table of Contents....
The Secret of Well-Being
... THE PROVERBS THE SECRET OF WELL-BEING. 'My son, forget not my law; but
let thine heart keep my commandments.2. For length of days...
TheBeing of God
... 3. God and his creation 1. TheBeing Of God. Q-III: WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES
PRINCIPALLY TEACH?... In him we live, and move, and have ourbeing....
Whether EveryBeing is Good?
... OF GOODNESS IN GENERAL (SIX ARTICLES) Whether everybeing is good? Objection
1: It seems that not everybeing is good. For goodness...
Whether it is Necessary that EveryBeing be Created by God?
... ON THE CREATION (QQ 44-46)THE PROCESSION OF CREATURES FROM GOD, AND OF THE FIRST
CAUSE OF ALL THINGS Whether it is necessary that everybeing be created by God...
Whether the True andBeing are Convertible Terms?
... OF TRUTH (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether the true andbeing are convertible terms? Objection
1: It seems that the true andbeing are not convertible terms....
Perishing orBeing Saved
... V) PERISHING ORBEING SAVED.... If it be, and because it is, 'the power of God' to others,
they belong to the class of those who are in process ofbeing saved....
Whether "One" Adds Anything to "Being"?
... THE UNITY OF GOD (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether "one" adds anything to "being"?
Objection... quantity. Therefore "one" adds something to "being."...
Whether Goodness is Prior in Idea toBeing?
... OF GOODNESS IN GENERAL (SIX ARTICLES) Whether goodness is prior in idea tobeing?
Objection 1: It seems that goodness is prior in idea tobeing....
Thesaurus
Being (3399 Occurrences)... form, whether it be material or spiritual, actual or ideal; living existence, as
distinguished from a thing without life; as, a human
being; spiritual beings.
...Well-being (19 Occurrences)
Well-being. Well-armed, Well-being. Wellbeloved . Noah Webster's Dictionary
(n.) The state or condition ofbeing well; welfare; happiness...
Sickness (40 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The quality or state ofbeing sick or diseased;
illness; disease or malady. 2. (n.) Nausea; qualmishness...
Atheism
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The disbelief or denial of the existence of
a God, or supreme intelligentBeing. 2. (n.) Godlessness. Int....
Silas (22 Occurrences)
... to confirm the contents of the letter by "word of mouth." On arrival at Antioch,
the epistle was delivered, and Judas and Silas, "being themselves also prophets...
Kings (350 Occurrences)
... two books was first made by the LXX., which now, with the Vulgate, numbers them
as the third and fourth books of Kings, the two books of Samuelbeing the first...
Zeal (45 Occurrences)
... Acts 5:17 And having risen, the chief priest, and all those with him --being
the sect of the Sadducees -- were filled with zeal, (YLT)....
Zeruiah (25 Occurrences)
... Lord, David's sister, and the mother of Abishai, Joab, and Asahel (1 Chronicles
2:16), who were the three leading heroes of David's army, andbeing his nephews...
Knit (11 Occurrences)
... Ephesians 4:16 from whom all the body,being fitted and knit together through that
which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each...
Kittim (8 Occurrences)
... This word he further connects with Chethima, from Chethimus, and states that it
was on account of Cyprusbeing the home of those people that all islands were...
Resources
What does the Bible say about being nosey? | GotQuestions.orgIs being gay a sin? Is it a sin to be gay? | GotQuestions.orgWhat are the implications of God being infinite, unlimited, and unmeasurable? | GotQuestions.orgBeing: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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