Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of "resist" in the Bible encompasses a range of meanings, from opposing evil and temptation to standing firm against adversaries. The term is often associated with spiritual warfare, moral integrity, and the believer's duty to uphold righteousness.
Old Testament ContextIn the Old Testament, resistance is frequently depicted in the context of opposing evil and injustice. For example, the Israelites were often called to resist the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations. In
Exodus 23:2, the Israelites are instructed, "You shall not follow a crowd to do evil." This command underscores the importance of resisting societal pressures that lead away from God's commandments.
The Psalms also reflect a theme of resistance, particularly in the face of wickedness.
Psalm 1:1-2 contrasts the blessed man who resists the counsel of the wicked with those who follow sinful paths: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor set foot on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night."
New Testament ContextIn the New Testament, the concept of resistance is often linked to spiritual warfare and the believer's struggle against sin and Satan.
James 4:7 provides a clear directive: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." This verse highlights the dual action of submission to God and active resistance against the devil as essential for spiritual victory.
The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Ephesians, emphasizes the need for believers to stand firm against spiritual forces of evil.
Ephesians 6:13-14 states, "Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed."
Moral and Ethical ResistanceResistance in the Bible is not limited to spiritual adversaries but extends to moral and ethical challenges. Believers are called to resist conforming to worldly standards and instead be transformed by the renewing of their minds (
Romans 12:2). This resistance is a proactive stance, requiring discernment and commitment to God's truth.
The Apostle Peter also addresses the need for resistance in the face of persecution and suffering. In
1 Peter 5:8-9, he exhorts believers: "Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith, and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering."
Practical ApplicationThe biblical call to resist is both a personal and communal endeavor. It involves individual believers taking a stand against sin in their own lives and the collective body of Christ resisting societal pressures that contradict biblical values. This resistance is empowered by the Holy Spirit, who enables believers to discern truth, reject falsehood, and live in obedience to God's Word.
In summary, the biblical concept of resistance is multifaceted, encompassing spiritual, moral, and ethical dimensions. It is a call to stand firm in faith, oppose evil, and uphold righteousness in every aspect of life.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To stand against; to withstand; to obstruct.
2. (v. t.) To strive against; to endeavor to counteract, defeat, or frustrate; to act in opposition to; to oppose.
3. (v. t.) To counteract, as a force, by inertia or reaction.
4. (v. t.) To be distasteful to.
5. (v. i.) To make opposition.
6. (n.) A substance used to prevent a color or mordant from fixing on those parts to which it has been applied, either by acting mechanically in preventing the color, etc., from reaching the cloth, or chemically in changing the color so as to render it incapable of fixing itself in the fibers.. The pastes prepared for this purpose are called resist pastes.
Greek
498. antitasso -- to range in battle against, to set oneself...... against. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: antitasso Phonetic Spelling:
(an-tee-tas'-som-ahee) Short Definition: I set myself against,
resist Definition:
...436. anthistemi -- to set against, ie withstand
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anthistemi Phonetic Spelling: (anth-is'-tay-
mee) Short Definition: I take a stand against, oppose,resist Definition: I...
478. antikathistemi -- to set down against, ie to replace, oppose
... to replace, oppose. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: antikathistemi Phonetic
Spelling: (an-tee-kath-is'-tay-mee) Short Definition: Iresist Definition: I...
496. antipipto -- to fall against, strive against
... strive against. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: antipipto Phonetic Spelling:
(an-tee-pip'-to) Short Definition: I fall foul of,resist, oppose Definition...
480. antikeimai -- to lie opposite, ie oppose, withstand
... ie oppose, withstand. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: antikeimai Phonetic
Spelling: (an-tik'-i-mahee) Short Definition: Iresist, oppose Definition: I...
503. antophthalmeo -- to look in the face, look straight at
... look straight at. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: antophthalmeo Phonetic Spelling:
(ant-of-thal-meh'-o) Short Definition: I face,resist Definition: I...
464. antagonizomai -- to struggle against
... to struggle against. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: antagonizomai Phonetic
Spelling: (an-tag-o-nid'-zom-ahee) Short Definition: Iresist, strive against...
4911. sunephistemi -- to place over, rise together
... rise up together. From sun and ephistemi; to stand up together, ie Toresist (or
assault) jointly -- rise up together. see GREEK sun. see GREEK ephistemi....
2313. theomacheo -- to fight against God.
... Word Origin from theomachos Definition to fight against God. fight against God.
From theomachos; toresist deity -- fight against God. see GREEK theomachos....
471. anteipon -- to speak against
... Phonetic Spelling: (an-tep'-o) Short Definition: I speak or say in opposition, I
contradict Definition: I speak or say in opposition, contradict (oppose,resist...
Strong's Hebrew
7853. satan -- to be or act as adversary... be an adversary,
resist. A primitive root; to attack, (figuratively) accuse --
(be an) adversary,
resist. 7852, 7853. satan. 7854 . Strong's Numbers.
2388. chazaq -- to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen
... prevailed over (1), put (1), received strength (1), recovered (1), rely (1), repair
(12), repaired (14), repairers (1), repairing (1),resist (1), resolutely (2...
5975. amad -- to take one's stand, stand
... propped (2), quake (1), raise (2), raised (1), refrain (1), rely (1), remain (5),
remained (4), remains (5), replaces* (1), represent (1),resist* (1), restore...
4784. marah -- to be contentious or rebellious
... A primitive root; to be (causatively, make) bitter (or unpleasant); (figuratively)
to rebel (orresist; causatively, to provoke) -- bitter, change, be...
5048. neged -- in front of, in sight of, opposite to
... 60), broad (1), demoralized* (1), directly (1), distance* (3), front (15), opposite
(16), opposite* (5), other side (1), presence (13),resist* (1), risked* (1...
Library
April 4. "Resist the Devil and He Will Flee" (James iv. 7).
... APRIL 4. "Resist the devil and he will flee" (James iv. 7). "Resist the devil and
he will flee" (James 4:7).Resist the devil, and he will flee from you....
To those whoResist the Law of Christ the Living God.
... XXVI."To Those WhoResist the Law of Christ the Living God. Thou rejectest,
unhappy one, the advantage of heavenly discipline, and...
Whether Anything CanResist the Order of the Divine Government?
... TREATISE ON THE CONSERVATION AND GOVERNMENT OF CREATURES (QQ -119)OF THE GOVERNMENT
OF THINGS IN GENERAL (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether anything canresist the order...
How He Resolved toResist the Devil.
... Chapter XXX."How He Resolved toResist the Devil. Therefore, being initiated
and instructed in these things, I wish to put away...
How one ShouldResist Temptations and Bear Trials
... Chapter 11 How one shouldresist temptations and bear trials. Now there
is no one who approaches God with a true and upright heart...
Seventh Sunday after Trinity Exhortation toResist Sin.
... Seventh Sunday After Trinity EXHORTATION TORESIST SIN. Text: Romans 6,
19-23. 19 I speak... our Lord. EXHORTATION TORESIST SIN. 1...
Celsus, Moreover, Unable toResist the Miracles which Jesus is...
... Chapter XLVIII. Celsus, moreover, unable toresist the miracles which Jesus
is recorded to have performed? Celsus, moreover, unable...
Progress under Obedience. Her Inability toResist the Graces of...
... Her Inability toResist the Graces of God.... I continued thus nearly two months, doing
all I could toresist the sweetness and graces that God sent....
But the Power, not the Will, toResist, Failed Ithacius...
... Book II. Chapter XLIX. But the power, not the will, toresist, failed
Ithacius? But the power, not the will, toresist, failed...
Custom is Indeed in Everything Hard toResist. ...
... II."Ascetic and Moral. Chapter IX. Custom is indeed in everything hard
toresist.? Custom is indeed in everything hard toresist....
Thesaurus
Resist (23 Occurrences)... fibers.. The pastes prepared for this purpose are called
resist pastes.
Multi-Version Concordance
Resist (23 Occurrences). Matthew
...Resisting (4 Occurrences)
... & vb. n.) ofResist. 2. (a.) Making resistance; opposing; as, a resisting medium....
ye do always the Holy Spiritresist; as your fathers -- also ye; (See NAS)....
Oppose (29 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Toresist or antagonize by physical means, or by arguments, etc.; to contend
against; to confront; toresist; to withstand; as, to oppose the king in...
Cheek (9 Occurrences)
... Lamentations 3:30; Micah 5:1). The admonition (Luke 6:29), "Unto him that smiteth
thee on the one cheek offer also the other," means simply, "Resist not evil...
Stiffnecked (9 Occurrences)
... also the New Testament where sklerotrachelos, is so translated (Acts 7:51), "Ye
stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do alwaysresist the Holy...
Stiff-necked (18 Occurrences)
... also the New Testament where sklerotrachelos, is so translated (Acts 7:51), "Ye
stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do alwaysresist the Holy...
Isaiah (64 Occurrences)
... army into Palestine, one detachment of which threatened Jerusalem (Isaiah 36:2-22;
37:8). Isaiah on that occasion encouraged Hezekiah toresist the Assyrians...
Quite (55 Occurrences)
... there." (WEY NAS). Acts 6:10 They were quite unable, however, toresist the
wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. (WEY). Acts 24...
Uncircumcised (48 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Uncircumcised (48 Occurrences). Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked
and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you alwaysresist the Holy Spirit!...
Opposition (22 Occurrences)
... Romans 13:2 So that he that sets himself in opposition to the authority resists
the ordinance of God; and they who thusresist shall bring sentence of guilt on...
Resources
What does it mean to resist the devil, and why will resistance cause the devil to flee? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I overcome temptation? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean to be a slave to sin? | GotQuestions.orgResist: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
