Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of the Bible, the concept of "response" is deeply intertwined with the relationship between God and humanity, as well as interpersonal relationships among individuals. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings on how individuals and communities are to respond to God’s commands, His grace, and the circumstances of life.
Response to God’s CallOne of the primary themes in Scripture is the response to God’s call. Throughout the Bible, God calls individuals to follow Him, to serve, and to obey His commandments. The response to this call is often depicted as an act of faith and obedience. For instance, in
Genesis 12:1-4, Abram responds to God’s call to leave his country and go to a land that God would show him. His response is characterized by faith and trust in God’s promises.
In the New Testament, the call to follow Jesus is met with various responses. In
Matthew 4:19-20, Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, saying, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Their immediate response is to leave their nets and follow Him, demonstrating a willingness to forsake all for the sake of Christ.
Response to God’s WordThe response to God’s Word is another critical aspect. In the Parable of the Sower (
Matthew 13:1-23), Jesus illustrates different responses to the Word of God. The seed that falls on good soil represents those who hear the word and understand it, producing a fruitful response. This parable emphasizes the importance of a receptive heart and the transformative power of God’s Word when it is genuinely received.
Response to God’s GraceThe Bible also addresses the response to God’s grace and mercy. In
Ephesians 2:8-10, Paul writes, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” The appropriate response to this grace is a life of good works, prepared by God for believers to walk in. This response is not to earn salvation but as a grateful acknowledgment of the grace received.
Response to Trials and SufferingScripture provides guidance on responding to trials and suffering.
James 1:2-4 encourages believers to “consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” The response to trials is to view them as opportunities for growth and maturity in faith.
Response to OthersInterpersonal responses are also addressed in the Bible. The Great Commandment, as stated in
Matthew 22:37-39, calls for a response of love towards God and others: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... Love your neighbor as yourself.” This commandment underscores the importance of love as the foundational response in relationships.
Furthermore, the Bible teaches about responding to enemies and those who wrong us. In
Matthew 5:44, Jesus instructs, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This radical response of love and prayer for adversaries reflects the transformative power of the Gospel.
Response in WorshipWorship is a significant response to God’s majesty and goodness. The Psalms are replete with calls to worship and praise God.
Psalm 95:6-7 invites believers, “Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care.” Worship is a response of reverence, adoration, and submission to God.
ConclusionThe biblical concept of response encompasses a wide range of actions and attitudes towards God, His Word, His grace, and others. It is a dynamic interaction that reflects the heart’s posture towards the divine and the world.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The act of responding.
2. (n.) An answer or reply.
3. (n.) Reply to an objection in formal disputation.
4. (n.) The answer of the people or congregation to the priest or clergyman, in the litany and other parts of divine service.
5. (n.) A kind of anthem sung after the lessons of matins and some other parts of the office.
6. (n.) A repetition of the given subject in a fugue by another part on the fifth above or fourth below.
Greek
5538. chrematismos -- a divineresponse, an oracle... a divine
response, an oracle. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
chrematismos Phonetic Spelling: (khray-mat-is-mos') Short Definition: an oracle
...2150. eusebeia -- piety
... 2150 (from 2095 "well" and 4576 , "venerate, pay homage") -- properly, someone's
innerresponse to the things of God which shows itself in godly ()....
4102. pistis -- faith, faithfulness
... "Faith always pre-supposes revelation" (WH Griffith Thomas, 55). "Faith is always
aresponse to a divine revelation" (WH Griffith Thomas, 143). "Faith . . ....
5218. hupakoe -- obedience
... 5218 (from191 , "to hear" and 5259 , "beneath") -- ie -- literally, " to what
is " (, 695), ie obedience as theresponse to someone speaking....
611. apokrinomai -- to answer
... answered (169), answered answered (1), answering (8), answers (1), made...answer
(1), replied (2), reply (1), respond (1), responded (2),response (1), said (1...
612. apokrisis -- an answering
... answer. From apokrinomai; aresponse -- answer. see GREEK apokrinomai. (apokrisei) --
1 Occurrence. (apokrisesin) -- 1 Occurrence. (apokrisin) -- 2 Occurrences....
1909. epi -- on, upon
... 1909 ("upon") naturally looks to theresponse (effect) that goes with the
envisioned , ie its apt result ("spin-offs," effects)....
1906. eperotema -- an inquiry, a demand
... Cognate: 1906 -- aresponse to an inquiry. See 1905 (). Word Origin from eperotao
Definition an inquiry, a demand NASB Word Usage appeal (1). an inquiry....
687. ara -- an untranslatable interrog. particle implying anxiety...
... Interrogative Transliteration: ara Phonetic Spelling: (ar'-ah) Short Definition:
a particle asking a question, expecting a negativeresponse Definition: a...
994. boao -- to call out
... proclaim. 994 (from 995 , "cry out") -- (cry out"); to make an ; summon , because
sorely needing aresponse (assistance). 994 ("shouting...
Strong's Hebrew
4617. maaneh -- an answer,response... 4616, 4617. maaneh. 4618 . an answer,
response. Transliteration: maaneh
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-an-eh') Short Definition: answer.
...7182. qesheb -- attentiveness
... Word Origin from qashab Definition attentiveness NASB Word Usage close
(1), close attention (1), paid attention (1),response (1)....
Library
An Appeal and aResponse
... XX An Appeal and aResponse.... Second. AResponse is made to that Appeal: 'Here am
I; send me'. Third. A Commission was given: 'And He said, "Go"'....
Letters inResponse to Certain Criticisms
... LETTERS LETTERS INRESPONSE TO CERTAIN CRITICISMS. Catherine had ample
opportunity to suffer from those keenly critical instincts...
Ep. Xliv. Eusebius, Having inResponse to the Appeal Referred to...
... Division III. Miscellaneous Letters. Ep. XLIV. Eusebius, having inresponse
to the appeal referred to above? (Eusebius, having...
The Emperor Consulting an Oracle, the Demon Gives noResponse...
... Book III. Chapter XVIII."The Emperor consulting an Oracle, the Demon gives no
Response, being awed by the Nearness of Babylas the Martyr....
Zion Awakened
... and the voice of melody. (Noresponse). JEHOVAH. Attend unto me, O... righteousness
shall not be abolished. (Noresponse). JEHOVAH. Hearken unto me, ye...
An Antiphon on the Praise of God.
... AN ANTIPHON ON THE PRAISE OF GOD. Priest. i.Response. Priest.Response. Priest.
Response. Priest.Response. Lob und Ehr mit stettem Danckopfer....
Following Hard after God
... always previous. In practice, however, (that is, where God's previous working
meets man's presentresponse) man must pursue God. On...
Earth's Ugliest, Deepest Scar.
... Without doubt there was aresponse within to the temptations that came to Jesus....
At once it is plain that there is nothing wrong here in the inwardresponse....
'Seek Ye' --'I Will Seek'
... of going on with his answer, the Psalmist interjects God's invitation 'Seek ye My
face,' and then, side by side with that, he lays hisresponse, 'Thy face, Lord...
The Speaking Voice
... God was by the ancient Hebrews often called Wisdom, and was said to be everywhere
sounding and searching throughout the earth, seeking someresponse from the...
Thesaurus
Response (10 Occurrences)... 6. (n.) A repetition of the given subject in a fugue by another part on the fifth
above or fourth below. Multi-Version Concordance
Response (10 Occurrences).
...Answer (2099 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) To be or act in return orresponse to.... 11. (vi) To speak or write by way
of return (originally, to a charge), or in reply; to makeresponse. 12....
Truth (380 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 15:29 Psalm 96:13 Romans 2:2, 8). In general the truth of God stands for
the consistency of His nature and guarantees His fullresponse in all the...
Respond (21 Occurrences)
... 2. (vi) To show some effect in return to a force; to act inresponse; to accord;
to correspond; to suit.... 6. (n.) An answer; aresponse....
Joy (422 Occurrences)
... 2. In the Old Testament: Besides joy in a general sense, as theresponse of the
mind to any pleasurable event or state (1 Kings 1:40 Esther 8:17, etc.), joy as...
King (25505 Occurrences)
... The dying thief prays, "Remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom" (Luke 23:42),
and Jesus gives His royalresponse which implies full acceptance of the...
Zophar (4 Occurrences)
... He is the most impetuous and dogmatic of the three (compare Job 11:2, 3; Job
20:2, 3); stung to passionateresponse by Job's presumption in maintaining that...
Zedekiah (63 Occurrences)
... Zedekiah was apparently the leader and spokesman of the 400 prophets attached to
the court in Samaria whom Ahab summoned inresponse to Jehoshaphat's request...
Knock (7 Occurrences)
... bolted and locked with wooden keys too large to be carried about, so that even a
member of the household could not secure entrance until inresponse to his...
Negeb (37 Occurrences)
... Achish allotted to David, inresponse to his request, the city of ZIKLAG (qv) in
the Negeb (1 Samuel 27:5 f); the exploits of David were against various parts...
Resources
Is it wrong for a Christian to view or listen to Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) triggers? | GotQuestions.orgAre church closings an appropriate response to a pandemic? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a biblical response to someone who says, “My Jesus . . .”? | GotQuestions.orgResponse: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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