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Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : Inordinate Affections

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Trekker
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Joined: 2011/7/29
Posts: 683
northern USA

 Inordinate Affections

Colossians 3:5 saith:

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.


Can someone please tell me what is "inordinate affection"?

Also, what does covetousness mean/include? Is it only talking about the thief and the person who desires to have what belongs to his neighbor, or does it include the woman who is walking in the mall and sees a dress she would love to have and buys even if she doesnt NEED it and the man who sees the latest iphone or beautiful boat he wants to buy, neither of which he would die without? etc

 2012/5/12 7:13Profile
RobertW
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Joined: 2004/2/12
Posts: 4636
St. Joseph, Missouri

 Re: Inordinate Affections

Hi Trekker,

Inordinate Affection:

Our Greek word there for 'inordinate affection' is pathos. Renn has the word pathos [πάθος, Strong's 3806] in simple definition as follows:

πάθος pathos is a participial form of πάσχω paschō (SUFFER) occurring in only three places and meaning “impure passions,” or “lust,” with reference to sexual desire (cf. Rom. 1:26; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:5).

From what I can ascertain from various resources, the word denotes irrational passion. Passions that are contrary to nature and reason. It is to have an excessive impulse carried beyound bounds and unpersuaded by reason. Implied in this is that the person's emotions or passions are out-of-control. The term seems to be all inclusive and not just of lustful passions; but rather any violent over-emotion or agitation of the mind that robs a person of their self-control.

Covetousness:

I believe material possessions are primarily in view here, but certainly the notion could carry over into lust for others. John Gill has this comment on covetousness: Contentment is opposite to avarice, and avarice to that; and therefore the one must be quitted in order to possess the other. “Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have” (Heb. 13:5), a covetous man cannot be a truly contented man; he cannot be content with what he has, he always wants more.35 The Greek word for “covetousness” is πλεονεξια, “a having” or a desire to “have more;” not but that there may be a lawful desire of having more in some cases and for some good ends and purposes, and in submission to the will of God; but it is an anxious, immoderate, and unbounded desire of more which is criminal; and especially to have it in an unlawful way, and when a person has much already; it is often usual with men to fix upon the pitch of wealth and riches they are desirous of attaining to, and think if they could attain to that they should be content; now such persons, until they arrive at such a pitch, must be all the while in a state of discontent; and should they arrive to it they are not sure of content; nay they seldom have it, but then enlarge their desires and extend their limits; in short they never have enough, but are like the horseleech, crying, “Give, give,” more and more; and in other things persons of this complexion are like that creature, of which naturalists36 observe it has no passage through, it takes in all it can but lets out nothing; as a covetous man grasps at all he can, but will part with nothing; and like the said creature, which breaks and bursts with its own fulness.

Summary:

Contextually Paul is calling us away from desires and affections that challenge our desire and affection for God. Whoredom is when we take the love and affection that belonges to the one and give it to another. This is what is in view. We must not take affections and desires that should be aimed at God and point them at other things. Everyone we encounter in this life (save the devil, etc) deserves some of our love. Scripture is clear on this; however, to take the love that belongs to God with the affections and desire that is contained in that love and give it to the world or other forbidden things, or to bestow an inordinate measure of love or affection on things beyond what is prescribed in scripture is sin. This is where we struggle in life as a host of unworthy things vie for our affection.


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Robert Wurtz II

 2012/5/12 8:09Profile
Trekker
Member



Joined: 2011/7/29
Posts: 683
northern USA

 Re:

QUOTE: "Implied in this is that the person's emotions or passions are out-of-control. The term seems to be all inclusive and not just of lustful passions; but rather any violent over-emotion or agitation of the mind that robs a person of their self-control."==ROBERTW



Hi Robert. Thankyou very much for your contribution/comments . Not sure i buy that definition though because the term is "inordinate AFFECTION", which suggests to me an unusual attachment to something perhaps...or an overzealous, uh,....affection of some sort...? Cuz i mean, "violent over-emotion" like you say, is just called "rage". And "agitation" of the mind is just called anxieties...or simply agitation...or lack of faith. So i'm not sure that satisfies me.

 2012/5/12 8:18Profile
Trekker
Member



Joined: 2011/7/29
Posts: 683
northern USA

 Re:

QUOTE: "a covetous man grasps at all he can, but will part with nothing;... .
Summary:

Contextually Paul is calling us away from desires and affections that challenge our desire and affection for God. Whoredom is when we take the love and affection that belonges to the one and give it to another. This is what is in view. We must not take affections and desires that should be aimed at God and point them at other things. Everyone we encounter in this life (save the devil, etc) deserves some of our love. Scripture is clear on this; however, to take the love that belongs to God with the affections and desire that is contained in that love and give it to the world or other forbidden things, or to bestow an inordinate measure of love or affection on things beyond what is prescribed in scripture is sin. This is where we struggle in life as a host of unworthy things vie for our affection."==ROBERTW



Wow. That is...heavy...deep. Very helpful but so meaty i almost cannot get all my mind around it to absorb it and process it. Makes sense though. It takes the word "covetous" farther than i ever thought it went. I guess maybe it explains "inordinate affection" as well.

Thank you.

 2012/5/12 8:25Profile
RobertW
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Joined: 2004/2/12
Posts: 4636
St. Joseph, Missouri

 Re:

Hi Trekker,

Quote:
Hi Robert. Thankyou very much for your contribution/comments . Not sure i buy that definition though because the term is "inordinate AFFECTION", which suggests to me an unusual attachment to something perhaps...or an overzealous, uh,....affection of some sort...? Cuz i mean, "violent over-emotion" like you say, is just called "rage". And "agitation" of the mind is just called anxieties...or simply agitation...or lack of faith. So i'm not sure that satisfies me.



The thing to kind of keep in mind is that the translators of the KJV were using words to bring the Greek over into English.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3806&t=KJV


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Robert Wurtz II

 2012/5/12 8:54Profile
paxtibi
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Joined: 2012/6/7
Posts: 2


 Re: Inordinate affection

A good example in scripture : David and his son Absalom

 2012/6/7 22:03Profile
paxtibi
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Joined: 2012/6/7
Posts: 2


 Re: Inordinate affection

A good example in scripture : David and his son Absalom

 2012/6/7 22:04Profile









 Re:

Quote:
The thing to kind of keep in mind is that the translators of the KJV were using words to bring the Greek over into English.



Exactly.

 2012/6/7 22:38
White_Stone
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Joined: 2008/10/25
Posts: 1196
North Central Florida

 Re:

Paxtibi posted:

Re: Inordinate affection

A good example in scripture : David and his son Absalom

This is a perfect example.


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Janice

 2012/6/7 23:25Profile
Trekker
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Joined: 2011/7/29
Posts: 683
northern USA

 Re:

How so?

 2012/6/8 0:13Profile





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