CHAPTER 7 Defining Evangelizing - Evangelism Unlimited

420 Evangelizology
n16) fwsth,r (noun, meaning a star; 2 NT uses):
Phil 2:15, “Among whom you appear as stars in the world” [evn oi-j fai,nesqe w`j fwsth/rej evn
ko,smw|]
n17) fwtismo,j (noun, meaning to radiate forth, 2 NT uses: 2 Cor 4:4, 6):
2 Cor 4:6, “to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” [pro.j
fwtismo.n th/j gnw,sewj th/j do,xhj tou/ qeou/ evn prosw,pw| VIhsou/ cristou/]
Evangelism as radiating forth the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor 4:6
(cf. Isa 60:1; Acts 13:47), being the very thing against which Satan seeks to blind the
world (2 Cor 4:4)
ba. Spiritual Dynamic:
*) See also below in Section 4, “Spiritual Dynamic of the Word of God,” regarding the use of
the following metaphorical terms:
1) Verbs already addressed above:
a) auvxa,nw, to grow, spread, increase, and become important, Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20;
Col 1:6
b) karpofore,w, meaning to bear fruit, Col 1:6
c) plhqu,nw, intrans. grow, increase, hence “be multiplied,” Acts 12:24 (cf. 2 Cor 9:10)
2) Verbs not addressed above:
(114) diafe,rw, meaning carry through, spread, Acts 13:49
(115) ivscu,w, to able, can, have resources, win over, defeat, be strong, grow strong,
Acts 19:20
(116) tre,cw, to run, exert oneself, make an effort, 2 Thess 3:1
bb. Pressing on in evangelism to the point of resisting or struggling against:
“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may
not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your
striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:3-4)
117) avntikaqi,sthmi (hapax in NT; intransitive use: to oppose, resist) – evangelism as resisting
sin unto death (Heb 12:4), in the context of the sufferings of Jesus, who endured harsh
treatment from the hand of sinners (Heb 12:3), as an outworking of a life of faith in God’s
promise (Heb 11, for example, Heb 11:26)
118) avntagwni,zomai (hapax in NT, meaning “struggle”; from avgwni,zomai [7 NT uses], meaning
to fight, struggle, strive, wrestle; cf. English, “agonize”) – evangelism as wrestling with
sin (Heb 12:4); again the context of enduring hostility by sinners to the point of shedding
one’s blood (martyrdom)
bc. Further terms dealing metaphorically with evangelism:
119) douleu,w (25 NT uses) – meaning, be a slave, be subject; serve [someone] as a slave, serve:
Acts 20:19, “Serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me
through the plots of the Jews.”
Phil 2:22 (NKJ), “But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with
me in the gospel”
Greek Byzantine: su.n evmoi. evdou,leusen eivj to. euvagge,lion
Hence following the Greek word order: “with me served in the Gospel”
Note also the context of this negative use:
Rom 16:18 (NKJ), “For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own
belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple”
By the way, could not “positive thinking” be considered “flattering speech”?
120) i`erourge,w (1 NT use) – meaning, to perform holy service, act as a priest:
Rom 15:16, “to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of
God [ièrourgou/nta to. euvagge,lion tou/ qeou/], that my offering of the Gentiles might become
acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit”