Page 497 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

PRIVILY - PROPHECY

be responsible for the use of it. We see this in the lives Ungodly and wicked (Le. 24:7-9). (4) To value spiritual
of men such as Abraham (Ge. 13:5-6; 23:4-20; 26:14; things lightly (He. 12:16, 17). (4) Earthly; temporal; in
49:30) and Job (Job 1:3). contrast to that which is spiritual and eternal (1 Ti. 1:9;
In Old Testament times under the Law, man was 4:7). [See Evil Speaking, Holy, Profane and Vain
taught by divine ordinance that God intends for man to Babblings, Sanctification.]
be allowed to own property. The eighth commandment PROFANE AND VAIN BABBLINGS. This expression
is “Thou shalt not steal.” A man can only steal that in 1 Ti. 6:20 is a warning pertaining to false and
which does not belong to him; thus we see that a man is unedifying teachings. “Babblings” refers to speaking.
to work and to enjoy the fruit of his labor. Property is to “Profane” means common, unsanctified, impure. It
be in the hands of men who have labored for it and who describes Esau because he did not value his spiritual
are responsible for it. To take away that property is to heritage (He. 12:16). It describes a careless, secular
break God’s law. The Israelites owned property, but they attitude toward the things of God (Le. 18:21; Mt. 12:5).
recognized that it was God’s and that they were “Vain” means empty, without value. Thus profane
stewards of it (Le. 25:13-17; 1 Ki. 4:25). It is also babblings refers to teachings which are based on the
important to note that when Israel turned away from unsanctified reasoning of man rather than the guidance
God, they lost their possessions and were put in of the Holy Spirit. Vain babblings are teachings which
bondage to their enemies as part of God’s judgment (Le. have no spiritual value, which do not edify but rather
26:22; De. 28:31-33). which cause mere questionings and confusion and
In the Christian dispensation, God’s Word continues to which bring spiritual injury. “Profane and vain
grant man the privilege of private ownership of babblings” is a description of every form of false
property. This is assumed by the N.T. commands against teaching. [See False Teaching, Profane, Vain, Vain
stealing (Ep. 4:28; Tit. 3:9-10). There are many N.T. Babbling.]
examples of Christians owning property: Ac. 10:6; PROFESS. To declare openly (De. 24:3; Mt. 7:23; Tit.
12:12; 16:15; Ro. 16:5; 1 Co. 11:22; 16:19; Phile. 2, 22. 1:16).
The situation in the early part of Acts when the PROFIT. (1) To benefit; to advance (Job 30:2; Pr.
members of the church in Jerusalem sold their 10:2; Mk. 8:36; Jn. 6:63; Ga. 1:14; 5:2). (2) Favour; gift
possessions and distributed it to the common good was (2 Co. 1:15; 1 Ti. 6:2).
unique to that circumstance. The church had grown PROGENITOR. To conceive (Ge., 49:26).
from 120 to several thousand in a matter of days and
many of the new members were from other parts of the PROGNOSTICATOR. One who foretells the future by
country (Ac. 1:15; 2:5-11, 41). That God did not intend the observance of signs. “They pretended to know the
for churches to practice communalism under ordinary future by observing the shape of the moon, or at the
circumstances is plain in that we do not see any other new moon made known their monthly predictions.
churches practicing this even in N.T. times. It is also From Isaiah’s challenge, it can be seen that Scripture
plain in the words spoken to Ananias and Sapphira in regards astrology and horoscopes as worthless and false,
Ac. 5:4. The decision whether or not to sell their practices forbidden to the people of God (Treasury) (Is.
property and whether or not to give the money to the 47:13). [See Witchcraft.]
church was a personal decision. One of the most direct PROLONG. Defer; postpone (Eze. 12:25).
passages in the N.T. epistles dealing with possessions is PROPER. (1) Comely; fair (He. 11:23). (2) That
1 Ti. 6:17-19. Here the Word of God exhorts the which belongs to one (1 Ch. 29:3; Ac. 1:19).
Christian to be generous in the distribution of his PROPERTY. [See Covet, Employment, Gold, Labor,
possessions, but it also says God “giveth us richly all Money, Offerings, Private Ownership of Property, Steal,
things to enjoy” (1 Ti. 6:17). In Eternity there will Stewardship, Tithe.]
continue to be privately-owned property. See Ge. 17:8; PROPHECY. The Greek word for prophecy means “to
Ps. 69:35; Mi. 4:4; Mt. 6:20; 1 Pe. 1:4; Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Ti. tell before.” Bible prophecy refers not merely to the
6:19. [See Employment, Gold, Greedy, Labor, Money, foretelling of future events, but to divine revelation in
Possessions, Sluggard, Steal, Stewardship, Tithe.] general, God showing man that which he cannot find
PRIVILY. Privately; secretly (Ju. 9:31; 1 Sa. 24:4; Ps. out for himself. The “more sure word of prophecy”
11:2; 101:5; Mt. 1:19; 2:7; Ac. 16:37; 2 Pe. 2:1). refers to the entire New Testament revelation, not
PRIVY MEMBER. Male private parts (De. 23:1). merely to the descriptions of the future (2 Pe. 1:19-21).
PROCHORUS (leader of the choir). Ac. 6:5. The Power of Prophecy as Christian Evidence
PROFANE. (1) To curse or use lightly (Le. 18:21; “[Fulfilled prophecy] is equivalent to any miracle, and
19:12). (2) To defile (Le. 22:15; Ne. 13:17). (3) is of itself evidently miraculous. The foreknowledge of
the actions of free and intelligent agents, is one of the

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