Definition and Scope:
Abuse refers to the improper treatment or use of something or someone, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. It encompasses a range of behaviors including physical, emotional, verbal, and spiritual mistreatment. In the context of biblical teachings, abuse is contrary to the principles of love, respect, and justice that are central to the Christian faith.

Biblical References and Principles:

1. Physical Abuse:
The Bible does not explicitly mention "abuse" as a term, but it condemns violence and harm against others. In Ephesians 4:31 , believers are instructed to "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice." This verse underscores the rejection of violent and harmful behavior.

2. Emotional and Verbal Abuse:
Scripture emphasizes the power of words and the importance of using them to build up rather than tear down. Proverbs 12:18 states, "There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." This highlights the destructive potential of harsh words and the value of speaking with kindness and wisdom.

3. Spiritual Abuse:
Spiritual abuse occurs when authority is misused in a religious context to control or manipulate others. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their legalism and hypocrisy, which burdened people rather than liberating them. In Matthew 23:4 , He says, "They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them."

4. God’s Compassion and Justice:
The Bible consistently portrays God as a defender of the oppressed and a champion of justice. Psalm 9:9 declares, "The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." This assurance of divine support for those who suffer injustice is a recurring theme throughout Scripture.

5. Call to Love and Respect:
The teachings of Jesus and the apostles call for love and respect in all relationships. In John 13:34 , Jesus commands, "A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another." This commandment forms the foundation for healthy, non-abusive relationships.

6. Role of the Church:
The early church is depicted as a community of mutual care and support. Acts 2:44-45 describes how "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need." This model of community life stands in stark contrast to abusive dynamics, emphasizing care and provision for one another.

Practical Implications for Believers:

· Awareness and Prevention: Believers are called to be vigilant against all forms of abuse, recognizing the signs and taking steps to prevent it within their communities.
· Support for Victims: The church is encouraged to provide a safe haven for those who have suffered abuse, offering support, counseling, and practical assistance.
· Accountability and Justice: Those who perpetrate abuse should be held accountable, and justice should be pursued in accordance with biblical principles and the laws of the land.
· Healing and Restoration: The message of the Gospel includes hope for healing and restoration for both victims and perpetrators, emphasizing repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation where possible.

Conclusion:
While the Bible does not use the term "abuse," its teachings provide a clear framework for understanding and addressing abusive behavior. Through its emphasis on love, justice, and community, Scripture offers guidance for preventing abuse and supporting those affected by it.Ephesians 6:4
And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Topicalbible.org

Colossians 3:21
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Topicalbible.org

1 Timothy 1:10
For fornicators, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for enslavers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Topicalbible.org

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Topicalbible.org

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?
Topicalbible.org

1. (v. t.) To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of; as, to abuse one's authority.

2. (v. t.) To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience.

3. (v. t.) To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.

4. (v. t.) To dishonor.

5. (v. t.) To violate; to ravish.

6. (v. t.) To deceive; to impose on.

7. (v. t.) Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language.

8. (v. t.) Physical ill treatment; injury.

9. (n.) A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service.

10. (v. t.) Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling.

11. (v. t.) Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child.

ABUSE

a-buz': "To dishonor," "to make mock of," "to insult," etc.

(1) Translated in the Old Testament from `alal, "to do harm," "to defile" (Judges 19:25), "to make mock of" (1 Samuel 31:4).

(2) Translated in the New Testament from arsenokoites, literally, "one who lies with a male," "a sodomite" (1 Corinthians 6:9 1 Timothy 1:10; the King James Version "for them that defile themselves with mankind").

(3) In the King James Version 1 Corinthians 7:31 "as not abusing it," from katachraomai, "to abuse," i.e. misuse; the Revised Version (British and American) "using it to the full," also 1 Corinthians 9:18.

3058. loidoreo -- to abuse, revile
... to abuse, revile. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: loidoreo Phonetic Spelling:
(loy-dor-eh'-o) Short Definition: I revile, abuse Definition: I revile a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3058.htm - 7k

3059. loidoria -- abuse, railing
... abuse, railing. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: loidoria Phonetic
Spelling: (loy-dor-ee'-ah) Short Definition: reviling, abuse Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3059.htm - 6k

671. apochresis -- abuse, misuse
... abuse, misuse. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: apochresis Phonetic
Spelling: (ap-okh'-ray-sis) Short Definition: using up Definition: using up ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/671.htm - 6k

486. antiloidoreo -- to revile in turn
... to revile in turn. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: antiloidoreo Phonetic Spelling:
(an-tee-loy-dor-eh'-o) Short Definition: I abuse in return, give abuse ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/486.htm - 7k

2710. katachraomai -- to make full use of
... overuse, misuse, abuse. From kata and chraomai; to overuse, ie Misuse -- abuse.
see GREEK kata. see GREEK chraomai. (katachresasthai) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2710.htm - 6k

1908. epereazo -- to revile
... 1908 (from 1909 , "upon" and , "threatening, reviling abuse") -- properly, to
intimidate by using threats and false accusations "tailor-made" to the situation ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1908.htm - 7k

987. blasphemeo -- to slander, hence to speak lightly or profanely ...
... Word Usage be spoken of as evil (1), blaspheme (4), blasphemed (6), blasphemers
(1), blasphemes (3), blaspheming (4), dishonored (1), hurling abuse (3), malign ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/987.htm - 9k

2551. kakologeo -- to speak ill of
... Verb Transliteration: kakologeo Phonetic Spelling: (kak-ol-og-eh'-o) Short Definition:
I speak evil of, curse Definition: I speak evil of, curse, revile, abuse ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2551.htm - 7k

5195. hubrizo -- to run riot, to outrage, insult
... to mistreat, insult. From hubris; to exercise violence, ie Abuse -- use despitefully,
reproach, entreat shamefully (spitefully). see GREEK hubris. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5195.htm - 7k

5953. alal -- to act severely
... to act severely. Transliteration: alal Phonetic Spelling: (aw-lal') Short Definition:
abuse. abuse, affect, child, defile, do, glean, mock, practice, ...
/hebrew/5953.htm - 5k

5953a. alal -- to act severely
... 5953, 5953a. alal. 5953b . to act severely. Transliteration: alal Short
Definition: abuse. Word Origin a prim. root Definition to ...
/hebrew/5953a.htm - 5k

Abuse of the Gospel.
... VI. CAUTIONS. Hymn 72 Abuse of the gospel. William Cowper 8,6,8,6. Abuse of the
gospel. Too many, LORD, abuse thy grace,. In this licentious day; ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 72 abuse of the.htm

Continuing to Pour Abuse Upon Jesus as one Who...
... Chapter LXXI. Continuing to pour abuse upon Jesus as one who? Continuing
to pour abuse upon Jesus as one who, on account of his ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter lxxi continuing to pour.htm

Of the Manifold Abuse of Speech.
... Section II. Of the manifold Abuse of Speech. And now, since the original
designs of speaking are so noble, so advantageous, one ...
/.../allestree/the government of the tongue/section ii of the manifold.htm

Facts Show that the Terms of Abuse which He Has Employed against ...
... Book I. Section 8. Facts show that the terms of abuse which he has employed
against Basil are more suitable for himself. But these ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 8 facts show that.htm

But Here Lies the Great Mistake, or Rather Idolatrous Abuse of all ...
... Address 157: But here lies the great mistake, or rather idolatrous abuse
of all God's outward dispensations.? But here lies the ...
/.../address 157 0 0 but here lies.htm

All These Charges, Then, which Might Truly be Better Termed Abuse. ...
... Book III. 1 All these charges, then, which might truly be better termed
abuse? All these charges, then, which might truly be better ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/1 all these charges then.htm

Heretics, in Fact, do not Use, but Only Abuse, Scripture no Common ...
... The Prescription Against Heretics. Chapter XVII."Heretics, in Fact, Do Not Use,
But Only Abuse, Scripture No Common Ground Between Them and You. ...
/.../the prescription against heretics/chapter xvii heretics in fact do.htm

No Man Hates his Own Flesh, not Even those who Abuse It.
... Book I. Chapter 24."No Man Hates His Own Flesh, Not Even Those Who Abuse
It. 24. No man, then, hates himself. On this point, indeed ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 24 no man hates his.htm

No Creature of God is Evil, but to Abuse a Creature of God is Evil ...
... Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the Manich??ans. Chapter 36. "No Creature
of God is Evil, But to Abuse a Creature of God is Evil. ...
/.../chapter 36 name creature of.htm

The Gradual Abasement of the Soul from Truth to Falsehood by the ...
... Against the Heathen. Section 4. The gradual abasement of the Soul from
Truth to Falsehood by the abuse of her freedom of Choice. ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 4 the gradual abasement.htm

Abuse (17 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use
for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make ...
/a/abuse.htm - 13k

Abusive (7 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Practicing abuse; prone to ill treat by coarse, insulting words or
by other ill usage; as, an abusive author; an abusive fellow. ...
/a/abusive.htm - 9k

Insult (25 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) Gross abuse offered to another, either by word or act; an act or
speech of insolence or contempt; an affront; an indignity. ...
/i/insult.htm - 13k

Outrage (3 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Injurious violence or wanton wrong done to persons or things; a gross violation
of right or decency; excessive abuse; wanton mischief; gross injury. ...
/o/outrage.htm - 8k

Requiting (3 Occurrences)
... 1 Peter 3:9 not requiting evil with evil nor abuse with abuse, but, on the contrary,
giving a blessing in return, because a blessing is what you have been ...
/r/requiting.htm - 7k

Returning (37 Occurrences)
... 1 Peter 3:9 not requiting evil with evil nor abuse with abuse, but, on the contrary,
giving a blessing in return, because a blessing is what you have been ...
/r/returning.htm - 17k

Profane (69 Occurrences)
... 5. (v.) To violate, as anything sacred; to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy,
or contempt; to desecrate; to pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to ...
/p/profane.htm - 30k

Blasphemy (15 Occurrences)
... 9, 11, 21. It denotes also any kind of calumny, or evil-speaking, or abuse
(1 Kings 21:10; Acts 13:45; 18:6, etc.). Our Lord was ...
/b/blasphemy.htm - 20k

Armourbearer (14 Occurrences)
... 31:4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through
therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. ...
/a/armourbearer.htm - 11k

Armour-bearer (14 Occurrences)
... 31:4 Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through
with it; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. ...
/a/armour-bearer.htm - 11k

What does the Bible say about abuse? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about emotional abuse? | GotQuestions.org

How can I overcome the pain of past abuse? | GotQuestions.org

Abuse: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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