Topical Encyclopedia In the context of the Bible, the term "affirm" is often associated with the act of confirming, asserting, or upholding truth and faith. It involves a declaration of belief or the reinforcement of a particular truth or promise. The concept of affirmation is woven throughout Scripture, where God's promises, truths, and the faith of believers are consistently affirmed.Affirmation of God's Promises The Bible is replete with instances where God affirms His promises to His people. In Genesis 22:16-18, God reaffirms His covenant with Abraham, saying, "By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore." This affirmation underscores God's faithfulness and the certainty of His promises. Affirmation of Faith Believers are called to affirm their faith in God and His Word. In Romans 10:9-10, the Apostle Paul writes, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved." This passage highlights the importance of verbal affirmation of faith as a component of salvation. Affirmation of Truth The Bible emphasizes the affirmation of truth as a vital aspect of Christian living. In Ephesians 4:15, Paul encourages believers to speak the truth in love, "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head." Affirming truth is essential for spiritual growth and unity within the body of Christ. Affirmation in the Early Church The early church practiced affirmation through the creeds and confessions of faith. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul exhorts Timothy, "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." This reflects the practice of publicly affirming one's faith as a testimony to others. Affirmation of God's Character Scripture also affirms the character of God, declaring His attributes and nature. In Exodus 34:6-7, God proclaims His own character to Moses, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and truth, maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin." This affirmation serves as a foundation for understanding God's relationship with humanity. Affirmation in Worship Affirmation is a key component of worship, where believers declare the greatness and goodness of God. The Psalms are filled with affirmations of God's majesty and power. Psalm 145:10-11 states, "All You have made will give You thanks, O LORD, and Your saints will bless You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might." Through worship, believers affirm their devotion and reverence for God. Affirmation of Identity in Christ The New Testament affirms the believer's identity in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" This affirmation of a transformed identity encourages believers to live in accordance with their new nature. Affirmation of Hope The Bible affirms the hope that believers have in Christ. In Hebrews 10:23, the author exhorts, "Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." This affirmation of hope is rooted in the faithfulness of God and the assurance of His promises. In summary, the concept of affirmation in the Bible encompasses the confirmation of God's promises, the declaration of faith, the upholding of truth, and the acknowledgment of one's identity and hope in Christ. Through affirmation, believers are encouraged to live out their faith with confidence and assurance in the truth of God's Word. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (v. t.) to assert or confirm, as a judgment, decree, or order, brought before an appellate court for review.2. (v. t.) To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true; -- opposed to deny. 3. (v. t.) To declare, as a fact, solemnly, under judicial sanction. See Affirmation. 4. (v. i.) To declare or assert positively. 5. (v. i.) To make a solemn declaration, before an authorized magistrate or tribunal, under the penalties of perjury; to testify by affirmation. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia AFFIRM; AFFIRMATIVESa-fur'-ma-tivs (diischurizomai). The verb "affirm" occurs in several passages of the New Testament in the sense of "assert" Luke 22:59 Acts 12:15; Acts 25:19 pha-sko; Romans 3:8 phemi; 1Ti 17, Titus 3:8 diabebaioomai. The Hebrew does not employ affirmative particles, but gives a positive reply by either repeating the word in question or by substituting the first person in the reply for the second person in the question, or by employing the formula: "Thou hast said" or "Thou hast rightly said." The Saviour used this idiom (su eipas) when answering Judas and Caiaphas (Matthew 26:25, 64). A peculiar elegance occasionally attaches to the interpretation of the Scriptures because of their use of an affirmative and a negative together, rendering the sense more emphatic; sometimes the negative occurs first, as in Psalm 118:17: "I shall not die, but live"; sometimes the affirmative precedes, as in Isaiah 88:1: "Thou shalt die, and not bye" John 1:20 is made peculiarly emphatic because of the negative placed between two affirmatives: "And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ." Greek 5335. phasko -- to affirm, assert ... to affirm, assert. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: phasko Phonetic Spelling: (fas'-ko) Short Definition: I assert, affirm, profess Definition: I assert ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5335.htm - 6k 1226. diabebaioomai -- to affirm confidently 1340. diischurizomai -- to lean upon, affirm confidently 3143. marturomai -- to summon as witness, to affirm 1263. diamarturomai -- to affirm solemnly 5346. phemi -- to declare, say 4100. pisteuo -- to believe, entrust 720. arneomai -- to deny, say no 4837. sumparakaleo -- to exhort together, pass. to be strengthened ... 3513. ne -- by (a particle of affirmation employed in oaths) Library "Will You Affirm that to be False, which with a Strong Voice Truth ... Ninth Tractate. Against those that Affirm the Creator of the ... Fragment xii. From this Record, Therefore, we Affirm that Ogygus ... And we Affirm Indeed the Existence of Certain Spiritual Essences.. ... I Ask, Father, I Affirm Not: O My God... Against those who Affirm that Earthly Bodies Cannot be Made ... The Pelagians Affirm that God in the Case of Abraham and Sarah ... I Affirm that not one of the Faithful Has ever a Crown Upon his ... There are Two Propositions, Moreover, which we Affirm... But as Regards his Saying, "Nor Let any one Affirm that what They. ... Thesaurus Affirm (7 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. AFFIRM; AFFIRMATIVES. a-fur'-ma-tivs (diischurizomai). ... Multi-Version Concordance Affirm (7 Occurrences). ... /a/affirm.htm - 10k Swear (99 Occurrences) Testify (110 Occurrences) Maintain (50 Occurrences) Confidently (32 Occurrences) Confidence (103 Occurrences) Affirmatives Sinlessness Pentateuch Affinity (4 Occurrences) Resources Do the Qur'an and Muhammad affirm or reject the Bible? Should a Muslim read the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the supremacy of Christ and what are its implications? | GotQuestions.org What is the eternal procession of the Holy Spirit? | GotQuestions.org Affirm: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Affirm (7 Occurrences)Romans 3:8 Romans 4:9 1 Corinthians 15:31 Ephesians 4:17 1 Timothy 1:7 Titus 3:8 Jeremiah 23:31 Subtopics Related Terms |