The concept of "deter" in the Bible is closely related to the idea of preventing or restraining someone from taking a particular action, especially one that is sinful or harmful. While the specific term "deter" may not frequently appear in many English translations of the Bible, the underlying principle is evident throughout Scripture. The Bible often addresses the need to deter individuals from sin and to encourage righteous living through various means, including divine commandments, wisdom literature, and the example of Jesus Christ.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the Law given to Moses serves as a primary means of deterring the Israelites from sin. The commandments and statutes were designed to guide the people in holiness and to prevent them from engaging in behaviors that would lead them away from God. For instance, the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) provide clear prohibitions against actions such as idolatry, murder, theft, and adultery, serving as a deterrent against these sins.

The wisdom literature, particularly the Book of Proverbs, frequently addresses the concept of deterrence through the promotion of wisdom and the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." This verse highlights the role of reverence for God as a deterrent against foolish and sinful behavior.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the teachings of Jesus and the apostles continue to emphasize the importance of deterring sin. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) provides moral and ethical teachings that serve to deter believers from sinful actions by calling them to a higher standard of righteousness. For example, in Matthew 5:27-28 , Jesus expands on the commandment against adultery by teaching that even lustful thoughts are sinful, thus deterring believers from both external and internal sin.

The apostle Paul also addresses the concept of deterrence in his epistles. In Romans 13:14 , Paul writes, "Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires." Here, Paul encourages believers to live in a way that deters them from succumbing to sinful desires by focusing on their identity in Christ.

Divine Discipline and Deterrence

The Bible also presents divine discipline as a means of deterring sin. Hebrews 12:5-6 states, "And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: 'My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.'" This passage underscores the idea that God's discipline is intended to deter His children from continuing in sin and to guide them back to righteousness.

Community and Accountability

The role of the Christian community in deterring sin is also emphasized in the New Testament. Believers are encouraged to hold one another accountable and to lovingly correct those who are straying from the path of righteousness. In Galatians 6:1 , Paul instructs, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." This highlights the importance of mutual accountability in deterring sin within the body of Christ.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of deterrence is multifaceted, involving divine commandments, wisdom, the example of Christ, divine discipline, and community accountability. These elements work together to guide believers away from sin and toward a life that honors God.(v. t.) To prevent by fear; to hinder or prevent from action by fear of consequences, or difficulty, risk, etc.

The Sufferings of Christ Reconciled with the Goodness of God.
... even from the apparent natural tendency of this method of our redemption"its tendency
to vindicate the authority of God's laws, and deter his creatures from ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/chapter iii the sufferings of.htm

Who are These Men who are Wont to Dispute at Such Great Length in ...
... wholly from Origen; these men who are afraid of their literary thefts becoming known,
and shew ingratitude towards their master, and who therefore deter men of ...
/.../22 who are these men.htm

The Lord's Prayer. Our Father who Art in Heaven.
... This you must note above all things, that thereby you may silence and repel
such thoughts as would keep and deter us from prayer. ...
/.../luther/the large catechism/the lords prayer our father.htm

The Criminal and his Relation to Society.
... This portrait of Cain illustrates the fact that formal religious worship
does not necessarily deter a man from becoming a criminal. ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study iii the criminal and.htm

Against Rash and Vain Swearing.
... with the monstrous folly, of such rash and vain swearing will appear; the which
being laid to heart will, I hope, effectually dissuade and deter from it. ...
/.../sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/against rash and vain swearing.htm

The Acquirement of Spiritual Power
... up his comforts and remains firm. Even the prospect of torture and death
cannot alter or deter him. The man of self regards the ...
/.../allen/the way of peace/the acquirement of spiritual power.htm

Washed to Greater Foulness
... becomes conscious of guilt; secondly, the soul that is quickened makes ineffectual
attempts to rid itself of the stain of guilt; thirdly, to deter his people ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/washed to greater foulness.htm

Appendix B
... My dislike to increase the number of books would have been sufficient to deter me
from writing these pages, had I not been convinced, that this is the only way ...
//christianbookshelf.org/muller/answers to prayer/appendix b.htm

Summary of the Subject.
... weight in the Greek Church. It did not prevent different opinions, nor deter
individuals from dissent. Thus Athanasius, who disliked ...
/.../davidson/the canon of the bible/chapter ix summary of the.htm

The Arrest
... But the respect due to a place of prayer did not deter him; on the contrary,
he took advantage of his Master's well-known habit. ...
/.../stalker/the trial and death of jesus christ/chapter i the arrest.htm

Deter (1 Occurrence)
... (vt) To prevent by fear; to hinder or prevent from action by fear of consequences,
or difficulty, risk, etc. Multi-Version Concordance Deter (1 Occurrence). ...
/d/deter.htm - 6k

Determinate (1 Occurrence)

/d/determinate.htm - 8k

Ono (5 Occurrences)
... Not succeeding in their attempts to deter Nehemiah from rebuilding the walls of
Jerusalem, Sanballat and Tobiah resorted to strategem, and pretending to wish a ...
/o/ono.htm - 9k

Intimidate (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (vt) To make timid or fearful; to inspire of affect
with fear; to deter, as by threats; to dishearten; to abash. ...
/i/intimidate.htm - 7k

Detected (4 Occurrences)

/d/detected.htm - 7k

Discourage (3 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To dishearten one with respect to; to discountenance; to seek to check by
disfavoring; to deter one from; as, they discouraged his efforts. ...
/d/discourage.htm - 7k

Discouragement (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) That which discourages; that which deters, or tends to deter, from an
undertaking, or from the prosecution of anything; a determent; as, the revolution ...
/d/discouragement.htm - 7k

Startle (2 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To deter; to cause to deviate. 4. (n.) A sudden motion or shock caused
by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger. ...
/s/startle.htm - 7k

Luke (4 Occurrences)
... Nazareth. The fact that "many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative
concerning those matters" does not deter Luke from his task. ...
/l/luke.htm - 55k

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