Definition and Context:
In biblical terms, "forwardness" often refers to a disposition characterized by boldness, assertiveness, or a willingness to act. It can carry both positive and negative connotations depending on the context in which it is used. In some instances, forwardness is associated with eagerness and readiness to do good, while in others, it may imply presumptuousness or a lack of humility.

Biblical References:

1. Positive Connotations:
· 2 Corinthians 8:10-11 : "And this is my opinion in this matter: It is profitable for you, who not only began to do something last year but also were willing. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means." Here, the Apostle Paul commends the Corinthians for their forwardness in being eager and willing to contribute to the needs of others. Their forwardness is seen as a virtue, reflecting a readiness to act in accordance with their faith.

2. Negative Connotations:
· Proverbs 21:29 : "A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure." While the term "forwardness" is not explicitly used in this verse, the concept is implied in the contrast between the wicked and the upright. The wicked man's hardened face suggests a forwardness that is obstinate and defiant, whereas the upright man's sure way implies a forwardness that is guided by righteousness and wisdom.

3. Warnings Against Presumptuous Forwardness:
· James 4:13-16 : "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.' You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil." James warns against a forwardness that presumes upon the future without acknowledging God's sovereignty. This kind of forwardness is seen as arrogance and is cautioned against.

Theological Implications:

Forwardness, when aligned with God's will and purposes, is a commendable trait that reflects a proactive faith and a readiness to serve. It is the eagerness to act upon one's convictions and to fulfill God's commands with zeal. However, when forwardness becomes presumptuous or self-reliant, it can lead to pride and a disregard for God's guidance. The Bible encourages believers to balance their forwardness with humility, seeking God's will in all their endeavors.

Practical Application:

Believers are encouraged to cultivate a forwardness that is rooted in faith and love. This involves being proactive in good works, eager to serve others, and ready to share the gospel. At the same time, they must remain humble, acknowledging their dependence on God and seeking His direction in all things. By doing so, they can ensure that their forwardness is a reflection of their commitment to Christ and His kingdom.1. (n.) The quality of being forward; cheerful readiness; promptness; as, the forwardness of Christians in propagating the gospel.

2. (n.) An advanced stage of progress or of preparation; advancement; as, his measures were in great forwardness.

3. (n.) Eagerness; ardor; as, it is difficult to restrain the forwardness of youth.

4. (n.) Boldness; confidence; assurance; want of due reserve or modesty.

5. (n.) A state of advance beyond the usual degree; prematureness; precocity; as, the forwardness of spring or of corn; the forwardness of a pupil.

FORWARD; FORWARDNESS

for'-werd for'-werd-nes (hale'ah, naca`; spoudaios):

As an adverb "forward" has the meaning of "onward" in space or time, or in the movement of affairs. As an adjective it has the sense of "readiness," "willingness," etc. The adverb only is found in the Old Testament. It is the translation of hale'ah, "distance," "onward"; in space (Numbers 32:19 1 Samuel 10:3); in time (Ezekiel 39:22, "from that day and forward"; Ezekiel 43:27); once of halakh, "to go on" (Genesis 26:13, "went forward," the King James Version margin, Hebrew "went going," the Revised Version (British and American) "grew more and more"); twice of ma`al, "above," "upward" (1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Samuel 30:25, "from that day forward"); once of ya'al, "to cause to go up," "advance" (Job 30:13, "They set forward (advance or help on) my calamity"); twice of lephanim, "to the front" (Jeremiah 7:24 Ezekiel 10:22, "They went every one straight forward," literally, "on the side of their face"); once of qedhem, "before" (Job 23:8, "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there"); once with nakhah, "to smite" (2 Kings 3:24); frequently in Numbers, and once in Exodus, of naca`, "to lift up," "remove," "journey" (Exodus 14:15, "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward"; Numbers 1:51, "when the tabernacle setteth forward"; Numbers 2:24 the King James Version, "They shall go forward," etc.); it is also the translation of natsach (Piel), "to be over," "to take the lead," "to superintend" (1 Chronicles 23:4, "to set forward (to carry onward, to advance) the work of the house of the Lord," the King James Version margin and text of the Revised Version (British and American) "to oversee"; 2 Chronicles 34:12, "to set it forward," the Revised Version (British and American) retains, margin, "to preside over it"; Ezra 3:8 margin, "set forward the work"). This word means also "to lead" in music, to precent; hence, in the title of many psalms, la-menatseach, "For the chief musician." Proerchomai, "to go forward," etc., is translated "went forward" (Mark 14:35); propempo, "to send forward" (3 John 1:6, "bring forward," the Revised Version (British and American) "set forward"); proballo, "to throw or put forward" (Acts 19:33, "putting him forward"); as adjective it is the translation of thelo, "to wish," "will" (2 Corinthians 8:10, "to be forward a year ago"; the King James Version margin (Greek) "willing," the Revised Version (British and American) "to will"); of spoudaios, "speedy," "earnest" (2 Corinthians 8:17, "being more forward," the Revised Version (British and American) "very earnest"); of spoudazo, "to make haste," "to be earnest" (Galatians 2:10, "which I also was forward to do," the Revised Version (British and American) "zealous to do").

"Forward" occurs several times in Apocrypha, e.g. APC 1Esdras 1:27, "The Lord is with me hasting me forward" (epispeudo); APC 2Esdras 3:6, "before ever the earth came forward" (adventaret), meaning, perhaps, before it was ready for planting.

Forwardness is the translation of spoude, "speed," "zeal," etc. (2 Corinthians 8:8, the Revised Version (British and American) "earnestness"); of prothumia "readiness of mind" (2 Corinthians 9:2, "the forwardness of your mind," the Revised Version (British and American) "your readiness"; The Wisdom of Solomon APC Wis 14:17, "that by their forwardness (spoude) they might flatter," the Revised Version (British and American) "zeal").

For "forward" the Revised Version (British and American) has "forth" (Numbers 2:24; compare 1 Corinthians 16:11); for "go forward" (Numbers 10:5), "take their journey"; for "set forward" (Numbers 21:10; Numbers 22:1), "journeyed"; "forward" for "ready" (Deuteronomy 1:41), for "forth" (Proverbs 25:6), for "farther" (Matthew 26:39); "put forward" for "appointed" (Acts 1:23): "set forward according to" for "took" (Numbers 10:12); "set forward" for "went" (Numbers 10:14, 34), for "departed" (Numbers 10:33); "set me forward" for "bring me" (1 Corinthians 16:6).

W. L. Walker

4710. spoude -- haste, diligence
... Word Origin from speudo Definition haste, diligence NASB Word Usage diligence (4),
earnestness (5), effort (1), hurry (2). haste, diligence, forwardness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4710.htm - 7k

4288. prothumia -- eagerness
... readiness, eagerness. From prothumos; predisposition, ie Alacrity -- forwardness
of mind, readiness (of mind), ready (willing) mind. see GREEK prothumos. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4288.htm - 7k

Epistle xxii. To the Clergy Abiding at Rome, Concerning Many of ...
... To the Clergy Abiding at Rome, Concerning Many of the Confessors, and Concerning
the Forwardness of Lucian and the Modesty of Celerinus the Confessor. ...
/.../cyprian/the epistles of cyprian/epistle xxii to the clergy.htm

Letter i. Behavior and Manners.
... I mean that of modest behavior as distinguished from forwardness and boldness.
One of the greatest charms of young girlhood is modesty ...
/.../letter i behavior and manners.htm

2 Cor. Ix. 1
... having said, "It is superfluous," yet discoursing at length about it,) he passed
on unto discourse of quickness and largeness and forwardness [in contributing ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xix 2 cor ix.htm

How the Forward and the Faint-Hearted are to be Admonished.
... But sometimes, when they are not at all aware of being guilty of the vice of
forwardness, they more speedily come to correction if they are confounded by the ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter viii how the forward.htm

2 Cor. viii. 7
... frame it unto greater strength. For I therefore say these things that I may
provoke you to the same forwardness. And I mention their ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xvii 2 cor viii.htm

Colossians i. 9, 10
... "According to the might of His glory." But that ye may take up again such
forwardness as it becometh the power of His glory to give. ...
/.../homily ii colossians i 9.htm

Matt. xix. 16
... For neither was it a small forwardness the young man had shown up to this time in
having fallen into such a desire; and when of the rest some were tempting ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxiii matt xix 16.htm

Acts xxii. 17-20
... them, to learn what the one is and what the other: narrowly, because these virtues
have their corresponding vices hard by them: mere forwardness passing itself ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xlviii acts xxii 17-20.htm

The Epistles of Cyprian
... To the Clergy Abiding at Rome, Concerning Many of the Confessors, and Concerning
the Forwardness of Lucian and the Modesty of Celerinus the Confessor. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/cyprian/the epistles of cyprian/

Letter viii. Who are the Cultivated?
... the dictatorial or arrogant form of address the impertinent question, the personal
familiarity, the curiosity about private affairs, the forwardness in giving ...
/.../letter viii who are the.htm

Forwardness (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The quality of being forward; cheerful readiness;
promptness; as, the forwardness of Christians in propagating the gospel. ...
/f/forwardness.htm - 13k

Forward (252 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. FORWARD; FORWARDNESS. for ... planting. Forwardness
is the translation of spoude, "speed," "zeal," etc. ...
/f/forward.htm - 42k

Incited (10 Occurrences)
... 2 Corinthians 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of
you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath ...
/i/incited.htm - 9k

Forwards (1 Occurrence)

/f/forwards.htm - 6k

Forwarding (1 Occurrence)

/f/forwarding.htm - 7k

Provoked (70 Occurrences)
... 2 Corinthians 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of
you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath ...
/p/provoked.htm - 28k

Ago (61 Occurrences)
... 2 Corinthians 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of
you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath ...
/a/ago.htm - 24k

Honest (34 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Characterized by integrity or fairness and straight/forwardness in conduct,
thought, speech, etc.; upright; just; equitable; trustworthy; truthful ...
/h/honest.htm - 18k

Occasion (53 Occurrences)
... 2 Corinthians 8:8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness
of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. (KJV WBS). ...
/o/occasion.htm - 23k

Prove (83 Occurrences)
... (WEY NAS). 2 Corinthians 8:8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the
forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. (KJV WBS RSV). ...
/p/prove.htm - 34k

Forwardness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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