The concept of moderation is a principle that can be discerned throughout the Bible, though the specific term "moderately" is not frequently used in most translations. Moderation, in a biblical sense, often refers to self-control, temperance, and balance in one's actions, thoughts, and lifestyle. It is a virtue that is encouraged as part of a righteous and godly life.

Biblical References and Context

1. Philippians 4:5 · "Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near."
The term "gentleness" in this passage can be understood as a form of moderation. It implies a balanced and considerate approach to others, avoiding extremes of harshness or indulgence. The call to let this gentleness be evident to all underscores the importance of moderation as a witness to the nearness of the Lord.

2. 1 Corinthians 9:25 · "Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable."
Here, the Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of an athlete to illustrate the importance of self-control and discipline, which are key aspects of moderation. The pursuit of an imperishable crown requires a life marked by moderation, where desires and actions are kept in check to achieve a higher spiritual goal.

3. Proverbs 25:16 · "If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up."
This proverb highlights the wisdom of moderation in consumption. It warns against excess and encourages a balanced approach to enjoying the good things in life. The imagery of eating too much honey serves as a caution against overindulgence, which can lead to negative consequences.

4. Galatians 5:22-23 · "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Self-control, listed as a fruit of the Spirit, is closely related to the concept of moderation. It involves the ability to regulate one's desires and actions, ensuring they align with God's will. This spiritual fruit is essential for living a life that reflects God's character.

Theological Implications

Moderation is a reflection of God's order and design for human life. It acknowledges the need for balance in all areas, including physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects. The practice of moderation is seen as a safeguard against the excesses that can lead to sin and distraction from one's spiritual journey.

In the New Testament, moderation is often linked with the idea of living a life that is pleasing to God, characterized by humility, contentment, and a focus on eternal values rather than temporary pleasures. It is a call to live wisely, making choices that honor God and reflect His nature.

Practical Application

For believers, practicing moderation involves a conscious effort to avoid extremes and maintain balance in daily life. This can include managing time, resources, and relationships in a way that honors God and serves others. It also involves cultivating a heart of contentment, recognizing that true satisfaction comes from God rather than material possessions or worldly achievements.

Moderation is not merely about restraint but about living a life that is fully aligned with God's purposes, where every aspect is submitted to His lordship. It is a discipline that requires ongoing reliance on the Holy Spirit, who empowers believers to live in a way that reflects the character of Christ.(adv.) In a moderate manner or degree; to a moderate extent.MODERATELY

mod'-er-at-li (litsedhaqah): "Moderately" is the King James Version translation of litsedhaqah, "righteousness" (Joel 2:23, "for he hath given you the former rain moderately," margin "according to righteousness," the Revised Version (British and American) "in just measure," margin "in (or for) righteousness"). In Philippians 4:5 the King James Version, toe pieikes is translated moderation: "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand," the Revised Version (British and American) "forbearance," margin "or gentleness"; compare 2 Corinthians 10:1. The proper meaning of this word has been the subject of considerable discussion; epieikeia is translated "clemency" (Acts 24:4), "gentleness" (of Christ) (2 Corinthians 10:1); epieikes is "gentle" (1 Timothy 3:3 Titus 3:2 James 3:17 1 Peter 2:18).

Trench says (Synonyms of the New Testament, 151): "It expresses exactly that moderation which recognizes the impossibility cleaving to formal law, of anticipating and providing for all cases that will emerge and present themselves to it for decision; which, with this, recognizes the danger that ever waits upon the assertion of legal rights, lest they should be pushed into moral wrongs, lest the `summum jus' should in practice prove the `summa injuria,' which therefore, pushes not its own rights to the uttermost, but going back in part or in the whole from these, rectifies and redresses the injustices of justice. It is thus more truly just than strict justice would have been; no Latin word exactly and adequately renders it; clementia sets forth one side of it, aequitas another, and perhaps modestia (by which the Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translations it in 2 Corinthians 10:1) a third; but the word is wanting which should set forth all these excellences reconciled in a single and higher one." Its archetype and pattern, he points out, is found in God, who does not stand upon or assert strict rights in His relations to men.

Lightfoot has "forbearance": "Let your gentle and forbearing spirit be recognized by all men. The judgment is drawing nigh." Hastings prefers "considerateness" or "sweet reasonableness" (HDB, III, 413); " `Gentleness' and `forbearance' are too passive. The `considerateness' of the Bible, whether applied to God or man, is an active virtue. It is the Spirit of the Messiah Himself, who will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax, and it is the spirit of every follower who realizes that `the Lord is at hand.' " The want of this "considerateness" too often mars our religious life and spoils its influence.

W. L. Walker

3357. metrios -- moderately
... moderately. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: metrios Phonetic Spelling:
(met-ree'-oce) Short Definition: moderately, greatly Definition: moderately ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3357.htm - 6k

4996. sophronos -- with sound mind
... soberly. Adverb from sophron; with sound mind, ie Moderately -- soberly. see GREEK
sophron. (sophronos) -- 1 Occurrence. 4995, 4996. sophronos. 4997 . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4996.htm - 7k

5259. hupo -- by, under
... In the comparative, it retains the same general applications, especially of inferior
position or condition, and specially, covertly or moderately. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5259.htm - 7k

6666. tsedaqah -- righteousness
... vindication (3). justice, moderately, righteous act,. From tsadaq; rightness
(abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively ...
/hebrew/6666.htm - 6k

Books on Introduction, Bible Dictionaries and Related Works.
... Eng. transl. by W. Urwick, London 1870. One of the best works on NT Introd. Standpoint,
moderately liberal. ... A scholarly and moderately conservative work. ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/i books on introduction bible.htm

Of the Affections, and the Refutation of the Opinion of the ...
... themselves, must be moderated. We must not, they say, rejoice with excessive
joy, but moderately and temperately. This is as though ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xvi of the affections and.htm

Whether Sorrow is Compatible with Moral virtue?
... Wherefore the sensitive appetite follows reason's rejection by sorrowing
for that evil; yet moderately, according as reason dictates. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether sorrow is compatible with.htm

Christ About his Father's Business
... in prayer, they will say""There is no need of such enthusiasm as this: you know
you can be religious, and not too religious; you can be moderately so." And ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/christ about his fathers business.htm

The Lutheran and Reformed Confessions.
... But its original doctrinal status was moderately Calvinistic, and for a time it
made even common cause with the ultra-Calvinistic Synod of Dort. ...
/.../ 39 the lutheran and.htm

Comfort for the Desponding
... It is a lie; it is a farce. Doth a wife ask her husband to be moderately loving?
Doth a parent expect his child to be moderately obedient? ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/comfort for the desponding.htm

Of the Mass.
... If, perchance, there were reasonable Papists we might speak moderately and in a
friendly way, thus: first, why they so rigidly uphold the Mass. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/luther/the smalcald articles/article ii of the mass.htm

First Part.
... Hee that doth moderately or remisly affect any thing, may be stiled Philemon, a
lover; he that earnestly or extreamely, Zelotes, a zelot; who to all the ...
/.../ward/a coal from the altar to kindle the holy fire of zeale/first part.htm

Praying Charlie.
... When he ate any thing, he would be sure to lift up his heart unto the Lord for a
blessing upon it; and when he had moderately refreshed himself by eating, he ...
/.../wesley/stories of boys and girls who loved the saviour/praying charlie.htm

Tobacco.
... or snuffing is carried through the circulation to the skin, lungs, liver, kidneys,
and to all the organs of the body, by which it is moderately resisted. ...
/.../judy/questionable amusements and worthy substitutes/i tobacco.htm

Moderately (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. MODERATELY. mod'-er ... influence. WL Walker.
Multi-Version Concordance Moderately (1 Occurrence). Joel ...
/m/moderately.htm - 10k

Tolerable (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Capable of being borne or endured;
moderately good. 2. (a.) Moderately good or agreeable; not ...
/t/tolerable.htm - 8k

Damp (1 Occurrence)
... 3. (n.) A gaseous product, formed in coal mines, old wells, pints, etc. 4. (superl.)
Being in a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist; humid. ...
/d/damp.htm - 7k

Pretty (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (superl.) Moderately large; considerable; as, he had saved a pretty fortune.
3. (superl.) Affectedly nice; foppish; -- used in an ill sense. ...
/p/pretty.htm - 7k

Jackal (3 Occurrences)
... It is smaller than a large dog, has a moderately bushy tail, and is reddish
brown with dark shadings above. It is cowardly and nocturnal. ...
/j/jackal.htm - 15k

Lukewarm (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Moderately warm; neither cold nor hot; tepid; not
ardent; not zealous; cool; indifferent. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/l/lukewarm.htm - 6k

Light (2869 Occurrences)
... 16. (superl) White or whitish; not intense or very marked; not of a deep shade;
moderately colored; as, a light color; a light brown; a light complexion. 17. ...
/l/light.htm - 31k

Warm (25 Occurrences)
... zeal; to enliven. 11. (vi) To become warm, or moderately heated; as, the
earth soon warms in a clear day summer. 12. (vi) To become ...
/w/warm.htm - 15k

Reasonably (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (adv.) In a reasonable manner. 2. (adv.) Moderately;
tolerably. Multi-Version Concordance Reasonably (2 Occurrences). ...
/r/reasonably.htm - 7k

Reddish (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Somewhat red; moderately red. Multi-Version
Concordance Reddish (6 Occurrences). Leviticus 13:19 and ...
/r/reddish.htm - 8k

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