The term "remiss" refers to a lack of care or attention to duty; negligence. In a biblical context, being remiss is often associated with spiritual laziness, neglect of God's commandments, or failure to fulfill one's responsibilities before God and others. The Bible, while not using the exact term "remiss," addresses the concept through various passages that warn against negligence and encourage diligence in faith and practice.

Biblical References and Themes

1. Negligence in Spiritual Duties: The Bible frequently warns against being negligent in one's spiritual life. In Proverbs 24:30-34, the imagery of a neglected field serves as a metaphor for spiritual laziness: "I went past the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was broken down." This passage highlights the consequences of being remiss in maintaining one's spiritual life, leading to ruin and poverty.

2. Diligence in Faith: The New Testament encourages believers to be diligent in their faith and service to God. Hebrews 6:11-12 states, "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that your hope may be fully assured. Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." Here, diligence is contrasted with sluggishness, urging believers to remain steadfast and active in their faith.

3. Accountability and Stewardship: The parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 illustrates the importance of being responsible and not remiss in using the gifts and opportunities God provides. The servant who buried his talent was rebuked for his negligence, as seen in Matthew 25:26 : "You wicked, lazy servant!" This parable underscores the expectation that believers should actively engage in God's work and not be idle or negligent.

4. Warnings Against Complacency: Revelation 3:15-16 addresses the church in Laodicea, warning against spiritual complacency: "I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of My mouth." This passage serves as a stark warning against being remiss in one's zeal for God, emphasizing the need for fervency and commitment.

5. Consequences of Being Remiss: The Bible also outlines the consequences of negligence in spiritual matters. In James 4:17 , it is written, "Therefore, whoever knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin." This verse highlights the moral responsibility to act rightly and the sinfulness of neglecting one's duties.

Practical Implications

For believers, the concept of being remiss serves as a call to vigilance and active engagement in their spiritual lives. It encourages self-examination to ensure that one's faith is not marked by negligence or complacency. The biblical exhortations to diligence, accountability, and fervency serve as guiding principles for living a life that honors God and fulfills His purposes.1. (a.) Not careful or promptly fulfilling a duty; negligent; careless; tardy; behindhand; lagging; slack; hence, lacking earnestness or activity; languid; slow.

2. (n.) The act of being remiss; inefficiency; failure.

812. atakteo -- to be out of order, be remiss
... to be out of order, be remiss. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: atakteo Phonetic
Spelling: (at-ak-teh'-o) Short Definition: I behave disorderly Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/812.htm - 6k

3576. nothros -- sluggish, slothful
... Transliteration: nothros Phonetic Spelling: (no-thros') Short Definition: dull,
sluggish Definition: blunt, dull, hence spiritually; sluggish, remiss, slack. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3576.htm - 6k

Whether the Will is Moved by a Passion of the Senstive Appetite?
... soul's powers are rooted in the one essence of the soul, it follows of necessity
that, when one power is intent in its act, another power becomes remiss, or is ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the will is moved 11.htm

Whether, after Penance, Man Rises Again to Equal virtue?
... an act of penance, as stated above (Q[86], A[2]). But it is evident that forms which
admit of being more or less, become intense or remiss, according to the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether after penance man rises.htm

Whence it is not Right Either that those of the Clergy who have ...
... with sorrow, and hence by violence seize on their departure from this world; and
also lest any of the lapsed should have a pretext for being remiss by occasion ...
/.../peter/the writings of peter of alexandria/canon x whence it is.htm

Whether Magnanimity is a virtue?
... For, in the first place, the magnanimous is unmindful of favors; secondly, he
is remiss and slow of action; thirdly, he employs irony [*Cf. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether magnanimity is a virtue.htm

Matt. xxiii. 1-3.
... I mean, that lest any one should say, that because my teacher is bad, therefore
am I become more remiss, He takes away even this pretext. ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxxii matt xxiii 1-3.htm

Letter clvi. To Leo Augustus.
... VI. He promises more detailed statements on the Faith subsequently, and begs
him to correct certain things in which Anatolius is remiss. ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/letter clvi to leo augustus.htm

Philippians iv. 14-Oct
... they who confer benefits, when they see the receiver not well affected toward them,
but despising the gifts, are themselves rendered more remiss, (for they ...
/.../homily xv philippians iv 14-oct.htm

Philippians iii. 13, 14
... real excellences vain and puffs them away, as to be remembering the good deeds we
have done; for this produces two evils, it both renders us remiss, and raises ...
/.../homily xii philippians iii 13.htm

Matt. xix. 27
... of punishment any men should despair and become more hardened, nor by the promises
of good things be rendered causelessly more remiss, He remedies both these ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxiv matt xix 27.htm

Matt. xxvi. 6, 7
... Knowing this, then, let us also not intermit to do all things unto them that sin
and are remiss, warning, teaching, exhorting, admonishing, advising, though we ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxxx matt xxvi 6.htm

Remiss (4 Occurrences)
... slow. 2. (n.) The act of being remiss; inefficiency; failure.
Multi-Version Concordance Remiss (4 Occurrences). Exodus ...
/r/remiss.htm - 7k

Slacken (1 Occurrence)
... dry weather. 2. (v.) To be remiss or backward; to be negligent. 3. (v ... a
bandage. 9. (vt) To neglect; to be remiss in. 10. (vt) To ...
/s/slacken.htm - 7k

Remission (18 Occurrences)

/r/remission.htm - 13k

Quantity (18 Occurrences)
... 5:8 and the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making heretofore ye do
put on them, ye do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they ...
/q/quantity.htm - 13k

Reminding (4 Occurrences)

/r/reminding.htm - 7k

Relax (5 Occurrences)
... study. 8. (n.) Relaxation. 9. (a.) Relaxed; lax; hence, remiss; careless.
Multi-Version Concordance Relax (5 Occurrences). Deuteronomy ...
/r/relax.htm - 9k

Slack (19 Occurrences)
... hand. 5. (superl.) Remiss; backward; not using due diligence or care; not
earnest or eager; as, slack in duty or service. 6. (superl ...
/s/slack.htm - 12k

Proper (62 Occurrences)
... 5:8 and the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making heretofore ye do
put on them, ye do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they ...
/p/proper.htm - 57k

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