In the context of the Bible, the concept of "response" is deeply intertwined with the relationship between God and humanity, as well as interpersonal relationships among individuals. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings on how individuals and communities are to respond to God’s commands, His grace, and the circumstances of life.

Response to God’s Call

One of the primary themes in Scripture is the response to God’s call. Throughout the Bible, God calls individuals to follow Him, to serve, and to obey His commandments. The response to this call is often depicted as an act of faith and obedience. For instance, in Genesis 12:1-4, Abram responds to God’s call to leave his country and go to a land that God would show him. His response is characterized by faith and trust in God’s promises.

In the New Testament, the call to follow Jesus is met with various responses. In Matthew 4:19-20, Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, saying, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Their immediate response is to leave their nets and follow Him, demonstrating a willingness to forsake all for the sake of Christ.

Response to God’s Word

The response to God’s Word is another critical aspect. In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23), Jesus illustrates different responses to the Word of God. The seed that falls on good soil represents those who hear the word and understand it, producing a fruitful response. This parable emphasizes the importance of a receptive heart and the transformative power of God’s Word when it is genuinely received.

Response to God’s Grace

The Bible also addresses the response to God’s grace and mercy. In Ephesians 2:8-10, Paul writes, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” The appropriate response to this grace is a life of good works, prepared by God for believers to walk in. This response is not to earn salvation but as a grateful acknowledgment of the grace received.

Response to Trials and Suffering

Scripture provides guidance on responding to trials and suffering. James 1:2-4 encourages believers to “consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” The response to trials is to view them as opportunities for growth and maturity in faith.

Response to Others

Interpersonal responses are also addressed in the Bible. The Great Commandment, as stated in Matthew 22:37-39, calls for a response of love towards God and others: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... Love your neighbor as yourself.” This commandment underscores the importance of love as the foundational response in relationships.

Furthermore, the Bible teaches about responding to enemies and those who wrong us. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus instructs, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This radical response of love and prayer for adversaries reflects the transformative power of the Gospel.

Response in Worship

Worship is a significant response to God’s majesty and goodness. The Psalms are replete with calls to worship and praise God. Psalm 95:6-7 invites believers, “Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care.” Worship is a response of reverence, adoration, and submission to God.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of response encompasses a wide range of actions and attitudes towards God, His Word, His grace, and others. It is a dynamic interaction that reflects the heart’s posture towards the divine and the world.1. (n.) The act of responding.

2. (n.) An answer or reply.

3. (n.) Reply to an objection in formal disputation.

4. (n.) The answer of the people or congregation to the priest or clergyman, in the litany and other parts of divine service.

5. (n.) A kind of anthem sung after the lessons of matins and some other parts of the office.

6. (n.) A repetition of the given subject in a fugue by another part on the fifth above or fourth below.

5538. chrematismos -- a divine response, an oracle
... a divine response, an oracle. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
chrematismos Phonetic Spelling: (khray-mat-is-mos') Short Definition: an oracle ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5538.htm - 6k

2150. eusebeia -- piety
... 2150 (from 2095 "well" and 4576 , "venerate, pay homage") -- properly, someone's
inner response to the things of God which shows itself in godly (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2150.htm - 7k

4102. pistis -- faith, faithfulness
... "Faith always pre-supposes revelation" (WH Griffith Thomas, 55). "Faith is always
a response to a divine revelation" (WH Griffith Thomas, 143). "Faith . . . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4102.htm - 18k

5218. hupakoe -- obedience
... 5218 (from191 , "to hear" and 5259 , "beneath") -- ie -- literally, " to what
is " (, 695), ie obedience as the response to someone speaking. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5218.htm - 7k

611. apokrinomai -- to answer
... answered (169), answered answered (1), answering (8), answers (1), made...answer
(1), replied (2), reply (1), respond (1), responded (2), response (1), said (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/611.htm - 8k

612. apokrisis -- an answering
... answer. From apokrinomai; a response -- answer. see GREEK apokrinomai. (apokrisei) --
1 Occurrence. (apokrisesin) -- 1 Occurrence. (apokrisin) -- 2 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/612.htm - 6k

1909. epi -- on, upon
... 1909 ("upon") naturally looks to the response (effect) that goes with the
envisioned , ie its apt result ("spin-offs," effects). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1909.htm - 8k

1906. eperotema -- an inquiry, a demand
... Cognate: 1906 -- a response to an inquiry. See 1905 (). Word Origin from eperotao
Definition an inquiry, a demand NASB Word Usage appeal (1). an inquiry. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1906.htm - 6k

687. ara -- an untranslatable interrog. particle implying anxiety ...
... Interrogative Transliteration: ara Phonetic Spelling: (ar'-ah) Short Definition:
a particle asking a question, expecting a negative response Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/687.htm - 6k

994. boao -- to call out
... proclaim. 994 (from 995 , "cry out") -- (cry out"); to make an ; summon , because
sorely needing a response (assistance). 994 ("shouting ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/994.htm - 7k

4617. maaneh -- an answer, response
... 4616, 4617. maaneh. 4618 . an answer, response. Transliteration: maaneh
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-an-eh') Short Definition: answer. ...
/hebrew/4617.htm - 6k

7182. qesheb -- attentiveness
... Word Origin from qashab Definition attentiveness NASB Word Usage close
(1), close attention (1), paid attention (1), response (1). ...
/hebrew/7182.htm - 6k

An Appeal and a Response
... XX An Appeal and a Response. ... Second. A Response is made to that Appeal: 'Here am
I; send me'. Third. A Commission was given: 'And He said, "Go"'. ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/xx an appeal and a.htm

Letters in Response to Certain Criticisms
... LETTERS LETTERS IN RESPONSE TO CERTAIN CRITICISMS. Catherine had ample
opportunity to suffer from those keenly critical instincts ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/letters in response to certain.htm

Ep. Xliv. Eusebius, Having in Response to the Appeal Referred to ...
... Division III. Miscellaneous Letters. Ep. XLIV. Eusebius, having in response
to the appeal referred to above? (Eusebius, having ...
/.../cyril/select letters of saint gregory nazianzen/ep xliv eusebius having in.htm

The Emperor Consulting an Oracle, the Demon Gives no Response ...
... Book III. Chapter XVIII."The Emperor consulting an Oracle, the Demon gives no
Response, being awed by the Nearness of Babylas the Martyr. ...
/.../chapter xviii the emperor consulting an.htm

Zion Awakened
... and the voice of melody. (No response). JEHOVAH. Attend unto me, O ... righteousness
shall not be abolished. (No response). JEHOVAH. Hearken unto me, ye ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/zion awakened.htm

An Antiphon on the Praise of God.
... AN ANTIPHON ON THE PRAISE OF GOD. Priest. i. Response. Priest. Response. Priest.
Response. Priest. Response. Lob und Ehr mit stettem Danckopfer. ...
/.../winkworth/christian singers of germany/an antiphon on the praise.htm

Following Hard after God
... always previous. In practice, however, (that is, where God's previous working
meets man's present response) man must pursue God. On ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/tozer/the pursuit of god/i following hard after god.htm

Earth's Ugliest, Deepest Scar.
... Without doubt there was a response within to the temptations that came to Jesus. ...
At once it is plain that there is nothing wrong here in the inward response. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks about jesus/earths ugliest deepest scar.htm

'Seek Ye' --'I Will Seek'
... of going on with his answer, the Psalmist interjects God's invitation 'Seek ye My
face,' and then, side by side with that, he lays his response, 'Thy face, Lord ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/seek yei will seek.htm

The Speaking Voice
... God was by the ancient Hebrews often called Wisdom, and was said to be everywhere
sounding and searching throughout the earth, seeking some response from the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tozer/the pursuit of god/vi the speaking voice.htm

Response (10 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) A repetition of the given subject in a fugue by another part on the fifth
above or fourth below. Multi-Version Concordance Response (10 Occurrences). ...
/r/response.htm - 10k

Answer (2099 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) To be or act in return or response to. ... 11. (vi) To speak or write by way
of return (originally, to a charge), or in reply; to make response. 12. ...
/a/answer.htm - 10k

Truth (380 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 15:29 Psalm 96:13 Romans 2:2, 8). In general the truth of God stands for
the consistency of His nature and guarantees His full response in all the ...
/t/truth.htm - 57k

Respond (21 Occurrences)
... 2. (vi) To show some effect in return to a force; to act in response; to accord;
to correspond; to suit. ... 6. (n.) An answer; a response. ...
/r/respond.htm - 12k

Joy (422 Occurrences)
... 2. In the Old Testament: Besides joy in a general sense, as the response of the
mind to any pleasurable event or state (1 Kings 1:40 Esther 8:17, etc.), joy as ...
/j/joy.htm - 48k

King (25505 Occurrences)
... The dying thief prays, "Remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom" (Luke 23:42),
and Jesus gives His royal response which implies full acceptance of the ...
/k/king.htm - 64k

Zophar (4 Occurrences)
... He is the most impetuous and dogmatic of the three (compare Job 11:2, 3; Job
20:2, 3); stung to passionate response by Job's presumption in maintaining that ...
/z/zophar.htm - 10k

Zedekiah (63 Occurrences)
... Zedekiah was apparently the leader and spokesman of the 400 prophets attached to
the court in Samaria whom Ahab summoned in response to Jehoshaphat's request ...
/z/zedekiah.htm - 49k

Knock (7 Occurrences)
... bolted and locked with wooden keys too large to be carried about, so that even a
member of the household could not secure entrance until in response to his ...
/k/knock.htm - 11k

Negeb (37 Occurrences)
... Achish allotted to David, in response to his request, the city of ZIKLAG (qv) in
the Negeb (1 Samuel 27:5 f); the exploits of David were against various parts ...
/n/negeb.htm - 26k

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