TAKE CARE, FAREWELL OR CURSE?

[larryt]

shiloh357

I am sorry but that is just reading more into the phrase than is there, or is intended. This approach is called being "hyper-literal."

Just a question, Did Jesus really mean we would give an account of EVERY idle word.

Mt 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

And should we take to heart the things He says(Mal 2:1-2).

LT

"Idle" in the sense of unGodly, or evil. It does not cover innocuous phrases or conversations.

"Take care" simply means to "take care of yourself." It means, "I want to see you again, so stay safe, so that I can enjoy your company again."

It is a harmless phrase that is being blown out of proportion to mean something that it does not mean. A little common sense needs to be applied here.

692 ~argov~ argos \@ar-gos'\@

from 1 (as a negative particle) and 2041; TDNT-1:452,76; adj

AV-idle 6, slow 1, barren 1; 8

1) free from labour, at leisure

2) lazy, shunning the labour which one ought to perform

2041 ~ergon~ ergon \@er'-gon\@

from a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); TDNT-2:635,251; n n

AV-work 152, deed 22, doing 1, labour 1; 176

1) business, employment, that which any one is occupied

    1a) that which one undertakes to do, enterprise, undertaking

2) any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art,

    industry, or mind

3) an act, deed, thing done: the idea of working is emphasised in

    opp. to that which is less than work

It has nothing to do with evil in nature and everything to do with laziness.

LT

[Guest shiloh357]

692 ~argov~ argos \@ar-gos'\@

from 1 (as a negative particle) and 2041; TDNT-1:452,76; adj

AV-idle 6, slow 1, barren 1; 8

1) free from labour, at leisure

2) lazy, shunning the labour which one ought to perform

2041 ~ergon~ ergon \@er'-gon\@

from a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); TDNT-2:635,251; n n

AV-work 152, deed 22, doing 1, labour 1; 176

1) business, employment, that which any one is occupied

[Kabowd]

Laziness? What does telling someone to "take care" have to do with being lazy (spiritually or otherwise)? That's like saying that if I tell someone to drive safely I'm instilling a spirit of fear on them and cursing them into having an accident. Come on guys, don't go overboard here. geeze.

[Kabowd]

btw...I've lost loved ones before in horrific car accidents (as I'm sure many have). It's not a curse to encourage someone you love to buckle up and drive safely. It can be an expression of love and concern, and a very necessary reminder that could save their life.

[senerhu]

TAKE CARE, FAREWELL OR CURSE?

"Take Care", Farewell or Curse? Have you ever told anyone to "take care" when you were saying good-bye? Maybe you recently hung up the phone and advised the person on the other end of the line to "take care." Maybe a friend of yours, a Christian, instead of saying "good-bye" told you to "take care." What did you really say to that person or what did he or she really say to you?

You just advised them "to worry" and "to be anxious." Care is worry, anxiety and distress. When we willingly pick it up or take it to ourselves, we accept the enemy's plan for us. When we wish it on someone, aren't we wishing them ill? I believe telling someone to "take care" as a farewell or as a form of well-wishing is similar to a curse. I don't have a "thus saith the Lord" on this but when you wish someone care and worry and anxiety, you are not wishing them well. Besides, it's 180 degrees opposed to what the Bible tells us.

1 Peter 5:6&7 says "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your CARE upon Him, for He cares for you."

The word care there comes from the Greek word "merimna", which literally means to "divide the mind." The word denotes distractions, anxieties, burdens, and worries. Merimna means to be anxious beforehand about daily life. Such worry, according to the Bible, is unnecessary because our heavenly Father provided both our daily and special needs. (from Word Wealth, Spirit Filled Life Bible.)

In this verse the Holy Spirit is urging us, even commanding us, to cast all our distractions, anxieties, burdens and worries on God because He loves us and He knows we don't function well carrying them. So, why wish these burdens and worries on someone else, especially a brother or sister in JESUS?

In Philippians 4:6 and 7, the Bible tells us to "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ JESUS." What about ending the conversation with our friends, or enemies, with an exhortation to "Make your requests known to God" rather than telling them to "take care"? God is in the worry-free business, not the take-care business. He wants us free. That's part of the good news.

Did JESUS say anything about care and worry? Yes. In Matthew 6:25 through 34, He exhorts us not to worry about life, because our heavenly Father loves us and will provide for us. Matthew 6:25 says "Therefore I say to you, do not WORRY about life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on." The word "worry" is "merimnao", similar to "merimna". It literally means to "divide into parts", and suggests distraction, a preoccupation with things causing anxiety, stress and pressure. In Matthew 6:34, JESUS concludes: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Our heavenly Father, our Lord JESUS Christ, and the Holy Spirit are teaching us not to worry, not to care, to put all our care "on Him." Therefore, we don't need to receive worry, even in the seemingly harmless form of an idiomatic farewell. Nor should we want to wish worry on anyone. Next time someone tells you to "take care," politely tell them "No thank you, I'm not going to take any care, I'm not going to worry about anything, I'm going to cast (roll) my cares on God." That may cause that person to stop and think about what he or she said. At least you'll feel better about it."

Well uhhh...NO!!! Duh...

[larryt]

Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Mat 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Mat 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

You are right in that Jesus is first talking about evil, and evil of the worst kind: the unpardonable sin.

Mt 12:32  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come.

BUT(Mat 12:36 But I say unto you ) like He did so many times before He brought it down to the basic principles. Hate is really murder, lust is really adultry. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Everything that is in the mind of a man is revealed by what they say eventually. Jesus is saying that we need to consider everything that comes out of the mouth. For what comes out of the mouth defiles the man.

Jesus said:

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.

And He has given us words to speak which we know is really a SWORD which is sharper than anything, it reaches even to the soul and spirit.

LT

[Guest shiloh357]

Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Mat 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Mat 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

You are right in that Jesus is first talking about evil, and evil of the worst kind: the unpardonable sin.

Mt 12:32

[larryt]

Correct. That means that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is "idle" talk in the context of this passage. Again, it is not "lazy" speech, but evil speech. You just made my point.

ABSOLUTELY NOT Don't put words in my mouth. You know exactly what I said and ment. And do you reveal what is in yor heart by your words? Think about it.

[senerhu]

Correct. That means that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is "idle" talk in the context of this passage. Again, it is not "lazy" speech, but evil speech. You just made my point.

ABSOLUTELY NOT Don't put words in my mouth. You know exactly what I said and ment. And do you reveal what is in yor heart by your words? Think about it.

Well....uhhh...idle talk....take care...idle talk?....laziness.....satan's influence....geez=

[Guest shiloh357]

Correct. That means that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is "idle" talk in the context of this passage. Again, it is not "lazy" speech, but evil speech. You just made my point.

ABSOLUTELY NOT Don't put words in my mouth. You know exactly what I said and ment. And do you reveal what is in yor heart by your words? Think about it.

Larry I am not putting words in your mouth. You said that "idle," as used in this passage, concerned laziness.

It has nothing to do with evil in nature and everything to do with laziness.

LT

I have proved that it refers to evil speech in that passage and you confirmed by showing that the "idle" speech that Jesus was confronting was blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. You made my point. You showed that laziness had nothing to do with Matt. 12:36, but rather it was evil speech that was being dealt with.

That further shows that you are misapplying the passage relative to the phrase "take care." It is not harmful nor unGodly to say that phrase as a farewell wish.