So the other day I posted about the “unmarried.” I had a discussion on the topic with one of my co-workers and he brought up a point about a word that we conflicted upon and so I looked deeper into it and this is what we determined.
The word in question was “burn,” which in the Greek is “puroo.” This is defined as:
“pass: I burn, am set on fire, am inflamed; glow with heat, am purified by fire”
Now what caused the discussion is that in the NLT version of the Bible it is shown as “burn with lust”
However in other uses within the New Testament it is not use in this context.
When Paul is recounting his tribulations for his ministry in the service of Jesus Christ he says this in 2 Corinthians 11:29
“Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?”
In Ephesians 6:16 it is used to describe flaming darts or arrows:
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
It is used in 2 Peter 3 in a description of Tribulation times that have yet to be fulfilled:
“Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”
It is used twice in Revelation. The first time in 1:15, where it is used to help describe the Glorified Jesus Christ feet:
“And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.”
Then it is used in 3:18 in reference to heaven treasure that have passed the test of fire and come purified:
“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
As in the main definition of the word all things are implied to be on fire or having passed through fire. Now I do agree that when we lust it can be said that we are “on fire.”
As was my counter in the discussion with my friend. Living in sin will lead us to the pit of fire where we will be on fire there as well.
Isaiah 66:24 – And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Why I say this, is that living in fornication and adultery are seen as sins which will lead to this fate.
Galatians 5:19 – Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Now we must also remember that many times there is a type of duality used within not only the Greek but Hebrew word usage. Where words have two means, but the same overall ends. This could very well be one of these instances. Where we would find the unmarried and widowed burning with lust in the flesh having experienced natural sexual relations, which would lead to adultery and fornication, which would ultimately lead to damnation and being on fire forever in the pit of fire.
So this is what we both agreed upon in our discussion. That it has both meanings. Neither of which is good for those that find themselves without a spouse, and lack the self-control not to live a celibate live.