Unrestrained
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The concept of being "unrestrained" in the Bible often carries a negative connotation, associated with a lack of self-control, discipline, or moral boundaries. This idea is frequently addressed in both the Old and New Testaments, where restraint is seen as a virtue and a sign of wisdom and godliness.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often associated with being unrestrained is "para," which can mean to let go, neglect, or be unbridled. Proverbs 29:18 states, "Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law." This verse highlights the importance of divine guidance and the law in maintaining order and self-control among the people. Without a vision or revelation from God, individuals are prone to live unrestrained lives, leading to chaos and moral decay.

The account of the Israelites in the wilderness provides a vivid example of unrestrained behavior. In Exodus 32, when Moses delayed coming down from Mount Sinai, the people grew impatient and demanded Aaron make them gods to lead them. Aaron complied, and the people engaged in revelry and idolatry, demonstrating a lack of restraint and faithfulness to God’s commandments.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the Greek word "asōtia" is often translated as "dissipation" or "debauchery," reflecting a lifestyle of unrestrained indulgence. Ephesians 5:18 warns, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." Here, the Apostle Paul contrasts the unrestrained behavior associated with drunkenness with the self-control and orderliness that come from being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:19-21 lists the "acts of the flesh," which include behaviors that are unrestrained and contrary to the Spirit: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, carousing, and the like." These acts are presented as evidence of a life not governed by the Spirit, leading to spiritual death.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, being unrestrained is often linked to the sinful nature of humanity. The Bible teaches that without the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, individuals are prone to follow their sinful desires, leading to unrestrained behavior. Romans 8:5-8 explains, "Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace."

The call to live a restrained and disciplined life is a recurring theme in Scripture, emphasizing the need for believers to exercise self-control and live according to God’s commandments. Titus 2:11-12 encourages believers, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age."

Practical Application

In practical terms, Christians are encouraged to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit, which includes self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This self-control is not merely a human effort but is empowered by the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to resist the temptations of an unrestrained life. The pursuit of holiness and a disciplined life is seen as a response to God’s grace and a reflection of a transformed heart.

The Bible consistently calls believers to a life of restraint, urging them to avoid the pitfalls of unrestrained living that lead to spiritual and moral decline. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians are equipped to live lives that honor God and reflect His character in a world that often values unrestrained freedom.
Greek
1658. eleutheros -- free, ie not a slave or not under restraint
... Probably from the alternate of erchomai; unrestrained (to go at pleasure), ie (as
a citizen) not a slave (whether freeborn or manumitted), or (genitive case ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1658.htm - 7k

113. athesmos -- lawless
... Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: athesmos Phonetic Spelling:
(ath'-es-mos) Short Definition: lawless Definition: lawless, unrestrained, licentious. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/113.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew
5628. sarach -- to go free, be unrestrained, overrun, exceed
... sarach. 5629 . to go free, be unrestrained, overrun, exceed. Transliteration:
sarach Phonetic Spelling: (saw-rakh') Short Definition: lap. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5628.htm - 6k

6544a. para -- let go, let alone
... of control (1), go loose (1), lack of restraint (1), let (1), neglect (1), neglected
(1), neglects (2), relent (1), uncover (2), uncovered (1), unrestrained (1 ...
/hebrew/6544a.htm - 5k

2820. chasak -- to withhold, refrain
... 1), lessened (1), refrain (1), requited (1), reserved (2), restrain (1), restrained
(1), restrains (2), spare (2), spared (1), unrestrained* (1), withheld (3 ...
/hebrew/2820.htm - 6k

1097. beli -- a wearing out
... nothing (1), nothing* (1), nothingness (1), one (2), overflows* (1), so* (3),
unconcerned* (1), unintentionally* (2), unobserved* (1), unrestrained* (1), want ...
/hebrew/1097.htm - 6k

Library

Unrestrained Communion
... THE SONG OF SOLOMON SECTION VI Unrestrained Communion. Cant. viii.5-14.
We have now reached the closing section of this book, which ...
/.../taylor/union and communion/section vi unrestrained communion.htm

Ambrose Answers those who Press the Words of the Lord to the ...
... It is a mother, who in her anxiety for the honour of her sons, though somewhat
unrestrained in the measure of her desires, may for all that yet find pardon. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter v ambrose answers those.htm

A Description of the Faults which Spring from the Evil of Pride.
... denotes not compunction or humility, but pride and wrath: so that one can hardly
say which is the more objectionable in him, that unrestrained and boisterous ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xxvii a description of.htm

Opposition to Messiah Unreasonable
... The profane person learns to fear an oath, the libertine [unrestrained, debauched
person] is reclaimed, the drunkard becomes sober, and the miser kind. ...
/.../newton/messiah vol 2/sermon xxxiii opposition to messiah.htm

The Great Schism
... Others fell to pieces because of the unrestrained liberty of their members in their
exhortations, in their personal interpretation of the Scriptures, and in ...
/.../chapter x the great schism.htm

Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental.
... This objection may mean either, that sin would not produce infinite mischief
if unrestrained, or that it does not involve infinite guilt. ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xix sanctions of moral.htm

Guilt of Neglecting the Heathen.
... It is impossible to give a representation of their unrestrained passions, the
abominations connected with their idol worship, or the scenes of discord, cruelty ...
/.../dibble/thoughts on missions/chapter iii guilt of neglecting.htm

The Personality of Power.
... held in check, not evident. If utterly unrestrained, given free sway and
control"ah! then power manifest, limitless, wonderful ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on power/the personality of power.htm

The Flood-Tide of Power.
... we want to get a glimpse of God's ambitious ideal for our lives down here; something
of an understanding of the results of the unrestrained presence within us ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on power/the flood-tide of power.htm

Acts xix. 21, 23
... For look, (here are) shameful words, unrestrained laughter, more unrestrained motions,
both dress and gait full of indecency, words fraught with mere nonsense ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xlii acts xix 21.htm

Thesaurus
Unrestrained (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Unrestrained (3 Occurrences). Jude 1:12 These
men--sunken rocks! --are those who share the pleasure of ...
/u/unrestrained.htm - 7k

Riot (14 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Wanton or unrestrained behavior; uproar; tumult.
2. (n.) Excessive and expensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry. ...
/r/riot.htm - 12k

Unrighteous (32 Occurrences)

/u/unrighteous.htm - 16k

Vengeance (63 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) Punishment inflicted in return for an injury or an offense; retribution; --
often, in a bad sense, passionate or unrestrained revenge. ...
/v/vengeance.htm - 26k

Unbridled (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Unrestrained; licentious; violent; as, unbridled
passions. Multi-Version Concordance Unbridled (4 Occurrences). ...
/u/unbridled.htm - 7k

Unresting (2 Occurrences)

/u/unresting.htm - 6k

Uprooted (29 Occurrences)
... (WEB YLT NAS NIV). Jude 1:12 These men--sunken rocks! --are those who share the
pleasure of your love-feasts, unrestrained by fear while caring only for ...
/u/uprooted.htm - 15k

Love-feasts (1 Occurrence)
... Love-feasts (1 Occurrence). Jude 1:12 These men--sunken rocks! --are those who share
the pleasure of your love-feasts, unrestrained by fear while caring only ...
/l/love-feasts.htm - 6k

Large (235 Occurrences)
... 5. (superl.) Free; unembarrassed. 6. (superl.) Unrestrained by decorum; --
said of language. 7. (superl.) Prodigal in expending; lavish. ...
/l/large.htm - 34k

Licentious (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (a.) Unrestrained by law or morality; lawless; immoral; dissolute; lewd; lascivious;
as, a licentious man; a licentious life. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/l/licentious.htm - 7k

Resources
What is libertinism? What is a libertine? | GotQuestions.org

What is lust? What does the Bible have to say about lust? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible mean when it says not to touch God's anointed? | GotQuestions.org

Unrestrained: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Unrestrained (3 Occurrences)

Jude 1:12
These men--sunken rocks! --are those who share the pleasure of your love-feasts, unrestrained by fear while caring only for themselves; clouds without water, driven away by the winds; trees that cast their fruit, barren, doubly dead, uprooted;
(WEY)

Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people are uncontrolled; but he who keeps the law will be happy.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 14:6
He whose rod was on the peoples with an unending wrath, ruling the nations in passion, with an uncontrolled rule.
(See NAS)

Subtopics

Unrestrained

Related Terms

Unjust (44 Occurrences)

Mammon (4 Occurrences)

Malicious (13 Occurrences)

Adulterers (10 Occurrences)

Ungodly (41 Occurrences)

Unrighteousness (57 Occurrences)

Rises (56 Occurrences)

Parable (52 Occurrences)

Dwellings (54 Occurrences)

Teeth (50 Occurrences)

Resurrection (42 Occurrences)

Righteous (407 Occurrences)

Wrath (503 Occurrences)

Rescue (92 Occurrences)

Offence (27 Occurrences)

Righteousness (442 Occurrences)

Saints (117 Occurrences)

Vengeance (63 Occurrences)

Visiteth (2 Occurrences)

Victims (12 Occurrences)

Kenites (8 Occurrences)

Unrighteously (6 Occurrences)

Unrestrained (3 Occurrences)

Unnatural (9 Occurrences)

Using (88 Occurrences)

Overlook (7 Occurrences)

Oppressive (6 Occurrences)

Offenders (4 Occurrences)

Opponent (13 Occurrences)

Jaw (6 Occurrences)

Jaws (12 Occurrences)

Jawbone (3 Occurrences)

Grievousness (2 Occurrences)

Grasp (20 Occurrences)

Wrongdoer (16 Occurrences)

Wrong-doing (4 Occurrences)

Writers (2 Occurrences)

Welcomed (30 Occurrences)

Weapons (66 Occurrences)

Worldly (25 Occurrences)

Inflict (25 Occurrences)

Immoral (16 Occurrences)

Inherit (98 Occurrences)

Inflicts (7 Occurrences)

Inflicting (4 Occurrences)

Idolaters (5 Occurrences)

Forget (77 Occurrences)

Faculties (5 Occurrences)

Fangs (5 Occurrences)

Fornicators (8 Occurrences)

Terms (25 Occurrences)

Trustworthy (30 Occurrences)

Trials (11 Occurrences)

Thank (68 Occurrences)

Tents (284 Occurrences)

True (305 Occurrences)

Trust (201 Occurrences)

Robbers (21 Occurrences)

Ruthless (21 Occurrences)

Reports (21 Occurrences)

Readiness (17 Occurrences)

Entertain (8 Occurrences)

Everyday (3 Occurrences)

Err (41 Occurrences)

Extortioners (3 Occurrences)

Extend (35 Occurrences)

Establish (133 Occurrences)

Effeminate (1 Occurrence)

Demonstrates (3 Occurrences)

Delusion (12 Occurrences)

Dispute (37 Occurrences)

Dare (19 Occurrences)

Declared (261 Occurrences)

Deceived (55 Occurrences)

Mankind (80 Occurrences)

Misfortune (24 Occurrences)

Maintain (50 Occurrences)

Praying (71 Occurrences)

Profligacy (5 Occurrences)

Unresting
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