*Usage & meaning*
Adjective · archaic
(of a person) Difficult to deal with; contrary.
To be froward means to be habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition to someone or something like a law. Someone that is being froward is being *willfully contrary to someone or something and is not easily managed.* Similes of the word froward are crookedness, to go wrong, go crooked, backsliding, twisted, distorted, or crooked.
Now let’s explore what froward means in the Bible and use it in the context in which it is written. Since the word “froward” is used more often in the King James Bible that is where to biblically define the word.
A Froward Heart
Since we know what froward means we can see why God detests a froward heart as the psalmist writes “A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person” (Psalm 101:4) because “the froward is abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 3:22) so “Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee” (Proverbs 4:24). If “Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord” (Proverbs 6:14). “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them” (Proverbs 8:8). God hates a froward mouth (Proverbs 8:13) as “the froward tongue shall be cut out” (Proverbs 10:31b). For those who have not the Spirit of God, it is normal that “the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness” (Proverbs 10:32). The point in this paragraph is “They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 11:20).
Peter wrote “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward” (1st Peter 2:18). Showing that even if someone is froward of heart and mouth to us, we should not respond in similar fashion because then we lower ourselves to their level. David wrote that “With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavory” (2 Samuel 22:27); so, we have a choice. We can chose what comes out of our mouth and show ourselves as being pure or we can speak with a froward mouth and show ourselves unsavory to God. Regarding any nation or people and even any person God says “I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom there is no faith” (Deuteronomy 32:20). So, a froward mouth or heart is an evil, wicked heart and that means they are habitually disposed to disobedience and God resists such people. For those who refuse to repent Solomon writes “Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward [but] he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them” (Proverbs 22:5).
God resists the proud (James 4:6) and the froward of heart and mouth is a proud heart and mouth and God is opposed to such a person or people. Anyone who is froward is constantly backsliding, twisted, distorted, or crooked and God will not accept such a person. If you’ve had a time in your life where you repented and trusted in Christ, then your natural tendencies will be to resist the froward nature of mankind and you will speak in love toward others and particularly towards God because you know that “They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord.
If you are in a group on any of the social media platform and you have a froward mouth and heart remember you are an abomination not only onto God but those who havevto tolerate you. Some may be kind enough to prompt you but most of them will cost along with your froward mouth until you find yourself between a rock and a hard place and then they will jettison you like a scum. Unfortunately such persons suffer from diarrhea of the mouth. They just can't keep their mouth shut. They take pride in being froward brushing off every advice. Pray for such s person. They look on until he or she grinds to a halt in shame and isolation.
Be mindful of the forward person. Avoid being around the froward to be influenced to become one. Pray for the froward to forsake his or her froward mouth and heart.
Bro Ritchie Edukwesi WOANYA