King James Bible Dictionary

SINCE, prep or adverb

1. After; from the time that. The proper signification of since is after, and its appropriate sense includes the whole period between an event and the present time. I have not seen my brother since January. The Lord hath blessed thee, since my coming. Genesis 30:30. Holy prophets, who have been since the world began. Luke Latin John 9:32. since then denotes, during the whole time after an event; or at any particular time during that period.

2. Ago; past; before this. 'About two years since an event happened, ' that is, two years having passed.

3. Because that; this being the fact that. since truth and constancy are vain, since neither love nor sese of pain nor force of reason can persuade, then let example be obey'd. since when it precedes a noun, is called a preposition, but when it precedes sentence it is called an adverb. The truth is, the character of the word is the same in both cases. It is probably an obsolete participle, and according to the usual classification of words, may be properly ranked with the prepositions. In strictness, the last clause of the passage above cited is the case absolute. 'The Lord hath blessed the, since my coming, ' that is, my arrival being past. So, since the world began, is strictly past the world began, the beginning of the world being past. In the first case, since considered as a preposition, has coming, a noun, for its object, and in the latter case, the clause of a sentence. So we say, against your arrival, or against you come.

SINCE'RE, adjective [Latin sincerus, which is said to be composed of sine, without, and cera, wax; as if applied originally to pure honey.]

1. Pure; unmixed. As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word. 1 Peter 2:2. A joy which never was sincere till now. There is no sincere acid in any animal juice. I would have all gallicisms avoided, that our tongue may be sincere [This sense is for the most part obsolete. We use the phrases, sincere joy, sincere pleasure; but we mean by them, unfeigned, real joy or pleasure.]

2. Unhurt; uninjured. The' inviolable body stood sincere

3. Being in reality what it appears to be; not feigned; not simulated; not assumed or said for the sake of appearance; real; not hypocritical or pretended. This is the present use of the word. Let your intentions be pure and your declarations sincere Let love and friendship be sincere No prayer can avail with a heart-searching God, unless it is sincere

SINCE'RELY, adverb Honestly; with real purity of heart; without simulation or disguise; to love virtue sincerely

SINCE'RENESS, noun Sincerity.

Does not exempt from guilt

General references
Numbers 1:20
Ignorance, Sins of

Forgiveness of enemies must be sincere
Matthew 18:35

Servants must render honest service
Ephesians 6:5-7

Whatsoever is done must be in
1 Corinthians 10:31

Jesus was an example of
1 Peter 2:22

Ministers should be examples of
Titus 2:7

Opposed to fleshly wisdom
2 Corinthians 1:12

Should characterize:

Our love to God
2 Corinthians 8:8; 2 Corinthians 8:24

Our love to Jesus
Ephesians 6:24

Our service to God
Joshua 24:14

Our faith
1 Timothy 1:5

Our love to one another
Romans 12:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:18

Our whole conduct
2 Corinthians 1:12

The preaching of the gospel
2 Corinthians 2:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:3-5

A characteristic of the doctrines of the gospel
1 Peter 2:2

The gospel sometimes preached without
Philippians 1:16

The wicked devoid of
Psalms 5:9; Psalms 55:21

Exhortations to
1 Corinthians 5:8; 1 Peter 2:1

Prayer for, on behalf of others
Philippians 1:10

Blessedness of
Psalms 32:2

Exemplified:

By men of Zebulun
1 Chronicles 12:33

By Hezekiah
Isaiah 38:3

By Nathanael
John 1:47

By Paul
2 Corinthians 1:12

By Timothy
2 Timothy 1:5

By Lois and Eunice
2 Timothy 1:5

SINCER'ITY, noun [Latin sinceritas.]

1. Honesty of mind or intention; freedom from simulation or hypocrisy. We may question a man's prudence, when we cannot question his sincerity

2. Freedom from hypocrisy, disguise or false pretense; as the sincerity of a declaration or of love.