Theocentric Musings

I think the number 1 thing that affected evangelism for the worse and created all this drama that now happens when people think they are sharing the Gospel is that the church has taken a term from the bible and given it a new meaning. That word is repentance. The twisting and redefining of that word has changed the gospel from a "come as you are" to a "clean yourself up first". It took a comment from Jesus of hope and guidance and twisted it into an order or demand. Your definition of this word completely changes scripture, thoughts, words, and interpretation.

Some preach very heavily about repentance, and that is something I wholeheartedly support. But, too many are preaching the wrong type of repentance and I wonder if they honestly know they are doing it. Repentance in the New Testament, is METANOIA in Greek. It means a change of mind. Particularly it is pertaining to changing our mind from belief in a righteousness that is "here today, gone tomorrow" that can be achieved by our self efforts, to a sustaining, "forever" righteous ness that is available completely by a belief in who Jesus Christ is. However, the "'prick our heart", "tearful regret" repentance is METAMELOMAI. This was what Judas did in Matthew 27:3. In the KJV it says Judas repented himself, other versions say Judas was remorseful, or filled with regret. Now which is being taught? The type that brings life, or the type that brings death? The type that carries a believer into joy in all circumstance and a longing to be in...