So you may have notice a slight pause in my posting of scripture. It is because I wanted to get a closer look at what we (as western Christians) are being taught in the canonized Bible.
To really challenge and try to understand what we as Christians are being told what the scriptures say, what to do, how to live, and our “reward” for doing so.
In case you don’t know our modern Bible (Let’s consider the KJV), was put together by the council of Nicaea in the 4th century. They chose 66 books (there are many more and all worth a read) which were translated over the centuries from Aramaic and ancient Hebrew into Greek, then Latin, then German, and finally in English.
It is important that we as believers understand what has been lost in translation and even more importantly what was intentionally manipulated.
I am not trying to be heretical or blasphemous here, but with something as important as our immortal souls, it bears investigation.
At the core of Christian belief is sin and that we are all sinners and we must repent of our sins. But, Jesus did not use the word repent. As modern Christians we hear that word and it fills us with shame, guilt, and a lack of self worth. We are burdened by the word and have been told repentance is our only hope for salvation and entry into the kingdom of God.
Well, with such a core concept being at the center of the salvation of our immortal souls; it is important that we know “what did Jesus say!”
In Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Also in Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Then again in Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
As you can see the gospel emphisized repentance. But Jesus spoke Aramaic and there is no word as we perceive in English for repentance, so what did Jesus say?
In the Aramaic Jesus used the word(s) tubwb or tuwbw, which has the core meaning of "to return" or "turn back" to a previous state or to God. It represents a deeper, internal change of returning to one's true self or turning away from incorrect thinking, rather than just guilt.
In Jesus’ vernacular to turn away or to turn back from sin was not the ultimate guilt trip. It was merely for us to recognize when we sin and for us to turn away from our sin or to return back to ourselves before we sinned (easier said than done). It is certainly not the eternal guilt trip of confession, atonement, and repentance; lest we die.
It is far deeper than that and certainly far from the apology/forgiveness cycle most Christians find themselves in. Think about an apology, it means we recognize that we did wrong and it is a promise to not do it again.
But repentance is; as Jesus said: “tuwbw” means for us to return to a state before sin, to turn back to God. It is not the sin, confess, atone, repent, guilt cycle that Christian perpetually live in.
It is to be self-aware of your sin and to turn back from it and to return to God.
Christianity should not feel heavy, it should not fill you with guilt or shame, it should feel light and freeing, filling you with the knowledge that you were created by a loving and caring God who provided us with a magnificent teacher and savior in the form of Jesus Christ.
Amen
I may not post these scriptures as frequently as I did before as this study takes time and to avoid the same mistakes (either intentionally or not) it is important to get it right. May the Lord guide me in this pursuit!
If this post moves you to think deeper about how you read scripture, let me know and feel free to question or discuss anything I post as it is only through investigation and research do we find enlightenment.
To really challenge and try to understand what we as Christians are being told what the scriptures say, what to do, how to live, and our “reward” for doing so.
In case you don’t know our modern Bible (Let’s consider the KJV), was put together by the council of Nicaea in the 4th century. They chose 66 books (there are many more and all worth a read) which were translated over the centuries from Aramaic and ancient Hebrew into Greek, then Latin, then German, and finally in English.
It is important that we as believers understand what has been lost in translation and even more importantly what was intentionally manipulated.
I am not trying to be heretical or blasphemous here, but with something as important as our immortal souls, it bears investigation.
At the core of Christian belief is sin and that we are all sinners and we must repent of our sins. But, Jesus did not use the word repent. As modern Christians we hear that word and it fills us with shame, guilt, and a lack of self worth. We are burdened by the word and have been told repentance is our only hope for salvation and entry into the kingdom of God.
Well, with such a core concept being at the center of the salvation of our immortal souls; it is important that we know “what did Jesus say!”
In Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Also in Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Then again in Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
As you can see the gospel emphisized repentance. But Jesus spoke Aramaic and there is no word as we perceive in English for repentance, so what did Jesus say?
In the Aramaic Jesus used the word(s) tubwb or tuwbw, which has the core meaning of "to return" or "turn back" to a previous state or to God. It represents a deeper, internal change of returning to one's true self or turning away from incorrect thinking, rather than just guilt.
In Jesus’ vernacular to turn away or to turn back from sin was not the ultimate guilt trip. It was merely for us to recognize when we sin and for us to turn away from our sin or to return back to ourselves before we sinned (easier said than done). It is certainly not the eternal guilt trip of confession, atonement, and repentance; lest we die.
It is far deeper than that and certainly far from the apology/forgiveness cycle most Christians find themselves in. Think about an apology, it means we recognize that we did wrong and it is a promise to not do it again.
But repentance is; as Jesus said: “tuwbw” means for us to return to a state before sin, to turn back to God. It is not the sin, confess, atone, repent, guilt cycle that Christian perpetually live in.
It is to be self-aware of your sin and to turn back from it and to return to God.
Christianity should not feel heavy, it should not fill you with guilt or shame, it should feel light and freeing, filling you with the knowledge that you were created by a loving and caring God who provided us with a magnificent teacher and savior in the form of Jesus Christ.
Amen
I may not post these scriptures as frequently as I did before as this study takes time and to avoid the same mistakes (either intentionally or not) it is important to get it right. May the Lord guide me in this pursuit!
If this post moves you to think deeper about how you read scripture, let me know and feel free to question or discuss anything I post as it is only through investigation and research do we find enlightenment.
So you may have notice a slight pause in my posting of scripture. It is because I wanted to get a closer look at what we (as western Christians) are being taught in the canonized Bible.
To really challenge and try to understand what we as Christians are being told what the scriptures say, what to do, how to live, and our “reward” for doing so.
In case you don’t know our modern Bible (Let’s consider the KJV), was put together by the council of Nicaea in the 4th century. They chose 66 books (there are many more and all worth a read) which were translated over the centuries from Aramaic and ancient Hebrew into Greek, then Latin, then German, and finally in English.
It is important that we as believers understand what has been lost in translation and even more importantly what was intentionally manipulated.
I am not trying to be heretical or blasphemous here, but with something as important as our immortal souls, it bears investigation.
At the core of Christian belief is sin and that we are all sinners and we must repent of our sins. But, Jesus did not use the word repent. As modern Christians we hear that word and it fills us with shame, guilt, and a lack of self worth. We are burdened by the word and have been told repentance is our only hope for salvation and entry into the kingdom of God.
Well, with such a core concept being at the center of the salvation of our immortal souls; it is important that we know “what did Jesus say!”
In Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Also in Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Then again in Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
As you can see the gospel emphisized repentance. But Jesus spoke Aramaic and there is no word as we perceive in English for repentance, so what did Jesus say?
In the Aramaic Jesus used the word(s) tubwb or tuwbw, which has the core meaning of "to return" or "turn back" to a previous state or to God. It represents a deeper, internal change of returning to one's true self or turning away from incorrect thinking, rather than just guilt.
In Jesus’ vernacular to turn away or to turn back from sin was not the ultimate guilt trip. It was merely for us to recognize when we sin and for us to turn away from our sin or to return back to ourselves before we sinned (easier said than done). It is certainly not the eternal guilt trip of confession, atonement, and repentance; lest we die.
It is far deeper than that and certainly far from the apology/forgiveness cycle most Christians find themselves in. Think about an apology, it means we recognize that we did wrong and it is a promise to not do it again.
But repentance is; as Jesus said: “tuwbw” means for us to return to a state before sin, to turn back to God. It is not the sin, confess, atone, repent, guilt cycle that Christian perpetually live in.
It is to be self-aware of your sin and to turn back from it and to return to God.
Christianity should not feel heavy, it should not fill you with guilt or shame, it should feel light and freeing, filling you with the knowledge that you were created by a loving and caring God who provided us with a magnificent teacher and savior in the form of Jesus Christ.
Amen
I may not post these scriptures as frequently as I did before as this study takes time and to avoid the same mistakes (either intentionally or not) it is important to get it right. May the Lord guide me in this pursuit!
If this post moves you to think deeper about how you read scripture, let me know and feel free to question or discuss anything I post as it is only through investigation and research do we find enlightenment.
Arabic
French
Spanish
Portuguese
Deutsch
Turkish
Dutch
Italiano
Russian
Romaian
Portuguese (Brazil)
Greek
हिन्दी