What is a Pagan

Marietta

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According to the bible a Pagan is a Gentile. Look up any scripture that contains the word Pagan check a Greek or Hebrew dictionary and see for yourself.
Love and Light, Marietta:)
 
Greetings Faithfulservant,
Just sharing something I recently came to understand. I thought the point was clear.
Love and Light, Marietta
 
Kindest Regards, Marietta, welcome to CR!
According to the bible a Pagan is a Gentile. Look up any scripture that contains the word Pagan check a Greek or Hebrew dictionary and see for yourself.
I'm not sure of the motivation behind your post. It seems pretty strange, asking on the Christianity board to define their traditional arch political enemy. I mean, is it not like asking a Pagan what a Christian is? Believe me, I've heard some not too nice answers... Or what about asking an atheist what a Christian is? I've heard some doosies there too. Hmmm, shall we ask the "open minded spiritualists" what they think of Islamic fundamentalism?

Are you looking for a scapegoat? Why?

Can you see why I find this train of questioning to be leading...like, how often do you, personally Marietta, beat your husband?

I rather think that a thread like this is a bit out of line. Depending where it is you wish to take this, if your intent is to cast aspersions on the Christian faith, you are way out of line. For the moment, I will allow, on the possiblity I am mistaken. If I am not mistaken, and your intent is to denigrate Christianity, then I think it only right to send this thread elsewhere. That choice is yours. :D
 
Greetings D, Thank you for the response!
01


There was no motive behind my post. Only sharing something I just learned. Why is it strange to place this on a Christian board? Christians are 99% Gentile and due to the fact that I am speaking about a term in the Holy Christian Bible and stating its true meaning why would I chose any other place to share this information?
Why are you offended at a truth. There is no judgment in my post, only fact.
I don't understand why you would think that I am looking for a scapegoat? A scapegoat for what? I don't understand why sharing a new found truth is something that you find offensive.

I don't wish to take this anyplace, once again I will state that I am only sharing something I recently came to understand. I am a truth seeker and that is the bottom line.

I am not trying to defame Christianity, I am a Christian and I am a Gentile. I grew up in The Church of God, Anderson, In, then later in life I spent 9 years in an Apostolic Pentecostal Jesus Only Church before returning to the Church of my youth.

Please explain why you find this out of line? Truth should never be considered out of line.
I'm sorry if the truth offends you even though I don't understand why.

Love and Light, Marietta :)
 
I am a Christian and I am a Gentile

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

"But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction."

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works"

After reading some of the stuff you've posted on this board... This is what my scriptures tell me about your "beliefs"

 
As far as the topic of this thread I think its an awesome time to bring up Romans 11 heres a link to read what Im referring to.

Crosswalk.com - ro 11:17


Rather than post the whole chapter Im going to summarize it

Did God cast away Israel? Certainly not...

as a matter of fact.. He is using us gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy! Salvation has come to the gentiles via Jesus Christ. Pagans they were but whoa.. whats this.. We are a wild olive tree grafted in among the firstfruit.. and we are now partakers of the root and the fatness of the olive tree.

We cant let that go to our heads though because the root supports us and without the root there would be no branches.. in other words if it wasnt for Israel there would be no salvation for us pagan gentiles because they were the first root.

God lopped off the branches (Israel) and can graft them back again.. and He will because His word is true They are the natural branches of the olive tree and how readily that root will accept them back.

It also says that a sort of blindness had affected Israel until the fullness of the gentiles comes in... then ALL of Israel shall be saved.

as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

Lets leave it with this..

"asyou were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

See if you can wrap your brain around this.. As we the gentiles were once disobedient to God.. we have His mercy through Israels disobedience!

and now Israel is disobedient through the mercy shown us now they can obtain that same mercy... He allowed them to go into disobedience so He could have mercy on us all... through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.




 
btw

in the KJV lexicon

Gowy - gentile

nation, people nation, people
usually of non-Hebrew people
of descendants of Abraham
of Israel

The greek word for gentile is ethnos and its only used as the word "heathen" 5 times in the NT
 
As far as the topic of this thread I think its an awesome time to bring up Romans 11 heres a link to read what Im referring to.

Crosswalk.com - ro 11:17


Rather than post the whole chapter Im going to summarize it

Did God cast away Israel? Certainly not...

as a matter of fact.. He is using us gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy! Salvation has come to the gentiles via Jesus Christ. Pagans they were but whoa.. whats this.. We are a wild olive tree grafted in among the firstfruit.. and we are now partakers of the root and the fatness of the olive tree.

We cant let that go to our heads though because the root supports us and without the root there would be no branches.. in other words if it wasnt for Israel there would be no salvation for us pagan gentiles because they were the first root.

God lopped off the branches (Israel) and can graft them back again.. and He will because His word is true They are the natural branches of the olive tree and how readily that root will accept them back.

It also says that a sort of blindness had affected Israel until the fullness of the gentiles comes in... then ALL of Israel shall be saved.

as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

Lets leave it with this..

"asyou were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

See if you can wrap your brain around this.. As we the gentiles were once disobedient to God.. we have His mercy through Israels disobedience!

and now Israel is disobedient through the mercy shown us now they can obtain that same mercy... He allowed them to go into disobedience so He could have mercy on us all... through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
good summary
 
According to the bible a Pagan is a Gentile. Look up any scripture that contains the word Pagan check a Greek or Hebrew dictionary and see for yourself.

"Pagan" original meaning is questionable. One definition is that of "country folk". Another is "paganus" or "civilian" (non-military). The third is "outsider".

The definition of gentile is also three fold. One definition is that of a non-Jewish person. Another is of a Christian (not Jewish). The third is of a non-believer, or "heathen" (derogatory).

Interestingly enough the definition used is dependent upon the one using the two terms to describe others (from their own perspective).

Jews could call everyone not Jewish "gentiles". Christians could call everyone not Christian or Jewish "pagans". Any non-believing outsider of any group can be called "pagan" or "gentile/heathen".

Therefore the point you were trying to make, has not been made. In otherwords, Christians are not pagans, even though they may be considered gentiles. ;)

v/r

Joshua
 
Faithfulservent,
Some food for thought that go along with the scriptures you quoted: Jesus said that the path that leads to heaven is the narrow path and only a few will find it and that many would call on upon his name but he would say depart from me you practiced iniquity. In another verse (IN Luke) Jesus says my flock is the little flock.
This makes one wonder? Christianity is the LARGEST organized religion in the world which surly isn't the small flock Jesus spoke of and the path is narrow and only a few will find it and so on and so on. Food for thought!
Love and Light, Marietta

You had posted:
After reading some of the stuff you've posted on this board... This is what my scriptures tell me about your "beliefs"
 
Greetings Quaham1, My point was not in saying that Christians are Pagan and not in saying that Gentiles are Pagan. It was in saying that the Hebrew and Greek words that have been translated into Pagan are a mistranslation and should read Gentile. I was not placing any judgment on either the word Pagan or the word Gentile. I was simply showing a place in the text where a word has been mistranslated and should read Gentile. Now if the person doing the translation of the text have developed the opinion that all Gentiles were Pagan than this translator may have transposed the proper word Gentile for the word he associated with the Gentiles.
Love and Light, Marietta:)
 
Greetings Quaham1, My point was not in saying that Christians are Pagan and not in saying that Gentiles are Pagan. It was in saying that the Hebrew and Greek words that have been translated into Pagan are a mistranslation and should read Gentile. I was not placing any judgment on either the word Pagan or the word Gentile. I was simply showing a place in the text where a word has been mistranslated and should read Gentile. Now if the person doing the translation of the text have developed the opinion that all Gentiles were Pagan than this translator may have transposed the proper word Gentile for the word he associated with the Gentiles.
Love and Light, Marietta:)

When a word has more than one defintion you have to translate things in context.
 
Hello Dor, Neither the Hebrew word Goy or the Greek word Ethne mean Pagan no matter the context of the sentence.

According to the Etymological dictionary of the Hebrew language:
Goy: body, an irreligious Jew, Gentile, nation, people

From Fiberg Lexicon: Ehtne:
nation, people, gentile, foreigners

Love and Light, Marietta:)
 
A Gentile is anybody who does not practice the Abrahamic faith. I guess the term Pagan was coined as a means of applying this defination.
Love and Light, Marietta
 
This is an issue that goes way back in ancient cultural roots. Keep in mind that the semitic tribes were originally nomadic people who lived off the land and moved about with their herds and flocks to seek sustenance. Over several centuries about three thousand years ago they gradually adopted "living in place" lifestyles, and adopted worship practices that gave praise and adulation to an all powerful G-d that was hidden, was in control of reality, and that meted out forgiveness and punishment in a balanced manner according to laws found in books, and which had their origins in oral mythical traditions.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the Abrahamic religions, all sprang forth from these origins. The term "gentile" really referred to the "others" who did not believe as did the semitic tribes, and usually lived in settled communities and walled urban states which were supported in the main through trade activities and agricultural production. This was also the case in late neolithic and early metal age communities in what is now western Europe, not to mention much of Asia and North America.

So I see the term "gentile" as an exclusionary label used by these people to label those who were not a part of their cultural tradition. And, in the main, the "others" who were excluded and labelled "gentile" were those who mostly lived in the world of settled agriculture and trade... and who mostly engaged in idol-based worship practices that had sprung from agricultural rituals and beliefs based in the fertility and cyclic features of nature in general.

Do not forget either that Genesis teaches us that Abram's father was an idol maker in UR before he was called out into the country to wander as a nomad and founded the Abrahamic beliefs that we all... Christians, Jews, and Muslims practice to this day...with some modifications of course.

flow....;)
 
Faithfulservent,
Some food for thought that go along with the scriptures you quoted: Jesus said that the path that leads to heaven is the narrow path and only a few will find it and that many would call on upon his name but he would say depart from me you practiced iniquity. In another verse (IN Luke) Jesus says my flock is the little flock.
This makes one wonder? Christianity is the LARGEST organized religion in the world which surly isn't the small flock Jesus spoke of and the path is narrow and only a few will find it and so on and so on. Food for thought!
Love and Light, Marietta

You had posted:
After reading some of the stuff you've posted on this board... This is what my scriptures tell me about your "beliefs"

Yep you can also go read Christs letters to the Laodiceans and Philadelphians.. Its pretty clear there also.. I know which one I am...Do you?

14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." ' "


7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": 8 I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '
 
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