Freethought & Rationalism Archive

oriecat · 12-22-2002, 04:01 PM

What does it mean ~ "Believe on Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved"? That is often plastered on church sides and billboards. I don't get it. Why isn't it believe in?

HelenM · 12-22-2002, 04:16 PM

I think it's just 'old English' - it's from the older translations.

Acts 16:31 King James Version: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Acts 16:31 New International Version: They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."

Helen

Coragyps · 12-22-2002, 06:18 PM

I once heard a radio preacher tell his flock (and me, too, I guess) that you would go directly to hell if you believed "in" instead of "on." I missed the part where he defined the difference, though, so I suppose that I'm just screwed eternally.

Sabine Grant · 12-23-2002, 06:41 AM

Hello Oriecat.. I agree with Helen. If you can read in other languages, you will find that the nuance between "on" and "in" in various translations disappears.
People will tend to pick on one already translated word and build a new doctrine which ends up scrambling the original meaning. I think most christians will agree that the meaning of salvation is faith in Christ being the messiah and that is it. The rest seems to be (IMO) semantic games which are nonsense.

lugotorix · 12-23-2002, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Coragyps:
I once heard a radio preacher tell his flock (and me, too, I guess) that you would go directly to hell if you believed "in" instead of "on." I missed the part where he defined the difference, though, so I suppose that I'm just screwed eternally.

In that vein, I once read a post in a religious newsgroup that insisted that Christ's name was not Jesus but Yehoushua and that this distinction was vitally important. According to this luser, if on Judgement Day, you were a Christian but spelled his name "J-E-S-U-S", you were doomed to Hell. The ultimate spelling flame ...

lugotorix

Mageth · 12-23-2002, 07:49 AM

I once heard a wacko preacher go on about how all left-handed people are going to hell.

chiron64 · 12-23-2002, 11:29 PM

Quote:

I think it's just 'old English' - it's from the older translations.

Maybe it comes from living in the South, but it sounds more like "modern redneck" to me!

Hayden · 12-24-2002, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mageth:
I once heard a wacko preacher go on about how all left-handed people are going to hell.

Well, I heard that according to Islam either eating with your left hand or weilding the TP with the right would send you to hell. I do both, so I'd better hope they're wrong.

HR

emotional · 12-24-2002, 01:52 AM

It really is older English. Old English geleafan "to believe" took the preposition on rather than in, and German glauben still does take the preposition an and not in.

The deeper you look into the history of the English language, the more similar to German it becomes.

Radorth · 12-24-2002, 08:41 AM

Bummer. I've been believing "on" Jesus for 30 years. Now I have to start over.

Rad

[ December 24, 2002: Message edited by: Radorth ]

12-22-2002, 04:01 PM	#1
oriecat Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Portland OR USA Posts: 1,098	Believe ON Jesus Christ... What does it mean ~ "Believe on Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved"? That is often plastered on church sides and billboards. I don't get it. Why isn't it believe in?

12-24-2002, 08:41 AM	#10
Radorth Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,872	Bummer. I've been believing "on" Jesus for 30 years. Now I have to start over. Rad [ December 24, 2002: Message edited by: Radorth ]</p>

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12-22-2002, 04:16 PM	#2
HelenM Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Ill Posts: 6,577	I think it's just 'old English' - it's from the older translations. Acts 16:31 King James Version: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31 New International Version: They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." Helen

12-22-2002, 06:18 PM	#3
Coragyps Veteran Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Snyder,Texas,USA Posts: 4,411	I once heard a radio preacher tell his flock (and me, too, I guess) that you would go directly to hell if you believed "in" instead of "on." I missed the part where he defined the difference, though, so I suppose that I'm just screwed eternally.

12-23-2002, 06:41 AM	#4
Sabine Grant Talk Freethought Staff Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 32,364	Hello Oriecat.. I agree with Helen. If you can read in other languages, you will find that the nuance between "on" and "in" in various translations disappears. People will tend to pick on one already translated word and build a new doctrine which ends up scrambling the original meaning. I think most christians will agree that the meaning of salvation is faith in Christ being the messiah and that is it. The rest seems to be (IMO) semantic games which are nonsense.

12-23-2002, 07:49 AM	#6
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	I once heard a wacko preacher go on about how all left-handed people are going to hell.

12-24-2002, 01:52 AM	#9
emotional Banned Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Boxing ring of HaShem, Jesus and Allah Posts: 1,945	It really is older English. Old English geleafan "to believe" took the preposition on rather than in, and German glauben still does take the preposition an and not in. The deeper you look into the history of the English language, the more similar to German it becomes.

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