I recently found the following definition for repentance. It’s different from others I’ve seen. Can you tell me if it’s correct?

The word in the New Testament usually translated “repent” is the Greek word “metanoeo”. It means “to change your mind; reconsider; or, to think differently.” Granted, if a person changes his mind (repents) toward certain sins in his life, he may become very sorrowful and may even stop committing those sins, but this would be a result of repenting, not repentance itself.

When God tells an unsaved man to repent, He means for that man to change his mind about how to reach God and accept His way of salvation. The person must change his mind from any idea of saving himself through religion or good works, and trust Christ’s death as payment for everything he has done wrong.

Does the gift of Grace cover hypocrisy? I know all sins, except for the one, are forgivable, but it just seems that Jesus deals with hypocrisy on a totally different level whereas I was always taught and believe that in the eyes of God all sins are basically the same.

You have said some things that happen are the predictable consequences of our own actions or those of someone else, while others are coincidental. My pastor always taught us there is no such thing as coincidence or luck, just God. If God knows everything down to the numbers of the hairs on our head then explain what you mean by coincidence, because I am confused. If there can be such a thing as coincidence that tells me God can’t be in charge of every little thing and I want to believe He is and that there are no accidents in life or things that can’t be explained.

Your article “The Covenant Relationship” contains the following: Long before we were born the Father and the Son entered into a covenant on our behalf. Our Father said to Jesus, “Son, if you’ll die for them I’ll forgive them.” Jesus replied, “Father, if you’ll forgive them I’ll die for them.” And so the Everlasting Covenant was formed. Can you please tell me what reference is being quoted?

My pastor said if you don’t tithe, then you’re not a Christian and aren’t saved. Why does the Old Testament speak of tithing and New Testament speaks only of giving?

The pastor at my church keeps preaching that Sunday is the “Christian Day” of worship and gathering. He says that we worship on this day because this was the day that the Lord resurrected. He also claims that God has commanded that this is the day that Christians are to worship and uses scripture like Acts 20:7 to show how the early church gathered on this day. I have read many things pointing out how the Pope was the one who made the decree to worship on Sunday and God actually made Saturday holy. What are your thoughts on this matter?

You say that all children including babies and the unborn go to heaven if they die before they reach the ‘age of accountability’. That means they must already possess eternal life. When they reach the ‘age of accountability’ and sin they then have to believe the gospel and be born again in order to be saved and go heaven when they die. But if all children from the womb to the ‘age of accountability’ already possess eternal life how can they lose it? You say that once saved always saved (OSAS); salvation is eternal and can not be lost. Please could you explain from the scriptures how you resolve this contradiction.

In doing some research on Biblical numbers, I came across the date 4003/4 BC for the time that Adam was given life in the garden. When you add 4003 to 1997, you get 6000 years, the time of man. By multiplying 120 years, (the days of man, Gen. 6) with 50 Jubilee cycles, you get 6000 years again. It all makes sense but I want to verify the 4003/4 date for Adam’s creation by God. Are you familiar with this date as being accurate?

I was thinking recently about the fact that by doing good things here on Earth, we build up rewards for ourselves in heaven. Then I thought about what you said regarding our inability to recall our time on Earth while in Eternity. If this is so, wouldn’t the people who suddenly appear in Eternity look around and realize that some have more rewards than others? Then isn’t it natural to question why? And not remembering their Earth lives, they won’t be able to answer the question. What happens then? Do they just disregard it or will God give an answer? I’m pretty sure we won’t be fat, dumb and happy in Eternity so we would need an answer somehow. Which brings us back to not remembering Earth. So how would this be answered?

From an answer that you gave to the question titled Preconditions For Salvation, you mentioned John 3:16; 6:28, 29, 40; to prove that salvation is by faith alone. Don’t you think that you are adding the word alone to the word of our Lord? Were do we find the word alone in those verses? Yes, we are saved by faith, but does God’s Word tell us that we are saved by “faith alone”? If it says so, please tell me where without adding the word alone to the verses you quote to me.