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		ALSO:   Read Randall's replies to these subscriber responses:   "The prayers are so "self" centered"   "How can God let a child starve?"   "I am not worth anything to God"   "I do not believe in Jesus, Heaven, or Hell"   "...the term"accepting" Jesus isn't truly Biblical..."

 A subscriber's "disagreement" on terms:

"I so appreciate these e-mails however I have to comment on the opening remarks to Today's Seed."

Another "Praise Report from the "WALL": Right before being deployed to Iraq in March, Walt joined our church, went through adult confirmation classes, and was baptized into the family of God! He is now in Baghdad.

Are you praying for anyone to accept Jesus? Put their name on the "WALL". We will join you! http://www.e-min.org/wall.htm

"Walt joined the church, took classes, THEN was baptized?  When did he believe on Jesus as LORD and Savior (John 3:16)?  Note that the term 'acceptance', of Jesus, isn't truly Biblical.  It implies mental assent but not heart change. The  proper term as spoken by Jesus is 'believe', and is found throughout the NT."

"Jesus said that we were to preach the Gospel, baptize THEN disciple - train in how to live as a Christian.  All the references in the NT agree with this. The  Gospel was preached, people believed and followed that decision with baptism."

 My response:

The comment was from a subscriber, after posting someone's name on the "Wall", and we assume that the training referred to by the subscriber is a process their specific church requires or suggests.  This does not necessarily reflect E-MIN's views.

Why do we use the word "accept" or "acceptance"?  It is as "correct" to the original language as "believe", though neither words are fully compatible with the meaning of the original Greek word.

The word "acceptance", according to Webster's II New College Dictionary, is defined as:  

"2. Belief in something : Agreement."  

Further, the word "believe" is defined, in the same dictionary, as:

"1. To accept as true or real.", which corresponds to use of the word "acceptance".  

Belief is defined as:

"2. Mental acceptance of or conviction in the truth or actuality of something."

The original Greek word from which "believe" was translated was from "4100. pisteuo, pist-yoo'-o; from G4102:

...to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by impl. to entrust (espec. one's spiritual well-being to Christ):--believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with. (Strong's)."

Technically, "believe" is not a correct rendering of the original meaning.

More correctly, one would have to say, in English, something like, "fully trust and place allegiance in", or similar, but the King James translators choose "believe" instead.

So, accordingly, "accept" or "acceptance" is still accurately within the meaning of the word "believe" as used in English New Testament translations.

G. Randall Vaughn

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