Four types of people in the Bible Part 1

Four types of people in the Bible

1. Pagans

2. Syncretist Christians

3. Christians

4. Apostates

Today we look at Pagans. Some people do not like this term.

In the OT it was generally that if you were not an Israelite, you were a heathen or a Gentile. Basically, a non-Israelite. There were pagan nations, pagan priests and pagan people.

In the NT the term pagan was specifically a non Christian. Gentile in the NT can mean a Christian believer, as opposed to a Jewish believer. So the term, in the OT and NT has different meanings depending on context.

So, in clear understanding, a pagan is someone just not interested in God, Jesus Christ, Christianity.

Pagans have their own feasts and special days, worshipping various types of deities, male and female. Stars, astrology, zodiac, and even dead people are spoken to. Various amulets are made, and are purported to “guard them” and “help them”. Many different types of religious objects are carved or designed. All religious objects, of any sort, are pagan religious objects, irrespective of the religion they seek to portray.

In the OT, all nations, not Jewish were pagan. Now, we have Christians in every nation, so the term is more about individuals rather than nations in general.

A country, may define itself as a christian country, though its clear dogma, will reveal it, for what it is; but there will always be a remnant, always. Today that remnant are called Christians, not christians, not christianos.

Israel was totally destroyed by God, for its idolatry. It did, what it should not have done-

Deut 18:9 do not follow other nations in evil doing. They did. They were destroyed.

Mth 6: 7, 32 speaks of pagan prayer, babbling away and also chasing physical things, especially money.

Mantras, repetitive prayers of any religion.

1 Cor 5: 1 is sexual behaviour of non Christians.

All types of sex, outside of a man and a woman in marriage.

1 Cor 10: 20 pagan sacrifices to objects.

Whatever the name of the religion is, there are physical object in the pagans place of worship, to so called help, aid, look to, etc

1 Cor 12: 2 where all Christians came from.

It comes to the understanding of 1 Cor 12: 2 that we were pagans. And also before we came to Christ, we belonged to our father the devil John 8: 44.

Unless we know where we came from, unless we admit where we came from, we can never claim where we are.

How can we say “ I am a Christian” if we first do not admit “ I was a pagan”.

Having admitted I was a pagan, then we can never participate in the behaviour, the activities we used to participate in.

This is why in 1 Peter 4: 3

For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.

We have the comparison of who we were, where we came out of, and where we must not go back to.

When we leave paganism, we go from

1 Cor 12: 2 Paganism to Christianity

John 12: 46 Darkness to light- we do not stay in darkness.

John 4: 24 From being led by religious objects and artefacts, to worshipping in Spirit, and Truth. No objects

Paganism, is not knowing, believing, understanding, following God at all.

Traits of paganism are evolution as opposed to creation.

Self reliance as opposed to a great Creator, and Sustainer of life.

Physical worship, veneration, aids, symbols of various religious people, living or dead, any type of religious object, astrological aid, animal or human depiction, in any way shape or form..

Basically, spiritual darkness.

Group 1