Antimetabole es la transliteración de una palabra griega y consiste en la repetición de palabras en clausulas sucesivas, pero en diferente orden.

Por ejemplo, se cuenta que cuando la princesa Isabel de Bélgica visitó Varsovia en 1,956, le asignaron un chofer para que la transportara. El domingo mientras la llevaba a la iglesia, Isabel le pregunto, “¿Es Ud. Cristiano?” Y el respondió, “Creyente, pero no practicante”. Entonces, ella pregunto de nuevo, “Entonces Ud. Es comunista” y el contesto, “Practicante, pero no creyente” Ese hombre era hábil en el uso de la antimetabole.

Pero se me ocurre preguntar ¿Cómo sería una congregación donde la mitad son creyentes no practicantes y la otra mitad son practicantes no creyentes? Sería una situación que haría llorar a nuestro Señor Jesucristo.

Desgraciadamente, parece que tenemos una buena cantidad de ambas clases, son la sal q’ se ha desvanecido, o la luz que se ha escondido. He hablado con muchos que son creyentes, pero francamente dicen q’ no les interesa el compromiso y no pocas veces he sido testigo de cómo un practicante finalmente demuestra que no tiene convicciones.

La primera vez que alguien me dijo, “Soy creyente, pero no practicante”, me sonó a sinceridad, pero pensándolo bien una persona que no trata de practicar lo que cree no es sincera ni consigo misma. Y peor algunos se creen más sinceros que los que estamos tratando de practicar lo que creemos. Francamente no me gusta esa posición por las siguientes razones:  

1. El llamado del Señor es a creer con el corazón y a poner en práctica lo que creemos.

2. En realidad, uno trata de practicar lo que cree, y trata de no practicar lo que no cree.

3. Sería más sincero decir, “Soy un creyente que trata de practicar lo que cree.”

En otras palabras, “Creo de todo corazón, pero fallo en la práctica porque no soy perfecto.”

Antimetabole is the transliteration of a Greek literary device that consists in the repetition of words in successive clauses, but in a different order. For example, it is said that when Princess Isabel of Belgium visited Warsaw in 1956, she was assigned a driver to transport her. On Sunday, while taking her to church, Isabel asked the driver, "Are you a Christian?" And he answered that he was a "believer, but not a practitioner." Then, she asked again, "So you are a communist," and he answered, "Practitioner, but not a believer." That driver was very skilled in the use of an antimetabole.

But it occurs to me to ask: what would a congregation be like where half were non-practicing believers and the other half are non-believing practitioners? It would be a situation that would make our Lord Jesus Christ cry.

Unfortunately, it seems that we have a good quantity of both kinds. These are like the salt that has lost its saltiness or the light that has been hidden. I have talked to many who are believers, but frankly, they say that they are not interested in commitment. Also, I have often witnessed many churchgoers demonstrates their lack of convictions.

The first time someone said to me, "I am a believer, but not a practitioner," it sounded honest. On reflection, however, a person who does not try to practice what he believes is not being honest with himself. And worse, some of these believe themselves more sincere than those who are trying to practice what we believe.

Honestly, I do not like that position for several reasons:

1. The call of the Lord is to believe with the heart and put into practice what we believe.

2. In all reality, you will practice what you believe and not practice what you do not believe.

3. It would be more sincere to say, "I am a believer who tries to practice what he believes."

To be truly authentic, we must admit and confess, "I believe with all my heart, but I fail in practice because I am not perfect."