We have two enemies as Christians – the famous devil, and the famous flesh. The devil, of course, taught to be omnipresent, omniscient, and interested in our lives; the flesh, something of a mystical concept, but our most real ‘enemy’, if you will. Now the flesh, our body, is also sometimes called ‘the sinful nature’, which will appear more times in the letters than ‘the flesh’.
The flesh is the perpetrator of all our sins – things of a sexual nature, or sins of the mind such as greed (Galatians 5:19-21). It even implies to be some sort of object, like a tumour within, that is responsible for stirring us up to do wicked things.
But this is just another example of over-spiritualizing and complicating simple things. The flesh is simply the body, being fashioned like an animal to have eyes for nothing more than feeding and multiplying itself. In length, I explained that the present state of our bodies as humans is a fall from the original form in my posts: Who Was Adam? Who Are We? The Profound Mystery and What Then is Salvation?
Because we live as fallen beings, as spirits within animal bodies, the redemption includes a change/regeneration of our bodies to the original form. In the meantime, we battle this ‘flesh’ or at least suffer its insistence, until the day dawns, and the morning star rises in our hearts (2 Peter 1:19). The flesh is simply our body, our nature, our instincts. Whenever Paul refers to our nature, in his distaste for it, he labels it sinful every time – our sinful nature.
It’s simple – the flesh is our bodies. Our instinctual, bestial bodies.
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Power Struggle: Churchianity
It’s too bad the church has been left to the devices of man – it’s too bad there isn’t oversight and governance that isn’t based on faith. Faith tends to be a home wrecker when it gets into the wrong hands. Apart from all the good things faith has done on earth, it is responsible for the most evil things on the earth as well. To stay relevant to the topic, faith has destroyed the church (yeah, that's right).
One church was born of Christ and his crew 2000 years ago, and the power was largely centralized (thanks to an uneducated laity) for most of those millennia. It was when the power shifted to the people, in terms of literacy, government, and agitation, that the head(s) of the church lost their consolidation of power, and the church began to splinter and splinter and splinter and splinter....... Across the world now, we have more than 30,000 denominations. 30,000 denominations within Protestantism. 30,000!!
This is a problem. The implications are that absolute truth has been lost, pride leads to a fall (aka a church plant) and pride is rampant, and that there is a massive greed for power or prestige. Gone are the days of submission to leadership, once believed to be appointed by Christ Himself. Instead, if the disagreement on theology (or whatever) gets hot enough, the head of dissidents takes his flock away and sets up shop in a school gymnasium, builds a following, and can grow himself into a nice little denomination, latch onto another one, or become 'non-denominational'.
Outside of a denomination (which is the ‘new’ form of church government, I presume), what sort of accountability is there? Who, apart from the guy at the top, dictates theology and policy? Who is ‘the man’ accountable to, but ‘Christ by faith’? He doesn’t answer to the Pope – most of them don’t even believe the Pope is Christian! We have 30,000 popes!
The empowerment of people [to rebel] was the downfall of the church. Results of this absolute mess are absolute confusion, bitterness between the sects, superiority complexes, inferiority complexes, the inability to determine if you’re getting yourself into a cult, and the incredibly intimidating façade of the church to the public (ie. if I want to go to church, which one do I go to? Where do I begin? How is this one different than that one, or that one, or that one?).
How does churchianity stay afloat? Teaching tithe theology. Whatever your beliefs on tithing, the church system is money-based. Money-based because they’re building-based, because they’re salary-based. In fact, earmarks of a ‘successful’ church (whatever that is) are that they have a building and are able to pay their pastor enough so he doesn’t have to work elsewhere.
However, a pastor whose concern is the bottom line will often be influenced by it in his interaction with his followers. For example, if a church is struggling financially, a sermon series could be launched about tithing, or the blessing of giving, or prosperity. To be a little more stealth, preach about evangelism and get everyone fired up to bring their friends to church, maybe launch Alpha. More people equals higher revenue (to use a business term), equals a church that doesn’t sink. Aha! That’s why there’s no substance in church anymore! They want to tickle our ears to keep us coming. It takes faith to offend!
When money is affecting theology and content, something is terribly wrong. This whole system we’ve created is based on falsities and human-nature. It’s not God’s doing, and He’ll not come back to marry 30,000 brides. He’ll restore Truth and destroy this ambitious, animal nature in us that causes us to do these things. Thank God!
One church was born of Christ and his crew 2000 years ago, and the power was largely centralized (thanks to an uneducated laity) for most of those millennia. It was when the power shifted to the people, in terms of literacy, government, and agitation, that the head(s) of the church lost their consolidation of power, and the church began to splinter and splinter and splinter and splinter....... Across the world now, we have more than 30,000 denominations. 30,000 denominations within Protestantism. 30,000!!
This is a problem. The implications are that absolute truth has been lost, pride leads to a fall (aka a church plant) and pride is rampant, and that there is a massive greed for power or prestige. Gone are the days of submission to leadership, once believed to be appointed by Christ Himself. Instead, if the disagreement on theology (or whatever) gets hot enough, the head of dissidents takes his flock away and sets up shop in a school gymnasium, builds a following, and can grow himself into a nice little denomination, latch onto another one, or become 'non-denominational'.
Outside of a denomination (which is the ‘new’ form of church government, I presume), what sort of accountability is there? Who, apart from the guy at the top, dictates theology and policy? Who is ‘the man’ accountable to, but ‘Christ by faith’? He doesn’t answer to the Pope – most of them don’t even believe the Pope is Christian! We have 30,000 popes!
The empowerment of people [to rebel] was the downfall of the church. Results of this absolute mess are absolute confusion, bitterness between the sects, superiority complexes, inferiority complexes, the inability to determine if you’re getting yourself into a cult, and the incredibly intimidating façade of the church to the public (ie. if I want to go to church, which one do I go to? Where do I begin? How is this one different than that one, or that one, or that one?).
How does churchianity stay afloat? Teaching tithe theology. Whatever your beliefs on tithing, the church system is money-based. Money-based because they’re building-based, because they’re salary-based. In fact, earmarks of a ‘successful’ church (whatever that is) are that they have a building and are able to pay their pastor enough so he doesn’t have to work elsewhere.
However, a pastor whose concern is the bottom line will often be influenced by it in his interaction with his followers. For example, if a church is struggling financially, a sermon series could be launched about tithing, or the blessing of giving, or prosperity. To be a little more stealth, preach about evangelism and get everyone fired up to bring their friends to church, maybe launch Alpha. More people equals higher revenue (to use a business term), equals a church that doesn’t sink. Aha! That’s why there’s no substance in church anymore! They want to tickle our ears to keep us coming. It takes faith to offend!
When money is affecting theology and content, something is terribly wrong. This whole system we’ve created is based on falsities and human-nature. It’s not God’s doing, and He’ll not come back to marry 30,000 brides. He’ll restore Truth and destroy this ambitious, animal nature in us that causes us to do these things. Thank God!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Spirit of Antichrist
I hate all the religious indoctrination we get from the dusty old books. Everything from hell to salvation, from Christ to Antichrist – it’s all over-spiritualized to the point where it seems it’s of fairy tale land, and makes absolutely no sense. Everyone needs to question their beliefs and search for the truth.
Further to my last post about ‘The Greatest Sin’, in which I wrote about the possible cause for the brutal exile of Israel in 70 AD, I want to go on to explain my thoughts on the infamous antichrist. It’s really hard to do this without being labeled, but I’m not all that concerned.
If Christ came to fulfill the Law by his most awesome sacrifices (Lk 24:44, Rom 3:21), the greatest sin after this would be to continue the practice of the law (Rom 9:30), particularly in regards to sin sacrifices (Paul calls it 'the law of sin and death' in Rom. 8:2). If you sit and think of the implications of slaughtering a lamb after the Lamb had already faced this slaughter, you’d understand the rage of the Almighty 40 years after his ascension. Jesus predicted it in Matthew 24: ‘not one stone here will be left on another’. I have often heard that the original ‘antichrist’ language refers to a ‘Christ-instead’ or an ‘in-place-of Christ’ scenario, rather than an outright adversary “I am your god now!”. How fitting that the spirit of antichrist would be rooted or blatantly founded on the Law of Moses. This is the law given, which is not able to be perfectly kept, which is the only law on earth which gets closest to what life is all about. Paul calls it 'the embodiment of knowledge and truth' in Romans 2:20. Perfect following of this law bypasses the need for Christ – it is the ‘in-place-of Christ’.
What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'" Romans 9:22-26
I nearly fell off my chair a few years ago when I clued in to what this ‘mark of the beast’ is all about. Revelation says it is either located on the forehead or the palm/wrist. The best practitioners of the Law of Moses, the Pharisees, wear what are called Phylacteries, which are tiny leather boxes containing baby scrolls with the words of certain verses written on them to serve ‘as reminders of God and of the obligation to keep the Law during daily life’ (see Encyclopedia Britannica). I’m not saying the mark of the beast is a phylactery, but the prophecy/fulfillment could be rooted in this concept/belief.
Jesus was constantly mocking the Pharisees for their obsession with outward appearances and their inward desolation. Every time I feel like being shocked, I read Matthew 23, which is called ‘The Seven Woes’ where Jesus goes nuts and rips into the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites, sons of hell (v. 15), blind fools (v. 16), snakes and vipers (v. 33), and exclaims ‘how will you escape being condemned to hell?’ (v. 33).
Of this ‘mark’, the phylactery, Jesus says in 23:5: ‘Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long…’. The tirade ends with a brutal declaration that is fulfilled 40 years later. He says in verse 35:
“…upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.”
‘This generation’ certainly did not escape the judgment Jesus foretold. Strange how Jesus puts the blood of every righteous person who was ever killed on Israel and its leaders. Then again, who was responsible for plotting and scheming the death of Christ? Who hunted down all the very first Christians? Did not Paul, the Christian-killer, call himself ‘chief of sinners’?
(It’s hard to write about this without sounding racist, but I’m really not. I’m the last person to be racist. I think Jesus is fairly clear about who/what the ‘antichrist’ is, or at least where it is rooted.)
Questions, then, are begged of modern times, where we have seen the nation of Israel reborn out of nowhere in one day (May 14, 1948), and the nation reformed. Is there any coincidence in the 6-pointed star (inverted triangles) on the nation’s flag being a blatantly pagan symbol? We even have a modern-day clan of Pharisees - the New Sanhedrin - plotting to install pharisaical rule in the land, appointing kings in the bloodline of David, training up a priesthood of Levites, drawing up plans for a third Temple (where sacrifices will commence), and even trying to bring back the lost species of the red heifer through genetic manipulation (also see the Temple Institute).
It is a widely-held belief that a Temple will be completely functional at the return of Christ. Ever wonder where all the rage is coming from in Heaven? Ever wonder what all the revenge is for? We get all this ‘wrath of God’ stuff, but He’s not going to be mad just because we’re sinners – we already know what His response to our sin is. He’s angry because He paid the way for us, and His sacrifice is being ignored, hidden, and disbelieved.
Many end-times preachers use Matthew 24:32 as a proof that we are living as the curtains are closing. It reads: ‘Now learn this lesson from the fig tree (Israel): as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.’ They say this refers to the rebirth of the nation of Israel, the blossoming and filling in of the nation, which leads to the return of Christ. After all, the nation must exist in order to have the last Temple rebuilt, which must exist for the ‘abomination that causes desolation’ to occur. This reference, however, brings a different perspective to the ‘fig tree’ that Christ mentions. While it ushers in the return of Christ, it may be in a more negative way than positive. We’re all lovey dovey with Israel as a Church, but really, we could be assisting the rise of the antichrist system we’ve all been trained to fear and… maybe even come under its reign when we don’t recognize what’s going on.
It’s bad that we have fairy tale ideas – they could lead us to our own end!
Further to my last post about ‘The Greatest Sin’, in which I wrote about the possible cause for the brutal exile of Israel in 70 AD, I want to go on to explain my thoughts on the infamous antichrist. It’s really hard to do this without being labeled, but I’m not all that concerned.
If Christ came to fulfill the Law by his most awesome sacrifices (Lk 24:44, Rom 3:21), the greatest sin after this would be to continue the practice of the law (Rom 9:30), particularly in regards to sin sacrifices (Paul calls it 'the law of sin and death' in Rom. 8:2). If you sit and think of the implications of slaughtering a lamb after the Lamb had already faced this slaughter, you’d understand the rage of the Almighty 40 years after his ascension. Jesus predicted it in Matthew 24: ‘not one stone here will be left on another’. I have often heard that the original ‘antichrist’ language refers to a ‘Christ-instead’ or an ‘in-place-of Christ’ scenario, rather than an outright adversary “I am your god now!”. How fitting that the spirit of antichrist would be rooted or blatantly founded on the Law of Moses. This is the law given, which is not able to be perfectly kept, which is the only law on earth which gets closest to what life is all about. Paul calls it 'the embodiment of knowledge and truth' in Romans 2:20. Perfect following of this law bypasses the need for Christ – it is the ‘in-place-of Christ’.
What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'" Romans 9:22-26
I nearly fell off my chair a few years ago when I clued in to what this ‘mark of the beast’ is all about. Revelation says it is either located on the forehead or the palm/wrist. The best practitioners of the Law of Moses, the Pharisees, wear what are called Phylacteries, which are tiny leather boxes containing baby scrolls with the words of certain verses written on them to serve ‘as reminders of God and of the obligation to keep the Law during daily life’ (see Encyclopedia Britannica). I’m not saying the mark of the beast is a phylactery, but the prophecy/fulfillment could be rooted in this concept/belief.Jesus was constantly mocking the Pharisees for their obsession with outward appearances and their inward desolation. Every time I feel like being shocked, I read Matthew 23, which is called ‘The Seven Woes’ where Jesus goes nuts and rips into the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites, sons of hell (v. 15), blind fools (v. 16), snakes and vipers (v. 33), and exclaims ‘how will you escape being condemned to hell?’ (v. 33).
Of this ‘mark’, the phylactery, Jesus says in 23:5: ‘Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long…’. The tirade ends with a brutal declaration that is fulfilled 40 years later. He says in verse 35:
“…upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.”
‘This generation’ certainly did not escape the judgment Jesus foretold. Strange how Jesus puts the blood of every righteous person who was ever killed on Israel and its leaders. Then again, who was responsible for plotting and scheming the death of Christ? Who hunted down all the very first Christians? Did not Paul, the Christian-killer, call himself ‘chief of sinners’?
(It’s hard to write about this without sounding racist, but I’m really not. I’m the last person to be racist. I think Jesus is fairly clear about who/what the ‘antichrist’ is, or at least where it is rooted.)
Questions, then, are begged of modern times, where we have seen the nation of Israel reborn out of nowhere in one day (May 14, 1948), and the nation reformed. Is there any coincidence in the 6-pointed star (inverted triangles) on the nation’s flag being a blatantly pagan symbol? We even have a modern-day clan of Pharisees - the New Sanhedrin - plotting to install pharisaical rule in the land, appointing kings in the bloodline of David, training up a priesthood of Levites, drawing up plans for a third Temple (where sacrifices will commence), and even trying to bring back the lost species of the red heifer through genetic manipulation (also see the Temple Institute).It is a widely-held belief that a Temple will be completely functional at the return of Christ. Ever wonder where all the rage is coming from in Heaven? Ever wonder what all the revenge is for? We get all this ‘wrath of God’ stuff, but He’s not going to be mad just because we’re sinners – we already know what His response to our sin is. He’s angry because He paid the way for us, and His sacrifice is being ignored, hidden, and disbelieved.
Many end-times preachers use Matthew 24:32 as a proof that we are living as the curtains are closing. It reads: ‘Now learn this lesson from the fig tree (Israel): as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.’ They say this refers to the rebirth of the nation of Israel, the blossoming and filling in of the nation, which leads to the return of Christ. After all, the nation must exist in order to have the last Temple rebuilt, which must exist for the ‘abomination that causes desolation’ to occur. This reference, however, brings a different perspective to the ‘fig tree’ that Christ mentions. While it ushers in the return of Christ, it may be in a more negative way than positive. We’re all lovey dovey with Israel as a Church, but really, we could be assisting the rise of the antichrist system we’ve all been trained to fear and… maybe even come under its reign when we don’t recognize what’s going on.
It’s bad that we have fairy tale ideas – they could lead us to our own end!
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Greatest Sin: Unbelief
The most offensive sin has always been unbelief – in fact it is the root of disobedience. This became especially true after the work of Christ on earth. If the purpose of human life on earth is to be an object of love for the One who is Love, and disbelief in this love caused the fall, and salvation is the belief in the love of God as expressed through the person Jesus, then the greatest sin is disbelief. Really, the arrival and work of Christ on earth was the proof, the exposé of the depth, width, height, and breadth of the Love of God.
It’s funny, in today’s churches, we don’t really get to find out what it means for salvation to be found in belief in Jesus. Growing up, I was always under the impression that we just had to believe that He exists or existed. In a round about way, that’s true, but it’s missing the point.
I suppose the most vile smell in the nostrils of the Almighty after the payment for all sin by His Son was the sacrifice of animals to pay for paid-for sins. A largely-downsized feeling of the same nature would be buying a subway sandwich for a homeless person, giving it to them, at which point they throw it in the garbage can, muster up their change, and walk into subway to buy the exact same sandwich. You just wasted your money! They totally ignored your gift to them! In our case, it was a life - and not just any life. This may explain why the nation of Israel was brutally exiled in 70AD, and the Temple, the enabler of these vile sacrifices, was overturned, so that ‘not one stone [was] left on another’ (you should definitely click to: Matt 24:2). They were given 40 years to recognize the Christ, and when they didn’t, they were expelled to every corner of the planet… for 2000 persecution- and treachery-filled years! (kinda makes you wonder what’s going on now, eh?).
I had always been baffled by a few things that Jesus said, but they’re starting to make more sense to me now as I’ve come to find out the true nature of my faith. An example is Matthew 22:14: For many are invited, but few are chosen. Another is Matthew 8:12: ‘but the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’. Another is Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'.
These texts were always a little unnerving for me, seeing as they all had to do with safety of salvation and people of faith being sent to judgment. How horrifying to think you are going the right way, and when it's finally too late, to find out that you aren’t! These texts fly in the face of all our thoughts on the universal nature of salvation, and the assurance aspect as well. If they who, in their life of faith, got to the point where they were driving out demons and healing the sick, did not actually have salvation, then what about the rest of the laity?! What kind of cruel dictator is this?! The same one who created hell and a burning lake of fire…! Hmmm, that again. My mind must be coming at it wrong. This has got to be born of love.
The greatest offense is unbelief, and actual belief is fruitful! In fact, belief is a magnificent healer. Within the Church, we have each been given the most incredible gifts – spiritually, mentally, and physically – and they have been made available for us by the simplicity of Grace. These gifts are necessary for the continuance of life and freedom from all evil, and they were afforded by great and horrific sacrifices. For us, as Christians, to take the bare minimum, to convert and be on our way, to wallow in the nets and hooks of our bestial bodies, is to blaspheme the sacrifice. It is to offend God. To not carry out our salvation to its completion is vile.
And just as Israel was utterly destroyed for this reason (that they kept wallowing in the Law, even after the sacrifice fulfilled it), so are we, the called but not chosen, the subjects of the kingdom thrown outside (wonder why there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth?), the workers of wonders who are called evildoers.
The imagery is horrendous, but the words that conjure up these images, they are not mine.
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Feed the Poor, Clothe the Naked, Design Flags, and Merchandise Yourself...
Objective Ministries has launched a campaign "to make a design change to our Flag, the most visible symbol of our Nation, so that we can educate the ignorant and keep our citizens focused on our cultural values without being led astray by hate-filled, anti-American and anti-Christian demagogues." Here is the proposed new flag...
"The thirteen stripes that represent the thirteen founding colonies are now presided over by a single, large stripe of pure, Heavenly white. Across this stripe is emblazoned in a royal blue the name of He from Whom our Nation's providence flows. The stripe's position above the field of stars is also symbolic, showing the transcendency of His throne in Heaven over the Universe. Besides the symbolism, the design forms a clear rebus, allowing even the most abjectly hebetudinous of our citizens to learn and remember that we are 'One Nation, Under God'."
'Remember the Covenant' boxer shorts. Hmmm... you might be best to leave these 'in the closet'.
"The thirteen stripes that represent the thirteen founding colonies are now presided over by a single, large stripe of pure, Heavenly white. Across this stripe is emblazoned in a royal blue the name of He from Whom our Nation's providence flows. The stripe's position above the field of stars is also symbolic, showing the transcendency of His throne in Heaven over the Universe. Besides the symbolism, the design forms a clear rebus, allowing even the most abjectly hebetudinous of our citizens to learn and remember that we are 'One Nation, Under God'."If you care, take a look at the whole page on this campaign HERE.
For that special someone in your life, take a gander at the Objective Ministries SHOP.
Of all the activist clothing options, here are some samples:
a 'Remember The Covenant' license plate holder. Who knows... maybe you'll even get a date out of it! ;)
'Remember the Covenant' boxer shorts. Hmmm... you might be best to leave these 'in the closet'.
'Motility = Life' mug... has anyone else lost their appetite for a cuppa coffee?
And nothing says lovin' like a baseball T. Thank God there are more colours avaible ... black and white in one garment are tough to wash!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The Humility of Wisdom
It takes a certain level of humility to exercise wisdom, because a lot of the time, wisdom is more about not doing something than doing something. Because often wisdom is in the absence of action, it doesn’t get noticed. No one ever knows what you didn’t do – they only know what you did.
If you are in an argument, and you decide to exercise wisdom, and not say the first thing that comes to your mind, when the conversation is over, the absence of saying that thing may have made things work out better in the end (or easier), but the other person has no more (or less) respect for you. They have no idea you’ve acted in wisdom.
The only reward for exercising wisdom is from God – so wisdom is best served with humility and faith. If you go around and say, ‘Did you notice what I didn’t say there??’, all maturity is sucked out of the situation and the reward for using wisdom is lost. This is like the Pharisees who pray with big, theological words, in a booming voice for all to hear. Jesus says they have received their reward in full (the respect of those in earshot), but those who pray in their closet, where no one hears but God, ‘your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you’.
Wisdom is like the silence in sound; the stillness in a frenzy. No one even knows, but God.
Take some wisdom from the Tao te Ching:
Thirty spokes converge at the hub
but emptiness completes the wheel
Clay is shaped to make a pot,
and what's useful is its emptiness
Carve fine doors and windows,
but the room is useful in its emptiness
What is
is beneficial, while what is not
also proves useful
If you are in an argument, and you decide to exercise wisdom, and not say the first thing that comes to your mind, when the conversation is over, the absence of saying that thing may have made things work out better in the end (or easier), but the other person has no more (or less) respect for you. They have no idea you’ve acted in wisdom.
The only reward for exercising wisdom is from God – so wisdom is best served with humility and faith. If you go around and say, ‘Did you notice what I didn’t say there??’, all maturity is sucked out of the situation and the reward for using wisdom is lost. This is like the Pharisees who pray with big, theological words, in a booming voice for all to hear. Jesus says they have received their reward in full (the respect of those in earshot), but those who pray in their closet, where no one hears but God, ‘your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you’.
Wisdom is like the silence in sound; the stillness in a frenzy. No one even knows, but God.
Take some wisdom from the Tao te Ching:
Thirty spokes converge at the hub
but emptiness completes the wheel
Clay is shaped to make a pot,
and what's useful is its emptiness
Carve fine doors and windows,
but the room is useful in its emptiness
What is
is beneficial, while what is not
also proves useful
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Summary of Salvation
The problem: It was the fading belief in the magnitude of God’s love for Adam that led to the falls. Adam was created for love, created to be like God in every way, created perfect, without need or want. His desire increased for the things of this world, and his sufficiency in love was disintegrating, so he became of the sexes, and susceptible to all the bestial functions. Love eventually faded to the point where belief in it was challenged and was defeated. The absence of belief led to disobedience, consequence, and a new way of life which was meant to accommodate for the new knowledge He had. Adam’s fall was that He couldn’t fathom God’s love; our rise is the fathoming of God’s love.
The cure: Love proven, and love believed. God loved us, He gave Himself in ‘flesh and blood’ to save us. As soon as He appeared on the earth, because of this sacrifice, forgiveness of sins was possible. The long-discussed conundrum of the simplicity found in ‘believe in me’ for the saving of one’s life from death, is just that, simple. ‘Believe in me’, the sole expression and final word of the height, depth, width, and length of God’s love for us. Love proven again in death (for payment), and then in resurrection. Becoming one (in 'marriage') with another who has already died and can never die again gives us freedom from death as well.
The regeneration: It is the initial belief in this love that begins the regeneration to the fullness of salvation. It is ‘first sight’ in comparison to the wedding day, for the fullness of salvation is a marriage. A relationship is begun, and love between them grows, as they come to know more and more about each other. Salvation is not only knowing God, but God knowing you, because at the last day, Christ will say to many [Christians]: ‘Away from me– I never knew you!’ (Matthew 7:23). It is the growing knowledge and demonstration of God’s love for us that regenerates the mind to a more solid belief – the life-giving belief. And the duration of that belief is tested, giving life to every atom of our being, until ‘the day dawns, and the morning star rises in your heart’, for this is the redemption of the body.
I Am The Way: this is the path of least question, the only offer in the whole realm of salvation methods which makes sense. It’s the only one with a God who reaches to us, instead of us reaching and striving after Him. Though the people fumble, the Truth remains the same.
The cure: Love proven, and love believed. God loved us, He gave Himself in ‘flesh and blood’ to save us. As soon as He appeared on the earth, because of this sacrifice, forgiveness of sins was possible. The long-discussed conundrum of the simplicity found in ‘believe in me’ for the saving of one’s life from death, is just that, simple. ‘Believe in me’, the sole expression and final word of the height, depth, width, and length of God’s love for us. Love proven again in death (for payment), and then in resurrection. Becoming one (in 'marriage') with another who has already died and can never die again gives us freedom from death as well.
The regeneration: It is the initial belief in this love that begins the regeneration to the fullness of salvation. It is ‘first sight’ in comparison to the wedding day, for the fullness of salvation is a marriage. A relationship is begun, and love between them grows, as they come to know more and more about each other. Salvation is not only knowing God, but God knowing you, because at the last day, Christ will say to many [Christians]: ‘Away from me– I never knew you!’ (Matthew 7:23). It is the growing knowledge and demonstration of God’s love for us that regenerates the mind to a more solid belief – the life-giving belief. And the duration of that belief is tested, giving life to every atom of our being, until ‘the day dawns, and the morning star rises in your heart’, for this is the redemption of the body.
I Am The Way: this is the path of least question, the only offer in the whole realm of salvation methods which makes sense. It’s the only one with a God who reaches to us, instead of us reaching and striving after Him. Though the people fumble, the Truth remains the same.
The End of Salvation: For this Reason…
For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:24
The wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7
Marriage is ‘for this reason’, which I have written out in great detail in Who Was Adam? Who are We? and The Profound Mystery. Because I believe we can learn a lot from the salvation process of the earth, it is fitting then that since the culmination and completion of salvation there is a wedding, a marriage, that this would be the same for us as individuals seeking the fullness of redemption. The marriage would imply a fullness of salvation for the spirit, mind, and body. It was for this hope we were saved (Romans 8:23-24).
The salvation of the body is the final ‘step’ as it were – back to the original form, the same Adam who was created on Day 1. A son of God, he, according to the law of offspring, would’ve become just like God in all His capabilities and endlessness. This, of course, capped by the falls (plural). Ever since Day 1, the light in Adam began to diminish slowly; the life whose foundation was the purest love. One day, it had gone too far, and something was ‘not good’ and needed to be either fixed or accommodated for. Later came the fall we've all learned about; the fall out of love as proven by disobedience.
The salvation of the body is a marriage - a joining of bodies and spirits into one. We had this need born in us after Eve was created out of Adam, so it seems to reverse that, a marriage of another kind is needed.
Christ refers to himself as ‘the bridegroom’ several times in the Gospels, and the church is often called ‘the bride of Christ’. At the last day, Christ returns to earth, and the New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven ‘as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband’ (Rev. 21:2). This planet-sized city, the home of the ‘saved’, is merged with earth, and time goes on eternally, happily.
In us as individuals, there is something similar. Peter infers a climax and completion of salvation by this: until the day dawns, and the morning star rises in your hearts (2 Peter 1:19). Could this be the joining of bodies, the life-force of Christ in us? We need to think of the reference to the morning star (the sun) here – it’s implications of the vitality and utter necessity for life that the sun brings to every single atom and particle in creation. The morning star, some spiritual spark of life and sustenance, in us. Christ, the morning star (Rev 22:16).
Here’s a special note: Peter implies a possibility of this ‘morning star’ rising in this lifetime, as if it’s something to be sought after, as if it’s the whole point (where has this teaching gone?). I am under the strong impression that not only is the whole perfection process something that is completed in heaven, but also that there is no real goal of sorts in this whole faith thing. Just behave so He doesn’t change His mind about you.
For the dead at the last moments of the last days, there is a resurrection. For the dead in Christ, ‘those who are worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection’ (Luke 20:34-36). ‘The dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed’ (1 Cor. 15:52).
For those alive now, whether we’re in the last days or not, the fullness of salvation is available and attainable. ‘The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.’ (Romans 8:18)
Consider this: of all the 12 apostles, who walked with Jesus and were intimately shown the way to the fullness of salvation (if they were selling it, they’d better be using it themselves!), 11 were confirmed killed by the hands of others (ie. martyred). None of them died by natural causes. Jesus was also killed this way. The only one who didn’t die by martyrdom (and this isn’t confirmed) was John, who had several attempts at martyrdom on his life. John frustrated his tormentors when they boiled him alive in a giant basin of oil. He couldn’t be killed by it, and was sent to exile in Patmos. It is a presumption he died as an old man, but there is no evidence he even died. This brings a raised eyebrow to Jesus’ statement about John in 21:22, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."’
My point: what the fullness of salvation is (an eternal joining of beings between us and Christ), and the perspective that it is possible before death.
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations … just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 2:26-29
The wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7
Marriage is ‘for this reason’, which I have written out in great detail in Who Was Adam? Who are We? and The Profound Mystery. Because I believe we can learn a lot from the salvation process of the earth, it is fitting then that since the culmination and completion of salvation there is a wedding, a marriage, that this would be the same for us as individuals seeking the fullness of redemption. The marriage would imply a fullness of salvation for the spirit, mind, and body. It was for this hope we were saved (Romans 8:23-24).
The salvation of the body is the final ‘step’ as it were – back to the original form, the same Adam who was created on Day 1. A son of God, he, according to the law of offspring, would’ve become just like God in all His capabilities and endlessness. This, of course, capped by the falls (plural). Ever since Day 1, the light in Adam began to diminish slowly; the life whose foundation was the purest love. One day, it had gone too far, and something was ‘not good’ and needed to be either fixed or accommodated for. Later came the fall we've all learned about; the fall out of love as proven by disobedience.
The salvation of the body is a marriage - a joining of bodies and spirits into one. We had this need born in us after Eve was created out of Adam, so it seems to reverse that, a marriage of another kind is needed.
Christ refers to himself as ‘the bridegroom’ several times in the Gospels, and the church is often called ‘the bride of Christ’. At the last day, Christ returns to earth, and the New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven ‘as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband’ (Rev. 21:2). This planet-sized city, the home of the ‘saved’, is merged with earth, and time goes on eternally, happily.
In us as individuals, there is something similar. Peter infers a climax and completion of salvation by this: until the day dawns, and the morning star rises in your hearts (2 Peter 1:19). Could this be the joining of bodies, the life-force of Christ in us? We need to think of the reference to the morning star (the sun) here – it’s implications of the vitality and utter necessity for life that the sun brings to every single atom and particle in creation. The morning star, some spiritual spark of life and sustenance, in us. Christ, the morning star (Rev 22:16).
Here’s a special note: Peter implies a possibility of this ‘morning star’ rising in this lifetime, as if it’s something to be sought after, as if it’s the whole point (where has this teaching gone?). I am under the strong impression that not only is the whole perfection process something that is completed in heaven, but also that there is no real goal of sorts in this whole faith thing. Just behave so He doesn’t change His mind about you.
For the dead at the last moments of the last days, there is a resurrection. For the dead in Christ, ‘those who are worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection’ (Luke 20:34-36). ‘The dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed’ (1 Cor. 15:52).
For those alive now, whether we’re in the last days or not, the fullness of salvation is available and attainable. ‘The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.’ (Romans 8:18)
Consider this: of all the 12 apostles, who walked with Jesus and were intimately shown the way to the fullness of salvation (if they were selling it, they’d better be using it themselves!), 11 were confirmed killed by the hands of others (ie. martyred). None of them died by natural causes. Jesus was also killed this way. The only one who didn’t die by martyrdom (and this isn’t confirmed) was John, who had several attempts at martyrdom on his life. John frustrated his tormentors when they boiled him alive in a giant basin of oil. He couldn’t be killed by it, and was sent to exile in Patmos. It is a presumption he died as an old man, but there is no evidence he even died. This brings a raised eyebrow to Jesus’ statement about John in 21:22, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."’
My point: what the fullness of salvation is (an eternal joining of beings between us and Christ), and the perspective that it is possible before death.
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations … just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 2:26-29
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Meditation
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2 : 2 - 3
The Profound Mystery
More on the Redemption of our Bodies – see ‘Who was Adam? Who are we?’
In his writing to the Ephesians about marriage (natural and the Christ-marriage), Paul says: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Eph. 5:32) Another reference to this ‘profound mystery’ was made by Jesus in Matthew 19:4-6 and Matthew 22:29-30.
The point I was trying to make in my post about the original form of Adam was that he was a perfect copy of God (image and likeness…) prior to the creation of Eve. I made the point about Adam being made ‘good’ (ie. perfect), and for some unspecified reason, one day Adam was ‘not good’, and something had to be done about it. The solution was a change to Adam’s body and a creation of Eve. I gave several quotes from Jacob Boeme about the cause, and also stated that Adam had broken the ‘image’ of God, and had become fashioned after the beasts of the earth (with all their faculties and instincts).
Paul says in Romans 8:23: We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Paul also refers to this mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:50-52: I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-16
Paul clearly states that our bodies, as they are (flesh and blood), cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. Jacob Boeme says that prior to the creation of Eve, Adam was not a beast with a spirit, instead his ‘life fluid was heavenly’. Paul also states that the hope we are saved for is the ‘redemption of our bodies’ and says that at the resurrection ‘we will all be changed’. What needs to be redeemed in our bodies? Why is it part of salvation to have our bodies changed?
You see, salvation lives to bring us back to the fullness of our original form, the original intention for us. That was not to be like animals.
‘The desire of a beast is only to nourish itself and to multiply itself. It hath no understanding of any higher thing. It hath its own spirit, whereby it liveth and growth and consumeth itself. If God had intended that man should live as the beasts, He would have created him in the similitude of, and with the beasts.’ *
There is a ‘profound mystery’ in the declaration that after Eve was created ‘for this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh’. The mystery is that the ‘one flesh’ was simply whole Adam before! The creation of mankind into sexes was a fall!
‘Adam was given that which he would have, the terrestrial woman, in place of the celestial virgin; for Adam’s treachery toward his heavenly consort, disqualified him for her, and left him only fitted for an ‘Eve’. During his sleep, the woman was made out of Adam, and the image of God was destroyed. The man and the woman were made into creatures of this outer world, fashioned into mortality. Adam and Eve had still a paradisiacal consciousness, but mixed with terrestrial desire. They were ‘naked’ although ‘not ashamed’ until they had eaten of the earthly fruit.’ *
So we know that part of salvation is a redemption of (and change to) our bodies. I’m just trying to prove the reason for that. The consequence of eating from the tree did not bring about any changes to their bodies. The curses that came afterwards did not bring about any changes to their bodies. The only place we see changes to the bodies is when Eve was created. Apparently, this was wrong, because it is reversed by the completion of salvation in us.
It is good for us to learn from the salvation of the world (see ‘Save the World, Save Me!’). Just before an end is brought to all wickedness and 'ungodliness' (ie. being unlike God, as animals, living out the desires of ‘the flesh’, our bodies) on the earth, the one who reigns over every single human being is called 'the beast'. It is 'the beast' that is thrown into the lake of fire along with all his adherents, and this is the culmination of salvation.
‘The Beast’ reigns with the ‘False Prophet’ at his side, the one who deludes and distracts. The ‘false prophet’ is thrown into the lake of fire forever as well.
Let it be in us as well, that a kingdom and reign is given to 'the beast' in us, so that all the parts of us that would belong to it would be destroyed simultaneously. And let everything we believe that is untrue be given over to one head, the ‘false prophet’ in us, which deludes us about God, and also be destroyed in one fell swoop.
The final nail in the coffin for humanity is the destruction of ‘the beast’ and his kingdom. Salvation of the world is just like our own salvation - 'the beast’ in us must die. God gives 'the beast' and ‘the false prophet’ their kingdom, and God destroys that kingdom forever, and brings about his own salvation in us.
* Jacob Boeme: The Image of the Heavenly
In his writing to the Ephesians about marriage (natural and the Christ-marriage), Paul says: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Eph. 5:32) Another reference to this ‘profound mystery’ was made by Jesus in Matthew 19:4-6 and Matthew 22:29-30.
The point I was trying to make in my post about the original form of Adam was that he was a perfect copy of God (image and likeness…) prior to the creation of Eve. I made the point about Adam being made ‘good’ (ie. perfect), and for some unspecified reason, one day Adam was ‘not good’, and something had to be done about it. The solution was a change to Adam’s body and a creation of Eve. I gave several quotes from Jacob Boeme about the cause, and also stated that Adam had broken the ‘image’ of God, and had become fashioned after the beasts of the earth (with all their faculties and instincts).
Paul says in Romans 8:23: We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Paul also refers to this mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:50-52: I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-16
Paul clearly states that our bodies, as they are (flesh and blood), cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. Jacob Boeme says that prior to the creation of Eve, Adam was not a beast with a spirit, instead his ‘life fluid was heavenly’. Paul also states that the hope we are saved for is the ‘redemption of our bodies’ and says that at the resurrection ‘we will all be changed’. What needs to be redeemed in our bodies? Why is it part of salvation to have our bodies changed?
You see, salvation lives to bring us back to the fullness of our original form, the original intention for us. That was not to be like animals.
‘The desire of a beast is only to nourish itself and to multiply itself. It hath no understanding of any higher thing. It hath its own spirit, whereby it liveth and growth and consumeth itself. If God had intended that man should live as the beasts, He would have created him in the similitude of, and with the beasts.’ *
There is a ‘profound mystery’ in the declaration that after Eve was created ‘for this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh’. The mystery is that the ‘one flesh’ was simply whole Adam before! The creation of mankind into sexes was a fall!
‘Adam was given that which he would have, the terrestrial woman, in place of the celestial virgin; for Adam’s treachery toward his heavenly consort, disqualified him for her, and left him only fitted for an ‘Eve’. During his sleep, the woman was made out of Adam, and the image of God was destroyed. The man and the woman were made into creatures of this outer world, fashioned into mortality. Adam and Eve had still a paradisiacal consciousness, but mixed with terrestrial desire. They were ‘naked’ although ‘not ashamed’ until they had eaten of the earthly fruit.’ *
So we know that part of salvation is a redemption of (and change to) our bodies. I’m just trying to prove the reason for that. The consequence of eating from the tree did not bring about any changes to their bodies. The curses that came afterwards did not bring about any changes to their bodies. The only place we see changes to the bodies is when Eve was created. Apparently, this was wrong, because it is reversed by the completion of salvation in us.
It is good for us to learn from the salvation of the world (see ‘Save the World, Save Me!’). Just before an end is brought to all wickedness and 'ungodliness' (ie. being unlike God, as animals, living out the desires of ‘the flesh’, our bodies) on the earth, the one who reigns over every single human being is called 'the beast'. It is 'the beast' that is thrown into the lake of fire along with all his adherents, and this is the culmination of salvation.
‘The Beast’ reigns with the ‘False Prophet’ at his side, the one who deludes and distracts. The ‘false prophet’ is thrown into the lake of fire forever as well.
Let it be in us as well, that a kingdom and reign is given to 'the beast' in us, so that all the parts of us that would belong to it would be destroyed simultaneously. And let everything we believe that is untrue be given over to one head, the ‘false prophet’ in us, which deludes us about God, and also be destroyed in one fell swoop.
The final nail in the coffin for humanity is the destruction of ‘the beast’ and his kingdom. Salvation of the world is just like our own salvation - 'the beast’ in us must die. God gives 'the beast' and ‘the false prophet’ their kingdom, and God destroys that kingdom forever, and brings about his own salvation in us.
* Jacob Boeme: The Image of the Heavenly
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Salvation: Believe in Me
Jesus said many times that salvation is to believe in Him - simple as that. "Believe in Me," He would say. But this has long been a mystery and a point of contention in the church(es). What exactly did He mean by 'me'? What part of 'me' was He referring to? Maybe even what did He mean by ‘believe’?
If believing in Jesus is the solution to the whole problem, then defining the problem should help us figure out what part of 'me' He was talking about, right? Well, the problem is ancient, and started with Adam. Adam disobeyed the one rule, and because of it there were consequences. Whenever there is disobedience, we have to consider that there are consequences and punishment - they are 2 separate things. For example, when a child is told not to touch the stove top, but does, the consequence of his action is burns to his hands, and a punishment may be doled out so that this is sure to never happen again (a form of protection). Some of what happened after 'the fall' was consequence, some was punishment (curse), but I gather that the curse was actually an accommodation for the new knowledge in them (but that's another story).
What causes disobedience? In my last post (What then is Salvation?) I said that the root of disobedience is unbelief in God’s love. If there are rules, they are from God, and if we believe that His intentions for us are good and his laws are for our protection, we will not disobey them. Even though we may not know the reasons why we should or shouldn’t do certain things, we should be able to trust that it’s better to follow what He said.
So in the garden, when Adam and Eve had the words of God challenged by the snake, they succumbed to the belief that maybe God had ill-intentions towards them and that He was holding good things back from them. So they fell. Had they continued with the belief that God did not tell them not to eat from that tree because He knew it would destroy them, they wouldn’t have eaten, they wouldn’t have fallen.
The same applies to us today; disobedience is still very possible, and we are constantly choosing the unwise options, and facing the consequences of our choices.
If disbelief in God’s love for us led to ‘the fall’, then salvation, which was provided to reverse everything involved in ‘the fall’, must begin with the opposite. It must begin with belief in God’s love.
Jesus is the ultimate and final word of the length, depth, width, and breadth of God’s love. Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7)
Jesus forsook forever his form and his being in heaven, came into a human body, and left earth in that same body, and will remain in that body forever. He died once in it, came back to life, and there is nothing saying He will ever shed that body. He forsook it all for us! That is love.
Jesus went to the cross; that is love.
The belief in God’s love, in God as love, does wonderful things. Naturally, not wildly spiritually and intangibly, it transforms the mind, and brings new life to our beings. Value and worth are treasures given, and the root cause of disobedience is taken away.
"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:14-17
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26
Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me." John 12:44
One who hears of God’s love for them loves Him. It’s love for Him that refuses to disobey.
If believing in Jesus is the solution to the whole problem, then defining the problem should help us figure out what part of 'me' He was talking about, right? Well, the problem is ancient, and started with Adam. Adam disobeyed the one rule, and because of it there were consequences. Whenever there is disobedience, we have to consider that there are consequences and punishment - they are 2 separate things. For example, when a child is told not to touch the stove top, but does, the consequence of his action is burns to his hands, and a punishment may be doled out so that this is sure to never happen again (a form of protection). Some of what happened after 'the fall' was consequence, some was punishment (curse), but I gather that the curse was actually an accommodation for the new knowledge in them (but that's another story).
What causes disobedience? In my last post (What then is Salvation?) I said that the root of disobedience is unbelief in God’s love. If there are rules, they are from God, and if we believe that His intentions for us are good and his laws are for our protection, we will not disobey them. Even though we may not know the reasons why we should or shouldn’t do certain things, we should be able to trust that it’s better to follow what He said.
So in the garden, when Adam and Eve had the words of God challenged by the snake, they succumbed to the belief that maybe God had ill-intentions towards them and that He was holding good things back from them. So they fell. Had they continued with the belief that God did not tell them not to eat from that tree because He knew it would destroy them, they wouldn’t have eaten, they wouldn’t have fallen.
The same applies to us today; disobedience is still very possible, and we are constantly choosing the unwise options, and facing the consequences of our choices.
If disbelief in God’s love for us led to ‘the fall’, then salvation, which was provided to reverse everything involved in ‘the fall’, must begin with the opposite. It must begin with belief in God’s love.
Jesus is the ultimate and final word of the length, depth, width, and breadth of God’s love. Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7)
Jesus forsook forever his form and his being in heaven, came into a human body, and left earth in that same body, and will remain in that body forever. He died once in it, came back to life, and there is nothing saying He will ever shed that body. He forsook it all for us! That is love.
Jesus went to the cross; that is love.
The belief in God’s love, in God as love, does wonderful things. Naturally, not wildly spiritually and intangibly, it transforms the mind, and brings new life to our beings. Value and worth are treasures given, and the root cause of disobedience is taken away.
"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:14-17
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26
Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me." John 12:44
One who hears of God’s love for them loves Him. It’s love for Him that refuses to disobey.
Friday, February 01, 2008
What Then is Salvation?
I started my last post (Who was Adam? Who are We?) by saying that I once learned that “salvation is not a rescue solely of the spirit”, and I’d like to expand more on what I mean. I believe salvation begins with the spirit, a setting free, but it carries on to bring salvation to the mind, and then to the body as well.
Romans 8:23-24 says: We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.
Within our faith there lingers an assumption that body, soul, and spirit are easily separable. I have yet to find its source, but I think it’s based on our beliefs about what salvation is, and what we think it produces. Most people say that because they are a Christian they’ll go to heaven when they die, and that this is the whole point. Wrong! The whole point is a complete and full regeneration to our original form, to become the Adam that God created before things went south, and to live on earth where He placed us. His original plan for man was perfect, and it will continue when all is said and done.
As it stands, the glorious salvation we boast of is simply a decree that angels will come get our spirits when our eyes close in death. And in the meantime, behave and try to love one another. Is there no actual action now? Is nothing actually done when we ‘first believe’? Does nothing happen, even in the unseen world?
Adam was created to live forever. He was created immortal, indestructible, and death was not a twinkle in his eye (when this was lost, salvation then became a restoration to 'everlasting life'). For Adam, death wasn’t even a possibility; it didn’t exist anywhere in creation. Since God created Adam to live, He did not design Adam to accommodate for death. This is where our assumption that our ‘parts’ are separable comes in – are they? Is it just as simple as leaving your body when you die, or being pulled from it by angels? Or does it make more sense that we are created whole beings, unable to be torn into different parts? I would think the more logical assumption would be that our spirits, minds, and bodies are fused together into one being, or ‘knitted’ together as the Psalmist says (Psalm 139:13).
My view of hell is a little different than the mainstream view. Instead of God creating a place that is bent on tormenting its inhabitants eternally, I think that hell is simply death. If God created Adam to live eternally, He did not create him to accommodate for death. So the body dies, but the Bible strongly teaches that the spirit does not ever die, whether it is 'saved' or not. With the fusion of all your parts into one inseparable being, imagine your conscious spirit alive in a dead body, buried in the ground… for hundreds and thousands of years. Can I get a witness that this would indeed be ‘hell’?? Does it not make the most sense? Is it any creation of God, this 'hell'? No, it was a choice of ours!
In the Jewish Bible (the Old Testament) the word ‘hell’ doesn’t really ever come up (search ‘hell’ at BibleGateway.com, your hits will start with Matthew – the word is not mentioned in the OT). The prophets and kings spoke only of "the grave" (Sheol), like Jacob, who said "in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son." (Gen. 37:35).
Hell is actually brought to life by the vivid descriptions of a lake of fire in Revelation. Has anybody read about the Lake of Fire? The antichrist and the false prophet, at the end of days, are the first to be thrown in. So where are all the dead now, if not there? The idea of a tormenting hell has been widely used by the church and disgruntled parents alike, trying to get behavior in check. But the lake of fire is almost certainly born of Love; those who have, in life, chosen death, will be kept eternally away from those who have chosen life by a great barrier of fire, which just happens to be the ultimate symbol of life itself. Is that in any way cruel? No, it’s life, it’s good, but those who hate its virtues will be held captive by it (this may be figurative).
I speculate that the first thing to happen when someone gets ‘saved’ is that their spirit is set free from their body, that we are given the ability to avoid the grave should we die before our salvation is complete. This would help make sense of Paul’s assertions that we are currently seated in heavenly places, and would also validate the experiences of some in the Bible who visited the third heaven.
The next ‘part’ of us to face the salvation process (regeneration) would be the mind (see Romans 12:2). There’s much to be said about the salvation of the mind, which could take pages. But briefly, the biggest problem, the biggest cause of sin and wandering and distraction is an ignorance of truth. Whether we call it lies or distraction or laziness, our biggest adversary is un-truth or falsities, and the facilitator of un-truth is the mind. Un-truth was the cause of the first fall, and every fall after that. What we believe will either lead us to life or death, and funny enough, those who ‘believe in Him will have everlasting life’, and those who believe in lies will not see that light at the end of their tunnel. A title for our biggest adversary, not only as Christians but as humans, is the ‘Father of Lies’. His tool is always deceit.
Salvation of the mind is a learning of truth, which is the longest process. I suppose it ends with some monumental ‘ah ha!’ moment, just like for the earth, when Christ is revealed in the sky, and ‘every eye shall see’ (The earth is saved; take a look here). It is at that point that the physical element of salvation takes place; immortality is restored to the earth and all the curses and pains-in-the-ass brought about by sin are removed. The earth is restored to its original glory and the ‘New Jerusalem’ comes and is joined with the earth. No longer does the earth require the light of the sun (no external needs, see Revelation 21:23), because Emmanuel is on the earth. His presence, Christ the Morning Star, provides the sustenance for all life now (Rev. 22:5).
Would there not be a moment like this for us as individuals seeking the fullness of salvation? If a person were to attain this level of perfection, according to Romans, it would be culminated and completed in the salvation of their body. Peter alludes to some climax or great goal in our salvation process here: ‘until the day dawns, and the morning star rises in your hearts’ (2 Peter 1:19). Would the arrival of the morning star in our hearts bring about the immortality and regeneration of our bodies? Is it the sustenance we need to go back to solely living on the Love of God and nothing else? Will it dispose of our need for external sustenance, and cease our existence as animals? Would it bring us back to perfect Adam, the image and likeness of God?
John says: ‘we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is’ (1 John 3:2). When Christ appears in our hearts after the salvation of the spirit and mind, we will become like Christ in every way. This is the big reveal, the salvation of our body, the completion of salvation. At that point, we’d be Adam again, we’d be the Original Form.
No golden harp and fluffy cloud for me! Salvation is exciting!
Other points to be made:
Jesus talks a lot about the subjects and sons of the kingdom being ‘outside, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ (Matt 8:12). Would this be those who only attained the salvation of the spirit, died, and were escorted to heaven’s gate? The ones who are still imperfect in the ‘spirit of the mind’ and cannot be let in to the untainted home of God?
If God did not specifically create a ‘hell’ as we know it, what about demons? We know a third of the angels fell with Satan, but those are the only rebels we know of. Well, if hell is inhabiting your dead body eternally, what happens to the spirits of bodies that are destroyed (maybe by fire). With no body to be attached to, they are free to roam. They wander through ‘arid places’, and their only desire is to inhabit a body, to live again. Is this demon possession?
The human body is largely composed of water, and prophetically speaking, water can symbolize body or bodies (think of a 'sea of people). Jesus was compassionate to the ‘legion’ of demons in Matthew 8:30-32, by sending them into the sea; it seems a demon in a body or in water is at rest. The lake of fire can, with this, be seen as compassion. Spirits held in water (body), by fire, the origin of life. The lake of fire is not cruel, it is love!
Romans 8:23-24 says: We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.
Within our faith there lingers an assumption that body, soul, and spirit are easily separable. I have yet to find its source, but I think it’s based on our beliefs about what salvation is, and what we think it produces. Most people say that because they are a Christian they’ll go to heaven when they die, and that this is the whole point. Wrong! The whole point is a complete and full regeneration to our original form, to become the Adam that God created before things went south, and to live on earth where He placed us. His original plan for man was perfect, and it will continue when all is said and done.
As it stands, the glorious salvation we boast of is simply a decree that angels will come get our spirits when our eyes close in death. And in the meantime, behave and try to love one another. Is there no actual action now? Is nothing actually done when we ‘first believe’? Does nothing happen, even in the unseen world?
Adam was created to live forever. He was created immortal, indestructible, and death was not a twinkle in his eye (when this was lost, salvation then became a restoration to 'everlasting life'). For Adam, death wasn’t even a possibility; it didn’t exist anywhere in creation. Since God created Adam to live, He did not design Adam to accommodate for death. This is where our assumption that our ‘parts’ are separable comes in – are they? Is it just as simple as leaving your body when you die, or being pulled from it by angels? Or does it make more sense that we are created whole beings, unable to be torn into different parts? I would think the more logical assumption would be that our spirits, minds, and bodies are fused together into one being, or ‘knitted’ together as the Psalmist says (Psalm 139:13).
My view of hell is a little different than the mainstream view. Instead of God creating a place that is bent on tormenting its inhabitants eternally, I think that hell is simply death. If God created Adam to live eternally, He did not create him to accommodate for death. So the body dies, but the Bible strongly teaches that the spirit does not ever die, whether it is 'saved' or not. With the fusion of all your parts into one inseparable being, imagine your conscious spirit alive in a dead body, buried in the ground… for hundreds and thousands of years. Can I get a witness that this would indeed be ‘hell’?? Does it not make the most sense? Is it any creation of God, this 'hell'? No, it was a choice of ours!
In the Jewish Bible (the Old Testament) the word ‘hell’ doesn’t really ever come up (search ‘hell’ at BibleGateway.com, your hits will start with Matthew – the word is not mentioned in the OT). The prophets and kings spoke only of "the grave" (Sheol), like Jacob, who said "in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son." (Gen. 37:35).
Hell is actually brought to life by the vivid descriptions of a lake of fire in Revelation. Has anybody read about the Lake of Fire? The antichrist and the false prophet, at the end of days, are the first to be thrown in. So where are all the dead now, if not there? The idea of a tormenting hell has been widely used by the church and disgruntled parents alike, trying to get behavior in check. But the lake of fire is almost certainly born of Love; those who have, in life, chosen death, will be kept eternally away from those who have chosen life by a great barrier of fire, which just happens to be the ultimate symbol of life itself. Is that in any way cruel? No, it’s life, it’s good, but those who hate its virtues will be held captive by it (this may be figurative).
I speculate that the first thing to happen when someone gets ‘saved’ is that their spirit is set free from their body, that we are given the ability to avoid the grave should we die before our salvation is complete. This would help make sense of Paul’s assertions that we are currently seated in heavenly places, and would also validate the experiences of some in the Bible who visited the third heaven.
The next ‘part’ of us to face the salvation process (regeneration) would be the mind (see Romans 12:2). There’s much to be said about the salvation of the mind, which could take pages. But briefly, the biggest problem, the biggest cause of sin and wandering and distraction is an ignorance of truth. Whether we call it lies or distraction or laziness, our biggest adversary is un-truth or falsities, and the facilitator of un-truth is the mind. Un-truth was the cause of the first fall, and every fall after that. What we believe will either lead us to life or death, and funny enough, those who ‘believe in Him will have everlasting life’, and those who believe in lies will not see that light at the end of their tunnel. A title for our biggest adversary, not only as Christians but as humans, is the ‘Father of Lies’. His tool is always deceit.
Salvation of the mind is a learning of truth, which is the longest process. I suppose it ends with some monumental ‘ah ha!’ moment, just like for the earth, when Christ is revealed in the sky, and ‘every eye shall see’ (The earth is saved; take a look here). It is at that point that the physical element of salvation takes place; immortality is restored to the earth and all the curses and pains-in-the-ass brought about by sin are removed. The earth is restored to its original glory and the ‘New Jerusalem’ comes and is joined with the earth. No longer does the earth require the light of the sun (no external needs, see Revelation 21:23), because Emmanuel is on the earth. His presence, Christ the Morning Star, provides the sustenance for all life now (Rev. 22:5).
Would there not be a moment like this for us as individuals seeking the fullness of salvation? If a person were to attain this level of perfection, according to Romans, it would be culminated and completed in the salvation of their body. Peter alludes to some climax or great goal in our salvation process here: ‘until the day dawns, and the morning star rises in your hearts’ (2 Peter 1:19). Would the arrival of the morning star in our hearts bring about the immortality and regeneration of our bodies? Is it the sustenance we need to go back to solely living on the Love of God and nothing else? Will it dispose of our need for external sustenance, and cease our existence as animals? Would it bring us back to perfect Adam, the image and likeness of God?
John says: ‘we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is’ (1 John 3:2). When Christ appears in our hearts after the salvation of the spirit and mind, we will become like Christ in every way. This is the big reveal, the salvation of our body, the completion of salvation. At that point, we’d be Adam again, we’d be the Original Form.
No golden harp and fluffy cloud for me! Salvation is exciting!
Other points to be made:
Jesus talks a lot about the subjects and sons of the kingdom being ‘outside, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ (Matt 8:12). Would this be those who only attained the salvation of the spirit, died, and were escorted to heaven’s gate? The ones who are still imperfect in the ‘spirit of the mind’ and cannot be let in to the untainted home of God?
If God did not specifically create a ‘hell’ as we know it, what about demons? We know a third of the angels fell with Satan, but those are the only rebels we know of. Well, if hell is inhabiting your dead body eternally, what happens to the spirits of bodies that are destroyed (maybe by fire). With no body to be attached to, they are free to roam. They wander through ‘arid places’, and their only desire is to inhabit a body, to live again. Is this demon possession?
The human body is largely composed of water, and prophetically speaking, water can symbolize body or bodies (think of a 'sea of people). Jesus was compassionate to the ‘legion’ of demons in Matthew 8:30-32, by sending them into the sea; it seems a demon in a body or in water is at rest. The lake of fire can, with this, be seen as compassion. Spirits held in water (body), by fire, the origin of life. The lake of fire is not cruel, it is love!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Who was Adam? Who are we?
Salvation is not a rescue solely of the spirit. When I found this out, when this fact hit home, I was enraged that I had been taught otherwise. The life had been sucked out of the One True Way by saying it amounted to a golden harp and a big fluffy cloud for all who were “saved” … FOREVER! As a kid, I was afraid to ask, but I was a little concerned that I’d be bored out of my mind … FOREVER!
Even when I found out that, in fact, Heaven (as we know it) is a holding tank of sorts where Christians go if they die before the salvation process for earth is complete, I was a little discouraged. In fact, we’re all coming back to live on earth eternally. But even so, only the location had changed, I’d still be bored out of my mind … FOREVER!
My big revelation came when I discovered the truth about the ‘why’ and the ‘what’ of our existence. Why were we created, and what are we? I began to think of everything with a more eternal perspective, considering this present age of fall and redemption to be a blip, a detour, a hiccup, a purification, a test. What began with Adam, including all the intentions for and capabilities of his life, will continue on when all is said and done. The salvation process is to restore us to Original Adam, redeemed and regenerated Adam, and for us to continue on in his eternal destiny – our eternal destiny.
God created Adam. And it was good (good is an absolute, synonym of ‘perfect’, because God does not create imperfect). After a while living on his own, long before the infamous 'fall', God saw what had become of Adam, an unqualified degeneration, and for the first time in recorded ‘history’, God said that what Adam had become was ‘not good’ (imperfect, slightly flawed, synonym of ‘evil’). If I lost you, see my perspective on the word ‘good’ here.
My point is the inference here that either God changed His mind about the perfection of Adam, or Adam changed, and the solution was a change to Adam's body and a creation of Eve. Suddenly Adam was not perfect, and his form needed to change. If God had intended to create man as animals in the first place, why not make a man and woman together initially? Why change the good if it was still good?
‘God created His image and likeness in a single man. Adam was a man and also a woman; for God did not, in the beginning, make man and woman; He did not create them at the same time, because the life in which the two properties of masculine and feminine are united in one, constitutes man in the image of God, after the manner of the Father’s and the Son’s property, which together are one God, not divided; for perfect love is not found in one property, but in the two, one entering into the other.’ *
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage…” Matthew 22:29
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ **, and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one.” Matthew 19:4-6
‘[Adam] could no longer live in obedience to the will of the Father; his lust for the earthly fruit overcame him; and he sank into a deep sleep; and God saw that it was not possible for him to live in obedience, and let him sleep; sleep signifieth death.’ *
‘During his sleep, the woman was made out of Adam, and the image of God was destroyed. The man and the woman were made into creatures of this outer world, fashioned into mortality’. *
And so, the dual nature was introduced - the eternal struggle between the intentions of the heart and the instincts of the [now bestial] body. A switch to natural sustenance, a new need to be fed, an inescapable impulse to procreate, and the potential to die, were it not for the strength their spirits had maintained. Born was a greater potential for character flaws with the 'survival' animal mentality - selfishness, greed, lying, stealing - let's call it sin. A life lived for love looks far different than one lived for duration. A life that may end is lived much differently than a life without end. Born was the distraction brought by all these things, and the loss of focus on Creator, on Dad, on Love. Soon Love would not be the centre any more.
(And funny enough, if Adam had believed that God loved him as He did, wouldn't he have trusted His command not to eat from the tree? The root of disobedience is the doubt of God's love for us. We cannot believe it's true, and we fall. To Adam the question was posed, "Did God really say...?" and His intentions were challenged. God is holding out on me? God doesn't want me to be like Him? Well then, let me eat! Our fall out of love manifesto.)
The truth is, Adam was made in the image of God. God, who is whole and complete and perfect in Himself; God, who does not require any form of sustenance or energy; God, who neither sleeps nor slumbers, never tires or grows weary; God, who speaks into existence any and every thing of physical or spiritual substance; God, who alters the universe of creation with a thought; God, who exists forever and ever. Adam was a child of this Father, and if our own lives teach us anything, children grow up to be the same creature as their parents. It’s the law of offspring.
The only need God ever had, as the One who is Love, is for an object of affection. And this one and only need brought us into being. What is love without an object? What is the love of one towards none? What is the light and warmth of the sun without terrestrial bodies to catch its rays? Light finds purpose in other things, in giving to other things. The same with Love, the same with God. We were created to be loved.
‘No knowledge of any evil was in him; no lust, no covetousness, no pride, no envy, no anger, nothing but love. The celestial image clothed him with divine power. He could have removed mountains with a word; he could rule over the sun, moon and stars; all was in his power, the fire, the air, the water and the earth. Every living creature feared him. His life fluid was heavenly. His will was in God, and God was in him. He was in paradise, clothed with heavenly glory, the light of the majesty of God … he knew no woe, no sickness, no death; he lived in joy and delight, without toil or care.’ *
I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Mark 11:23
Let Jesus describe to us who we are becoming - by His life and actions. Healing the sick was never a doubt in His mind; walking on water took the effort of walking on land; when crowds of haters backed him to the edge of a cliff, He disappeared and reappeared elsewhere. He raised Himself from the dead.
At the resurrection, ‘the perishable [will] clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality’ (1 Corinthians 15:53). And in the meantime,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:18-25
Finish it well Jacob…
‘O great and holy God, I pray thee, set open my inwardness to me; that I may rightly know what I am; and open in me what was shut up in Adam’ *
* Jacob Boeme: The Image of the Heavenly
** In the beginning, God did not make them male and female, he made them male and female. All you have to do is read the 'and' differently to find a new meaning.
Even when I found out that, in fact, Heaven (as we know it) is a holding tank of sorts where Christians go if they die before the salvation process for earth is complete, I was a little discouraged. In fact, we’re all coming back to live on earth eternally. But even so, only the location had changed, I’d still be bored out of my mind … FOREVER!
My big revelation came when I discovered the truth about the ‘why’ and the ‘what’ of our existence. Why were we created, and what are we? I began to think of everything with a more eternal perspective, considering this present age of fall and redemption to be a blip, a detour, a hiccup, a purification, a test. What began with Adam, including all the intentions for and capabilities of his life, will continue on when all is said and done. The salvation process is to restore us to Original Adam, redeemed and regenerated Adam, and for us to continue on in his eternal destiny – our eternal destiny.
God created Adam. And it was good (good is an absolute, synonym of ‘perfect’, because God does not create imperfect). After a while living on his own, long before the infamous 'fall', God saw what had become of Adam, an unqualified degeneration, and for the first time in recorded ‘history’, God said that what Adam had become was ‘not good’ (imperfect, slightly flawed, synonym of ‘evil’). If I lost you, see my perspective on the word ‘good’ here.
My point is the inference here that either God changed His mind about the perfection of Adam, or Adam changed, and the solution was a change to Adam's body and a creation of Eve. Suddenly Adam was not perfect, and his form needed to change. If God had intended to create man as animals in the first place, why not make a man and woman together initially? Why change the good if it was still good?
‘God created His image and likeness in a single man. Adam was a man and also a woman; for God did not, in the beginning, make man and woman; He did not create them at the same time, because the life in which the two properties of masculine and feminine are united in one, constitutes man in the image of God, after the manner of the Father’s and the Son’s property, which together are one God, not divided; for perfect love is not found in one property, but in the two, one entering into the other.’ *
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage…” Matthew 22:29
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ **, and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one.” Matthew 19:4-6
‘[Adam] could no longer live in obedience to the will of the Father; his lust for the earthly fruit overcame him; and he sank into a deep sleep; and God saw that it was not possible for him to live in obedience, and let him sleep; sleep signifieth death.’ *
‘During his sleep, the woman was made out of Adam, and the image of God was destroyed. The man and the woman were made into creatures of this outer world, fashioned into mortality’. *
And so, the dual nature was introduced - the eternal struggle between the intentions of the heart and the instincts of the [now bestial] body. A switch to natural sustenance, a new need to be fed, an inescapable impulse to procreate, and the potential to die, were it not for the strength their spirits had maintained. Born was a greater potential for character flaws with the 'survival' animal mentality - selfishness, greed, lying, stealing - let's call it sin. A life lived for love looks far different than one lived for duration. A life that may end is lived much differently than a life without end. Born was the distraction brought by all these things, and the loss of focus on Creator, on Dad, on Love. Soon Love would not be the centre any more.
(And funny enough, if Adam had believed that God loved him as He did, wouldn't he have trusted His command not to eat from the tree? The root of disobedience is the doubt of God's love for us. We cannot believe it's true, and we fall. To Adam the question was posed, "Did God really say...?" and His intentions were challenged. God is holding out on me? God doesn't want me to be like Him? Well then, let me eat! Our fall out of love manifesto.)
The truth is, Adam was made in the image of God. God, who is whole and complete and perfect in Himself; God, who does not require any form of sustenance or energy; God, who neither sleeps nor slumbers, never tires or grows weary; God, who speaks into existence any and every thing of physical or spiritual substance; God, who alters the universe of creation with a thought; God, who exists forever and ever. Adam was a child of this Father, and if our own lives teach us anything, children grow up to be the same creature as their parents. It’s the law of offspring.
The only need God ever had, as the One who is Love, is for an object of affection. And this one and only need brought us into being. What is love without an object? What is the love of one towards none? What is the light and warmth of the sun without terrestrial bodies to catch its rays? Light finds purpose in other things, in giving to other things. The same with Love, the same with God. We were created to be loved.
‘No knowledge of any evil was in him; no lust, no covetousness, no pride, no envy, no anger, nothing but love. The celestial image clothed him with divine power. He could have removed mountains with a word; he could rule over the sun, moon and stars; all was in his power, the fire, the air, the water and the earth. Every living creature feared him. His life fluid was heavenly. His will was in God, and God was in him. He was in paradise, clothed with heavenly glory, the light of the majesty of God … he knew no woe, no sickness, no death; he lived in joy and delight, without toil or care.’ *
I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Mark 11:23
Let Jesus describe to us who we are becoming - by His life and actions. Healing the sick was never a doubt in His mind; walking on water took the effort of walking on land; when crowds of haters backed him to the edge of a cliff, He disappeared and reappeared elsewhere. He raised Himself from the dead.
At the resurrection, ‘the perishable [will] clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality’ (1 Corinthians 15:53). And in the meantime,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:18-25
Finish it well Jacob…
‘O great and holy God, I pray thee, set open my inwardness to me; that I may rightly know what I am; and open in me what was shut up in Adam’ *
* Jacob Boeme: The Image of the Heavenly
** In the beginning, God did not make them male and female, he made them male and female. All you have to do is read the 'and' differently to find a new meaning.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Save the World, Save Me!!
John 3:16 states that because God loved the world, He incarnated Himself on earth in His Son (I kept looking at that wondering if it’s right because I felt compelled to mention His death, but it mentions nothing of His death, just His arrival). Our planet, the home of the ages, has experienced salvation. Christ came to it, lived on it, and died so that it would not experience the doom it had been destined for. Indeed, it has been rescued from its end, and will have eternal life, and its salvation will be complete when Christ comes back again to live on it forever and ever (why do they teach us we'll live in heaven forever?!).
John 3:16 also says that this eternal life is also available for people on an individual basis. In fact, whoever believes that God was incarnated on earth has this salvation.
At this stage in history - the ‘end of days’ - we can look back over history and observe the salvation process (assuming it’s the same ‘procedure’ for earth as it is for us). I think this is wisdom. We have creation, establishment, nations, the seed of salvation – Israel, empires, Christ’s birth, His life, His death (the day the sun stopped shining and the earth shook), His resurrection, the destruction of Israel, the church and its glory, empires, world wars, reestablishment of Israel (in place for another ‘birthing’?), and all hell unleashed in pure blackness and destruction, then glory and the reign of Christ.
For us who believe, is there any resemblance to our own salvation process? Is this the way salvation is worked out to completion in us too (Philippians 2:12)? Do our hearts, as our cores, resemble something like earth? I love how Jacob Boehme addresses this point:
As Christ was born in a stable, and cradled in a manger, so is Christ in man ever born amidst the animals in man. The newborn Savior is ever laid in a cradle between the ox of self-will and the ass of ignorance, in the stable of the animal condition in man; and from thence the king of pride (as Herod), finds his kingdom endangered, and seeks to kill the child, who is to become the ruler of the ‘New Jerusalem’ in man.*
Christ was born in the world, is born in us. He returns to the world forever, He returns to us forever. I think we could benefit from watching Christ’s salvation work on the world.
Some interesting points on the world’s salvation:
1. The world did not choose God, God chose the world and saved it without its permission
2. God brought about the fullness of salvation in His time and at His will; the earth merely bore the process, but had nothing to do with arranging it, striving after it, or positioning itself for it
3. The original form is recoverable and is not discarded to start new (ie. it's the same earth forever)
* Jacob Boeme: The Image of the Heavenly
John 3:16 also says that this eternal life is also available for people on an individual basis. In fact, whoever believes that God was incarnated on earth has this salvation.
At this stage in history - the ‘end of days’ - we can look back over history and observe the salvation process (assuming it’s the same ‘procedure’ for earth as it is for us). I think this is wisdom. We have creation, establishment, nations, the seed of salvation – Israel, empires, Christ’s birth, His life, His death (the day the sun stopped shining and the earth shook), His resurrection, the destruction of Israel, the church and its glory, empires, world wars, reestablishment of Israel (in place for another ‘birthing’?), and all hell unleashed in pure blackness and destruction, then glory and the reign of Christ.
For us who believe, is there any resemblance to our own salvation process? Is this the way salvation is worked out to completion in us too (Philippians 2:12)? Do our hearts, as our cores, resemble something like earth? I love how Jacob Boehme addresses this point:
As Christ was born in a stable, and cradled in a manger, so is Christ in man ever born amidst the animals in man. The newborn Savior is ever laid in a cradle between the ox of self-will and the ass of ignorance, in the stable of the animal condition in man; and from thence the king of pride (as Herod), finds his kingdom endangered, and seeks to kill the child, who is to become the ruler of the ‘New Jerusalem’ in man.*
Christ was born in the world, is born in us. He returns to the world forever, He returns to us forever. I think we could benefit from watching Christ’s salvation work on the world.
Some interesting points on the world’s salvation:
1. The world did not choose God, God chose the world and saved it without its permission
2. God brought about the fullness of salvation in His time and at His will; the earth merely bore the process, but had nothing to do with arranging it, striving after it, or positioning itself for it
3. The original form is recoverable and is not discarded to start new (ie. it's the same earth forever)
* Jacob Boeme: The Image of the Heavenly
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Power of the Mind, and the God Illusion
Mind over matter is a very real thing. I’m not talking about bending spoons or levitating, but I think the mind has very real capabilities of meddling with our realities, and in fact meddles with our realities constantly. A mind determined towards one thing or another will often bring that thing into being. Those who don’t give up achieve. Those whose minds defer to other things achieve less. 'You can do anything you put your mind to', we say.
Even things of little or no consciousness can be brought forth by the power of the mind. Take for example our friends, who we subconsciously gravitate to based on deep psychological needs or desires. Or how those who find purpose in being needed attract the needy. Or women who’ve been abused attract abusers. Those whose life experience has taught them their value is in their beauty will surround themselves with those who make them feel beautiful. It’s all of the mind - we create our own realities. To “cure” conditions like the girl who attracts abusers, we visit mind doctors, psychologists, and change our minds so that we think differently about ourselves and stop attracting that type.
One can’t help taking a look at the minds of the religious in all their sacred fervor. I think a lot of the time we humans pray to a god we’ve created with our minds. Rousseau said, ‘God created man in his own image. And man, being a gentlemen, returned the favor’. All fine and dandy (whatever helps us sleep at night), but the scary part is that we create an interactive god, whose signs and [therefore] presence follow us.
A god’s people will pray to him corporately and individually, go on with their business, leaving their requests and petitions with him, and then go and answer their own prayers. The one praying for a job looks for a job and finds one. The one praying for a convert preaches and saves some. The one praying for riches keeps his eyes peeled for an investment opportunity or educates himself on better money management. The mother who prays for her children nurtures them and they turn out to be great people. We pray for our deep desires and we can’t help but move in their direction, and in our determination, make them happen. Those who add faith to desire create for themselves an outlook of anticipation, and the physical 'aura' of achievement, and often other people comply with their requests based on this strength and resolve. (Wow, I'm sounding really new age! but it's true!)
We can set our minds to see certain things. If I am considering buying a 1990 Integra and I claim to have never really noticed one before, soon enough, I see an Integra every 5 minutes as I drive around. Am I the only one that things like this happen to? We choose what we see [subconsciously, and because it appears out of our control, it convinces us it's of the external]. I could take the sight of so many Integras as a sign that I should buy the Integra! The same is true for things like sexual attraction – there is a massive glaze of people and passersby, but for some reason, you can spot that one person coming half a block away. Why do our eyes stop there? A person whose context is prayer will see answers to prayer everywhere.
This is the god illusion, the self-delusion. I hate to be the skeptic, but I am so wary of all of this. The god illusion is the source of all kinds of misery: it impassions suicide bombers; it finances private jets and Jags for televangelists; it bankrupts the true church of authenticity and fills its walls with the superstitious; it enlists boys into the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda. On the flip side, it helps a lot of people get through their days, and even their lives. It gives purpose to their waking, and strength for their obstacles. I can’t help but think of a rabbit happily munching on a carrot underneath a crate held up on one side by a stick and a string. The carrot deceives them and leads them to an end.
In Churchianity, we are always taught 2 things that actually enable the God illusion and keep us in attendance. The first is that this is about faith, not experience. Don’t look for an experience; you just need to believe He’s there and that you’re His. The second is that prayer must be accommodated by action. Now I’m not saying these aren’t scriptural; all I’m saying is that it’s convenient we’re taught this. If (when) these points can be backed up with a verse or two, the onus is on us for faith, not God for action. If we believe this, we’re less likely to give up, less likely to stop going to church and to stop tithing. Teaching a God-onus takes some bravery, and humility. In fact, it takes faith!
Here’s a God-onus: “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:22-24
In all I’ve learned, with as many prayer-hours as I’ve put in, I’ve always sought genuine and substantial God experiences. As much as people told me not to seek out these things, I could not live with myself if I could not give some element of sight to my faith.
The true test is to pray and do nothing.
Even things of little or no consciousness can be brought forth by the power of the mind. Take for example our friends, who we subconsciously gravitate to based on deep psychological needs or desires. Or how those who find purpose in being needed attract the needy. Or women who’ve been abused attract abusers. Those whose life experience has taught them their value is in their beauty will surround themselves with those who make them feel beautiful. It’s all of the mind - we create our own realities. To “cure” conditions like the girl who attracts abusers, we visit mind doctors, psychologists, and change our minds so that we think differently about ourselves and stop attracting that type.
One can’t help taking a look at the minds of the religious in all their sacred fervor. I think a lot of the time we humans pray to a god we’ve created with our minds. Rousseau said, ‘God created man in his own image. And man, being a gentlemen, returned the favor’. All fine and dandy (whatever helps us sleep at night), but the scary part is that we create an interactive god, whose signs and [therefore] presence follow us.
A god’s people will pray to him corporately and individually, go on with their business, leaving their requests and petitions with him, and then go and answer their own prayers. The one praying for a job looks for a job and finds one. The one praying for a convert preaches and saves some. The one praying for riches keeps his eyes peeled for an investment opportunity or educates himself on better money management. The mother who prays for her children nurtures them and they turn out to be great people. We pray for our deep desires and we can’t help but move in their direction, and in our determination, make them happen. Those who add faith to desire create for themselves an outlook of anticipation, and the physical 'aura' of achievement, and often other people comply with their requests based on this strength and resolve. (Wow, I'm sounding really new age! but it's true!)
We can set our minds to see certain things. If I am considering buying a 1990 Integra and I claim to have never really noticed one before, soon enough, I see an Integra every 5 minutes as I drive around. Am I the only one that things like this happen to? We choose what we see [subconsciously, and because it appears out of our control, it convinces us it's of the external]. I could take the sight of so many Integras as a sign that I should buy the Integra! The same is true for things like sexual attraction – there is a massive glaze of people and passersby, but for some reason, you can spot that one person coming half a block away. Why do our eyes stop there? A person whose context is prayer will see answers to prayer everywhere.
This is the god illusion, the self-delusion. I hate to be the skeptic, but I am so wary of all of this. The god illusion is the source of all kinds of misery: it impassions suicide bombers; it finances private jets and Jags for televangelists; it bankrupts the true church of authenticity and fills its walls with the superstitious; it enlists boys into the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda. On the flip side, it helps a lot of people get through their days, and even their lives. It gives purpose to their waking, and strength for their obstacles. I can’t help but think of a rabbit happily munching on a carrot underneath a crate held up on one side by a stick and a string. The carrot deceives them and leads them to an end.
In Churchianity, we are always taught 2 things that actually enable the God illusion and keep us in attendance. The first is that this is about faith, not experience. Don’t look for an experience; you just need to believe He’s there and that you’re His. The second is that prayer must be accommodated by action. Now I’m not saying these aren’t scriptural; all I’m saying is that it’s convenient we’re taught this. If (when) these points can be backed up with a verse or two, the onus is on us for faith, not God for action. If we believe this, we’re less likely to give up, less likely to stop going to church and to stop tithing. Teaching a God-onus takes some bravery, and humility. In fact, it takes faith!
Here’s a God-onus: “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:22-24
In all I’ve learned, with as many prayer-hours as I’ve put in, I’ve always sought genuine and substantial God experiences. As much as people told me not to seek out these things, I could not live with myself if I could not give some element of sight to my faith.
The true test is to pray and do nothing.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Time Accounting
I have been looking a lot at the expectations and supposed prophecies for the year 2012 (ie. dooms day) recently – very interesting stuff. Now, I don’t really believe all that, but I humored the possibility for a moment, that the world and my own life would end in less than 5 years. And I justified the thought by pairing it up with the fact that I can’t guarantee how long my life will be anyway, doomsday or not.
We’ve all asked ourselves what we would do if we found out we had six months to live, so I thought I’d start accounting for how I was spending my time, pretending I had 5 years left to live, in days, 1825. Every evening, I’d write the number of days left until 5 years (the last day) were up, and I’d write an accounting of how I spent that day.
It was depressing! I stopped doing it after about 2 weeks because I was getting a really clear understanding that my time was being squandered and I was living for nothing. Every day, I’d spend most of my waking hours at work, I’d come home, feed myself, and if the day hadn’t exhausted me, maybe a social outing in the evening. No substance, no meaning, nothing!
People who want to lose weight sometimes use the method of keeping a food journal, where they keep track of everything that is going into their bodies. This provides a different perspective on their diet and a way to count the different types of nutrients being consumed. It often helps people eat more of the right things. Time accounting is like a food journal; for me, a necessary evil. It confirmed what I already knew about everything being meaningless, as Ecclesiastes states. But it failed to tell me what I should be doing.
We’ve all asked ourselves what we would do if we found out we had six months to live, so I thought I’d start accounting for how I was spending my time, pretending I had 5 years left to live, in days, 1825. Every evening, I’d write the number of days left until 5 years (the last day) were up, and I’d write an accounting of how I spent that day.
It was depressing! I stopped doing it after about 2 weeks because I was getting a really clear understanding that my time was being squandered and I was living for nothing. Every day, I’d spend most of my waking hours at work, I’d come home, feed myself, and if the day hadn’t exhausted me, maybe a social outing in the evening. No substance, no meaning, nothing!
People who want to lose weight sometimes use the method of keeping a food journal, where they keep track of everything that is going into their bodies. This provides a different perspective on their diet and a way to count the different types of nutrients being consumed. It often helps people eat more of the right things. Time accounting is like a food journal; for me, a necessary evil. It confirmed what I already knew about everything being meaningless, as Ecclesiastes states. But it failed to tell me what I should be doing.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
On A Boat To Nowhere
My deep psyche offers up an image symbolizing my current phase of life. It is one of a small white sail boat, having just left shore. The sands are gold, and the port city is old, white, and well-lit. The deep blue of the ocean the boat is riding on expands into darker and darker shades, and then to pure black. It seems the journey is to nowhere, and will end with defeat.I have it good - really good. I live in a wealthy country, in a wealthy city, surrounded by varying degrees of wealth. I have a great job, I am working my way up the corporate ladder quicker than others, next month I will be the youngest supervisor in my entire company. At 25, I am set for life, set for a good career, set for the upper middle class, condo, cars, and travel. All signs point to success! It worries me that I am settling in for the ride, accepting the journey.
When I remember to give myself a reality check, I quickly come to the conclusion that this is nothing. It is nothing, it is worth nothing, it will amount to nothing, and I am wasting my life. It is a prevailing thought in my mind when it is not busy thinking about other things, that I am for more than this, that we all are for more than this. I can't speak for everyone, but we are wasting our lives!
I feel like I'm soley responsible for wasting my life, as I am not trying at all. Like the movement of the little sailboat is because of its sail catching the strength of another force, the wind, so am
I, coasting along, not putting any effort in. But I still go forward.
But what do I do? Most people say that to add meaning to their life they need to go out and "make a difference", but I don't care about making a difference. Yeah, the world sucks, but the forecast doesn't call for anything better. There's charity, but I'm a skeptic. I don't want to be charitible just to make myself feel better, or to create the "well-balanced" life that all the "experts" say I should have.
I want to do what God made me to do, which will involve my natural gifting and deep passions. Maybe some of what He has planned for me is charity and "making a difference" - let it be. Maybe it will be something else entirely. I know one thing is true, He did not make me to be an industrial robot or a human resource.
I feel ready. Like I've grown up, shaken off the oppression and binds of a past life, given sight to faith, born a healthy degree of skepticism, and rooted myself in reality. Enough, anyway, to
take on whatever He has for me.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
The Darkest Days
Vancouver songstress Sarah McLachlan opens her song World On Fire with the lyrics “Hearts are worn in these dark ages”. Every time I hear that song, I think about how a lot of people think that we live in the darkest days in history. My tendency is to think that while yes, there are dark things happening on earth, and horrifying potential, we are actually the most privileged set of human beings ever to live on this planet.
There are famines, there are population problems, there is global warming, there are wars and threats of wars, terrorism, nuclear technology, and outbreaks of diseases. But what are these problems compared to the problems of the past? We are privileged enough to have international law, whereby cruel dictators, which are dwarfed by ancient figures like devil-spawn Nero, can be stripped of their power. We have the technology that has created a better world in so many ways, such as medicine and healthcare and sanitation. We have advanced more in 100 years than humanity advanced in all of recorded human history combined in every way. We have a large portion of the planet’s population living under legitimate democratic government. We no longer have an educated elite hanging on to the ignorance of a general populace who can’t read to fill their coffers with the gold and silver of repentance. I could go on and on…
It’s been said that every generation says that the world is a worse place than when they were young. This all comes down to perspective. When they were young, they didn’t know half of what was going on, and weren’t versed enough in life to know how bad something actually is. When they become an adult, rationality is hijacked by the emotions involved in having children of their own, so mole hills become mountains, and everyone forgets that no one is dying from Polio anymore! Everyone forgets that Christians don’t get dipped in tar, have their mouths sewn shut, set on fire, and hung on a pole to light the road into Rome anymore.
Yet all the visible signs of a better world speak nothing of the heart’s condition. With the freedom of speech and the freedom of lunacy, the ease and universal nature of communication mediums, the inflammatory tendency of the media, there is mass confusion, a hiding of truth in the noise of opinion and commentary. This confusion added to the already confused state of most Western young people, whose legacy is one of confusion and non-clarity. No one knows who they are, where they are, why they are. The hearts of the fathers have turned from those of the sons, and because of this, the sons have done the same to their fathers. Starting with the industrial age, and ending in the death of any resemblance of the family necessary for proper nurture and care. Even though I can spend 8 hours in a plane and land on the other side of the planet unharmed, the world is full of despair and confusion.
Yes, we are wonderful, but we are despaired. Maybe, with this widespread darkness of the inner self, we do actually live in the darkest days... yet.
There are famines, there are population problems, there is global warming, there are wars and threats of wars, terrorism, nuclear technology, and outbreaks of diseases. But what are these problems compared to the problems of the past? We are privileged enough to have international law, whereby cruel dictators, which are dwarfed by ancient figures like devil-spawn Nero, can be stripped of their power. We have the technology that has created a better world in so many ways, such as medicine and healthcare and sanitation. We have advanced more in 100 years than humanity advanced in all of recorded human history combined in every way. We have a large portion of the planet’s population living under legitimate democratic government. We no longer have an educated elite hanging on to the ignorance of a general populace who can’t read to fill their coffers with the gold and silver of repentance. I could go on and on…
It’s been said that every generation says that the world is a worse place than when they were young. This all comes down to perspective. When they were young, they didn’t know half of what was going on, and weren’t versed enough in life to know how bad something actually is. When they become an adult, rationality is hijacked by the emotions involved in having children of their own, so mole hills become mountains, and everyone forgets that no one is dying from Polio anymore! Everyone forgets that Christians don’t get dipped in tar, have their mouths sewn shut, set on fire, and hung on a pole to light the road into Rome anymore.
Yet all the visible signs of a better world speak nothing of the heart’s condition. With the freedom of speech and the freedom of lunacy, the ease and universal nature of communication mediums, the inflammatory tendency of the media, there is mass confusion, a hiding of truth in the noise of opinion and commentary. This confusion added to the already confused state of most Western young people, whose legacy is one of confusion and non-clarity. No one knows who they are, where they are, why they are. The hearts of the fathers have turned from those of the sons, and because of this, the sons have done the same to their fathers. Starting with the industrial age, and ending in the death of any resemblance of the family necessary for proper nurture and care. Even though I can spend 8 hours in a plane and land on the other side of the planet unharmed, the world is full of despair and confusion.
Yes, we are wonderful, but we are despaired. Maybe, with this widespread darkness of the inner self, we do actually live in the darkest days... yet.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Communique l'kook
Remember the name Ronald Weinland. I stumbled upon his website(s) and his free online book entitled '2008: God's Final Witness' yesterday. I started to read the book, thinking it was just another preacher pulling headlines from the newspapers which 'prove' that the world is about to end. Not the case with this guy; he was very "right" in his style, in that he would admit that many people make claims about different signs and events and have done so since Jesus ascended, but he claimed his book is the only one that is actually correct. And without real reason.
I was astonished when, in his discussion about the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11, he actually claims to be one of them! He goes through the texts that describe these two end-time prophets, including some outside of Revelation (pretty hefty stuff), and then WHAMMY! he's one of them!! I took a gander at some of his sites - he has a few. You may want to check them out yourself (but only if you have absolutely nothing else to do...):
I never once entertained the thought of his audacious claim being true, but from what I've learned about the closed-minded missing the work of God, I decided to humour the man. I emailed him, or whoever it is that answers his emails, asking what the events were surrounding his "appointment by God", thinking that the commissioning of something so magificent and glorious and long-prophesied, bigger than the ministries of Moses and Elijah, would be quite an event! I also asked what proof in the way of miracles and/or displays of God's power he could provide to prove his claim.
I got a form letter back, and basically it explained that they are too busy to reply so read this and don't bother us anymore. It went on to explain how to "get ready" for the end of the world, one step of which is to read his two books over and over and over again. No where did it say anything about his "appointment by God" or any evidence to prove he is indeed one of "the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth". I replied saying, "There was no answer to my question in your form letter. Please be so kind as to provide an actual response or refer me to where the answer is posted online."
They replied: "Your question was more than adequately answered. We do not offer cliff notes."
I then commented on the maturity level of their organization and how the failure to provide answers on those questions not just to me, but to the whole freakin world (which he'll soon lay waste to), was proof enough that this was a Communique l'kook! I also promised him a special feature on my blog.
Take a good look; fire may come out of his mouth and destroy us all one day.
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