"Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)
That is an explicit statement in agreement with the implicit statement in Timothy 4:10. Also, Pope Francis declared that atheists can be saved by redemption (if I remember correctly).
I clearly don't need to point out how huge that is, but I will any way: that is really huge. That means that no one group can hold a monopoly on salvation, but that is truly is a free gift.
It seems: "we deceive ourselves" = "we make him a liar." It is as if "he" is us and we are "he." (1 John 1:8-10)
Woah! I think... the internal is God Himself. That would explain the phrase "Christ in the flesh." I understand. Thank you, Father.
For most of us, the internal self and the external self are at constant odds with each other. If the internal self can overcome the external self, then we "know fully, even as we are fully known."
Another name for the internal is the spirit. Another name for the external is the flesh.
If the flesh overcomes the spirit, if the external overcomes the internal, we die (or we may as well be dead). But if the spirit overcomes the flesh, if the internal overcomes the external, we achieve eternal life.
Ha, that is why righteousness is immortal. Because then we can bear the truth about ourselves, and our hearts will live for ever, as King David has said.
The internal self must conquer the external self. In doing so, we reign over ourselves. We are not the body, we are what the body houses. Ya might call it the psyche. Or rather, the psyche is the battle ground. We are the awareness of existence. That is, we are the notion of "I am." We are the house. I am is pure spirit. If the spirit can dominate the body, as it was intended to, then we will live the truth. We will obey God's commands. The will of I am will be done as effortlessly by the body as it is by the mind. Becoming One, then, means that the inner and outer are so in sync, that the awareness of the distinction between the two fades away. Negativity reinforces the distinction. Positivity does the exact opposite. What the flesh perceives as negativity is called "evil." When we resist not evil, when we can let go of our fear of it, we are no longer controlled by it. Should we be able to actually love our enemy, which is the fleshly experience of evil, we override the flesh by force of the spirit. By loving everything, we take away the power of the flesh. By taking away the power of the flesh, we may be liberated from it. By liberation from the flesh, we may achieve mastery over the flesh. By mastery of the spirit over the flesh, we arrive at a new earth. The new heaven was that which no longer enjoys being ruled by the flesh.
That's what "rule over all" (Thomas 2:4) was about. Moving Mountains is simply a large degree of self control.
Earth = body, Sea = emotion, Sky = mind, Heaven = spirit (???).
Indeed, the truth will set us free.
WISDOM MEANS TO KNOW THYSELF.
TO KNOW THYSELF IS WISDOM.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
The Johns: Beta
There are strong correlations between: Love, Light, Life.
There are strong correlations between: Hate, Darkness, Death.
I began to read the Books of John, and by the second chapter, I noticed a pattern. They are a puzzle.
Key phrases include: "in the light," "born of God," "obey commandments," "abide," "love," "truth" and "anointed."
There's this overwhelming yet understated suggestion that "pursuing righteousness" is "belief," and "being Christlike" is "salvation."
It is my conclusion that it has nothing to do with theology, and everything to do with conduct.
"If we walk in the light, the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. Whoever loves, lives in the light." (1 John 1:7-2:10)
"Whoever says, 'I am in the light,' while hating, still walks in the darkness, and does not know the way, because the darkness has brought on blindness."
"This is love: that we walk according to his commandments. This is his commandment: that we should love one another."
All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. Those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them."
"Everyone who does what is right is righteous." (1 John 3:7)
"Everyone who loves is born of God." (1 John 4:7)
There are strong correlations between: Hate, Darkness, Death.
I began to read the Books of John, and by the second chapter, I noticed a pattern. They are a puzzle.
Key phrases include: "in the light," "born of God," "obey commandments," "abide," "love," "truth" and "anointed."
There's this overwhelming yet understated suggestion that "pursuing righteousness" is "belief," and "being Christlike" is "salvation."
It is my conclusion that it has nothing to do with theology, and everything to do with conduct.
"If we walk in the light, the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. Whoever loves, lives in the light." (1 John 1:7-2:10)
"Whoever says, 'I am in the light,' while hating, still walks in the darkness, and does not know the way, because the darkness has brought on blindness."
"This is love: that we walk according to his commandments. This is his commandment: that we should love one another."
All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. Those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them."
"Everyone who does what is right is righteous." (1 John 3:7)
"Everyone who loves is born of God." (1 John 4:7)
The Johns: Alpha
We declare to you...what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands...we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us.
If we hide ourselves, we walk in darkness. There is no darkness in God. Those who have fellowship with God and with us walk in the light. Those who walk in the light do not hide themselves, but reveal their faults.
If we say we are without fault, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we say we are without fault, we make God a liar, and His Word is not in us.
If we walk in the light, the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin; he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 1:7-2:2
Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, "I have come to know him," but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, "I abide in him," ought to walk just as he walked.
1 John 2:3-6
This passage says nothing about theology. It says, 'whoever lives it, is it.' Certainly, a non-christian can obey the commands just as easily as any christian. Conduct and theology are two separate things. Therefore a non-christian can "know him" and it is possible for a Christian to not "know him." Any atheist who is chrislike, who "walks as he walked" may claim to "abide in him." Thus, "belief in God" is not a requirement for "knowledge of God" nor is it a requirement for "abiding in Christ." Moreover, "the love of God has reached perfection" in such christlike people; that is, to "obey his word" is to "walk as he walked," not to adhere to some theology and tradition. In fact, not only is it entirely possible to obey they commands without theology, it entirely possible to obey the commands without even knowing what the commands are, or that there is even such a concept as God. Paul calls such people, "a law unto themselves."
Whoever says, "I am in the light," while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light.
1 John 2:9-10
Love and Hate require no theology, yet they determine Salvation and Damnation.
But whoever hates another believer is on the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.
1 John 2:11
Let us remember that "believer" and "Christian" no longer mean the same thing. A Christian adheres to a theology and upholds a tradition. A believer lives a Christlike life. "Righteous" is a synonym for "Christlike." Hatred of the noble and good is blindness. The blind are the persecutors of the righteous.
If we hide ourselves, we walk in darkness. There is no darkness in God. Those who have fellowship with God and with us walk in the light. Those who walk in the light do not hide themselves, but reveal their faults.
If we say we are without fault, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we say we are without fault, we make God a liar, and His Word is not in us.
If we walk in the light, the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin; he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 1:7-2:2
Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, "I have come to know him," but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, "I abide in him," ought to walk just as he walked.
1 John 2:3-6
This passage says nothing about theology. It says, 'whoever lives it, is it.' Certainly, a non-christian can obey the commands just as easily as any christian. Conduct and theology are two separate things. Therefore a non-christian can "know him" and it is possible for a Christian to not "know him." Any atheist who is chrislike, who "walks as he walked" may claim to "abide in him." Thus, "belief in God" is not a requirement for "knowledge of God" nor is it a requirement for "abiding in Christ." Moreover, "the love of God has reached perfection" in such christlike people; that is, to "obey his word" is to "walk as he walked," not to adhere to some theology and tradition. In fact, not only is it entirely possible to obey they commands without theology, it entirely possible to obey the commands without even knowing what the commands are, or that there is even such a concept as God. Paul calls such people, "a law unto themselves."
Whoever says, "I am in the light," while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light.
1 John 2:9-10
Love and Hate require no theology, yet they determine Salvation and Damnation.
But whoever hates another believer is on the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.
1 John 2:11
Let us remember that "believer" and "Christian" no longer mean the same thing. A Christian adheres to a theology and upholds a tradition. A believer lives a Christlike life. "Righteous" is a synonym for "Christlike." Hatred of the noble and good is blindness. The blind are the persecutors of the righteous.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Tales From The Tao: The Horse Breeder
Pen Lo had bred horses for the duke for many years. Now he was getting old and the duke asked him if there was anyone in his family who would be able to take over for him.
Pen Lo said, "You can tell a high-quality horse by looking at its muscles and appearance, but the best horses are the ones that cannot be judged by their appearance only. You must be able to see their inner nature. No one in my family has this ability, but I do know of one man who might be able to help you. He is a poor man who hauls wood and vegetables for a living yet he has the ability to differentiate the great horse from the merely good."
The duke was happy then and sent for the man and asked him to find him a special horse. The man was gone for three months and then sent word to the duke that he had found such a horse.
"What kind of horse is it?" asked the duke.
"It is a yellow mare," came the answer.
So the duke sent for the horse and it turned out to be a black stallion. He was angry then and sent for Pen Lo. "The man you sent me knows nothing about horses," he said. "He cannot even tell a mare from a stallion, never mind yellow from black."
Pen Lo's face lit up. "Ah," he said, "It is even better than I had hoped. His ability is now ten thousand times greater than mine. He has completely transcended judging a horse by its appearance and sees only its inner nature. When he looks at the horse he does not see a male or females or what color it is but instead to its very essence. In this way he can see the potential for greatness in a horse."
Indeed, when he had sent for the horse, the duke found that it was the greatest horse he had ever seen.
LIEH TZU
Pen Lo said, "You can tell a high-quality horse by looking at its muscles and appearance, but the best horses are the ones that cannot be judged by their appearance only. You must be able to see their inner nature. No one in my family has this ability, but I do know of one man who might be able to help you. He is a poor man who hauls wood and vegetables for a living yet he has the ability to differentiate the great horse from the merely good."
The duke was happy then and sent for the man and asked him to find him a special horse. The man was gone for three months and then sent word to the duke that he had found such a horse.
"What kind of horse is it?" asked the duke.
"It is a yellow mare," came the answer.
So the duke sent for the horse and it turned out to be a black stallion. He was angry then and sent for Pen Lo. "The man you sent me knows nothing about horses," he said. "He cannot even tell a mare from a stallion, never mind yellow from black."
Pen Lo's face lit up. "Ah," he said, "It is even better than I had hoped. His ability is now ten thousand times greater than mine. He has completely transcended judging a horse by its appearance and sees only its inner nature. When he looks at the horse he does not see a male or females or what color it is but instead to its very essence. In this way he can see the potential for greatness in a horse."
Indeed, when he had sent for the horse, the duke found that it was the greatest horse he had ever seen.
LIEH TZU
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