"What new thing will you learn about God and Jesus while on this path? How will this grow your understanding (I believe it absolutely will)? I just want to know if you have an idea of how yet?"
Very interesting.
There are two passages that came to my mind and have been rattling in my brain. I really should do justice and go back and read these passages in their entirety, in context and word study them, but these two simple things keep coming to my head, nonetheless.
1 I have other sheep than these
2 there are many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.
I have been struggling with salvation, in that my reading of the Holy Bible tells me that I must come through Christ. YET, I have met and know some very kind, wonderful people who appear to be spirit led. They have the fruits of the spirit about them, yet know not what that is. They pray to God, yet not through Christ. The written word tells me that those people are condemned, yet it is Gods desire that none should perish. I met non christians that are better christians than I. While I have salvation through Christ, does their love of God goes unnoticed, unrewarded? I used to be OK with the scripted answer. Now I'm not sure.
I was overwhelmed by the teachings of an Ojibway elder who appeared to have a better grasp of Gods love and relationship than I. I sensed the Holy Spirit and felt safe with what the elder said.
While I am not willing to give up that which I have learned because I beleive it to be the word of God in me, I am no longer able or willing to stand in condenmnation or judgement of others for what they believe. I have learned that My God is bigger and more mysterious than I ever imagined. I also trust and believe that He will deal with all people in His way, on His time and free of the perceptions I have....thank Goodness.
Sounds wishy washy of me, to say that my only hope for salvation is through Christ yet also say that God offers salvation to others in differant ways. One might say that the progressive revelation will eventually lead all people to Christ as would be my hope, yet one might say that there are many ways to God.
I guess what I am developing is perhaps a spirit that will allow me to accept the reality of God in me, yet not using that to judge or gage others. Interesting passage that speaks to me....
So Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"
Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!"
So now I am asking and telling and reminding myself: "Lord, what about this man?.....If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" I will follow Him, yet I will be less worried, less guarded, less opinionated, less judgemental. I will let God rule and let Him reign. I will be obedient to His calling for me to love others.... Simple. I will let Him look after His people while I concentrate on what I beleive He expects of me.
In the meantime, my spirit tells me to keep learning the Anishinaabe way. My spirit leads me to seek our oneness, not our differance. My spirit tells me that I can learn a lot about God through a chosen people such as these. My spirit tells me I can honor and cherish the truths taught to me by others. My spirit tells me that God alone is the author of truth. God is also the ruler and creator of science.
So here is the final kicker. I beleive that the complete Holy Bible continues to be written to this very day. Contained in the complete Holy Bible will be Gods full expression to and from all His creation. The complete Holy Bible will contain more than just 66 books. The final edition Holy Bible will contain 7 times 70 books, written in every language, every culture and every people, as one by one, the entire world comes to a knowledge of Him and in the end.....EVERY humble knee shall bow.
I will be bowing beside my native brother who will be bowing beside my muslim friend who will be bowing beside my Sveik friend, who will be bowing beside my Jewish friend, who will be bowing beside my Budhist friend. ALL knees will bow. Dont ask me how. Dont ask me to explain it cause I cant. I just know that God has a plan of salvation and that on that day it will be completely revealed and I will be very surprised at who I do and do not see.
Did I actually answer the question?
Absolutely and completely!
ReplyDeleteBut it is not the written word that is telling you those people are condemned, it is religion. The spirit in you is telling you they are not condemned. Let the spirit in you read again the written word. I long ago came to understand that the tidy formula of salvation as taught misses the mark by a mile.
You've hit on a verse that I've heard many people quote, a verse I thought I understood. But until you mentioned it here I did not fully grasp its significance.
What I have come to believe is that we are not qualifying to enter into God's kingdom in this life, only who will serve. And so those who do not accept Jesus in this life are not doomed to perish as is taught by every Christian church on the planet today. Not until Jesus pleads his case face to face and you reject him are you lost. How could the weakest of spirit, those in most need possibly navigate the mine field of religious paradoxes that exist today?
You quoted, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!".
The disciples thought in error that it meant that he should live until Jesus return. But what this is telling me is that not all are being told to follow Jesus at this time. Some will remain on their path and die a mortal death until Jesus comes at which time they will be resurrected and he will fulfill that other verse that none should perish but have access (not automatic) to everlasting life. Again, what this tells me is that salvation will be for the many, not the few for who would deny him if he argues for you face to face?
This understanding meshes with, "Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
Why wouldn't he want them to understand? Why wouldn't he want them to turn and be healed?
And Jesus said to the disciples...
“The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!"
It is just not yet time. This understanding reconciles both statements and shows God's infinite grace.
But it may be you are discovering who you will be serving when you enter the kingdom.
Follow your heart and what spirit tell you. The Bible is a special book but don't you think that over the years it could have been changed or translated wrong? If we all lived by God,s Golden Rule..."do unto others as you would have done to you." the world would be a much more loving and peaceful world.Maybe God appeared on this earth in many forms to all the different tribes...form that they could identify with...different but all with the same message...Peace, Love and Harmony
ReplyDeleteI beleive the Holy Bible is 100% accurate and God breathed, and I do not beleive that it has been incorrectly translated to any great extent. Minor changes appear with more scientific evidence, but these are typically minor. Comparing the text found at the dead sea with older documents reveals that despite 1000's of years, the word has remained consistant.
ReplyDeleteI beleive it is our interpretation of the Holy Bible that is the problem.
While Loving your neighbour as yourself is indeed a very important concept, I do not beleive it alone has the power to save.
I beleive that one must come to grips with their relationship with God. I beleive that one must seek the creators heart. Loving your neighbour is a very important place to begin.