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of the New Creation ! |
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There is a "Mystery" (Secret) that the "church-at-large" has hidden from and deprived Christians the knowledge of almost since its inception !!! This "Mystery" was fundamental to the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself and His early apostles. It was the core teaching of the Apostle Paul. Many of the early Christian Mystics and mystical teachers knew and taught it, especially William Law and Jacob Boehme of the 1600-1700 era. It is the foundation stone of TRUE Christian experience, the root source or "modus operandi" of Christian salvation and sanctification, and the ONLY basis or foundation of Christian life. Without the reality of it operable in a life, one can NOT indeed even BE a "Christian" in the Biblical sense !!! Despite the ABSOLUTE NECESSITY of this "Secret" - it is actively known, understood and practiced by a mere handful of the professing worldwide "christian" community. Even fewer could INTELLIGENTLY discuss, explain or teach it to others. As opposed to the "Western Church" (including the Roman Catholic) - which primarily derived its theology from Augustine - the theology of the Eastern Orthodox Church developed its theology more along the lines of Iranious. Its claims a somewhat similar understanding to what I have written in regard to the "Sin of Adam", the nature of "SIN", the passing down of the effects of HIS transgression to the rest of humanity, as well as the restoration and transformation process unto "semi-divine beings". You may view a brief summary of their Theology on Wikipedia, [ HERE ]. However, as to just how many within the ranks of the Eastern persuasion actually UNDERSTAND THIS Theology is probably about the same as within the ranks of the Western persuasion regarding THEIR Theology!! The majority of those that ARE in ANY sense familiar with this "Secret" DO NOT understand its origin, foundation, and inner-workings. They know little more than "proof-text" scripture verses, religious jargon and "catch-words" to describe what little they DO know !! They are like the average computer user who knows how to turn the machine on, push a few buttons, and use the mouse and keyboard. They, however, know ABSOLUTELY nothing about HOW or WHY the computer performs its various functions. To them, it is "MAGIC" !! "Now, hold on just one minute", someone reading this might object. "I can get my work done on my computer JUST FINE without understanding anything as to HOW it works !!" That may be true enough (as far as it goes) for a computer, but man/woman is NOT a machine - and in the domain of Christianity, as we will further discuss, he/she needs to take an intelligent, cooperative role. Some aspects of the Christian Faith have ALREADY been accomplished "behind the scenes" (so to speak), and require NO contribution from or involvement by us. Other aspects, however, DO require our ACTIVE, intelligent knowledge of and participation in to be effective in our lives. I am going to devote this article to revealing said "SECRET", and in examining and explaining its TRUE origin and workings. I will attempt to show how "The Church" has, for the most part, deprived not only Christendom but the WHOLE world of this "treasure hidden in a field" that Jesus Christ, Son of the Creator, came to reveal and make available to ALL OF US !!! In the place of "milk-and-honey", our religious leaders have given us husks of corn to gnaw upon to feed our spiritual hunger. In the place of the "life and THAT in abundance" that our redeemer came to give, they have burdened and enslaved us (like the Pharisees did the Jews) with cruel and endless lies, dogmas, doctrines, superstitions, rules and laws - until the END state of a man is worse than the beginning !! A thousand times worse, they have attempted to wed "the Church" (the living Body of Christ) to "this World System" (the dominion of Satan). The end result is the "Scarlet Harlot" of the Book of Revelations, being neither of one nor the other, but rather a hybrid, adulterated mixture. This essay is divided into three sub-topics or sections. Please CLICK on the respective link to go directly to that section: (I.) - Original Man -- Sin ****Section I
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There is a "Damnable Heresy" that Satan has succeeded in "blinding the eyes of" MOST of mankind and YES, even many "christians" with !! It is TRULY "Damnable" in the fullest sense of the word, in the respect that, when the error of it is finally perceived, it will be too late to avoid the consequences !! This "ERROR" (Satanic LIE) is the humanistic concept that, "ALL roads ultimately lead to God". Other versions are, "All that God requires of a man (or woman) is a sincere heart and that they do their best" or "Surely a loving God wouldn't hold it against a person who spent their life pursuing what they thought was 'truth', even if it ultimately turns out that they were mistaken?" It is my intent, by means of this article, to unmask this LIE and reveal the foundation as to why it CAN NOT be true. I will state here that it is my FIRM conviction that God will make sure that ANY person who is TRULY seeking HIS Truth WILL ultimately find it. If they DO NOT, it will be because, in the secret places of their heart, "they PREFERRED the LIE" ! There is NO Biblical support for the lies mentioned above. Jesus Himself, as attested to by the following scriptures, makes it VERY clear exactly what the price of following Him is. It hasn't changed in the last 2,000 years, though "false apostles" have tried their best to do so !! Like everything else that God tries to communicate to us, THESE requirements are NOT some "arbitrary mandates", but are rather merely the NECESSARY requirements for the fulfilling of His Work in us. Jesus replied, �I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." **** John 14:6 On that day, many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many powerful deeds in your name?" Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!" **** Matt 7:22,23 Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it! **** (Matt 7:13,14 The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy, he went and sold all that he had and bought that field. **** Matt 13:44 In Luke 14:33, where it states, "forsake all that he has", some versions translate this as, "getting rid of all of one's THINGS". However, Jesus makes it clear (as the Apostle Paul understood) that His meaning was, "to renounce EVERYTHING in your life in favor of following Him" !! So likewise, whosoever there be of you that will not forsake all that he has, he cannot be my disciple. **** Luke 14:33 More than that, I (Paul) now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things -- indeed, I regard them as dung -- that I may gain Christ ! **** Phil 3:8 The reason why -- Many are called, but few are chosen **** Matt 22:14 -- does NOT lie within God, but rather within MAN !! Calvin, in his demonic lie of "Election" - stated that it is God HIMSELF who "elects" some to salvation and "elects" the rest to damnation. This is NOT true !!! Since He (God) wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. **** 1Tim 2:4 As the scripture states - using the people of Israel as an example - God's call has "gone out to the ends of the earth (to ALL people)". The problem is, only SOME have chosen to respond in a positive manner. The rest have either ignored God's call completely, or else twisted it to their own destruction.
I ask, "have they not heard?" Yes, they have: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. Again I ask, "didn't Israel understand?" About Israel he says, "All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!" **** Romans 10:18,19,21 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! Look, your house is left to you desolate!" **** (Matt 23:37,38 |
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Over the last 2,000 years, various theories have been put forth to try to explain the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. One of these, portrayed in the movie, "Jesus of Nazareth", was that his "betrayal" was not a turning against his Master, but rather an attempt by Judas to "force Jesus' hand" into taking the place of Earthy King over Israel (after the order of Solomon), which the people and even His disciples expected and wanted, and defeating the hated Romans. Like the VAST bulk of "christians" today, THEY failed to understand that the mission of Jesus Christ was PRIMARILY a Spiritual one. He MOST DEFINITELY did NOT come to establish a new "religion", to usher in a new "world order", to cure the ills of society or to insure "freedom and equality for all" upon the earth. He did NOT come to cure all of our physical ills, pave the "road to fame, success and prosperity", to save the natural environment, or to pander to your or my particular religious, social or political agenda !! They are like the Apostle Peter, who, when Jesus told his diciples that he would soon be killed, replied, So Peter took him (Jesus) aside and began to rebuke him: �God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!� He turned and said to Peter, �Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God�s interests, but on man�s.� **** Matt 16:22-23 We do speak wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing. Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. **** 1Cor 2:6-8 Certainly, God considers MANY of the items mentioned above to be valuable, worthwhile HUMAN endeavors, which Christians might rightly and correctly give their time to. NONE of them, however, represent the Purpose and End for which Jesus Christ came to earth and was crucified -- nor should they represent the core and focal point of the Christian Life. To my mind, there are two reasons (of concern to us as humans) for this: (1.) They will NEVER be fully achieved during THIS phase of Creation. Since the Dawn of Man(kind), the problems that face man and society have been with us. Despite changes in manners, social customs and EXTERIOR trappings, mankind has changed VERY little INWARDLY. We are STILL selfish, egocentric, competitive, violent, prideful, and deceptive beings !! In the movie mentioned above, one of the characters (Barabus, a political zealot and murderer) wanted Jesus to lead them in the overthrow of the hated Romans, and to become their new King. To this, Jesus replied with the most profound observation, "Governments won't change until the hearts of men change !!" When Jesus told Barabus that he needed to love ALL men (YES, even the Romans), he went away quite perplexed !! Today STILL, mankind in general (and sadly, MANY "christians") understand no better than did Barabus in that movie !! Jesus REPEATEDLY told his listeners (YES, even His Disciples -THEY also were slow of understanding), "My Kingdom IS NOT of THIS world order" !! He Himself spelled out His mission in the early part of His ministry: The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor (in spirit). He has sent me to proclaim release (from the bondage of sin) to the captives and the regaining of sight to the (spiritually) blind, to set free those who are oppressed (by the Devil, Satan), to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then He began to tell them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read." **** Luke 4:17-21 The words in parentheses were added by me for clarification. They were derived from all that He spoke during the rest of His ministry. (2.) When we EACH personally cross over the barrier between THIS life and the next, NONE of our earthly, THIS-world possessions, trappings or accomplishments will come with us or be of the SLIGHTEST value. They will be "burned in the flames" as so much waste and rubbish. The EXACT same can be said for this ENTIRE world order when its time is completed and God ushers in the "New Heavens and the New Earth" !! The Apostle Paul (formerly Saul - a wealthy, powerful, accomplished Jewish religious leader and teacher before his encounter with the risen Christ) proclaimed: "These assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord -- indeed, I regard them as dung! -- that I may gain Christ, and be found in him. My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus". **** Phil 3:7-14 |
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Jesus told His early disciples to "wait until HIS Holy Spirit (the Power from ABOVE) should come to fill and enable them to do HIS work, HIS way and under HIS power" !! They DID wait, the Spirit DID come, and the Church of Jesus Christ began to be built as a HOLY Communion of "new men (and women)", transformed and empowered FROM WITHIN by the LIVING presence of God Himself. It didn't take very many years, however (by 70 AD), until the "church" became a political structure, devoted to fulfilling Men's LUST for power and control -- MAN'S WAY!! Instead of continuing to build upon the foundation that Jesus Christ and His Apostles laid -- greedy, power-hungry, corrupt politicians (BOTH within and without the "church"), wolves and charlatans - instead built again the "Tower of Babel" that THEY might reach to Heaven under their OWN power and thus "make a name for themselves" !! See Genesis 11:1-8 The living power of God soon gave way to the dead power of MEN'S learning and wisdom, dispensed by (spiritually) dead men in (spiritually) dead seminaries and monasteries. The LIVING body of Christ (HIS Church) gave way to a political, wordily harlot devoted to Men's Power, Greed, Lust and Desire for Dominance over other men. "Be amazed at this, O heavens! Be shocked and utterly dumbfounded," says the LORD. "Do so because my people have committed a double wrong: they have rejected me, the fountain of life-giving water, and they have dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns which cannot even hold water." **** Jer 2:12,13 Transformed and changed (from within) lives soon gave way to politically correct Dogmas, Doctrines, Creeds, Confessions and Allegiances. The personal, intimate living relationship with God through Jesus Christ was replaced by Liturgy, hierarchical Clergy, meaningless Ritual, pagan superstitions, empty sermons and lifeless hymns. The Holy Life was replaced by the Accepted Confession. Soon the layman (the common man) was prohibited from reading the Bible (God's written Word) for himself. The clergy proclaimed that he was to "unlearned and ignorant" to know what it TRULY said. Only the Clergy could give the TRUE meaning. This, despite the fact that the ORIGINAL of the Disciples - who overturned the Roman World and built the Christian Church - were but unlearned, ignorant, common men !! However, THEY had what had been all but lost - the indwelling Life and Power of God Himself through His Holy Spirit, teaching and working through these men and women. In their arrogant, self-proclaimed "wisdom" - church leaders NOW denounced and persecuted anyone who claimed that they had a "personal relationship" with God, that He communicated with them continually, that His life dwelt within to guide and empower them, that without this presence they could do nothing (to build God's Kingdom). They were often executed, excommunicated, ostracized, persecuted - labeled as enthusiasts, fanatics, zealots, heretics, indulging in "emotional fervor", and being possessed by demonic spirits. The two men whom I am going to reference and quote, William Law and Jacob Boehme, were two such men. During the last 2,000 years, God has continued to sporadically pour out His Holy Spirit upon hungering humanity, but after the initial "honeymoon" period passes, the bulk of "christians" and "the church" once again lapse into worldly complacency and wander off to be forever lost in the swamp of carnal, earthly, human "wisdom" and affairs !! During the last outpouring (called the charismatic movement), starting around 1960, there was a TREMENDOUS revival of interest in the "Gifts of the Spirit" in the mainline church. However, instead of leading to a godly, holy, Christlike Church populated with godly, holy, Christlike Christians, the ultimate outcome was what I can only describe as "The Charismatic Circus". So called "ministers" would compete with each other in person, in the media and on television and radio to see who could build the biggest "ministry" and make the biggest name for himself. Fame, Prosperity, Wordily "success", carnal excess and GREED became the major "fruits of this movement". Instead of the "church" being bathed in God's Holiness, it became a theater of Satan where the foulest, most corrupt and most reprehensible behavior was put on display for the world to observe !!! Lately (2020), once AGAIN, inward spiritual growth and Christlike development has been overshadowed by political activism. The behavior, the mentality, the values and the "life focus" of MANY "christians" has become VERY little different from that of their non-christian counterparts. Each vie for their favorite political candidate to "save" them, society and the world from impending doom and disaster. Their "faith" and focus is upon what is happening in the political arena and NOT upon what is happening in the "heavenly places". They revile and condemn those who oppose and/or disagree with them with as much (if not MORE) vehemence and zeal than do their unsaved counterparts -- and go into an even greater frenzy of rejection and despair when their candidate loses. It is going to be VERY difficult (in fact, IMPOSSIBLE) for me to convey to you ALL that I want to say in this one message. The reason being that, on YOUR part, it will require a TOTAL realignment or change of your "spiritual world view" in order to be able to receive, understand and ACCEPT it !! I know that there are some of you who might be reading these words who are even NOW saying in your heart, "Who does this person think that he is preaching to. I have been a Christian, read my Bible and attended church for MANY years, and I ALREADY know ALL of these things !!" So I thought BEFORE I began to SERIOUSLY study them. I can only refer you to the words of the Apostle Paul: If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know. **** 1Cor 8:2 For this reason, I will be attaching a considerable addendum of selected excerpts from the Writings of William Law and Jacob Boehme to this manuscript. If you are TRULY interested in understanding the points which I am going to endeavor to clarify, I suggest that you devote SERIOUS time to studying these excerpts until they saturate your mind and begin to expand and renew your understanding in the area of "spiritual things" !! At first, when I began to read Law's "Spirit of Love and Spirit of Prayer", it was almost TOTALLY incomprehensible, both because of the TOTALLY new concepts and the rather archaic style and language that it is written in. As I invested time and effort into it, however, his ideas became clearer and clearer, until the TRUTH of them and the ERROR of my former way of thinking became as sharp and differentiated as Light and Darkness. I am sure that you experienced the same "learning curve" when you first began to SERIOUSLY read and study the Bible (I know that I certainly did!). Many years later, when God finally moved me to undertake a SERIOUS study of the writings of Jacob Boehme, the "learning curve" was FAR more severe. I had attempted many times to read some of his works, since Law had derived so many of HIS ideas from him. Alas, it was to no avail - I had might as well been trying to comprehend Martian !! However, when God sensed that I was finally ready to TRULY set my heart on understanding what Boehme had to reveal, his writings became clearer the more time that I invested in understanding them. As Jesus stated, "If you TRULY want God's DEEP treasures, you are going to have to search and DIG for them". Paul clarifies that, "ONLY the "spiritual mind can truly comprehend the things of the Spirit" !! One of the MAJOR roadblocks to a TRUE "spiritual" understanding of the Bible and its message is that it is written from the perspective of the "Eastern (Oriental) mind", using Eastern imagery, metaphor, symbolism and thought. OUR minds, on the other hand, are steeped and fossilized in Western culture - characterized by "Roman" ideas and ways of thinking, philosophy and Medieval Scholasticism. The "church", after its corruption in 70 AD at the hands of the Romans, began to adopt ITS imagery and concepts into its theology. God, instead of being "Father", became Judge, Ruler, Sovereign, Caesar and Dictator !! His "Kingdom", rather than being made up as a FAMILY, became fashioned after the Courts of the Roman Empire and its Judicial System. SIN - now rather than being an error, a "missing of the designated mark" a deviation from the intended plan - became a CRIME requiring judicial investigation and punishment. God no longer looked upon His World and His Creation with eyes of Fatherly Love, Compassion and Understanding. Now -- His "Justice" needed to be satisfied, His "Wrath and Vengeance" needed to be appeased, His "injured Honor and Judicial Dignity" needed to placated and MOST important, an appropriate victim was needed to pay for the Cosmic Crime that had been committed against this "Caesar God" !! All of these twisted distortions of the TRUE God shaped the theology of the "church" to come !! Most sad and pitiful to say, there is ALMOST no corner of God's Church today where this venomous "Devil's Brew" has not now permeated and poisoned, hardly ANY of God's chosen children whose minds and hearts have not been twisted and distorted by this pack of hellish LIES !! I believe that I can say with ABSOLUTE certainty that barely any (IF ANY) of those reading these words will have EVER even heard the concepts that I will be endeavoring to present or anything different from the standard theology that you now believe. I am going to try to bring you out of the Darkness into the Light, where you will be able to see them for what they are -- The Delusions, Lies and Deceptions that Satan has methodically used to blind the eyes of God's Children, so that they would not come to know Him for what He TRULY is and seek Him for the treasure of New Life that He longs to give to EACH and EVERY one !! Thankfully, it is still true TODAY as it was in OT times -- There is preserved a remnant in whom is kept alive the TRUE knowledge of WHO God REALLY is and What He is REALLY like. To THEM He imparts the "Love-work" of seeing that this knowledge and understanding does NOT die nor be lost nor silenced, but continue to be imparted to those of His children with hungry hearts, who have "ears to hear and a mind to understand" !!! God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life!" But what was the divine response to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand people who have not bent the knee to Baal." **** Rom 11:2-4 |
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(II.) - Fallen Man -- Redemption **** If you understood the preceding explanation of "Sin", it should answer the oft-repeated question asked by unbelievers (and ALSO believers): "If God TRULY wanted to forgive Adam for his actions, why not merely FORGIVE him instead of instituting this complex system of 'saving man from his sins' ??" Adam's "transgression" was NOT merely disobeying some "Divine Ordinance" for which God could simply say, "I understand that what you did, you did in ignorance and immaturity. You are my son, I love you, I forgive you" !! It was also NOT some "cosmic crime" for which the "Divine Judge" could convene the "Heavenly Tribunal", find Man guilty, and either impose or suspend just judgment. Nor could God (as some simple-minded "teachers" teach) merely transfer the "necessary compensation" into Adam's delinquent account from His (God's) account and tell Adam, "No problem, Adam, I Myself have paid the penalty for YOUR offense!!" NO, a Thousand Times NO !!!! This was NOT just a "breaking of The Law" -- This was (in modern terms) "a Rip in the Fabric of the Universe". One of the underlying principles of God's creation had been overturned, destroyed. Paradise had been banished from the earth and Hell brought in to replace it. The fault in this creation could NOT be mended nor merely repaired. The remedy needed to be as drastic as "a NEW Creation". The OLD needed to be done away with that the NEW might be instituted !! It is at THIS point that God begins to reveal His love to Fallen, wayward man. He implants the "seed" of His Spirit into fallen Man, to lie dormant until the "Times of Refreshing" should come. At that point, with the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ - as FULLY man and Fully Divine - the seed takes root, introducing a brand new species of human being into the universe. You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him. So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it. **** Colossians 3:3-10 Where formerly, Adam had been the father of the OLD humanity, Jesus Christ becomes the "father" of the NEW humanity. As we "die" spiritually to the OLD line, we can be "born again" spiritually through faith in Jesus Christ into the NEW line. As we, as offspring, partook fully of the nature of our OLD father, we likewise partake fully of the nature of our NEW father, again becoming semi-divine beings, filled with the Holy Spirit of God. How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection. We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. **** Romans: 6:1-5 Therefore, the "salvation" that is brought to us in Jesus Christ is NOT some "legal fiction" of a "forgiven or paid debt" and an "an imputed righteousness". Jesus did NOT pay some debt owed to the Father for mankind's transgression, He did NOT bear the burden of God's supposed "wrath and vengeance" for breaking His Law, and He most certainly did NOT balance the "Scales of Justice" by taking man's place before God's "Bar of Justice" and serving the sentence Himself. What Jesus Christ REALLY DID DO was to provide that bridge which Man needed, whereby he might once more be united with God, his Father and Creator, by enabling Man to again be birthed in possession of and united with God's Living Holy Spirit. Man's righteousness (or "right-standing") before God is NOT achieved by some "magical imputation", but by REALLY, IN FACT being able to fulfill God's just requirements and expectations by means of God's living Holy Spirit indwelling and functioning THROUGH man on a continual basis. As the Apostle Paul proclaims: "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." **** Gal 2:20
For a FULL manuscript dealing with, "The Theological Travesty of 'Penal Substitutionary Atonement'", please click HERE You might wish to read HERE an article regarding "The Triune Error of the 'christian church' (church of Babel) -- Sin, Judgment and Hell !!" |
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(III.) - Redeemed Man --- Sanctification -- The "New Man" **** AT LAST -- We now come to the Grand Climax -- the Consummation of this article, the revelation of the "MYSTERY", which is its title !! It is, as the Apostle Paul wrote in Col 1:26,27: "The Mystery (Secret) that has been hidden in Ages past, but which NOW God has chosen to reveal to His Church -- CHRIST IN YOU !!!" The bulk of "the church" is STILL bound up in the same delusion that resulted in the Jewish leaders crucifying their long awaited Messiah. They would NOT accept the fact that the external, outward dispensation given through Moses - for A WHILE - had been brought to an end with the advent of Jesus Christ. Before faith came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the coming faith would be revealed. Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. **** Gal 3:23-26 God's ULTIMATE remedy for Man's fallen, alienated condition - his SIN condition - had NEVER been external rules and laws, tradition and ritual, outward formalities, or a REPAIR of Man's broken state. NO, God had something FAR more grand, magnificent and drastic in mind right from the day that he first comforted fallen Adam. He planned to do away with the old, tarnished, broken creation and replace it with a brand NEW one !! It would be one in which a merely CREATED being, MAN, would be elevated to near-divine status as TRUE Son's of God, possessing in themselves the Divine Nature. They would become the Heavenly, the Corporate Body of the Second Person of the Trinity, the ONLY uncreated Son of God - Jesus Christ Himself. Man would again be reunited with his God, Father and Creator - and would be enabled to fulfill his divine destiny of having God express ALL of his mighty wonders through His NEW Corporate Body, as had been His intention to do through individual men (and women) before Man's Fall. He is our peace, the one who made both groups into one. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace. **** Eph 2:14,15 Just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body -- though many -- are one body, so too is Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. For in fact the body is not a single member, but many. **** 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 We will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. **** Eph 4:15 **** Christ is the head of the church (he himself being the savior of the body). **** Eph 5:23 Jesus Himself declares to us: "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God - unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must all be born from above.' If I have told you people about earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?" **** John 3:3-12 Herein lies the ROOT of the problem. Down through the last 2,000 years, MUCH of "the church" and, EVEN WORSE, its leaders and teachers, have been themselves DEVOID of the Living Spirit of God !! They have declared it vanity, foolishness, enthusiasm, even HERESY to believe that, as Jesus Himself and Paul stated: "It is ESSENTIAL that a Christian be 'born from above' with a VERY REAL rebirth and continual infilling by the living Spirit of God Himself". Lacking this, they had nothing more than natural, carnal, earthy minds - and could build nothing more or greater than a natural, carnal, earthy harlot of a "church" !! It is as the Apostle Peter wrote regarding Paul's letters: Speaking of these things in all his (Paul's) letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures. **** 2Pet 3:16 Being "Born Again" came to mean nothing more than to join some religious organization, be baptized according to their particular ritual, subscribe to their particular creed and confession, and submit to their particular rules and prohibitions. There was no change in the "Inner Man (the TRUE Self)", nor often (usually) was anything taught nor even mentioned regarding such change. Often, the teachers and/or leaders knew of no such change THEMSELVES !! Churches, monasteries, and seminaries became nothing more than DEAD "religious cemeteries"- where the "old man (dead in trespass and sin)" continued to walk and talk and labor, adding Sin to Sin, building HIS "Tower of Babel" trying to reach God by His labors and "sacrifice". What more, REALLY, could be expected - how could those who were (spiritually) dead themselves be expected to impart life to others ?? His pride, vanity and ego COULD not and WOULD not accept the fact that the needed work had already been done by another (Jesus Christ), and he needed ONLY to embrace and enter into the New Life that had ALREADY been prepared for him. He needed ONLY to DIE to ALL that constituted his OLD, sinful man and embrace the promise of the NEW Heavenly Man!!!! If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away -- look, what is new has come! **** 2Cor 5:17 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that matters is a new creation! **** Gal 6:15 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man ......, to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man who has been created in God's image. **** Ephesians 4:22-24 |
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Not only has our ULTIMATE destiny of becoming TRULY "New Men", "New Creations", inhabiting a "New Heaven and a New Earth" of unimaginable Glory, Power and Splendor been denied to humanity and especially to The Church - but those who dare to speak of a heavenly glimpse that God may have seen fit to give to them are shouted down, ostracized, ridiculed and often cast out in an attempt to silence them and to protect the "Portals of Power" so prized by the leaders of this "harlot church". They are mocked for preferring, "Pie in the sky bye and bye" rather than getting on with the (supposed) REAL work of improving people and society in the REAL "here and now". Social and political activism becomes the work of "the church" rather than preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ - about release from slavery to Sin and entry into HIS Kingdom and Government. The NEW "gospel" of the church becomes worldly wealth, health, power and success - sexual and racial equality - social and political liberation - and planetary preservation. As I said at the beginning, all of these MAY have a place in the Christian Life (as God so directs), but they ARE NOT "The Gospel" nor are they the PRIME Work of the Church - and are ALL destined to one day pass away. Then they said to him, "What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires?" Jesus replied, "This is the deed God requires -- to believe in the one whom he sent." **** John 6:28,29 In the meantime, men's minds and hearts have been turned away from and have had hidden from them that which is REALLY the ONLY thing of lasting importance -- the New Life and the formation of Christ within them - their Hope of REAL Glory !! Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and because of the gospel will save it. For what benefit is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? What can a person give in exchange for his soul? **** Mark 8:35-37 Even the grand, unimaginable Glories of Heaven and our ultimate life with God have been trivialized and reduced to earthly proportions. The most common view taught by most of "the church", and held among those "christians" who even HAVE a view at all, is of a somewhat improved earthly society in which we will live happily forever with our former family and friends - free from evil, unhappiness disease, and death - where all of our WANTS will be provided for. This, despite the fact that Jesus tells us: Jesus answered them, "You are deceived, because you don't know the scriptures or the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven." **** Matt 22:29,30 I am NOT going to endeavor to describe or speak further of the EXACT nature of the world and life that God has in store for us, His Sons. It may be something totally unique for each of us, and whatever it may be, speaking for myself, I will state that I possess NO "frame of reference" or ability to visualize nor articulate its TRUE nature. If we can not even begin to visualize the Realm and Nature of God and His Glories, we certainly cannot limit nor visualize the world that He has prepared for us. William Law and Jacob Boehme attempted to expound upon the details of such as God gave to them in THEIR visions. That is one of the things that makes reading their works so difficult, particularly those of Boehme. They try to convey what they saw and experienced in the words and concepts at their disposal, but they are trying to relate "Heavenly Glories" in earthly words and concepts. They know what THEY saw, but how do you tell a man who was born blind about colors or a man born deaf about sounds and music ??? Just as it is written, "Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him." God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man except the man's spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. We speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. **** 1Cor 2:9-14 All that I can recommend that YOU do is what I have endeavored to do for myself -- allow God to "renew your mind", allow God's indwelling Spirit to "teach your New Man of the heavenly realities", and do not be intimidated by those "christians" around you whose "god is their belly and have their minds set on earthly things". Also, DILIGENTLY and continually read and study your bible from front to back with an OPEN mind, allowing God to saturate your mind in His perspective and impart to you His "world view". Above all, DO NOT just read your "favorite Scriptures" to reinforce the perspective that you have ALREADY formed or (even worse) that someone else has given to you. Work at DILIGENTLY and thoughtfully reading and STUDYING the writings of William Law, "The Spirit of Love and the Spirit of Prayer". This will take some DISCIPLINED work at first because of its (seemingly) alien nature. I do, however, guarantee you that the end result will be worth the effort -- IF your desire is REALLY a deeper and more mature understanding of God and His World. If and when God should prompt you that you are ready, expand your reading and study to the writings of Jacob Boehme. THIS will probably take some REAL work and dedication, for I found that understanding these was MANY times more difficult than understanding Law's writings. However, like in any other endeavor, "You will reap in proportion to what you sow. If you sow LITTLE, you will reap LITTLE. If you have the insight and determination to sow MUCH, God will see that ultimately, you will reap MUCH" !! My Prayers and Blessings in God go with you and with your Study and Labors. |
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Introduction and Excerpts from the Writings of William Law Excerpts from ** "Address to the Clergy, Grounds of Christian Regeneration and the Way to Divine Knowledge" The following is an excerpt (Chapter 12) from an excellent book by William Law, "You Will Receive Power" **** "The Inward and Outward Churches" The following is an excerpt (Chapter 12) from another excellent book by William Law, "God's Power in You" **** "The Entrance of Evil Into the World" Exerpts from the Writings of William Law -- "On the Fall of Man from His Original Created Glory" The following is an excerpt from an excellent book by Andrew Murray, "Wholly for God", consisting of selections from the writings of William Law. Exerpts from William Law, "The Spirit of Prayer", Parts I & II Click HERE to access a collection of the various writings of William Law Click HERE to access a collection of the various writings of Jacob Boehme Click HERE to read: Chapter Six, "Jacob Boehme and the Evolution of Man", Lucifer's Action: Contemporary Resonances -
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