How subtly our metaphor of God as King, as Lord and even Father nudges into feeling distant or separated from God. God on his throne in heaven, Jesus at his right hand, off somewhere beyond the boundaries of space and time, is he that bearded monarch, a being of infinite light? Understand how we image God impacts how we relate how we live. God is ineffable the Bible (and we) use metaphors to describe the indescribable. King, Lord, Father dominate but also Love, Mother, Birthing, Nursing, Shepherd, Rock, Wind, Fire, Lover and many others have been used to describe God. These metaphors evoke in our minds and subconscious specific attributes and feelings that impact our actions. Fixating on any one (or a few) causes a lopsided image of God, Our lopsided God makes it difficult to receive from God as Lover, or Nursing Mother, if those images are not already incorporated into our hearts.
God on a throne, heaven with streets of gold, it is only our attempt to describe the grandeur and majesty of God, King, throne, gold these are human characteristics not Gods. Do not get me wrong these are valid descriptions in as far as we are capable of describing the indescribable. Abraham Heschel says appropriately that “the statement ‘God is’ is an understatement” how could it not be so. The sacred cannot fit neatly into our definitions. Paul tells us that God made everything and has need of nothing, that He provides life, breath and everything else so that man perhaps would literally “feel” God. That is experientially not just intellectually or a belief, but to know intimately, relationally the living God! Further Paul says “in him we live and move and exist” (Acts 17.24-28)
Augustine writes to God
“How late I came to love you. O Beauty so ancient and so fresh, how late I came to love you! You were within me, yet I had gone outside to seek you. Unlovely myself, I rushed toward all those lovely things you had made. And always you were with me. I was not with you. All these beauties kept me far from you –although they would not have existed at all unless they had their being in you. You called, you cried, you shattered my deafness. You sparkled, you blazed, you drove away my blindness. You shed your fragrance, and I drew in my breath and I pant for you. I tasted and now I hunger and thirst. You touched me, and now I burn with longing for your peace.”
In whom we live, move and have our being we exist within God we breath in God we touch God each and every moment.
Thomas Merton writes
“Life is simple. We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent, and God is shining through it all the time. This is not just a fable or a nice story. It is true. If we abandon ourselves to God and forget ourselves, we see it sometimes and we see it maybe frequently. God shows Himself everywhere, in everything – in people and in thing s and in nature and in events. It becomes very obvious that God is everywhere and in everything and we cannot be without Him. It’s impossible. The only that is that we don’t see it.”
This is not a Christian state this is a human condition, Jesus tells us that if we feed, clothe or give water to the least on earth we do it to him, how; because God is in them! They, and you and I and all, live breath and move in God! The Psalmist tells us there is nowhere we can go that God is not there. Why do “the heavens declare the glory of God” because the sacred the Divine is there also.
My heart leaps! I am immersed, buoyed in God; do you feel Her, our Mother God? With each breath you feel and touch God. God is not out there somewhere He is here, now, in you.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
My Fathers Voice
I have heard the voice of my father from a young age, I know his voice, I know his touch.
I know what it is like to not hear his voice; I know what it is like to try not to hear it.
I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch.
I have heard my Fathers voice in the deepest pit of despair.
I have heard my Fathers voice on the peaks of ecstasy.
I have heard my Fathers voice with hands clamped firmly over my ears as I tried to drown it out.
I have heard my Fathers voice in a roar.
I have heard my Fathers voice in silence.
I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
I know my Fathers voice through all of my travail, I know his touch
In sadness, pain and sorrow, I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
In madness, turmoil and hate, I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
In love, peace and prosperity, I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
In doubt and certainty, I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
In all these things and more this I know - I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
Gary Glunt
I know what it is like to not hear his voice; I know what it is like to try not to hear it.
I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch.
I have heard my Fathers voice in the deepest pit of despair.
I have heard my Fathers voice on the peaks of ecstasy.
I have heard my Fathers voice with hands clamped firmly over my ears as I tried to drown it out.
I have heard my Fathers voice in a roar.
I have heard my Fathers voice in silence.
I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
I know my Fathers voice through all of my travail, I know his touch
In sadness, pain and sorrow, I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
In madness, turmoil and hate, I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
In love, peace and prosperity, I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
In doubt and certainty, I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
In all these things and more this I know - I know my Fathers voice, I know his touch
Gary Glunt
Sunday, October 25, 2009
As a Man Thinks
As a Man Thinks
Viktor Frankl (a surgeon and existential psychoanalyst) was rescued from Auschwitz where his wife, mother, father and siblings were all killed (only one sister survived) he wrote many books but two particularly touched me “Mans Search for Meaning” and “The Will to Meaning” full of insight gained from living through hell. One thing he tells us is if we focus on what is ugly, we attract ugliness into our thoughts, and then into our emotions, and ultimately into our lives.
Gandhi explained it “Keep your thoughts positive, because you thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because you values become your destiny.”
The Bible tells us “as a man thinks in his heart, so he is”.
Psychology in the form of both Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming show us that our thoughts, our internal dialogue, impact not only emotions, beliefs and behaviors but shape our very perception of the world around us. That world view or schema filters all our subsequent perceptions we in effect become what we think.
I challenge you to in a detached, impartial and non-judgmental way attune to your internal dialogue, simply listen become aware of the manner, nature and content of the running dialogue taking place non-stop in our minds.
Begin to notice how negative and habitual thoughts influence your moods, your actions and your perception. Most of these are conditioned responses just like a rat in a Skinner box, but unlike the rat we are self aware, possess higher consciousness and the seed of divinity within. We are able to observe the patterns and break the negative conditioning, and chose a more directed, positive, spiritually enlightened dialogue, breaking the repetitive cycle of negative thoughts, negative emotions, negative behaviors and negative results.
Jesus tells of a parable that we would not put new wine in an old wineskin because it would burst. It is tempting to hold on to the familiar, rather than discard it for a new insight, but if one wishes to grow, to achieve greater awareness and oneness with God, we need to shed the old skins of negative thoughts.
Think well my friends, God Bless.
GWGlunt
Viktor Frankl (a surgeon and existential psychoanalyst) was rescued from Auschwitz where his wife, mother, father and siblings were all killed (only one sister survived) he wrote many books but two particularly touched me “Mans Search for Meaning” and “The Will to Meaning” full of insight gained from living through hell. One thing he tells us is if we focus on what is ugly, we attract ugliness into our thoughts, and then into our emotions, and ultimately into our lives.
Gandhi explained it “Keep your thoughts positive, because you thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because you values become your destiny.”
The Bible tells us “as a man thinks in his heart, so he is”.
Psychology in the form of both Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming show us that our thoughts, our internal dialogue, impact not only emotions, beliefs and behaviors but shape our very perception of the world around us. That world view or schema filters all our subsequent perceptions we in effect become what we think.
I challenge you to in a detached, impartial and non-judgmental way attune to your internal dialogue, simply listen become aware of the manner, nature and content of the running dialogue taking place non-stop in our minds.
Begin to notice how negative and habitual thoughts influence your moods, your actions and your perception. Most of these are conditioned responses just like a rat in a Skinner box, but unlike the rat we are self aware, possess higher consciousness and the seed of divinity within. We are able to observe the patterns and break the negative conditioning, and chose a more directed, positive, spiritually enlightened dialogue, breaking the repetitive cycle of negative thoughts, negative emotions, negative behaviors and negative results.
Jesus tells of a parable that we would not put new wine in an old wineskin because it would burst. It is tempting to hold on to the familiar, rather than discard it for a new insight, but if one wishes to grow, to achieve greater awareness and oneness with God, we need to shed the old skins of negative thoughts.
Think well my friends, God Bless.
GWGlunt
Thursday, October 15, 2009
How To Milk A Stubborn Goat
How To Milk A Stubborn Goat
Back what now seems like ages ago, it was during my self-sufficiency natural earth-man phase, probably 15 years or so, I raised goats. Now you must know a couple of things about me, one is that I am a man of many interests, and the intensity of that interest is fairly fluid. When I discover a new interest I typically dive in headlong, no testing the water for me. I thought I needed goats to really truly connect to nature and continue the track to self-sufficiency.
My rationale well; principally milk, yogurt and their pellets for my compost operation. I was particularly proud of my compost pile, it was a large “living” thing nothing was quite as satisfactory at that time as getting up on a cold winter morning looking out my kitchen window and seeing steam rolling up from my compost bins.
But I digress, so I started with two females, beautiful Nubian goats, with their roman noses and large down turned ears, multicolored soft fur coats they truly were lovely animals. But for milk you need a billie goat, I picket one up at an auction a particularly ugly mixed breed with gray course bristly hair complete with beard, and respectable horns. In addition I also picked up two more females.
There is not fouler animal on this earth than a billie goat, single minded, stubborn and most of all they STINK. Their foul scent is a source of great pride to them, spraying their musk everywhere an rolling ecstatically in their own scent. But apparently the female were not so repulsed and soon I had kids, and most of all the whole point, my original goal; MILK.
In preparation I built built a milking stanchion perfect height for me to sit on a stool and access the goat for milking, it had a feed tray with a neck lock the goat would put her head through to eat I would close the lock keeping the goat in place to allow me to milk.
I had purchased the stainless steel milking bucket, utter wash, disinfectant, and utter balm, all the necessary gear my books suggested. I learned fairly quickly how to milk getting about a gallon a day with both morning and evening milking. We enjoyed the taste of fresh goat’s milk, much lighter and healthier than cows, Sharon made yogurt and all was good on the Glunt farmstead.
However I did have one particularly challenging goat she was not cooperative and as we progressed (in the milking relationship) she became increasingly difficult. She would with her head in the bracket casually eating her grain would kick, stomp and otherwise make herself difficult to milk. She ruined more than a few buckets of milk by stepping into the milk.
This battle of the wills went on for a while when she ultimately discovered a strategy that was difficult to overcome she would sit down, either contaminating the milk or knocking over the bucket.
At this point I became single mindedly focused on not being bested by a goat. After one particularly frustrating episode as she was sitting in the bucket I looked up to the heavens in frustration and as I looked that the barn rafters overhead I had a flash of insight.
I immediately set out to implement a plan I intuitively knew was shear genius, I dug through the various bens and shelves of the barn finding all the bits of equipment I would need. There were a couple screw eyes, a pulley, rope, a cleat and couple of leather straps etc.
I spent all that morning constructing my inspired device anxious to test it at that evenings milking.
So when I got my problem goat in the milking stanchion much to her surprise, I took to leather loops one for each hind leg attached to a rope hanging from a pulley above, taking up the slack I lifted her up just enough that her hooves were off the stand then tied the rope off in a cleat.
I believe it was the only time that she paused from eating the grain to look back as if to say “What the Hell?” Now it all worked perfectly, just as I had envisioned it was truly an inspired idea, one element I had not counted on was the natural configuration of the goats hind legs and the location of the rope, the size of the straps etc etc all resulted in the goats ending position by all appearances and supported by the affected goats calm demeanor to be a comfortable experience for both the goat and myself. In fact when the goat would try to sit her legs would level out and Eureka free unfettered access to the utter.
After about a week or two, with no further problems, no more spilt milk both the goat and I took this arrangement as mutually beneficial and gave it no second thought. I did not even consider the possibility of this contraption being even slightly humorous; it was to me extremely practical.
That is until my Uncle Wayne happened into the barn as I was milking. Uncle Wayne was quick witted with an easy laugh and boyish humor he never grew out of. When he stepped in and in the moment he saw he instantly broke out in uncontrolled laughter, the type of laughter that takes the breath and loose the tears. It was one of the few time I made my Uncle laugh so hard and the only time he did not have anything to say.
That’s how you milk a stubborn goat.
GWG
Back what now seems like ages ago, it was during my self-sufficiency natural earth-man phase, probably 15 years or so, I raised goats. Now you must know a couple of things about me, one is that I am a man of many interests, and the intensity of that interest is fairly fluid. When I discover a new interest I typically dive in headlong, no testing the water for me. I thought I needed goats to really truly connect to nature and continue the track to self-sufficiency.
My rationale well; principally milk, yogurt and their pellets for my compost operation. I was particularly proud of my compost pile, it was a large “living” thing nothing was quite as satisfactory at that time as getting up on a cold winter morning looking out my kitchen window and seeing steam rolling up from my compost bins.
But I digress, so I started with two females, beautiful Nubian goats, with their roman noses and large down turned ears, multicolored soft fur coats they truly were lovely animals. But for milk you need a billie goat, I picket one up at an auction a particularly ugly mixed breed with gray course bristly hair complete with beard, and respectable horns. In addition I also picked up two more females.
There is not fouler animal on this earth than a billie goat, single minded, stubborn and most of all they STINK. Their foul scent is a source of great pride to them, spraying their musk everywhere an rolling ecstatically in their own scent. But apparently the female were not so repulsed and soon I had kids, and most of all the whole point, my original goal; MILK.
In preparation I built built a milking stanchion perfect height for me to sit on a stool and access the goat for milking, it had a feed tray with a neck lock the goat would put her head through to eat I would close the lock keeping the goat in place to allow me to milk.
I had purchased the stainless steel milking bucket, utter wash, disinfectant, and utter balm, all the necessary gear my books suggested. I learned fairly quickly how to milk getting about a gallon a day with both morning and evening milking. We enjoyed the taste of fresh goat’s milk, much lighter and healthier than cows, Sharon made yogurt and all was good on the Glunt farmstead.
However I did have one particularly challenging goat she was not cooperative and as we progressed (in the milking relationship) she became increasingly difficult. She would with her head in the bracket casually eating her grain would kick, stomp and otherwise make herself difficult to milk. She ruined more than a few buckets of milk by stepping into the milk.
This battle of the wills went on for a while when she ultimately discovered a strategy that was difficult to overcome she would sit down, either contaminating the milk or knocking over the bucket.
At this point I became single mindedly focused on not being bested by a goat. After one particularly frustrating episode as she was sitting in the bucket I looked up to the heavens in frustration and as I looked that the barn rafters overhead I had a flash of insight.
I immediately set out to implement a plan I intuitively knew was shear genius, I dug through the various bens and shelves of the barn finding all the bits of equipment I would need. There were a couple screw eyes, a pulley, rope, a cleat and couple of leather straps etc.
I spent all that morning constructing my inspired device anxious to test it at that evenings milking.
So when I got my problem goat in the milking stanchion much to her surprise, I took to leather loops one for each hind leg attached to a rope hanging from a pulley above, taking up the slack I lifted her up just enough that her hooves were off the stand then tied the rope off in a cleat.
I believe it was the only time that she paused from eating the grain to look back as if to say “What the Hell?” Now it all worked perfectly, just as I had envisioned it was truly an inspired idea, one element I had not counted on was the natural configuration of the goats hind legs and the location of the rope, the size of the straps etc etc all resulted in the goats ending position by all appearances and supported by the affected goats calm demeanor to be a comfortable experience for both the goat and myself. In fact when the goat would try to sit her legs would level out and Eureka free unfettered access to the utter.
After about a week or two, with no further problems, no more spilt milk both the goat and I took this arrangement as mutually beneficial and gave it no second thought. I did not even consider the possibility of this contraption being even slightly humorous; it was to me extremely practical.
That is until my Uncle Wayne happened into the barn as I was milking. Uncle Wayne was quick witted with an easy laugh and boyish humor he never grew out of. When he stepped in and in the moment he saw he instantly broke out in uncontrolled laughter, the type of laughter that takes the breath and loose the tears. It was one of the few time I made my Uncle laugh so hard and the only time he did not have anything to say.
That’s how you milk a stubborn goat.
GWG
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Restoration Part 2
This is my second installment of my continuing essay on the complete and total restoration of all mankind by Jesus Christ. Aside from this brief introduction I have listed many verses for your consideration, they are listed here entirely and partially without any commentary, I just want you to read them and begin thinking about them as groundwork for the forthcoming essays as we take a closer look at them.
Do not undermine the unfathomable power of the work of Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection redeemed (past tense - it is finished) all mankind. Do you think that God almighty who desires all his children to be restored cannot achieve that? God omnipotent sent forth his word to redeem all creation; do you doubt this will happen? What can stand in the way of Gods plan, free will? Really?
Let me suggest that if one person is not redeemed then Gods plan and Christ’s sacrifice has failed! The rebellion has succeeded by thwarting Gods design, His intent.
Does that seem even remotely possible, can the devil, man or any other thing defeat the will of God? NO, that I assure you will not happen.
So what does God reveal to us is His will?
The following verses I am listing without commentary, as I said I will be going into more detail but I wanted to put these out so that you can begin to meditate on them.
But now has Christ been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. (I Cor. 15:20-26)
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. (Col. 1:15-20)
For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is .the Savior of all men, especially of believers. . (1 Tim. 4:10)
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the .whole world. . (1 John 2:2)
And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." (Rev. 5:13)
But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:15-21)
Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. " I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. "They will say of Me, 'Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.' Men will come to Him, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame. "In the LORD all the offspring of Israel Will be justified and will glory. (Isaiah 45:22-25)
In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth (Ephesians 1:8b-10)
For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. (Romans 11:32)
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. (Romans 8:19-22)
He spoke another parable to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened." (Matt. 13:33)
Even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. (John 17:2)
And there are more………..
1Tim 2:4 God will have all to be saved.
1Tim 2:4 God desires all to come to the knowledge of truth
1Tim 2:6 Salvation of all is testified in due time
Jn 12:47 Jesus came to save all
Eph 1:11 God works all after the counsel of His will
Jn 4:42 Jesus is Savior of the world
1Jn 4:14 Jesus is Savior of the world
Jn 12:32 Jesus will draw all mankind unto Himself
Col 1:16 By Him all were created
Rm 5:15-21 In Adam all condemned, in Christ all live
1Cor 15:22 In Adam all die, in Christ all live
Eph 1:10 all come into Him at the fullness of times
Phl 2:9-11 Every tongue shall confess Jesus is Lord - See the next line
1 Cor 12:3 Cannot confess except by Holy Spirit
Rm 11:26 all Israel will be saved
Acts 3:20,21 Restitution of all
Luke 2:10 Jesus will be joy to all people
Heb 8:11,12 all will know God
Eph 2:7 His grace shown in the ages to come
Titus 2:11 Grace has appeared to all
Rm 8:19-21 Creation set at liberty
Col 1:20 all reconciled unto God
1Cor 4:5 all will have praise of God
Jms 5:11 End of the Lord is full of mercy
Rev 15:4 all nations worship when God’s judgments are seen
Rm 11:32 all subject to unbelief, mercy on all
Rm 11:36 all out of, through, and into Him
Eph 4:10 Jesus will fill all things
Rev 5:13 all creation seen praising God
1Cor 15:28 God will be all in all
Rev 21:4,5 No more tears, all things made new
Jn 5:25 all dead who hear will live
Jn 5:28 all in the grave will hear & come forth
2Cor 5:15 Jesus died for all
Jn 8:29 Jesus always does what pleases His Father What pleases the Father? (1Tim 2:4)
Heb 1:2 Jesus is Heir of all things
Jn 17:2 Jesus gives eternal life to all that His Father gave Him
Jn 3:35 The Father gave Him all things
1 Tim 4:9-11 Jesus is Savior of all! Jesus is Savior of all!
Heb. 7:25 Jesus is able to save to the uttermost
1Cor 15:26 Last enemy, death, will be destroyed
Is 46:10 God will do all His pleasure
Gen 12:3 all families of the earth will be blessed
Dan 4:35 God’s will done in heaven and earth
Ps 66:3,4 Enemies will submit to God
Ps 90:3 God turns man to destruction, then says return
Ps 33:15 God fashions all hearts
Prv 16:9 Man devises, God directs his steps
Prv 19:21 Man devises, but God’s counsel stands
Is 2:2 all nations shall flow to the Lord’s house
Ps 86:9 all nations will worship Him
Is 45:23 all descendants of Israel justified
Ps 138:4 all kings will praise God
Ps 65:2-4 all flesh will come to God
Ps 72:18 God only does wondrous things
Jer 32:17 Nothing is too difficult for Him
Ps 22:27 all ends of the earth will turn to Him
Ps 22:27 all families will worship before Him
Ps 145:9 He is good to all
Ps 145:9 His mercies are over all his works
Ps 145:14 He raises all who fall
Ps 145:10 all His works will praise Him "
Is 25:6 Lord makes a feast for all people
Jn 6:44 No one can come to Him unless He draws them
Jn 12:32 I will draw all mankind unto Myself
Ps 135:6 God does what pleases Him.
Do not undermine the unfathomable power of the work of Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection redeemed (past tense - it is finished) all mankind. Do you think that God almighty who desires all his children to be restored cannot achieve that? God omnipotent sent forth his word to redeem all creation; do you doubt this will happen? What can stand in the way of Gods plan, free will? Really?
Let me suggest that if one person is not redeemed then Gods plan and Christ’s sacrifice has failed! The rebellion has succeeded by thwarting Gods design, His intent.
Does that seem even remotely possible, can the devil, man or any other thing defeat the will of God? NO, that I assure you will not happen.
So what does God reveal to us is His will?
The following verses I am listing without commentary, as I said I will be going into more detail but I wanted to put these out so that you can begin to meditate on them.
But now has Christ been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. (I Cor. 15:20-26)
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. (Col. 1:15-20)
For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is .the Savior of all men, especially of believers. . (1 Tim. 4:10)
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the .whole world. . (1 John 2:2)
And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." (Rev. 5:13)
But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:15-21)
Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. " I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. "They will say of Me, 'Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.' Men will come to Him, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame. "In the LORD all the offspring of Israel Will be justified and will glory. (Isaiah 45:22-25)
In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth (Ephesians 1:8b-10)
For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. (Romans 11:32)
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. (Romans 8:19-22)
He spoke another parable to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened." (Matt. 13:33)
Even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. (John 17:2)
And there are more………..
1Tim 2:4 God will have all to be saved.
1Tim 2:4 God desires all to come to the knowledge of truth
1Tim 2:6 Salvation of all is testified in due time
Jn 12:47 Jesus came to save all
Eph 1:11 God works all after the counsel of His will
Jn 4:42 Jesus is Savior of the world
1Jn 4:14 Jesus is Savior of the world
Jn 12:32 Jesus will draw all mankind unto Himself
Col 1:16 By Him all were created
Rm 5:15-21 In Adam all condemned, in Christ all live
1Cor 15:22 In Adam all die, in Christ all live
Eph 1:10 all come into Him at the fullness of times
Phl 2:9-11 Every tongue shall confess Jesus is Lord - See the next line
1 Cor 12:3 Cannot confess except by Holy Spirit
Rm 11:26 all Israel will be saved
Acts 3:20,21 Restitution of all
Luke 2:10 Jesus will be joy to all people
Heb 8:11,12 all will know God
Eph 2:7 His grace shown in the ages to come
Titus 2:11 Grace has appeared to all
Rm 8:19-21 Creation set at liberty
Col 1:20 all reconciled unto God
1Cor 4:5 all will have praise of God
Jms 5:11 End of the Lord is full of mercy
Rev 15:4 all nations worship when God’s judgments are seen
Rm 11:32 all subject to unbelief, mercy on all
Rm 11:36 all out of, through, and into Him
Eph 4:10 Jesus will fill all things
Rev 5:13 all creation seen praising God
1Cor 15:28 God will be all in all
Rev 21:4,5 No more tears, all things made new
Jn 5:25 all dead who hear will live
Jn 5:28 all in the grave will hear & come forth
2Cor 5:15 Jesus died for all
Jn 8:29 Jesus always does what pleases His Father What pleases the Father? (1Tim 2:4)
Heb 1:2 Jesus is Heir of all things
Jn 17:2 Jesus gives eternal life to all that His Father gave Him
Jn 3:35 The Father gave Him all things
1 Tim 4:9-11 Jesus is Savior of all! Jesus is Savior of all!
Heb. 7:25 Jesus is able to save to the uttermost
1Cor 15:26 Last enemy, death, will be destroyed
Is 46:10 God will do all His pleasure
Gen 12:3 all families of the earth will be blessed
Dan 4:35 God’s will done in heaven and earth
Ps 66:3,4 Enemies will submit to God
Ps 90:3 God turns man to destruction, then says return
Ps 33:15 God fashions all hearts
Prv 16:9 Man devises, God directs his steps
Prv 19:21 Man devises, but God’s counsel stands
Is 2:2 all nations shall flow to the Lord’s house
Ps 86:9 all nations will worship Him
Is 45:23 all descendants of Israel justified
Ps 138:4 all kings will praise God
Ps 65:2-4 all flesh will come to God
Ps 72:18 God only does wondrous things
Jer 32:17 Nothing is too difficult for Him
Ps 22:27 all ends of the earth will turn to Him
Ps 22:27 all families will worship before Him
Ps 145:9 He is good to all
Ps 145:9 His mercies are over all his works
Ps 145:14 He raises all who fall
Ps 145:10 all His works will praise Him "
Is 25:6 Lord makes a feast for all people
Jn 6:44 No one can come to Him unless He draws them
Jn 12:32 I will draw all mankind unto Myself
Ps 135:6 God does what pleases Him.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Practice of Non-Judgement
The Practice of Non-Judgment
In response to two specific questions directed at me last week, regarding the individual Christians’ response to sin in others I am offering this essay. Since you mentioned the passage of where Jesus indicates the hypocrisy of attempting to remove the speck from a brothers eye while we have a beam in our own I did not include that.
The perception of religion in general and Christianity in particular is one of the pronouncements of judgment. We need not look hard to find examples it goes from the extremes of the likes of the Fred Phelps ilk, those pseudo Christians who’s one mission in life is to preach hate and bigotry in the name of a vengeful god, or the pious young preacher looking down his nose at an elderly couple who have found love, support and companionship in their latter years because they haven’t said or done it in exactly the “prescribed” manner.
Is not the Bible full of examples of the fearful judgment of God and of His devotees? Absolutely it does. I was asked two questions that as I considered them I realized that at the root of both was the issue of judgment, and the response of Christians to sin by others.
In general one has to view the Bible in a developmental perspective; that is a text compile by multiple authors over a period 1200-1400 years. We clear see the development of the Jewish religion and their concept and understanding of God historically, for example in Deuteronomy when God commands Israel to totally annihilate the Canaanites certainly not the character of God as revealed by Jesus Christ, how else can one explain that other than the zeitgeist (spirit and culture of that day) in a tribal and warrior culture one would expect their god to call for the destruction of their enemy without question. This is not an isolated example, but it demonstrates that we must interpret the Bible from a developmental perspective. That the revelation from God, its effect on man and mans understanding of God is progressive. With the appearance of Christ we see the New Testament covering a relatively short period of time (approximately 100 years) so historical elements are limited to the life of Jesus and early church development. The unique nature of Christ give insight into the nature of God that I would place greater weight, than that of a warrior king battling his enemies for survival in the ninth century BC.
Am I discounting Devine inspiration, absolutely not, let’s consider briefly (I plan on writing more on this later) a couple of possibilities related to inspiration. I think it is accurate to say that most Christians believe that while God inspired the scriptures the process was not a direct dictation form, but rather both Paul and Peter affirm that Holy men were moved by the Holy Spirit. Yet we also see the distinct and separate personalities of the various writers, so by a developmental perspective I mean that we need to realize particularly in the Old Testament the progressive development of our (collective) concepts of God. I took this time as much of the supporting judgments related to marriage (or lack thereof) and homosexuality is pulled from the Old Testament.
Now to the question of judgment of “sin” in others in this matter I look to Jesus, no one else was or has been in this unique position, of being without sin and therefore in a position to judge. We see Jesus in the majority of times where he is actively judging individuals it is predominately related to the orthodox church of the day that is the Jewish religious leaders; in fact he consistently condemned them (something Christians need to consider related to their own religious orthodoxy)in fact one criticism they made was that Jesus hung out with the sinners, and in fact he did. There is no indication Jesus condoned sin, in fact he tells several to go and sin no more, that’s it no condemnation not scourging as he did the hypocritical religious leaders. We are told that in the same manner that we judge others we will ourselves be judged, this should be a sobering thought.
The parable of the lost sheep tells us that God will pursue the very last single lost sheep and restore them to the fold. It is the Holy Spirit that moves and speaks to the hearts and soul of men and women I trusts God will lead them closer to him, those that seek will find, that knock it will be opened, and last those that find the truth will be set free. Christians should remember the gospel that Jesus Christ redeemed all mankind to God and that mankind is no longer alienated from God. Those messages of love is the gospel, the good news, convey that message and as individuals draw near to God and learn to live in the fullness of divinity in all of us the issue of individual sin dissolves as we experience the full potential of Devine life God intends through Christ. This takes place in each individual’s heart, and will never (can never) happen as a result of the law.
I hope this answers your questions
Let me close with this passage from 1 Corinthians 13.8-13 NIV
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
In response to two specific questions directed at me last week, regarding the individual Christians’ response to sin in others I am offering this essay. Since you mentioned the passage of where Jesus indicates the hypocrisy of attempting to remove the speck from a brothers eye while we have a beam in our own I did not include that.
The perception of religion in general and Christianity in particular is one of the pronouncements of judgment. We need not look hard to find examples it goes from the extremes of the likes of the Fred Phelps ilk, those pseudo Christians who’s one mission in life is to preach hate and bigotry in the name of a vengeful god, or the pious young preacher looking down his nose at an elderly couple who have found love, support and companionship in their latter years because they haven’t said or done it in exactly the “prescribed” manner.
Is not the Bible full of examples of the fearful judgment of God and of His devotees? Absolutely it does. I was asked two questions that as I considered them I realized that at the root of both was the issue of judgment, and the response of Christians to sin by others.
In general one has to view the Bible in a developmental perspective; that is a text compile by multiple authors over a period 1200-1400 years. We clear see the development of the Jewish religion and their concept and understanding of God historically, for example in Deuteronomy when God commands Israel to totally annihilate the Canaanites certainly not the character of God as revealed by Jesus Christ, how else can one explain that other than the zeitgeist (spirit and culture of that day) in a tribal and warrior culture one would expect their god to call for the destruction of their enemy without question. This is not an isolated example, but it demonstrates that we must interpret the Bible from a developmental perspective. That the revelation from God, its effect on man and mans understanding of God is progressive. With the appearance of Christ we see the New Testament covering a relatively short period of time (approximately 100 years) so historical elements are limited to the life of Jesus and early church development. The unique nature of Christ give insight into the nature of God that I would place greater weight, than that of a warrior king battling his enemies for survival in the ninth century BC.
Am I discounting Devine inspiration, absolutely not, let’s consider briefly (I plan on writing more on this later) a couple of possibilities related to inspiration. I think it is accurate to say that most Christians believe that while God inspired the scriptures the process was not a direct dictation form, but rather both Paul and Peter affirm that Holy men were moved by the Holy Spirit. Yet we also see the distinct and separate personalities of the various writers, so by a developmental perspective I mean that we need to realize particularly in the Old Testament the progressive development of our (collective) concepts of God. I took this time as much of the supporting judgments related to marriage (or lack thereof) and homosexuality is pulled from the Old Testament.
Now to the question of judgment of “sin” in others in this matter I look to Jesus, no one else was or has been in this unique position, of being without sin and therefore in a position to judge. We see Jesus in the majority of times where he is actively judging individuals it is predominately related to the orthodox church of the day that is the Jewish religious leaders; in fact he consistently condemned them (something Christians need to consider related to their own religious orthodoxy)in fact one criticism they made was that Jesus hung out with the sinners, and in fact he did. There is no indication Jesus condoned sin, in fact he tells several to go and sin no more, that’s it no condemnation not scourging as he did the hypocritical religious leaders. We are told that in the same manner that we judge others we will ourselves be judged, this should be a sobering thought.
The parable of the lost sheep tells us that God will pursue the very last single lost sheep and restore them to the fold. It is the Holy Spirit that moves and speaks to the hearts and soul of men and women I trusts God will lead them closer to him, those that seek will find, that knock it will be opened, and last those that find the truth will be set free. Christians should remember the gospel that Jesus Christ redeemed all mankind to God and that mankind is no longer alienated from God. Those messages of love is the gospel, the good news, convey that message and as individuals draw near to God and learn to live in the fullness of divinity in all of us the issue of individual sin dissolves as we experience the full potential of Devine life God intends through Christ. This takes place in each individual’s heart, and will never (can never) happen as a result of the law.
I hope this answers your questions
Let me close with this passage from 1 Corinthians 13.8-13 NIV
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Choose to Choose
Choose to Choose
We so easily becomes absorbed in the routine, the frantic pace of life with all its obligations, technology allows for ever increasing levels of productivity, but what is it that I am producing? We quite naturally fall into stimulus-response mechanisms, conditioned responses, relating to others as objects (I-it) rather than as individuals (I-Thou) 1, a means to an end rather than an end. Easily manipulated, influenced and swayed by profiteers on all levels, political, economic, career, personal and religious. We make thousands of choices every day, we are so conditioned in whatever automatic response we no longer see them as choices and as such we no larger are the active agents in our own lives, we can become automatons in a repetitive loop of mediocrity. “Copper Tops”, only the system is not built and controlled by computers as in the movie The Matrix but rather a system designed and built out of the depths of our own alienated psyche. And unlike the movie it is not the system that needs to change, (paradoxically in that it is both difficult and easy) the change must take place within us individually. The first steps of change are to take back your choices, on all levels. Someone cuts you off in traffic, you get angry – conditioned response - you are not the active agent, you chose the response, will I choose to be angry or will I choose to remain calm. We can treat others as merely a means to an end (conditioned response) rather than an end in and of themselves, an “it” rather than an individual. The examples are many because most of us live the largest portion of our lives in this “automatic” manner; we set the cruise control and go. We isolate ourselves when we live automatically, keeping only a small portion of our lives where we are actively engaged, usually with some family, and a few friends (yet often even in these relationships we operate a large part automatically). Often (not always) our disengagement, and alienation with jobs, and life in general is a result of our lack of conscious choice in our lives. Conscious choice is the ultimate engagement in life. I discussed in an earlier post (“Mental and Social Short-Cuts”) the reason we follow this pattern both from a psychological and sociological perspective. Chopra writes in his book “Our reactions seem to be automatically triggered by people and circumstances, and we forget that these are still choices that we are making in every moment of our existence. We are simply making these choices unconsciously.” 2 Begin to live life with a fresh perspective one of an active agent, become conscious and aware of the many decision points you encounter daily, and make those decisions consciously. In relationships to others and to God, relate as I to a Thou, a relationship without bounds rather than to an “it” and object you have defined and quantified in your mind, or a mere means to some end.
GWG
1 Martin Buber the Jewish existentialist said that we experience our existence in one of two ways that of I-Thou and individual in meaningful relationship to another individual or God in an active relational dynamic, connected and unbounded. The I – It is the context of relating to an object, separate and defined, and static. We relate to individuals as “it”, when we objectify them, define them they are to us
2 Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
We so easily becomes absorbed in the routine, the frantic pace of life with all its obligations, technology allows for ever increasing levels of productivity, but what is it that I am producing? We quite naturally fall into stimulus-response mechanisms, conditioned responses, relating to others as objects (I-it) rather than as individuals (I-Thou) 1, a means to an end rather than an end. Easily manipulated, influenced and swayed by profiteers on all levels, political, economic, career, personal and religious. We make thousands of choices every day, we are so conditioned in whatever automatic response we no longer see them as choices and as such we no larger are the active agents in our own lives, we can become automatons in a repetitive loop of mediocrity. “Copper Tops”, only the system is not built and controlled by computers as in the movie The Matrix but rather a system designed and built out of the depths of our own alienated psyche. And unlike the movie it is not the system that needs to change, (paradoxically in that it is both difficult and easy) the change must take place within us individually. The first steps of change are to take back your choices, on all levels. Someone cuts you off in traffic, you get angry – conditioned response - you are not the active agent, you chose the response, will I choose to be angry or will I choose to remain calm. We can treat others as merely a means to an end (conditioned response) rather than an end in and of themselves, an “it” rather than an individual. The examples are many because most of us live the largest portion of our lives in this “automatic” manner; we set the cruise control and go. We isolate ourselves when we live automatically, keeping only a small portion of our lives where we are actively engaged, usually with some family, and a few friends (yet often even in these relationships we operate a large part automatically). Often (not always) our disengagement, and alienation with jobs, and life in general is a result of our lack of conscious choice in our lives. Conscious choice is the ultimate engagement in life. I discussed in an earlier post (“Mental and Social Short-Cuts”) the reason we follow this pattern both from a psychological and sociological perspective. Chopra writes in his book “Our reactions seem to be automatically triggered by people and circumstances, and we forget that these are still choices that we are making in every moment of our existence. We are simply making these choices unconsciously.” 2 Begin to live life with a fresh perspective one of an active agent, become conscious and aware of the many decision points you encounter daily, and make those decisions consciously. In relationships to others and to God, relate as I to a Thou, a relationship without bounds rather than to an “it” and object you have defined and quantified in your mind, or a mere means to some end.
GWG
1 Martin Buber the Jewish existentialist said that we experience our existence in one of two ways that of I-Thou and individual in meaningful relationship to another individual or God in an active relational dynamic, connected and unbounded. The I – It is the context of relating to an object, separate and defined, and static. We relate to individuals as “it”, when we objectify them, define them they are to us
2 Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
Monday, September 28, 2009
Mental and Social Short-cuts
One of the fascinating things about us humans is the way in which we process information. We have a good understanding that the brain is hardwired both in the physical structures and functions as well as the cognitive (or operational) elements. Now consider for a moment, at any given point in time the brain is processing thousands of bits of information, from all our senses, internal status, and all our internal conscious thoughts. The processing of this data takes place largely at a non-conscious level, picture a wall, and look across to the opposite side of your room. Think of that wall as containing the sum total of all information your brain is processing at this moment, now picture on that wall a small picture frame which we will call our awareness, we can move that frame all over the wall bringing various elements into consciousness, shifting our thoughts, perceptions and awareness around the larger field of information. This all takes place within a complex mind-body connection and operates in a systematic, orderly and largely automatic manner. This process is “hardwired” it is the physical and mental system operating system if you will. We understand much of the system, and one element that makes this system as rapid and efficient as it is, it that the brain uses constructs to fill in the pieces. We do not need to process every bit of information, run it through complex logarithms to arrive at a conclusion, but instead we use these constructs that allow us to very quickly make assessments on minimal amounts of information. We do not require every possible piece of information in order to make assessment. In fact we make most all assessments using minimal data, because of these constructs. One very clear example of this is optical illusions, the reason optical illusions “work” is because of this process, these mental shortcuts. We like to think of ourselves as largely rational, but in reality we are predictably irrational, many of our decisions are made as a result of these mental shortcuts and can be quite irrational, we can as a result be conditioned (largely by chance but also intentionally) to behave and respond in ways that are contrary to our best interest. Interestingly these mental shortcuts not only apply to us individually (psychology) but also in the context of our interactions with and in social settings (social psychology).
In our larger social context we use very similar processes when we use various constructs to interpret the large amount of social, cultural and contextual information we must process. A few (there are many) familiar examples are our prejudices, bias and stereotyping, all of these contain both positive and negative elements. Again these processes (these social shortcuts) happen largely at a non-conscious level.
The way in which we operate using these mental and social shortcuts allow us to operate at a high level of efficiency, but also add significantly to the risk of error and mistakes, awareness of the how give us insight into the why.
gwg
In our larger social context we use very similar processes when we use various constructs to interpret the large amount of social, cultural and contextual information we must process. A few (there are many) familiar examples are our prejudices, bias and stereotyping, all of these contain both positive and negative elements. Again these processes (these social shortcuts) happen largely at a non-conscious level.
The way in which we operate using these mental and social shortcuts allow us to operate at a high level of efficiency, but also add significantly to the risk of error and mistakes, awareness of the how give us insight into the why.
gwg
Monday, September 21, 2009
Eternal Hell Roots in Paganism Not In Christianity: Part I
Eternal Hell Roots in Paganism Not In Christianity: Part I
“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths”1
This is the second installment (if you will) as I attempt to explain my understanding of scripture related to the completed work of Jesus Christ. Most Christians believe that if a person dies without accepting Christ as their personal Lord and Savior they will spend and eternity in eternal torment of Hell. This was a belief that I grew up with and have believed (most of my life), taught and argued for many years. It is however incorrect and is not taught in scripture. Wait don’t pick up the stones just yet. As I said in my introduction, I began to see contradictions to this doctrine throughout scripture, the doctrine does not fit the nature of God as he has revealed himself. I ask only that you prayerfully consider what I have to say, and more important examine the scripture seeking the truth as revealed by the Holy Spirit.
Historical Development of the doctrine of eternal Hell:
First few centuries universal salvation was taught by a majority of Christians, early church fathers and theologians, Clement of Alexandria (150-213 AD) and Origin (185-254) both taught universal salvation there were some during this time period who believed in Hell as eternal punishment one such person was Tertullian who wrote how he would delight in looking down and seeing his enemies burning in hell fire (hardly demonstrating the fruits of the spirit). Augustine (converted to Christianity in 386 AD) really ushers in a significant change in the church’s teaching on his matter. Also Augustine represents a shift in power from the Greek Christians to the Roman (Latin) Christians; this has significant impact on the direction the young church will take. Related to political control and over the next many centuries we see the roman church controlling kings and queens, nations and armies and it does so predominately on the threat of excommunication resulting in the eternal punishment of hell! One should not miss the significance of this doctrine as a means of control and power for an increasingly worldly church. At the beginning as Augustine gained power there was only the Latin school at Carthage that was teaching the doctrine of endless punishment, the Greek schools were teaching universal salvation. Augustine was the champion of the former view. Another significant move in the church was away from the Greek texts to the Latin translations. In 390-406 AD Jerome an Italian scholar translated the Latin Bible that we know as the Latin Vulgate, Jerome clearly bolster the support for the Latin concept of eternal punishment in this translation. It was the Roman Emperor Justinian in the 5th Century condemned universal salvation and threatened excommunication to anyone who opposed him, at the 5th General Council. Then on the basis of a vengeful god punishing multitudes for all eternity they acted in kind and plunged the world into the dark ages and the inquisition.
This is a brief introduction to the historical elements we will be discussing.
In this blog I will follow a suggested three dimensional approach (this approach not original to me2) as well as adding my own fourth element
1) Exegesis: A critical analysis of Biblical text
2) Philosophical: A critical analysis of fundamental assumptions or beliefs
3) Theological: Study of the nature of God and religious truths
4) Psychological: A study of the behavior and mental processes of man.
So this is not intended to be simply a commentary on various scriptures, although this is a critical element for which I will devote considerable time as well as providing additional scriptures and reference material for you continued study should you so desire.
Knowing most anyone reading my blog will be from within my (very) small circle of friends and that most of you come from similar backgrounds as I, you may place less importance (possibly discount altogether) any critical analysis other than an exegetical one. I understand that response, let me just point out that truth is truth no matter where you find it. Psalm 19 tells us that we can discover the nature of God by way of astronomy and natural science; I think it is no less likely that we can also find truths by way of reason and other human sciences. My approach is to validate it against the spirit and truth of the Bible.
Let me dispel a misconception, on which I will go into more detail later. There is a time of judgment, and we are clearly accountable for our actions, but Gods judgment is one of a Father correcting his children rather than of vengeance. The vengeance and penalty of sin was paid for by Christ, and “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”3
GWG
1 Psalm 25.4
2 Ken R. Vencent Ed.D.
3 Philippians 2.5-11 also consider that “no man may say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit”
1 Corinthians 12.3
“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths”1
This is the second installment (if you will) as I attempt to explain my understanding of scripture related to the completed work of Jesus Christ. Most Christians believe that if a person dies without accepting Christ as their personal Lord and Savior they will spend and eternity in eternal torment of Hell. This was a belief that I grew up with and have believed (most of my life), taught and argued for many years. It is however incorrect and is not taught in scripture. Wait don’t pick up the stones just yet. As I said in my introduction, I began to see contradictions to this doctrine throughout scripture, the doctrine does not fit the nature of God as he has revealed himself. I ask only that you prayerfully consider what I have to say, and more important examine the scripture seeking the truth as revealed by the Holy Spirit.
Historical Development of the doctrine of eternal Hell:
First few centuries universal salvation was taught by a majority of Christians, early church fathers and theologians, Clement of Alexandria (150-213 AD) and Origin (185-254) both taught universal salvation there were some during this time period who believed in Hell as eternal punishment one such person was Tertullian who wrote how he would delight in looking down and seeing his enemies burning in hell fire (hardly demonstrating the fruits of the spirit). Augustine (converted to Christianity in 386 AD) really ushers in a significant change in the church’s teaching on his matter. Also Augustine represents a shift in power from the Greek Christians to the Roman (Latin) Christians; this has significant impact on the direction the young church will take. Related to political control and over the next many centuries we see the roman church controlling kings and queens, nations and armies and it does so predominately on the threat of excommunication resulting in the eternal punishment of hell! One should not miss the significance of this doctrine as a means of control and power for an increasingly worldly church. At the beginning as Augustine gained power there was only the Latin school at Carthage that was teaching the doctrine of endless punishment, the Greek schools were teaching universal salvation. Augustine was the champion of the former view. Another significant move in the church was away from the Greek texts to the Latin translations. In 390-406 AD Jerome an Italian scholar translated the Latin Bible that we know as the Latin Vulgate, Jerome clearly bolster the support for the Latin concept of eternal punishment in this translation. It was the Roman Emperor Justinian in the 5th Century condemned universal salvation and threatened excommunication to anyone who opposed him, at the 5th General Council. Then on the basis of a vengeful god punishing multitudes for all eternity they acted in kind and plunged the world into the dark ages and the inquisition.
This is a brief introduction to the historical elements we will be discussing.
In this blog I will follow a suggested three dimensional approach (this approach not original to me2) as well as adding my own fourth element
1) Exegesis: A critical analysis of Biblical text
2) Philosophical: A critical analysis of fundamental assumptions or beliefs
3) Theological: Study of the nature of God and religious truths
4) Psychological: A study of the behavior and mental processes of man.
So this is not intended to be simply a commentary on various scriptures, although this is a critical element for which I will devote considerable time as well as providing additional scriptures and reference material for you continued study should you so desire.
Knowing most anyone reading my blog will be from within my (very) small circle of friends and that most of you come from similar backgrounds as I, you may place less importance (possibly discount altogether) any critical analysis other than an exegetical one. I understand that response, let me just point out that truth is truth no matter where you find it. Psalm 19 tells us that we can discover the nature of God by way of astronomy and natural science; I think it is no less likely that we can also find truths by way of reason and other human sciences. My approach is to validate it against the spirit and truth of the Bible.
Let me dispel a misconception, on which I will go into more detail later. There is a time of judgment, and we are clearly accountable for our actions, but Gods judgment is one of a Father correcting his children rather than of vengeance. The vengeance and penalty of sin was paid for by Christ, and “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”3
GWG
1 Psalm 25.4
2 Ken R. Vencent Ed.D.
3 Philippians 2.5-11 also consider that “no man may say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit”
1 Corinthians 12.3
Friday, September 18, 2009
Restoration
Universal Salvation, Jesus the Redeemer of Mankind an Introduction
I began about a year ago to develop an understanding of the complete and encompassing redemptive nature of the work of Christ. I have struggled for a much longer time with seeming contradictions around the unfathomable grace and power of Christ’s propitiation, and that it seemed all sin could be forgiven except unbelief which seems a limitation to grace, the work of Christ and the victory won on the cross. And though I grew up singing the old hymns (some of the newer songs are nice but I do miss some of the old hymns) and as much as we sing and confess that we are saved by grace if it ultimately comes down to a decision to accept or reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And that decision allows us a part, albeit a small part, but a part nonetheless in salvation. So it would seem we could sing the hymn “I am just a sinner saved by Grace… and my right choice”. We as good Christians deny it and would repress any sense of pride that this correct choice might foster, but the fact remains. We by our choice are saved, the fact that we have made the correct choice of faith results in our salvation. All praise and glory to God “I” chose Christ as my savior. Now no one would deny the work of Christ but there still remains that small element that we as Christians can “take credit” for – the correct choice. Of course we allow that the Holy Spirit has lead us to this point of understanding where by we recognize our sin and grace freely offered, but ultimately we make a choice. And it is by the very nature of that decision that one may choose correctly or incorrectly, those that choose correctly have a part to play in the outcome and in this case it is their own salvation.
This never has seemed quite right to me, it would seem to detract, or diminish the Grace of God and the complete work of Christ. That when Jesus was crucified and rose again, splitting hell asunder defeating sin and death, the awesome power, majesty and love of that act cannot and would not be diminished by the mere choice of mortal man.
Some have said there is no choice that God foreordains the elect to salvation and the rest to damnation. This view places even more limitations on God’s love & grace, than does our individual decision.
I have through the course of my life encountered the concept of a completed universal restorative1 work of Jesus Christ, but always rejected it outright. After all I grew up a Baptist, revivals and tent meetings hell fire and brimstone, eternal agony of punishment was part of my psyche. It is a corner stone of the faith. Or is it?
As I reexamined these questions closer I discovered these ideas are not original to me, nor are the particularly recent in Church history universal salvation or restoration has been taught throughout church history and was particularly strong in the early church. Now in fairness to history as the church grew and organized the concept of eternal damnation became an accepted tenant as well it played a very critical role particularly as a means of power and control2. And to be clear outside of a large number of the early church (and church fathers) the concept of universal salvation has always been a belief held by a small segment of Christendom.
So began my spiritual journey, in subsequent posts I will provide the argument supporting this truth, through scripture, theologians and church history.
I commonly get two responses from Christians in response to this; first, this is heresy and I am a heretic for talking about this; I say historically3 that puts me in the company of some pretty godly men and women, I’m just saying examine the scriptures yourselves. The other is that if everyone will be “saved” then why bother to live a godly life, “I can do whatever I want it doesn’t matter” this says more about your current relationship with God, that it is fear based which is sad whether I am right or wrong.
John the Baptist said of Jesus “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”
As an old boss of mine (who ironically was one of the worst I’ve had) used to say you eat an elephant one bite at a time, so this no doubt is my first bite on this subject. I look forward to your comments.
GWG
1 Completed, Universal and Restoration have been used and I will use them interchangeably to refer to the concept of universal salvation through the work of Jesus Christ
2 I will discuss this in subsequent blogs
3 This is not to say that all “heretics” are godly
I began about a year ago to develop an understanding of the complete and encompassing redemptive nature of the work of Christ. I have struggled for a much longer time with seeming contradictions around the unfathomable grace and power of Christ’s propitiation, and that it seemed all sin could be forgiven except unbelief which seems a limitation to grace, the work of Christ and the victory won on the cross. And though I grew up singing the old hymns (some of the newer songs are nice but I do miss some of the old hymns) and as much as we sing and confess that we are saved by grace if it ultimately comes down to a decision to accept or reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And that decision allows us a part, albeit a small part, but a part nonetheless in salvation. So it would seem we could sing the hymn “I am just a sinner saved by Grace… and my right choice”. We as good Christians deny it and would repress any sense of pride that this correct choice might foster, but the fact remains. We by our choice are saved, the fact that we have made the correct choice of faith results in our salvation. All praise and glory to God “I” chose Christ as my savior. Now no one would deny the work of Christ but there still remains that small element that we as Christians can “take credit” for – the correct choice. Of course we allow that the Holy Spirit has lead us to this point of understanding where by we recognize our sin and grace freely offered, but ultimately we make a choice. And it is by the very nature of that decision that one may choose correctly or incorrectly, those that choose correctly have a part to play in the outcome and in this case it is their own salvation.
This never has seemed quite right to me, it would seem to detract, or diminish the Grace of God and the complete work of Christ. That when Jesus was crucified and rose again, splitting hell asunder defeating sin and death, the awesome power, majesty and love of that act cannot and would not be diminished by the mere choice of mortal man.
Some have said there is no choice that God foreordains the elect to salvation and the rest to damnation. This view places even more limitations on God’s love & grace, than does our individual decision.
I have through the course of my life encountered the concept of a completed universal restorative1 work of Jesus Christ, but always rejected it outright. After all I grew up a Baptist, revivals and tent meetings hell fire and brimstone, eternal agony of punishment was part of my psyche. It is a corner stone of the faith. Or is it?
As I reexamined these questions closer I discovered these ideas are not original to me, nor are the particularly recent in Church history universal salvation or restoration has been taught throughout church history and was particularly strong in the early church. Now in fairness to history as the church grew and organized the concept of eternal damnation became an accepted tenant as well it played a very critical role particularly as a means of power and control2. And to be clear outside of a large number of the early church (and church fathers) the concept of universal salvation has always been a belief held by a small segment of Christendom.
So began my spiritual journey, in subsequent posts I will provide the argument supporting this truth, through scripture, theologians and church history.
I commonly get two responses from Christians in response to this; first, this is heresy and I am a heretic for talking about this; I say historically3 that puts me in the company of some pretty godly men and women, I’m just saying examine the scriptures yourselves. The other is that if everyone will be “saved” then why bother to live a godly life, “I can do whatever I want it doesn’t matter” this says more about your current relationship with God, that it is fear based which is sad whether I am right or wrong.
John the Baptist said of Jesus “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”
As an old boss of mine (who ironically was one of the worst I’ve had) used to say you eat an elephant one bite at a time, so this no doubt is my first bite on this subject. I look forward to your comments.
GWG
1 Completed, Universal and Restoration have been used and I will use them interchangeably to refer to the concept of universal salvation through the work of Jesus Christ
2 I will discuss this in subsequent blogs
3 This is not to say that all “heretics” are godly
Thursday, September 17, 2009
My Blog Introduction
I am beginning this blog as (I speculate) so many others do, out of a need to express myself on a variety of issues. My interests are many and varied, I have a few initial ideas of what I want to write about, but I am sure the topics will vary greatly.
It is my plan to approach this endeavor with the goal to continually improve; I ask your patience as I learn the technology as well as (I hope) improve my writing as a craft. I welcome your feedback, and comments.
Here are a few of the topics bouncing around in my head that I will be writing about, in no particular order:
Technology:
o Particularly its impact on the alienation of mankind – and I am not blind to the irony of using a technology to deliver this assessment
Religion/Spirituality:
o My perspective is decidedly Christian but I am fascinated with the commonality of truths across all religions.
o The complete and universal redemption of Christ
o Modern Christians lack of knowledge of church history and its impact on current Christian faith and theology
o The creative power of speech / intention
o Alienation of work, dissatisfaction and Spirituality in the workplace
Psychology
o Psychology of control (political and other)
o Irrational decision making
Business / Economic
o Behavioral Economics
o Organizational Development
These are just a few of my interests, I tend to research various topics simultaneously and jump around a bit, I will attempt to be more focused in my blogging and I hope write in such a way as to be informative but readable and interesting.
Gary
It is my plan to approach this endeavor with the goal to continually improve; I ask your patience as I learn the technology as well as (I hope) improve my writing as a craft. I welcome your feedback, and comments.
Here are a few of the topics bouncing around in my head that I will be writing about, in no particular order:
Technology:
o Particularly its impact on the alienation of mankind – and I am not blind to the irony of using a technology to deliver this assessment
Religion/Spirituality:
o My perspective is decidedly Christian but I am fascinated with the commonality of truths across all religions.
o The complete and universal redemption of Christ
o Modern Christians lack of knowledge of church history and its impact on current Christian faith and theology
o The creative power of speech / intention
o Alienation of work, dissatisfaction and Spirituality in the workplace
Psychology
o Psychology of control (political and other)
o Irrational decision making
Business / Economic
o Behavioral Economics
o Organizational Development
These are just a few of my interests, I tend to research various topics simultaneously and jump around a bit, I will attempt to be more focused in my blogging and I hope write in such a way as to be informative but readable and interesting.
Gary
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