Before I jump into the meat of this post, I want to make it clear that if a critic looked hard enough at my life he or she could probably find hypocrisy. With that being said, it is not my intention to attack any one individual. But I believe the very simple message of this blog post may help someone “see” the flagrant hypocrisy which lives and breathes in modern Christianity, and, hopefully, to help us all graduate from religion and live a more pure form of spirituality. As I write this post, I also examine my own life.
In my last blog post I wrote about the dangers inherit in attachments. I want to provide a real-life experience below for an example, but it should also serve to show how misconceptions about the Bible can cause serious spiritual stagnation.
I used to be involved with a church where the leadership strongly opposed anyone in ministry drinking alcohol. I understand the logic. A person that abused alcohol would certainly abuse the ministry. Addictions of the subconscious will always manifest in our actions. But many of the leaders in this same church organization regularly consumed up to a pot of coffee in a day. Not a cup. Not even two cups. But a pot!
I am not judging a man for drinking a pot of coffee, but does he have the right to judge someone for drinking alcohol (for fear of abuse) if he himself is abusing his body with so much caffeine that it will one day burn up his adrenals and ruin his blood sugar? Adrenals are a part of the endocrine system which are very important when dealing with the Holy Spirit (kundalini) by the way.
One of those leaders even proudly stated that he ran a few miles every week just so he could eat whatever he wanted, when he wanted. He also drank about a liter of coke every day. So what’s my point? There is an addiction that is being manifested from the subconscious. It’s an attachment that will eventually bring suffering in some form or other, and it stifles the movement of the Holy Spirit within the body as these religious leaders continue living very unconsciously on a day to day basis.
So how could a religious leader be so hypocritical? In order to truly understand such an unconscious belief and lifestyle, let’s look into a common misperception about Biblical interpretation. Modern Christian doctrine has caused a huge stumbling block for many Christians getting ready to evolve spiritually. In order to see this for yourself, take a step back a minute and don’t think about what you have just read. Right now let’s switch gears a little and try to understand St. Paul’s thinking, and then I’ll wrap up everything neatly by the end of this post.
Understanding Paul’s Meaning about Christ in Both the Old and New Testament
Consider a popular New Testament verse included in many sermons today:
“But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7:6)
This scripture has caused a lot of confusion and spiritual stagnation in both religious leaders and their congregation members because they make the mistake of believing that the New Testament is a new and better way that God has provided salvation for his people. In other words, they believe that Jesus came along to make a new way for the people, thus providing salvation for all. But Jesus himself said:
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law…but to fulfil.” (Matt. 5:17).
What did Jesus mean? Does this mean that since Jesus fulfilled the law, we don’t have to because he did it for us? No. Of course it doesn’t. Does this mean that you have to fulfill the law? Yes, it does, but not in the way you might be thinking. It’s much simpler than living Torah laws and codes. The entire Bible is a metaphysical document written in code. The stories are allegories to help you understand the evolution of your own consciousness! The entire Old Testament itself is a metaphysical code veiled beneath even the literal laws. The spirit of Christ fulfills every metaphysical law of the universe. That spirit is within you, and when you live from it by renting the veil over your own ego, you fulfill the law as well. That means you’ll be checked if you go to drink an entire pot of coffee day in and day out because you’ll become conscious of this attachment that stifles spirit.
Following Jesus is about living consciously. So now let’s back up again to Paul’s statement in Romans:
“But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.”
It is important for you to understand that Paul didn’t have a Bible containing the New Testament. To him, the only authority was the Old Testament. The Gospels and all the other epistles (none of which had been put into a Bible yet!) wasn’t considered Holy Scripture to Paul. It’s amazing how many Christians forget this important notion, and because of this, they fail to realize that the Christ of the New Testament was the SAME spirit that was available in the people before the time a man named Jesus walked the earth. If you have trouble believing that, then consider another verse by Paul as he talks about Moses and the Israelites:
“And were all (the Israelites out of Egypt) baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:2-4).
Serving in “newness of spirit” then for Paul is not about following another man; it was evolving, manifesting, and then living the Christ within you! Many religious leaders and Christians feel they have authority based on New Testament doctrine, when the truth is that New Testament doctrine means nothing!
Back To Our Righteous Religious Leaders
Now let’s return to the religious leaders I spoke about earlier. One of them once quoted a scripture by Paul to justify their not allowing anyone who drank alcohol into a position of ministry.
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).
When I explained to him that I didn’t drink wine or beer to get tipsy, he stated that it didn’t matter. He didn’t want to give anyone the chance to be in a position of leadership who was playing with fire—i.e., partaking in something that was spoken so ill of in scripture. I then explained that the were was a scripture in the Old Testament that stated God’s people could drink “strong drink” to their heart’s desire on one of the Jewish Feast days. This leader then said, “That’s old Testament!”
Do you see the problem here?
What’s Paul really saying in Eph. 5:18 anyway? That verse isn’t exclusive to alcohol; it’s speaking about attachment to anything of the material plane that would hamper the evolution of consciousness and spiritual development (drunk with wine, wherein is excess). To be “filled with the spirit” is to be filled with conscious living and kundalini awakening. It is the evolution of the Christ within you.
In Galatians Paul states:
“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you!”
For Paul, the spirit of Christ is a latent potential within the soul and consciousness of every human being. A sinner is not someone who drinks alcohol (unless you have an unconscious attachment to it), but it is someone who denies the spirit of Christ evolving within them. Therefore the person who abuses both alcohol and coffee are both on the same page. But because of the many misconceptions about scripture, one act is justifiable while the other can be condemned.
The religious leaders I spoke of who denied anyone in ministry that touched alcohol may have the right motivation, but false understanding. He certainly wasn’t getting any authority from the Bible; it was unconsciously coming from his own ego.
In the next post I will address Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
Hi Joshua, another good write up.
Because of some reading i had done there seem to be a difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, confirmed this with another friend that also does some theological research that this be the dividing line between common and solomn. Kingdom of God appears to be internal that we speak a lot about here on this blog, but then there is the Kingdom of Heaven. Colossians 3:17 is a direct instruction that every deed that be done to do in his name (yashuah), therefore what does the will of a man do normally?
We accept the name given to us on earth as our own to do all deeds when both scripture and the operation of law here on earth tells us differently.
Scripture tells us not to regard the Person of Man,
Also a couple years ago I wrote to a registrar in my birth land and had a couple friends do the same, each of us got a response that the registrar registers events, they DO NOT register people.
We are left to search for the truth either way, I believe it is a test of worthiness and integrity to hold the line when faced with life’s other tests along the way, this is the legacy we leave.
Ok, we know about the christ within you, Kingdom of God, but what about the Kingdom of Heaven?
You will find that in most preambles of state constitutions you will see similar words to ” thankful to almighty God “, what do they consider God? lets consider this;
If you look up in the IRS Internal Revenue Manual the definition for Infant is ” a decedent that has not yet received a social security number” , that’s right, blew my mind to in finding that, their christ is the Birth Certificate/Certificate of Live Birth they hold title to in their records. Also interesting association John Adams wrote a treatise called ” Jubilee to the Constitution ” , in the document, especially in the last paragraph it speaks to the citizens and says ” let the Declaration of Independence be your new Ark of the Covenant ” , this gives us an insight to what they considered the New World Order back then.
There is much much more to all this, but i am afraid it would go too far off subject of the blog content here. But in a nutshell there is a interpretation of where the separation is, perhaps to bring the 2 together for the good of all is what would glorify and please the creator of the universe the most?
‘ Nemaste
Motla,
Thanks for that piece of info about John Adams. Very interesting. I’ve always wanted to do some serious research into some of the early president’s belief. We are always told how much of Christians they were, but their definitions of God, Christ, and faith were a lot different than what the churches teach today. For example I know Thomas Jefferson edited the New Testament to take out a lot of the miracles of Christ to focus only on his sayings!
You bring up an interesting point about the Kingdom of Heaven vs. the Kingdom of God. I still feel they are the same though. After your comment I even when to the Gaskell’s Dictionary of Scripture and Myth just because I was curious. There wasn’t a distinction. Of course Gaskell’s dictionary isn’t the end all or be all of esoteric interpretation – I have found a few terms I disagree with.
If you ever run across some good research to show a distinction between the two, send it my way. I would love to look at it. Maybe I’ll dig into scripture and see what I can find as well. Blessings.
Yep, they were mostly Deists to my understanding, no belief in trinity either.
Although there is many interpratations between the 2 Kingdoms and how they came to appear, like everything else in the bible, it does take some what of another abstract in thought of timeline following scripture. Never the less still a story.
Without having to do so much typing I would have to say this link gives the closest understanding of the difference between the 2;
http://www.kjvbible.org/thekingdoms.html
Thanks motla, going to check out your link after I finish replying to comments!
AMEN AMEN AMEN
This really goes back to the EGO doesn’t it?
Reading this made me Think of Roman’s Chapter 7 Where Paul is talking about the law. To the Carnal/Ego mind, what he says would seem to be confusing.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
The law caused the Focus to be on Sin. Paul said he didn’t know sin until the Law. That he was alive before knowing the Law and then died in sin with the law.
Sound like a contradiction of what we have been taught, doesn’t it? Yet, we were taught this by people in their carnal minds and received it as such.
The law focused on the Sin. It caused the Ego mind (carnal) to do that. Totally missing the spiritual part of it. But…maybe that was the point of the Law. No one could fulfill it in their Carnal mind/Ego…because the Law’s job was to make us more aware of the EGO. How? By awakening the Ego with the law/rules.
I think it’s all a part of the Journey, to see both sides.
Yes, this happens in Church all the time with Alcohol, but usually the Pastor and members of the Church are obese. They judge another and put the rules down to keep the eyes of themselves.
The Law? Read that chapter again, by Paul. The entire chapter. I think it’s deeper then we once thought.
I think we all have to go through the Hippocracy of the Ego’s reaction to the Law. It’s part of the Journey to get us to the Other side. I think it’s the purpose of the Law to do that. So that we would really know what freedom is and What Spirit and Egos are. That the Law (and different religious rules) Cause people’s focus to be Carnal and to go into bondage with it. To go deeper into your own Ego and Collective Ego of the Group. Why? To then truly know what freedom is with the Spirit. Without the Ego. That on our own…in our Ego mind…we can never measure up.
How then would we fulfill the law? By getting out of our Ego. Did we confuse fulfilling the law with doing everything by the Letter of the law? Is that truly what Jesus did? Or…Did the law no longer have any power of Jesus and he’s Ego. Without the Ego…You can’t do wrong.
Wouldn’t that be the only way the Law could truly be fulfilled? Maybe this is another way that we took it literally (Fulfilling the Law) and it was never meant to be. It was spiritually we were to fulfill it and the only way. Maybe the entire point of the Law was to show us our Ego side. The only way to truly fulfill the law was not by the letter…but to get us to see our own Ego side, so that it could die and the real us be resurrected.
The Hippocracy that we see in other’s and in ourselves is supposed to make that point to us.
Did that make any sense? It’s so hard to put into words.
Laurie,
Great points. It’s interesting that you bring up those verses because I was reading them again not too long ago. I would like to do a post on them in the near future. Thanks for the detailed comment.
What I find interesting about this statement is that I have something very similar from multiple Grace preachers. While the Grace movement may not wholly bring a person to find the true esoteric meaning in the scripture it does constantly state that “you” cannot fulfill the law that that “you” cannot attain heaven without accepting the love of “Christ”. When I first heard this kind of message it immediately struck me that the “you” in the message is the Ego. The Ego cannot be all loving and cannot submit to Christ, its just not possible (it may trick the viewer into thinking it can do it all and be perfected but we all know that it cannot.) I guess what I am saying is that if we look at the literal view of the bible, the following must happen to remain faithful:
1) The law must be followed (this is always the first step regardless of denomination)
2) The Ego WILL fail to follow the law and will convict itself for doing so (some will say the holy spirit is doing this)
3) The EGO must surrender itself to God
Both paths ultimately lead to the same place, a crucifying of the EGO and coming to GOD. The problem is that crucifying the EGO without meditation and esoteric knowledge is, from my limited knowledge, next to impossible. It would require a person to be willing to lay down everything to help/serve another repeatedly and often without thanks.
Just a little food for thought.
Much wisdom in your statements here, Justin!
Laurie, spot on track ! Finding the peace within effects the external environment instead of the other way around.
I had not watched movies very much, but a friend insisted i watch 2 movies, 1. Peaceful Warrior (from the novel written by Dan Millman)
2. The Ultimate Gift (from the book written by Jim Stovall)
They both focus on this hierchal ascension within ourselves. When more find this they can then ” love thy neighbor as thyself ” for the glory of the creator. What we see in others is what we see in ourselves.
I will have to check those out, Motla. Thank you.
I’ll have to check those out as well, Motla.
May I add just one more thing?
Galations Chapter 5 Vs. 22 and 23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
“Temperance”
1
: moderation in action, thought, or feeling : restraint
2
a : habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions
b : moderation in or abstinence from the use of alcoholic beverages
————
Temperance isn’t a “work” it’s a “Fruit” of the spirit.
A Pastor that is saying you can’t ever drink is trying to make a “Work” of the flesh a “Fruit”.
It’s backwards.
And as Joshua pointed out, the bible never said you couldn’t drink alcohol.
You can’t make a Work a “Fruit”. A fruit comes from “Being”. A work comes from “Doing” There is a difference.
Not that we shouldn’t make changes in our lives as we grow… But it always must be done to put the Ego down and take up the spirit. Not to take up the Ego and call a work of the flesh a Fruit. Because it’s not.
Paul pretty much says…what I pointed out in the other scriptures.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
It’s not going by the LAW /Rules that you will have those fruits. It’s by the “Spirit”.
vs. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
I propose that the fruit of the spirit can be love or fear and the fruit of labor is time and then the value applied is our intent.
Then could it be the meaning of iniquity is actually in equity and sin is debt on earth as it is in Heaven?
Earth being the vessel of the Kingdom of God while holding true to what was said about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Land; 6. The inhabitants of a country or region; a nation or people.
1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,land
Checkout Galatians 4 what is says about being under governors and tutors vs being free from bondage.
( from the age of minority to the age of majority)
I will, Thank you, Motla.
Joshua, I just wanted to add that the Attachement and Detachment part of your post is also very helpful to gauge ourselves with our walk (either in Spirit or in the Flesh). I’m sorry I got sidetracked in my comments.
I agree with drawing a more general conclusion about addictive habits. The alcohol issue has evolved historically from prohibition to AA. Coffee was not recognized as such a stumbling block except perhaps by mormons. Health consciousness has evolved more recently in our general culture. The
I agree with drawing a more general conclusion about addictive habits. The alcohol issue has evolved historically from prohibition to AA. Coffee was not recognized as such a stumbling block except perhaps by mormons. Health consciousness has evolved more recently in our general culture.
I think one of the newer directions in congregations is to recognize leaders for their leadership abilities but also accepting their vulnerabilities.
UNLESS THE FATHER DRAWS HIM
John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
What is the meaning of John 6:44?
1. Does it mean only a few, who have been selected by the Father, will be saved? No, it does not.
2. Does it mean that men only respond to the gospel because of irresistible grace? No, it does not.
WHO ARE THOSE THAT THE FATHER DRAWS?
John 6:45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.
The Father draws all who hear and learn. The Father does not force anyone to hear or learn. Men have free-will. God does not impute faith into a few so they will believe and be saved. Faith does not come by injection.
HOW DO MEN HEAR AND LEARN?
Romans 10:13-14 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?
Men need to hear the gospel before they can learn and believe. The Father draws men by the gospel.
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Faith comes from hearing the gospel. Faith does not come because the Father selected a chosen few, before the world began, to be saved. All who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior are the chosen and that includes whoever accepts God’s terms for pardon. Faith does not come because of irresistible grace.
God the Father draws men to Jesus with the gospel.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,
IT IS THE GOSPEL THAT DRAWS MEN TO JESUS!
IRRESISTIBLE GRACE IS NOT THE METHOD THAT THE FATHER USES TO DRAW MEN TO JESUS.
Romans 10:21 But as for Israel He says, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
Israel as a nation reject the gospel. How would that be possible if irresistible grace were in play? Israel turned away from God.
Matthew 23:37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
Jerusalem was unwilling to be drawn to Jesus by believing the gospel. They had a choice.
John 5:39-40 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.
The Jews had the opportunity to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, but they were unwilling. There was no irresistible grace in play. The Father draws all who are willing to believe the gospel.
John 6:40 This is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
IF YOU ARE READING THIS BLOG YOU ARE ONE OF THE “EVERYONE” WHO HAS A CHANCE TO BE BELIEVE THE GOSPEL AND BE SAVED.
MEN REJECT GOD.
GOD DOES NOT REJECT MEN DUE TO NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
THE FATHER DRAWS MEN TO JESUS THROUGH THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL. MEN ARE NOT DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE THEY WERE PRESELECTED FOR SALVATION!
YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY CHRISTIAN BLOG. Google search>>>>steve finnell a christian view
Steve,
I cannot agree more with everything you have written here. The Bible makes this clear. But what exactly are your interpretations of the Father, Jesus, and the Word? It’s easy to put the scriptures together, right? But obviously the scripture goes deeper than the literal interpretation. For example, Christ is the one that followed the Israelites as they traveled through the Red Sea and into the wilderness. Paul makes this clear. But what is this Christ to Paul? It is obviously the Word of God. But the Word is not the literal words or story in the pages of the Bible, it is the Revelation of the Christ beneath the story, and this revelation is the transformative power of Christ as it is birthed within us. This birthing process does not happen by simply hearing these stories. The birthing process happens through the things which we suffer and experience in this world. This is the suffering process which teaches us obedience just as Christ himself learned obedience through the things that he suffered. Salvation does not come by hearing a story. Salvation comes by being transformed by the renewing of the mind. All the stories in the Old Testament (the word of God) are about renewing our mind in Christ by transforming our lower natures into a higher nature of God.
Thanks for the invitation to view your blog. I will be happy to check it out. Blessings, and thanks for sharing.
When Jesus says in John 6 about raising him up on the last day, does this mean he could perhaps raise our kundalini for us just because of our faith in Him?
Seeker,
Kundalini definitely plays a part there, and Biblical faith isn’t just a belief, it’s an action consciousness and awareness. As our awareness shifts, kundalini rises. This is faith in action.
Harmful or negative addiction is defined by two states of consciousness. Both of these perceptions must reside side by side in order to hold the addiction in place.
Firstly, we must be in denial about the harm that the agent of addiction is doing to us. Saying for instance, I am not an alcoholic, I am only a social drinker. And then as a social drinker, I can deny things like the risk of DUI, losing my job, etc. Workholism has similar deniable risks when taken to extremes. For instance, my family will not miss me because I am only doing all this for them.
Secondly, we must view our survival as being dependent upon the agent of our addiction. This is a much more common trap arising from limiting our consciousness to a reduced set of possible ways to fulfill our needs.
We may say I must have friends, workmates, etc, and therefore I must drink with them. Or I must drink in order to relieve this existential pain I am feeling.
So, recovering from my addiction requires these two enhancements to my consciousness.
Firstly, I accept as fact that this stuff is harming me. Often the addict says exactly the opposite; I can’t live without my fix.
And secondly, I can find healthier ways to meet my real needs. My addictive substance is not the only way.
I think that the first three steps of the twelve step program are in fact consciousness raising steps.
The first three steps:
1. I am powerless over my addiction.
2. A Higher Power could help me.
3. I am ready to accept help.
These three steps open us up to a range of other strategies which could also be classed as consciousness raising.
We greet our group with, “Hi everybody, I am ready to admit I have a problem.
Step4: An honest and rigorous examination of how I am putting my life together.
Allowing a Buddy to keep me accountable to my commitment to recovery.
I have found Unity Principles, Theosophy, the New Thought Movement an Emerson’s Transcedentalism are all wonderful adjuncts to these healing processes, because they all deal with a divine inner power, best approached with a quiet humility rather than loud calls to an interventionist God. Emerson describes prayer as lowly listening.
God is a power moving through my physical body and connecting me to every other part of the Universe and its laws. When I am ready for recovery that Power is always available to me through the consciousness of my imagination and through the healing community of my true friends (probably not my drinking or druggie buddies.)
Brian,
I enjoyed reading this. It brings everything back to ourselves, the true power of God and creation. Thanks for posting.