Take a moment and ponder.
A thousand years ago, when your distant ancestors were making a history upon this blue sphere against the darkness of the cosmos, where, or what were you?
The atheist would most likely answer: I was nowhere and nothing yet.
The Christian would most likely answer, I was a seed, already conceived in the mind of God.
The one who believes in reincarnation might say, I was in transition, between someone who lived in the past and now IS.
You can intellectualize the many other answers from a myriad of beliefs, but there is one thing that most all would have in common if they are honest with their self-reflection:
I do not KNOW, because I have no awareness of that now.
A sobering thought.
It is as honest an answer as most of us can give. You have no knowledge of what or who you were, if anything, although we know through genetics there is a certain continuity of a something. But what is that something?
In all truthfulness, it is this conscious “I-ness” that you are aware of now that gives you your sense of being. It is a profound mystery that science cannot yet explain with physical instrumentation. It is my belief that the conscious “I” you are aware of cannot be localized with physical measurements because it is, quite simply put, non-physical. Furthermore, it is logical to conclude of a spiritual reality that you are both AWARE OF now and NOT AWARE OF.
Irrational numbers like Pi can be conceptualized like consciousness. Pi cannot be concretely measured, although we can see it entire and whole on a piece of paper through the physical senses, but try to define it with an exact measurement, and you get infinity. In in all truthfulness, through physical measurement we get an answer of the un-KNOWN. Infinity.
And isn’t this what the term “God” implies? Infinity?
Infinity…
What is infinity? It is something which cannot be measured. We therefore cannot say that it exist or does not exist through a physical understanding. Perhaps true existence, then, lies outside the realm of physicality?
And what, then, is physicality? It would seem it is something that we can measure. Place a concrete finality upon. At least through our senses. But what IS it? This might leave us with one seemingly absolute…
Existence is not dependent upon physicality, whatever it IS.
While we can debate the above statements in a myriad of ways logically, one thing we can be certain of is this, which is of a certainty a great epiphany: What does anything matter if we are not aware of it?
It would seem that we must at least EXPERIENCE a physicality in order to be aware of existence.
And this is the great paradox of consciousness! It exist whether or not we are aware of it, yet we can only feel or know existence when we are aware of it! Perhaps this also shows that consciousness expands beyond the “I-ness” that we think we are. Why? Because it was THEN and now IS. Which also shows that we are something more than the “I-ness” we feel and know. And that is where the real comfort lies. Though we DIE, yet we LIVE. And as the Apostle Paul put forth, “Where, death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?!”
So never be in despair or confused. It would seem logical to conclude that an inherent function of consciousness is that it is an alternation between being aware of itself and unaware of itself. Kind of like hibernation. It grows and lives in cycles, of both illumination and darkness. Perhaps this is why the Bible states that God dwells in deep darkness, and yet is also the light through Christ. Such imagery and metaphor is profound and awe-inspiring. Something that just IS, but yet also IS NOT. A paradox that we can never comprehend, yet FEEL while we are aware. This is a true aspect of the higher emotions, and of the faith spoken of throughout all scripture as a core theme. This leaves us in awe of the fact that no matter what is going on around us at this moment, in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter as much as our minds make it out to be. And in one fell swoop the ego is conquered, as Jesus did upon the cross. As long as we are centered in faith, all is always possible. Could this be the grand metaphorical theme of the Bible beyond all its nuances of literal vs. metaphorical interpretation, which includes a truth of both stances? Hmm…
Perhaps it is why it is known as the living word after all. A concept which both camps will have to ultimately concede to as both right and wrong in the end. And such is the reality of God, and consciousness. Somewhat perceived, but mostly unperceived in its ultimate truth.
The implications of such abstract concept of reasoning are truly profound. In a physical reality where concreteness is the only absolute, it makes one wonder if the faithful have a-beyond-understanding in an abstract reality that is more real and concrete than the absolute! Yes, another paradox, but one of great merit, IMHO 🙂
Keep the abstract reality alive, always. In the end it will serve you better than anything we can measure and know.
Have a prosperous and faithful New Year in 2019 🙂
Excellently explained! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Azra…
Thanks for the comment. Here’s to a great New Year in 2019 🙂
Brother Joshua,
About 10 years ago, I was impressed upon in my inner being that; “Things are not as they seem.” Having been brought up in an evangelical religious atmosphere, this was somewhat troubling to me, and this thought stuck with me over a long period of time. In the previous years, I had heard from the pulpit what is known as; “The Golden Rule of Interpretation” which says: “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.” Needless to say, as my teacher, the Holy Spirit, began to take me down a radically different way of thinking, in which, it was nearly a convulsive withdrawal from religion for me. All of those “literal foundations” began to be pulled out from under me, as I was directed to search for the deeper truths. Thus, it began a new journey for me of the “renewing of the mind” (the soul is the mind, will and emotions) as Paul stated in Romans 12:2 (NASB), which says: “…do not be conformed to this (literal) world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (soul), so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Much of my former “programming” or indoctrination through organized religion was “ripped” out of me, but it was replaced by the most wonderful and peaceful truths. I’m reminded that Jesus said: “If you continue in (the proper understanding of) My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8: 31, 32). What a glorious liberation that this has been for me these last 10 or so years!
Throughout scripture, it is hinted to us to think differently, than what we were taught to do in the physical realm, and to have a “renewing” of the mind as noted above. In evangelical organized religion, I was taught that we must “repent.” In my earlier years, I was taught “repentance” was deep sorrow, which oftentimes was accompanied with grief and tears. In those days, when attending to seekers at a worship service concluding in an altar call, I would attempt to help others, but I was looking for those confirming signs of grief and tears from those “seeking salvation.” If I didn’t see that evidence, I judged them as “not getting it.” Only in recent years have I learned that “repentance” is not what I was taught, but it comes from the Greek word “metanoeo” which means to take a new or different way of thinking. Is it no wonder, that we are told so many times in scripture that our change comes with a “changing of the mind,” and that; “…the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7)? Also, here’s another reference to the renewing of our minds: “…in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind…” (Eph. 4:22, 23 NASB). It seems in this present “Adamic dream-world,” which is lived out through the 5 senses (taste, touch, hearing, smelling, and seeing), we live and judge without much reference to the “renewed” mind of the inner spiritual man. In the Biblical allegory of Adam (who may have not come out of his deep sleep) and Eve, it seems that we’ve not yet awakened to spiritual reality, and we continue to live this Adamic “dream-world” life according to our perceptions that; God is our enemy, and we want to hide from him as did Adam among the trees (our thoughts), and do our self-works (covering ourselves in fig leaves) to please (placate) Him. Interestingly, the Psalmist had some perception of truth when it was written: “As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I AWAKE.” (Psa. 17:15). Also, Paul seemed to understand our situation when he wrote: “…AWAKE, sleeper, And arise from the DEAD, And Christ will shine on you.” (Eph. 5:14 NASB). Here is a reference to “death,” which, in reality, is our perceived separation from God through Adam’s partaking of the tree of knowledge, who was told that he would “die.” God’s definition of “death” is separation and lack of fellowship with Him, rather than a physical death, as many of us have been taught.
With this comes an “awakening” to the things of the spirit as never before. I cannot enumerate the times, that I have read scripture, but it was often “words on a page” until the Holy Spirit gave revelation, or enlightenment as to what a passage really meant. This misunderstanding of scripture was due to my previous 50 years of programming and indoctrination through organized religion which taught me to live good and when I die, I would go to heaven. At this point, I don’t want to be too critical of organized religion, because this performance is according to God’s perfect and sovereign plan to accomplish the calling (G-2822 kletos) and the choosing or elected (G-1588, eklektos) of his out-called ones (G-1577, ekklesia). This old way for me, was a way of confusion – but that is what Babylon is all about; for the word means “confusion” (G-897 – Babylon = confusion). Furthermore, it is hinted to us that God’s people are, up to a point, in the wrong place, because we read: “And I heard another voice from heaven (our inner being), saying, Come out of her (Babylon), my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4). It is interesting to me, that God calls these ones “MY PEOPLE” when they are in the wrong place (Babylon = confusion), which is according to His plan. Again, it is interesting that this “calling” is described in the book of Revelation, is not what all the literalists teach about the end-time world events, but it is the progressive “Revelation of Jesus Christ” within His “called-out” (ekklesia) people.
Again, in reality, “Things are not as they seem.” When God brings us to this point, we cannot, but follow this path that seems before us, because the old thoughts no longer bring satisfaction and peace. As our thoughts begin to change through the actions of the Holy Spirit, we discover that we’re not physical beings having a spiritual experience, but that we are truly spiritual beings, presently having a physical experience. Those who come to this understanding are the ones who are called the “overcomers” (those who prevail) as mentioned in the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ” within us. When this becomes our reality, then we discover who we really are: Children of God! And that we are the temple or Holy of Holies (Greek = Naos) of God! “…do you not know that your body is a temple (G3485 – naos) of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19). If we want to take scripture literally, here’s one for us: God has taken up residence within us!
In past years, when I read the writings of Paul, I thought that he was taking a form of “poetic license” in the concepts that he wrote about. Yet, as I continued to study, I found deep truths that he was attempting to convey to us, particularly who we are! Our obstacle is our carnal or natural mind. Paul writes it this way: “But a natural (carnal) man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” (1Cor. 2:14 NASB).
Resulting with our progressive understanding through the Holy Spirit taking up residence WITHIN US – or His becoming more active within us – we can begin to see or realize (this is revelational for many people) our true relationship with God – OUR FATHER!
Now, let us look into the mystery of God taking up residence WITHIN US, as we progressively realize our wonderful state IN CHRIST:
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children (G5207 – huios – adopted, mature sons) of God. In reading this verse, Romans 8:14, we do not see any separation between God and His family of children, and it goes on to say: The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption (G5206 – huiothesia – the adoption or placement of a mature son) to sonship.* And by him we cry, “Abba,** Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8:14-17 NASB) (Listen with your heart as you read – here’s a tremendous truth!)
*In Romans 8: 15 & 23: The Greek phrase for “adoption to sonship” is a term referring to the full legal standing of a male heir in Hebrew culture. This “adoption” is unlike what we “westerners” think of when a child from another family is brought into ours, but it was when the natural first-born son became 30 years of age, was taken to the town council, and it was announced that this son had full authority to conduct the family business in all matters as did the father of that family. Note that at Jesus’ “adoption”, He was at age 30 after being baptized and arising from the Jordan River: “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son (G5207 – huios – adopted, mature son), in whom I am well pleased.” (Mat. 3:17) Also, at the Mount of Transfiguration it was heard from the cloud: “…a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son (G5207 – huios – adopted, mature son): hear him. (Mark 9:2) At these events, it was witnessed that God, the Father, was empowering Jesus to operate in the full authority of Himself. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature…” (Col. 1:14, 15) and Hebrews 1:3 indicates that Jesus is in the exact image of the Father: “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power…”
**Verse 15: “Abba” is the word framed by the lips of infants, and betokens unreasoning trust. The word “father,” expresses an intelligent apprehension of the relationship. The two words together express the love and intelligent confidence of the child. Essentially, “Abba” considered more like “daddy” because it’s considered more of an “infantile” word that is used. Children in that culture called their fathers “Abba.”
With this being true, the time has NOW come, to worship our Father (abba-daddy) in spirit and in the true knowledge of Him – through Jesus Christ. The light of this understanding is increasing in this day in which we live. In the past, we read these same words, but they were just “words on a page.” Today, these words assisted with the guiding and teaching of the Holy Spirit, we are finding a richness never before experienced. Can this be the approaching and fulfilling of: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:1) and “…the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.” (Prov. 4:18)? Also, Peter writes to us: “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19) – – HalleluYAH!
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, NOW we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears (revealed in us), we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” (1 John 3:1-3 NIV)
These words give us great hope just as John concluded this thought in verse 3. In humility and thankfulness, we can experience His purification being performed WITHIN US!
Some “stoic and stiff-necked” people may think of using the word “Daddy” for a definition of God is blasphemy – but this very understanding comes from God’s Word! If we consider how Jesus instructed us in how to approach God, we can gain a wonderful understanding in how our relationship can be with the Creator of ALL things: “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:17) What an “absolute” statement this is! This is so unlike what the “Nicolaitans” (religious leaders/rulers over the laity) have taught us through 2000 years of organized religion.
Can we now begin to have a better understanding of:
WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
It’s because it was planned or predestined for us to know who God really is, and who we are in relationship to Him. If so, then it must be a revelation (G602 – apokalypsis – removal of the covering or eliminating concealment) through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Again, this same thought is described to us through the NLT Bible: “When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For:
“Who can know the LORD’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?” (Taken from Isaiah 40:13)
But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”
(1 Cor. 2:13, 14, 16)
Therefore, when we begin to grasp that God has a plan to be revealed to us through the Holy Spirit, then we can begin to realize that events are going according to His schedule, and the following scripture has more meaning: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of woman, born under law, to redeem those under the law, that WE might receive the full rights of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” “Therefore you are no longer a servant but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Galatians 4:4-7)
What a wonderful realization is ours as the truth sets us free!
Ameri Ken…
What a great comment. Your info on the Greek work for “repent” is of particular interest to me as I have not looked into this before. I will do so now. Thank you for the info, as well as for sharing your journey.
Your comments about Paul are also pertinent. Paul is seen as a big confusion in some both Christian and Messianic circles, but they are missing the Gnostic key to his interpretations. Messianic circles are trying to be a bridge between old and new, and I see them as a progressive form of thinking, but nowhere close to the prize. And that word “Gnostic” puts so much fear into the hearts of the religious, because it has been presented as a negative term in mainstream religious thought. I always advise people to throw out everything you have read about “Gnostic” scholarship, except for maybe Elaine Pagels, since labels are so misleading. It can be easily seen that even Pagels is balancing the fence so to speak in order to protect a reputation of scholarship. But she senses the deeper understanding of Paul.
When Paul is correctly understood, all of the New Testament falls into place in alignment with the Old Testament, as a sort of scaffolding of understanding of myth, explaining the physiological and spiritual reality of the body and soul. Through my years of study, it is all one generation of Greek mythical thought built upon the ideas of another generation of mythical thought.
Brother Joshua,
Studying the original words of Hebrew and Greek bring to us a profound understanding of what God meant in His message to us. Oftentimes, we read scripture, and take it at face value, or that it has some incomprehendable meaning until some fulfillment in time. I was brought up with the King James version, but it is riddled with mistakes, and bias even after 4 centuries. I’ve not studied any foreign languages, but can only refer to the several concordances, which seem to conflict among themselves. However, there are many “take-aways” as we study using these various helps. Almost everyone knows John 3:16, but there is a deeper understanding that is very precious, and points us to my previous message to you as we are NOW sons of God. The verse goes: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in (G1519 -eis -into) him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The word “eis” means “into” him. This is the action of our faith, and our being a son of God. This goes hand-in-hand with Ephesians 4:13 which says: “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto (G1519 -eis -into) a perfect man, unto (G1519 -eis -into) the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ…” Here we see that we are being metamorphosed, transfigured into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Also, John 3:16 indicates that Jesus was God’s only begotten son. If so, who are we? We are being translated, transfigured, changed (G3339 – metamorphoo) into (eis) His likeness! This is confirmed in 2 Cor. 3:18 which says: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed (G3339-metamorphoo) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” I like the JB Phillips version: “But all of us who are Christians have no veils on our faces, but reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord. We are transfigured by the Spirit of the Lord in ever-increasing splendour into his own image.” The Greek “metamorphoo” is transliterated into the English as “metamorphosis” as the caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly. The caterpillar doesn’t know that it is on a path to become a beautiful butterfly, like we don’t know our destiny until the Holy Spirit puts into our hearts to seek the truth, and we are, accordingly, metamorphosed into His likeness! – and the truth shall set you free!
We have been programmed to think in a certain manner, but much of it is due to church history starting in the time of Constantine I who formed a “state religion” to stabilize his empire. Added to this religious bias, we have the poor translations, particularly the KJV which was translated out of the Latin Vulgate, by Anglicans (English Catholics) who ordered the translators to not translate anything that conflicted with church doctrine. Thus, we have a huge error before we get out of Genesis chapter one. I’ve included the Hebrew reference numbers in the following verse 27 to show that God did not make a “THEM.” “So God H430 created H1254 man H120 in his own image, H6754 in the image H6754 of God H430 created H1254 he him; male H2145 and female H5347 created H1254 – – – he them.” God created that first being only as a man having both male and female attributes. Eve was not created, but separated from Adam. In both Hebrew and Greek all words are either male, female, or neuter. Thus, all references to the spirit are male gendered words, and all references to soul are female gendered. Thus, the allegory of Adam and Eve shows that Eve, female, soul, was separated from the man, and that the soul was deceived, not the spirit. When Abram was conversing with the Lord, the Lord said: “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Genesis 17:1). The word “Almighty” is the Hebrew word, H7706, Shadday, the all sufficient, many breasted one. Thus, God had both male and female attributes, and could birth man in His likeness with the fullness of the male and female attributes. James writes it this way: “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits (God-kind) of his creatures.” (James 1:18).
John gives us a hint, when he wrote: “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” (1 John 1:20, 21). Why can’t we reconcile such a statement as this with our carnal (soulish) minds? It’s because we are dominated by the soul, which went off on its own (Eve) and was beguiled – and has been so throughout human history, except, when the Holy Spirit gives us a revelation (G-602 – apokalypsis). Paul wrote it this way: I “Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation (G-602 – apokalypsis) in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints…” (Eph. 1:16 – 18). All of this is a sovereign act of God to His “called and chosen” Ekklesia!
But where is Jesus, we may ask. Paul, again in his deep writings gives us a hint, that has not been previously exposed, when he wrote: “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb (traditions of men), and called me by his grace, To reveal his SON IN ME…” (Galatians 1:15, 16a). Ahhh! We begin to see who we are – sons of God.
Again, God only has one son, and if we read carefully, we can begin to understand our standing with our Father. “For we are his workmanship, CREATED IN Christ Jesus… .” (Eph. 2:8). “According as he hath chosen us in him BEFORE the foundation of the world…” (Eph. 1:4). When Jesus replied to why He spoke in parables, He said: “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been KEPT SECRET from the foundation of the world.” (Mat. 13:35). Yes, this has not been common knowledge, because God’s called and chosen are not to “cast their pearls (of truth) before the swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” (Mat. 7:6).
BTW: The “called and chosen” are known as the “first-fruits” who are the very first of a crop, in which the rest will be fully harvested later. The Old Testament allegory teaches us about first-fruits, and about “jubilee” that we need to apply to God’s gathering of all unto Him.
Today, we are beginning to experience a most wonderful revealing of Jesus Christ, who was, is, and will be in us. Those traditions of Babylon (confusion) are, now, being cast aside, and it is being revealed to us, the ekklesia (another mistranslated word in the KJV-it’s not church), but the out-called.
You have a powerful tool of influence in this website – use it wisely!
May you be greatly blessed.
AmeriKen…
Thanks again for your comment.
I am probably speaking to the quire, as you seem to already know. But for the benefit of other readers here, a hint:
When studying original words, especially within Strong’s Concordance, always… always go to the root meaning, and not the actual meaning of the number. This draws you closer to the original idea of the concept, which is most accurate because the original meanings are obscured through multiple layers of generations of interpretation based on cultural influences. Once you have the root concept, check for a confluence of historical-cultural data across multiple religions. Then, and only then, will you come to a basic idea of what is being proposed. This is very tricky, because you will have to wade through a lot of data. But if you persevere, you will be rewarded. Case in point, and the topic of major discussion: The use of pronouns in Greek. What liberties did King James use? Hint: It is beyond belief, specifically as it relates to the New Testament!
Brother Joshua,
Your caution is acknowledged. I have found that the Strong’s Concordance gives a definition as a word is used in the KJV. Thus, some definitions are somewhat jaded. The nice part of it is that some other references use the same numbering system as Strong’s which allows me to quickly use other reference material.
I usually use the online Blue Letter Bible that has the Strong’s reference, and gives the etymology in addition to Thayer’s definition. Then if I don’t get a satisfactory definition, then I go to the others. In fact, if you use only Strong’s definition for Ekklesia, you would get a completely wrong understanding, because here, it gives a definition derived only by the way it is used in the KJV.
Yes, the KJV did use a lot of liberty to make a sentence or thought to flow smoothly. At this writing, I know there are several in the NT, but can’t recall where they are located. However, the instance of Genesis 1:27 is a good OT example. The Hebrew translators could not understand that the man created in the image of God was complete, so they added the word “them,” because it reconciled with their carnal understanding – but God created only a spiritual man in His image – not a separate man AND woman.
Be blessed!
AmeriKen
Dayton, OH
American…
Great example from the Old Testament. How so few many know this when they are reading, which is a shame.
Ancient Chinese philosophy calls Ch’i the progenitor of chaos. Chaos as disruptive as it is, divided into parts; yin and yang. Female and male separation and for that matter all duality. The soul always attempting to bring order blurs this separation. Though within this separation the seed of each is found.
There is also the sharing of sacred knowledge between God, Adam and Eve that relates to sexuality of the soul and God-self.
Before Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit they had NO-knowledge of any distinction away from God. God and Adam were connected. Adam, given knowledge by God, is told who he, Adam is and a shared sacred bond of knowledge is formed between them as the God-Adam connection. God and Eve were connected. Eve, given knowledge by God is also told who she, Eve is. Likewise, a sacred bond of knowledge is shared between God-Eve.
Both Adam and Eve know who they are and each; the sacred connection to God. Each also know, they are part of a sacred connection. Eve knows she is connected to Adam and God. Adam knows he is connected to Eve and God. Though Eve can not distinguish God from Adam nor can Adam distinguish Eve from God.
They, Adam and Eve live an identity that is part of a trinity.
Each knowing secretly, bonded by sacred knowledge given to them by God that they are connected through that knowledge and that they know who they are as a bonded entity.
Further, were we able to see from God’s eye, when God recognizes Himself he sees Adam. When God recognizes Herself she sees Eve.
When God recognizes humanity, They see Adam and Eve. Adam sacredly, sees God and Eve. Eve sacredly, sees God and Adam. They each see God as the other.
However, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, that knowledge; the sacred knowledge formed by them entered into consciousness and they KNEW for the first time the paradox of duality.
They came to KNOW separation. Separation from each-other and from God.
They fell from the place of sacred-knowledge; the Garden of Eden into sin where duality exists and doubt created.
Christ as a bridge teaches us that we can turn towards God, we can re-turn by remembering. We were given sacred knowledge and from this place, we can re-connect to that bond. Each of us can and that’s the sacred journey through what is deemed conscious-ness to become unified.
Great comment, Michael! Very good insight here.
As always Josh your article does give us the opportunity to reflect and ponder.
My comments regarding the article begins with the statement, “In all truthfulness,it is the “I-ness” that you are aware of now that gives you your sense of being”.
Is it truly truthfulness, or an attempt at being truthful based on emotion.
In regards to anything we say based on our thoughts and experiences or our concepts and understanding of religion or spiritual matters especially that of consciousness, can any one of us in truth know of consciousness and the I.
We could and can ponder, the wheel of conditioned genesis; where all things arise from ignorance.
Then ponder ignorance as it is.
Ignorance in it’s bounty, first proposes; to observe anything, we must give that thing our attention, our focus, as a means of seeking.
From here, all mental forms arise.
As ignorance arises, in that moment, all other possibilities and potential become null and remain void.
It is through willful action of the observer which all things become and they become albeit as an illusion.
The Buddha’s teaching points to this action; the willful or volitional action of seeking leads to awareness.
The relationship of awareness to the “conscious-I” follows the arising of the body-mind, the seat of habits.
The body-mind is the instrument that perceives. Without the body-mind there is “no-I”.
From here, senses arise and the game of interaction manifests with the outside world.
The senses allow the forces of the universe to come into existence. It is through contact or interaction that experiences happen.
Consciousness begins in the Great Void or in the vacuum (though I read in your “Original Sin” article you disavow the vacuum) as spirit, Aleph or God giving rise to the “I-of-consciousness”.
Which can only arise from the experience of interaction that are brought about by the senses.
The point being, your statement; “the conscious “I-ness” that we are aware of now that gives our sense of being”…. can only manifest AFTER the arising of the senses which gives us the sense of the, “I”.
We can say, the “sense of I” in-here relative to the out-there.
The world which we perceive; exists only from the point of ignorance.
This physical world is; an illusion, arising from that ignorance.
Consciousness ENTERS the world through us, into our thoughts and feelings.
It is consciousness that inspires our thoughts and feelings and then projects into actions that are; our doings. Our thoughts and feelings guiding and empowering them in us.
Pausing for a moment, we should understand, it is our thoughts AND feelings that are in sacred communion, together bound in perfect marriage that are; our EMOTIONS.
Thought and feeling combined in an un-separable linkage. No thought exists outside of a feeling and no feeling exists outside of a thought.
Next, I would like to comment on the word knowledge and it’s relation to; Being.
The soul; the reflection of conscious-spirit that becomes aware, that had fallen into matter, lost or better yet; forgot the knowledge of it’s, heavenly awareness CAN and does BELIEVE, it is located in the body by an action, labeled; self-knowledge.
Self Knowledge and the “I” are entwined.. Confused and dazed; the “I” manifests.
It is through the process of BELIEVING, arising through the actions of thought and thinking that Descartes stated; “I think therefore I am”; which when mused upon, led by deep meditation allows the statement to be, implausible.
Believing, is the process of holding onto a thought.
By continuing or habitually thinking that thought, creates a false-sense of form and solidity.
Thinking and thought leads to the formation of a concept which manifests as a BELIEF.
Our beliefs only become our beliefs through stringent thinking, the holding of that thought as an investment and the perpetuation of the thought aligned with the act of ignoring any contrary thought, voiding any other possibility.
As we hold onto, grasp or yet, embrace these beliefs, they in-turn become our convictions.
It must be said, all convictions restrict, restrain and shackle; they limit.
We can see by looking at the wheel of conditioned genesis that actions that limit a system lead to AWARENESS.
Consciousness manifests or arises as a self-reflective FIELD of Consciousness.
A Field of Consciousness.
The One Field of Consciousness or The One-Mind; The Mind-Consciousness of God.
So where is the “I-ness” in this?
I propose it is an illusion from the desire to be.
It is the desire to be RATHER than not be, and this is the greed and gluttony of the “I”.
The Original-Sin. Empowering itself through illusion and separation.
“Again Jesus said to them, “I” will go away; you will look for me, but you will die in your sins. You can not go where “I” am going.
Concluding, look at Faith.
Faith; being that which can not be proved by any measurement.
Matter or the physical world exists as a reflection in space.
Spirit reflects from the beginning and ending of space. Spirit reflecting from nodes of space; alpha and omega is matter, the physical world.
This spatial reflection is unconscious and unaware.
Though unaware, it like spirit contains the potentially for awareness.
All physical laws are un-conscious behavior.
The laws of science follow all physical law.
In the beginning, now and until the end; the universe expands.
As it expands, patterns of reflection tend to harmonize (AUM) and become somewhat stable; the reflection of soul in matter is the-self.
The self is a reflection of conscious-spirit; the soul.
Soul, as conscious spirit exists in an Un-conscious-in-space matrix.
This unconscious in space matrix is matter. We are matter and we are spirit..
Since the soul exists outside the realm of the physical world, the existence of faith does not follow the physical laws or the laws of science.
Science shall NEVER have the means to identify conscious spirit; the soul.
Nor in this world, will there ever be a means to measure one’s faith.
Since the soul exists outside the realm of the physical world that part of huMANity; FAITH, may only manifest by letting go of that which chooses by volition and willful intent to be measured.
The willful intent to be seen, recognized, be heard. To sense with our body-mind.
The willful intent, To Be, which is born by desire.
Surrendering desire, and the EMOTIONs that follow, allowing the emotion as knowledge, remembering them for what they are; guides. Soul-body communication.
It is through REMEMBERing that we regain our lost, forgotten soul.
Guiding us through the dance showing us where we feel or think we are stuck. Feel or think hardship, difficulty or sense obstacles.
We, as humans, as spirit; are born into resistance. Through this resistance matter manifests. Sprit can become soul and soul into matter, the physical world. For us to be there MUST be resistance. This is the way.
Jesus, in the symbol and representation of The Christ; made-man is the bridge that connects the heavenly realm and this world. Jesus as well as those who ascended are the living and consummate story of resistance and peace.
Is it any wonder why religion and spiritual seeking is such a conundrum.
So paradoxical.
One must give up all it’s beliefs and as it’s beliefs are surrendered we can hear the echo………
“Eloi Eloi Lama sabachthani”????
Blessed are we in God’s grace
Michael…
Thank you for commenting and great points to ponder and reflect upon, as you are speaking to the deepest truths of reality.
To clarify, my sense of being-ness here is referring to the limited “I,” the egoic self, which yes, in all practicality MUST include the surface though emotion and thought experienced on the physical plane. To go deeper into the paradox though, this is also profoundly spiritual and must be first fully comprehended in awareness. True faith must begin here. Although most of the articles on my site would not seem to show this at first, the personal egoic self is the most important function you have to grasp towards self-realization. As the Biblical records show, it is the slow dying of to this sense of self which becomes the greater realized self-the great and terrible day of the Lord. The limited thought and emotion we are gifted with as the beginning throws of evolution are the most sacred spiritual tools one can wrestle with, and Budda would have never comprehended anything without this necessary process first, as the great stepping stone.
You state…
“It is through willful action of the observer which all things become and they become albeit as an illusion.
The Buddha’s teaching points to this action; the willful or volitional action of seeking leads thartha o awareness.
The relationship of awareness to the “conscious-I” follows the arising of the body-mind, the seat of habits.
The body-mind is the instrument that perceives. Without the body-mind there is “no-I”.”
Beautifully illustrated. However, it is when we first come to the hint as intuition that the willful action of the observer is not as it is. Because of this conscious “I-ness,’ we can either seek intuitively, or be continually deceived.” And thus we get into the gnostic concept Biblicaly of what Buddha laid out as the path. The simple question to ask, as the metaphorical history is laid out to us, how did Siddhartha Gautama (the early Buddha) become the Buddha (or the Christ for that matter?)
Did he not first seek the world in all it’s glory, only to become aware of it’s shortcomings, at first, physically, and then it’s allusions, both spiritually and physically? One thing that people often do is make a stark dividing line between reality and ultimately reality. I do this on this site. But I hope to also bridge the two, because only in this bridge can the ultimate truth be found. I hope that makes sense. I’ll admit, as it is New Years I have had a few beers, and maybe my comment has show this as we are all human 🙂
Blessings.
Cheers!!!
Hi Folks- When I was a kid I had a learning disability…numbers and letters. When I saw the symbol for “Infinity” I was transfixed. I told my teacher that ‘this symbol is much more important than any those numbers’ …I was eight. I had totally forgotten about this until one day about a few months after I got saved, I was lying in bed, not sleeping, just dozing and a being communicated the following to me without sound and without words…a ‘transmission’:
” This you asked “…. and then..I was just for a split nanosecond ‘put out’ into some sort of place that was without God. And then ‘back to normal’. It was a full on terror. But I asked, and God delivered.
So, in my experience our conciousness is ‘contained’ in some way we cannot perceive.
Lou…
Thanks for sharing.
Josh- Great article. Two excellent books on the meaning of repentance can be found written by Maurice Nicoll who was a follower of an esoteric Christian system called the Fourth Way. the names of the books are The Mark and The New Man. Nicoll was a leading British psychologist in the 1900s and student of Carl Jung. Great information on the parables of Christ and the correlation of spiritual symbolism used in the scriptures.
Phil…
Anyone who studied under Jung has my respect.
Happy new year to all and much more. I am happy to have found such a blissful atmosphere in the which all is shared from the heart. It is not an easy thing to participate is such as we all have to deal with our very own self-enemies. I am new…thus speak from this stance as I believe all is about scripture the breathe of Yahweh…even that breathe which is the first man Adam. If the last Adam and second man is the Master from heaven, what is the first man? So far in my reads in this blog I have found nothing on the first Adam and even less on the last Adam and second man. Rather I have found more on the way…! much more on the first Adam and nothing on the last Adam and second man who is the Master from heaven. If then the last Adam and second is the Master from heaven, what is the first Adam? I truly have had little or no correlation from the first and the last. Also I believe there is an exoteric understanding of scriptures beyond the exoteric and this is mostly considered as esoteric; I also believe there is an esoteric understanding beyond the esoteric. There is a first man and there is a second man and both is the unity thereof. I do believe as we all know that all scripture is Yahweh-breathed and as such all scripture is living whether exoteric or esoteric; the question remains, what does it mean to be living? I appreciate all what is thus far herein written in this blog and all that is contributed from everyone else that does their part. Yet crucifixion is crucifixion and all that herein is most be crucified for even that which is celestial; we are yet to fully understand that which is spiritual-first Adam-from thence that which is celestial-last Adam second man. Well…just my thoughts. I believe the advancement is alright yet we have to die even to all that we now know or think or believe we know for true celestial knowing to be achieved. Shalom!