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My focus in this series has been in trying to delineate how grace is a matter of the spirit realm first and the material realm second. Many have been led to believe the opposite which claims grace just magically appeared with Jesus and its only function is to fix our screwed-up lives. The truthful part of this belief is that our lives are screwed up. The rest is simply a story, a means to soothe a troubled mind. This story is just an inkling as to what this series is trying to chop and hack away at.<\/p>\n
Along this line, if I am going to hack, I might as well provide you with my present understanding of the bible in its format and interpretation. Genesis opens with the creation story told from the perspective of God. Beginning at Genesis 2:4, the reader is unwittingly confronted with a second creation story. Biblical scholars all agree how the writers for these two stories are different both in perspective, language, and syntax, so I\u2019m not going to go into this if you\u2019re feathers are all ruffled. Go do the research, just like I did, and determine for yourself. But allow me to offer you something to chew on.<\/p>\n
The first creation story has God creating the universe and all that inhabits it over the course of six \u201cdays.\u201d On five occasions He declares that the work which was done was \u201cgood\u201d and on the final act of creation, which was the formation of the man and the woman in His image and likeness, He proclaimed that everything was \u201cvery good.\u201d Please take note how the mandate of mankind\u2019s dominion over the works of God was included in the last creation event which makes this mandate also \u201cvery good.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the second creation narrative, the \u201cfallen man\u201d perspective takes root in the writings which will follow throughout most of the rest of the biblical narrative. For those of you who doubt my claim consider how in this second creation story, God forms the man and then places him in a walled garden (the meaning of the name \u201cEden\u201d) which is separated from the rest of the world. If, according to the first creation story, everything was declared \u201cgood\u201d by God, why take the man out of the good world and place him into a secured garden? Before you answer me, consider the purpose of the tree in the middle of this garden. Are you going to believe that a tree of the knowledge of good AND EVIL is \u201cvery good?\u201d<\/p>\n
If you are unable to deal with just these two items in the opening of the bible, then you are going to have compounded troubles going through the rest of the writings. Understand, I am not offering a new doctrine or dogma for you rally around. These are questions which have been debated and studied throughout all the history of the writings, Hebrew and Greek alike. If you question my claims as being valid, why do you not question the validity of those who have offered their claims which you have built your faith upon? Caution on your part is due right now if you are about to claim what your faith is built upon if the claim has not been by your own study, but solely upon what you were told to recite.<\/p>\n
So where does this leave me in this mix. I believe in the first creation story as being what God accomplished. It is a true depiction of the kingdom of God in action and the standard of what we are to live under, a standard of everything being \u201cgood\u201d to \u201cvery good.\u201d I believe the second creation story reflects the mortality of man trying to explain how they blew the best thing they had and how their subconscious toiled in the loss of being in absolute communion with the Supreme Consciousness. All the Hebrew writings which follow are simply a remix of the second creation story. There are moments of inspiration which harken back to the first creation story and they help further define the kingdom of God for us, but most of it is merely an exercise in futile redundancy.<\/p>\n
Then comes the fourth Gospel. An anthem to how the kingdom of God is not of this world but is readily available for human participation. Even with the three previous gospels which act as the battering ram to a calcified mind seeking communion with God, the fourth gospel sits as a pinnacle to all the writings prior. Each of the three prior gospel writers make their attempt to bridge the chasm between the kingdom of God and the kingdom made of man. However, each is trying to fit the Jesus story into the second creation narrative. The fourth gospel takes us on a spiritual journey in this worldly realm and reaffirms the original intent of God with creation: \u201c\u2026that they may be one as we are one\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
The letters which follow the fourth gospel are highlighted by the purest revelation of a Divine Consciousness ever recorded as experienced through Saul\/Paul. These writings unfold the divine nature each of us have always possessed and which continues to be revealed in us. The letter to the people of Galatia should forever be seen as the ax which severs the root of the second creation story from the psyche of all humanity. Then the letters to the people of Ephesus and Colosse need to be emblazoned as a fiery brand upon the thoughts of all of us of what the \u201cmind of Christ\u201d is solely focused upon which ultimately is announced to the world in the letter to the people of Philippi, \u201c\u2026it\u2019s not I that lives, but Christ who lives in me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
What unfolds within each of these \u201cnew\u201d writings is the discovery of grace. What may have been described as \u201cloving kindness\u201d in the old writings evolved into a new language which was more relatable to a broader populace, people who were not familiar to the customs and rituals of a second creation story.<\/p>\n
Today, the evolution of language can force us to redefine \u201cgrace\u201d to fit our social conventions rather than to recognize it as the medium of exchange between what the kingdom of man is not and what the kingdom of God has always been. Regrettably, the only way you can often define something \u201cunseen\u201d is by contrasting it with what is evident. This unfortunately puts more validity in what is seen then in what is not. Faith, thereby, suffers consequently. A kingdom, grace, even faith is unseen. Yet, the suffering that occurs is only in the minds of those who know not the divine consciousness they already possess.<\/p>\n
As I step into the next part of this series I am trusting that you will be able to recognize how a new revelation which is often tied to a manner of communication which takes a while to unfold into a clear vista with new thoughts developed by new words and associations. Onward my friends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My focus in this series has been in trying to delineate how grace is a matter of the spirit realm first and the material realm second. Many have been led to believe the opposite which claims grace just magically appeared … Continue reading