We know that Jesus prayed (in John 17) that we would all become aware of our oneness with God and with one another. What does that mean?
The Kingdom of Heaven
We cannot even see
it until we are born again
–or passed from death unto life. (John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.)
Darkness Before the Dawn
We’ve often heard the saying that it is darkest before the dawn, meaning that often things get worse before they get better; so we should not admit defeat when victory is just ahead.
And we have Scriptures which give us this same encouragement:
Let This Mind Be in You
Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Beholding the Activity of God
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God. …
In truth, there is only one activity; and that is God. Whatever God becomes aware of is begotten out of Itself and is very good.
Baptism by Fire
In the discussion between Jesus and His disciples recorded in Mark 10:32-45, Jesus, first of all, tells them of His upcoming crucifixion and resurrection which, of course, they do not comprehend. He is telling them that, as the last Adam, He is about to destroy the devil —the humanity, the ego, which characterizes man living in this world. This is what must take place before the man Jesus can be resurrected as the Christ, the Life-giving Spirit that enlightens every man that comes into the world (John 1:9).
Cause and Effect
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God. …
This God
is the CAUSE.
Genesis 1:26-28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion. … So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion. …
Simplicity That Is in Christ
I am strongly suggesting that we Christians (yes, I too call myself a Christian) have been unable to walk as Jesus walked and do the things He said we would do because we have believed (or at least attempted to believe) the orthodox interpretation of Scripture. We have seen ourselves as worms of the dust groveling before God, begging Him to have mercy on us, fearing that He would send us to hell to burn forever if we didn’t say the right prayer that would prove we are accepting His blood sacrifice of His own Son in order to appease His wrath against our sin.
The Greatest Deception
If I do not know that I and my Father are one,
(John 10:30) as Jesus knew it and prayed in John 17 that we would also know it, I will have a separate sense of self. In other words, I think that I am a separate self which I must preserve and protect —OR I must somehow persuade God (who is separate from me) to preserve and protect me. When I pray, I’m not asking for the Holy Spirit which is promised to those who ask (Luke 11:13) to guide me into all Truth (which is God). I am rather asking for that which I can consume upon my lust
to preserve the life I think I have responsibility for (James 4:3).
The Temptations of Jesus
- Matthew 3:16-17
- And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
- Matthew 4:1
- Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.