In regard to what Jesus said to Peter, it appears that the Apostle John's presumption is in error.

[ScottA]

I remember a couple of years back sitting in my car at my granddaughters school; waiting to pick her up. I was there early so I was reading on the board to pass the time. You had responded something so kind to me; like “yes! Yes! I’m so glad someone else gets it!” What you said that day meant a lot but I was even afraid to respond back because I was not good at taking compliments. Your kindness then overwhelmed me. But today the verdict is simply, “Grow up.”

I was talking about my manager (somewhere around that post) and her response that the church is nothing but hypocrisy. A Friend today, out tomorrow. One disagreement and it quickly goes from “yes, Yes!” To “grow up”.

If you are a prophet as I believe you have mentioned to be one; then how do you not sense I’m on my way to MS treatment which I have avoided till now, experiencing the end of a 35 year marriage, struggling to work, watching my mom grunt and grown to urinate (which is depressing in many ways knowing mine is just right around the corner also), and feeling (yes an overwhelming emotion) that I’m headed towards being one who comes to this board not able to leave my home much anymore and alone. Feeling like that is were I’m speedily headed, one day reclusive and still seeking….something; what I don’t know. You say “grow up”; when I’m struggling with reading God’s word and hearing about compassion and a family and comfort …and getting fully at the same time how people call “hypocritical” at what I’m reading and hoping in. I just don’t see it (Christ) manifest. So I will just leave you with that. I did receive your urging to grow up. I don’t know what is expected of me to be …grown up. I guess holding it all in? Pretending? I don’t say this for sympathy (fully aware I’m not the only one in need of it in todays world) because if you have to beat out sympathy than it is fake sympathy (Imo). Forced. Required.
It should go without saying…

Hypocrisy to me is you said is it wrong to rebuke one in error. See I could stand up and say “no Scott, I rebuke you.” Then you could say “no, I rebuke you. You are in error.” Then I could force back “no you are in error.” And then around and around we go …then my manager has a good point…she said “yes I go sit in the corner and cry sometimes. I’m on two antidepressants. But still have those moments.” Her husband has had his leg amputated. But she is left with saying I tried the church and all I saw was hypocrisy. “Totally depressing.” …she actually said “so I became a hard bitch.” Advising me “one day you, too, will get that way. That is how I survive. By being hard and tough.”

I thought first to say "Get over it", but settled on "Grow up" not wanting to seem uncaring, but to speak rather in terms a family member would use.

But do remember that my rebuke was not to you, but to another who was knowingly or unknowingly leading you astray with seemingly kind words. I was ugly for a good reason. For you, not against you.

As for your current circumstances--God has you well in hand. He has and is delivering a death sentence to us all, but has also promised life everlasting to those who seek Him. Let that be your focus. Sorry for the painfully bumpy ride. Hang in there!

 

[The Third One]

@VictoryinJesus,

My dear friend in Light, it is what it is. You know what? You can only do what you can do. And, that’s ALL that any one of us can do. You know the routine. See your doctor. See if you can adjust your medication. You know ALL this stuff.

Please, cheer up.

Jesus has already overcome every bit of this and so much more — including Gethsemane; and, that sounds about like where you’re at right now. I don’t think you would be so down on your child or your best friend, if he or she was going through what you're going through right now. So, please, my dear friend, don’t be so tough on yourself.

I am praying for you, especially for our Father to send GOOD your way. Sometimes you have to really look for GOOD. So, please, don’t stop looking.

As for the spiritual stuff that you are struggling through, I asked the Living God about ALL that as well. What should I tell her? He requested that I bring an illustration of Jesus to your attention. It’s where Jesus talks about the old ways of seeing things... and how tough it is to get AWAY from ALL those old ways, or worse, the natural inclination for us "traditionalists" to try so desperately (to no avail) to make the new and the old somehow work together.

It’s an easy parable to find. Just go to the last paragraph of Chapter Five in Luke, right before Chapter six starts in Luke’s Gospel.

You may get a kick out of hearing this — how I found this verse (or verses) for you. After asking my Father about you, I took a playing card and randomly inserted it into my old Living Bible. By the way, this is the first Bible I ever read. Thank GOODNESS that THIS was the one that happened to be on my parent’s bookshelf, way back when, when I took a Bible off the shelf for the first time... when I was just 17 (and, you know what I mean); a little Beatles' nostalgia there. GOOD, in that, it was a paraphrase version of the Word, in pure modern English, without ALL the “thee”s and “thou”s to have to work through. My dear, after ALL these years, you should see the condition it is in! Nothing remains in the “cover” department. The first page of Genesis is still intact; however, the last page of the Revelation has a tattered corner -- the bottom right hand corner -- it's hanging on by just a thread of paper. This book used to have a really nice dark-green leather cover. That’s long gone. Worn AWAY to the spine, which is now covered in duct tape. (lol) Anyway, what is underlined on the pages open before me (that the card opened before me) is this one paragraph.

I am going to write it out for you, exactly as it is written here, in those down to earth Words of paraphrased English:

“Then Jesus used this illustration: ‘No one tears off a piece of a new garment to make a patch for an old one. Not only will the new garment be ruined, but the old garment will look worse with a new patch on it! And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, for the new wine bursts the old skins, ruining the skins and spilling the wine. New wine must be put into new wineskins. But no one after drinking the old wine seems to want the fresh and the new. “The old ways are best,” they say.’”

Is this thread important? This "skin-full of new wine"? Yes, it is important, so says the Lord, God, Who is trying to illustrate (through His... rather wordy and humble, yet well considered, typist) what this wonderful new garment looks like when one is wearing it, 100%, with no ifs, ands or buts added on to it. So far, in this endeavor, a long piece of thread is what makes up this wonderful new garment; however, most of the string still remains up on a shelf, in a tin can, upon the spool.

Well… if this thread is going to continue onward, God needs you to be here and be here at your best, my dear. So what I am going to say next may sound contradictory. Take your time... but, please, hurry back!

Take as much time as you need my dear friend. Take care of yourself and get yourself well — get your wits about you, girl. Get focused. I need your GOOD help, your GOOD spirit, your GOOD questions, your GOOD comments and the very GOODNESS of you being here! So, please, be determined. Put this crap behind you.

I love you and you are in my prayers.

Just KNOW that, in whatever "meantime" this turns out to be… YOU are being very missed in here.

Sincerely, your friend in Light,

The Third One

 

[The Third One]

@Bible Highlighter,

You write:

“So you believe a good tree can bring forth bad fruit? Yes, or no?”

Before we can talk about what Jesus means by “trees,” we need to take a look at the the bigger picture. What does Jesus means by a “HOUSE”? I have already covered most of this in an earlier post, but to save you the trouble of finding it, I can repost it here for you.

No greater HOUSE was ever built than the house of Jesus of Nazareth, a house with a foundation built upon “ALL” — the most inclusive Word within the Jesus Concept. His FOUNDATIONAL Words (I call them Jesus' Wonderfully Simple Words) are: “RANSOM,” “AWAY,” “PERFECT,” “FREEDOM” and “ALL.” I always post these Words in CAPS.

Matthew 7:24-25 (Original Greek) “Therefore who hears these Words of mine and doeth them will be compared to a wise man who built his house upon the rock. And came down the rain, and came the rivers, and the winds blew and beat against that house; and it did not fall: for it had been founded upon the rock.”

Imagine, choosing to continue to follow a manmade institution (“the Church”) built upon the opposite of “ALL.” An institution that “believes” the Word “FREEDOM” means to embrace slavery. An institution that proclaims: “No one is PERFECT in this world.” An institution that has buried the Word, “AWAY” — far, far AWAY. An institution that uses the word “satisfaction” to blot out the Word, “RANSOM”:

Matthew 7:26-27 (Original Greek) “And every one who hears these words of mine and doeth them NOT will be compared to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And came down the rain, and came the rivers, and the winds blew and beat against that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

Now,... we can talk about “trees,” my new found friend, Bible Highlighter. A HOUSE — the outward expression of one’s perspective of the Truth — is built with TREES. “Trees” are principles, dogmas, promises and conclusions. And, trees bear fruit:

Matthew 7:15 (KJV) “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

These “false prophets” of whom Jesus speaks are not gurus, scientologists nor medicine men. They are not competitive messiahs promoting exotic Religions. Any prophet whose prediction lacks Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life is open and plain for ALL to see. What Jesus is particularly warning us about (with his “wolves-in-sheep’s-clothing” caution) are the false prophets and their assemblies which would follow in Jesus’ name, proclaiming Jesus as the Lord, the Way, the Truth and the Life.

How do we recognize these wolves? Look beyond the paint job. Take a good look at the TREES that make up their houses. And, take special care to examine the fruit that comes from the trees.

Onward we now informatively proceed to your good question, Bible Highlighter:

“So you believe a good tree can bring forth bad fruit? Yes, or no?”

Specifically, those taught by the Christian Church teach: A “good tree” and a “corrupt tree” are Jesus’ way of comparing a good man to a corrupt man.

That is a falsehood. For, it is contradictory.

Jesus says:

“A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.”

This distinction is the dead giveaway that the “good tree” and the “corrupt tree” is NOT a metaphor for *Good* men and *Evil* men.

How do we know this for certain? Because, certainly by plan and/or by circumstance (cause and effect) it is quite possible for a seemingly “good man” to produce corrupted fruit and a seemingly “corrupted man” to produce good fruit. In addition (and listen to this very carefully) men are always represented by “the soil” in Jesus’ analogies. Not by what comes up out of the soil.

So then... what is the meaning of Jesus’ “trees”? Jesus is the master of ALL work. Jesus is the master carpenter. From the master carpenter’s perspective, trees represent wood. Jesus is expanding his warning to us in regard to the construction of a house.

Inspecting the construction of a person’s (or an assembly’s) house is the foolproof way to smoke out falsehood. Are the trees ALL true and solid? Are any of them bent and/or rotten? Does every tree fit PERFECTLY? From every angle? Most importantly, look at the fruit the tree produces. In other words, before blindly accepting an assembly’s “belief” system, put their principles, dogmas, promises and conclusions to the test. Take special care to look at the effect of its application. What fruit is produced?

“Origonal Sin.” What is this TREE? Truth? Or falsehood?

It is an absolute falsehood.

And, worse: What fruit is produced by it?

The idea that you and I (a human being) is — at our core level (as a creation of the Living God) — a depraved piece of garbage that comes into this world already soiled in SIN.

The Truth? We are born, PERFECTLY GOOD creations of our PERFECTLY GOOD Creator. If we WERE truly born depraved-pieces-of-garbage-that-come-into-this-world-already-soiled-in-SIN, Jesus’ solution to our problem would make little sense — to be born again.

Notice, Jesus does not say, “born in a brand-new special way” or “born correctly this time” or “born right” as opposed to being born “wrong.” Jesus chooses his Words very carefully. And, he always keeps it simple. “Born again.”

We are not suffering from a “it’s in our nature” problem — (LOL) — like as if it were a DNA problem: as if ALL of our cells became saturated in “SIN” when Adam bit into that fruit.

Although ScottA and the rest of "the Church" would disagree, we are NOT suffering from a spiritual problem.

We are suffering from a psychological problem.

 

[The Third One]

The Church has buried our REAL problem in fairytales and, among other atrocities, by OVERDUBBING Scripture.

Our problem is clearly written in Scriptures. The KNOWLEDGE of Good & Evil.”

Buried by a fairytale: “Original Sin.”

The Jesus-Solution to our problem is NOT “Repent, and be saved!” The Greek Word, “metanoeo” does NOT mean “repent.” “Metanoeo” means, “Change your WAY OF THINKING!”

Correct me if I am wrong, but “KNOWLEDGE” and our “WAY OF THINKING” are psychological terms. Not spiritual terms. Not DNA terms.

In every instance, the “corrupt trees,” the “tares” and the “bundles” in Jesus’ parables represent false principles, false dogmas, false words inserted, true Words falsely omitted, false promises and false conclusions. Strikingly, this is exactly how Religion is made: with principles, dogmas, words chosen to be inserted, words chosen to be omitted, promises and conclusions.

Christianity is a multi-denominational high-rise-district super-skyscraper — a skyscraper made up of many houses. Many houses made up of many trees. A crooked tree producing bad fruit should be hewed out. Carefully, if possible, so as not to damage any good trees.

But, what if a crooked tree is corrupt through and through and is being used as an enormous foundation beam? What if this totally corrupt, gargantuan tree is the ultimate support beam of Christian groundwork? Literally, holding up the skyscraper?

The notion of “Original Sin” is but one of these many rotten, foundational beams, holding up the “faith.” It produces horribly rotted fruit that comes from a totally corrupted tree. A totally corrupted tree needs to be removed and thrown out, even if it causes the entire high-rise to implode upon itself and fall to the ground — the whole kit and caboodle fit for nothing more than a bonfire.

That can be difficult to accept. Even heartbreaking. Considering, from the homeowner’s perspective, these trees have, for so long, been built into one’s own house. These are huge redwoods “believed” to have been successfully pile-driven into solid bedrock — when in fact; they are rotted sequoias that have been mistakenly pounded into nothing but sand. There is no sense in crying, stretched out face-down in the ruin of one’s house. That can cause one’s heart to wither. It is just a house. It can always be rebuilt.

Jesus’ parables are not about separating men from men. His parables are about separating Truth from falsehood.

Jesus’ parables are about separating straight and true conclusions from bent and corrupt conclusions.

That’s enough for now. Late for work. I’ll get to Romans 5 for you this weekend.

One last thing before I go:

What I am (and have been) posting in here is not MY commentary.

This is my Father and His Holy Spirit’s commentary that I am passing on to you, for what it's worth to you.

I’m not doing this for MY health. Or for “ALL the wonderful donations” that keep pouring in to ME… from some God-forsaken ABOMINATION of a COLLECTION PLATE.

I don’t pay MY bills with money that keeps comin’ in by keeping the Faithful “faithful.”

In case you have not figured it out yet, I am NOT a “believer.”

I do not stupidly “believe” in God nor in whatever it is that man has the inclination to call “holy” and put in front of me to read.

I KNOW the Living God.

And, I KNOW the Scriptures.

And, so… I gladly listen to the Words of God when I SEE them written. Whether they are written on a bathroom wall or in a King James Bible. I do not test my Living God by what is written on paper. I test what is written on paper by my Living God.

Do like Paul says. TEST EVERYTHING. Is this the Word of GOD? Or is this the Word of MAN?

I can tell you this, a lot of what you swallow down like Captain Crunch cereal for breakfast as “the Word of God” has been passed down to us incredibly MANipulated.

I’ll be glad to give you my Father’s word for word commentary on Romans 5:18 sometime this weekend. Wow-- how about this? He says He’ll do the whole chapter for you. In one weekend.

Okay. Romans, Chapter 5, coming up, just for you, Bible Highlighter.

 

[The Third One]

Hello again @Bible Highlighter,

Here’s my “word for word commentary” on “Romans 5” as you requested.

As we enter Chapter Five, Paul is slowly but surely drifting AWAY from the POWERHOUSE of solid Reality — what the Holy Spirit has already revealed (to Paul) in the first three chapters of Romans. What’s been done for us on the cross. A Reality which is, bit by bit, turning into religious nonsense… in the hands of a Pharisee Extremist.

Romans 5:1 (KJV) “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Somehow the autopilot of the Holy Spirit has been disengaged. “Justified”? By faith”? This is the statement of ALL statements, which throws the thinking of Christian scholars down the toilet and “the Church” into a perpetual rabbit hole. We are “justified by faith.”

Really? “‘Faith’ in” exactly… what? asks the world, in total honesty — as the world looks to “Christianity” for a REAL answer.

“‘Faith’ in our ‘justification,’ of course!” cries the Faithful, in blind stupidity.

The Church remains eternally trapped in this gibberish, trying to make sense of it. Like a crack addict, chasing what can never be found. Hello? The meaning never existed in the first place. It is the dogma itself, empty and barren, that screams for “justification.” What does “believing” in this empty babble accomplish for the addicted “believer”? Absolutely nothing. Gaining the meaningless benefit of — what? — “the cross” (whatever that’s supposed to mean) is religiously achieved through the steadfast diligence of… “faith.”

Let’s put fantasy aside and deal with REALITY.

In REALITY, gaining the HUGE psychological benefit of what’s been done for us on the cross has everything to do with simply and truly TAKING the undefeatable POWER of what’s been done for us on the cross… unto one’s SELF.

“I’ve got it!” you say, while grabbing on to this POWERHOUSE with both hands. “It’s mine!”

Now… that… is what you are supposed to do with a REAL gift. (duh)

Really TAKE it!

What you are NOT supposed to do with a REAL gift is nonsensically, ridiculously and, in ALL self-defeating bitter Truth, fictitiously “believe” in it.

For, illusion is exactly what you are truly accomplishing for yourself with “belief.” You are not working with POWER. You are working with total fiction. “Believe” in Santa Claus. Have “faith” that the Cubs are going to win the pennant this year. This most important gift of ALL gifts from GOD is a psychological dynamo! You turn the powerful psychology of THE GIFT into a one-legged hamster, struggling to MOVE on an icy spinning-wheel, by fictitiously “believing” in it. Alas! Even a worse drain of power, by religiously “believing” in it.

Paul is not even talking about justification through the “believer’s” faith in “the cross” of Jesus; rather, through faith in the resurrection of “Christ”!

Keep in mind, Chapter Four ends with Paul, claiming that, yes, although Jesus was indeed delivered to the cross for our sins, he was resurrected for our “JUSTIFICATION.”

Romans 4:25 (KJV) “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our JUSTIFICATION.”

What? Where does this religious babble come from?

Certainly not from the Holy Spirit. This is ALL Paul spit-balling here. He is either diluted by his own rush to “completion,” or lost within some Messianic trance inspired by his Pharisee teachers.

“What’s been done for us on the cross” and “the resurrection of Jesus” are two entirely different and independent things that have not one thing to do with each other, other than the fact that Jesus is the megastar of both.

In Reality, the psychological power-shutdown of The Knowledge of Good & Evil and the taking AWAY of our sin stands alone through what’s been accomplished for us on the cross. Period. There is no need to add any ifs, ands or buts into the cross-equation.

As Jesus, himself, states, FROM the cross, “It is finished.”


Romans 5:2 (KJV) “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

What does this religious statement actually mean to the common, everyday man?

Gobbledygook!

When the Holy Spirit is speaking through Paul about PERFECT Grace, it always comes through like SUNSHINE. However, when Paul takes it upon himself to write about his own doctored-down version of “grace,” it always comes through like mud.

What else can the world expect from such an author? Paul never truly accepted PERFECT Grace for himself. So how, on his own accord, can Paul possibly write about it? He can’t. It would be like someone writing about riding a motorcycle; whom, not only has never ridden one, but has never even seen anyone ride one.

 

[The Third One]

Go ahead and put Paul’s exact statement (Romans 5:2) up on a revolving billboard in the middle of Times Square. Look up… and read it to yourself a couple of times:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

At best, this is a weak supposition pointing to the iffy-ness and perpetual wobble of Paul’s doctored-down version of “grace” as he stands upon his… “faith.”

Would you like to see it from how I, a true acceptor, SEES it?

Clearly, this is nothing more than the illusion of “grace.” And, within this illusion… “we stand?” Paul must have a dead mouse in his pocket as far as I’m concerned. I am at a loss as to how Paul (and whomever he includes, standing with himself) can “rejoice” in “the hope” of what Paul sees as merely a possibility. What I see… as an Absolute Reality.

The “hope” of the glory of God? Come on Paul! Tell us straight-up! Does “having access into this grace” you’re talking about “by faith” lead to “the glory of God”… or not?

“Well… we sure hope that it does,” would be the best Paul can answer in terms of his “beliefs.”

There is a world of difference between “believing” and truly accepting.

I AM a true acceptor. Let me show you how I would write Romans 5:2 upon a revolving billboard in the middle of Times Square:

Rejoice! By truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross, we stand, head to toe — past, present and future — TOTALLY COVERED in PERFECT Grace! We LIVE in “The Place of Life” and we BASK in the glory of God!

“Sounds pretty GOOD to me,” says the common man, looking up at the revolving billboard.

“What is ‘PERFECT Grace’?”

And… “What does it actually mean to ‘LIVE in The Place of Life’ and ‘BASK in the glory of God’?”

These are the very questions you “believers” should be asking.


Romans 5:3-5 (KJV) 3 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 and patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Let’s take a look at Romans 5:5, first, and work our way back.

Be assured, at 5:5, Paul is not talking about “our heart” from an emotional/heart-felt-feelings point of view — our “gut-feelings,” as we (in modern-day times) tend to perceive and speak of “the heart.”

The working POWER of what’s been done for us on the cross is not initially experienced as a “feeling.” In time, absolutely it does — for, we truly gain, loving ourselves, which is the very essence of what brings us into truly loving others AS ourselves. However, the first and foremost experience is... the change of mind.

A true acceptor takes the HUGE psychological POWER of what’s been done for us on the cross — undefeatable POWER — into his mind (not into his “heart” — his conscience). The immense and undiluted POWER of truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross dismantles the prime directive of conscience: THERE IS BOTH GOOD & EVIL WITHIN ME. Returning the true acceptor to his internal Factory Setting:

I AM VERY GOOD.

On the other hand, Rocky (at Romans 5:5) IS talking about the conscience — the Old Testament view of “the heart,” which every Pharisee knows Scripturally, inside out. The breastplate of judgment. The “heart” of discernment. And, that perception (Paul's perception) is dead wrong. The love of God does not “shed abroad” throughout our conscience. On the contrary, the love of God engulfs the entire mind, dismantling the conscience; and, thus, rendering The Knowledge of Good & Evil... inconsequential.

Any semblance of “Evil” is automatically taken AWAY.

Our limited idea of *Good* (under The Knowledge of Good & Evil) is overwhelmed with the Living God’s comprehensive idea of GOOD.

Since ALL of our perceived “evil” (on the inside of us) has been taken AWAY, the blinders come off and we begin to SEE God’s Creation (on the outside of us) as Creation truly is. Our minds have changed back to our Factory Setting:

IT’S ALL GOOD.

Within Paul's view of this world (Physical Creation), truly and quite disturbingly, it’s ALWAYS the opposite — IT’S ALL BAD. The world is a cesspool, as far as Rocky/Paul is concerned. Follow the Rocky/Paul-Logic:

How does Paul arrive at Romans 5:5, and his idea of “the love of God”?

Through… “Unashamed hope.”

And, what brings Paul to verse 5:4 and “hope”?

“Patience.” (Romans 5:4) “and patience, experience; and experience, hope.”

And, what, pray tell, is it, according to Paul at verse 5:3, that “worketh patience”?

Pain, hurt and Darkness — “tribulation.”

(Romans 5:3) “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.”

Here at Romans 5:3, we catch the very first insight of… you tell me what it is, Bible Highlighter.

What do you think we should call: “the welcoming of tribulation”?

Masochistic insanity?

 

[The Third One]

Paul literally “GLORIES” in tribulations. Hey, BH, by Paul’s use of “We,” you’ve got an open invite to join Paul’s side of the self-flagellation circle. “We glory in tribulations,” says Paul. You’re welcome to join in with him, BH.

As far as I’m concerned, Paul’s got a dying trapped mouse in his pocket (gaining patience with each pulse, with its each heartbeat, getting closer to its last — its ankle caught in a mousetrap).

Was this gluttony for punishment a Pharisee thing, or did Paul find the need ALL by himself to practice self-mutilation within his unremitting efforts to purify himself?

(Matthew 23:5) Jesus said of the Pharisees, “Everything they do is done for people to see! They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long!”

We know the Pharisees wanted people to see those prayer boxes on their shoulders; however, since self mutilation was considered an act of heathens, perhaps that’s why the Pharisees let their skirts down. So no one could see the scars on their legs.

Jesus certainly saw no difference in a Pharisee and a heathen:

(Matthew 23:25-26) “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within you are full of rapine and uncleanness. Thou blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may become clean.”

Should I keep going? Stand warned, the further IN we go… the creepier it gets with Paul. There is no question, Paul purposefully inflicted brutal pain upon himself:

1 Corinthians 9:27 (Berean Literal Bible) “But I batter my body and bring it into servitude, lest having preached to others, I myself might be disqualified.”

With ALL the problems of Paul in mind (some of his most serious sociopathic problems, we’ve already discussed in this thread) is why I simply outright dismissed the Paul quotes within your “Original Sin” Bible Highlighter-Highlights dissertation.

Paul (for the most part) is such a ridiculous and unreliable source. Yet, Christians quote him more than they do Jesus. Amazing.

How far IN should we peer into the ridiculous and unreliable department? Tribulations? Self-induced torture? The wearing of… Imprisonments, Beatings & Floggings-To-An-Inch-Of-One’s-Life… like merit badges? Hallucinatory-Crucifixion?

The farther IN we go the more and more darkly-complicated it gets with Paul.

Paul’s philosophy starts to get super-goofy-DARK (seriously, as in Spiritual-DARKNESS) during the first 13 verses of the Sixth Chapter of Romans (see thread-posts #225-#229). He REALLY takes a bad turn at Romans 6:16 (CRASH). And, then… in many places, Paul’s philosophy goes completely bananas. Diabolically induced, at times. The good stuff is still in there, mixed in along the way, but so much less and less of it as we go onward.

In his worst of states, if Paul had half the authority of Pilate and could have time-traveled back to Good Friday, I get the idea from his letters that Paul would have climbed Golgotha and had the cross with Jesus brought to the ground. Paul would have removed the nails himself and demanded they crucify HIM in Jesus’ place. Not, heroically, to save Jesus from the plight. Heavens, no.

Then, for God’s sake, why?

Because, by Paul’s arithmetic, he could have done it so much better than Jesus. Mathematically, five times better. Perhaps the most absurd “AND” in Paul’s letters is his self-perceived completion of “Christ’s suffering” — which, according to Paul, is “lacking” in and of itself:

Colossians 1:24 (BSB) “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh WHAT IS LACKING in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.”

Hello? Calling ALL Christians. This is your grand-daddy, Paul, talking to you.

Read it again if you must.

That verse is straight from “your father.” The father of the Christian Church. After ALL, just as God in Heaven is the Father of Jesus, and (according to Jesus) the devil is the father of the Pharisees, Paul himself claims to be... “your father.”

Paul proclaims himself, “less than the least of ALL saints” (still... a self-proclaimed saint).

Paul claims to be the greatest of Jesus’ “apostles.”

Huh? What? One of JESUS’ Apostles? (Yep. Again, self-proclaimed, of course.)

Paul claims to be, “the best minister of Christ.”

And… Paul claims to be, “who we should follow!”

Let’s face it. Paul claims to be... the spiritual champion.

Don’t take my word for ALL this. Let Paul tell you himself. Paul says (in the name of Jesus) that you (you and I) should honor Paul as “your father” and “follow HIM”:

1 Corinthians 4:15 (HIV) “Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” (4:16 KJV) “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.”

Wow... I thought Christian "believers" were supposed to follow Jesus?

Hardly. The “gospel” Paul teaches is diametrically opposed to what Jesus teaches.

Jesus cautions us NEVER to call ANYONE (besides our Father in Heaven) “father”:

Matthew 23:9 (HIV) “And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in Heaven.”

Paul canonizes himself. Hey, don’t forget the best part. He calls himself “Less than the least of ALL saints.” Can you even guess WHY Paul says, “Less than the least”? To prove to Christendom that, out of ALL “saints,” Paul also has the best humility (LOL!)…

Ephesians 3:8 (KJV) “Unto me (Saul/Paul/Rocky) who am less than the least of ALL saints…”

 

[The Third One]

Just for fun, cross-reference this “saints-verse” to your NIV Bible. It beautifully demonstrates the NIV’s editing process. The NIV Bible editors are well aware that “sainthood” is barking at the door of PERFECTION. Oh my. We certainly can’t have any of that! Now, can we? Easy fix. The NIV editors cleverly scoot the “saints” part of Paul’s speech completely under the carpet and replace... “saints”... with “the Lord’s people.”

Hey, seeing is always better than “believing”:

Ephesians 3:8. (NIV) “Although I (Saul/Paul/Rocky) am less than the least of ALL the Lord’s people…”

At the beginning of 1 Timothy, Paul proclaims himself “an apostle” of Jesus. Self-Appointed. Supposedly, by the authority of our Father in Heaven and Sonny Jesus:

1 Timothy 1:1 (HIV) “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.”

Hello? An apostle? As in, like one of the Twelve hand-picked Apostles of Jesus?

Even Ananias (the mystic-dude from the road to Damascus tale) never called Paul “an apostle.” It is quite a broad stroke for Ananias (whatever authority HE is) even to call Paul “a chosen instrument.”

A chosen instrument? Really? Seriously? Chosen by whom?

Ananias proposes, “By signs and wonders!” (LOL)

Really? Seriously? Yet, not picked by the tangible, fleshly-hand of Jesus?

I got news for you, folks. Jesus physically did his OWN Apostle picking.

Paul suggests, he is “the greatest of the apostles of Christ.” Don’t forget, 1 Corinthians 4:15. According to Paul, Jesus could drum up a list of “ten thousand Apostles of Jesus,” yet they would only be “our guardians in Christ” while Paul is “our father.”

It IS quite an empowering thing to crawl out of the pit of total dysfunctional madness (Romans, Chapter 7) on his own. Three cheers for Paul. However, after swimming out of his deep-Dark-insanity, Paul can now do everything “spiritual” better than anyone can. Multiply THAT by Paul’s Summa Cum Laude DD degree (from Pharisee Community College; hung in spotless glass, up on the wall behind his desk). From the start, Paul was ALREADY the best of the Pharisee-Extremists. And, what does THAT country club think of itself?

“We are the greatest in God’s eye.”

Read his letters. Saul/Paul/Rocky will tell you exactly how great he is — the greatest of the greatest. Paul even chews gum greater than anyone else. Only, his letter telling us exactly how it is we SHOULD be chewing our gum must have gotten lost somewhere to prosperity.

Still...

ALL the rest of “Rock’s the best” is well documented in the record. Paul claims that he speaks in tongues more than anyone else (1 Corinthians 14:18). If anyone claims to have confidence in the flesh, Paul has more (Philippians 3:4). Wow... how about this one? My absolute favorite, most entertaining paragraph Paul ever wrote. Because, you can read it ALL morning long, and; although, it is many things, boring is certainly not one of them. I can only be speaking of 2 Corinthians 11:21-33, but especially verses 23 and 24:

“Are they ministers of Christ?” (Here, the original Greek has Paul stating, verbatim) “Even though I AM insane, I speak the truth! I am a BETTER minister of Christ! With more abundant works, far more imprisonments, in beatings more frequently, in deaths often.”

Wow. Even Jesus only died ONCE for the cause. Paul is like the most outrageous dude you can remember from your college fraternity. He is an absolute lunatic — self admitted — but you cannot help but just LOVE the guy! How can any card-carrying Christian not absolutely adore him? Remember Bluto? John Belushi’s character in the movie, Animal House? I promise you, Paul is the Bluto of Christianity. He will tell you that “Christ is in him,” and then make YOU smash the beer bottle over his head to prove how serious he is about it. Paul goes on to say in the next verse (2 Corinthians 11:24) that:

“Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.”

Well, as we know, Jesus only received them once. That’s the math, don’t ya know? Why Paul, proportionately, could have died on the cross five times better than Jesus.

At the very least, putting himself WITH Jesus ON the cross, is exactly what Paul ends up “believing” (and openly writes about). That he (and anyone else who buys into Paul’s fantasy) actually is, truly, crucified, right along “with Christ.” After ALL, going through “the suffering of Christ” is what “equals the same glory of Christ,” right? We can see these wheels turning as early as Romans 8:17. However, at Galatians 2:20, we find the smoking gun:

Galatians 2:20 (KJV) “I HAVE been crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ livith in me…”

Now let’s stop right there for a moment. Because, the second part of Galatians 2:20 is in direct conflict with the first part:

“And, the Life which I now Live in the flesh, I Live by (trusting) the Son of God, who loved ME, and gave himself up for ME.”

Amen! The second part of Galatians 2:20 (directly above) is in PERFECT sync with the Gospel of Jesus. That I, as an individual (“me” as Paul writes) Lives by truly accepting what the Son of God has done for ME on the cross. Yes, Jesus paid the RANSOM for ALL of us. However, incredibly, he paid the RANSOM specifically for ME. He paid the RANSOM specifically for YOU. Jesus paid the RANSOM specifically for each and every one of us — as individuals.

However, that is NOT what Paul is preaching in the first part of Galatians 2:20. According to Paul, “ME” was killed on the cross. Yes, this includes “YOU” (if you accept Paul’s nuttiness). “You” were killed on the cross — not just the sinner part of you. As far as Paul is concerned (painfully evident at Romans 7:14-25) YOU ARE the sinner part of you. Remember, according to Paul, there is nothing good in YOU:

Romans 7:18 (Original Greek) “For I know that nothing good dwells within me. There is nothing good in my flesh.”

 

[The Third One]

Where do Paul’s supplements — to simply and truly accepting What’s-Been-Done-For-Us-On-the-Cross — ever end?

They don’t.

Sure, you need to “believe” in “the cross” (whatever that’s supposed to mean) AND... you need to become a slave to self-earned righteousness; AND... you need to follow Paul (AND... ALL of Paul’s dos and don’ts); AND... more than just “suffer,” you need to murder YOU — the individual — (by crucifixion no less); AND (in what can only be described as spiritual possession) “Christ” will then enter the empty shell that has been flushed clean of YOU... AND set up shop.

Make no mistake, according to Paul, if you do this right, there is no longer any trace of YOU. The original Greek has Paul stating, verbatim:

Galatians 2:20 “I am living no longer as I.”

Then... grasshopper... YOU are no longer Living. “YOU” is DEAD.

Many Mature-Christian Paul-Followers (who have wholeheartedly bought into Paul’s craziness, head over heals) FREELY admit and proclaim, “‘ME’ is dead.”

This is the Gospel of O Death, speaking straight out of the Absolute of NOTHING.

Are you a Walking-Dead Christian? A “little-Christ zombie”?

If so, allow me (yeah, I’M still here in MY body) to give you some down-home advice. Stop playing possum. You have a pulse. You are also... in there... somewhere. Because, folks, there is no “right” way to do what Paul is suggesting. Jesus does not murder and then possess people. That is practically Diabolical (and, I’m not so sure about the “practically” part).

In order for Paul’s Dead-To-Self philosophy to truthfully work, ALL of Galatians 2:20 (KJV) would have to read exactly as it does below. Please notice the italic-quotation-marks around the personal pronoun “I” — indicating its gratuitous use — a word meant, usually, for an existing person. That is the harsh Reality of becoming the dead person (killed by crucifixion) mentioned in the first part. Since “I” is indeed dead and has been replaced by Christ, there is no longer any “I” nor “me” for Christ to save. Therefore, throughout the second part, it must be Christ who gave himself FOR CHRIST:

“I” have been crucified with Christ: nevertheless “I” live: yet “I” am living no longer as I: but it is Christ who lives in Christ: the life which Christ now lives in the flesh, Christ lives, by the Son of God, who loved Christ, and gave himself for Christ.”

See? We have to take ALL the “I”s and “ME”s out of the second part (and replace them with “Christ”) in order for the second part to work honestly with the first part. Remember, it is not YOU Living anymore, but Christ who Lives in the place of YOU. “We” (as “believers”) must strike “you” and “I” and “me” and “we” out of the equation:

“The Life which Christ now Lives in the flesh, Christ Lives, by the Son of God, who loved Christ, and gave himself for Christ.”

Of course, this is not the Gospel of Jesus. Truthfully, this is not even the Gospel of Paul. But, yet, it HAS to be Paul’s Gospel if we are to take the first part of Galatians 2:20 (which certainly IS Paul’s Gospel) seriously. Even the first part contradicts itself. If Paul’s philosophy is true, it should be “Christ who Lives in Christ,” rather than how Paul actually wrote it. “Christ who lives in... me”? For… to actually achieve this endeavor, ultimately, there can be no “me” remaining.

Remember... in the KJV:

“Yet not I,”

...and even clearer in the original Greek:

“I am living no longer as I.”

For this philosophy to work, “me” has to be completely DEAD.

Moreover, this philosophy makes it a lie for YOU to claim to have, “Christ in... ‘me’.” For, if you claim to have “Christ in me”... YOU... must be totally faking it. There can be no part of YOU left inside of your cleansed body... to claim anything — “YOU” has to be completely flushed out of you. Remember, “You are no longer Living as YOU.” “YOU”... IS... the “AWAY” part of this… “Gospel” — the Gospel of Paul.

“YOU” has committed spiritual suicide.

Likewise, as “you” proclaim this nonsense to your brother and to the world, truthfully, “you” cannot proclaim it as “Christ in ‘ME.’” No. For, there is no more “ME.” To be true to this philosophy, the wording on your T-shirt must read:

CHRIST ’N CHRIST

Or, better still, to make the transition itself PERFECTLY clear and truthful to the world:

CHRIST POSSESSING THE SHELL
THAT HAS BEEN TOTALLY FLUSHED CLEAN
OF ME​

Now THAT’S the ticket. Making the sinner NOT be.

When did Jesus ever suggest that we turn ourselves into “not-MEs?”

Never.

This is totally non-Jesus and totally non-Holy Spirit. This is entirely the prattle of Pharisee-Paul under the influence of the Pharisee Cookbook and Team Darkness — specifically, O Death. Obviously, as a trilogy-combo, Paul is also under the influence of the Voice of the Miserable Comforter.

Paul sees people as cesspools of sin with nothing good inside themselves. How do we know this, beyond ALL doubt? Because, under the whips of Master Sin, that is exactly how Paul sees himself. And, if Paul, the greatest-at-everything, follow-the-letter-of-the-Law-Pharisee-Extremist, sees HIMSELF as a cesspool of sin, imagine how Paul sees the rest of us (— us lower-class “sinners”).

Which brings up a good question. How DOES this work for the rest of us sinners?

The Church sees this insanity as COLLECTIVE-insanity:

“IN Christ.”

Twenty-first century preachers love to talk about the collective “not-MEs.” Collectively, ALL of these “not-MEs” make up “the body of Christ.” When did Jesus ever suggest that we turn ourselves into a collection of “not-MEs?”

Never.

 

[The Third One]

This is Pharisee-Extremism under the influence of O Death.

Same ol’ M.O.

Killing the sinner has ALWAYS been Paul’s solution for sinners. Making the sinner “NOT be” IS the ultimate Pharisee-Extremist solution. Grown adult, Mature-Christians “believe” wholeheartedly that Paul’s “conversion on the Road to Damascus” ended ALL that “*bad* stuff” in Paul’s “Before-Time.”

God, help us, please. How can ALL this cheese be melted AWAY from such cheese-caked eyes and ears?

Dear brothers and sisters. Folks. When it comes to killing sinners, there is no “Before-Time” for Paul. Have you been prevented from seeing Reality? The depth of Paul’s willingness to get rid of sinners IS (and always has been) the constant. To a Pharisee-Extremist (in Paul’s “Before-Time”), making “the sinner” “NOT be” is exactly what happens when you stone a Jesus-Follower to death. “The sinner” has two choices: Renounce being a Jesus-Follower... or... be stoned to death. We have been Christian-Programmed to see Paul’s stoning of St. Stephen as: Paul (under the name of Saul) in “the before-time,” WAY BACK when Paul used to stone Christians to death. Saul saw it as “stoning a SINNER to death.”

The abominable Jesus-Follower (from Saul/Paul’s old perspective) IS a sinner by every standard of Paul’s old Religion.

Coming into focus, yet? Can you finally see it? Sending “the sinner... AWAY.”

This has ALWAYS been Paul’s solution for “sinners.” Under Paul’s Pharisee-Extremist-Converted-to-Christian philosophy, same story. The Sinner is made to NOT-be. Under Paul’s new Religion, the sinner still has two choices: Either straighten up and become a non-ME... or... ME gets destroyed in the Lake of Fire.

The age-old Pharisee-Extremist saying is still at full play in Paul’s new Religion: Better to enter Heaven as a NON-ME than Eternal Hell as YOURSELF.

In ALL candor, Paul’s Pharisee-Extremist-Converted-To-Christian philosophy (crucifying ME to death so that “me” is no longer Living as ME) is no less a sociopathic solution than Paul’s original philosophy that caused the ME-murder of Saint Stephen.

It ALL depends on what DAY it is; how Paul defines “ME” as Evil. Today, Paul defines “Me-Is-Evil” as “The-Old-Man.” So, “ME” needs to be crucified to death. Yesterday, Rocky defined “Me-Is-Evil” as “ME, the Jesus-Follower.” So, “ME” needs to be stoned to death.

You still don’t “believe” it? Ask Saint Stephen.

Oh, Stephen? Please testify to us as to why Paul had “ME” executed:

“Paul stoned ME to death because he saw ME as an *Evil* Jesus-Follower.”

“Paul taught Luther. Luther taught Hitler.” Did you think I was joking or being over-the-top when I wrote these words a few posts back? How is Paul’s philosophy for dealing with sin and sinners any different from Hitler’s philosophy? From Hitler’s perspective, “the Abominable-Jew” IS “the sinner.” Thus, the Final Solution. Send the sinner to death. Again, ask yourself. How is lining people up against a wall and machine-gunning them to death or herding people into a shower stall and gassing them to death, any different from pushing people into a circle and stoning them to death?

Could there be anything worse than a Nazi or a Pharisee-Extremist executing you?

Yes. Imagine the Nazi or the Pharisee-Extremist successfully convincing you to execute yourself. By crucifixion yet. ALL you have to do is accept, 100%, with no ifs, ands or buts that YOU were killed on a cross. Nevertheless, “you” “live” (but not really “YOU”).

Where do I sign up for this? So I can turn myself into a non-ME?

Pick any Christian church that follows the letters of Paul to the letter. Don’t have to drive far to find one. Only, you won’t find one of them with an honest marquee out front that truthfully advertises the transition: REPLACE YOURSELF WITH CHRIST.

The worse part of this horror show comes from the students who are NOT faking it. If there truly is any “me” still left in this murdering of one’s self, ultimately, one can only be looking at one’s self AS Christ. The reverend Jim Jones (of the Guyana tragedy) and David Koresh (of the Waco tragedy) are two of the more popularized examples of this caustic-dogma taken to its disastrous conclusion. It happens more often than you would care to know (much more often than the average Paul-Following Christian wants to know). It’s a common plague, afflicting the Christian population. The Gospel of O Death, in full regale. The individual tragedy in both of these infamous cases is that both Jim Jones and David Koresh were godly men, simply overtaken by this desolate-insanity.

If you happen to be a Christian, suffering from Paul’s gospel taken to this extreme — in other words, you “believe” yourself to be the actual re-embodiment of Jesus Christ — there is one absolute sure-fire cure, besides suicide (which is the most common outcome of this insanity). Go and be immediately baptized. It matters not how many times you have previously been baptized. Do it again. Ever wonder why Jesus got baptized? He did so for this very reason. To cure people, who have lost their minds and “believe” that they have actually become Jesus Christ. Here’s the deal. When you get baptized, see if the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove lands on your head while God verbally proclaims (LOUDLY) “THIS is my beloved Son,” (“Daughter” or “X-ster” — Gender-Unknown-Person), “of whom I am wonderfully pleased!” If ALL that doesn’t happen, you can breath a sigh of relief and go back to simply being yourself. That is the sure-fire cure for this devilment.

“Death.” “Baptism of death.” “Died with Christ.” “Dying to self.” Becoming DEAD makes a person *Good.* ALL of these themes are rampant throughout Paul’s “gospel.” Spawning a multitude of horrors that should be obvious RED lights, flashing upon our instrument consoles. Wake up! The RED lights are flashing! Is anybody home?

Are you aware that most serial killers are Mature-Christian men? Usually Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist or Methodist. Here is another tragic FACT. Almost to the person, most of these serial killers became extraordinarily devout to their “Christian belief-system” just prior to the killings — including the most infamous serial killers of our generation. They simply do not publicize today’s serial killers’ in documentaries anymore — under the idea that ALL the publicity (especially the exposing of their “belief system”) will inspire copycats. We only have to look a few years back… to see the alarming pattern.

Dennis Rader: (known as the BTK killer) member of the Christ Lutheran Church. He was actually elected president of the church counsel.

David Berkowitz: (known as the Son of Sam killer) raised Jewish, converted to Catholicism at age 20 and then became a devote born-again Christian just before killing his first victim.

Jeffery Dahmer: a devote member of the Stone-Campbell sect of the Church of Christ. After decapitating and eating many of his victims, Dahmer still preached Christian dogma religiously to the people he didn’t kill. He even did so while he was incarcerated.

John Wayne Gacy: a devote Catholic who attended parochial school and seriously considered becoming a priest... before he raped and murdered at least 33 young men. Not to worry. He gave them ALL a good Christian burial in his basement.

Ted Bundy: baptized as a Mormon at the LDS Church in Salt Lake City. His name still remains on the Mormon roster.

 

[The Third One]

Charles Manson: knew the Bible cover-to-cover and would (while on acid trips) repeatedly reenact the crucifixion scene with his “Family,” who were ALL convinced that “Charlie” was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

Close to 90% of successful suicides and suicide attempts are committed by indoctrinated Christians or people who had recently been introduced to Paul-Inspired Christianity.

Suicide — the proactive approach to becoming a “non-ME.”

A Columbia University study on suicide attempts conducted at the New York State Psychiatric Institute (findings published in the November 1, 2017 edition of the PMC) found that suicide attempts were more common among depressed patients with a religious affiliation who attended church services frequently. Furthermore, gays and transgenders who undergo Conversion Therapy (Pray-the-Gay-AWAY) are eight times more likely to commit suicide than someone who is clinically depressed. (Wow. Now THAT is a staggering statistic.)

Perhaps, even worse, is the Christian with no indication whatsoever that there is any problem at ALL within their “Faith.” The bright-eyed, happy, Mature-Christian, who has somehow found an equilibrium within ALL of Paul’s madness — enabling a seemingly productive Life. Still, according to Jesus, without truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross, 100%, with no ifs ands or buts, this person is a “happy,” “mature,” “Christ-like,” “dead-to-self,” “Christ-in-Me,” Bible-Reading, joyfully tithing, elder-counseled, practically sinless but always confessing and continually repenting Slave of Sin. Never forget what Jesus says: “ANYONE who sins is a Slave of Sin.”

There is only one Way (and one Way alone) to sever the chains of Slavery to Sin. Truly accept what’s been done for YOU on the cross.

That is what sets YOU FREE. FREE-Indeed.

Put aside and forget the complicated Paul-Concept loaded with never-ending “ifs,” “ands” and “buts.”

The Jesus Concept is the model of pure simplicity. Take it. This needs to be said, again and again. ALL we need do is simply and truly TAKE (accept) what’s been done for us on the cross — 100% — with no “ifs,” “ands” or “buts.”


Romans 5:6 (KJV) “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”

Two points on the board for the Holy Spirit.

I don’t mean to seem like such a pessimist. If it’s any conciliation, almost ALL the Words of Romans, Chapters 2 and 3, are Holy Spirit inspired. There is a lot of GOOD in what Paul has written. The Holy Spirit even pushes through some of the darkest of Paul’s writing, allowing Paul to copyright the very best of the Good News — “PERFECT Grace” — at Romans 6:14.


Romans 5:7 (KJV) “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.”

Team Light gives this verse a thumbs up. Those who are not sick do not need a doctor. It is the sick who need a doctor.

Want to hear some REALLY GOOD news? Matthew 7:13 (Original Greek): “Wide is the gate and broad is the way leading to destruction and MANY are the ones entering through it.”

Why on earth would I say… that… is “GOOD news”?

Because, “many” is the exact same Word Jesus uses in his Mission-Statement, as well:

Mark 10:45 (NIV) “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a RANSOM for MANY.”

The MANY — to the person — on the road that leads to destruction, is the exact same MANY — to the person — Jesus came to RANSOM.


Romans 5:8 (KJV) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Six unanswered points in a row by Team Light! See? I’ll be the first to acknowledge it. There is GOOD in what Paul writes. Go Holy Spirit!


Romans 5:9 (KJV) “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

“Justified by his blood.”

We have already discussed the problem with, “Justified.”

“By his blood” is a far-fetched, religious metaphor. In Reality, we are FREED from our kidnapper by the RANSOM of Jesus. Again:

Mark 10:45 (NIV) “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a RANSOM for MANY.”

Today, the overall twenty-first century Church-Position on Mark 10:45 (directly above) actually disclaims the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, verse 45. That is correct. This “RANSOM” Jesus speaks of, was not literally a RANSOM at ALL.

Mark M. Mattison, a contemporary Christian author and “scholar of atonement” sums up the 21st century Church-View of RANSOM by claiming: “It (RANSOM) is merely a metaphor Jesus used to describe the significance and dramatic effect of his death.”

Really? It is Jesus’ use of the Word RANSOM that’s “merely a metaphor.” (LOL) Now, I’M laughing out loud.

With ALL due respect to Mark — (that’s Mark, the theological author of “RANSOM is merely a metaphor” not the biographical author of Mark 10:45 “I came not to be served, but to serve and to give my Life as a RANSOM for many”) — Mr. Mattison is reflecting the view of the modern-day pilot. Still, to claim Jesus’ use of the Word RANSOM as “merely a metaphor” is a predictably easy way out for a scholar to save face, while dismissing the total ignorance of the theological world around him.

Do the Church-Taught even know the difference between REALITY and METAPHOR anymore?

REALITY: Jesus came to RANSOM us out of bondage.

METAPHOR: “We are warshed in the blood.”

Wake up, folks. Being washed in the blood is not Reality. It is a metaphor. The “reality” of anyone being “washed in the blood” is exactly what is depicted to have happened to Carrie at the prom dance.

Bakers Evangelical Dictionary of Bible Theology defines the Word “RANSOM” as “The price or payment made for our redemption.”

 

[The Third One]

Did you catch that Typically-Christian definition? The very specific meaning of RANSOM has been wrapped up in a generic burial cloth and buried. Our “belief” system has replaced the very specific meaning of RANSOM by nonspecifically defining it to mean “price” or “payment.”

What KIND of a payment?

“Satisfaction.”

The modern-day affliction of the Age-Old-Church-Curse. Having killed the Jesus-Word, RANSOM, and having replaced it with the Church word, SATISFACTION.

The closest any Christian preacher ever gets to any specific kind of “payment” is to think of “the cross” as a SECOND MORTGAGE. Our sins and imperfections are a huge debt that we owe — one that Jesus assumes for us as a secondary mortgage holder. We assign our debt over to Jesus; and, then, brothers and sisters, we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work at paying him back.

This is ditch-babble. Swallowed hook, line and sinker by “the godly.” This is a falsehood. A complete twisting of the Truth. Jesus is very careful not to deprecate his RANSOM by calling it a LOAN:

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to GIVE his Life as a RANSOM on behalf of many.”

He is flat out GIVING his Life AS our RANSOM. No strings attached. No ifs, ands or buts.


Romans 5:10 (KJV) “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Before we truly accept what’s been done for us on the cross, we are enemies to our own self. Not enemies of God! No human being is powerful enough (nor empty enough) to be considered... a enemy of the Living God. It is laughable to consider MAN up to the task. The Living God of Light has the Dying God of Darkness to contend with — that’s a Formidable enough Adversary.


Romans 5:11 (KJV) “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

Said in typical religious-tone (from Paul’s headwork). But, thumbs up. Not enough for the Holy Spirit to have me get in a twist about it.


Romans 5:12 (KJV) “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

To say that “ALL have sinned” is at best, close to accurate. Outside of gaining PERFECT-Grace, it is not IMPOSSIBLE for an adult person Living under The Knowledge of Good & Evil to Live a completely sinless Life. Rather… it is astronomically unlikely. An anomaly.

Jesus mentions this very anomaly. According to Jesus, such folks have, “Found the way, leading to Life.”

Meaning?

There ARE adult people without sin, whom, by the strength of their own righteousness, have PERFECTION-DIY (Do-It-Yourself). But, let’s peruse the entire gambit.

Little children are the first obvious huge exception to the “all have sinned” rule. Carefully note, LITTLE children. For, they have no knowledge of Good & Evil. Human adult persons with “special needs” make the grade for the exact same reason. If a person (or any creature) has no reckoning of Good & Evil and, therefore, no sense of what is to be considered *right* and what is to be considered *wrong,* then that person is absolutely, incontrovertibly pure. There can be no greater definition of PERFECT innocence.

ALL to this person and ALL about this person is not merely *Good,* as a person who has The Knowledge of Good & Evil can perceive “Good” — but rather, VERY GOOD, as God perceives “Good.” And, ALL to this person and ALL about this person is not merely *right,* as a person who has The Knowledge of Good & Evil can perceive “right” — but VERY RIGHT, as God perceives “right.”

Having the *normal* functioning ability to intellectually reason is not necessarily the zenith of God’s human treasure. Consider the movie, Rain Man. The dismal joke played upon Charlie Babbitt in the matter of the disposition of his father’s will and testament leads us (the Good & Evil-Infected audience) into the wisdom of Charlie’s older brother, Raymond. Raymond Babbitt’s “malady” is revealed to us by his doctor, having diagnosed Raymond as an “autistic savant.” Raymond’s wisdom is revealed to us by Charlie, the *normal* brother (normally submerged in the Good & Evil-Mindset). Charlie screws on a smile of irony, saying, “He’s just inherited three million dollars, and he doesn’t understand the concept of money?”

Can we even imagine possessing a mindset entirely devoid of the concept of money? If we — the many — could really understand the truthfulness of such pureness (and if we also understood the importance of being truthful) we would be well on our way home.

It is us (the many) who are truly the “special need” people.

In special need of what?

In special need of finding our way home. In special need of changing the way we think. We are in special-need of embracing the wisdom Raymond already possesses. What a metanoeo. A change of mind in the general proximity of where Jesus’ head is at. Where owning three million dollars is as meaningless as owning a pile of paper.

“Verily, verily,” little children and us adults whom our society has come to identify as “people with special needs” are indeed the first exception to the "ALL have sinned" “rule.”

The next two exceptions to the rule are entirely Scriptural. Both categories, being Biblical examples of PERFECTION-DIY. The Pharisees, who were on their way to achieving PERFECTION-DIY, and the four Biblical icons who actually achieved it.

Bible Highlighter? Did you know... that there are four (4) Biblically documented, *normal*-intellectually-functioning, Good-&-Evil-Knowing adults (besides Jesus), who DO qualify in both heart AND deed by their own righteousness as having Lived PERFECT Lives? Well? As Jesus would say, “Verily, verily”... there ARE.

Here ya go. The List. The four men in Scripture (besides Jesus) who actually DID remain PERFECT (without sin) for ALL their Live-long days:

1) There is Noah, proclaimed “PERFECT in his generations.” (Genesis 6:9)

2) Job, proclaimed “PERFECT and upright.” (Job 1:1)

3) Daniel, guilty of PERFECTION by association — a Biblical fact. For, he is numbered on The (short) List) between Noah and Job:

Ezekiel 14:14 (KJV) “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God.”

Bible Highlighter? Do you fully understand what this inspired verse of Scripture (directly above) actually means? Up unto Ezekiel’s time (about 600BC), there are three human beings (3 men besides Jesus) who can stand before God and deliver their own souls by the measure of their own righteousness.

 

[The Third One]

Therefore, PRIOR to truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross, it is not impossible for an adult person Living under the burden of The Knowledge of Good & Evil to... HAVE NO SIN... (as Paul purports at Romans 5:12 and John seems to imply in 1 John 1:8). Rather… the chances are pretty slim.

Stop for a moment and consider how slim. An adult, come-of-age human, fully aware of the Knowledge of Good & Evil, Living a PERFECT Life? Remember what Jesus calls the possibility of such a thing:

“Constricted.”

That is precisely the Word Jesus uses in the original Greek. “Constricted.” Not merely “narrow” nor “slim” is the way that an adult, come-of-age human, Living under the burden of The Knowledge of Good & Evil can Live a PERFECT Life. According to Jesus, “Constricted is the way.”

From birth to death, out of ALL people, fully aware of The Knowledge of Good & Evil up unto Ezekiel’s time, only Noah, Job and Daniel are able to deliver their own souls based upon their own righteousness. Uh... that would be “the righteousness of God” — which is Scripturally assessed as...

PERFECT

Adam and Eve are not included. Although, one could argue, their innocence alone should qualify a verdict of PERFECTION for Adam and Eve in any GOOD court. Unfortunately, your honor, we have a signed confession. Adam and Eve (themselves) did not think so. They imagined something “wrong” about themselves. “Being naked” was THEIR self-indicted crime. Moses is not included. Not even Abraham — for Abraham’s PERFECTION was entirely God-Blessed upon him and not self-achieved. Even the prophet Ezekiel, authorized to tell us about “The List” (and a darn short one at that) is not on it himself.

Whom, then, could possibly be humanity’s fourth winning contestant?

1) John the Baptist. By Jesus’ proclamation:

Matthew 11:11 (KJV) “Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women (from Adam to John the Baptist) there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.”

That pretty-much qualifies John the Baptist’s addition onto “The List.” (Hands down, considering the source of his nomination alone). Actually, according to Jesus, John the Baptist gets the gold star out of ALL.

Why?

Because John’s amazing PERFECTION took place in our modern-day first century. Consider such an astronomical accomplishment. Things had already become difficult in Cain and Abel’s day (at least sixty centuries prior to John, by Christian Bible-math). Each ongoing generation, Living under the burden of The Knowledge of Good & Evil, makes it more and more improbable for ANY adult person Living in the next generation (inflicted with this prolific and extrapolating mental disease) to be PERFECT by his or her own righteousness.

Read the John the Baptist story. Take notice as to what John had to do in order to achieve first century PERFECTION. Not only did John cast AWAY any and ALL possessions (save for a primitive cloth and belt to cover his body). Most importantly, he quarantined himself AWAY from everyone else — everyone else still infected with the disease.

Yes, indeed, the Bible’s PERFECT-People List is a very short list, indeed. Out of ALL humanity. Precisely why Jesus says:

Matthew 7:14 (Original Greek) “Constricted is the way leading to Life, and few are those finding it.”

Careful of the newer translations that purport, “…only a few find it” or “…only a few ever find it.” The literal translation is “…few are those FINDING it.” Active present tense.

“Finding it.” Keep in mind, Jesus is nowhere near to dying on the cross for the sin of the world at this point on the Present Line. Jesus makes this statement at the beginning of his ministry. (Matthew 7:14) How could ANYONE prior to (or at) this moment in Time possibly be “FINDING the way leading to Life”? They couldn’t, according to Church-Taught dogma. Yet, according to Jesus (and holy Scripture) FOUR humans out of our adult population HAD.

If you have not already flushed Church-Taught dogma down the toilet, do so, so that you can answer this question. How is it possible, at THIS point in Jesus’ walk upon the earth (way before “the cross”) for three men in the Old Testament and one man (besides Jesus) in the New Testament to be “FINDING the way leading to Life”?

Only by scoring a “PERFECT” on the Self-Righteousness exam.

Consequently, for a man to achieve self-attained PERFECTION as the true description of his own righteousness, again, it is certainly not… impossible — as John seems to suggest in ALL practicality at 1 John 1:8 (in apparent agreement with Paul at Romans 5:12) — rather, in ALL Truthful Reality… it is astronomically unlikely.

Abraham is a great example for any and ALL true acceptors. For, in spite of ALL of Abraham’s “imperfections,” the Living God of Light told him to simply “Walk before Me and BE PERFECT.”

This is exactly how PERFECTION works for me. For you. For ALL of us — by truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross. It is my Father’s will that I stand before Him PERFECT. And, so, I do. Just like Abraham. In spite of ALL of what anyone else (especially Religion) could possibly say is displeasing about me to my GOD.

Truthfully, Abraham and I stand before the Living God of Light cleaner than Job and greater than John the Baptist. I neither glorify Abraham nor myself by stating this Truth. I am glorifying the Living God, Who MADE us PERFECT. Thus, I am FREE-Indeed to declare my PERFECTION to the world, for it is not Self-Earned-PERFECTION that I am proclaiming.

Whereas Job CANNOT declare his own PERFECTION. It must be declared FOR him by someone else. That is “the paradox” of Self-Earned-PERFECTION. Should Job “glorify himself” (by claiming his PERFECTION by his own strength), as those very words leave his lips, he has transgressed and, consequentially, is no longer PERFECT:

Job 9:20 (KJV) “If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am PERFECT, it shall also prove me perverse.”

No matter what you do or don’t do, you cannot see yourself anywhere near as PERFECT as the Living God of Light can make you see yourself PERFECT. Tell ’em, David:

2 Samuel 22:33 (KJV) “God is my strength and power: And he maketh my way PERFECT.”

God has given me, you (ALL of us) a powerful handle. A replacement-gift. So... let’s grab on to it, gain the strength of God and see ourselves as what we truly are:

PERFECT

 

[The Third One]

EVERYTHING God makes is PERFECT — or as God would say, “Very GOOD.” That should tell you something about “the Law.” It proves that “the Law” is NOT GOD-made. “The Law” is MAN-made:

Hebrews 7:19 (KJV) “For the law made nothing PERFECT, but the bringing in of a better hope did.”


Romans 5:13 (NLT) “Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.”

I’d say this is one of the most insightful things Paul has ever written. Clever and quite original. Kind of like saying: yes, trees fell in the forest before there ever was any sound; for, it was not counted as “sound,” because there was no one there to hear it.

Paul has these extremely close moments where he is on to understanding the Jesus Concept; specifically, the psychology of the destruction of sin. But, as is evident by the bulk his wittings, Paul never completely got it.

Would you like to learn a big secret? There is a PERFECTLY natural explanation for every single “supernatural miracle” reported throughout the entire Bible. A certain percentage of these events have to do with future-explainable physics (science… that we have yet to figure out) like reverse-gravity and time travel. Unfortunately, people yet to recognize and know the Living God “believe” that “miracles” are proof that God exists.

(Buzzer sound!) Wrong. “Miracles” are proof that ignorance exists.

Sorry, Virginia. Prior to 1945, 99.999999% of ALL humanity would have “believed” that an atomic explosion was a supernatural miracle. The majority of the Bible’s “miracles” are the product of something basic, human and down-to-earth. Mind over matter. It is truly amazing what a human mind — that truly KNOWS — can truly do. And, just like the mustard seed, we have a Savior who KNOWS.

The application of Jesus’ indestructible handle is easier than mind over matter. In the case of “sin” it is mind multiplying-the-power-of-what’s-been-done-for-us-on-the-cross over intangible naught. For, sin IS NOTHING. Always has been. Always will be.

In the interim, we humans have turned IT... into... something.

Pull out a sin and hold it out for me… so I can see it in your hand.

You cannot.

Why?

Because “sin” is entirely conceptual. Worse than conceptual, it is entirely relative. It differs from place to place, Religion to Religion, denomination to denomination and from one perspective to another. Intangible nothingness.

Under PERFECT-Grace, it becomes INCONSEQUENTIAL intangible nothingness.

Even if you “commit” anything that anyone else may consider a “sin,” before it has even been “committed” it is-no-more. For, it has already been taken AWAY. One must absolutely KNOW this to truly KNOW the FULL-POWER of truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross. And, most important for Paul-Students: KNOWING this, does not instill lawlessness. Just the opposite. For, once you truly KNOW that, for you, “the power of SIN” has been completely destroyed, sin becomes dead to you. And… tell 'em, Holy Spirit: The allure of sin diminishes equally with the power you give to sin. You give it no power — it has no allure.

Although Paul gets so close to understanding these Truths at times (and Romans 5:13 is definitely one of those times) Paul’s Pharisee teaching simply will not allow him to truly accept these Truths. One has to Live in this Life… for at least a little while… with a “True-Acceptor-Head” on your shoulders to KNOW these Truths. Because, AS a true acceptor, you ARE Living these Truths. One who is still Living as the Slave of Master Knowledge of Good & Evil might ask, “So we can just go ahead and sin ALL we want?”

No. Don’t be silly. As far as you and the Living God are concerned, there is not one single thing you can possibly do from here on out that could possibly be considered a sin. The act itself has been turned into nothing.

A transitional point of view might be: “Hmm. Kinda takes ALL the fun out of it.”

Precisely.

“Fun” being the juicy, alluring thrill of “sin.” What the Church loves to call... what?

“Temptation.”

We should plaster the Words of the Holy Spirit onto our T-Shirts already.

THE ALLURE OF SIN DIMINISHES EQUALLY
WITH THE POWER YOU GIVE TO SIN.
YOU GIVE IT NO POWER —
IT HAS NO ALLURE.​

In giving sin absolutely no power whatsoever, eventually (much sooner than later), one becomes forced to ask the obvious questions. What is the point in lying?

It makes much more sense for me to tell the Truth. What is the point in murdering?

It makes much more sense for me to save a Life than it does for me to take one. What is the point in doing anything to others I wouldn’t want done to myself?

It makes much more sense to do unto others exactly as I would have them do unto me.

Giving sin absolutely no power, whatsoever, changes one’s entire perspective. Jesus really means it. “Go and sin no more.”

Paul’s way of thinking: “Being able to do whatever we want with no consequences? Why, we’d have chaos, unbridled debauchery, rape, pillaging, war and murder in the street!”

No. Don’t be silly, Paul. That IS the status quo — exactly what we have right now. We had thousands of years of it BEFORE Christianity. We HAVE HAD IT through two thousand years OF Christianity. And, we STILL have it right now.

Perhaps Christianity is not the answer, brother Bible Highlighter. (Ya think?) Why not give the Jesus Concept a try for a couple hundred years and see how we do? PERFECT-Grace, truly accepted, pulls the plug on sin. Making it totally powerless.

Unfortunately, PERFECT-Grace has been diluted, deprecated and destroyed under the Church’s watch. We have had wars, beheadings and Church proclaimed saints burned at the stake, because of the Church.

Don’t ever forget Romans 6:15. Where Paul asks the exact same DARK question:

“What then, shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?”

Whatever inspired such a question?

Fear and faithlessness. NOTHINGNESS.

 

[The Third One]

Fear of what? “Fear” that PERFECT-Grace would give people an extra excuse to go running amuck sinning. And, “faithlessness.” That the power of what’s been done for us on the cross is not enough; therefore, it needs to be supplemented with something extra.


Romans 5:14 (NIV) “Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.”

The NIV rendering may be the best rational translation of this verse into comprehensible English. This is a tough verse to translate… without attempting some kind of a paraphrase (along with the language conversion) to make any sense of it.

As to whom is the “one to come” and, if that is supposed to be “Christ,” then why would Adam be “a pattern” of him? Does Paul mean, our “kind”… meaning, humanity itself?

I suppose one could get stoned and say, “Wow… that’s deep.”

Christian scholars fret and fumble and wane that Paul portrays Adam as a “type,” an Old Testament pre-figuration, of Christ.

Oooh! Doesn’t that sound intellectually theological!

In my humble, yet considered, opinion, Christians waste valuable time on these verses at Bible-Study, as if they were plucking manna out of the Holy Grail. Marveling over Paul’s words. Feeding. Consuming ALL the pretty colors in Picasso’s painting. Blindly popping Paul’s parcels into their pie-holes, one after another. Chewing in sacred deliberation. Then swallowing each morsel. Like eating M&Ms.

My Father in Heaven has never grabbed me by the ear (at least not yet anyway) at this verse, saying, “Hey, Colonel Slade (Pacino’s insightful, yet blind character in “Scent of a Woman”), yer missin’ something here!” Nor does the Holy Spirit have any problem with me seeing this verse (and many other nonsensical Paul verses) as coffee-house gibberish and of no prudent value whatsoever… with which to concern myself, in one way or another. I have no problem chalking this verse up to the babblings of Paul — babblings (in this case) that should have been made clearer by Paul, if indeed, Paul actually has something to say here. He obviously doesn’t, because, obviously, he didn’t say it.

As to the first part, for a “theological scholar” who writes about death as much as Paul does, Paul seems to know very little about it, evidenced by Paul’s many erroneous words about IT.

The only place Death “reigns” is in the Absolute of NOTHING. If Death were to have “reigned” here on earth, “from the time of Adam to the time of Moses,” there would be no Adam or Moses… nor anything in-between.

If you “believe” Paul is simply saying here that everyone died (from Adam to Moses), that is also Scripturally in error. Since the dawn of humankind, their have been fifteen human beings, who have been allowed to eat from the Tree of Life. Being a “Bible Highlighter,” Enoch and Elijah are good examples of two of these fifteen, of which you should be aware (within the Adam to Moses period), who simply never died.


Romans 5:15 (KJV) “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”

This is the beginning of Paul’s “one man/One Man” analogy — of which Paul is absolutely infatuated with himself about! This analogy has VERY LITTLE to do with REALITY. The idea of “Adam versus Christ” is entirely self-propelling — in that, it has everything to do with Paul, patting himself on the back, for coming up with such a “clever” analogy.

Mind you, there is no Scriptural precedent for any of this — well, unless you’d like to twist the Words of David and fabricate a Scriptural precedent. Paul is so pleased with himself for coming up with this analogy, he could go on and on, repeating himself, fifty different ways to Sunday. Paul spares us the fifty-Paul-Simon analogy-of-cleverness (“fifty ways to leave your lover”) and, instead, Paul of Tarsus limits himself (thank God) to only five different ways to Sunday… using the exact same analogy… to present… his Sunday-sermon.

This verse, 5:15 (along with the next four verses) say the exact same thing, five different ways.

This analogy-bombardment of Paul inspires Augustine to reduce (to print) his own dutiful-analogy — his own ecclesiastical-analysis… of Paul’s analogy… of Paul’s own analogy of Paul’s own analogy (and onward). What does a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, look like?

Eventually... nothing but a blurred image.

The blurred image that Augustine Neanderthalizes into… Christian-Thinking… is ecclesiastically called “Original Sin.” A falsehood which has plagued Christianity in irreversible foundational error for the last two thousand years (see posts #356 to #374). Irreversible outside of pushing the entire high-rise of… Christian-Thinking… explosively into the ocean… from the deep sand (ALL the problems of Paul)… in which its stilts (holding it up for 2000 years)… are driven into.

Actually, there is so much “Paul” and “Constantine” and “Augustine” error in Christian-Thinking, that the term, “Christian-Thinking,” is, in ALL fainess, a contradiction of terms. Much like “Army-Intelligence.”

Most of the horrible errors and falsehoods locked into Christianity are based upon Paul’s words — (certainly not Jesus’ Words). Much sooner than later, this tower of falsehood, as Jesus loves to say, will “fall with a mighty crash.”

Paul’s first version of his “one man/One Man” analogy (at Romans 5:15) is a good dose of convoluted hypocrisy: the “offense” of one, versus the “FREE gift” of “grace” to “many” which comes from “One.”

What’s been done for us on the cross IS a FREE gift.

However, it is an outright hypocritical “offense” to the ear for our brother, Paul, to call it a “FREE gift”; considering, (within the bulk of Paul’s writings to come) how much and how hard Paul proclaims a “believer” has to WORK for it!

 

[The Third One]

Granted, at this point in Paul’s writing, he is still trying to formulate a complete idea of what “grace” actually means to him.

It isn’t until Romans 6:14 — through the exclusive guidance of the Holy Spirit — that Paul completely understands what’s been done for us on the cross — PERFECT-Grace. And, once Paul completely understands it, he doesn’t want any part of it! Quite evident by his remedy/answer (Romans 6:16) to his problem/question (Romans 6:15), Paul is fearful to DEATH of PERFECT-Grace!

Paul crashes the PERFECT-Grace airplane at Romans 6:16. Boom!

He climbs out of the wreckage and gets to work at promoting his own doctored down version of “grace” — complete with a truckload of “ifs,” “ands” and “buts” and a laundry list of do’s and don’ts.

As for Paul’s JUDGMENT — his inference that Adam committed any kind of an “offense”? Well… to this day, that accusation remains totally UNFOUNDED.

We (a jury of Adam’s peers) sat for Adam’s trial (see posts #356 to #374). We found Adam PERFECTLY innocent of any “offense.” At the time of Adam’s alleged “crime,” we found Adam’s distinguishing capacity of determining what is to be considered “right” and what is to be considered “wrong” to be… less than that of a two-year-old child. And, although you may find it “offensive” to your own sensibilities, that a grown man was, at the time, childishly-stupid, childishly-forgetful, childishly-irresponsible and childishly-unsuspecting (when he bit into that fruit), we could not find Adam GUILTY, beyond a reasonable doubt, of any punishable… “OFFENSE.”

Furthermore — upon taking a very close look at Genesis in our new-found LIGHT — it was easy for us to see that GOD never found Adam GUILTY of any PUNISHABLE “OFFENSE,” either.


Romans 5:16 (KJV) “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.”

Truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross does not “justify” sin; rather, it eliminates sin. It takes sin completely… AWAY.

Besides, we, a jury of Adam’s peers (again, see posts #356 to #374), found Adam PERFECTLY innocent of any “sin.” So, what IS this cockamamie nonsense that PAUL is talking about? “One that sinned”?

Who is Paul to claim, “One that sinned”? Who is Paul to claim, “The judgment was by one to condemnation”?

Who’s “Judgment”? Who’s “Condemnation”? Clearly, this is Paul’s judgment. Certainly not the Living God’s judgment. Clearly, this is Paul’s condemnation. Certainly not the Living God’s condemnation.


Romans 5:17 (KJV) “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”

“Verily, verily,” as Jesus would say, if Paul had only stuck with the “abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness,” we’d be Living in totally different world of humanity right now. Undoubtedly, sporting a much better psychological version of humanity.

Paul is one chapter AWAY from short-changing grace and promoting self-righteousness.


Romans 5:18 (KJV) “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

Who is Paul to claim, “The offense of one”? Who is Paul to claim, “The judgment came upon ALL men to condemnation”?

Who’s accusation that an “offense” has been committed? Who’s “Judgment”? Who’s “Condemnation”? Clearly, this is Paul’s accusation that an “offense” has been committed. Certainly not the Living God’s accusation that an “offense” has been committed. Clearly, this is Paul’s judgment. Certainly not the Living God’s judgment. Clearly, this is Paul’s condemnation. Certainly not the Living God’s condemnation.

We, the jury, find the defendant, Adam, PERFECTLY innocent of any “sin” “offense,” “transgression,” “trespass,” “inequity” — whatever Paul would like to call IT.

In the glorious LIGHT of these TRUTHS (as one looks at the exact wording of Genesis), we (the same jury) find the Serpent to be the only one (of the three defendants) that the Living God actually PUNISHED.

The problems and tribulations awaiting Adam & Eve (and the rest of humanity) are simple CAUSE & EFFECT. NOT a single bit of it was “God’s PUNISHMENT.”

The Reality we now face IS the direct CAUSE & EFFECT of Adam & Eve, bringing The Knowledge of Good & Evil into Creation. The Reality we now face has nothing to do with “Original Sin” nor “God’s punishment.” (Again, see posts #356 to #374).

Cain committed the first Biblically document “sin.”

Hey Bible Highlighter, I will be very happy to pass the Holy Spirit’s thoughts on to you about Cain & Able, NEXT, if that sounds like something that is of any interest or concern to you. You’ve been asking some, good, honest questions, thus far. Pick a direction, (any direction) if you’d like, BH — since @VictoryinJesus is currently on sick leave.


Romans 5:19 (KJV) “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

It was impossible for Adam to “disobey” God.

It was impossible for Adam to know what “disobedience” is before he bit into The Knowledge of Good & Evil.

Even AFTER Adam bit into the fruit (and immediately invented a conscience), Adam still had no idea that he had “disobeyed” God. For, he hadn’t. It would be impossible for Adam (in Adam’s state of mind) to “disobey” his Father— for Adam and Eve had no conception whatsoever of “obedience” or “disobedience.”

Read the Scriptures. Adam and Even were NOT afraid and ashamed that they had… disobeyed… God. Adam and Eve were ONLY afraid and ashamed that they were “naked.”


Romans 5:20-21 (Multiple translation) “Moreover, the Ten Commandments entered into the world to make the offense of the sinner more obvious. However, wherever sin is increased, (PERFECT-Grace) increases ALL the more. That just as Sin reigned in death, so also (PERFECT-Grace) reigns in Life eternal through the (PERFECT RANSOM) of Jesus.”

Only Death reigns in death. Besides that one tiny slip of the pen (in verse 21… by Paul), these two verses (20 & 21) are ALL Holy Spirit. This IS the Holy Spirit, speaking loud and clear. The manmade idea of “Law” does nothing but increase the power of “Sin.”

However, the power of Sin is totally destroyed by the greater power of simply and truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross. The bigger the sin? Even bigger becomes the power of PERFECT-Grace.

Put AWAY your fairytales. Put AWAY your “beliefs.”

TRULY ACCEPT what’s been done for us on the cross, 100%, with no ifs, ands or buts.

Quit being a “believer,” struggling with sin — a Slave to Master Sin, forever.

Start being a true acceptor — and HAVE NO SIN forever. The psychological POWER of truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross is UNDEFEATABLE.

So, go ahead, accusers. Do your worst. The religious (pointing their stubby fingers). Or, the Desolate One himself. It is useless for any accuser to call anything within a true acceptor’s Life “sin.” There is no such thing as (the s-word) anymore in the true acceptor’s ENTIRE life. IT has simply been taken AWAY. No matter what the true acceptor has done or didn’t do. No matter what the true acceptor does or doesn’t do. It is PERFECT-Grace that reigns supreme throughout the true acceptor’s entire LIFE:

Romans 5:21 (KJV) “Through righteousness unto Eternal-LIFE by (truly accepting what’s been done for us on the cross).”

Got a little busy with some personal stuff. Sorry I missed my weekend deadline on Romans 5… by five hours and fifteen minutes.

Love and peace,

The Third One

 

[L.A.M.B.]

@The Third One

You are a shipwreck of faith looking to sink others in your distorted journey through the Word of God.

Not only is your own mind twisted by too many different ideas but you try to destroy the TRUTH of God's word.

You are not to be followed, for spiritual feds off spiritual, which you are not. Paganism, Gnosticism, Catholic, Mysticism ECT ECT. You are infected.

The only answer for you is to come to Jesus, repent and ask him to wipe you clean, for only he can.

This man is as Simon whom tried to purchase the Holy Spirit from the disciples........ only God can set this one straight !

 

[ScottA]

Although ScottA and the rest of "the Church" would disagree, we are NOT suffering from a spiritual problem.

"The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”​

We are suffering from a psychological problem.

Seems to be a regular theme with you. Hmmm.​

 

[The Third One]

@L3astAmOngManyB13ss3d,

Yeah, that’s right, honey (they say it’s best to talk sweetly and calmly and just simply agree with crazy people). That’s right, sister, I’m “looking to sink others in (my) distorted journey through the Word of God”… by continually pleading with you to truly accept what’s been done for us on the cross.

Right.

What happened, cheesy? Did you get bit too hard in the head by one of those snakes you’ve been handling over yonder at the Pentecostal get-together? Or are your eight demons, giving you extra suffering today? Hey -- extra suffering! Cheer up and gain “patience”! Having “sufferings and tribulations” is a *Good* thing, according to your father, Paul. I’d be willing to wager, it’s just as painful in there for each and every one of them (in that Box of yours) as it is for you. But, you already knew that, didn’t you? It’s no fun for a demon when you’re ALL pushed together on the same Team in there. Two millennium ago, those demons (you’re carrying around in you) absolutely loved trying to pervert Mary Magdalene. For, she happened to be walking with Jesus. You do remember, Jesus, don’t you? I guess not, since ALL you can do is quote your father, Paul.

“A shipwreck of faith!” huh?

That sounds so familiar. Yet, I’m pretty sure that phrase didn’t come out of Jesus’ mouth. Oh, yeah! That’s right. It came out of your father, Paul’s mouth, whenever anyone disagreed with him. Your father, Paul would tell them that their “faith was shipwrecked.” Then… your father, Paul would fire up the Dark-Mass-Barbeque-Grill and feed their “dissension-spewing” flesh to the Desolate One. Thanks for reminding me, cheesy. I almost forgot about that one. How about that one?

How about excommunicating sinners and then “turning their flesh over to Satan”? One such soul, we are told, was a man who was Living with his father’s wife:

1 Corinthians 5:3-5 (ESV) (Your father, Paul says) “I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are ALL assembled and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.”

No, this is not a Saturday Night Live skit. This is you father, Rocky/Paul, addressing his Church. Thus, we are to understand... THIS is part of your father, Paul’s “salvation” process? Turning church members over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh?

What? Is your church not practicing this “sacrament” as part of your “faith”?

You aren’t?

Why not? This is your Infallible-father-Paul, setting his *Good* example for you. Maybe you should suggest this practice be made part of your church’s next snake-handling session, or part of the High Mass over at the Church of the Immaculate Conception or the grand finale down at the Nine-O’clock Sunday Service held at the First Baptist Church of Bugtussle… and see what your priest or senior pastor says?

Your father, Paul says that you are to… Cleanse yourselves from ALL of this riff-raff meandering among your church congregation!

Actually, a Dark Mass would be a more suitable and appropriate venue. The kind where you start by knifing a pentagram into the alter.

Any person not familiar with Paul’s writings would surely think I must be making this stuff up. I am not. And, it is not like this was some kind of a one-time deal where Paul just went bananas for a moment and then finally came to his *Good* senses. No. This is one of your father, Rocky/Paul’s, ongoing practices. We know this, because he writes about it, yet again, at 1 Timothy 1:20. This time Hymenaeus and Alexander are his victims. Both of them “believers.” Your father, Paul simply judged them as being “shipwrecked” in the “faith” department. No doubt, Hymenaeus and Alexander must have disagreed with some part of “the sacred gospel” of your father, Rocky/Paul:

“Dissensions! Dissensions!” You tell ’em, Rock. (LOL)

Wow! Paul, judging anyone as being “shipwrecked” in the “faith” department. Our Savior would have a field-day with this type of abject hypocrisy. Jesus would expose your father, Paul’s Bad News much better than I ever could — as Jesus constantly did, effortlessly, with ALL Bad News Pharisee-Extremists. “Shipwrecked”? As if Paul has some kind of a firm grip on the wheel of the schooner. Geeez!

What of this man “Living with his father’s wife” whom your father, Paul instructed the faithful to “turn over to Satan”? We do not even know if this man was married to the woman or not, or whether the man’s father was still alive or not, or whether the father’s son was simply giving the woman shelter. You see, a good (non-Pharisee) Jewish son was expected to take his father’s widow into his house and care for her, as if she were his own.

But, what would your father, Paul know about taking care of widows? Women were not your father, Paul’s cup of tea (to say the least). Jesus clearly revealed what a Pharisee-Extremist knows about widows. How to cheat them out of their homes. As opposed to providing one for them.

Your father, Paul’s Pentecostal-Church, claims that: “Paul restored the man living with his father’s wife to fellowship!”

We have no way of knowing whether that was the same man or not. That dude could have been some other poor soul your father, Paul was feeding to the Desolate One. And, what then, of Hymenaeus and Alexander? Where is their Paul-Restoration?

As to the most important question concerning this devilment; always, you Paul-Followers have no answer. Why are YOU not practicing this “sacred” ritual? Your father, Paul tells you, flat out, that you are to drive the wicked person from your church congregation:

1 Corinthians 5:13 (HIV) “God will judge those outside (the Church). Expel the wicked person from among you!”

What about it, ALL you followers of Paul? Why are you not following your father, Paul’s *Good* instruction?

The answer is obvious.

Because if the Christian Church DID throw every sinner out of the Christian Church, there would not be one person left in the Christian Church — clergy included. Your house would be left to you desolate. Most important to your house? Your collection basket would be left to you... desolate.

Hang in there, kiddo. The Living God will eventually bring you into real…

…love and peace,

The Third One

 

[The Third One]

@ScottA,

Perhaps you are in agreement. As I wrote... deep down, in the God-Created core of what we truly ARE, "we are NOT suffering from a spiritual problem." Glad to see someone else (besides myself) quoting Jesus around here. "The spirit IS willing."