A metaphysical interpretation of 1 John 3:9-10 by Matthew Michaud

(1 John 3:9,10) Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this are the children of God manifest ........

Another verse underneath says; everyone who loves is born of God and knows him. To be born of God would be in one way to wake up from the lie of who you thought and have been told you are (a sinner and an individual seperate from others and God), and to come to the realization that you are "the image of God" "Christ in you the hope of glory".

You are an extention of the Father who is love; therefore his Love for all humanity is who you and I are. Yet we are not seperated in this, rather we are one (connected). When you find that you are "Love", you can then understand why you cannot sin. 

Before this we all feel condemned, guilty, and ashamed. Yet when you see that you are who you are (the true you "love"), then you also see that who was leading you was actually not really you but none other than the carnal thinking which believes the outward lies it sees and what it has heard over the years. That's what forms this false image and identity which we all at first embrace. Until we see that is not us and embrace we are what God has called us. 

Sin from what I know is not your actions as much as it is of, mising the mark, falling short of the glory. That would simply be us forgetting who we really are and embracing a lie. So how can one sin when he knows that sin is only another name for "forgetting that you are the body of Christ" who was with God before man was ever formed. The Holy Spirit is bringing all things to our memeory and renewing our true idenity to our minds. 

When sin is revealed for what it is or who it is (the created ego/opposer of God) and we see we are not him, the love that we are (our true identity), will cover a multitude of sins... [multidude - the many false identity's/ego's which are created lies and illusions. New Covenent is God remembers no more an illusion. We are his only begotten Son, as many members but one Son. He loved so much he gave his love in the form of us to each other.....

Another thought that came that is interestning is; Sin = just simply a lie in your mind that you are an individual apart from God, alienated from God but only in your mind/thoughts. That would drive an anxious mind to become god for himself. That would be living in an illusion where the mind is now a law creator, judge, and then condemner. 

The whole time we are sleeping to the true us. He gives the laws "good/evil" based on illusions he sees and misinterpets, lusts for them, then accuses you of being him. It is a cycle to keep you blind, absorbed, and desending into a lie (the carnal mind), to keep you hidden in him and thinking you are him. He is Sin, so sin would be to think we are him rather than us "Christ"...

- Matthew Michaud

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Yes, to be born of God isn't the same as "to become a christian", unlike what mainstream christianity teaches. I agree it is to awaken to the truth of who we are - we are already children of God - and once we realise our true identity, it is impossible for us to "sin" (or to forget our true identity anymore). In fact, that verse was addressed to the Jews, so it would make sense to them in their context because they were still under a religious system (since "sin" is a religious concept and doesn't exist in reality). We know that we live after the religious law system was made obsolete in AD70, so the concept of "sin" doesn't apply to us anyway, but nevertheless it is good to understand John's gospel in the light of our identity. :)

The proverbial lake of fire

What do we make of verses from the Bible such as:

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:" (Matthew 25:41)

and 

"The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Revelation 20:10)

An angel from heaven is like a messenger of thought from our consciousness. Some thoughts need to be refined in the proverbial lake of fire to be cleansed from self-righteousness so that they no longer have the power to condemn and accuse us, when they are transformed into loving thoughts of unity and peace. How good it is to learn to accept ourselves and love ourselves the way we are when we are free from the illusion of separation. We are made in Love's image and are worthy of unconditional and unbridled love. Knowing this will cause us to love ourselves and others without discrimination. "All love is self-love and all hate is self-hate". :)

Christ our true self and identity saves us from the illusion of separation, and renews our mind to see we are one with God (who is also ourselves), thus reconciling us to ourselves and ending the conflicts within us. We will experience inner peace, which will emanate as outer peace and positive vibrations to the rest of the world. When the world awakens to who they really are - knowing they are perfect, complete, beautiful and beloved, there will be peace and unity and harmony.

Personal devotional thoughts (July 2010)

There is nothing more fulfilling than being preoccupied with the knowledge of Christ (who is our true identity) in all His fullness.

God (our highest self) is love and love keeps no records of wrongs, and love never fails.

Thank You Lord (our higher consciousness and our true self), for Your lovingkindness is better than life.

Faith is having a good opinion of God (who is our highest self, who takes care of even the minutest detail in our lives).

Give thanks in everything because of His grace and our worth (our original design and value).

Rest in the Lord (our higher consciousness) and wait patiently for Him.

Jesus (our true identity) is in the present (I Am). Peace and joy is found in encountering Him in the simplest things in life. :)

God's presence is found in the present.

Focus on living in the present, for He (our love consciousness) takes care of the future.

We experience life and victory when we focus on Jesus (our true identity) and meditate on His goodness and love.

The more we know Jesus (our true identity who is beloved and complete), the more grace and peace is multiplied in our lives.

Righteousness is not based on what we do. Righteousness (or innocence) is based on who we are because Christ (our true origin and identity) is our righteousness (and innocence).

We are all complete in Christ and the beloved of the Father (our highest self).

As Jesus is, so are we in this world. See eveyone through His eyes of love and wisdom.

A life of being under grace is a life of thanksgiving for God's constant supply (within us).

As Jesus is healthy and strong and favoured, so are we in this world, and the Holy Spirit (our inner witness in our heart) bears witness with the truth.

Every time we worship God (our true self - feeling good about who we are), we are redeeming the time.

As our days, so shall our strength and rest be. Every day, we are growing stronger, healthier and more youthful. :)

My nuggets of encouragement (Jun 2010)

Bring out the best in people by sowing seeds of encouragement.

Focus on being restful and God will take care of the increase.

Focus on what's right and bring out the best in people.

Resurrection is simply remembering who you are and forgetting who you aren't. (From Carlton Pearson's "God is not a Christian) You are a child of God who is with you, in you and as you. It's Christ consciousness.

Christ and the church - what God has joined together let no man separate. :)

See everyone as beautiful because that is how God sees us. He made us beautiful in His image.

God likes to outdo Himself. He wants to show His favour in your life in greater ways today than yesterday.

Sin is just a religious concept

Sin is just a religious concept. The reason people come up with the idea of "sin" is because they attach certain ideals and moral values to their own religion (whether be it christianity or judaism or islam, etc). The moment they do that, they become aware that they fall short of their own ideals or standards, which they attribute as "sin".

Thus, the very attempt to meet a certain criterion that they created in their own religion condemns them to failure because of their sheer humanness. After all, who can consistently keep doing "right" or thinking "right" or believing "right" every second, every minute, every hour? But oh, they keep on trying, thinking that one day they might become righteous or remain righteous. Some may think they have arrived. Some may think they may never arrive. So, who is right and who is wrong?

My answer is: Be done away with religion, and there will be no need for any self-imposed condemnation when one thinks one fails to meet the criteria, nor will there be any self-exaltation when one thinks one manages to meet the criteria, nor will there be any sense of condescension towards others when one thinks others have not managed to perform as well as one does. Without religion, there will be no sin issue. The only thing left is our identity as Love and Perfection, which remains unchanged regardless of our actions or belief systems.

Cat soothing crying baby to sleep (Video)

Here's an amazing video clip I watched just now.

Someone commented in youtube: "Cat/animals are awesome and could help us re-member who we really are. Love this video." I think it's amazing this cat exhibits a kind heart and intelligent mind.

We are powerful and glorious beyond measure

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

– Marianne Williamson

Enjoy the little things in life

What faith really is to people

Live Laugh Love

Don’t speak to me about your religion; first show it to me in how you treat other people. Don't tell me how much you love your God; show me in how much you love all his children. Don't preach to me your passion for your faith; teach me through your compassion for your neighbors. In the end, I'm not as interested in what you have to tell or sell as I am in how you choose to live and give....Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey

Uniqueness in each snowflake

You are so loved, this is the truth

"I give you thanks, Oh Lord, for the uniqueness in each snowflake - just like the uniqueness in each of us."

We are an inspiration

You are so loved, this is the truth

We inspire one another, we love so much that our hearts can hardly contain it, it's that bubbling sensation that we try to ignore, or push aside, or tell ourselves that we are not worthy to have....don't resist, embrace it with all that you have and all that you are, embrace the LOVE and just see how YOU SHINE!!!! ~ ♥ kim

We are all connected in love

You are so loved, this is the truth

We are all connected!! What you feel, I feel....what hurts you, hurts me....what brings you joy, brings me joy....and what LOVE is in you is in me too!!! You never have to feel alone, you never have to feel out of place, and you never ever have to feel you're not loved, because, YOU ARE SO LOVED!!! HUGS ♥ kim

Love and hate is a reflection of ourselves

You are so loved, this is the truth

Those who say they hate you, really don't hate YOU....it's the reflection they see in you of the Love they feel they lack....pray for them, send them Love and in doing so, you'll be helping them to Love them selves to cancel out the hate....HUGS ♥ kim

Every day is a new beginning

Positive Vibrations

To believe is to know that
every day is a new beginning.
Is to trust that miracles happen,
and dreams really do come true.
To believe is to know
we are not alone,
That life is a gift
and this is our time to cherish it.
To believe is to know
that wonderful surprises are just
waiting to happen,
And all our hopes and dreams are within reach.
If only we believe.

||B.J. Morbitzer||
Have a Blessed Day. ~Ross

Knowing the fullness of God’s love and Debunking the myth of hell (Video transcript) – Part 1 of 2

I have decided to transcribe my message about the fullness of God's love and the myth of hell that I shared in a video in January 2011 so that it can be read at any time. Besides, I don't exactly speak in Queen's English, so my video might not have appealed to as many people as I would have liked to. Here is the transcript for the first half of the message. I have added subheadings where appropriate to summarise the main points in my flow of thoughts. Enjoy. :)

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Hello, I’m here to share the good news, and the good news of Christ is something that we need to hear again and again every day – we need to renew our minds, if we can.

Sometimes, faith comes by hearing. Sometimes, faith comes by reminding ourselves, wherever we are, because we are living in a world where there are condemning voices around us, if not from our own conscience, it can be from other people, whether we know them well or not. Sometimes, intentionally or unintentionally, the way they treat us, the way they say something to us, we may all feel a sense of condemnation, or a sense of being judged. But that is life; that’s how life on earth is.

Maybe as children, we were not so conscious of that, but as we grew up, we all tend to be more sensitive and more conscious of how other people perceive us. It may come as early as in our early teens, or in fact, children can be very sensitive towards that. And of course, when we were very young, when we were still babies, we probably were not that conscious because all babies probably have only two fears to begin with – the fear of falling down and the fear of being abandoned. But all other fears are learnt, as some psychologists might observe.

The Good News is about the Love of God

So, as we grow up in this life, we all need to have a sense of acceptance, a sense of being cared for, because after all, God created us to be loved. Out of that love, can we love ourselves and love other people. So, it all starts with God. We can’t start with ourselves, no matter how much we try to psych ourselves, or how much we try to meditate, or refer to self-help books. But these only are temporary solutions.

There is a deeper need in us, in every one of us, that God created heart-shaped vacuum within us that can only be filled and satisfied with the love of God. The good news is really about the love of God, and that love is really beyond our understanding or human knowledge, that Paul said that we might know the love of Christ – the length, the depth, the height, the width – that passes knowledge. That love is something that our human knowledge cannot grasp fully without the help of the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit has been poured upon our heart to know the love of God. And we need the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth regarding how much God loves us.

Questioning the traditional concept of hell

Mainstream Christianity or traditional Christianity has made it seem like God loves everyone BUT… There is always a “but” at the end. For example, those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ, they will be seen as forfeiting the love of God, and the ultimate consequence for rejecting that love of God by not believing in Jesus Christ would be to end up in a place called “hell” or “the lake of fire” in the book of Revelation, but is that really the truth?

Because as we think about the love of God that transcends understanding, the love of God that passes all knowledge, would it be possible that such a loving God would want, or would allow, or would even create a whole time frame where finally all those people who have not believed in Christ, or have not heard the gospel therefore they did not have the chance to believe in Christ, would end up in a place called the lake of fire where they would be tormented day and night forever and ever? Is that really the truth? But most areas, most aspects, most parts of the mainstream Christianity seem to subscribe to that kind of teaching, even grace-based church.

So, I want to address that because that is something that has to be… The false doctrine will always hold people in bondage. This kind of teaching, the “turn or burn” kind of doctrine – “believe in Jesus or you will burn in hell” kind of teaching – will always turn other people away, whether believers or non-believers because even some believers will still question, “Oh, maybe there are some parts of the Bible I don’t think is right, but because I’m a Christian, I’d better believe, or else, just in case kind of thing.” Maybe their church elders may tell them “Well, if you don’t believe in hell, then it means you are not really a Christian.” That kind of thing only holds people in bondage.

Do we dare to rock the boat of Christianity?

So, we are here actually, each one of us is born free. Ultimately, we all do not like to be held in bondage in some ways. So, sometimes, we may believe a lie because our pastor tells us so, or we don’t want to question too much, we don’t want to rock the boat, and we are simply satisfied to be just Christians and believe that “Oh, we are saved, therefore I don’t have to bother about that, because anyway I am going to heaven, and I really don’t have to find out more for myself, so that I can share the good news in a more accurate way with others, and whether others believe in Jesus, I don’t care. They can end up in hell for all they want.”

But that kind of belies a certain self-righteous attitude no matter how much we try to excuse ourselves because I came from that kind of position before. I was self-righteous. I came to realise that God’s love is much more than that. If I were to just ignore this set of doctrine, ignore this false teaching on hell, and just live my life like any other Christian in the evangelical or mainstream circle, I would actually be forfeiting myself of knowing… I would be robbing myself of the full benefits of knowing the fullness of the love of God. And that includes whether God would really allow, or would really want, or would really have in His plan of salvation where some people will ultimately end up in the lake of fire to be tormented forever and ever.

So, how can we reconcile the fact that God is loving, and on the other hand, God, or rather we always say “Other people send themselves to hell by rejecting Jesus Christ?” So, what is hell like? And some people may say, “Well, I leave it to God, you know? Let God do what is just. Some people just don’t believe in Jesus Christ. Well, if that’s so, Lord, let God do what He wants. Maybe it’s torture. Maybe it’s torment in the sense of… whatever it means. Because some may say they are physically resurrected and then they will feel the pain or feel the suffering, and the Bible talks about worms and all that.”

The symbolic language of the Bible

But is that really the truth because the Bible is full of symbolic knowledge? And the book of Revelation is actually full of symbolism using the Jewish apocalyptic language, which unless we are familiar with the Old Testament symbolism, we would tend to misinterpret, and I have done that before. But we are here to know the truth because the truth will always set people free – free from religion, free from condemnation, free from fear, free from whatever that holds people in bondage in some ways that deny them the freedom, the peace of mind that they will feel at any point of time, not just when they are about to die, but any point of time, they may feel a sense of alienation or abandonment or being fearful that God will judge them if something goes wrong in their lives, so we have to settle this once and for all.

So this question of whether hell exists or whether hell is true or what does hell really mean – it does not just apply to when somebody is saved; it applies to even believers today because it will really affect what we believe in about our God – the God that we believe in. Is He the God of Christians only or is He the God of everybody?

What salvation really means

And someone might say, “Well, are you saying that everyone will go to heaven without believing in Jesus?” That is another erroneous question; it’s not even a scriptural question to start with because salvation is not about going to heaven; salvation is about having your spirit, soul and body made whole in every way. The word for “soteria” – that’s the Greek word for “salvation” – it means preservation, health, wholeness, prosperity, deliverance, protection from all dangers, deliverance from every evil in our lives, from lack, from any kind of addiction. So, it’s an all-encompassing word “salvation”. It is not “Oh, one day, we go to heaven.” That is actually the wrong question to start with.

But unfortunately, even in the evangelical world, even in the grace-based churches, “salvation” has that kind of connotation that “oh, you are saved from hell”. But no, it is not that. Yes, we use the Bible as our standard. Yes, we have the Bible… Someone called it the “word of God”, and I don’t want to go into that because the word of God ultimately is Jesus Christ, who is the Living Word. The Bible - we should not take it literally or else it becomes the “letter” that “kills”.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3 that “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” and he said the letter is simply when we take the Bible literally, it’s like using it as the law to tell people do’s and don’ts, and that stems from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and that is actually bringing condemnation into people’s lives, like you tell them “you have to do this in order to become something”. But the truth of the gospel is that we are already something – we are made in God’s image. There is nothing that we can do to change our identity.

So Jesus came to actually reveal (to) us that identity that has already been all this while, to cause us to remember, to wake up from our amnesia that we are already one with God, and we are made in His image. He has restored (to) us the glory and honour that Adam and Eve used to have. So that is actually the salvation that Jesus has come to give us in our spirit, soul and body.

When we believe the gospel, we will benefit from that. We will enjoy the benefits of salvation in this life. We know our sins are forgiven. And that is another question, I mean, another topic altogether because “sin” is actually referring to, or rather it applies to those who lived in the Old Testament times. They were under the law; therefore, sin was imputed to them. But we are not under the law in the first place because we Gentiles live after AD70, after the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, which actually signified the end of the old covenant age.

So we are actually living in the new covenant age, which is also called “the new heavens and new earth” in the last book, in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible – the book of Revelation. So now that we are living in the new covenant age, there is actually no “sin” issue. If you want to talk about “sin”, sin is only a matter of the ignorance of God’s love. Sin is called “missing the mark” or “falling short of the mark”.

So, if you want to talk about sin, the Lamb of God has come to take away the sin of the world. Well, in the Jewish context, it is actually taking away the sin of unbelief, and the sin of not knowing who they are. So, for Gentiles, you can still say the sin of unbelief, but He has taken away that. And even if we don’t believe, God still sees us righteous because 2 Corinthians 5:19 says that God in Christ has reconciled the world to Himself. So we are all reconciled, as far as God is concerned, He no more sees any sinner any more.

It is not as if you say some magic words, and say “Oh, Jesus is my Lord and Saviour”, and then God changes His mind about you. No, what and whether you believe that Jesus is your Saviour or not does not change God’s mind about you. God has already made up His mind that He has loved you with an everlasting love and He has always seen you as His children. It is up to you to believe that. When you believe, of course you benefit from that. If you don’t believe, the truth is still that God sees you as His children.

When you die, whether you believe or don’t believe in Jesus, you will still be with God because the last chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes says when a person dies, his spirit goes back to be with God who gave it. So we will all still be with God forever.

So it is a matter of “now”, here in this life. Salvation is for this life; it is not for one day when we die. I think I covered that in my previous video.

Life has swallowed up death

 I was reading and chewing on this article "Is Death An Illusion? Evidence Suggests Death Isn’t the End" by Robert Lanza.

It is interesting to know that death does not exist in a timeless, spaceless world. It reminds me of Revelation that says both death and hades (ignorance of our true identity) have been cast into the lake of fire (metaphorically - defeated by Jesus' finished work at the cross through death and resurrection). I think it is true that in a sense, physical death is an illusion, just as its counterpart - physical life - is an illusion. As the article noted, "reality is a process that involves your consciousness". I think that is one reason Jesus came to earth - not only to restore to us a sense of our true identity as God's beloved sons and daughters, but also to deliver us from the fear of death - that is, by removing the illusion of death from our consciousness.

"O death, where is your sting? O hades (ignorance), where is your victory? The sting of death is sin (illusion about our identity), and the strength of sin (illusion) is the law (doing in order to become). But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

As we learnt earlier from the post about our true identity, "sin" can be seen as having an illusion about ourselves, or having a false external identity attached to the physical realm. Our physical body is part of the physical realm, so our true identity isn't attached to our physical body. So when our physical body dies, our true identity does not die. Our true identity continues to live.

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."

I believe Jesus' words are meant to be metaphorical, or else He was contradicting himself by saying a person "may die" and "shall never die". How can a person "die" and "never die" at the same time? To me, to live means to live in the consciousness of our true identity. When we are conscious of our true identity and origin in Him, we will never experience a sense of condemnation (a form of death).

"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood (symbolic of the physical realm of time and space and materiality), He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

I think this shows that once upon a time, the devil (or false ego) had the power of death, which came from the illusion that death was the finality of life. But that was just a lie. Death is only an illusion, therefore the psalmist called death a "shadow", not the real thing.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow (illusion) of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me"

So the bottomline to me is: There is life that has swallowed up death, as it is written "Death is swallowed up in victory". It is important for the knowledge of the truth of the gospel be made known, so that people will not despair over "death". Thanks to quantum science and biocentrism, science is now supporting the gospel of grace and peace as well.

Paul wrote: "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

I understand it as saying to live is to live in the consciousness of our true identity, and to die is to depart from this earthly realm with the knowledge that our true identity never dies. Our consciousness or spirit continues to live on - as Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, our spirit goes back to God who gave it.

I also noticed that in the Old Testament, people would mourn for those who died because back then, they did not have the revelation of their true identity, for Jesus has not yet come to show them who they are. They probably thought their loved ones would stay dead and would only rise again one day in future. That was what Martha and Mary thought too, when their brother Lazarus died of sickness. But Jesus said to Martha that He is the resurrection and the life. I believe the present moment is where we experience the resurrection and the life - the "I am" - our true identity who never dies.

Paul wrote in the New Testament: "And I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, that ye may not sorrow, as also the rest who have not hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also God those asleep through Jesus he will bring with him,"

I believe this was written in the context of the spiritual awakening that would take place en masse in AD70. Our hope in awakening to our true identity is in Christ.

Today, people mourn over the passing away of their loved ones during funerals and I think there is a place for mourning over the physical loss of a person. After all, Paul also exhorted us to "rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep". Life and death - even though they are illusions - is a process we all go through on earth in time and space. We express love and kindness through relating with one another in happy times and sad times. Jesus Himself - even though He knows perfectly the reality behind the illusion of death - still chooses to relate to us in our daily struggles and challenges, for "we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tested/tempted as we are, yet without sin (without illusion of His own true identity)."

We learnt that Jesus kept Himself in the consciousness that He is the beloved of the Father, in whom He was well pleased, which gave Him strength to carry on, and having experienced sufferings Himself, He uses His knowledge to relate to our sufferings, and His strength to help us deal with our personal challenges. I think that speaks of His self-sacrificial love.

"For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted/tested, He is able to aid those who are tempted/tested"

So in a sense, we are all Christs living on earth today. Having been awakened to the truth of our true identity, we are able to help others who have yet to receive the revelation of their true identity, and sometimes when we forget who we really are, others help us in our weaknesses too. I think it is a beautiful picture of our oneness and interrelatedness where we all experience love through helping and supporting one another in times of need.

Reflections on "Ending Judgment" Teleclass by Rikka Zimmerman

The above video has an encouraging message to remind everyone to accept ourselves wholly and not entertain any voice of judgment or condemnation in our minds or from any other source.

It offers a therapy workshop at the end of the video which is probably similar to the gospel of grace, except that it doesn't use christian lingo. I think we can also simply remind ourselves and arm ourselves with the truth that we are created to be loved and beautiful. After all, God created everything good, and God created us VERY good. We are made in Love's image. As Jesus is perfect and complete, and beautiful and blameless, so are we in this world.

We can be set free from condemning voices in the past - from family members and relatives, from workplaces, from religious circles, from our own past thought life that used to be performance-oriented. We are fine the way we are - we need not feel guilty or pressurised by the world system about having to do anything or be anything to prove ourselves. We are already valuable, already priceless, already favoured.

I believe that this revelation, when meditated on regularly, will keep any form of stress or anxiety far from us. Yes, in Righteousness (or Innocence), we shall be established, and we shall be far from oppression. We shall prosper in all things and be in health, even as our soul prospers.

Furthermore, if the truth be known, I believe that the so-called "judgment of God" and "wrath of God" in the Bible is nothing more than a projection of our judgment mentality that we once heaped upon ourselves before we came to the realisation that we are one with God and there is no separation between us and God who is Love.

Is our true identity defined by our belief system?

 My take on the issue of “christianity versus atheism” especially in the West is that the kind of christianity propagated by the instititional church systems tends to be the legalistic kind that heaps guilt and fear upon people. It is no wonder many people are shunning the christian religion and embracing atheism, thinking that atheism is the epitome of life, or the panacea to all the problems that are perceived to have been caused by the fundamentalist christian beliefs. Yet atheism in the West tends to take another extreme form, in that it is seen as a platform to actively oppose christianity. So this becomes an “us” versus “them” mentality for both the fundamentalist christian camps and the atheist camps.

I do think there can be a balance, which can be achieved by not subscribing to any form of label or outward identity to ourselves or others based on what we believe. After all, “atheism” and “christianity” are only different schools of thought, just like hinduism, taoism, buddhism and so on.

To be attached to a label can cause us to be tossed to and fro because our belief systems change every now and then – we are all constantly evolving over time as and when new revelations or circumstances pop up, and we keep revising our belief systems. So I think it is probably best to see ourselves and others as human beings, regardless of belief system.

When I look at a newborn baby for example, I don’t find myself trying to find out whether the baby is an atheist or a christian or a buddhist. We all want to hug and care for the baby simply because a baby is a baby who needs love and care. A baby doesn’t know whether he/she is an atheist or christian too, because a baby only knows how to just be a baby. Similarly, when we grow up, even though we may develop some schools of thought along the way, we remain a “baby”, so to speak – or more accurately, we remain a “human being”. I think this identity as a human being is something that does not change over time, even as our thinking changes and evolves.

This is something that the poem “Awake” touches on too. It helps people awaken and remember who we really are – we are not defined by our beliefs (or lack of beliefs) – we are simply who we are by birth and by our original design.

An imaginary conversation about "Who Am I?"

What happens when we try to define ourselves not based on our original design and blueprint but based on our belief system? We may find ourselves proclaiming we are christians one day, and then atheists another day, and then buddhists some other day. Some of us may describe ourselves like this: "Once I was a buddhist when I was young, then I grew up and became a christian. But after some time, I decided to become an atheist. I call myself an ex-christian and ex-buddhist. Now I am thinking of embracing mysticism or agapethism."

Even for those who subscribe to a mainstream belief system, we can see or imagine a conversation that goes like this:

A: I decided to become a christian when I attended a church camp in my teenage years.
B: Really? So what denomination are you?
A: Well, I started off as a conservative baptist christian. I believed the Bible is inerrant (nevermind the translation errors) and Jesus will return literally.
B: Interesting. What happened after that?
A: Then, some guest minister came and preached about the baptism of the holy spirit. I thought it was cool, so I decided to become a charismatic christian and I spoke in tongues regularly.
B: Cool. And then what happened?
A: Then later, some human rights activists were decrying the spiritual abuse and condemnation caused by organised religion. It got me thinking about the church creed, and I questioned about the doctrines of hell. I came to the conclusion there is no literal hell. So I became a universalist christian.
B: Ooo - wouldn't the calvinist and armenian christians and all those evangelical christians call you a heretic then?
A: You bet. It is not easy being a universalist christian. Then again, it is better than to live a life wondering about the kind of God evangelical christians believe in - one who is a mean, vengeful egomaniac.
B: So, are you still a universalist christian then?
A: Well, you know, even universalist christians don't always believe the same things. Some believe all are reconciled to God already. Some believe one day all will be reconciled to God. Also, sometimes life is hard. Sometimes I don't feel like God answers my prayers. Some of my friends are good at rationalising away things in life, dismissing religion and spirituality as myths and fairy tales. I am contemplating to become an atheist.
B: Oh, do you think God will be angry if you become an atheist?
A: Well, not really, because I come to understand God as love and only love. I'm sure God understands. Besides, we are already one with God, and God already knows what we are talking about even at this present moment - He is probably smiling and nodding in understanding. I believe the so-called "wrath of God" is simply something that the ancient people imagined in their mind because they felt separated from God and Jesus had to come to tell everyone the kingdom of God is within each of us.
B: So will you be an atheist?
A: Maybe, maybe not. I still believe there is God. But sometimes, I am not so sure. Maybe it is safer to call myself an agnostic. I know of people who call themselves atheist agnostics.
B: What a mouthful - atheist agnostics.
A: Haha, that's nothing compared to some of the fancy terms some christians call themselves - such as the so-called "apostolic, Bible-believing, devil-chasing, tongue-talking, spirit-filled fundamentalist reformed evangelical protestant christian". It's as if it sounds very impressive to other people, eh?
B: You bet. I know of people who give themselves impressive-sounding titles like "Most Holy and Reverend Emeritus Professor of Theological and Theosophical Bible College and Seminary with Doctorates in this and that thesis" - you get the picture, yea. I'm half-exaggerating to make a point.
A: Yea, I know. Sometimes I wonder if it is all just in the mind. You know, these preachers talk about love but they don't really demonstrate love in their life.
B: Oh yea?
A: Yea, some are like celebrity preachers and hardly mingle with the congregation.
B: So their teachings are just good-sounding doctrines, eh?
A: That's right. They also are not very kind to their own peers who belong to other denominations. They will say "Well, I believe the Bible says X, Y and Z, but you believe the Bible says A, B and C. So I am now officially disfellowshipping with you and your church because you are a heretic and misled by the devil. Farewell."
B: That's serious, man.
A: You bet. And so Preacher A calls Preacher B a heretic, and Preacher B calls Preacher A a legalist. And so on and so forth.
B: Wow, whatever happens to love and unity?
A: That's why I don't want to associate myself with mainstream christianity anymore, you see. I don't want to be a hypocrite, or look like one to others. Sometimes a secular humanist is better at human relationships and seeks to champion or promote social justice better than an average evangelical or mainstream christian minister.
B: You are not judging people, are you?
A: Not really - it is more like stating an observation. There are good and caring ministers everywhere, no doubt, regardless of whether they are in the christian or muslim or buddhist or whatever spiritual or religious circles.
B: So where are you at now, spiritually speaking?
A: I don't know. I am constantly evolving in my belief systems. Maybe it is better not to label myself based on my belief system. It can be tough trying to revise the terminology to fit in my ever expanding and ever growing understanding of the divine, of the world, of life in general. Any label would be restrictive and may even impede my spiritual progress or development, so to speak.
B: I suppose many people wouldn't agree with you. They like to fit you in a particular category in their conversations for ease and convenience of reference.
A: Yea, I understand, but life isn't always so clear-cut. There are always grey areas. For example, at which point do I consider myself to belong to a particular belief system that has a label without contradicting myself at some other point in time when my belief system evolves to another level of understanding? I think man-made labels like "christian", "calvinist", "lutheran" etc are best taken with a pinch of salt, if they are worth any salt to begin with.
B: That's true. Talking about salt, aren't you already the salt of the earth, metaphorically speaking?
A: That's a good analogy. Thank you. So are you. You are the light of the world.
B: Thank you. I gotta get going. I wish you a pleasant day.
A: You too. Namaste.

[Post updated on 16 November 2011]

Christian Theology of Violent God is Both Misleading and Pornographic

Someone astutely observed that the preaching on law and grace is part of the dispensationalist christianity camp. I think that this observation is true as the teachings on law and grace tend to portray God as a legalistic judge who will one day execute so-called "judgment" on "unbelievers". As for me, I would subscribe to fulfilled eschatology (as the preterists do), and my understanding of "judgment" is in terms of the conscience of the Jews in AD70, who mistakenly thought their God was judging them when the Jerusalem temple was destroyed. So yea, it wasn't God "judging" them or anyone at all. It was simply the "roaring of the lion" in their consciousness - Satan or the human ego - accusing them, and trying to deceive them into thinking God was angry with them, when all the while, God is already one with humankind and is never separated from humankind.

Another realisation I had recently is that Isaiah 53 also mentioned it was man who thought God was angry with Jesus at the cross. Isaiah 53:4 says "Yet WE esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions". So it is clear that it wasn't God who smote Jesus at the cross, although it appeared like that to people surrounding Him. Psalm 22 also recorded that God was all the while with His Son - "For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard." (Psalm 22:24)

The truth of the gospel is that God is not angry with humankind at all - not with His Son, not with any one of us. God is love, and love keeps no records of wrongs, so the penal substitution view holds no water.

Preaching of Violent God is Nothing More than Pornography

The online Merriam-Website dictionary has an interesting definition of the word "pornography". One of the definitions given is: 

"the depiction of acts in a sensational manner so as to arouse a quick intense emotional reaction <the pornography of violence>"

It is ironic that many evangelical or fundamentalist church preachers are condemning people for watching pornography (which they often think is referring to sexual materials, maybe because they are struggling with sexual temptations themselves, for whatever one resists only becomes stronger), yet by their very condemnation of people with threats of hellfire and damnation, these same preachers are promoting pornography themselves without even realising it. Why is that so? Because they are projecting the "pornography of violence", painting God as some mean, vengeful and judgmental egomaniac. Not only are they manipulating people with guilt and fear, by preaching do's and dont's instead of the divine life indwelling people, the preachers are strengthening the power of addiction and temptations over them.

Want to see an example of a "christian" hellfire and damnation pornographic material? Well, for the sake of your health and wellbeing, I won't post the video here directly. I will just put a link here - watch it only when you are prepared. If you are already set free from religion and condemnation, knowing that the christian "hell" is a myth, then you may even find this video laughable because you know the person who did the voice-over was just being blinded, brainwashed and unconscious himself. "Oh the madness!" cried the preacher in the video. Yea, right - what a mad, crazy, looney fundamentalist preacher, that is.

Someone wrote, "I think that looking for God outside of ourselves is the problem; thus, I have chosen to reconnect myself to the real world. Therefore, I'm not an object of weekly incessant brainwashing, spiritual and emotional rape, psychological and mental manipulation and abuse anymore." I totally agree with that - what sweet freedom we experience - like a breath of fresh air - when we are no longer subject to the pornography and violence of evangelical or fundamentalist church teachings!

Related link:

"the god who burns you" - David Hayward

How are we righteous?

 Video commentary:

Christianity fosters self-hate in mankind (sometimes tastefully called "conviction of sin") so that it can offer its own special answer (salvation) to an entirely artificial problem. The real solution begins by understanding that there is nothing wrong with you just as you are - that man is not a "fallen" being.

If you consider yourself a christian, does it strike you as strange if people say christianity is a self-loathing religion? After all, you think christianity is about God loving us unconditionally, even the worst of us. Yet I realise there is something amiss with the presentation of the gospel by mainstream or traditional christianity. The doctrine of "original sin" tends to paint a picture of how sinful and fallen we once were, and a holy and righteous God could not stand being around us for a second more and had to come up with a plan to send His Son to die and cleanse us with His blood to make us acceptable before Him, and even then, those who are seen as "rejecting this good news" will continue to fall out of favour with God and will continue to suffer misery and separation for ages and ages in a place called hell without end after they die. What a miserable existence, is it not?

Another common refrain I have heard in the evangelical christian circles goes something like "We are nothing without Jesus" or "It is all about Jesus, not about me". It is as though to love ourselves the way we are is a terrible sin and can cause us to become proud or puffed up, and so we must see ourselves as originally dirty and condemned, and only Jesus' blood can wash us clean. I also hear believers say things like "All glory to Jesus", as if Jesus is somewhere up there and we are down here, and the only way to defeat pride and demonstrate humility is to try to make ourselves nothing and make Jesus everything.

Why is this important? Well, for a start, it keeps us from actually loving and accepting ourselves the way we are if we think God is constantly trying to change us into something we are not. Secondly, it may cause us to see others as lost and miserable creatures if they do not profess to believe in Jesus. No doubt, some of us may say Jesus saw people as sheep not having a shepherd, but I believe it does not mean that Jesus saw people as being destined to go to a so-called place for hell.

Thirdly, it can create a sense of false humility when people insist on saying that it is all about Jesus and not about them. The question is: How can it be only all about Jesus when He is already one with us? We are inseparable from Jesus, so if Jesus is glorified, so are we glorified together with Him. It is impossible to glorify Jesus without us sharing the same glory that He had, so it might as well be better for us to be truly humble and accept the fact that we are as perfect and complete and righteous and beautiful and powerful as Jesus is.

1 Corinthians 6:17 says "He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him."

"Yes, but that is referring to believers", someone might say. Really? When Jesus died on the cross, who died with Him? When Jesus was raised from the dead, who rose with Him? Only believers? No, every one of us rose together with Him and we are united with Him.

"If we are already righteous, why did Jesus shed His blood then?" Good question. The interesting answer that I have come to learn is that God is not the one who requires the blood sacrifice. The religious sacrificial system is actually a pagan practice, which the Israelites borrowed from the pagan cultures in the old testament times. God does not need to appease His anger because He was not angry with us at all. "What? This is blasphemy! Heresy!" I hear some of you say.

Wait a minute, folks. Why would the Israelites think God was angry with them whenever something bad happened to them? Has it occurred to us that they interpreted events based on their concept of God or Yahweh, thinking that God must be punishing them whenever they were attacked by enemies or harmed by natural disasters like earthquakes? I believe before Jesus came on the scene 2,000 years ago, people back then felt separated from God. It began in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and after that, they felt alienated from God. It was interesting to note that God was all the while with humankind, and yet humankind thought their sins had separated them from God.

To cut a long story short, the Jews in the new testament times needed to be saved from sin-consciousness because they had been under the law for so many years (about 430 years). The law of Moses could not save them; it only condemned them. The only way for them to be saved from the religious mindset is to understand that Jesus came to be the perfect offering. Again, it is not to appease God's wrath, but rather to silence the roaring of the lion that accuses them day and night in their own conscience.

"For the worshippers once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins" (Hebrews 10:2)

This blood sacrificial system is never for us today. Why? Because we are never under the law in the first place. We are living in the new covenant of grace already. The law system ended officially in AD70, marked by the destruction of the temple by the Roman army in Jerusalem. So, since we are under not law, and by the law is the knowledge of sin, it means that sin has never been imputed to us.

So let's fast forward to the main question - How are we righteous? Is it by believing in Jesus or is it by Jesus' obedience? Some might say, "well, it is definitely not by our works, because the Jews sought to be righteous by obeying the law to obtain their own righteousness and have not submitted to the righteousness of God, according to Romans 10". I agree we are righteous not by our performance, but it is also not by believing in Jesus either. "What?" I hear you say. Yes, you read it correctly, we are righteous not by believing in Jesus, but by Jesus' obedience.

Romans 5:19 says "For by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous".

"Fine" you might say. "That happens when Jesus did the divine exchange at the cross, for God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. That means before Jesus died on the cross, no one was righteous."

Well, not really, because the cross is outside time - Jesus is the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. Therefore, by the time God created humankind, He created us to be righteous and innocent and perfect and complete. We were originally beautiful and good and perfect - that is our true identity, and Jesus came to restore that identity to us. Our part is simply to renew our mind with this wonderful good news.

"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:23-24)

So, the heart of the gospel is that we are created righteous and holy and beautiful, and it is not by our doing but by God's doing. We are crowned with glory and honour. Christ in us is the hope of glory. And Love is who we are because we are made in Love's image.

Poem based on Colossians 1

In Him we live and move and have our being
All things included - living, non-living
Christ in us the mystery is thus revealed
On the day we awake, our soul is stilled.

Grace as a Living Reality

I have been reflecting recently that while there is a place for preaching the gospel of our inclusion in Christ, there is perhaps a greater importance and significance of living out the gospel in real life. When we make others feel appreciated and welcomed, regardless of their race or belief system or background, etc, we are actually indirectly proclaiming the gospel and telling them that they are precious and valuable, without necessarily using gospel language or bible words like Jesus or salvation. I will continue to meditate and munch on this food for thought as I also realise that for grace to be grace, it needs to be inclusive and a living reality.

"Always preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and IF NECESSARY USE WORDS." - St Francis of Assisi

I AM in the Now

There's a reason they call God a Presence - because God is right here, right now. In the present is the only place to find Him, and NOW is the only time. 

~ from "Eat Pray Love" book

Yes, God's presence is in the present for I Am is in the present and His words are always pleasant.

Proverbs 16 says "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to
the bones."

Another verse came to mind: "Behold, now is the day of salvation, now is the time of favour."

Every moment is the now, and every moment is the time to experience salvation (freedom from religious lies that bring guilt and condemnation) and now is the time to receive favour because we have been reconciled to God knowing we are made in His image and we are one with Him.

We can enjoy the kingdom of God within us - righteousness, innocence, peace and joy in the present moment. Yes, no challenge is too great for us, for His grace IS sufficient for us, and His strength IS made perfect in our weakness. We can rest in His goodness and grace, for whom He calls, He also equips. Heaven is our present reality, right here, right now.

The Unrelenting Pursuit of God's Overflowing Love

"In Gen 9:6 and numerous other references, God confirms that man is still His image and likeness. The image and likeness that man was created in, is immutable – it cannot be destroyed. Darkness might have dimmed it, the father of lies might have obscured it, wickedness might have twisted man out of his true pattern, but the essence of man has never been completely destroyed.

In Luke 15 Jesus tells us of the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son.

The sheep remained a sheep although lost; the coin retained its value, although lost; the son remained a son, although lost. In all three cases the owner remained the owner and committed to that which was lost. The sheep and the coin contributed nothing towards being found. In the case of the son, his situation changed ‘when he came to himself’ (verse 17)

Even the word lost has the most beautiful promise in it, for you cannot be lost unless you belong!

God still saw enough value in us, to pursue us and save us at the greatest cost. 

Mankind was not corrupted beyond the possibility of restoration. Mankind was not lost beyond the possibility of salvation."

- Francois du Toit

This post reminds me of the unrelenting pursuit of love of our divine Lover who constantly reinvents Himself to woo us because His love is constantly overflowing. Whether as a shepherd finding his lost sheep that is his duty and livelihood, or a woman recovering her lost coin that is her prized possession, or a father reclaiming his lost son who bears his own image and likeness as well as his lineage, his salvation and redemption of our souls affirms and assures us of our intrinsic value and worth. He would not rest until we are all redeemed. And even after He has bought us with a price, He continues to pursue us with love and blessings, reminding us always of our blessedness. Yes, surely goodness and love (Christ) shall chase us down all the days of our life, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord (Christ consciousness) forever.

Ripples of Love Bring Unity and Peace

No acts or words of love--or thoughts--or any kindness is ever wasted. In fact, every such act or word or thought flows and ripples, as Living Water, into the universe to expand, include and transform every appearance that calls for love.

So, the sandwich you give to a homeless person; the help you give to the one who needs it; the word of uplifting wisdom you offer; or the ray of light you shine into the silent darkness could be the thing that snowballs as the OMnipresence and helps to find a missing child in the rubble of an earthquake or give hope to the hopeless or bring comfort to those who mourn.

I AM-WE ARE Light and we are Love in our true being. Let's all do what we do so well and let who we are ripple out in ever-increasing circles of Blessing, Love, and Light. Hand to hand and heart to heart we share the Living Water of the LOVE in which we live and move and have our Being.

Be still and know that I AM LOVE. REST! It is in the stillness and silence, listening and receiving from the ONE, that we are resurrected AS Love. When we share this Love-Self (Christ-Self) in any way, however small, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is withered at its root.

- Loving Unity

Yes, as we share this love-self (Christ-self), in any way, whether online or offline, the tree of knowledge of good and evil - the system of duality and separation - is withered at its root. We are witnessing the transition of global awakening to our true self and common humanity indeed.

Occupy Self with Christ

"I don't care if you are a liberalist or conservative nationalist/republican. No political transformation has ever produced any sustainable profit to society. Neither has any form of religious movement brought any profound changes. It has only caused a deep rooted division between groups. An intrinsic change of heart is therefore necessary; a spiritual awareness, knowing that we are all connected to the Cosmic Christ, called in the ancients world as YEHESHUA, the Logos, manifested in flesh and enlightening every human being that comes into this world. John 1:4, 9.

I don't believe for a moment that the world, especially the Arab world, is now a better place without Khadafi. This world will only become a better place when a corporate Christ consciousness will be awakened within the soul of every individual."
- Jath van der Westhuizen 

Yes, when people awaken to the divinity within them, knowing they are Christ manifested, there would be no problem of greed or injustice in the long run because wherever the awakening happens - whether in a system of capitalism or communism or fascism or anarchism - the awakening would have caused people to remember who they really are and relate to one another as fellow human beings sharing a common divinity, knowing that we are one.

So in a sense, while there is a global revolution for outward changes, I believe there is a greater revolution taking place within the people. Both are necessary and both should take place concurrently. The inner reality will manifest in the outer reality.

Someone wrote: "Popes, Prime Ministers, Presidents, Preachers, Pontificators, these things aren't so necessary in a world where We have realized who We are. A world, where we all live, where we know Gnosis and then actualize this realization."

Yes, popes, prime ministers, presidents, preachers and so on are merely roles, which if not established on the truth of our original identity in Christ, will only result in discrimination. Perhaps the best  solution to create a world of equality and freedom is to occupy these worldly minds with the gnosis of our true identity as new creations. I think occupying self with Christ is the best and most life-transforming occupation we all can ever have.  May we continue to occupy America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and Middle East with Christ consciousness even as we share the gospel of grace and peace in our own ways.

What the hell is the preacher talking about?

A preacher recently said that heaven and hell are real places, not metaphors. He claimed that Jesus described "hell" as having fires not quenched and worms not dying. He added that if heaven is a metaphor, then where is Jesus' present physical resurrected body today?

Then again, is not Jesus a Master of using parables and metaphors to bring His messages across, especially in the Jewish context? So, what makes one think that one parable is metaphorical and another parable literal?

For example, how can we claim that Jesus' speech about plucking out our eye if it offends us is metaphorical, and at the same time claim that when Jesus' speech about fire that is not quenched and worms that do not die is literal?

So what is my take on the above passage? Well, simply this: Jesus was using metaphors to describe the "condemnation of gehenna" experienced in the conscience of the unbelieving Jews during the destruction of the Jerusalem in AD70. And nope, Jesus' resurrected body isn't in a place called heaven - He is living in each of us. It is called "Christ in you, the hope of glory". We are all already seated together with Christ in the heavenly places, right here right now.

Those who preach the doctrines of hell continue to terrorize the minds of little children on a daily basis, and tragically, these preachers will continue to get away with abusing the minds and lives of impressionable little children until we stop the abusers. ~ Michael W. Jones

Resource links:
Jesus' teaching on hell (Tentmaker)
Bible Threatenings Explained (Tentmaker)
Are heaven and hell real places? Where is Jesus’ body today?

Luke 12:5 Perfect love that casts out fear

Someone asked, "How do you get a message of unconditional love from a figure who repeatedly said things like, "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you in hell?" (Luke 12:5)

Has it occurred to us that Jesus wasn't referring to God or our heavenly Father in the above speech? Jesus Himself spoke of the "thief" who came to steal, kill and destroy. He spoke about Satan, who is a murderer from the beginning. Who is the murderer? Who is the thief? Who is the one who kills?

I believe Jesus was referring to Satan, who is not actually the personal devil, but that part of our conscience that accuses or condemns us. In the old testament, the devil actually was the manifestation of Yahweh, who is a figment of imagination of those who had a separation mindset.


So what was Jesus saying in the above context? I believe He was exhorting His disciples not to fear the Pharisees who might seek to kill them for spreading the good news of how good and loving our Father in heaven is. He told them to fear the enemy instead - the evil conscience who sought to kill by condemning them if they don't believe they are righteous and blameless - that took place in AD70 when the "condemnation of hell (gehenna)" was in the minds of those who had not believed the good news that they were already one with God.


Jesus went on to reassure the disciples that our heavenly Father - the true God - takes care of the sparrows, and we are of more value than the sparrows. Therefore, He can protect us from the murderer (Satan) as well as from the Pharisees. That, to me, speaks more sense about God's unconditional love - love keeps no records of wrongs, and love does not kill anyone! Love heals! Love protects!

In a nutshell, Satan kills but Jesus saves, heals, protects, and gives life. Satan (accuser of the brethren) is a life-taker and condemner, but our heavenly Father is a life-giver and justifier.


Jesus is the perfect manifestation of God. Jesus always tells people not to be afraid of Him. His love is the perfect love that casts out fear.

Hell under fire

Someone wrote:

"Many theologians & church leaders are getting nervous these days. I can sense it. They're trying desperately every last ditch effort to protect their precious doctrine of hell. There's one book in the religion section of this bookstore I went to earlier this week titled "Hell Under Fire". The cover shows flames on it. Anyway the authors were saying that the teaching of universal salvation is gaining ground and "infecting" the church as they put it. These are authors that are getting nervous about that.

They are nervous because they don't know how to answer the tough questions such as Why God would bother creating souls if He knew that the majority of them would be lost in hell forever? How is 70 years of sins worth infinite punishment in the afterlife? That's not justice." 

 He also wrote: 

"Am I the only one who notices that universal salvation is the most hated doctrine among just about all Christian denominations? A lot of denominations will fight and argue over doctrine but they have a common hatred for universalist doctrine. Why is that? Even among grace believers who don't believe in the salvation of all they would rather fellowship with legalists than universalists. I remember someone admitting they thought universalism was more dangerous than the legalists doctrine. Why is the doctrine of salvation of all hated by all of Christianity?

It is one thing to not agree with the doctrine but why does it seem like all denominations in Christianity can come together and join forces to gang up on universalists?"

I think some 'grace' believers are against universalism because the false doctrine of hell controls them with fear. They might think "what if I believe there is no hell and it turns out I am wrong and god decides to send me there?" Or "what if I believe everyone is saved and don't share the gospel and it turns out that not everyone is saved and I will have failed in evangelism?"

I think these fears are unfounded and are caused by erroneous teachings on salvation that misrepresent God. For one, we know salvation is not about saving people from hell. Two, they have an image of the small-minded, petty god who throws tantrums if people thinks he is too good and loving to throw people in hell. Three, it's all about 'me' at the end of the day. They want to hear "well done, good and faithful servants" after they die. They don't want to lose their "rewards" for "serving god" in church buildings and telling people about "turn or burn", which is actually not good news for everyone. They are afraid to lose god's favour.

So, this reveals their heart on what people really believe about grace. If they think grace is limited and exclusive, then their version of grace is not really grace, and their gospel is not really good news, but a sick, twisted, perverted doctrine that subtly controls people with fear, guilt and condemnation. 

To believe in grace and hell at the same time is kinda oxymoronic, like the term 'grace-hell believers'. I used to come from that kind of evangelistic christian background too, so I roughly know where they are coming from if they claim to believe in grace and yet refuse to let go of the hell doctrine.

To be sure, the idea of inclusivity sounds wonderful to them, but there is perhaps a legalistic or vengeful trait in their mindset if they are hell-bent on seeing certain people end up in a physical place called hell.

One of my care group friends recently asked me "What about the murderers, adulterers, etc?" when I told her there is no physical place called hell. My answer to her question is that we are all murderers and adulterers. I think these make up the old Adamic identity based on our performance, and the gospel is about our new identity based on our co-identification with Christ.

I also need to remind myself that I can't expect them to change their mindset overnight after many years of being indoctrinated about the hell doctrine by the institutional church. It can be disappointing and frustrating to face incredulous opposition from others when we explain to them there is no physical hell. So if they think I'm a heretic and I'm misled to believe in something outside of mainstream church teachings, then so be it.  

Grace versus Death Penalty

Someone recently wrote in a post in Facebook: "How can someone claim to be a grace preacher and still be in favor of the death penalty? It's a total contradiction. I believe it's time to make this very clear. If we preach grace, then we need to be consistent. Grace & death are poles apart. Grace and love will always protect, even if it means to distance oneself from the perpetrator or protect what is precious to us. Yes, there will be natural consequences to be accountable. South Africa is currently battling with violent crime. Whenever I hear about another rape or farm murder, it is human to be angry and upset. But there is grace for the criminals, even when they have to serve sentence as part of the consequences for their deeds. But there is no grace in an eye for an eye. I have especially targeted my statement to the so-called grace preaching pastors while simultaneously out of the same mouth they speak death. It does not make any sense."

I agree. Grace is not 'an eye for an eye'. Grace is forgiveness. Grace and love keeps no records of wrongs.

Grace and justice are perfectly compatible because justice is not law or legalism, nor is it about punishment or eternal torture. Justice is setting people free from the law and from condemnation. That's true justice.

Grace changes people from the inside out. Judgment or condemnation doesn't change anyone. It only inflicts guilt and creates more trouble in the society.

There are natural consequences for every action. People can learn from their own mistakes. No one will grow up if they are placed under do's and don'ts, or live under threats of punishment, such as the death penalty.

Grace teaches people to learn to take responsibility for their actions and not depend on outward laws. Under grace, all things are permissible but not all things are beneficial. People will learn to love their neighbour and do things that are beneficial because love does no harm to a neighbour.

Grace is also wisdom. Grace means taking measures to keep a distance from those who are abusive, so as to ensure one's own safety. Grace rules, not death penalty.

Those who receive ABUNDANCE of grace and gift of righteousness (or innocence) will reign in life over sin (or ignorance of God's love and of our true identity in Christ) and death (or condemnation).  

Thoughts on Troy Davis' case

I also agree with Troy Davis' view that true justice is about setting the innocent free from an unfair system. Even if a person has been guilty of a crime, the death penalty is not appropriate since it is equivalent to murder. At the most, imprisonment would prevent the person from carrying out further harm, and at the same time the person will have time to reflect and meditate on one's actions. Everyone deserves a second chance. Law and punishment never transform anyone, but only inflicts guilt and shame, which perpetuate problems in the society. I believe grace is the answer, for unconditional love transforms the heart. Hopefully, with the awareness of Troy Davis' case and his supporters' efforts, the death penalty can be removed from the judicial system one day.

Thoughts on commentary by Kevin Powell - "Troy Davis did not die"

I just read a heart-felt commentary by Kevin Powell, a fellow black man who is an activist, writer and public speaker based in New York. His writing resounded with me, especially the final part of his article, as he is also against death penalty. Like him, as much as I am aghast by the failure of justice in Georgia, I too believe Troy's death is not in vain but has created awareness in the world about the urgent need for reform in America's judicial system and change in people's mindset to overlook differences in skin colour. Love and justice shall prevail as we participate together in the movement with his supporters to end death penalty.

The issue of human dignity

It is about the value of human life, therefore death penalty in any form, whether lethal injection or other methods, can never be justified. I remember reading a news article recently which said that just by causing the person to wait for the lethal injection to be ministered would likely to have caused some psychological trauma. I once watched a movie "Dead Man Walking", which shows the actor Sean Penn who played the role of the condemned experiencing great fear and stress at the thought of dying before the execution. Death penalty is cruel and should be abolished for the sake of human dignity.

Update (24 October 2012)

I've been through my own seasons of disillusionment and cynicism about the lack of action and responsibility by the authorities to do something about the state of the world, and I am finding my own way to see what can be done. It is not easy to find hope, though I do see some small progress, such as the recent move by the local government to revise laws on death penalty, for example. It's thanks to my best friend's sharing with me about Troy Davis' case last year that I was eventually inspired to write to the national newspaper forum to abolish death penalty, and I believe this, together with other collective efforts by other activists, have helped make some positive changes in the laws.