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Throughout the ages, humankind has investigated and explored the Creation. As we continue to discover the depths and heights of the unknown, it becomes increasingly obvious that humanity is incapable of creating from nothing. We can only create from something that is already in existence. Hence, I continue to believe in the existence of a Creator of all things seen and unseen.
Certainty is a real killer of spiritual insight. Yet many Christians tout their certainty about everything! The spirit of certainty exposes Christian tribalism at its finest. One of my personal favorites is the certainty many people adopt regarding John’s Revelation. Four distinct tribes of people will defend their interpretations, to their death if necessary! Well, okay, maybe stopping short of martyrdom, or murder.
Peace on earth. Is it attainable? I believe it is! But first, humanity must deal with its unwavering allegiance to the human clock—a crafty invention that, for better or worse, encourages the repetition of time-honored behavior. Time is both a gift and a curse. The 24-hour clock is not the problem. The measurement of time is not evil. Yet our awareness of time’s passage, along with our desire to keep track of time, has placed the human spirit in a state of bondage that most of us don’t realize.
In this final blog of the series, I think it’s important to ask, “What did Jesus’ death and resurrection truly accomplish 2,000 years ago?” Do we know? Or, are we still figuring it out? At the present time, I believe we are just beginning to uncover the true nature, of Jesus’s overthrow, of a lesser spiritual government. I think we are only beginning to appreciate the deeper layers of deception, that Jesus knew all too well.Read more
Part IV of this series continues with Steps #3 and #4 of the scapegoating process. Remember that the process occurs over a passage of time. So the clock, that lives inside the human mind, plays a significant role in enabling an escalation of emotion. To continue looking at the process, I will follow the actions of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospel of John.Read more
Part III, in the blog series, will demonstrate the first two steps in the scapegoating process. Remember, scapegoating requires the passage of time. The voice of temporal time, ever present in the human mind, plays a significant role in the process. It is a lesser spiritual government that manipulates the process by escalating emotional, psychological, and spiritual discomfort, as minutes, hours, days, or months pass by.Read more
In Part II of this blog series, the Gospel of John, invites us to watch Jesus taunt the ancient serpent. He goads the devil that hides behind timekeeping images. He reveals the accusatory nature of its voice, diminishes its authority, and exposes the idolatrous worship of the lesser government. Jesus repeatedly provokes those who listened to its voice, elevated its authority, and worshiped the images where the satan hides.Read more
How did Jesus understand the spiritual interplay between the eternal and temporal realms of time? Was he able to make clear distinctions between the greater government of eternality, and the lesser government of the human clock? We cannot know for certain, yet John’s gospel suggests that he had full knowledge of both realms. Over and over again John tells us Jesus claimed a sense of ownership regarding time. Jesus said, “MY hour.”
In an endeavor to approach the study of the bible with some degree of consistency, biblical scholars developed criteria known as “historical criticism” to guide the study. During my time as a member of the Society of Biblical Scholarship, I heard scholars discussing whether or not we’ve come to an end of what can be gleaned through the historical critical lens.
Humanity’s spiritual waters are being stirred in mighty ways right now. The commotion is carrying people to very different places of understanding. There is no right or wrong place to be at the moment. We simply are where we are. Everything is in a state of flux because spiritual waters are being stirred. Thus, the traditional model of the church resembles a woman in travail. She is struggling to understand the times. Why are her efforts not yielding sweeter fruit?Read more