Are you ready for the return of Jesus Christ? Have you been cleansed by His blood?

[quintessentone]

Well, considering he's not been around for the past 2000 odd years, i imagine we all learn about his teachings secondhand.  

Quite a few meaningful parables to be found in the Bible.

It's the other ""stuff"" that's problematic.  

Like the sanctioned slavery, genocide, child sacrifice, misogyny in spades, and homophobia, for instance.

Not to mention the eternal damnation and divine favoritism.

The God of Jesus is a spiritual God who rescues us (some of us who know God and who God knows) from this world.

"Here is fragment IV: "As long as any one has the means of doing good to his neighbours, and does not do so, he shall be reckoned a stranger to the love of the Lord.""

Fragments of Irenaeus in Eusebius

Fragments for thought:

"In spirit, I see that all things are hanging.
In spirit, I know that all things are being carried.
Flesh hanging from soul.
Soul cleaving to air.
Air hanging from the upper atmosphere.
Crops coming forth from the deep.
A baby coming forth from the womb."

"As for what Valentinus is teaching, he wants his readers to understand that there are two aspects of reality, a division between ‘seeing’ and ‘knowing’ (first two lines):

1. The aspect of reality we all can see;
   
2. The other aspect of reality which can be known only to those who are influenced by Valentinus’ teachings and insights."
   

The Meaning of Summer Harvest by Valentinus | Bible and Beyond

I am learning now to see the worthwhile spiritual/mystic teachings rather than following the Bible's commands that rely solely on blind belief/faith from others' interpretations and personal agendae/narratives.

[andy06shake]

The God of Jesus is a spiritual God who rescues us (some of us who know God and who God knows) from this world.

"Here is fragment IV: "As long as any one has the means of doing good to his neighbours, and does not do so, he shall be reckoned a stranger to the love of the Lord.""

Fragments of Irenaeus in Eusebius

Just keep in mind that doing good out of fear of punishment makes morality transactional.

True goodness and virtue come from empathy and reason.

Not from fear or reward.

Being kind, just, and honest should stand on its own merit.

Even when no reward is promised in this world or the next.

Cheers for the scripture all the same.

[quintessentone]

Just keep in mind that doing good out of fear of punishment makes morality transactional.

True goodness and virtue come from empathy and reason.

Not from fear or reward.

Being kind, just, and honest should stand on its own merit.

Even when no reward is promised in this world or the next.

Cheers for the scripture all the same.

Exactly, be true to yourself and help others if you have the means to do so.

The Testimony of Truth (and being ignorant of the True Father):

"Einar Thomassen writes, "That the outlook of the text is Gnostic is clear from the first page: 'The world [is the place of] unbelief [and death]' (1,36-38). The Gnostic tenor is also evident in a statement such as: 'While we were in the darkness, we used to call many people "father," because we were ignorant of the true Father. And this is the greatest of all sins' (9,35-37). More precisely, the tractate can be assigned to a Valentinian homiletic tradition on account of numerous parallels with other Valentinian texts: the distinction between faith and persuasion (p. 1) is also found in the Treatise on Resurrection; the statement that the Father knew his limbs from the beginning and will reveal them at the end (p. 2) is paralleled in the Gospel of Truth; the metaphor of the 'trace' (2,31) is found in the Gospel of Truth and the Tripartite Tractate; the image of the human being as an inn (pandokeion) inhabited by demons (p. 6) is used in a letter by Valentinus (Valentinus, frag. 2); the picturing of the Savior as schoolmaster teaching the true letters (9) is also found in the Gospel of Truth; the association of the Sabbath with the cosmos, and the interpretation of the Savior's 'work on the Sabbath' to retrieve the lost sheep as a metaphor for his incarnation and descent into the world (11) also occur in the Gospel of Truth; the Name (12) is a central Valentinian notion; the concern with avoiding jealousy (phthonos; 15ff.) is also found in the Gospel of Truth, the treatise on Resurrection, and other Valentinian sources; finally, on page 19 there even seem to be references to Church and Life, Valentinian names of aeons." (The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, pp. 651-652)"

The Testimony of Truth

So maybe I should allow the spirit to reveal the word to me and be more open to spiritual understanding as well as learning more from the mystics/visionary/spiritual leaders that were omitted from the canonical Bible.

Bible Secrets: List of 75 Missing Books Removed from the Bible – Humble & Faithful Co.

[andy06shake]

Exactly, be true to yourself and help others if you have the means to do so.

Have you ever noticed that poor people will go out of their way to help you a lot more than those of means?

Just an observation in life.

[fiveandtwo]

All who have died are not suffering—they are asleep in the grave, awaiting resurrection. Hell is not a place of eternal torment, but the lake of fire where the wicked, including Satan and his angels (demons), will be cast and permanently destroyed.

God is holy, and His ways are higher than ours. Who are we to presume the authority to judge who deserves punishment? Some child molesters claim their actions are “loving”. Some serial killers believe they serve a higher cause. Most would agree their judgment is just.

But consider this: Have you truly lived without sin? Have you never dishonored your parents, committed adultery in heart or deed, coveted what is not yours, borne false witness, murdered, worshipped idols or other god's, profaned the Sabbath, or misused God’s name?

God’s holiness demands justice—and His mercy offers redemption. Judgment belongs to Him alone.

I have to respectfully disagree in particular that we remain asleep in the grave.  Our souls either go to Jesus or unfortunately the other direction.  Our physical bodies will be resurrected at the end to join our souls.  Remember Jesus said to the thief on the cross beside him that Today you will be with me in paradise.  

I don’t pretend to know even an inkling of what is to be but that verse has always given me some comfort. God spoke His word to the prophets of the Bible to give us what we need to know.  Not necessarily what we want to know.

[quintessentone]

Have you ever noticed that poor people will go out of their way to help you a lot more than those of means?

Just an observation in life.

Yes, I have noticed that in my long life. I remember a very poor family as a child and when I was invited to their home everyone was happy and always smiling. The materialistic mentality was replaced by something greater that brought the best out in them and they went out making friends and bringing those strangers/friends into their sphere of positivity and happiness. I have to try to become less materialistic, but as I age, I seem to need gadgets to make my life easier, so I'm not so sure that materialistic possessions are really to be considered as necessities now, such as a robotic vacuum.

[andy06shake]

Yes, I have noticed that in my long life. I remember a very poor family as a child and when I was invited to their home everyone was happy and always smiling. The materialistic mentality was replaced by something greater that brought the best out in them and they went out making friends and bringing those strangers/friends into their sphere of positivity and happiness. I have to try to become less materialistic, but as I age, I seem to need gadgets to make my life easier, so I'm not so sure that materialistic possessions are really to be considered as necessities now, such as a robotic vacuum.

My turn. 

"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Matthew 19:24

And there is one of those good parables. 

As to the gadgets and materialism, im the same boat, we accumulate things and baggage, that's just life and the world in which we live.

[quintessentone]

I have to respectfully disagree in particular that we remain asleep in the grave.  Our souls either go to Jesus or unfortunately the other direction.  Our physical bodies will be resurrected at the end to join our souls.  Remember Jesus said to the thief on the cross beside him that Today you will be with me in paradise.  

I don’t pretend to know even an inkling of what is to be but that verse has always given me some comfort. God spoke His word to the prophets of the Bible to give us what we need to know.  Not necessarily what we want to know.

I've recently looked up what knowledge is given regarding the death of the body and what happens to the spirit/soul at the time of death during cremation, as that is my chosen path.

I learned that if one does not believe in the light and that one's soul/spirit will become one with the creator/'all' that spirit/soul will remain by or attached to the physical deceased body due to fear. For those that fear in that way, it will take longer for them to come to the realization of being dead physically but now existing spiritually and understand they must go to the light and join Jesus. The time involved for the realization is said to be between 3 and 7 days. 

I looked this up because I will know immediately when I must move on (just from past out of body/astral projections, so I know that state of existence) and have since told my children that they don't have to wait to cremate me. The knowledge went on to say that the burning of the physical body will actually excelerate the spirit's realization and understanding to move on. 

Where we move on to is unknown, except that in scripture it is told that we must be judged, so if God is the one judging (or rather we judge ourselves/our deeds with God's intervention - perhaps this is the soul being asleep and God waking it up) then we must go towards the light.

[Sirius]

covered in mist and shadow

a crystal castle with light shining through

surround by demons


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[Bootless]

 

I hope you at least recognize that Project 2025 and it's attempt to make Church and State synonymous is evil.