The Law. (The power of sin in fallen man.)
You have to see the Law as a manifestation of all the sin and events and forces of sin in the world. What you move in and come up against. Also all that is the spirit of Satan in fallen human nature; the accusing, shaming, moralizing, projection of guilt, policing of environments to maintain the fear of man, respecting of persons and all the rest of it, it is the Law manifesting through people collectively, becoming a real, tangible, monstrous thing. Sexual energy, to all degrees of drunkenness and violence, is its currency and blood. This is the Law as it effects and works through fallen human beings. This is the Law as the power of sin. (Rom. 1:25-32*)
The Gospel (To be separated unto.)
The Gospel is the Law defeated. The curse overthrown. Death and darkness and the drunkenness of violence and concupiscence made ineffective; a mad show that no longer engulfs. Attacks, yes, but no longer engulfs. To be separated unto the Gospel is to be made free of the Law and the power of sin.
+ + + + + + +
Rom. 2:1-2** thus refers to fallen man described above. Fallen man who collectively acts out the monstrous presence of the Law defiled and turned upside-down as it is in the heart of fallen and corrupt man. Beating out the power of sin, and engulfing the world in the wild and banal-lascivious and bloody hold of the Kingdom of Satan. Ultimately sacrificing human suffering and death to that Kingdom.
+ + + + + + +
* Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
** Rom 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Rom 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
12.06.2011
11.06.2011
Imitating Christ with Work practices
An interesting thought for a person who knows the Work and is a Christian...: seeing Work practices in the context of the imitation of Christ.
One advantage is it can give a complete picture, pull everything into a contained whole.
Another thing is it could give courage to face the world as something different from the world, rather than hang back and be fearful of seeming different and thus staying conformed, ultimately, to what the world demands.
Once a person gets past the common stumbling block of thinking they *are* Jesus, or the other of engaging in worldly moralism instead of self-interested, conscious, self-aware glorifying of God.
[Interesting, I spent about 10 minutes searching the internet for an antonym of moralism, or moralize, and couldn't find anything, so I struggled to finish the above sentence. At first instead of 'glorifying of God' I had 'presence', but changed it to glorifying of God. So in a sense, I suppose, the opposite of moralism is glorifying God.]
Perhaps in another real way repentance can be an antonym of moralism.
One advantage is it can give a complete picture, pull everything into a contained whole.
Another thing is it could give courage to face the world as something different from the world, rather than hang back and be fearful of seeming different and thus staying conformed, ultimately, to what the world demands.
Once a person gets past the common stumbling block of thinking they *are* Jesus, or the other of engaging in worldly moralism instead of self-interested, conscious, self-aware glorifying of God.
[Interesting, I spent about 10 minutes searching the internet for an antonym of moralism, or moralize, and couldn't find anything, so I struggled to finish the above sentence. At first instead of 'glorifying of God' I had 'presence', but changed it to glorifying of God. So in a sense, I suppose, the opposite of moralism is glorifying God.]
Perhaps in another real way repentance can be an antonym of moralism.
10.28.2011
Higher church, grail, Kingdom of God - examples
Some ways you are effecting the Kingdom of God, or furthering it, when you just think you're merely in the third state of consciousness is you are effecting all your time body and anybody who is connected to it, and by extension anybody connected to those other people. That's effecting people in other parts of time. That is one way. You can be in the third state lying down in a sewer pipe like a hunted dictator and effect the Kingdom of God. Don't confuse the metaphor of the knight and horse and battle with reality. The metaphor is real, but you may just be walking down the street. Mundane events. An incident where somebody tries to get you to internally-consider. An event that happens to make you be in a strong state of identification with it. Some event tries to get you to blow up. Lose your aim. Mundane events, but your world.
Move up a level (after success in overcoming those events of friction) and things may get more strange. Possibly more dangerous. Possibly more protection for you though at that point. One needs control, though, the farther one goes.
Other examples of how being in the third state, directed by God's will, able to be directed by God's will (Real Will)... A child who dies in an accident at a point in time and space doesn't die because you are there at that moment and it changes the event. I'm not saying you do some heroic act, I'm saying maybe you just have to be THERE. Just changing an event by your very presence. I've experienced this and told you guys about it. A toddler running from its mother between parked cars into a parking lot. Prior to that event, I was just there, very much in the third state, had been for days, the mother and father were strangely walking around outside, not knowing why, kind of out of place, I intentionally delayed my departure, didn't know it at the time, there is always a seeming reason, but you are acting from God's will, Real Will, in that state. Then, I move, I get in my car, I have a clear view of the scene, the child burst away from the mother, the mother freaks and runs, terror on her face, and there I am waving at her, totally stopped, and an event that occurred in time was changed. What did I do? Nothing. Except be in the third state, and be a strange presence in that scene. Probably another car hits the child, but I delayed the action by saying to my nephew, "No, you play with your friend." The older sister of the toddler. Something an adult usually doesn't do. I'm unusual. I'm self-remembering. I don't feel a need to go anywhere. I'll sit there and watch some kids play. An unusual detail is the older sister got mad at me for no reason and threw one of her toys at me. She was mad because her little sibling wasn't going to get hit by a car that morning? Maybe. She knew at some level I was a strange presence in the scene. Wasn't suppose to be there.
This is when I was really doing marathon self-remembering exercises. But see how mundane it is? God can use you if you are able to act from Real Will, which is God's will. Some law prevents it unless you are in the third state or higher. Like somebody said, not even God can beat a full house with three-of-a-kind. He obviously can do miracles and anything He wants, but in the general course of events, in this maze of laws at this level, the law of will is different from the law of accident or mere cause and effect.
Another example of how you can effect events when just in the third state is - and this is speculation based on the Bible - you can effect the movements and activity of the spiritual world where you are. The Bible says the prayer of a person of great faith is more effectual. Most likely the mere presence of a person in the third state or higher effects the war in the spiritual world. Maybe the evil forces clear out. Maybe they focus on you and not on some unknowing vulnerable victim. Maybe *one person* can effect negative spiritual bondage of an entire geographical area.
Eventually, in deep, marathon states of self-remembering, you start to see the moving visible world of things and events from the higher perspective. You read the language of it. In real time.
Another thing: you're in waking sleep, standing on a street corner, certain cars and people pass by you. On that same street corner at the same time, but you are in the third state, different cars and different people pass by you. The Work metaphor of birds on different telephone wires. Each wire is a different line of time though occupying the same place and time. - C.
Move up a level (after success in overcoming those events of friction) and things may get more strange. Possibly more dangerous. Possibly more protection for you though at that point. One needs control, though, the farther one goes.
Other examples of how being in the third state, directed by God's will, able to be directed by God's will (Real Will)... A child who dies in an accident at a point in time and space doesn't die because you are there at that moment and it changes the event. I'm not saying you do some heroic act, I'm saying maybe you just have to be THERE. Just changing an event by your very presence. I've experienced this and told you guys about it. A toddler running from its mother between parked cars into a parking lot. Prior to that event, I was just there, very much in the third state, had been for days, the mother and father were strangely walking around outside, not knowing why, kind of out of place, I intentionally delayed my departure, didn't know it at the time, there is always a seeming reason, but you are acting from God's will, Real Will, in that state. Then, I move, I get in my car, I have a clear view of the scene, the child burst away from the mother, the mother freaks and runs, terror on her face, and there I am waving at her, totally stopped, and an event that occurred in time was changed. What did I do? Nothing. Except be in the third state, and be a strange presence in that scene. Probably another car hits the child, but I delayed the action by saying to my nephew, "No, you play with your friend." The older sister of the toddler. Something an adult usually doesn't do. I'm unusual. I'm self-remembering. I don't feel a need to go anywhere. I'll sit there and watch some kids play. An unusual detail is the older sister got mad at me for no reason and threw one of her toys at me. She was mad because her little sibling wasn't going to get hit by a car that morning? Maybe. She knew at some level I was a strange presence in the scene. Wasn't suppose to be there.
This is when I was really doing marathon self-remembering exercises. But see how mundane it is? God can use you if you are able to act from Real Will, which is God's will. Some law prevents it unless you are in the third state or higher. Like somebody said, not even God can beat a full house with three-of-a-kind. He obviously can do miracles and anything He wants, but in the general course of events, in this maze of laws at this level, the law of will is different from the law of accident or mere cause and effect.
Another example of how you can effect events when just in the third state is - and this is speculation based on the Bible - you can effect the movements and activity of the spiritual world where you are. The Bible says the prayer of a person of great faith is more effectual. Most likely the mere presence of a person in the third state or higher effects the war in the spiritual world. Maybe the evil forces clear out. Maybe they focus on you and not on some unknowing vulnerable victim. Maybe *one person* can effect negative spiritual bondage of an entire geographical area.
Eventually, in deep, marathon states of self-remembering, you start to see the moving visible world of things and events from the higher perspective. You read the language of it. In real time.
Another thing: you're in waking sleep, standing on a street corner, certain cars and people pass by you. On that same street corner at the same time, but you are in the third state, different cars and different people pass by you. The Work metaphor of birds on different telephone wires. Each wire is a different line of time though occupying the same place and time. - C.
Higher church, grail, Kingdom of God
And remember that there are no churches the grail knights attend in those stories. An isolated chapel, a hermitage, usually to encounter someone who can give them information they need. But no churches. Grail Knights are not churchians. Remember also that they operate in a sort of in-between world. There's a little bit of the Valhalla thing where they can fight and be wounded, yet be cured of their wounds. Knights die and reappear later. Maybe just a forgetful author, or maybe an intentional detail.
What ties it to Jesus and His army and the Kingdom of God is you are a soldier in that army and you are on the battlefield when you enter that self-remembering realm. That third state of consciousness and higher emotion realm. As Man #4 and eventually #5.
Without the armor of God though you are vulnerable.
Once there though you are able to be used, to be helpful, to be effective for the goal of the Kingdom of God when you are on that spiritual battlefield. And you can't know what is happening in the way flesh and flesh senses know what is going on around them. You can just be a knight *staying on your horse*, dealing with whatever friction comes your way, overcoming, moving on. The effect you have on the battlefield will be more than you can discern. The effect on others, etc.
In the higher world you manifest as something else. Your will you as that higher manifestation will have is God's will. You can see now how God's will *is* your will. The more that higher body develops the more Real Will becomes conscious. So think of yourself moving and acting down here while your higher body is moving acting up there. You want your higher body to be under the influence of God's will. Real will. It will be, if you are truly in the third state down here, and staying on your horse (emotion, higher emotion). - C.
ps- As I was writing this post I was thinking of Don Quixote as well as Grail Romance. There is school connection there. Don Quixote depicts the type of the person who is pathetic in the face of the world once they move on. Cervantes took a different approach, and perhaps it depicts different things than Grail Romance is intended to depict, but seen in this light you can see it as a school document. The connection Cervantes has with Shakespeare in the minds of literary critics going back is significant. Just a little aside. It may be good to have Don Quixote in you to draw on when you go through the process of true separation from the world which all the above assumes.
pps- There is also the confusion among the most biblical of theologians as to how to differentiate the visible church and the Kingdom of God. It's a matter of scale and development.
From: c. t.
To:
Cc:
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 6:27 PM
Subject: Re: a prayer book and rambling notes and qoutes
Yes, and also the real metaphor of the Grail knight depicts the Man #4 (and #5) experience. That is both solitary (the trackless forest) and community (when levels are transcended and the community of the Grail Castle is reached). The Round Table still depicts the worldly level. They have to ride off on adventure, stay on their horse (higher emotion), meet friction (fights, not get thrown) overcome and transcend levels of reality. - C.
From: S
To:
Cc:
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 5:56 PM
Subject: RE: a prayer book and rambling notes and qoutes
Man number 4 means conscious development, so I imagine the church of man number four would in some way mean a connection (even like what we have here) between others who are on that path. Not necessarily "Groups" in the Gurdjieff Foundation kind of a way but the genuine meaning stated in Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Its interesting that its such a small number. It suggests gathering for genuine reasons, to talk or share ideas, rather than for a sense of community in the hundreds and all that goes with that.
This is church for man number #4
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:58:50 +0100
Subject: Re: a prayer book and rambling notes and qoutes
From: quickeningspirit
To:
CC:
I can easily agree with the religions of Man 123 idea. It's the interactions and energies at work between these that I was mostly looking at.
Also, I'm equally uneasy in an Anglican service as Catholic - I'm not sure I've ever experienced Orthodox, but that doesn't matter. There is even something (well numerous things) I find very attractive in each of these.
You make the subject interesting, if it's a question, what does the Man #4 Branch look like? This might be a mystery. It can't have the same solid footprint for the same reason that G spoke of the Work as belonging to the Slyman.
On 27 October 2011 22:38, c. t. wrote:
Preliminary reply (on a tiny keyboard)... Might not we be well-served to think of the issues involving church and church branches under the rubric of Man #123 and Man #4? I've written this before, but it's a big subject, central really to everything we discuss and do in our everyday lives. It is so obvious that Eastern Orthodox is the Man #1 branch. Roman Catholicism is the Man #2. And Protestantism is the Man #3 branch.
We then have to acknowledge that Protestantism has a controlling presence among the three. Resented by the other two. That is because intellectual center has to control, to a basic degree, emotional and instinctive/moving/sex center. And IC's standard has to be sola Scriptura.
So being truly balanced we'll seem more Protestant. So from there we move into what the Man #4 'branch' looks like.
This is why we have interest in the two other branches. The music, the practices.
Obviously the Work is the language of the #4 level. What do you think on this thus far? - C.
On Thu Oct 27th, 2011 2:06 PM PDT quickeningspirit wrote:
>I have a book titled A Method of Prayer by Eugraph Kovalevsky. It's a Praxis
>book, same publishers as Mouravieff. It's essentially part of the
>French/Russian Orthodox tradition. Anyway, an aside.
>
>It covers.
>the Jesus prayer - which was my original interest in buying it
>the Lord's prayer
>commentaries by the 'fathers'
>
>In the section on the Lord's prayer the author explains that the Lord's
>Prayer is THE Christian Creed. It belongs to the Faithful. While the Creed
>eg Nicene (*I believe in one God ...*) was intended for catechumen (novice
>Christians/beginners) - and not until they were 'illuminated' were they
>initiated into the Lord's Prayer. In Church service, catechumen and
>'outsiders' departed after the Creed, and the doors closed. A practise
>symbolically maintained by Roman Catholics and something the author appears
>to hold in such regard that he'd like the practise reinstated. (It's already
>sounding weird.)
>
>It's an interesting book but flicking through it, I'm continually reminded
>of the issues that led to the Reformation. This is one thing that I don't
>understand, speaking more broadly, the Orthodox tradition stakes its
>legitimacy on grounds of an unbroken tradition whilst claiming Western
>civilization is disconnected. There is this claim that the western Christian
>aims at moral perfection whereas the true and obviously Orthodox
>understanding is for a life of theosis. What is this tradition that is so
>important to the orthodox? If I accept it then it is the chain of conscious
>beings, and C influence. What I don't accept is that it exists in a Church,
>though perhaps G thought Mt Athos had it? Praxis website/Robin Amis promote
>and sell this general view:
>
>http://www.praxisresearch.net/cart_product.cfm/prod_id/36625/bk/1/tid/264
>http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/theosis-english.pdf
>
>"We now live in an age where Western civilization
>lives and acts contrary to its Christian heritage, yet it
>still believes that it knows about Christ and His Church.
>The West fails to appreciate that over one thousand years
>separate it from this tradition. As a result, the West’s
>perception and understanding of Christ and His Church
>has become clouded."
>
>"Theosis is personal communion with God “face to
>face.” To the Western mind, this idea may seem incomprehensible,
>even sacrilegious, but it derives unquestionably
>from Christ’s teachings. Jesus Christ was the
>fulfillment of the messianic dream of the Jewish race;
>His mission to connect us with the Kingdom of God
>– a Kingdom not of this world."
>
>If you look into it you'll see that Orthodox types don't really understand
>the protestant position. They are confused by the multiplex of denominations
>and the lack of any tradition. I think they feel cornered. They don't
>generally disagree with the Protestant critique of Roman Catholicism but
>they consider dependence on the Word a flaw (they attack Sola Scripture)
>that has led to endless personal interpretations which result in Jehovah's
>Witnesses, Methodists, Baptists, Wesley and, Calvinists, etc. This diverse
>range of interpretations within the protestant world is perceived within the
>Orthodox as a sign of grand vanity. They are appalled by Calvin's
>Institutes.
>
>What I see and the description on the treatment of catechumen above points
>up how the Word was controlled through an elite administered liturgical
>practise. And, although that book is so evidently christian and concerned
>with God and Jesus Christ, and the mysteries therein, I still get this
>background taste that this could be any of a dozen mystical eastern
>teachings on holiness.
>
>I suppose it's just a very different thing to something like Berkhof. I read
>one orthodox critique challenging Sola Scriptue by drawing attention to the
>body of theology that protestants rely on ... how hazy! Tho I can see a lot
>of value and use in this prayer book, and in the Orthodox church too, but
>I'm not convinced they have what they claim to possess. They certainly don't
>know anything about what they critique and they don't understand how the
>Holy Spirit works either.
What ties it to Jesus and His army and the Kingdom of God is you are a soldier in that army and you are on the battlefield when you enter that self-remembering realm. That third state of consciousness and higher emotion realm. As Man #4 and eventually #5.
Without the armor of God though you are vulnerable.
Once there though you are able to be used, to be helpful, to be effective for the goal of the Kingdom of God when you are on that spiritual battlefield. And you can't know what is happening in the way flesh and flesh senses know what is going on around them. You can just be a knight *staying on your horse*, dealing with whatever friction comes your way, overcoming, moving on. The effect you have on the battlefield will be more than you can discern. The effect on others, etc.
In the higher world you manifest as something else. Your will you as that higher manifestation will have is God's will. You can see now how God's will *is* your will. The more that higher body develops the more Real Will becomes conscious. So think of yourself moving and acting down here while your higher body is moving acting up there. You want your higher body to be under the influence of God's will. Real will. It will be, if you are truly in the third state down here, and staying on your horse (emotion, higher emotion). - C.
ps- As I was writing this post I was thinking of Don Quixote as well as Grail Romance. There is school connection there. Don Quixote depicts the type of the person who is pathetic in the face of the world once they move on. Cervantes took a different approach, and perhaps it depicts different things than Grail Romance is intended to depict, but seen in this light you can see it as a school document. The connection Cervantes has with Shakespeare in the minds of literary critics going back is significant. Just a little aside. It may be good to have Don Quixote in you to draw on when you go through the process of true separation from the world which all the above assumes.
pps- There is also the confusion among the most biblical of theologians as to how to differentiate the visible church and the Kingdom of God. It's a matter of scale and development.
From: c. t.
To:
Cc:
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 6:27 PM
Subject: Re: a prayer book and rambling notes and qoutes
Yes, and also the real metaphor of the Grail knight depicts the Man #4 (and #5) experience. That is both solitary (the trackless forest) and community (when levels are transcended and the community of the Grail Castle is reached). The Round Table still depicts the worldly level. They have to ride off on adventure, stay on their horse (higher emotion), meet friction (fights, not get thrown) overcome and transcend levels of reality. - C.
From: S
To:
Cc:
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 5:56 PM
Subject: RE: a prayer book and rambling notes and qoutes
Man number 4 means conscious development, so I imagine the church of man number four would in some way mean a connection (even like what we have here) between others who are on that path. Not necessarily "Groups" in the Gurdjieff Foundation kind of a way but the genuine meaning stated in Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Its interesting that its such a small number. It suggests gathering for genuine reasons, to talk or share ideas, rather than for a sense of community in the hundreds and all that goes with that.
This is church for man number #4
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:58:50 +0100
Subject: Re: a prayer book and rambling notes and qoutes
From: quickeningspirit
To:
CC:
I can easily agree with the religions of Man 123 idea. It's the interactions and energies at work between these that I was mostly looking at.
Also, I'm equally uneasy in an Anglican service as Catholic - I'm not sure I've ever experienced Orthodox, but that doesn't matter. There is even something (well numerous things) I find very attractive in each of these.
You make the subject interesting, if it's a question, what does the Man #4 Branch look like? This might be a mystery. It can't have the same solid footprint for the same reason that G spoke of the Work as belonging to the Slyman.
On 27 October 2011 22:38, c. t. wrote:
Preliminary reply (on a tiny keyboard)... Might not we be well-served to think of the issues involving church and church branches under the rubric of Man #123 and Man #4? I've written this before, but it's a big subject, central really to everything we discuss and do in our everyday lives. It is so obvious that Eastern Orthodox is the Man #1 branch. Roman Catholicism is the Man #2. And Protestantism is the Man #3 branch.
We then have to acknowledge that Protestantism has a controlling presence among the three. Resented by the other two. That is because intellectual center has to control, to a basic degree, emotional and instinctive/moving/sex center. And IC's standard has to be sola Scriptura.
So being truly balanced we'll seem more Protestant. So from there we move into what the Man #4 'branch' looks like.
This is why we have interest in the two other branches. The music, the practices.
Obviously the Work is the language of the #4 level. What do you think on this thus far? - C.
On Thu Oct 27th, 2011 2:06 PM PDT quickeningspirit wrote:
>I have a book titled A Method of Prayer by Eugraph Kovalevsky. It's a Praxis
>book, same publishers as Mouravieff. It's essentially part of the
>French/Russian Orthodox tradition. Anyway, an aside.
>
>It covers.
>the Jesus prayer - which was my original interest in buying it
>the Lord's prayer
>commentaries by the 'fathers'
>
>In the section on the Lord's prayer the author explains that the Lord's
>Prayer is THE Christian Creed. It belongs to the Faithful. While the Creed
>eg Nicene (*I believe in one God ...*) was intended for catechumen (novice
>Christians/beginners) - and not until they were 'illuminated' were they
>initiated into the Lord's Prayer. In Church service, catechumen and
>'outsiders' departed after the Creed, and the doors closed. A practise
>symbolically maintained by Roman Catholics and something the author appears
>to hold in such regard that he'd like the practise reinstated. (It's already
>sounding weird.)
>
>It's an interesting book but flicking through it, I'm continually reminded
>of the issues that led to the Reformation. This is one thing that I don't
>understand, speaking more broadly, the Orthodox tradition stakes its
>legitimacy on grounds of an unbroken tradition whilst claiming Western
>civilization is disconnected. There is this claim that the western Christian
>aims at moral perfection whereas the true and obviously Orthodox
>understanding is for a life of theosis. What is this tradition that is so
>important to the orthodox? If I accept it then it is the chain of conscious
>beings, and C influence. What I don't accept is that it exists in a Church,
>though perhaps G thought Mt Athos had it? Praxis website/Robin Amis promote
>and sell this general view:
>
>http://www.praxisresearch.net/cart_product.cfm/prod_id/36625/bk/1/tid/264
>http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/theosis-english.pdf
>
>"We now live in an age where Western civilization
>lives and acts contrary to its Christian heritage, yet it
>still believes that it knows about Christ and His Church.
>The West fails to appreciate that over one thousand years
>separate it from this tradition. As a result, the West’s
>perception and understanding of Christ and His Church
>has become clouded."
>
>"Theosis is personal communion with God “face to
>face.” To the Western mind, this idea may seem incomprehensible,
>even sacrilegious, but it derives unquestionably
>from Christ’s teachings. Jesus Christ was the
>fulfillment of the messianic dream of the Jewish race;
>His mission to connect us with the Kingdom of God
>– a Kingdom not of this world."
>
>If you look into it you'll see that Orthodox types don't really understand
>the protestant position. They are confused by the multiplex of denominations
>and the lack of any tradition. I think they feel cornered. They don't
>generally disagree with the Protestant critique of Roman Catholicism but
>they consider dependence on the Word a flaw (they attack Sola Scripture)
>that has led to endless personal interpretations which result in Jehovah's
>Witnesses, Methodists, Baptists, Wesley and, Calvinists, etc. This diverse
>range of interpretations within the protestant world is perceived within the
>Orthodox as a sign of grand vanity. They are appalled by Calvin's
>Institutes.
>
>What I see and the description on the treatment of catechumen above points
>up how the Word was controlled through an elite administered liturgical
>practise. And, although that book is so evidently christian and concerned
>with God and Jesus Christ, and the mysteries therein, I still get this
>background taste that this could be any of a dozen mystical eastern
>teachings on holiness.
>
>I suppose it's just a very different thing to something like Berkhof. I read
>one orthodox critique challenging Sola Scriptue by drawing attention to the
>body of theology that protestants rely on ... how hazy! Tho I can see a lot
>of value and use in this prayer book, and in the Orthodox church too, but
>I'm not convinced they have what they claim to possess. They certainly don't
>know anything about what they critique and they don't understand how the
>Holy Spirit works either.
9.21.2011
Objective understanding
It's a big deal getting understanding of biblical doctrine. Seeing it, accepting it, valuing it. It builds your spiritual body. The same with getting parts in relation to the whole understanding of the word of God. It's unusual. As I'm here reading endless chapters of the Old Testament I sometimes think how unusual it is compared to what is happening everywhere else all around me. Not that I'm special, just how different it is.
You have to engage this living language of the Old and New Testaments until it fuses into something higher, until you see it as truly universal, until its seeming provincial, localized aspects fall away. Then it becomes true objective understanding. There's nothing under the sun (or beyond the sun) within time, or in eternity, that can't be understood by it (other than God, completely).
In the above I am assuming Man #4 type efforts and development into Man #5.
You have to engage this living language of the Old and New Testaments until it fuses into something higher, until you see it as truly universal, until its seeming provincial, localized aspects fall away. Then it becomes true objective understanding. There's nothing under the sun (or beyond the sun) within time, or in eternity, that can't be understood by it (other than God, completely).
In the above I am assuming Man #4 type efforts and development into Man #5.
John Calvin on Eschatological Pilgrims
John Calvin on Eschatological Pilgrims
Let us always look at our Lord Jesus Christ. And for as much as we know that God's Son is come down hither, and will hereafter receive us into his glory, yea, and that God hath made him head of the angels as well as of us: let us assume ourselves that although we be here in this world, yet notwithstanding, we be but as pilgrims and cease not for all that to be citizens of heaven whereunto we be led by hope. And for the same cause he saith in another place that we be set already in the heavenly places. And how? By hope.
—John Calvin, "Sermon 16 on Titus 3:4-7" in Sermons on the Epistles to Timothy and Titus (facsimile of the 1579 edition reprinted by the Banner of Truth Trust, 1983) 1235.
http://www.kerux.com/documents/keruxV18N3A6.htm
Let us always look at our Lord Jesus Christ. And for as much as we know that God's Son is come down hither, and will hereafter receive us into his glory, yea, and that God hath made him head of the angels as well as of us: let us assume ourselves that although we be here in this world, yet notwithstanding, we be but as pilgrims and cease not for all that to be citizens of heaven whereunto we be led by hope. And for the same cause he saith in another place that we be set already in the heavenly places. And how? By hope.
—John Calvin, "Sermon 16 on Titus 3:4-7" in Sermons on the Epistles to Timothy and Titus (facsimile of the 1579 edition reprinted by the Banner of Truth Trust, 1983) 1235.
http://www.kerux.com/documents/keruxV18N3A6.htm
The influence of objective-consciousness
We need influences to get self-consciousness and objective-consciousness. The influences that develop us up to the Work are B Influence. Objective-consciousness needs its own influence. C Influence is needed (which practically means being in the third state of consciousness at least, which means doing the Work). Objective-consciousness also needs material influence, or knowledge. Something higher than mere literature the way C influence is higher than B influence. That material is the living word of God.
You can't have objective-consciousness without knowing the plan of God, or plan of redemption.
This objective-consciousness via the word of God is obviously more than just knowing true doctrine and the Bible really well, because it is *on top of* having self-consciousness, which most theologians, for instance, don't have. We're faced with our ignorance and weakness - and sin - when doing the Work, and just being awake to ourselves that knowing the Work requires.
The Book of Revelation is a test for objective-consciousness. Interestingly a person like Calvin with all his understanding said he didn't understand the Book of Revelation and left it alone. This shows the boundary between Man #1,2,3 and Man #5.
You can't have objective-consciousness without knowing the plan of God, or plan of redemption.
This objective-consciousness via the word of God is obviously more than just knowing true doctrine and the Bible really well, because it is *on top of* having self-consciousness, which most theologians, for instance, don't have. We're faced with our ignorance and weakness - and sin - when doing the Work, and just being awake to ourselves that knowing the Work requires.
The Book of Revelation is a test for objective-consciousness. Interestingly a person like Calvin with all his understanding said he didn't understand the Book of Revelation and left it alone. This shows the boundary between Man #1,2,3 and Man #5.
9.14.2011
Further birth
I am beginning to tangibly feel - physically feel - being in covenant with God. What it is. I'm feeling it from the words in the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. The feeling is directional internally. By that I mean it is also an emotional sense of being on-the-mark in following God or being off-the-mark in rebelling and falling away to idols. And it's not a law thing, or a following rules thing. It's a physical/emotional feeling like a new body coming to fruition inside me. It involves the two conscious shocks as well. You can begin to see how this phenomenon, this reality, this growth, solves problems of God's will vs. individuality. You can see how a new world opens up when you are 'in' this. This is also obviously the Work teaching of developing higher bodies and developing Real Will and so on. It's elusive (at least for now, at the beginning of it), yet it is real and something you can 'feel.'
8.06.2011
Objective consciousness
Getting understanding of the plan of God in all its elements in revelation and history and human nature is the material of objective consciousness. Notice it includes everything under its umbrella, even pagan religion, i.e. understanding of pagan religion, and everything else.
The language of cosmoses, that elusive language that must be pondered and found, is the language of objective consciousness. Revelation can be seen in this language.
C Influence and contacting it by being in the third and forth states of consciousness is the source. Conscious influence, only one source of that: the triune God.
+ + + + + + +
That last email was meant to give the elements of the higher realm Work operates in. It was inspired by picking up and looking through Kline's Kingdom Prologue. Kline wrote in the language of cosmoses, thought in it, and applied it to very orthodox Biblical doctrine. Anyway, when you think of the mundane and how to gather all you've learned to transcend to the higher realm, think of the three things mentioned in the last email.
The language of cosmoses, that elusive language that must be pondered and found, is the language of objective consciousness. Revelation can be seen in this language.
C Influence and contacting it by being in the third and forth states of consciousness is the source. Conscious influence, only one source of that: the triune God.
+ + + + + + +
That last email was meant to give the elements of the higher realm Work operates in. It was inspired by picking up and looking through Kline's Kingdom Prologue. Kline wrote in the language of cosmoses, thought in it, and applied it to very orthodox Biblical doctrine. Anyway, when you think of the mundane and how to gather all you've learned to transcend to the higher realm, think of the three things mentioned in the last email.
7.06.2011
OK, something substantive...
Two practical efforts: 1. Read the word of God. It is living language. It changes you. Separates your spirit from your soul (Heb. 4:12) and enables the light to enter and the Spirit to speak to your spirit. Etc., etc.
2. Enter into a Work effort until you provoke your limit then keep your Aim in view through the dust and confusion and the whole maelstrom of being at your limit, and act from the Work rather than from life and in *all that* you make real progress. You want to be there, in that maelstrom which is being at your limit, and you want to struggle to extend your limit, and you keep your eye on your Aim through all the confusion and dust and explosions and so on. It all has its natural beginning, middle, and end, so just persevere in it until a conclusion of that particular effort. That changes you over time.
There must be a third...?
3. Prayer.
2. Enter into a Work effort until you provoke your limit then keep your Aim in view through the dust and confusion and the whole maelstrom of being at your limit, and act from the Work rather than from life and in *all that* you make real progress. You want to be there, in that maelstrom which is being at your limit, and you want to struggle to extend your limit, and you keep your eye on your Aim through all the confusion and dust and explosions and so on. It all has its natural beginning, middle, and end, so just persevere in it until a conclusion of that particular effort. That changes you over time.
There must be a third...?
3. Prayer.
7.01.2011
An observation with symmetry
It's interesting, observing the average church Christian makes me value Work (Fourth Way) ideas, practices, and goals; and on the other hand observing the average Fourth Way/Gurdjieff type makes me value the word of God, regeneration, and biblical doctrine.
Having said that it's better to be shallow and saved than to be unsaved, but I just don't think the Holy Spirit leaves individuals he has regenerated in a state of valuing shallowness and wanting to stay there. In fact I know He doesn't.
Having said that it's better to be shallow and saved than to be unsaved, but I just don't think the Holy Spirit leaves individuals he has regenerated in a state of valuing shallowness and wanting to stay there. In fact I know He doesn't.
5.01.2011
Death
Reading Human Nature in its Fourfold State gives clear and deep insight into Work teaching.
On death, it is clear the unregenerate are in death - and hell - now. Not in the sense that this world is hell. In the sense that in the fullness of their living time, in that living interval, they are in death and hell, just as the born again - regenerated by the Word and Spirit - are no longer there. The born again have left that realm - which to the living is a spiritual realm - and the world senses this and shows hatred for them.
When the unregenerate die they experience death and hell, yet in all their living time they still maintain the pride of life and rebellion against God. Then when their consciousness is in the flesh again - recurrence - they go back to their old vomit. They do this until the harvest when they will no longer be able to do it. The theatre and time cycle within which recurrence happens comes to an end, eventually. The second coming, the end of time, the harvest when the wheat will be separated from the chaff.
Unless they experience effectual calling and regeneration, in which case they leave the bondage of death and hell in the spiritual realm, the world hates them, they separate from the world, belong to God, and go to be with God when they physically die, which has already happened in the spiritual realm.
Context brings Biblical statements into practical light. To walk in the Spirit can be seen clearly when you picture yourself in the spiritual realm now, in that interval between death and birth, but which exists now in the living time recurrence sense.
We can also see how when we sleep, or fall, and we don't walk in the Spirit in that dark realm, how we make ourselves vulnerable to all the forces of hell. O [I say, like a 19th century poet], to be an awake, pure spiritual warrior in that realm now, continually until death and resurrection into God's Kingdom, glorified.
We know how to do it now; and we certainly have influences to further teach us.
On death, it is clear the unregenerate are in death - and hell - now. Not in the sense that this world is hell. In the sense that in the fullness of their living time, in that living interval, they are in death and hell, just as the born again - regenerated by the Word and Spirit - are no longer there. The born again have left that realm - which to the living is a spiritual realm - and the world senses this and shows hatred for them.
When the unregenerate die they experience death and hell, yet in all their living time they still maintain the pride of life and rebellion against God. Then when their consciousness is in the flesh again - recurrence - they go back to their old vomit. They do this until the harvest when they will no longer be able to do it. The theatre and time cycle within which recurrence happens comes to an end, eventually. The second coming, the end of time, the harvest when the wheat will be separated from the chaff.
Unless they experience effectual calling and regeneration, in which case they leave the bondage of death and hell in the spiritual realm, the world hates them, they separate from the world, belong to God, and go to be with God when they physically die, which has already happened in the spiritual realm.
Context brings Biblical statements into practical light. To walk in the Spirit can be seen clearly when you picture yourself in the spiritual realm now, in that interval between death and birth, but which exists now in the living time recurrence sense.
We can also see how when we sleep, or fall, and we don't walk in the Spirit in that dark realm, how we make ourselves vulnerable to all the forces of hell. O [I say, like a 19th century poet], to be an awake, pure spiritual warrior in that realm now, continually until death and resurrection into God's Kingdom, glorified.
We know how to do it now; and we certainly have influences to further teach us.
4.04.2011
The metaphor of planting
Just read this post by some crazy person:
http://electofgod.blogspot.com/2005/12/being-child-king-is-dangerous.html
I really liked the metaphor of 'planting' for the second conscious shock. It is concrete and doable. You take a hit, it triggers resentment, or would usually, and you just allow it to be planted in you. Boom, just got stabbed, I'm being mocked, treated badly, yeah, yeah, I'll just take the hit, it's like a plow that just broke the surface of my being, and I'll let that hit, or stab, be planted in me. Now, in time it will grow. And what it grows into will be something very different. Because it is really just energy. But since its uniquely the result of the second conscious shock (or the process of the second conscious shock) it will grow into things like real will and things associated with higher centers.
All the while I will have had to have been in the third state of consciousness. Self-remembering. Also, what that hit will grow into will be things associated with the fourth state of consciousness.
http://electofgod.blogspot.com/2005/12/being-child-king-is-dangerous.html
I really liked the metaphor of 'planting' for the second conscious shock. It is concrete and doable. You take a hit, it triggers resentment, or would usually, and you just allow it to be planted in you. Boom, just got stabbed, I'm being mocked, treated badly, yeah, yeah, I'll just take the hit, it's like a plow that just broke the surface of my being, and I'll let that hit, or stab, be planted in me. Now, in time it will grow. And what it grows into will be something very different. Because it is really just energy. But since its uniquely the result of the second conscious shock (or the process of the second conscious shock) it will grow into things like real will and things associated with higher centers.
All the while I will have had to have been in the third state of consciousness. Self-remembering. Also, what that hit will grow into will be things associated with the fourth state of consciousness.
3.27.2011
Conscience
Awhile back Paul (probably a long while back) was mentioning the central role of conscience in the Work. I never really singled it out in my own writings. I think I was, though, when talking about discernment and being able to discern 'on-the-mark/off-the-mark'.
Going through Ouspensky's Fourth Way I came across a short definition of conscience O. gave which is worth sending along:
"Conscience can be defined as an emotional feeling of truth on a given subject."
I remember now, I did write on conscience. I connected it with my own experience of becoming awake to all the kinds of lying we engage in. That is conscience becoming unburied. It started with me before I connected with the Work. Like, you say something, then you pause and your eyes drift away, and you say, "That's really not true." Or, you see and note a contradiction in yourself, what you've said, your actions, beliefs, etc. Or, you state that you dislike something, then you state that you've engaged in the same behavior. That is conscience becoming unburied.
Ouspensky I think gave some unhelpful - or clumsy - descriptions of conscience in the same section of the Fourth Way. Not necessarily wrong, but clumsy. Saying conscience is feeling every emotion all at once that you can feel towards something. I can see what he was getting at, but it was a clumsy way of putting it (and I recall later in the section when it became obvious he confused his hearers he kind of admitted it was a clumsy way of putting it), and that might have steered me away from focusing more on conscience in my own notes on the Work.
But it's clear conscience is the control center. Consciousness - in intellectual center - is important too, but it's a slower center and it wavers weak and strong so dramatically, so that our level of consciousness can't really be a steady watchman. When conscience, though, is on watch we can really know, for instance, when we have gotten into (or are getting into) a state of strong identification; or that we are internally-considering; or that we are indulging negative imagination, etc.
Conscience like that appears after we have done a lot of self-remembering work.
It's clear in this sense that a working conscience is a part of Real Will.
Going through Ouspensky's Fourth Way I came across a short definition of conscience O. gave which is worth sending along:
"Conscience can be defined as an emotional feeling of truth on a given subject."
I remember now, I did write on conscience. I connected it with my own experience of becoming awake to all the kinds of lying we engage in. That is conscience becoming unburied. It started with me before I connected with the Work. Like, you say something, then you pause and your eyes drift away, and you say, "That's really not true." Or, you see and note a contradiction in yourself, what you've said, your actions, beliefs, etc. Or, you state that you dislike something, then you state that you've engaged in the same behavior. That is conscience becoming unburied.
Ouspensky I think gave some unhelpful - or clumsy - descriptions of conscience in the same section of the Fourth Way. Not necessarily wrong, but clumsy. Saying conscience is feeling every emotion all at once that you can feel towards something. I can see what he was getting at, but it was a clumsy way of putting it (and I recall later in the section when it became obvious he confused his hearers he kind of admitted it was a clumsy way of putting it), and that might have steered me away from focusing more on conscience in my own notes on the Work.
But it's clear conscience is the control center. Consciousness - in intellectual center - is important too, but it's a slower center and it wavers weak and strong so dramatically, so that our level of consciousness can't really be a steady watchman. When conscience, though, is on watch we can really know, for instance, when we have gotten into (or are getting into) a state of strong identification; or that we are internally-considering; or that we are indulging negative imagination, etc.
Conscience like that appears after we have done a lot of self-remembering work.
It's clear in this sense that a working conscience is a part of Real Will.
1.22.2011
Remember this
Remember this: development that stays with you in the spiritual realm is not about holding a lot of surfacy knowledge in your mind at the same time. It is about developing your essential self. Your essence. It's kind of beyond words and ideas and so forth in this sense, though influences are carried in such ways.
So, for instance, just reading the Bible complete does more for you in real development. Reading Homer complete. Deep languages. Learning music. Athletic development. But also if you identify spiritual warfare and the knowledge associated with it as most important then having the *language* of the Bible in you complete is more real for development than reading twelve commentaries on a particular book of the Bible. Obviously. Also, with Work, seeing just one feature of false personality in real time in yourself and managing to have some real degree of control over it does more than going through the mental gymnastics of figuring out time and recurrence and so forth in that purely surfacy knowledge way. Obviously.
Pure and simple clock and real will efforts at rote, backlash, schedule, and event self-remembering and non-identifying do more than you can see or feel at the time of doing it. Development for these kinds of deeper efforts is like the slow hand of a clock: no visible movement, yet movement.
So, for instance, just reading the Bible complete does more for you in real development. Reading Homer complete. Deep languages. Learning music. Athletic development. But also if you identify spiritual warfare and the knowledge associated with it as most important then having the *language* of the Bible in you complete is more real for development than reading twelve commentaries on a particular book of the Bible. Obviously. Also, with Work, seeing just one feature of false personality in real time in yourself and managing to have some real degree of control over it does more than going through the mental gymnastics of figuring out time and recurrence and so forth in that purely surfacy knowledge way. Obviously.
Pure and simple clock and real will efforts at rote, backlash, schedule, and event self-remembering and non-identifying do more than you can see or feel at the time of doing it. Development for these kinds of deeper efforts is like the slow hand of a clock: no visible movement, yet movement.
1.17.2011
Something important, difficult to articulate
I think it's a big thought whether God can trust me. *He* knows, but for us to ask the question it creates a unique, important perspective.
Here is something in the same realm: internally orientating ourselves in the moment as if we are now in God's Kingdom. I don't mean acting as if we are watched. Just shifting context and perspective. Coming out of worldly thoughts and behavior that are silly or worse.
The Work practice of New Thinking is involved here.
I.e., is being obsessed with some resentment worthy of a being who knows of and has been called into God's Kingdom?
It's something you *feel* in the moment. Of course wrapped up in all Work practices and being.
It's big because it's a thought that controls and contains most all else.
Here is something in the same realm: internally orientating ourselves in the moment as if we are now in God's Kingdom. I don't mean acting as if we are watched. Just shifting context and perspective. Coming out of worldly thoughts and behavior that are silly or worse.
The Work practice of New Thinking is involved here.
I.e., is being obsessed with some resentment worthy of a being who knows of and has been called into God's Kingdom?
It's something you *feel* in the moment. Of course wrapped up in all Work practices and being.
It's big because it's a thought that controls and contains most all else.
1.01.2011
Three connections of the Work and Christianity
Three connections of the Work and Christianity:
1. Progressive sanctification
2. Spiritual warfare
3. The Two Conscious Shocks as means of being in covenant with God
1. Progressive sanctification
2. Spiritual warfare
3. The Two Conscious Shocks as means of being in covenant with God
A summing up on this subject of the Work and Christianity
The Work is like theology where you constantly have to go back and reiterate the basics. Then you sound like - to some - you never knew the basics, or that you're not aware that you are going over old, well-known things.
Let me sum up this subject I've been stumbling over too long:
* * * * * * *
The ideas, practices, and goals of the Work can be done without the foundation of regeneration by the Word and the Spirit, but it will ultimately just be screwing around leading to emptiness or parlor games or worldly groups focused more on sex and money and power than provoking and extending limits.
The ideas, practices, and goals of the Work done on the foundation of regeneration by the Word and the Spirit become (with the Word of God though an extra-biblical language) the substance of progressive sanctification and the means and environment of spiritual warfare.
* * * * * * *
Let me sum up this subject I've been stumbling over too long:
* * * * * * *
The ideas, practices, and goals of the Work can be done without the foundation of regeneration by the Word and the Spirit, but it will ultimately just be screwing around leading to emptiness or parlor games or worldly groups focused more on sex and money and power than provoking and extending limits.
The ideas, practices, and goals of the Work done on the foundation of regeneration by the Word and the Spirit become (with the Word of God though an extra-biblical language) the substance of progressive sanctification and the means and environment of spiritual warfare.
* * * * * * *
12.29.2010
Trip to the underworld
I had a trip to the underworld yesterday. Because of unique circumstances I stopped in at a gas station I used to go to everyday in my old days. Before pulling into it I thought, "I could run into someone here..."
As I was getting back into my car after buying something to drink then that someone appeared. He was forlornly holding an empty red plastic gas can and making gestures to his pocket as if he needed some money, though he never asked for money. He kept looking at me. "Do I know you?" I queried. He said his name. Yes, he knew me. I recognized the name, but not the face. He was a shade from the realm of the dead.
We greeted each other. I asked him if he needed some money, and gave him a 20. Then he started talking. It was like giving him blood.
He had a strange knowledge of everybody I'd known in my old life. Strange because he wasn't even in all those circles, but his knowledge was coming from the spiritual realm. He talked and talked and talked, and told me what everybody had come to and was doing now. Who had died, who had gone astray of the law.
Then he began to fade, and I gave him another 20. He began to talk animatedly again. I asked him about everybody whose name I could remember. But he mostly didn't need any prompting.
After we'd exhausted all the names from the past he made an obligatory gesture to exchange numbers or see if I'd want to go golfing or something, but my reaction was distanced. We said goodbye, and he went his way, and I drove off.
It was a trip to the land of the dead. He was the shade that came forward.
As I was getting back into my car after buying something to drink then that someone appeared. He was forlornly holding an empty red plastic gas can and making gestures to his pocket as if he needed some money, though he never asked for money. He kept looking at me. "Do I know you?" I queried. He said his name. Yes, he knew me. I recognized the name, but not the face. He was a shade from the realm of the dead.
We greeted each other. I asked him if he needed some money, and gave him a 20. Then he started talking. It was like giving him blood.
He had a strange knowledge of everybody I'd known in my old life. Strange because he wasn't even in all those circles, but his knowledge was coming from the spiritual realm. He talked and talked and talked, and told me what everybody had come to and was doing now. Who had died, who had gone astray of the law.
Then he began to fade, and I gave him another 20. He began to talk animatedly again. I asked him about everybody whose name I could remember. But he mostly didn't need any prompting.
After we'd exhausted all the names from the past he made an obligatory gesture to exchange numbers or see if I'd want to go golfing or something, but my reaction was distanced. We said goodbye, and he went his way, and I drove off.
It was a trip to the land of the dead. He was the shade that came forward.
12.09.2010
I keep getting this shock (the Two Conscious Shocks as means of being in covenant with God)
Every now and then when I'm reading some secondary source explaining Calvinism (or attempting to) I come across a particular shock that is delivered to me.
The seals of being in covenant with God (He does His part and we do ours) are baptism and the Eucharist. These two seals correlate to 1) the first conscious shock of self-remembering and accumulating higher energy (the Spirit to ever greater degree, whatever our limit, what we can handle); and 2) the second conscious shock of non-identifying and 'eating our suffering' so to speak (conscious suffering), loving our enemy, identifying with Jesus and His suffering in life and on the cross, and not indulging internal-considering, etc.
If you don't yet know classical Covenant - Federal - Theology it is merely biblical doctrine unwatered down, un-negotiated down to the demands of our fallen nature. Calvinism is a nickname for apostolic biblical doctrine. Hardcore. Accepting true doctrine - propositions from the Bible, as difficult as they may be to accept - to the point of it effecting inner re-orientation in us from being man-centered to being God-centered. It is also armor of God.
But this shock I get is powerful knowledge. To actually *know* how to be 'in covenant' with God. I mean *after* monergistic quickening and regeneration and conversion, to actually know *what it is we do.* The two conscious shocks. And they are what initiates the wayfaring. And wayfaring is warfaring, as the saying goes.
The seals of being in covenant with God (He does His part and we do ours) are baptism and the Eucharist. These two seals correlate to 1) the first conscious shock of self-remembering and accumulating higher energy (the Spirit to ever greater degree, whatever our limit, what we can handle); and 2) the second conscious shock of non-identifying and 'eating our suffering' so to speak (conscious suffering), loving our enemy, identifying with Jesus and His suffering in life and on the cross, and not indulging internal-considering, etc.
If you don't yet know classical Covenant - Federal - Theology it is merely biblical doctrine unwatered down, un-negotiated down to the demands of our fallen nature. Calvinism is a nickname for apostolic biblical doctrine. Hardcore. Accepting true doctrine - propositions from the Bible, as difficult as they may be to accept - to the point of it effecting inner re-orientation in us from being man-centered to being God-centered. It is also armor of God.
But this shock I get is powerful knowledge. To actually *know* how to be 'in covenant' with God. I mean *after* monergistic quickening and regeneration and conversion, to actually know *what it is we do.* The two conscious shocks. And they are what initiates the wayfaring. And wayfaring is warfaring, as the saying goes.
11.23.2010
I'll write this post 80 times - the Armour of God
All boils down to having the armour of God. Developing in the possession of and the use of the armour of God. Eph. 6:10-18. It's all there.
When you die you need the armour of God. While alive on the Way you need the armour of God. Especially obviously, though, when you die you need the armour of God. Some live to enjoy life as much as they can. Others live to be able to stand on that day.
You need to be in the Kingdom of God and have the armour of God. Being in the Kingdom now though doesn't make unnecessary the need for the armour of God.
Work ideas/practices/goals, faith, Bible, prayer, progressive sanctification, building being, awakening, etc. It is all in the armour of God.
The two conscious shocks are in our ability to 'stand'. The two commandments of Christ which come under 'truth'. Righteousness comes from Christ. We are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, not our own. Obviously the entire truth of the Word of God has to be known.
And notice the accent is put on spiritual enemies and forces and powers.
The two conscious shocks activate your progressing on the Way. They put you on the Way. The armour is your defense and means of victory when assaulted on the Way. The goal is to be able to stand on that evil day, and prior, to develop being as high and fully as possible.
When you die you need the armour of God. While alive on the Way you need the armour of God. Especially obviously, though, when you die you need the armour of God. Some live to enjoy life as much as they can. Others live to be able to stand on that day.
You need to be in the Kingdom of God and have the armour of God. Being in the Kingdom now though doesn't make unnecessary the need for the armour of God.
Work ideas/practices/goals, faith, Bible, prayer, progressive sanctification, building being, awakening, etc. It is all in the armour of God.
The two conscious shocks are in our ability to 'stand'. The two commandments of Christ which come under 'truth'. Righteousness comes from Christ. We are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, not our own. Obviously the entire truth of the Word of God has to be known.
And notice the accent is put on spiritual enemies and forces and powers.
The two conscious shocks activate your progressing on the Way. They put you on the Way. The armour is your defense and means of victory when assaulted on the Way. The goal is to be able to stand on that evil day, and prior, to develop being as high and fully as possible.
11.20.2010
Sitting here, rainy day (13 languages)
At a college, rainy day. Looking at an edition of the Iliad. Start writing a list in the back of it. Title list: Deep Languages.
This is really what we seek (deep, higher, living languages) to develop and to get beyond ourselves. To increase understanding, consciousness, real will...build being.....even the Holy Spirit comes via the living language of the Bible.
I came up with 13:
Bible
Iliad and Odyssey
Fourth Way/the Work
Classical Music
War
Wealth
Grail Romance
Athletics
Performing Arts
Plutarch
Thucydides
Folk Tales
Classical Covenant - Federal - Theology
Salvation is foundational. C Influence is beyond, requires 3rd state of consciousness. The moving, external world of things and events becomes language with it.
Some of the languages/influences effect necessary development. All-center development. Some are ends in themselves.
Plutarch and Thucydides seem out of place there, but I see them as monuments or architecture that deliver language beyond their words. Structure. Other similar works could be included, not many though.
The ones that are ends in themselves are Bible, biblical doctrine, Work development.
The two conscious shocks are the Grail, the two commandments of Christ, the sacramental presence, the key to union with God. What all mysteries and secret schools and higher visual languages and traditions that are true lead to and describe. - C.
11.11.2010
An email exchange, C. S. Lewis, Dark Powers, spiritual warfare, general law, etc.
Here's a good quote from the Business of Heaven (the quote is from Mere Christianity) -
"One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe - a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease, and sin. The difference is that Christianity thinks this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and went wrong. Christianity agrees with Dualism that this universe is at war. But it does not think this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel. Enemy-occupied territory - that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage."
Notice he says 'surprised' to find this in the New Testament. I'm always surprised to find it left out of most orthodox (small 'o') mainstream theological works.
Paul, you have been attracted to the Book of Job in the past. Thinking about the General Law as the Work describes it, and the spirit of Satan as a Christian learns of it from the Bible, the difference is the General Law plays out mechanically in the world. It works through sleeping, mechanical human beings. Yet there is also an element that seems to require a more active, conscious presence. The latter is like when the devil and his spirits (demons) may focus on you and try to tempt you and so on. Also, perhaps our deepest, ongoing suffering, things none of us really ever talk about, things from birth, or things that would make us seem like whiners or uncool - 'rule' type things that are given to us to help us separate from the world - these things seem like what we see in the Book of Job where the devil goes to God and says allow me to mess with this individual and let's see if they still give their allegiance to you. So God allows it. And we suffer. But the General Law type of phenomena is less personal and more mechanical and a result of the big forces (flowing away from the Absolute vs. flowing back towards the Absolute).
So here, without trying to, I've identified the famous three-front war in spiritual warfare: the world, the flesh and the devil.
The world is the General Law.
The flesh is the temptations and so on that come from our inner being, yet an inner being that has reins attached to it held by the devil and his army.
The devil is things like 'rules' that God allows the devil to give you, or to afflict you with, to try you.
It may have been wrong for me, using the Homeric analogy, to say that C Influence can sometimes be the source of needed friction. Yet, maybe not. That can also be a source. Athena slamming Odysseus' ship, giving him problems in his return. Then also being his main contact with conscious influence and help.
Basically you get it from all directions when you are in the process of awakening. And you must need to get it from all directions. - C.
--- On Thu, 11/11/10, c. t.
>I blow hot n cold with Lewis. (But at least he's consistent!) A Year With CS Lewis is good.
I know, probably any anthology of Lewis will give a similar impression. The Business of Heaven, though, I think is designed to address various Christian/religious subject matter.
Lewis of course is not literature that is deep language. It's surface knowledge. Really, what Lewis does is compliment and 'direct' one's thoughts and understanding. He plays around at foundational levels though which can be helpful even if you already know the foundational level. He usually ends up residing on middle ground, or a common sense ''what is all the fuss?", we're still in the flesh, leave extreme reactions and find the middle road and stay to it, etc.
He can also 'norm' you after you may have come into contact with some sneaky off-the-mark influence, or you have drifted.
In that sense he seems like an old teacher that is maybe good to run into every now and then but holds no potential for further, deep, being development.
For that you need to take in language. Higher visual language. Living language. Language inspired by the Holy Spirit. I mean regarding words on a page. Lewis would say, "Read Euripides, don't read me." Or Homer. Or the Bible. Which I'm doing now. I'm securely into my 7th complete reading currently on chapter 25 of Genesis. I've read Genesis like 3 times in a row now in aborted starts on my 7th complete reading, but this time I will plow on.
- C.
--- On Mon, 11/8/10, quickeningspirit
I blow hot n cold with Lewis. (But at least he's consistent!) A Year With CS Lewis is good.
I've just started Euripides. That's 8 plays. Completes the trilogy with Aeschylus and Sophocles. I also note that it bags the first 7 works in the Mortimer/Adler Great List. Not that I was ever thinking of doing that.
If you are doing India for the umpteenth time, you might as well change tack and pick out some of the Mahabharata - it'll keep you busy. I imagine if you can hone in on the right books, it could be revealing and an interesting contrast to some of the works that you have tackled previously.
BTW Mawsynram is a nice village I can recommend for you to visit. It's in the north east and I think very much to your liking. ; -)
"One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe - a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease, and sin. The difference is that Christianity thinks this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and went wrong. Christianity agrees with Dualism that this universe is at war. But it does not think this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel. Enemy-occupied territory - that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage."
Notice he says 'surprised' to find this in the New Testament. I'm always surprised to find it left out of most orthodox (small 'o') mainstream theological works.
Paul, you have been attracted to the Book of Job in the past. Thinking about the General Law as the Work describes it, and the spirit of Satan as a Christian learns of it from the Bible, the difference is the General Law plays out mechanically in the world. It works through sleeping, mechanical human beings. Yet there is also an element that seems to require a more active, conscious presence. The latter is like when the devil and his spirits (demons) may focus on you and try to tempt you and so on. Also, perhaps our deepest, ongoing suffering, things none of us really ever talk about, things from birth, or things that would make us seem like whiners or uncool - 'rule' type things that are given to us to help us separate from the world - these things seem like what we see in the Book of Job where the devil goes to God and says allow me to mess with this individual and let's see if they still give their allegiance to you. So God allows it. And we suffer. But the General Law type of phenomena is less personal and more mechanical and a result of the big forces (flowing away from the Absolute vs. flowing back towards the Absolute).
So here, without trying to, I've identified the famous three-front war in spiritual warfare: the world, the flesh and the devil.
The world is the General Law.
The flesh is the temptations and so on that come from our inner being, yet an inner being that has reins attached to it held by the devil and his army.
The devil is things like 'rules' that God allows the devil to give you, or to afflict you with, to try you.
It may have been wrong for me, using the Homeric analogy, to say that C Influence can sometimes be the source of needed friction. Yet, maybe not. That can also be a source. Athena slamming Odysseus' ship, giving him problems in his return. Then also being his main contact with conscious influence and help.
Basically you get it from all directions when you are in the process of awakening. And you must need to get it from all directions. - C.
--- On Thu, 11/11/10, c. t.
>I blow hot n cold with Lewis. (But at least he's consistent!) A Year With CS Lewis is good.
I know, probably any anthology of Lewis will give a similar impression. The Business of Heaven, though, I think is designed to address various Christian/religious subject matter.
Lewis of course is not literature that is deep language. It's surface knowledge. Really, what Lewis does is compliment and 'direct' one's thoughts and understanding. He plays around at foundational levels though which can be helpful even if you already know the foundational level. He usually ends up residing on middle ground, or a common sense ''what is all the fuss?", we're still in the flesh, leave extreme reactions and find the middle road and stay to it, etc.
He can also 'norm' you after you may have come into contact with some sneaky off-the-mark influence, or you have drifted.
In that sense he seems like an old teacher that is maybe good to run into every now and then but holds no potential for further, deep, being development.
For that you need to take in language. Higher visual language. Living language. Language inspired by the Holy Spirit. I mean regarding words on a page. Lewis would say, "Read Euripides, don't read me." Or Homer. Or the Bible. Which I'm doing now. I'm securely into my 7th complete reading currently on chapter 25 of Genesis. I've read Genesis like 3 times in a row now in aborted starts on my 7th complete reading, but this time I will plow on.
- C.
--- On Mon, 11/8/10, quickeningspirit
I blow hot n cold with Lewis. (But at least he's consistent!) A Year With CS Lewis is good.
I've just started Euripides. That's 8 plays. Completes the trilogy with Aeschylus and Sophocles. I also note that it bags the first 7 works in the Mortimer/Adler Great List. Not that I was ever thinking of doing that.
If you are doing India for the umpteenth time, you might as well change tack and pick out some of the Mahabharata - it'll keep you busy. I imagine if you can hone in on the right books, it could be revealing and an interesting contrast to some of the works that you have tackled previously.
BTW Mawsynram is a nice village I can recommend for you to visit. It's in the north east and I think very much to your liking. ; -)
10.07.2010
Spiritual Warfare and Work Sentences
The 3 Great Divides & Two Great Practices:
1. Worshiping the creation rather than the Creator
2. Seeing Jesus as merely a great teacher rather than Lord and Savior
3. Thinking one can be justified and made righteous by one's own works rather than by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ in His life and on the cross (self-righteousness and self-justification vs. the righteousness of Christ and justification by faith alone in Christ)
Two Great Practices:
1. Act now as if you're in the Kingdom of God now, and God can trust you.
2. Do the two conscious shocks as the means to being in covenant with God.
Overriding Kingdom of God Attitude:
Gratitude over resentment always for everything.
+ + + + + + +
In every locality/event there is something to hold on to. To discern and use as a foundation for that place/event.
Leverage in the spiritual world involves containing force.
Initially meeting the forces in a contained space with strength and fearlessness and awakeness and honesty towards what you're up against is necessary to be able to then stand within that space with presence and power. Honesty in accepting and acting upon what you discern is necessary. If you discern/intuit unfriendliness yet pretend all are friendly you will not survive that environment. Innocence works and protects somewhat in early stages, but not when real stand-your-ground-and-be-present warfare is demanded.
Aim devours emptiness (vanity) in an event. Aim can be simply testing and tempering being. Aim can also be discerned in any event or action along the lines of the three lines of Work.
Influence can be gathered from seemingly still air. The stars invisible in the blue sky.
The six approaches work for particulars; a general stance of awake wariness is best for the overall situation.
Thoughts will be thrown just like words and should be intentional. Thoughts too should confront challenges and nonsense from the environment. If your words be clear and intentional but your thoughts be unintentional, chaotic, and dishonest - or just vain - you will not set your presence and control your own domain in the environment. Though the devil cannot listen to your thoughts you can throw your thoughts to such a degree that the shallowest in the environment can pick them up.
Moving inward and vertical in time (fifth and sixth dimensions; first and second conscious shocks) to the moment (the moving time of the environment or event) gives speed of perception advantage. Feeling the force and direction and fullness of time. Seeing her world history in an eyelash. A god at the tea party more inward to and above the moment. Still visible to crude sense, invisible otherwise is the god if not showing shame or fear inside. If a god through and through.
Acting on what you are able to know and to see and foresee is different from merely knowing and seeing or foreseeing the thing/event. Prayer is action bridging the vision and the event in time.
+ + + + + + +
1. Self-remembering ignites our being (cosmos) and fills it with a higher energy.
2. Non-identifying defines and secures the boundary of our being (cosmos).
3. Separation (I from 'it') sets the true north of our being (cosmos), orientating us and setting us on the foundation within.
4. External-considering orientates us with other cosmoses.
5. Transforming negative emotion connects our cosmos with the Kingdom of God and feeds us through that connection.
6. Learn to see cosmoses, to discern them.
7. When born you are a cosmos and a cosmos knows what it needs (the infant cries). When you die you are still a cosmos and you acclimate as a cosmos to the new state and situation you come in to. You are a cosmos within a cosmos(es) in contra-distinction to cosmoses.
8. The world and the devil and false personality (the flesh) wants you to 'come apart' as a cosmos; to have breaches in the boundary of your cosmos, a promiscuous traffic with the world. To stand your ground is to maintain the boundaries of your cosmos; to not allow anything external - the world, the devil - to connect with features within your cosmos that make up false personality and thus control you (control you, or, your cosmos); i.e. to attach reins within you as cosmos. (If the features of false personality are not manifesting then false personality is not there, and if not there then there is nothing for the world and the devil to attach reins to from without to control you.) The world and the devil want to be what fills your cosmos, to make the content of your cosmos to be the impressions and illusions and fears and desires and fascinations of the devil's kingdom.
9. The practical observation of cosmoses is seeing them in oneself. Becoming conscious in a higher and lower cosmos is like becoming conscious of different centers within you (emotional, instinctive, moving, etc.) with their different speeds.
10. A person single (no marital mate, no lover) is one kind of comsos. A person married or with a lover is another kind of cosmos. I.e. the two states have potential for different kinds of complete cosmoses (ideally, we can say, charitably). The single person develops the complimentary sides within his/her being. It's romantic to think that two people can develop as two, but two people are the norm of the world, and in such a situation the person who is part of a 'couple' *won't* be in conflict with the world or with one's flesh or the devil. Hard truth.
+ + + + + + +
#
Christian says:
October 29, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Money (or worldly gain), power (or worldly honor), and sex (or worldly pleasure) are not idols they are temptations.
A false idol is something like left-wing politics (Marxism, communism, socialism), or worship of the state; or environmentalism, or worship of mother earth; or multiculturalism, or worship of the ‘noble savage.’
These things don’t just replace God, they are sacrificed to (including human sacrifice) and they make the worshipers conscience feel easy. These false idols forgive their worshipers.
It’s difficult for modern day Christians to see real false idols because most modern day Christians are completely in the power of the false idols they can’t see.
Again, money, sex, power: these are staple *temptations* in the devil’s kingdom, they are not false idols.
Reply
#
Christian says:
October 29, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Unbelievers have a consciousness of guilt – of sin – that they need to have expiated. They refuse to approach God or the only Mediator between man and God, so they set up a false god.
Molech and Baal were not temptations.
Worship of the state is not a temptation. It is a god that is sacrificed to and that gives expiation to a sense of guilt and sin.
The Hollywood ‘liberal’ who makes a ton of money then gets involved in left-wing politics and issues is looking for expiation and is seeking a god to perform that for him/her.
They will sacrifice their freedom to these false gods. Their individuality. Regarding multiculturalism they will sacrifice their culture and civilization and the very safety of their neighborhoods (the ‘noble savage’ can do no wrong, in fact the more the ingratitude, the more the violence, the more the hatred directed by the noble savage to the false idol worshiper's culture the more the false idol worshiper will feel expiated for their 'sacrifice').
People will sacrifice humans to the state. Genocide. In some cases when abortion is a dogma in a person’s mind it becomes human sacrifice.
Money, power, and sex doesn’t expiate the innate sense of guilt and sin in a person. They are not false idols, they are temptations.
Interesting a modern Reformed author would write a whole book on idols and get it so wrong. This is because Reformed Christians have forgotten about subjects like false idols (spiritual warfare would be another).
Read John Owen’s Biblical Theology to learn about false idols and the worship of false idols.
+ + + + + + +
Observe (with conscious labor and intentional suffering) these 7 things:
1. Yourself and active reasoning
2. The person(s), place, thing, event your attention is on
3. Place, or surroundings
4. Your aim
5. The different points-of-view, intents, self-interests and motivations of others around you
6. The unspoken and spoken communications and the web of relationships between others and with others around you; and forces and laws in effect
7. Your conscious role
1. Worshiping the creation rather than the Creator
2. Seeing Jesus as merely a great teacher rather than Lord and Savior
3. Thinking one can be justified and made righteous by one's own works rather than by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ in His life and on the cross (self-righteousness and self-justification vs. the righteousness of Christ and justification by faith alone in Christ)
Two Great Practices:
1. Act now as if you're in the Kingdom of God now, and God can trust you.
2. Do the two conscious shocks as the means to being in covenant with God.
Overriding Kingdom of God Attitude:
Gratitude over resentment always for everything.
+ + + + + + +
In every locality/event there is something to hold on to. To discern and use as a foundation for that place/event.
Leverage in the spiritual world involves containing force.
Initially meeting the forces in a contained space with strength and fearlessness and awakeness and honesty towards what you're up against is necessary to be able to then stand within that space with presence and power. Honesty in accepting and acting upon what you discern is necessary. If you discern/intuit unfriendliness yet pretend all are friendly you will not survive that environment. Innocence works and protects somewhat in early stages, but not when real stand-your-ground-and-be-present warfare is demanded.
Aim devours emptiness (vanity) in an event. Aim can be simply testing and tempering being. Aim can also be discerned in any event or action along the lines of the three lines of Work.
Influence can be gathered from seemingly still air. The stars invisible in the blue sky.
The six approaches work for particulars; a general stance of awake wariness is best for the overall situation.
Thoughts will be thrown just like words and should be intentional. Thoughts too should confront challenges and nonsense from the environment. If your words be clear and intentional but your thoughts be unintentional, chaotic, and dishonest - or just vain - you will not set your presence and control your own domain in the environment. Though the devil cannot listen to your thoughts you can throw your thoughts to such a degree that the shallowest in the environment can pick them up.
Moving inward and vertical in time (fifth and sixth dimensions; first and second conscious shocks) to the moment (the moving time of the environment or event) gives speed of perception advantage. Feeling the force and direction and fullness of time. Seeing her world history in an eyelash. A god at the tea party more inward to and above the moment. Still visible to crude sense, invisible otherwise is the god if not showing shame or fear inside. If a god through and through.
Acting on what you are able to know and to see and foresee is different from merely knowing and seeing or foreseeing the thing/event. Prayer is action bridging the vision and the event in time.
+ + + + + + +
1. Self-remembering ignites our being (cosmos) and fills it with a higher energy.
2. Non-identifying defines and secures the boundary of our being (cosmos).
3. Separation (I from 'it') sets the true north of our being (cosmos), orientating us and setting us on the foundation within.
4. External-considering orientates us with other cosmoses.
5. Transforming negative emotion connects our cosmos with the Kingdom of God and feeds us through that connection.
6. Learn to see cosmoses, to discern them.
7. When born you are a cosmos and a cosmos knows what it needs (the infant cries). When you die you are still a cosmos and you acclimate as a cosmos to the new state and situation you come in to. You are a cosmos within a cosmos(es) in contra-distinction to cosmoses.
8. The world and the devil and false personality (the flesh) wants you to 'come apart' as a cosmos; to have breaches in the boundary of your cosmos, a promiscuous traffic with the world. To stand your ground is to maintain the boundaries of your cosmos; to not allow anything external - the world, the devil - to connect with features within your cosmos that make up false personality and thus control you (control you, or, your cosmos); i.e. to attach reins within you as cosmos. (If the features of false personality are not manifesting then false personality is not there, and if not there then there is nothing for the world and the devil to attach reins to from without to control you.) The world and the devil want to be what fills your cosmos, to make the content of your cosmos to be the impressions and illusions and fears and desires and fascinations of the devil's kingdom.
9. The practical observation of cosmoses is seeing them in oneself. Becoming conscious in a higher and lower cosmos is like becoming conscious of different centers within you (emotional, instinctive, moving, etc.) with their different speeds.
10. A person single (no marital mate, no lover) is one kind of comsos. A person married or with a lover is another kind of cosmos. I.e. the two states have potential for different kinds of complete cosmoses (ideally, we can say, charitably). The single person develops the complimentary sides within his/her being. It's romantic to think that two people can develop as two, but two people are the norm of the world, and in such a situation the person who is part of a 'couple' *won't* be in conflict with the world or with one's flesh or the devil. Hard truth.
+ + + + + + +
#
Christian says:
October 29, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Money (or worldly gain), power (or worldly honor), and sex (or worldly pleasure) are not idols they are temptations.
A false idol is something like left-wing politics (Marxism, communism, socialism), or worship of the state; or environmentalism, or worship of mother earth; or multiculturalism, or worship of the ‘noble savage.’
These things don’t just replace God, they are sacrificed to (including human sacrifice) and they make the worshipers conscience feel easy. These false idols forgive their worshipers.
It’s difficult for modern day Christians to see real false idols because most modern day Christians are completely in the power of the false idols they can’t see.
Again, money, sex, power: these are staple *temptations* in the devil’s kingdom, they are not false idols.
Reply
#
Christian says:
October 29, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Unbelievers have a consciousness of guilt – of sin – that they need to have expiated. They refuse to approach God or the only Mediator between man and God, so they set up a false god.
Molech and Baal were not temptations.
Worship of the state is not a temptation. It is a god that is sacrificed to and that gives expiation to a sense of guilt and sin.
The Hollywood ‘liberal’ who makes a ton of money then gets involved in left-wing politics and issues is looking for expiation and is seeking a god to perform that for him/her.
They will sacrifice their freedom to these false gods. Their individuality. Regarding multiculturalism they will sacrifice their culture and civilization and the very safety of their neighborhoods (the ‘noble savage’ can do no wrong, in fact the more the ingratitude, the more the violence, the more the hatred directed by the noble savage to the false idol worshiper's culture the more the false idol worshiper will feel expiated for their 'sacrifice').
People will sacrifice humans to the state. Genocide. In some cases when abortion is a dogma in a person’s mind it becomes human sacrifice.
Money, power, and sex doesn’t expiate the innate sense of guilt and sin in a person. They are not false idols, they are temptations.
Interesting a modern Reformed author would write a whole book on idols and get it so wrong. This is because Reformed Christians have forgotten about subjects like false idols (spiritual warfare would be another).
Read John Owen’s Biblical Theology to learn about false idols and the worship of false idols.
+ + + + + + +
Observe (with conscious labor and intentional suffering) these 7 things:
1. Yourself and active reasoning
2. The person(s), place, thing, event your attention is on
3. Place, or surroundings
4. Your aim
5. The different points-of-view, intents, self-interests and motivations of others around you
6. The unspoken and spoken communications and the web of relationships between others and with others around you; and forces and laws in effect
7. Your conscious role
10.06.2010
Sin
I think what actually anchors us experientially to the plan of God and the fact of the History and Plan of Redemption is the fact of sin and the existence of evil. This is something we can see in ourselves and see in the world. I think it's the best apologetic, in the practical realm, for believing in what is revealed in the Word of God, not that it is needed if you are regenerated, but it is there to be observed.
Adam in the Garden was truly innocent, yet he had the ability to sin (which he demonstrated by eating the forbidden fruit). He had 'ability to sin and ability to not sin.'
Fallen man is different. Fallen man now has ability to sin and *inability to not sin.* In other words, fallen man is incapable of not sinning. We have original sin in us from birth, and we actively sin the first chance we get. Did you steal that candy from your sister when you were two years old? Yes, you did. Broke the 8th commandment at two. Probably earlier.
Regenerated man is different from fallen man (and similar to Adam in the Garden, though not identical). Regenerated man still has ability to sin, but unlike unregenerated fallen man he now has *ability to NOT sin* (this is similar to Adam before the fall, yet regenerated man is not 'innocent' like pre-fall Adam). Not everything he does, in other words, is as 'filthy rags' to quote Isaiah. Regenerated man can actually struggle with his old, fallen nature and not sin. It's a struggle though.
Glorified man is in an unusual state, different from all the above including Adam in the Garden (glorified man is in a higher state than Adam was in in the Garden). Glorified man has *inability to sin.* That isn't just saying glorified man merely doesn't *want* to sin and holds himself back from it, it is actually a higher state where, kind of like we see in elements of the Olympian gods and goddesses, glorified man literally *can't* sin no matter what he does. Sort of like where higher centers only have positive and no negative.
Adam in the Garden was truly innocent, yet he had the ability to sin (which he demonstrated by eating the forbidden fruit). He had 'ability to sin and ability to not sin.'
Fallen man is different. Fallen man now has ability to sin and *inability to not sin.* In other words, fallen man is incapable of not sinning. We have original sin in us from birth, and we actively sin the first chance we get. Did you steal that candy from your sister when you were two years old? Yes, you did. Broke the 8th commandment at two. Probably earlier.
Regenerated man is different from fallen man (and similar to Adam in the Garden, though not identical). Regenerated man still has ability to sin, but unlike unregenerated fallen man he now has *ability to NOT sin* (this is similar to Adam before the fall, yet regenerated man is not 'innocent' like pre-fall Adam). Not everything he does, in other words, is as 'filthy rags' to quote Isaiah. Regenerated man can actually struggle with his old, fallen nature and not sin. It's a struggle though.
Glorified man is in an unusual state, different from all the above including Adam in the Garden (glorified man is in a higher state than Adam was in in the Garden). Glorified man has *inability to sin.* That isn't just saying glorified man merely doesn't *want* to sin and holds himself back from it, it is actually a higher state where, kind of like we see in elements of the Olympian gods and goddesses, glorified man literally *can't* sin no matter what he does. Sort of like where higher centers only have positive and no negative.
10.05.2010
Threading the needle
I'm going to try to thread the needle in gaining a rarer, deeper, more striking understanding of the Bible, each book, at a deeper level. I mean: it is difficult to do in this sense: secondary reference works on the Bible usually go in one ear and out the other. They seem to always have a shallow effect. It's also difficult in that the Bible is such a big book. Issues of endurance and tactics and approach come into play.
Of course I already have the overall Plan of God in understanding; as-well-as a general reading understanding of the Bible; as-well-as apostolic biblical doctrine from systematic and biblical theological sources and so on. (Which is a lot! Probably most of everything...)
Yet, what I'm getting at is this: can I bring Deuteronomy to mind and really know what is going on in that book? No. Not until I read it *while* taking notes (notes really make a difference, which is why the reference works fail [i.e. if you are only reading them], you really have to take your own notes to get things in memory and understanding).
Good reference works are rare too. Kline wrote a commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy (available in PDF form on the web). Anything Kline writes is worth reading. There are probably other good general commentaries. It's like reading the phone book, though. Which gets back to tactics and strategy for doing this. You can't be stuck in the mode of reading a phone book.
At my level of all this really Meredith Kline is coming to the forefront. His Kingdom Prologue and all the other books of his. Deep and striking insights made on the foundation of Federal Theology.
Here's what I'm really getting at: Kline's striking observation that the real end times climax begins when Satan and his followers make a claim on ALL the world. That observation is typical of Kline. He got it from the Bible, but it's the type of observation that comes from a 'different level' of engaging the Bible. Those understandings are in there. You have to know the system of the Bible (Federal Theology) and God's overall Plan of Redemption, but then you have to have a deeper parts-in-relation-to-the-whole understanding of the Bible. One where connections and inner meanings and striking insights can be made, or come to light.
Pilgrim politics, for instance, is another insight. It's in the Bible, but not in the eXoteric commentaries. We have to 'see' that for ourselves. And everything else that is currently not in our understanding.
I don't want to confuse any of this with *basic understanding of systematic theology and the overall plan of God.* I have that. That doesn't change or get bi-passed. I'm talking about insights made *on and within the foundation* of apostolic biblical doctrine, or Federal Theology.
These types of insights, too, come when you go to the Bible with a question or with something that is troubling you. The actions and words of Muslims, for instance. One can just abandon oneself to allowing them to yank our chain all the time. Or scare us. Or annoy us to no end. "We will plant a Muslim flag on the White House," said one of them on a major political morning show the other day. If you go to the Bible for understanding you see that God controls the devil's armies (Assyrians, whatever), and they are God's monkeys. They do what God allows them to do. Yes, we react (mainly we don't allow the devil and his armies to make us give up our faith or become their cowering slaves or whatever). In the Bible I looked up even the word 'terror' and what came up surprised me: inferences of God being the terror, using nations to bring terror to His backsliding peoples or to other rebellious nations.
We're also told to *confront the devil* and he will run. But the understanding we get from the Bible itself turns the volume of our out-of-control emotions down, and gives us a perspective on the battlefield, in space and time, and people, places, things, events, and contending ideologies and forces: darkness and light.
Of course I already have the overall Plan of God in understanding; as-well-as a general reading understanding of the Bible; as-well-as apostolic biblical doctrine from systematic and biblical theological sources and so on. (Which is a lot! Probably most of everything...)
Yet, what I'm getting at is this: can I bring Deuteronomy to mind and really know what is going on in that book? No. Not until I read it *while* taking notes (notes really make a difference, which is why the reference works fail [i.e. if you are only reading them], you really have to take your own notes to get things in memory and understanding).
Good reference works are rare too. Kline wrote a commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy (available in PDF form on the web). Anything Kline writes is worth reading. There are probably other good general commentaries. It's like reading the phone book, though. Which gets back to tactics and strategy for doing this. You can't be stuck in the mode of reading a phone book.
At my level of all this really Meredith Kline is coming to the forefront. His Kingdom Prologue and all the other books of his. Deep and striking insights made on the foundation of Federal Theology.
Here's what I'm really getting at: Kline's striking observation that the real end times climax begins when Satan and his followers make a claim on ALL the world. That observation is typical of Kline. He got it from the Bible, but it's the type of observation that comes from a 'different level' of engaging the Bible. Those understandings are in there. You have to know the system of the Bible (Federal Theology) and God's overall Plan of Redemption, but then you have to have a deeper parts-in-relation-to-the-whole understanding of the Bible. One where connections and inner meanings and striking insights can be made, or come to light.
Pilgrim politics, for instance, is another insight. It's in the Bible, but not in the eXoteric commentaries. We have to 'see' that for ourselves. And everything else that is currently not in our understanding.
I don't want to confuse any of this with *basic understanding of systematic theology and the overall plan of God.* I have that. That doesn't change or get bi-passed. I'm talking about insights made *on and within the foundation* of apostolic biblical doctrine, or Federal Theology.
These types of insights, too, come when you go to the Bible with a question or with something that is troubling you. The actions and words of Muslims, for instance. One can just abandon oneself to allowing them to yank our chain all the time. Or scare us. Or annoy us to no end. "We will plant a Muslim flag on the White House," said one of them on a major political morning show the other day. If you go to the Bible for understanding you see that God controls the devil's armies (Assyrians, whatever), and they are God's monkeys. They do what God allows them to do. Yes, we react (mainly we don't allow the devil and his armies to make us give up our faith or become their cowering slaves or whatever). In the Bible I looked up even the word 'terror' and what came up surprised me: inferences of God being the terror, using nations to bring terror to His backsliding peoples or to other rebellious nations.
We're also told to *confront the devil* and he will run. But the understanding we get from the Bible itself turns the volume of our out-of-control emotions down, and gives us a perspective on the battlefield, in space and time, and people, places, things, events, and contending ideologies and forces: darkness and light.
Re-reading that last email it sounds like I should just read Kline's Kingdom Prologue. I don't need to reinvent the wheel! (It *is* the one book in my possession that I can actually learn new things from. That and his other books. I mean, I do a lot of screwing around with stuff I already know. That's a feature of common human nature though. Truly learning something new takes more effort and a different mind set. You have to catch your breath too. Absorbtion and initiation is part of the piece meal approach over time too, it should be said. - C.
If I were a person who knew nothing about the Bible, Gods Plan or Christianity, what books would you recommend I read in what order?
S
I've had trouble with this question before. It's a difficult subject because it involves so many things. You have to have the Bible in you from complete readings. You have to have the Holy Spirit in you giving you discernment for the truth and motivation to know it...and ability to accept it.
The above requirements are going to separate out most people right off the bat.
It also is not encouraging that most graduates of seminaries and schools of divinity who becomes pastors and bishops and what not don't have the parts in relation to the whole understanding of apostolic biblical doctrine and God's overall plan of redemption.
Also false teachers are legion (and also inept teaching), which makes the process of getting the wheat difficult.
So we are talking about something quite rare and unusual to have.
Then again if it's too complicated it's probably not on-the-mark. It's simple once you get it. Like playing an instrument, I suppose.
For systematic theology:
Beginner: Concise Theology - J. I. Packer
Intermediate: Manual of Christian Doctrine - Louis Berkhof
Advanced: Institutes of the Christian Religion - John Calvin
For the history of redemption (God's overall plan of redemption):
Beginner: Articles like this: http://gospelpedlar.com/articles/Bible/cov_theo.html or this by Vos: http://www.biblicaltheology.org/dcrt.pdf (though Vos is hardly beginning level)
Intermediate: Human Nature in its Fourfold State
Advanced: Kingdom Prologue, and God, Heaven and Har Magedon - Meredith Kline
I'm talking about ultimate understanding. Most Christians don't get near it, and don't have to. But if you are inclined to get parts in relation to the whole understanding of lesser things and then turn to the ultimate thing, the Word of God, then there you are. It's not as easy with the Bible and the history of redemption because you are getting your arms around - or trying to - a cosmos that is not wholly in existence in our space and time. The history of redemption begins from eternity, for instance. And ends when time ends. Yet that isn't the end for glorified man. Also, God is not wholly understandable by us. We can know what He gives us to know, which is a complete understanding for His and our purposes, but the understanding of it has a ceiling beyond which is mystery.
The simple backbone of systematic theology is the Two Adams (federal theology) - Adam from the Garden who fell, and the second Adam Jesus Christ. We are either under the federal head of one or the other. Old Adam from birth, Jesus Christ by faith. What that is, how that happens, why it happens, etc., is the subject matter of systematic theology.
The simple backbone of the Overall Plan of Redemption can be described by covenants (three in particular) or by the four states of man vis-a-vis sin.
For the latter: 1. Man in a state of innocence (Adam in the Garden, were God makes a covenant with him - the Covenant of Works - where is Adam fulfills the covenant he will be given the Tree of Life, but he fails and falls and all mankind falls in him. 2. Man in a state of fallen corruption. This is historical time as we experience it. Nature has fallen too. This world of good and evil and mixtures of joys and sufferings, and sometimes horrible sufferings, is the after-the-fall state of man and nature. 3. Man in a state of regeneration. When an individual is regenerated by the Word and the Spirit - born again - they transfer into a wholly different state than the fallen state. Yet's it's still a struggle with one's fallen nature, but the victory has been achieved (by Christ). Once regenerated always regenerated. 4. Man in a state of glorification (and unregenerated man in a state of eternal hellfire). At physical death, or ultimately at the Second Coming and end of time, the regenerated man is glorified and is in the Kingdom of Heaven. Those are the four states of man in the history of redemption. Created on high, a fall, then a rise back up - drawn back up and also climbing once you have the Spirit in you and are able to climb - to a level that is higher than where you were created at.
The three covenants of Redemption, Works, and Grace describe the mechanics of all the above. They are difficult to get understanding of because sources use different terminology and get petulant about what they demand to include or exclude. It's a subject one just has to get initiated into after absorbing a lot of material and seeking the on-the-mark line of truth. - C.
ps- Search the categories at Monergism.com for other books. It really is a search. You have to find it on your own. Though someone who knows can help with questions and answer type exchanges.
pps- Spiritual warfare is woven all through it all too. Something that gets overlooked in most books. The forces of darkness that battles the Plan of God and the individual who is awakening into the Light. Then another subject is getting to understand why each part of the Bible exists. The histories, the prophets, etc.
Its a lot... A whole journey. I'll save this email for future reference!
S
>>If I were a person who knew nothing about the Bible, Gods Plan or Christianity, what books >>would you recommend I read in what order?
>>S
I really rate Packer's Concise Theology. It delivers very well on each relative subject and intentional or not, it does work at different levels. It's very clean and tidy. I'd package and organise it differently, I'd make much more out of the Biblical references too, but the content is great. Berkhof I'm less enthusiastic about. There's nothing really wrong but I do go to Packer first.
Oddly the two authors I've soaked up more than others are Kline and Vos. Neither of whom I would have discovered off my own bat. We're all dependent on others in some way to direct our attention. And then it's valuation. I have enthusiasm for both authors, although there are times when Vos is too dry and intellectual. He's difficult to recommend really. Kline however is almost mystical, with his word inventions and allusions. In that sense you can miss his point but then he stands (like Vos) to some serious study and like Vos is full of brilliance and Spirit. I love them both and yet I'm not sure in answer to Simon's question that either would be ideal recommendations.
That question demands a plan.
1. Read the Bible. Don't think about it or try and 'get it', just read it.
2. Read Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress.
3. Read The Embattled Christian by Zacharias.
4. Read Packer's Concise Theology
For me that hits the key note: the battle, warfare and struggle of the Christian way.
Understanding of the rest is something you can pick up through articles on monergism (like C suggests), and other sites - lots of useful mp3's to listen to and really, loads of books but you just can't recommend them at the outset but only as a person comes into either understanding or degrees of interest or inquiry.
You could just say read the Bible and also study Genesis and Romans.
- Paul of England
And this old post is the practical reason to get this complete understanding:
http://electofgod.blogspot.com/2008/07/doctrine-is-armor-of-god.html
- C.
ps- It's worth noting that Vos, Berkhof, and Kline are considered to be representative in the 20th century of the true line of Reformed doctrine. They all three explain things on the foundation of Classical Covenant - Federal - Theology. (Berkhof is of course more of a straight professor who produced a very well-put-together text book; Vos and Kline are biblical theologians who truly filled out Reformed Theology, mainly in the area of eschatology.) All this means is these three guys have few quirks (Berkhof zero, unless you consider infant baptism a quirk, I don't, because it doesn't effect Federal Theology despite what the more shallow defenders of infant baptism claim). Vos zero as well (though like Paul stated he wrote for academics and can be hard to understand overall - biblical theology as opposed to systematic theology is strange to begin with...requires initiation); Kline's biggest quirk is his Framework Hypothesis, which is a unique reading of the 6 days of creation. It is too clever by half, and really not worthy of adopting or defending. But it doesn't effect his theology overall which is orthodox (small 'o'). If you go back a few generations, Thomas Boston is a major source for on-the-mark Federal Theology. But, again, it's difficult to recommend these guys because, well, for the reason I stated in the first response. Self-motivation is necessary. But the practical end point is the post linked above. It's good to have a practical reason for the study, even if spiritual warfare doesn't cover every reason to know it.
9.24.2010
Recurrence thought
I'll bet once in Hades, in the interval between death and birth, in the recurrence sense, that we get *intensely* nostalgic for our 'past' life. No matter how much it may have been less-than-ideal. We get *intensely* nostalgic for our childhoods and the places and things and people we remember about it.
I mean *intensely.*
You see this power of nostalgia playing out in our human nature in the here and now.
All the negative is forgotten. The danger no longer exists. The unpleasantness is no longer felt.
And when you look at the past from the vantage point of being in the future you tend to see *possibilities* in that past that either weren't there in real time or that you were blind to anyway back in real time, but the *greater vision* of the times that looking backwards gives us makes the times more interesting. Less of an experience of being enchained in humdrum circumstances and necessities and situations and more a vision of what was happening in history and how one could do this or do that and how it is all so opened up and interesting and everybody you know is young again...!
To greater or lesser degree each person would feel and see this.
This draw of nostalgia would not effect (effect as strongly, I'll say) a person who has awakened in life. They, in effect, have *already* seen the bigger vision and it holds little enticement to them.
To use Plato's metaphor, the person who has truly awakened in life would draw less water from the river of forgetfulness (I know that metaphor clashes with how I've put it above). The thirst for the water of the river of forgetfulness would also be, in this sense, the desire to experience the 'past' once again. The draw of nostalgia.
I mean *intensely.*
You see this power of nostalgia playing out in our human nature in the here and now.
All the negative is forgotten. The danger no longer exists. The unpleasantness is no longer felt.
And when you look at the past from the vantage point of being in the future you tend to see *possibilities* in that past that either weren't there in real time or that you were blind to anyway back in real time, but the *greater vision* of the times that looking backwards gives us makes the times more interesting. Less of an experience of being enchained in humdrum circumstances and necessities and situations and more a vision of what was happening in history and how one could do this or do that and how it is all so opened up and interesting and everybody you know is young again...!
To greater or lesser degree each person would feel and see this.
This draw of nostalgia would not effect (effect as strongly, I'll say) a person who has awakened in life. They, in effect, have *already* seen the bigger vision and it holds little enticement to them.
To use Plato's metaphor, the person who has truly awakened in life would draw less water from the river of forgetfulness (I know that metaphor clashes with how I've put it above). The thirst for the water of the river of forgetfulness would also be, in this sense, the desire to experience the 'past' once again. The draw of nostalgia.
9.06.2010
We have to remember our fallen nature hates God
1.
Celestial fire...higher energy...it is the Holy Spirit. The H.S. is God. Our fallen nature hates God. Here is something to observe: in the backlash state when we are full of accumulated energy (after self-remembering effort), and we are castigating people, from memory, in real time, the usual internal-considering, i.e. in the midst of a negative emotional blowout, try to observe how everything you are saying is *really* directed at the Holy Spirit. It's *supposedly* directed at some girl, some guy, some event, memory, whatever. No, see that it is directed at God.
Then note the language you use. "Creep. Fuck off. Who are you? You're nothing. I'll fucking kill you. Screw off. Compared to me you're nothing."
You think you're talking to some human from some past event in your life. No, you're talking directly to God.
This is a powerful and true realization.
You're castigating the Holy Spirit within you. Grieving the Holy Spirit.
2.
This is why this interval - this second conscious shock - is nigh impossible to cross. Because we are spitting at and fighting the only force that can get us across: God.
Celestial fire...higher energy...it is the Holy Spirit. The H.S. is God. Our fallen nature hates God. Here is something to observe: in the backlash state when we are full of accumulated energy (after self-remembering effort), and we are castigating people, from memory, in real time, the usual internal-considering, i.e. in the midst of a negative emotional blowout, try to observe how everything you are saying is *really* directed at the Holy Spirit. It's *supposedly* directed at some girl, some guy, some event, memory, whatever. No, see that it is directed at God.
Then note the language you use. "Creep. Fuck off. Who are you? You're nothing. I'll fucking kill you. Screw off. Compared to me you're nothing."
You think you're talking to some human from some past event in your life. No, you're talking directly to God.
This is a powerful and true realization.
You're castigating the Holy Spirit within you. Grieving the Holy Spirit.
2.
This is why this interval - this second conscious shock - is nigh impossible to cross. Because we are spitting at and fighting the only force that can get us across: God.
9.04.2010
Celestial Fire - Higher things need higher language
1.
Rare, new things need new, higher language to be identified. Work language is higher language, but I mean everyday language to identify something like the higher energy that is accumulated by self-remembering effort. Maybe the Work language has fallen short a bit here in not providing one, but maybe it's something we have to see eventually on our own and provide it.
Example: celestial fire. It captures the Work as practice. We're burned by it, illuminated by it, emanate it. Consume it.
I got the phrase from John Owen, Calvinist theologian. Psalm 104:4 alludes to it.
My main point: when we see higher levels of energy as celestial fire we react differently to it. When we get emotionally negative as a result of having accumulated such energy by self-remembering we see we are being burned by something rare and higher: celestial fire. I.e. we focus on the energy itself and not on what's making us angry and resentful and out of control in the backlash state and difficult events.
When we focus on the higher energy itself we are not in a state of identification with people, events, whatever. "I'm all angry because I have celestial fire in me. I have to embrace the celestial fire, not grieve it. Not fight it. And what's happening in my thoughts and imagination and events out here in the world...is nothing. It's between me and celestial fire. My limits."
2.
This idea may sound new agey, but really it isn't. It's using language to identify something that is new and rare. When we say 'higher energy' (the result of self-remembering effort) those words don't really denote the rare substance of what we're talking about and dealing with. Higher energy? We've all had high energy. Kids have it. Such words mingle to closely with mundane things.
So celestial fire, though it may sound grandiloquent, is the type of new language needed to identify something that is new and different.
Really, it is biblical too. The Bible uses such language. Fire. Having fire. The Holy Spirit as well is what we are accumulating. Jesus had the Spirit 'without measure'. The only human who *could* have it without measure. We can have it by increasing degree, but our limits are provoked blow out. We "grieve" the Spirit. We're a temple of the Holy Spirit once regenerated, yet we defile the temple.
That is the struggle. Provoking limits so as to then extend limits, with subtle effort.
And it's important to repeat that when you focus on the energy itself (the celestial fire) you aren't focused on the subject(s) of your resentment (whatever they or it is in the moment when you're indulging intellectual and emotional and physical negativity). You realize, whatever difficult thing is happening, that it is the 'celestial fire' that you are in the presence of and that you don't want to 'defile' it by using it for resentment and anger and so on.
Before all the subjects of your resentment were in the forefront. They are tangible (even if negative imagination and bad memories). Now, the higher energy itself is forefront because it has a name; something that identifies it as being rare and new...and present.
Rare, new things need new, higher language to be identified. Work language is higher language, but I mean everyday language to identify something like the higher energy that is accumulated by self-remembering effort. Maybe the Work language has fallen short a bit here in not providing one, but maybe it's something we have to see eventually on our own and provide it.
Example: celestial fire. It captures the Work as practice. We're burned by it, illuminated by it, emanate it. Consume it.
I got the phrase from John Owen, Calvinist theologian. Psalm 104:4 alludes to it.
My main point: when we see higher levels of energy as celestial fire we react differently to it. When we get emotionally negative as a result of having accumulated such energy by self-remembering we see we are being burned by something rare and higher: celestial fire. I.e. we focus on the energy itself and not on what's making us angry and resentful and out of control in the backlash state and difficult events.
When we focus on the higher energy itself we are not in a state of identification with people, events, whatever. "I'm all angry because I have celestial fire in me. I have to embrace the celestial fire, not grieve it. Not fight it. And what's happening in my thoughts and imagination and events out here in the world...is nothing. It's between me and celestial fire. My limits."
2.
This idea may sound new agey, but really it isn't. It's using language to identify something that is new and rare. When we say 'higher energy' (the result of self-remembering effort) those words don't really denote the rare substance of what we're talking about and dealing with. Higher energy? We've all had high energy. Kids have it. Such words mingle to closely with mundane things.
So celestial fire, though it may sound grandiloquent, is the type of new language needed to identify something that is new and different.
Really, it is biblical too. The Bible uses such language. Fire. Having fire. The Holy Spirit as well is what we are accumulating. Jesus had the Spirit 'without measure'. The only human who *could* have it without measure. We can have it by increasing degree, but our limits are provoked blow out. We "grieve" the Spirit. We're a temple of the Holy Spirit once regenerated, yet we defile the temple.
That is the struggle. Provoking limits so as to then extend limits, with subtle effort.
And it's important to repeat that when you focus on the energy itself (the celestial fire) you aren't focused on the subject(s) of your resentment (whatever they or it is in the moment when you're indulging intellectual and emotional and physical negativity). You realize, whatever difficult thing is happening, that it is the 'celestial fire' that you are in the presence of and that you don't want to 'defile' it by using it for resentment and anger and so on.
Before all the subjects of your resentment were in the forefront. They are tangible (even if negative imagination and bad memories). Now, the higher energy itself is forefront because it has a name; something that identifies it as being rare and new...and present.
8.21.2010
A fact of recurrence
I'm going to give you a fact about recurrence: we are in Hades now - that interval between death and birth - just as we are here now at this mechanical point of our living time (which we perceive as a circle, but which includes more than this one - linear time - dimension).
When we awaken now, in this mechanical point of linear time we awaken in all the time of our time body or our living time. Which means we also awaken in that interval between death and birth which I call Hades, because the Bible uses that word, and because Plato gave a pretty good - if not exactly close - description of it in the Myth of Er.
When we awaken in Hades it is very noticeable there. The forces of darkness and light exist there. When you awaken there - in Hades - it is like you are walking out of the camp of darkness into the camp of light, and there is friction and opposition to you at first when this process begins. Eventually you have the armor of God to protect you.
This friction and opposition to you in Hades also is mirrored in the now of this physical life. The world gives you friction and opposition. The reins the devil has on your internal being - your fallen nature - gives you friction and opposition. The devil overall gives you friction and opposition.
Think of how many little victories are attained over you when the process begins and commences. Because you are innocent to the fact that you are in a battle. Yet think also of how your victory is inevitable (seen from the rear-view mirror of having been regenerated by the Word and the Spirit).
People might have pleasant death experiences simply because they have no opposition or friction from the darkness because they are not swimming against the current of the darkness, or the Kingdom of Satan.
People who experience difficulty may be in in-between states of awakening and regeneration.
People who experience triumph have been fully regenerated by the Word and the Spirit and have awakened *and have already engaged in the spiritual battle here and now and also in the spiritual realm.* They are not innocent of it all. They are fully soldiers of Christ with experience of the battlefield.
It's clarifying to see this 'point' in time (in our so-called circle of time, which is like the first dimension of time, a linear dimension, making a 'circle') as a *mechanical* point. Mechanical in terms of our consciousness. Once we increase level of being and attain the third and fourth levels of consciousness we are no longer just mechanically moving around that line that forms a circle but we are moving inward from that line (which forms a plane) and we are moving upward from that plane (which forms a three-dimensional manifestation of time.
This solves the problem we have when we think: "Why am I only conscious here, at this age, now, at this point of my linear life-to-death experience?" The answer is: because when we are in a state of mechanical level 'consciousness' we are stuck in this 1st dimension of time, this line which to our perception forms a circle, and the fact that we are stuck in *a point* in this line (a point which moves like a train on this line) seems to be a mechanical law of existence. That's the answer though: it's *mechanical.* But when we begin to truly awaken we awaken in all of our time, and we begin to move - consciously (by degree) - in all dimensions of our living time. And that includes becoming awake in that interval between death and birth, where we are NOW just as we are here in this physical body and world now.
+ + +
If you want to really feel the power of this Work get the whole-time-perspective and feel that you carry with you. That you operate within the theater of. All that that means. The effect you have on others in your time, who are not just living alongside you now but who are no longer here, yet exist in all their time including in death. In that season in Hades. That interval. Where you exist now as well.
Think of the spiritual battle.
Think of how much more radical your thoughts and words and deeds and actions in general now are with this full-body-time in view.
If you're able to think this now it means you've already been through the motions of recurrence. All the development. The different experiences. The different identities within, or covering, the same person. The type fulfilling its mechanical fate while emerging and developing, a living kernel in essence, in the mechanical ride. Eventually overtaking the mechanical ride as something bigger than the law of fate. Will. Real will. Real consciousness, real understanding. A full body with the full armor of God; a full robe of righteousness (this gets into the Christian reality) which is the righteousness of Christ.
When we awaken now, in this mechanical point of linear time we awaken in all the time of our time body or our living time. Which means we also awaken in that interval between death and birth which I call Hades, because the Bible uses that word, and because Plato gave a pretty good - if not exactly close - description of it in the Myth of Er.
When we awaken in Hades it is very noticeable there. The forces of darkness and light exist there. When you awaken there - in Hades - it is like you are walking out of the camp of darkness into the camp of light, and there is friction and opposition to you at first when this process begins. Eventually you have the armor of God to protect you.
This friction and opposition to you in Hades also is mirrored in the now of this physical life. The world gives you friction and opposition. The reins the devil has on your internal being - your fallen nature - gives you friction and opposition. The devil overall gives you friction and opposition.
Think of how many little victories are attained over you when the process begins and commences. Because you are innocent to the fact that you are in a battle. Yet think also of how your victory is inevitable (seen from the rear-view mirror of having been regenerated by the Word and the Spirit).
People might have pleasant death experiences simply because they have no opposition or friction from the darkness because they are not swimming against the current of the darkness, or the Kingdom of Satan.
People who experience difficulty may be in in-between states of awakening and regeneration.
People who experience triumph have been fully regenerated by the Word and the Spirit and have awakened *and have already engaged in the spiritual battle here and now and also in the spiritual realm.* They are not innocent of it all. They are fully soldiers of Christ with experience of the battlefield.
It's clarifying to see this 'point' in time (in our so-called circle of time, which is like the first dimension of time, a linear dimension, making a 'circle') as a *mechanical* point. Mechanical in terms of our consciousness. Once we increase level of being and attain the third and fourth levels of consciousness we are no longer just mechanically moving around that line that forms a circle but we are moving inward from that line (which forms a plane) and we are moving upward from that plane (which forms a three-dimensional manifestation of time.
This solves the problem we have when we think: "Why am I only conscious here, at this age, now, at this point of my linear life-to-death experience?" The answer is: because when we are in a state of mechanical level 'consciousness' we are stuck in this 1st dimension of time, this line which to our perception forms a circle, and the fact that we are stuck in *a point* in this line (a point which moves like a train on this line) seems to be a mechanical law of existence. That's the answer though: it's *mechanical.* But when we begin to truly awaken we awaken in all of our time, and we begin to move - consciously (by degree) - in all dimensions of our living time. And that includes becoming awake in that interval between death and birth, where we are NOW just as we are here in this physical body and world now.
+ + +
If you want to really feel the power of this Work get the whole-time-perspective and feel that you carry with you. That you operate within the theater of. All that that means. The effect you have on others in your time, who are not just living alongside you now but who are no longer here, yet exist in all their time including in death. In that season in Hades. That interval. Where you exist now as well.
Think of the spiritual battle.
Think of how much more radical your thoughts and words and deeds and actions in general now are with this full-body-time in view.
If you're able to think this now it means you've already been through the motions of recurrence. All the development. The different experiences. The different identities within, or covering, the same person. The type fulfilling its mechanical fate while emerging and developing, a living kernel in essence, in the mechanical ride. Eventually overtaking the mechanical ride as something bigger than the law of fate. Will. Real will. Real consciousness, real understanding. A full body with the full armor of God; a full robe of righteousness (this gets into the Christian reality) which is the righteousness of Christ.
8.08.2010
Types, categories, patterns, the language of cosmoses
Here is some deep knowledge. If you can begin to see common or universal types, categories, and patterns (in everything) it changes you internally. It changes your relationship to people, places, things, events, ideas. It's a way of seeing that higher being has. There is more individuality higher up. Just like in works of literature or music, the higher the work the more unique and individual it is. The lower the work the more common and numerous it is. To put it colorfully: angels see humans as types. If you've broken down out of a type you will be more noticeable and unusual. Perhaps in an in-between state of development. Heading higher. Everything though, people, families, things we tend to think of as unique and different from each other, to higher perception fall into common types and categories and patterns. This perception takes the illusion out of what we see. It takes much of the everyday charm of life away from us as well. It gives greater understanding but diminishes our interest in everything. It also subdues our emotion regarding things and also gives us insights into recurrence. This subject would be a part of the language of cosmoses.
8.06.2010
A good-natured, laughter of the Gods pursuit of C Influence is in order
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I've let you guys down by adopting this lame "everything sucks now" line. Talking about myself is not a good idea. Not productive. The fact is, I havn't even opened a Work book in many, many years. The biblical doctrine I have understanding of now I had understanding of many years ago too. I'm being almost lunatic repetitive, revealing perhaps a bit of a compulsive, obsessive disorder. A trace. Also, a shut-in mentality. Nothing unusual, mind you, when you've actively pursued and devoured every higher influence that exists, pretty much. Every category and level anyway. Without becoming an Olympic athlete or playing at Carnegie Hall or publishing the great American novel. You don't have to. You don't have to be Casanova to get the measure of flesh. Again, repeating myself (I was writing on this theme back in the early years of this decade, if it's still this decade and not the next decade). It's like, I've used up all my water, and I'm only half way across the desert (water being influences and desert being life span). Yet there is C Influence.
There *is* more.
Laziness is a disorder with me too. (Realizing this, actually writing it down, perhaps the subject was now coming out of the pit that was the stumblingblock. Rising up, yes, blinking at the sun...)
A good-natured, laughter of the Gods pursuit of C Influence is in order. The Work, Homer, and the Bible are the foundation for that. The Faith being everything, of course, but the Work and Homer being some sort of 'sight line' keeping to the straight and narrow... - C.
7.24.2010
A list of higher world things, just like lower world things
You have to find, or connect with, the people, places, things, events, and ideas (or language) of the higher world.
7.22.2010
Something about historical time and eschatology
I'd had some left-over difficulty (mainly due to not pondering and meditating upon it but letting it hang there) in trying to see the history of redemption in a temporal context. It *is* temporal, but then it becomes non-temporal. Sort of leaves time. Shoots upward, eschatologically.
It's like this: Adam in the Garden; then the fall of man and creation (still in historical time here); then (leaving historical time) individual regeneration by the Word and the Spirit; then (the end of time) glorification.
Of course when we are regenerated we are still alive in historical time, but of those four states - innocence in the garden, corruption after the fall, regeneration by the Word and Spirit, glorification after physical death - it's difficult to place individual regeneration in a historical 'time-line'. Regeneration is also, meaningfully in this context, when an individual is separated out from the world and becomes a stranger in this world; in this world not of this world. And a bit more timeless. Out of recurrence, even, it can be argued.
(In this sense the Work teaching is the unavoidable 'making-more-complicated' by 'pressing' into it intellectually - pressing into the Truth - of which the Bible and the simple-yet-profound and probably rare experience of regeneration actually IS.)
I'm not discounting the Work teaching at all in the above, simply stating that much of the experience described is contained in the experience of regeneration; and really what the above refers to is the 'Work person' who does not *have* regeneration by the Word and the Spirit. This is the 'making it complicated and intellectual' referred to, really. I had regeneration prior to connecting with the Work teaching. Prior to that I'd come into contact with it, but couldn't - or refused to - connect. It's a big difference we can forget: having the Spirit *and* Work understanding vs. not having the Spirit and merely having Work books and the attendant babble that usually accompanies it all.
In God's plan He is *gathering* his elect (believers, his people). The analogy of fishing is used in the Bible. Once a fish is 'hooked' and pulled up out of the water it is no longer in its world. When you are regenerated - gathered into the Kingdom of God - you are pulled up out of the world and out of time. Then you say: "Gentlemen, this world of ours is a bore!" or many similar things. (It's murky, it's cold, there's a lot of horror of fish eating other fish...)
It's like this: Adam in the Garden; then the fall of man and creation (still in historical time here); then (leaving historical time) individual regeneration by the Word and the Spirit; then (the end of time) glorification.
Of course when we are regenerated we are still alive in historical time, but of those four states - innocence in the garden, corruption after the fall, regeneration by the Word and Spirit, glorification after physical death - it's difficult to place individual regeneration in a historical 'time-line'. Regeneration is also, meaningfully in this context, when an individual is separated out from the world and becomes a stranger in this world; in this world not of this world. And a bit more timeless. Out of recurrence, even, it can be argued.
(In this sense the Work teaching is the unavoidable 'making-more-complicated' by 'pressing' into it intellectually - pressing into the Truth - of which the Bible and the simple-yet-profound and probably rare experience of regeneration actually IS.)
I'm not discounting the Work teaching at all in the above, simply stating that much of the experience described is contained in the experience of regeneration; and really what the above refers to is the 'Work person' who does not *have* regeneration by the Word and the Spirit. This is the 'making it complicated and intellectual' referred to, really. I had regeneration prior to connecting with the Work teaching. Prior to that I'd come into contact with it, but couldn't - or refused to - connect. It's a big difference we can forget: having the Spirit *and* Work understanding vs. not having the Spirit and merely having Work books and the attendant babble that usually accompanies it all.
In God's plan He is *gathering* his elect (believers, his people). The analogy of fishing is used in the Bible. Once a fish is 'hooked' and pulled up out of the water it is no longer in its world. When you are regenerated - gathered into the Kingdom of God - you are pulled up out of the world and out of time. Then you say: "Gentlemen, this world of ours is a bore!" or many similar things. (It's murky, it's cold, there's a lot of horror of fish eating other fish...)
5.28.2010
Some thoughts upon wandering through Work forums on the internet
I've recently been going around the 'net to various Fourth Way sites and forums and reading bits here and there. It causes unique reactions for me. I mean feelings, thoughts. Much of what I find on the 'net doing this comes across as helter skelter, almost hellish in a sense. And you find the usual forum nonsense. The control, banning (not me, I havn't been participating, but of people who are not conforming to the moderator's program, all that). The usual nonsense.
The usual scent of cult activity and personalities not far away, if not directly present (though that seems rare on the internet).
It also makes me question my own relationship with the Work. I saw one comment that referred to "B Influence junkies" and wondered if I'd fallen and rested comfortably a bit into that characterization.
But more deeply questions of connection come to the fore; that vertical connection that was once so real.
It seems that when I was in that connection I didn't realize how I was viewed by the world (and really didn't care). But I know now.
I think what my parents must have thought (but strangely I seemed to in some way have brought them along with it, evidence being my father's talking of recurrence on his death bed). In their old age they were kind of living in a timeless realm anyway at that point. Their past life, and eras of their lives were pretty far away at that point, and they were static, in the same house at the end for years, same chairs, same routine.
The fact is, you're going to effect your entire family when you truly change internally and develop to some real degree. Without realizing it of course because that is not part of your motive or anything you are aware of at the time.
I think prayer to the Holy Spirit for guidance here is in order. At this stage. We rarely think of praying directly to God the Holy Spirit, yet He it is that guides us in our sanctification after regenerating us and after our conversion.
That's really what is going on, perhaps. A larger stage (as in theatre) is reached. (I always seem to want to spell theatre the English way when I use the word like that.)
Just as in the past when I had a real connection I wasn't aware of it being real spiritual warfare, at least not directly, yet then that aspect comes to the fore in a big way. A bigger stage. Less innocence.
Before I didn't have the armor of God, let alone the full armor of God. Now I am conscious of needing the full armor of God.
The Holy Spirit doesn't abandon us, yet graduation seems real regarding stages of the Work. That can't be denied.
I can walk down the same roads, metaphorically speaking, as I did back then, doing the Work, yet the difference I have to recognize is the spiritual warfare nature of it. I've sort of recognized that in the last several years, yet I've not been walking those old roads like of old. I've just been recognizing spiritual warfare in everyday life experiences, including more rare experiences.
Two things: prayer for guidance to the Holy Spirit, and also a recognizing of that hardcore Work practice of being present for duration, depth, and frequency. Both are needed. The latter doesn't become beneath us. It is what leads to true change and true new realms. The former, all of the faith, is the foundation and guidance and everything too. But that true effort of self-remembering, non-identifying for real duration, uncomfortable, and then dealing with the backlash, and everything else, is what makes your connection real or not.
The usual scent of cult activity and personalities not far away, if not directly present (though that seems rare on the internet).
It also makes me question my own relationship with the Work. I saw one comment that referred to "B Influence junkies" and wondered if I'd fallen and rested comfortably a bit into that characterization.
But more deeply questions of connection come to the fore; that vertical connection that was once so real.
It seems that when I was in that connection I didn't realize how I was viewed by the world (and really didn't care). But I know now.
I think what my parents must have thought (but strangely I seemed to in some way have brought them along with it, evidence being my father's talking of recurrence on his death bed). In their old age they were kind of living in a timeless realm anyway at that point. Their past life, and eras of their lives were pretty far away at that point, and they were static, in the same house at the end for years, same chairs, same routine.
The fact is, you're going to effect your entire family when you truly change internally and develop to some real degree. Without realizing it of course because that is not part of your motive or anything you are aware of at the time.
I think prayer to the Holy Spirit for guidance here is in order. At this stage. We rarely think of praying directly to God the Holy Spirit, yet He it is that guides us in our sanctification after regenerating us and after our conversion.
That's really what is going on, perhaps. A larger stage (as in theatre) is reached. (I always seem to want to spell theatre the English way when I use the word like that.)
Just as in the past when I had a real connection I wasn't aware of it being real spiritual warfare, at least not directly, yet then that aspect comes to the fore in a big way. A bigger stage. Less innocence.
Before I didn't have the armor of God, let alone the full armor of God. Now I am conscious of needing the full armor of God.
The Holy Spirit doesn't abandon us, yet graduation seems real regarding stages of the Work. That can't be denied.
I can walk down the same roads, metaphorically speaking, as I did back then, doing the Work, yet the difference I have to recognize is the spiritual warfare nature of it. I've sort of recognized that in the last several years, yet I've not been walking those old roads like of old. I've just been recognizing spiritual warfare in everyday life experiences, including more rare experiences.
Two things: prayer for guidance to the Holy Spirit, and also a recognizing of that hardcore Work practice of being present for duration, depth, and frequency. Both are needed. The latter doesn't become beneath us. It is what leads to true change and true new realms. The former, all of the faith, is the foundation and guidance and everything too. But that true effort of self-remembering, non-identifying for real duration, uncomfortable, and then dealing with the backlash, and everything else, is what makes your connection real or not.
5.25.2010
Big perspective post (dead on a gurney II)
With my uncharming 'dead on a gurney' post I was trying to do something I'll try again here.
It is necessary to look at humankind and history and individual lives and ask what is the most important thing that could happen with an individual in an individual life?
Making millions? No. Being famous, even for impressive reasons like discovering or inventing something? No, again. Obviously those are good things and worthwhile, but they are not the most rare, unique things that can happen within an individual in an individual life.
Developing Magnetic Center, regeneration by the Word and the Spirit, true awakening, getting out from under the tyranny of vanity and worldly pride and self-will, becoming God centered rather than man-centered, having saving faith, these and similar things are the rare and unique things that can happen to an individual in an individual life.
They involve higher influences (B and C influence), they involve the Word of God and the call that becomes effectual internally, they involve painful separation from the world (the General Law, the world of sex, all that) including the pain of being forced to see our own nothingness, and in that they involve the breaking down of personality and the developing of essence.
The Work language gives us understanding of these ultimate things. Biblical language and doctrine does as well in a different way.
Roles are played in life, in history, influences are created, God's providence puts all beings in their place, where they need to be. I say this to say we can't put down the world or make null all parts and forces and directions of life in the world. Yet when we look at individual lives, in history, we can see what is most unusual and rare and unique.
So when we make contact with such things...realize it! *Continually.*
We have to continually get perspective.
Much of all this development requires unusual *self-motivation* (or inwardly motivated action) or internal (conscious) shocks rather than the usual external shocks mechanical life is excited and controlled by. It's unusual for us. We're use to things just 'happening.' We have to formulate aims. Engage in active reasoning. Live from the Work rather than from life.
It is necessary to look at humankind and history and individual lives and ask what is the most important thing that could happen with an individual in an individual life?
Making millions? No. Being famous, even for impressive reasons like discovering or inventing something? No, again. Obviously those are good things and worthwhile, but they are not the most rare, unique things that can happen within an individual in an individual life.
Developing Magnetic Center, regeneration by the Word and the Spirit, true awakening, getting out from under the tyranny of vanity and worldly pride and self-will, becoming God centered rather than man-centered, having saving faith, these and similar things are the rare and unique things that can happen to an individual in an individual life.
They involve higher influences (B and C influence), they involve the Word of God and the call that becomes effectual internally, they involve painful separation from the world (the General Law, the world of sex, all that) including the pain of being forced to see our own nothingness, and in that they involve the breaking down of personality and the developing of essence.
The Work language gives us understanding of these ultimate things. Biblical language and doctrine does as well in a different way.
Roles are played in life, in history, influences are created, God's providence puts all beings in their place, where they need to be. I say this to say we can't put down the world or make null all parts and forces and directions of life in the world. Yet when we look at individual lives, in history, we can see what is most unusual and rare and unique.
So when we make contact with such things...realize it! *Continually.*
We have to continually get perspective.
Much of all this development requires unusual *self-motivation* (or inwardly motivated action) or internal (conscious) shocks rather than the usual external shocks mechanical life is excited and controlled by. It's unusual for us. We're use to things just 'happening.' We have to formulate aims. Engage in active reasoning. Live from the Work rather than from life.
5.23.2010
Pool reading
Ignore the title of this post. It's just free association for now.
I've always been on to the need to have a basic list of books that are balanced and ultimate influences for you. Yet I've never really married to that the advantage (or necessity and need) to re-read certain influences to really make them our own. Not all books (influences) are worth re-reading, or need to be re-read, of course, but a handful are worth it.
Along the lines of Luther's (and many other peoples') comment that it's better to know a handful of books well than to know many books to a shallow degree.
When you come to a point where you've read basically everything (every level and category or genre of book) you are always wondering what to read now. Rarely do you think of going back and re-reading a great influence.
So beyond a rock like list of basic books one needs also to engage in pool reading. By that I mean having a basic pool of influences that one gets to know really well. The notion of pool here means not just the particular books that make up your definitive list itself, but all secondary works on the subject of those books, or critical essays on each one, or similar works in their category, if that applies, etc.
For the Bible and Federal Theology this is obvious.
Wealth of Nations and On War less so, though it applies.
I guess the main point is to get to know a handful of influences really well. When we begin with influences we can't know what are worthwhile in this sense, but as we get understanding of the entire field, so to speak, and can discern the handful worth knowing really well, then all this applies.
I don't know if I'd ever get much from reading a work of fiction more than once. Perhaps so in some cases, if a lot of time has elapsed, just to see how one's understanding has developed over time. Liker reading an old journal or diary.
Homer definitely. Very little worthwhile secondary literature on Homer though. You have to write your own. Which I have. Here and there.
Shakespeare is most likely a main candidate. The first time we course through Shakespeare we are a bit fazed by it all. And wondering if it's really as great as it's reputation. So to struggle with that (and assuming it is, since it's hard to go up against a vetter like Time) we have to go at it multiple times over time. A worthwhile influence for that.
I just know I've been delinquent in re-reading great influences, other than the Bible and Homer and Reformed Theology and the Work. You shouldn't really just read Herodotus *once*, for instance. Or Thucydides. Works might suffer upon second readings, but so what. You learn something.
I've always been on to the need to have a basic list of books that are balanced and ultimate influences for you. Yet I've never really married to that the advantage (or necessity and need) to re-read certain influences to really make them our own. Not all books (influences) are worth re-reading, or need to be re-read, of course, but a handful are worth it.
Along the lines of Luther's (and many other peoples') comment that it's better to know a handful of books well than to know many books to a shallow degree.
When you come to a point where you've read basically everything (every level and category or genre of book) you are always wondering what to read now. Rarely do you think of going back and re-reading a great influence.
So beyond a rock like list of basic books one needs also to engage in pool reading. By that I mean having a basic pool of influences that one gets to know really well. The notion of pool here means not just the particular books that make up your definitive list itself, but all secondary works on the subject of those books, or critical essays on each one, or similar works in their category, if that applies, etc.
For the Bible and Federal Theology this is obvious.
Wealth of Nations and On War less so, though it applies.
I guess the main point is to get to know a handful of influences really well. When we begin with influences we can't know what are worthwhile in this sense, but as we get understanding of the entire field, so to speak, and can discern the handful worth knowing really well, then all this applies.
I don't know if I'd ever get much from reading a work of fiction more than once. Perhaps so in some cases, if a lot of time has elapsed, just to see how one's understanding has developed over time. Liker reading an old journal or diary.
Homer definitely. Very little worthwhile secondary literature on Homer though. You have to write your own. Which I have. Here and there.
Shakespeare is most likely a main candidate. The first time we course through Shakespeare we are a bit fazed by it all. And wondering if it's really as great as it's reputation. So to struggle with that (and assuming it is, since it's hard to go up against a vetter like Time) we have to go at it multiple times over time. A worthwhile influence for that.
I just know I've been delinquent in re-reading great influences, other than the Bible and Homer and Reformed Theology and the Work. You shouldn't really just read Herodotus *once*, for instance. Or Thucydides. Works might suffer upon second readings, but so what. You learn something.
5.17.2010
Dead on a gurney
Picture yourself lying dead on a gurney. Look at your lifeless face. See others looking down on you. Professional people who see corpses often. Another dead human.
Now think of what you did in your life that had any real meaning. You read a lot of books, but did any of them produce any real change? Your effect on other people, etc.
Here is how I see the real positive change: did you awaken in a real way during your life? In the way that language such as becoming God-centered rather than man-centered suggests?
Did you really get above the dark and silent internal tyranny of your vanity and pride and become able to recognize anything higher than you? Did you recognize your Creator? That is a real development. That is real change. Looking down on that dead face on the gurney one could say something really happened for that person in their life. A real change.
Such things as recognize original sin in oneself. And active sin. The need for a mediator between yourself and God. It is not 'normal' to be able to recognize such things.
Let alone did you come to where you could discern and value the difference between self-will and Real Will (or God's will in you)?
At this point the corpse has a half smile.
Now think of what you did in your life that had any real meaning. You read a lot of books, but did any of them produce any real change? Your effect on other people, etc.
Here is how I see the real positive change: did you awaken in a real way during your life? In the way that language such as becoming God-centered rather than man-centered suggests?
Did you really get above the dark and silent internal tyranny of your vanity and pride and become able to recognize anything higher than you? Did you recognize your Creator? That is a real development. That is real change. Looking down on that dead face on the gurney one could say something really happened for that person in their life. A real change.
Such things as recognize original sin in oneself. And active sin. The need for a mediator between yourself and God. It is not 'normal' to be able to recognize such things.
Let alone did you come to where you could discern and value the difference between self-will and Real Will (or God's will in you)?
At this point the corpse has a half smile.
5.14.2010
A final word on 'sacraments'
I think the best way to understand the 'sacraments' is this: prior to being regenerated by the Word and the Spirit ritual sacraments (baptism and the Lord's Supper) provide for the currently unregenerate a visual parable to teach them and keep them drawn towards Scripture (ideally).
After regeneration though ritual sacraments become vain matter. Regeneration itself is baptism of the Holy Spirit. What the Lord's Supper symbolizes is union with Christ which a regenerated Christian has in reality.
The unregenerate in the church (especially leadership) never want to think anybody is regenerate. So the regenerate Christians have to just silently grin and have understanding for them. While at the same time not allowing themselves to be drawn into dead ritual or an experience of the faith that is beneath them. (Intentionally chosen words there.)
Fear God, not man. Don't ever exalt man and ritual above the Word and the Spirit. (Man being cleric or scholar or anything else.) And don't succumb to those who demand that man and ritual be exalted over the Word and the Spirit. That is a point of difference that defines the battle-line in the spiritual world. A soldier of Christ - a true spiritual warrior - does not concede or play such games for *any* reason or justification or demand on the part of the currently unregenerate.
After regeneration though ritual sacraments become vain matter. Regeneration itself is baptism of the Holy Spirit. What the Lord's Supper symbolizes is union with Christ which a regenerated Christian has in reality.
The unregenerate in the church (especially leadership) never want to think anybody is regenerate. So the regenerate Christians have to just silently grin and have understanding for them. While at the same time not allowing themselves to be drawn into dead ritual or an experience of the faith that is beneath them. (Intentionally chosen words there.)
Fear God, not man. Don't ever exalt man and ritual above the Word and the Spirit. (Man being cleric or scholar or anything else.) And don't succumb to those who demand that man and ritual be exalted over the Word and the Spirit. That is a point of difference that defines the battle-line in the spiritual world. A soldier of Christ - a true spiritual warrior - does not concede or play such games for *any* reason or justification or demand on the part of the currently unregenerate.
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