I have noticed that there has been quite a bit of 'christian nudist' bashing, (among other types of bashing), from outsiders who profess to be 'christian' in this forum of late. I have always tried to keep in mind something that was given to all of us from the beginning. Jesus re-iterated it when he walked this earth 2000 years ago.
This is what was said,.....
Be obedient only to God.
Keep God first and foremost in everything you think, in everything you say, and in everything you do.
(I am a jealous god. Therefore you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make any gravin image of anything that is in the heavens above, nor of anything that is on the earth below, nor of anything that is in the oceans beneath. You shall love the lord your God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul.)
Love one another with the exact same love that I love you.
(Love one another as I have loved you.)
Treat one another in the exact same manner that I treat you.
(Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.)
Another thing that was brought back into rememberance is this....
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man can come unto the father but by me". Jesus said this speaking of the Spirit.
Jesus came as an example for us to follow.
"I am the way".
I came to show you the "way" to walk in your daily life.
"I am the truth".
When we walk in the "way" that Jesus showed us to walk, we will find the "truth".
"I am the life".
When we have found the "truth" by 'walking' in the "way" that Jesus showed us to walk, we shall have "life".
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. Matthew 7:13
Jesus said, "I am the gate for the sheep". (Again speaking of the Spirit.) All who came before him were thieves and bandits. Jesus is the 'gate' and the Spirit is the 'gatekeeper.
Jesus said that, "anyone who does not enter into the sheepfold by the gate, (the "way"), but climbs in by another "way" is a thief and a bandit". Again, Jesus is speaking of the Spirit, not the flesh.
Many, unfortunately, fit into this category. Even many who profess to be a christian.
Alot of these types are usually the first ones to make accusations, point fingers at others, place restrictions upon others. Restrictions that neither Jesus nor God ever placed upon man. There is only 'one' restriction that was ever placed upon man by Jesus and God.
Namely this,...
"Do no harm to another". That includes placing any restrictions upon others. The only restriction that man is allowed to place upon others is the exact same restriction that God and Jesus has already placed upon all mankind. "Do no harm to another". By placing restrictions upon another that God has never placed upon one, those who place said restrictions, as well as those who obey those restrictions, are no longer being obedient only to God. They have become obedient to those restrictions which God, and Jesus, never placed upon anyone. In affect, they have created a religion. And have become a slave to their own destruction, by the shear fact that they are no longer being obedient 'only' to God.
The Gatekeeper, (the Spirit), opens the gate so that the shepard of the sheep may enter. (Those who walk in the "way" that Jesus showed us to walk.)
In order to enter into the gate we must walk in the path, (the way), that Jesus showed us to walk. In the Spirit. For it is only when we walk in the spirit that we can no longer sin.
When one walks in the spirit, it is impossible to sin. Galatians 5:13-26
For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:14
The only way to enter into that gate is in, and through, theSpirit.
Contemplate the walk of Jesus. The trials he went through on a daily basis. How did he respond to all the questions he was asked? How did he respond to the way he was treated by those he loved?
Let one who is spiritual, ('A' shepard of the sheep), do the correcting and admonishing of one who has trangressed.
I have seen only one person who made a post which shows that this person is alot closer to understanding these sayings.
Thanks for the post, Schuyler. I like the part of your post where you wrote, "Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man can come unto the father but by me". I have remembered that verse when praying and its why I end a prayer with, "Through and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth." I always like to say, "Jesus Christ of Nazareth," to make sure I clarify so imposters won't try to work their way into my life or family.
I have become so dissolusioned with organized religion, its legalism and accusers casting stones I have pretty much left. However, we have a bible study on Tuesday nights at 5:30 at the local Starbucks which is slowly turning into a church and I offer first time visitors a free drink of their choice. My slogan for our new church is, "Just like the first Christians, but with better coffee." I'm debating right now on whether I want us to grow or not so I don't become what I despise and that's a beauracracy. What's funny is that Rick Warren's Saddleback church started as a living room bible study and bounced around for many years before suddenly taking off and becoming the lumbering organization it is now. We are going to move to a home so we can have a weekly cook out in the back yard in a few weeks during the bible study and one young woman's parents are planning on coming as well as others. Its getting eerie thinking about more people joining in and do I keep evangelizing or just keep us small the way we are now. I guess I just have to remember that whatever happens will be God's will and if growth isn't meant to be, it won't be allowed to happen.
It is one thing to remember a certain verse. It is entirely another to understand what is meant.
Something to keep in mind is that in everything that Jesus spoke of had very little to do with the physical. He often used the physical as an example towards understanding the Spirit. This he made very clear to Nicodemus. John 3:1-21
Regarding "organized" religion, 2000 years ago Jesus came to set man free from religion. Today, man has turned Jesus, (and God), into a religon. Religions teach, "Do do this". Don't do that". "Go to church on Sundays". "Pray on a regular basis, (a particular time of day or particular time of event).
This sounds more like tradition than religion, which by the way, is exactly what religion is. Traditions taught by man in the guise of religion. "Who created religion? Man or God? And for what purpose was it created?
I ask you, where is the abundant life in that concept of the which Jesus promised? With that sort of mindset, is it ever going to be possible to have life and that more abundently?
I ask you to search your heart wtih these questions.
Hi Schuyler,
"Do no harm to another". Ya, that phrase isn't preach on .. I can't remember ever hearing it preached on. But I remember being confused as a teen as to why Jesus spoke about freedom but the church listed all these rules that didn't seem to harm anyone. It didn't make sense to me.
Its taken much of my life for the Holy Spirit to give me the boldness to stand up and say I don't see that as wrong because it doesn't hurn anyone. The scripture that says love fulfills the law has also become a blessing to me. Its interesting, it appears that that's the only way the Bible says we can fulfill the law but church people get really nervous when I quote it. Paul clearly say no one will fulfill the law by trying to obey the law. SO that is rules out.
Unfortunately it is true that "Do no harm to another", is not preached, spoken of, nor taught. It should be. The main reason it is not preached, spoken of, nor taught, is because the true meaning of how to worship the father is not understood.
There is only one way to worship the father.....in "Spirit and in Truth". This is the only way to fulfill the whole law.
Jesus taught what this meant on several occasions. Perhaps this might sound familiar.
The "Greatest Commandment". Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart, mind, spirit, soul and might.
The "Second one which is like the first one". Love your neighbor as yourself.
Upon these "two" hang the "whole law" and the "prophets".
I have often wondered how many people stopped to question what this thing that hangs, the "Whole Law" and the "Prophets", on these two commandments?
If the people understood what this 'hanging' item is, then they would know how to truly worship God in "Spirit" and in "Truth".
The "Whole Law" and the "Prophets" is this,...
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
If you have read my other posts, then I am sure you have read this,...
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This is the first and greatest commandment.
"Be obedient only to God". "Keep God first and foremost in everything you think, in everything you say, and in everything you do".
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This is the second, which is like the first.
"Love one another with the exact same Love that God loves you".
(I must point out that this second, which is like the first, was amended by Jesus during the time between his resurrection and his ascension, when he said,
"Love one another as I have loved you. Not as the world loves, but as I have loved".
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This is the "Whole Law" and the "Prophets".
"Treat one another in the exact same manner that God treats you".
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To put this, "Worship God in Spirit and in Truth, into a nutshell, "Love" is that "Spirit", and the "Action" of that "Love" towards another, is that "Truth".
What one does to another, they have done to themselves, and what they have done to themselves they have done to the one they call their Lord and to the one they call their God.
And what did Jesus say would be the reward of such behavior? Matthew 25:31-42
Now I ask, "How many restrictions did God, and/or Jesus, place upon mankind?
In response to your statement,
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"Its interesting, it appears that that's the only way the Bible says we can fulfill the law but church people get really nervous when I quote it. Paul clearly say no one will fulfill the law by trying to obey the law. SO that is rules out."
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This is the only way to fulfill the "Whole Law" and the "Prophets". The straight gate and the narrow way. There is no "seeming, nor appearing" to be the only way to fulfill the "Whole Law" and the "Prophets", in the Bible. There is only "one" way to fulfill the "Whole Law" and the "Prophets. Even Paul, as you pointed out, stated this same thing in his letters to the Saints.
All throughout the bible the "only way" is revealed very plainly. In Zechariah 7:8-10; 8:8,16-19, and in other books of the Old & New Testaments.
It is rather easy to tell if one is truly of the spirit or not. watch their actions towards another. For with the mouth a person speaks, "Lord, Lord", "I am a Christian", etc.
But the actions of those speak louder than their words. A lemon tree produces lemons, an apple tree produces apples, an olive tree produces olives, etc. Can an olive tree produce apples or lemons or nectarines or oranges?
I think not. For the fruit of any tree always shows it's character and true nature.
Church people, (pastors, laymen, elders, the congregation, etc), get nervous because they are afraid to be made aware that they have beem misled and as a result deceived.
"POP" goes their bubble. For alot of these same people think that all these "Do's and Dont's", are part and parcel of the Gospel.
This could not be farthur from the truth. The Gospel is this, You have been forgiven. Accept that forgiveness, then. go and sin no more.
the only way to never sin again is by worshipping God in "Spirit" and in "Truth". "Love" is that "Spirit".
The "Action" of that "Love" towards another is that "Truth".
Walk in that "Spirit", (Love, pure undefiled love), and you will find that it is impossible to sin. Sin only comes when one is no longer walking in that "Spirit". No longer being obedient only to God, but also being obedient to all these "Do's and Dont's". Their self-made religion.
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.
