Redemption - At that time, the broken will be made perfect; the bent will be made straight; the empty will be filled; the worn-out will be renewed; those having little will obtain much; and those having much will be overcome. The wise, embracing unity, will become the world’s model. Not striving, they will become enlightened; not asserting themselves, they will become distinguished; not boasting, they will be praised; not building up themselves, they will endure. As much as they embrace the world, the world will embrace them. Is the old saying, “The broken shall be restored,” a false hope? No! All will be restored and return rejoicing.
~Lao Tzu. Tao Te Ching . Ancient Renewal. Kindle Edition.
The above quote is from the Tao Te Ching, which is pronounced the Dao De Jing credited to Lao Tzu in roughly 500 BCE. The fact is that the above passage could have been said by Jesus or it could have been written by the Hebrew Prophet Isaiah. This is a continuing theme in God Beyond Religion. It shows the universality of mystical revelation over the centuries. For me, it actually makes it easier to believe that God is love, that the fruit of the spirit is correct, and that the definition of love fits in nicely and naturally with mystical revelation.
Look at what Lao Tzu wrote about peace: "Peace is meant to be our natural state. A whirlwind never outlasts the morning, nor a violent rain the day. Just as earth and sky return to peace, so should we. They who act with violence become violent. They who act with virtue become virtuous. They who act in the spirit of the Tao become Tao-like. They who follow the Tao, the Tao will guide. They who pursue virtue, virtue will reward. They who live by violence, violence will soon destroy."
~Lao Tzu. Tao Te Ching . Ancient Renewal. Kindle Edition.
Jesus said that blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. He also said that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. It is important to realize that one of the fruits of the spirit is peace. The great thing about it is that I do not have to give up my faith in, nor my relationship with Jesus to acknowledge divine revelation given to others who are not Christian.
Again, I need to repeat over and over this fact. According to the New Testament, God is love. According to the New Testament here is a definition of Love. 1Co 13:4-8 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (5) It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (6) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (7) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (8) Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." It logically follows that if God is love, then the above passage is also definitive of God.
The New Testament also explains and defines the fruit of the Spirit. Gal 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." This passage describes and defines the fruit of God's Spirit. Love is the definition of God, and the fruit is what the Spirit of God produces.
Therefore, and I want to emphasize and underscore this point! When discerning what is inspired by God, one has to see the attributes that describes God or the fruit of the Spirit of God or it is NOT inspired by God. Let me repeat. ANYTHING, that does not line up the definition of love, or the fruit of the Spirit of God IS NOT INSPIRED BY GOD!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment