Page 814 … in Closing
In closing, my Friend, it is an undeniable fact that there are many different, equally valid opinions about the Scriptures – not only what their individual verses mean, but also what the “correct” theology is that is contained therein (along with what the actual Will of God entails thereby) … One alternative is found in a strict reading of the Old Testament – another in the writings of Paul – another in the book of Revelation – and still another using a combination of these three … These are the various alternatives available in the modern-day Christian church; these are the various alternatives propagated by conservative Christian evangelism.
And yet there is another, final, far more fulfilling way to interpret & worship & follow – and this is the way shared by Jesus Christ in his ministry – a way he liked to call “The Way”. And this Way does not harmonize well at all with those former, more traditional ways …
Please consider:
*Where the Old Testament establishes inflexible rules that lead to harsh punishments by a judgmental & often-bigoted God, The Way of Jesus Christ provides firm guidelines for entering his present-time Kingdom of Heaven – guidelines that are based in Humility and Love & Compassion; guidelines watched over by a non-judgmental Divine Father who embodies the perfect manifestation of the same characteristics (see Matthew 5:48 + John 5:22 et al)…
*And where the writings of Paul and the book of Revelation use threats of terror and damnation to cajole &/or frighten us into following their exclusivist teachings of selfishness & intolerance, The Way of Jesus Christ provides a leadership that inspires us to be much better than that – to LOVE others humbly & actively & without exception; to leave all judgment to God and simply go about Caring for the downtrodden and being Kind to our enemies; to release the temptation of Paradise post-mortem and replace it with making Earth like Heaven instead!
Amen – Let it be so!
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged … Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own? … You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your neighbor’s … You hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup [of others], but inside are full of greed and self-indulgence … First clean the inside of your own cup, so that the outside might also become truly clean … Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this young child is the greatest in the Kingdom … Let [she] who is without sin cast the first stone.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:1-2 + Matthew 23:25-26 + Matthew18:3-4 + John 8:7)
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