Post by tomdurst on May 5, 2014 12:02:01 GMT -5
ONE GOD AND FATHER OF US ALL
Ephesians 4:6 Common English Bible (CEB)
6 and one God and Father of all, who is over all, through all, and in all.
The teaching "You ARE God" is becoming increasingly more prominent in popular spirituality. I'm not one who likes to bicker about terminology but BEING God is NOT the same as REFLECTING His image and likeness in which we are created (Genesis 1:26-28). The word translated "gods" in John and Psalms is referring to the position of rulers or judges as found in OT days and it is a gross distortion to use these verses to teach that human beings ARE or ever will be God (see John 10:34 and Psalm 82:6). We are in His image and likeness but this image was lost sight of through a false sense of separation from God. It is the work of redemption to bring us once again to the truth of our heritage as being created in His image and likeness (see Romans 8:19). Yes, we are to discover the presence of the Kingdom of God within but I see this as vastly different than the arrogant "you ARE God" teaching. God is both immanent (indwells us) and transcendent (above and outside of us). Historic "orthodox" Christianity has tended to emphasize the transcendent aspect of God almost to the exclusion of the "indwelling Spirit" part of Christian experience. Mysticism when carried to extremes virtually excludes a "transcendent" God and can lead to a very self-centered kind of existence if one isn't careful.
I have emphasized spending time in Silence as a way of setting aside our own thoughts for a time and receiving "the mind of Christ" in a deeper way but never in the sense that we ARE God. When I use the word "mysticism" I'm simply speaking of experiencing the "mystery of Christ in you" in a way that exceeds thoughts and words. Paul spoke of worshipping God with his mind and in the Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 14). So did Jesus when he spoke of worshipping God both "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24) "Knowing God" is not something that can be spelled out in human concepts and so in that sense it is "mystical." (See John 17:3; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 1:27; 1 Timothy 3:9; 2 Timothy 3:14-16; Jude 20; Revelation 10:7). In the Bible we have the "mystery of iniquity" and the "mystery of godliness" because from a human reasoning point of view neither are understandable. If we don't have the revelation of the Holy Spirit actively working in us we'll always be floundering about without a substantial anchor to guide us through life.
For more related thoughts read BREAKING DOWN RELIGIOUS BARRIERS on the link below:
BREAKING DOWN RELIGIOUS BARRIERS
