The Eternity Explained Series, volume 2 Table of Contents (tap a title to jump to chapter) Quest to Connect What do we want? Seeking a channel of divine communication Where do we start? Search filters Copyright ©2020 by Ed Lyons Filtering religions All rights reserved worldwide

revised September 2020 Only six

This e-book is given free to everyone and is not permissible to Patterns over proof texting charge for it. This e-book may be distributed freely unchanged and unaltered in any way. Please report any violations. Inspiration - interpretation Please visit our website for revisions and additions. We also welcome your questions, comments, and any other feedback. Soul sacrifice Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Visit the website for more insights and videos Checkpoint EternityExplained.com The Eternity Explained Series, volume 2 Table of Contents (tap a title to jump to chapter) Quest to Connect What do we want? Seeking a channel of divine communication Where do we start? Search filters Copyright ©2020 by Ed Lyons Filtering religions All rights reserved worldwide revised September 2020 Only six

This e-book is given free to everyone and is not permissible to Patterns over proof texting charge for it. This e-book may be distributed freely unchanged and unaltered in any way. Please report any violations. Inspiration - interpretation Please visit our website for revisions and additions. We also welcome your questions, comments, and any other feedback. Soul sacrifice Your support is greatly appreciated.

[email protected] Soul death

Visit the website for more insights and videos Checkpoint EternityExplained.com patients in their natural, human condition will misinterpret many messages. Thus, our twofold quest is focused: We need to ? find and verify both the communication and the Communicator. In other words, we are looking for a channel of What do we want? communication that transmits messages without bias, distortion, or hidden agenda. We also need to Imagine yourself in a hospital bed inside a verify that it is actually an infinite good person at quarantine. Your condition is so sensitive that you the other end. We need a secure channel to Truth. are in a dark, silent bubble of isolation. You can't Our spiritual health and eternal life depends on it. see the doctors and nurses who take care of you This book will emphasize the seeking a message because they are suited up with all sorts of consistent with an infinite good person. The next protective gear. They do things to you and for you book will emphasize the verification of what we while you lay there mostly helpless, barely find. conscious, and often confused. � In your words: As you respond to treatment, they give you How does a poor connection interfere with messages of personal encouragement and therapy your cell phone call? How do you know to whom instruction. Those messages must cross the you are actually talking on the other end? containment barrier through a special intercom system. Communication cannot be direct and face to face. This is an important factor in our situation, especially when we consider this quarantine is also spiritual. Our selfish, fearful, guilty hearts actually avoid open communication. This gives rise to two critical weaknesses in this system. It is possible for scheming pretenders to intercept and corrupt the channels of communication. It is also probable that the patients in their natural, human condition will misinterpret many messages. Thus, our twofold quest is focused: We need to ? find and verify both the communication and the Communicator. In other words, we are looking for a channel of What do we want? communication that transmits messages without bias, distortion, or hidden agenda. We also need to Imagine yourself in a hospital bed inside a verify that it is actually an infinite good person at quarantine. Your condition is so sensitive that you the other end. We need a secure channel to Truth. are in a dark, silent bubble of isolation. You can't Our spiritual health and eternal life depends on it. see the doctors and nurses who take care of you This book will emphasize the seeking a message because they are suited up with all sorts of consistent with an infinite good person. The next protective gear. They do things to you and for you book will emphasize the verification of what we while you lay there mostly helpless, barely find. conscious, and often confused. � In your words: As you respond to treatment, they give you How does a poor connection interfere with messages of personal encouragement and therapy your cell phone call? How do you know to whom instruction. Those messages must cross the you are actually talking on the other end? containment barrier through a special intercom system. Communication cannot be direct and face to face. This is an important factor in our situation, especially when we consider this quarantine is also spiritual. Our selfish, fearful, guilty hearts actually avoid open communication. This gives rise to two critical weaknesses in this system. It is possible for scheming pretenders to intercept and corrupt the channels of communication. It is also probable that the ? Where do we start?

I would be both arrogant and foolish to start, or end, with myself. I am the one with the questions and problems. I am the one in need of transformation. I am the seeker, not the source. I must turn away from my self-sufficiency, pride, fantasies, and predispositions. I am looking for an explanation of eternity, a reason for reality. Out there I must start. Surely an infinite good person has been able to break through human selfishness and connect with others who have come and gone before us. Surely there is a record in history of success stories of positive transformation. Surely those people cooperated to publicize the channel of communication with Divinity. And because no other field of study focuses on deity, I need to start with religion. Immediately upon arriving at that conclusion— religion—many readers will have an automatic fear response. I understand. I went through it myself. That is why I left. So please understand ? Where do we start?

I would be both arrogant and foolish to start, or end, with myself. I am the one with the questions and problems. I am the one in need of transformation. I am the seeker, not the source. I must turn away from my self-sufficiency, pride, fantasies, and predispositions. I am looking for an explanation of eternity, a reason for reality. Out there I must start. Surely an infinite good person has been able to break through human selfishness and connect with others who have come and gone before us. Surely there is a record in history of success stories of positive transformation. Surely those people cooperated to publicize the channel of communication with Divinity. And because no other field of study focuses on deity, I need to start with religion. Immediately upon arriving at that conclusion— religion—many readers will have an automatic fear response. I understand. I went through it myself. That is why I left. So please understand that when I say we must start with religion I am not saying that we should end with religion. Commonly, religion is the human, external organizing of people to learn, practice, and ? distribute whatever truth flows through the channel from Infinity. My goal is to find and buy a working cell phone. An ignorant, even Search filters hypocritical, salesperson may waste my time, but my objective remains unchanged and the cell Every religion believes they are the right one, phone remains untouched. It works, or not, but what is the criteria for right or wrong? What whether or not the salesperson is a "true believer." about religions being partly right and partly I am taking the cell phone home. I am not moving wrong? We need filters to sort out the good from in with the salesperson. the bad and to help us narrow our search. Also, part of our goal is verifying the infinite In volume 1,Zero to Infinity, we observed that goodness and effectiveness of Deity. His/her track we are physical-spiritual beings interacting with a record will be found in the spiritual history of physical-spiritual universe. We are spiritual humanity. That will leave a mark on religion, even beings who make every decision out of faith, on those that rejected it. Therefore, let us now hope, and love which grow or shrink based on the make a brief survey of religion to see what is out patterns of experience we have. This is undeniably there that may or may not be of help. obvious so a true belief system will teach in � In your words: harmony with how people and the universe works. What has been your experience with religion? For example, some teach that our highest goal is What is the difference between good and bad mindlessness or total, blind submission. religion? What are some advantages, Second, we chose to pursue the dream of disadvantages, limitations of religion? eternal life, which needs to be made and maintained by an infinite good person(s). Third, to reconcile the seeming contradiction between a good God and a world filled with evil, we concluded there was a perfect universe that when I say we must start with religion I am not saying that we should end with religion. Commonly, religion is the human, external organizing of people to learn, practice, and ? distribute whatever truth flows through the channel from Infinity. My goal is to find and buy a working cell phone. An ignorant, even Search filters hypocritical, salesperson may waste my time, but my objective remains unchanged and the cell Every religion believes they are the right one, phone remains untouched. It works, or not, but what is the criteria for right or wrong? What whether or not the salesperson is a "true believer." about religions being partly right and partly I am taking the cell phone home. I am not moving wrong? We need filters to sort out the good from in with the salesperson. the bad and to help us narrow our search. Also, part of our goal is verifying the infinite In volume 1,Zero to Infinity, we observed that goodness and effectiveness of Deity. His/her track we are physical-spiritual beings interacting with a record will be found in the spiritual history of physical-spiritual universe. We are spiritual humanity. That will leave a mark on religion, even beings who make every decision out of faith, on those that rejected it. Therefore, let us now hope, and love which grow or shrink based on the make a brief survey of religion to see what is out patterns of experience we have. This is undeniably there that may or may not be of help. obvious so a true belief system will teach in � In your words: harmony with how people and the universe works. What has been your experience with religion? For example, some teach that our highest goal is What is the difference between good and bad mindlessness or total, blind submission. religion? What are some advantages, Second, we chose to pursue the dream of disadvantages, limitations of religion? eternal life, which needs to be made and maintained by an infinite good person(s). Third, to reconcile the seeming contradiction between a good God and a world filled with evil, we concluded there was a perfect universe interrupted with a quarantine, but someday wise � In your words: justice and closure will return it to total goodness. Do you have your own major or minor criteria Quarantine is our particular analogy, but the to add? Are they consistent with what we have underlying concept for which we are looking is a listed so far? What do you think of these four in complete and consistent worldview. terms of importance and completeness? Fourth, all of this is theoretical and off-limits to us if we cannot be transformed into harmony with Good. Because our faith, hope, and love is inspired from patterns we need a pattern of unselfishness from the infinite good person. This is probably an extension of criteria #2, but we can have no transformation unless we find and follow an example of infinite unselfishness—soul sacrifice. These four criteria are the minimum we are looking for. Remove any one of them and the bridge from question to Answer will not reach the other side. We will be unable to explain and experience eternity. So these criteria are not optional details or dreamy ideals. They are fundamental and core to the human heart and mind. Trust works only when it is based on a trustworthy answer. When we say we want an explanation of eternity, we are saying we want an understandable story from beginning to end of the world in which we live. We also want a purpose for our individual lives that is inspiring and worthy. Remove any one of these four basic requirements and we are back to wandering in a confused, conflicted, contradictory world. interrupted with a quarantine, but someday wise � In your words: justice and closure will return it to total goodness. Do you have your own major or minor criteria Quarantine is our particular analogy, but the to add? Are they consistent with what we have underlying concept for which we are looking is a listed so far? What do you think of these four in complete and consistent worldview. terms of importance and completeness? Fourth, all of this is theoretical and off-limits to us if we cannot be transformed into harmony with Good. Because our faith, hope, and love is inspired from patterns we need a pattern of unselfishness from the infinite good person. This is probably an extension of criteria #2, but we can have no transformation unless we find and follow an example of infinite unselfishness—soul sacrifice. These four criteria are the minimum we are looking for. Remove any one of them and the bridge from question to Answer will not reach the other side. We will be unable to explain and experience eternity. So these criteria are not optional details or dreamy ideals. They are fundamental and core to the human heart and mind. Trust works only when it is based on a trustworthy answer. When we say we want an explanation of eternity, we are saying we want an understandable story from beginning to end of the world in which we live. We also want a purpose for our individual lives that is inspiring and worthy. Remove any one of these four basic requirements and we are back to wandering in a confused, conflicted, contradictory world. Therefore, we will look at a list of major modern religions. These next few chapters may be tedious, yet they will be brief as possible. I ? strongly encourage you to follow up with your own study of each one so that you can see and Filtering religions decide for yourself. I am trying to condense years of personal study into a presentable form without putting my readers to sleep. There are thousands of religions out there! One more note before starting: The order of the Multiply that by the many factions and religions is based on a very rough estimate of the denominations within them and the options are number of adherents. Survey methods and data almost endless. It will take many lifetimes to sources vary greatly in quality and age. The thoroughly examine them all! number of believers is not a strong argument for The good news is that we don’t need to become or against that religion, but it is interesting to see an expert in all the details. We need to focus on the relative proportions of global decisions. We all the essentials and the key fundamentals. That is come from different backgrounds and cultures. why we have our four criteria. They help us get to Taking this into account is the first step towards the roots of each belief tree to quickly and surely loving and understanding others. know what kind of fruit (life and teachings) must Realizing that some of these numbers may be produced. already be out of date, we will start with the For example, the many ancient religions that no smallest of the religions and religious categories. longer exist obviously cannot teach a complete (The underlined names are hyperlinks to help you worldview from beginning to end. Also, most of start your research.) The focus will be on criteria them were based on a slave-like system of animal/ #2, because I found that looking for an infinite human sacrifices to appease an angry, distant, good person was the fastest way to narrow down non-communicative Deity. Those religions not the list. only fail to show an infinite good person, but they also fail to meet our first criteria that people are 22) 500 thousand - Scientology best motivated by positive faith, hope, and love. "A precise path leading to a complete and Therefore, we will look at a list of major modern religions. These next few chapters may be tedious, yet they will be brief as possible. I ? strongly encourage you to follow up with your own study of each one so that you can see and Filtering religions decide for yourself. I am trying to condense years of personal study into a presentable form without putting my readers to sleep. There are thousands of religions out there! One more note before starting: The order of the Multiply that by the many factions and religions is based on a very rough estimate of the denominations within them and the options are number of adherents. Survey methods and data almost endless. It will take many lifetimes to sources vary greatly in quality and age. The thoroughly examine them all! number of believers is not a strong argument for The good news is that we don’t need to become or against that religion, but it is interesting to see an expert in all the details. We need to focus on the relative proportions of global decisions. We all the essentials and the key fundamentals. That is come from different backgrounds and cultures. why we have our four criteria. They help us get to Taking this into account is the first step towards the roots of each belief tree to quickly and surely loving and understanding others. know what kind of fruit (life and teachings) must Realizing that some of these numbers may be produced. already be out of date, we will start with the For example, the many ancient religions that no smallest of the religions and religious categories. longer exist obviously cannot teach a complete (The underlined names are hyperlinks to help you worldview from beginning to end. Also, most of start your research.) The focus will be on criteria them were based on a slave-like system of animal/ #2, because I found that looking for an infinite human sacrifices to appease an angry, distant, good person was the fastest way to narrow down non-communicative Deity. Those religions not the list. only fail to show an infinite good person, but they also fail to meet our first criteria that people are 22) 500 thousand - Scientology best motivated by positive faith, hope, and love. "A precise path leading to a complete and certain understanding of one’s true spiritual by or claiming to be derived from the various nature and one’s relationship to self, family, historical pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe." groups, Mankind, all life forms, the material [Essentially, pantheon(s) of finite gods as in many universe, the spiritual universe and the Supreme ancient mythologies.] Being." "The concept of God is expressed as the Eighth Dynamic—the urge toward existence as 18) 2 million - Tenrikyo infinity." [God is concept, not person.] "Tenrikyo came into existence on October 26, 1838, when God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, 21) 600 thousand - Rastafarianism became revealed through Oyasama, Miki "There are many sects of Rastafari that have Nakayama, to save all humankind. God the Parent developed over the years. Its adherents worship is the original and true Parent who not only [Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia] in much created humankind but has nurtured and the same way as Jesus in his Second Advent, or as protected human beings ever since." "God… God the Son." The use of cannabis "opens people's wishes to have all of us awaken on our own and minds to the truth." [Personality cult of finite make efforts to approach the divine intention." person.] [An attempt to teach an infinite good person. See next chapter.] 20) 800 thousand - Unitarian-Universalism "Affirms and promotes seven Principles, 17) 2.6 million - Zoroastrianism grounded in the humanistic teachings of the Good God [Ahura Mazda] will eliminate evil world's religions. Our spirituality is unbounded, God [Angra Mainyu]. Good deeds must outweigh drawing from scripture and science, nature and bad deeds so that the dead can cross the Chinvat philosophy, personal experience and ancient Bridge to heaven. [Teaches infinite good person. tradition as described in our six Sources." [Seeking See next chapter.] unity and coexistence is good, but contradictory worldviews cannot be harmonized. Also, God is 16) 4 million - Cao Dai an optional concept, not a person.] "Various religions contain one primordial truth (which we call CaoDai). If CaoDai religion is only 19) 1 million - Neo-Paganism CaoDai, a separate defined entity, it would not "Group of new religious movements influenced truly be CaoDai as it is meant to be. If CaoDai is certain understanding of one’s true spiritual by or claiming to be derived from the various nature and one’s relationship to self, family, historical pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe." groups, Mankind, all life forms, the material [Essentially, pantheon(s) of finite gods as in many universe, the spiritual universe and the Supreme ancient mythologies.] Being." "The concept of God is expressed as the Eighth Dynamic—the urge toward existence as 18) 2 million - Tenrikyo infinity." [God is concept, not person.] "Tenrikyo came into existence on October 26, 1838, when God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, 21) 600 thousand - Rastafarianism became revealed through Oyasama, Miki "There are many sects of Rastafari that have Nakayama, to save all humankind. God the Parent developed over the years. Its adherents worship is the original and true Parent who not only [Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia] in much created humankind but has nurtured and the same way as Jesus in his Second Advent, or as protected human beings ever since." "God… God the Son." The use of cannabis "opens people's wishes to have all of us awaken on our own and minds to the truth." [Personality cult of finite make efforts to approach the divine intention." person.] [An attempt to teach an infinite good person. See next chapter.] 20) 800 thousand - Unitarian-Universalism "Affirms and promotes seven Principles, 17) 2.6 million - Zoroastrianism grounded in the humanistic teachings of the Good God [Ahura Mazda] will eliminate evil world's religions. Our spirituality is unbounded, God [Angra Mainyu]. Good deeds must outweigh drawing from scripture and science, nature and bad deeds so that the dead can cross the Chinvat philosophy, personal experience and ancient Bridge to heaven. [Teaches infinite good person. tradition as described in our six Sources." [Seeking See next chapter.] unity and coexistence is good, but contradictory worldviews cannot be harmonized. Also, God is 16) 4 million - Cao Dai an optional concept, not a person.] "Various religions contain one primordial truth (which we call CaoDai). If CaoDai religion is only 19) 1 million - Neo-Paganism CaoDai, a separate defined entity, it would not "Group of new religious movements influenced truly be CaoDai as it is meant to be. If CaoDai is not only CaoDai, but encompasses Buddhism, or good person. See next chapter.] Taoism, or Confucianism, or Christianity, or any path toward God, it is then truly CaoDai. CaoDai 12) 14 million - Judaism does not propound to convert the followers of any "When it comes to beliefs, Judaism is best path, but wishes to unite all faiths in the known for its 'ethical monotheism,' which is the understanding that faiths all are of one same belief in one God who demands ethical behavior principle, and teach tolerance between the of humans." Beliefs range from no afterlife to religions." [Logical mishmash based on lowest eternal destiny determined by behavior. [Teaches common denominator of humanistic tolerance. No infinite good person. See next chapter.] infinite person.] 11) 15 million - Spiritism 15) 4 million - Shinto "Spiritism postulates that humans are "Shinto has no founder, no official sacred essentially immortal spirits that temporarily scriptures, and no fixed creeds." "Shinto today is a inhabit physical bodies for several necessary term that applies to the religion of public shrines incarnations to attain moral and intellectual devoted to the worship of a multitude of gods improvement. It also asserts that spirits, through (kami)." [No infinite person.] passive or active mediumship, may have beneficent or maleficent influence on the physical 14) 4.2 million - Jainism world." We are our own gods is a popular Right belief, knowledge, and conduct is the teaching. [No infinite person.] threefold path to liberation—"omniscience without any activity." "Jain texts reject the idea of a creator 10) 19 million - Juche or destroyer God and postulate an eternal "The official state ideology of North Korea…. It universe." [No infinite person.] says that an individual is the master of his destiny, that the North Korean masses are to act as the 13) 7 million - Baha’i Faith masters of the revolution and construction, and “We believe there is one God, a loving Creator. that by becoming a self-reliant and strong nation God is limitless, all-knowing, all-powerful, all- one can achieve true socialism." How many of merciful. All the best human qualities are these “adherents” are enthusiastic? [Personality reflections of God’s divine attributes.” [Infinite cult of the North Korean leader] not only CaoDai, but encompasses Buddhism, or good person. See next chapter.] Taoism, or Confucianism, or Christianity, or any path toward God, it is then truly CaoDai. CaoDai 12) 14 million - Judaism does not propound to convert the followers of any "When it comes to beliefs, Judaism is best path, but wishes to unite all faiths in the known for its 'ethical monotheism,' which is the understanding that faiths all are of one same belief in one God who demands ethical behavior principle, and teach tolerance between the of humans." Beliefs range from no afterlife to religions." [Logical mishmash based on lowest eternal destiny determined by behavior. [Teaches common denominator of humanistic tolerance. No infinite good person. See next chapter.] infinite person.] 11) 15 million - Spiritism 15) 4 million - Shinto "Spiritism postulates that humans are "Shinto has no founder, no official sacred essentially immortal spirits that temporarily scriptures, and no fixed creeds." "Shinto today is a inhabit physical bodies for several necessary term that applies to the religion of public shrines incarnations to attain moral and intellectual devoted to the worship of a multitude of gods improvement. It also asserts that spirits, through (kami)." [No infinite person.] passive or active mediumship, may have beneficent or maleficent influence on the physical 14) 4.2 million - Jainism world." We are our own gods is a popular Right belief, knowledge, and conduct is the teaching. [No infinite person.] threefold path to liberation—"omniscience without any activity." "Jain texts reject the idea of a creator 10) 19 million - Juche or destroyer God and postulate an eternal "The official state ideology of North Korea…. It universe." [No infinite person.] says that an individual is the master of his destiny, that the North Korean masses are to act as the 13) 7 million - Baha’i Faith masters of the revolution and construction, and “We believe there is one God, a loving Creator. that by becoming a self-reliant and strong nation God is limitless, all-knowing, all-powerful, all- one can achieve true socialism." How many of merciful. All the best human qualities are these “adherents” are enthusiastic? [Personality reflections of God’s divine attributes.” [Infinite cult of the North Korean leader] living being, then passing through the gate of 9) 23 million - Sikhism signlessness (animitta) – realizing that nirvana "There is but one all-pervading spirit, and truth cannot be perceived, and finally passing through is its name! It exists in all creation; it does not the gate of wishlessness (apranihita) – realizing fear; it does not hate; it is timeless and universal that nirvana is the state of not even wishing for and self-existent, You will come to know it nirvana." [Infinite force or consciousness.] through seeking knowledge and learning!" [Impersonal, infinite force or consciousness.] 5) 400 million - Chinese traditional religion Confucianism, Taoism, Chinese Buddhism, etc… 8) 100 million - African Traditional & Diasporic Ranging from pantheism to social ethics to Generally polytheistic and/or nationalistic. spiritual philosophy. [No infinite person.] Some are monotheistic, usually deriving from blending with another religion. [No infinite good 4) 900 million - Hinduism person of its own.] "A diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, 7) 300 million - primal-indigenous pantheism, pandeism, monism, and atheism Varied mixtures of pantheism, animism, among others; and its concept of God is complex fetishism, infinite mind, etc… [No infinite person.] and depends upon each individual and the tradition and philosophy followed. It is sometimes 6) 500 million - Buddhism referred to as henotheistic (i.e., involving devotion "Over its long history, Buddhism has taken a to a single god while accepting the existence of wide variety of forms. Some emphasize rituals and others), but any such term is an over the worship of deities, while others completely generalization." [No infinite person.] reject rituals and gods in favor of pure meditation. Yet all forms of Buddhism share respect for the 3) 1.1 billion - Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist teachings of the Buddha and the goal of ending Self-explanatory. suffering and the cycle of rebirth." Nirvana is "passing through the gate of Emptiness (sunyata) 2) 1.6 billion - Islam – realizing that there is no soul or self in any One God (no Trinity) revealed perfectly, as opposed to the imperfect revelation through the living being, then passing through the gate of 9) 23 million - Sikhism signlessness (animitta) – realizing that nirvana "There is but one all-pervading spirit, and truth cannot be perceived, and finally passing through is its name! It exists in all creation; it does not the gate of wishlessness (apranihita) – realizing fear; it does not hate; it is timeless and universal that nirvana is the state of not even wishing for and self-existent, You will come to know it nirvana." [Infinite force or consciousness.] through seeking knowledge and learning!" [Impersonal, infinite force or consciousness.] 5) 400 million - Chinese traditional religion Confucianism, Taoism, Chinese Buddhism, etc… 8) 100 million - African Traditional & Diasporic Ranging from pantheism to social ethics to Generally polytheistic and/or nationalistic. spiritual philosophy. [No infinite person.] Some are monotheistic, usually deriving from blending with another religion. [No infinite good 4) 900 million - Hinduism person of its own.] "A diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, 7) 300 million - primal-indigenous pantheism, pandeism, monism, and atheism Varied mixtures of pantheism, animism, among others; and its concept of God is complex fetishism, infinite mind, etc… [No infinite person.] and depends upon each individual and the tradition and philosophy followed. It is sometimes 6) 500 million - Buddhism referred to as henotheistic (i.e., involving devotion "Over its long history, Buddhism has taken a to a single god while accepting the existence of wide variety of forms. Some emphasize rituals and others), but any such term is an over the worship of deities, while others completely generalization." [No infinite person.] reject rituals and gods in favor of pure meditation. Yet all forms of Buddhism share respect for the 3) 1.1 billion - Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist teachings of the Buddha and the goal of ending Self-explanatory. suffering and the cycle of rebirth." Nirvana is "passing through the gate of Emptiness (sunyata) 2) 1.6 billion - Islam – realizing that there is no soul or self in any One God (no Trinity) revealed perfectly, as opposed to the imperfect revelation through the other Abrahamic religions: Judaism and will investigate them, but before we do, let’s Christianity. "One's eternal destination depends review themes of the religions we are leaving on balance of good to bad deeds in life…. The day behind. of judgment is described as passing over Hell on a They worship finite people who are less than narrow bridge in order to enter Paradise. Those good, or they follow abstract principles or spirits. who fall, weighted by their bad deeds, will remain While noble ideals may be scattered across this in Hell forever. The Quran specifies two collection of religious temples, what is the ideal exceptions to this general rule: Warriors who die for humanity? A disembodied “mind in the sky?” fighting in the cause of God are ushered A disciplined keeper of law? An incense burning immediately to God's presence (Surah 2:159 and statuette? A cow? Surah 3:169); and - 'Enemies of Islam' are If it is true that by beholding we become sentenced immediately to Hell upon death." changed, then their potential for humanity is [Infinite good person of sorts. See next chapter.] either low or warped or both. To seek oneness with an infinite good person is like removing the 1) 2.1 billion - Christianity ceilings from our man-made temples and Started as a movement within Judaism 2000 journeying to the limitless heights with a Friend years ago based on the core belief that Jesus of or Father. Humans become more, not less, human Nazareth was God incarnate who loved us enough every moment of ascent. to give his life to save us. A full spectrum of This is borne out in history. The vast majority beliefs exist about salvation: from grace will save of creative advancements have come from people you no matter what you do to sufficient personal growing in the direction of an infinite good suffering must be accrued to pay for personal sins. person. Society moves in the direction of its Splintered into thousands of denominations. people, who are moved in the direction of their [Many variations of infinite good person. See next worship. chapter.] � In your words: Summary Why do think there are so many religions? Our brief survey has yielded six candidates for Why are there so many religions that seek to further study: Tenrikyo, Zoroastrianism, Baha'i, combine others? How did the world shift from Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The next chapter mostly polytheism to monotheism? other Abrahamic religions: Judaism and will investigate them, but before we do, let’s Christianity. "One's eternal destination depends review themes of the religions we are leaving on balance of good to bad deeds in life…. The day behind. of judgment is described as passing over Hell on a They worship finite people who are less than narrow bridge in order to enter Paradise. Those good, or they follow abstract principles or spirits. who fall, weighted by their bad deeds, will remain While noble ideals may be scattered across this in Hell forever. The Quran specifies two collection of religious temples, what is the ideal exceptions to this general rule: Warriors who die for humanity? A disembodied “mind in the sky?” fighting in the cause of God are ushered A disciplined keeper of law? An incense burning immediately to God's presence (Surah 2:159 and statuette? A cow? Surah 3:169); and - 'Enemies of Islam' are If it is true that by beholding we become sentenced immediately to Hell upon death." changed, then their potential for humanity is [Infinite good person of sorts. See next chapter.] either low or warped or both. To seek oneness with an infinite good person is like removing the 1) 2.1 billion - Christianity ceilings from our man-made temples and Started as a movement within Judaism 2000 journeying to the limitless heights with a Friend years ago based on the core belief that Jesus of or Father. Humans become more, not less, human Nazareth was God incarnate who loved us enough every moment of ascent. to give his life to save us. A full spectrum of This is borne out in history. The vast majority beliefs exist about salvation: from grace will save of creative advancements have come from people you no matter what you do to sufficient personal growing in the direction of an infinite good suffering must be accrued to pay for personal sins. person. Society moves in the direction of its Splintered into thousands of denominations. people, who are moved in the direction of their [Many variations of infinite good person. See next worship. chapter.] � In your words: Summary Why do think there are so many religions? Our brief survey has yielded six candidates for Why are there so many religions that seek to further study: Tenrikyo, Zoroastrianism, Baha'i, combine others? How did the world shift from Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The next chapter mostly polytheism to monotheism? and providing guidance for people." "God the Parent became openly revealed on October 26, 1838, through Oyasama as the Shrine ? of Tsukihi in order to save all people in the world. The 'Shrine of Tsukihi' means that Oyasama’s mind had been replaced by that of God the Parent, Only six though outwardly She was still human. Oyasama taught the intention of God the Parent by Her Of all the world religions we have identified spoken word and written word and by only six clearly teach an infinite good person: demonstrating it in Her life." Tenrikyo, Zoroastrianism, Baha'i, Judaism, Islam, From what I can find, that last sentence sums and Christianity. up the total “evidence” for Oyasama’s claim. Our Except for Tenrikyo (a recent development from goal is to find and verify God and God’s teachings. Japan), these religions spring from the Middle Oyasama asks us to believe her because she says East. For better and for worse, the spread of she is a good person. modern civilization mostly parallels the But what is good? It is what works forever. geographical growth of these religions. To Only a God can tell us that, and how do we know understand these systems is a good starting point she speaks for God? Because she said so. Oyasama to comprehending the basis of modern society. has created a self-referencing circle. This is no More importantly, our quest to find and verify a different from the claims of charismatic cult channel of communication with the Great Doctor leaders or dogmatic religious authorities— “Obey outside the quarantine will get very real. and believe me because I told you so.” What is a follower of Tenrikyo to believe and obey? Their mission statement says, “Tenrikyo is a Tenrikyo faith and lifestyle that believes that all human "The path to the Joyous Life originated with beings were created by God the Parent to live a Oyasama, whose name is Miki Nakayama. She Joyous Life, here on Earth. We do not discriminate was settled as the Shrine of God the Parent at the against anyone. Instead, we believe that we are all age of forty-one and spent the subsequent fifty brothers and sisters and that by mutually helping years conveying the teachings in their entirety one another, we all can get one step closer to and providing guidance for people." "God the Parent became openly revealed on October 26, 1838, through Oyasama as the Shrine ? of Tsukihi in order to save all people in the world. The 'Shrine of Tsukihi' means that Oyasama’s mind had been replaced by that of God the Parent, Only six though outwardly She was still human. Oyasama taught the intention of God the Parent by Her Of all the world religions we have identified spoken word and written word and by only six clearly teach an infinite good person: demonstrating it in Her life." Tenrikyo, Zoroastrianism, Baha'i, Judaism, Islam, From what I can find, that last sentence sums and Christianity. up the total “evidence” for Oyasama’s claim. Our Except for Tenrikyo (a recent development from goal is to find and verify God and God’s teachings. Japan), these religions spring from the Middle Oyasama asks us to believe her because she says East. For better and for worse, the spread of she is a good person. modern civilization mostly parallels the But what is good? It is what works forever. geographical growth of these religions. To Only a God can tell us that, and how do we know understand these systems is a good starting point she speaks for God? Because she said so. Oyasama to comprehending the basis of modern society. has created a self-referencing circle. This is no More importantly, our quest to find and verify a different from the claims of charismatic cult channel of communication with the Great Doctor leaders or dogmatic religious authorities— “Obey outside the quarantine will get very real. and believe me because I told you so.” What is a follower of Tenrikyo to believe and obey? Their mission statement says, “Tenrikyo is a Tenrikyo faith and lifestyle that believes that all human "The path to the Joyous Life originated with beings were created by God the Parent to live a Oyasama, whose name is Miki Nakayama. She Joyous Life, here on Earth. We do not discriminate was settled as the Shrine of God the Parent at the against anyone. Instead, we believe that we are all age of forty-one and spent the subsequent fifty brothers and sisters and that by mutually helping years conveying the teachings in their entirety one another, we all can get one step closer to salvation.” "OC 1:2: This [is] not at all unreasonable or Their philosophy springs from positive attitudes could be helped, for until now I did not share with of gratitude, joy, service, unity, worship. Who can you the true teachings. Though I occasionally find fault with that? This is in harmony with the taught (various teachings) through saints and great motivations of faith, hope, and love. So sages, these were all but timely manifestations of according to our first two criteria, Tenrikyo scores My divine will to suit each day and age and was high. not anything final. But this cannot be helped, for Criteria #3 (complete, consistent worldview) the Promised Time had not arrived." seems to be ignored or greatly glossed over. It is one thing to share truth and have it be Simply stated, no one knew the truth because God ignored or rejected, but to withhold it?! A good did not tell anyone the truth until he told it to doctor does not withhold the cure from the Oyasama in the mid-1800’s. According to one of patient until “the Promised Time.” A good doctor their three books of Scripture, Ofudesaki (Tip of works 100% for the health of the patient before, the Writing Brush): during, and after the quarantine. “(1) Looking all over the world and through all But such a concept is missing from Tenrikyo. ages, I find no one who has understood My heart. Within its worldview is no historical explanation (2) So should it be, for I have never taught it to for evil, suffering, or death. Gratitude and joy is you. It is natural that you know nothing. (3) At good but it is greatly blinded by platitudes that this time, I reveal Myself and teach the truth of all erode trust and raise more questions. things in detail… (8) As I am in haste to save all of Why didn't God the Parent help and teach the you quickly, I set out to make all minds in the earlier generations to the full extent of His world spirited.” abilities? For that matter, why did people need Footnote references to another of their sacred help? How did suffering and death originate? books reinforces this point. Why didn't the Parent create a perfect creation? "Ofudesaki chushaku (OC) 1:1: While an Most of all, to what extra length has God the uncountable billions of people have been born and Parent stretched Herself to restore fallen creation? lived during the long years since I, Oyagami There is not a single hint of sacrifice, or even of created this realm of existence, at every age I painful effort, on God’s part in their writings. On watched over this wide world, there was never a the contrary, truth was withheld until Oyasama, single person who understood My heart." salvation.” "OC 1:2: This [is] not at all unreasonable or Their philosophy springs from positive attitudes could be helped, for until now I did not share with of gratitude, joy, service, unity, worship. Who can you the true teachings. Though I occasionally find fault with that? This is in harmony with the taught (various teachings) through saints and great motivations of faith, hope, and love. So sages, these were all but timely manifestations of according to our first two criteria, Tenrikyo scores My divine will to suit each day and age and was high. not anything final. But this cannot be helped, for Criteria #3 (complete, consistent worldview) the Promised Time had not arrived." seems to be ignored or greatly glossed over. It is one thing to share truth and have it be Simply stated, no one knew the truth because God ignored or rejected, but to withhold it?! A good did not tell anyone the truth until he told it to doctor does not withhold the cure from the Oyasama in the mid-1800’s. According to one of patient until “the Promised Time.” A good doctor their three books of Scripture, Ofudesaki (Tip of works 100% for the health of the patient before, the Writing Brush): during, and after the quarantine. “(1) Looking all over the world and through all But such a concept is missing from Tenrikyo. ages, I find no one who has understood My heart. Within its worldview is no historical explanation (2) So should it be, for I have never taught it to for evil, suffering, or death. Gratitude and joy is you. It is natural that you know nothing. (3) At good but it is greatly blinded by platitudes that this time, I reveal Myself and teach the truth of all erode trust and raise more questions. things in detail… (8) As I am in haste to save all of Why didn't God the Parent help and teach the you quickly, I set out to make all minds in the earlier generations to the full extent of His world spirited.” abilities? For that matter, why did people need Footnote references to another of their sacred help? How did suffering and death originate? books reinforces this point. Why didn't the Parent create a perfect creation? "Ofudesaki chushaku (OC) 1:1: While an Most of all, to what extra length has God the uncountable billions of people have been born and Parent stretched Herself to restore fallen creation? lived during the long years since I, Oyagami There is not a single hint of sacrifice, or even of created this realm of existence, at every age I painful effort, on God’s part in their writings. On watched over this wide world, there was never a the contrary, truth was withheld until Oyasama, single person who understood My heart." with her unexplained and unsubstantiated similar qualities. Despite the chaos and suffering specialness came along. effected in the world by his onslaught, believers My conclusion is that the first two criteria expect Angra Mainyu to be defeated in the end of receive high marks if one does not dig deep into time by Ahura Mazdā. Confined to their own the details. Worldview, sacrifice, and verification realm, his demons will devour each other, and his get thumbs down. own existence will be quenched. In a later dualism, Ahura Mazdā, still the creator god, is ‡ Main sources himself the force of good, Angra Mainyu is his https://heaventruth.com/ evil, destructive counterpart, and both exist from http://tenrikyology.com/scripture/ofudesaki- eternity. tip-of-the-writing-brush/ “The modern Zoroastrians of India, the Parsis, http://www.tenrikyo.or.jp/eng/ tend to diminish the importance of Angra Mainyu by explaining him away as an allegory of Zoroastrianism humanity’s evil tendencies. Ahura Mazdā is thus Zoroastrianism teaches an infinite good person restored to omnipotence.” [or has he now also with a twist or two. become an allegory?] “Angra Mainyu, (Avestan: “Destructive Spirit”) The Zoroastrian “Godhead” or “God family” is Middle Persian Ahriman, the evil, destructive ripped by an obvious, unexplained inconsistency spirit in the dualistic doctrine of Zoroastrianism. that enshrines evil as an eternal principle. In spite According to the earliest version of the myth, he of that, their three basic moral principles—good is the twin brother of Spenta Mainyu, the Holy thoughts, good words, good deeds—helped elevate Spirit, and both were the sons of Ahura Mazdā every civilization from before the time of (Ormizd or Ormazd), the Wise Lord and supreme Alexander the Great to now. deity of Zoroastrianism. Because of its personal ethic Zoroastrianism “Angra Mainyu’s essential nature is expressed gets high marks for criteria #1 (faith, hope, love), in his principal epithet—Druj, “the Lie,” which but because of the contradictory and incomplete expresses itself as greed, wrath, and envy. To aid view of life and God, it gets low scores on the him in attacking the light (Spenta Mainyu, the other criteria. Nowhere did I find a teaching of good creation of Ahura Mazdā), Angra Mainyu sacrifice by God. created a horde of demons embodying envy and with her unexplained and unsubstantiated similar qualities. Despite the chaos and suffering specialness came along. effected in the world by his onslaught, believers My conclusion is that the first two criteria expect Angra Mainyu to be defeated in the end of receive high marks if one does not dig deep into time by Ahura Mazdā. Confined to their own the details. Worldview, sacrifice, and verification realm, his demons will devour each other, and his get thumbs down. own existence will be quenched. In a later dualism, Ahura Mazdā, still the creator god, is ‡ Main sources himself the force of good, Angra Mainyu is his https://heaventruth.com/ evil, destructive counterpart, and both exist from http://tenrikyology.com/scripture/ofudesaki- eternity. tip-of-the-writing-brush/ “The modern Zoroastrians of India, the Parsis, http://www.tenrikyo.or.jp/eng/ tend to diminish the importance of Angra Mainyu by explaining him away as an allegory of Zoroastrianism humanity’s evil tendencies. Ahura Mazdā is thus Zoroastrianism teaches an infinite good person restored to omnipotence.” [or has he now also with a twist or two. become an allegory?] “Angra Mainyu, (Avestan: “Destructive Spirit”) The Zoroastrian “Godhead” or “God family” is Middle Persian Ahriman, the evil, destructive ripped by an obvious, unexplained inconsistency spirit in the dualistic doctrine of Zoroastrianism. that enshrines evil as an eternal principle. In spite According to the earliest version of the myth, he of that, their three basic moral principles—good is the twin brother of Spenta Mainyu, the Holy thoughts, good words, good deeds—helped elevate Spirit, and both were the sons of Ahura Mazdā every civilization from before the time of (Ormizd or Ormazd), the Wise Lord and supreme Alexander the Great to now. deity of Zoroastrianism. Because of its personal ethic Zoroastrianism “Angra Mainyu’s essential nature is expressed gets high marks for criteria #1 (faith, hope, love), in his principal epithet—Druj, “the Lie,” which but because of the contradictory and incomplete expresses itself as greed, wrath, and envy. To aid view of life and God, it gets low scores on the him in attacking the light (Spenta Mainyu, the other criteria. Nowhere did I find a teaching of good creation of Ahura Mazdā), Angra Mainyu sacrifice by God. created a horde of demons embodying envy and ‡ Main sources abolition of racial, class, and religious prejudices. https://www.theosophical.org/publications/ The great bulk of Bahāʾī teachings is concerned quest-magazine/42-publications/quest-magazine/ with social ethics; the faith has no priesthood and 1231-zoroastrianism-history-beliefs-and-practices does not observe ritual forms in its worship.” http://parsizoroastrianism.com It is readily seen that the Baha’i are a peace http://www.avesta.org loving people and the principles of faith, hope, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angra_Mainyu and love hold a high place in their teachings. God, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ahriman the Creator of all, is cherished as an infinite good person. Breakdowns occur, however, when applying the first two criteria to the last two— Baha’i Faith worldview and sacrifice. “Bahāʾī Faith, religion founded in Iran in the Evil is explained as being nonexistent, as in the mid-19th century by Mīrzā Ḥosayn ʿAlī Nūrī, who absence of good, but why is there absence? Two is known as Bahāʾ Allāh (Arabic: “Glory of God”). things may be good in themselves, but The cornerstone of Bahāʾī belief is the conviction antagonistic or evil in relation to each other. that Bahāʾ Allāh and his forerunner, who was Where did the antagonism come from? known as the Bāb (Persian: “Gateway”), were “Yes, a scorpion is evil in relation to man; a manifestations of God, who in his essence is serpent is evil in relation to man; but in relation to unknowable. The principal Bahāʾī tenets are the themselves they are not evil, for their poison is essential unity of all religions and the unity of their weapon, and by their sting they defend humanity. Bahāʾīs believe that all the founders of themselves. But as the elements of their poison do the world’s great religions have been not agree with our elements—that is to say, as manifestations of God and agents of a progressive there is antagonism between these different divine plan for the education of the human race. elements, therefore, this antagonism is evil; but in Despite their apparent differences, the world’s reality as regards themselves they are good. great religions, according to the Bahāʾīs, teach an “The epitome of this discourse is that it is identical truth. Bahāʾ Allāh’s peculiar function possible that one thing in relation to another may was to overcome the disunity of religions and be evil, and at the same time within the limits of establish a universal faith. Bahāʾīs believe in the its proper being it may not be evil. Then it is oneness of humanity and devote themselves to the proved that there is no evil in existence; all that ‡ Main sources abolition of racial, class, and religious prejudices. https://www.theosophical.org/publications/ The great bulk of Bahāʾī teachings is concerned quest-magazine/42-publications/quest-magazine/ with social ethics; the faith has no priesthood and 1231-zoroastrianism-history-beliefs-and-practices does not observe ritual forms in its worship.” http://parsizoroastrianism.com It is readily seen that the Baha’i are a peace http://www.avesta.org loving people and the principles of faith, hope, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angra_Mainyu and love hold a high place in their teachings. God, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ahriman the Creator of all, is cherished as an infinite good person. Breakdowns occur, however, when applying the first two criteria to the last two— Baha’i Faith worldview and sacrifice. “Bahāʾī Faith, religion founded in Iran in the Evil is explained as being nonexistent, as in the mid-19th century by Mīrzā Ḥosayn ʿAlī Nūrī, who absence of good, but why is there absence? Two is known as Bahāʾ Allāh (Arabic: “Glory of God”). things may be good in themselves, but The cornerstone of Bahāʾī belief is the conviction antagonistic or evil in relation to each other. that Bahāʾ Allāh and his forerunner, who was Where did the antagonism come from? known as the Bāb (Persian: “Gateway”), were “Yes, a scorpion is evil in relation to man; a manifestations of God, who in his essence is serpent is evil in relation to man; but in relation to unknowable. The principal Bahāʾī tenets are the themselves they are not evil, for their poison is essential unity of all religions and the unity of their weapon, and by their sting they defend humanity. Bahāʾīs believe that all the founders of themselves. But as the elements of their poison do the world’s great religions have been not agree with our elements—that is to say, as manifestations of God and agents of a progressive there is antagonism between these different divine plan for the education of the human race. elements, therefore, this antagonism is evil; but in Despite their apparent differences, the world’s reality as regards themselves they are good. great religions, according to the Bahāʾīs, teach an “The epitome of this discourse is that it is identical truth. Bahāʾ Allāh’s peculiar function possible that one thing in relation to another may was to overcome the disunity of religions and be evil, and at the same time within the limits of establish a universal faith. Bahāʾīs believe in the its proper being it may not be evil. Then it is oneness of humanity and devote themselves to the proved that there is no evil in existence; all that God created He created good. This evil is merely a symbolic veneer over underlying nothingness; so death is the absence of life. When contradictions and claims that are irreconcilable. man no longer receives life, he dies. Darkness is Once again, we encounter a religion that begins the absence of light: when there is no light, there well on the human level, makes bold positive is darkness. Light is an existing thing, but claims about God, but then cannot back it up with darkness is nonexistent. Wealth is an existing a big picture explaining and resolving the history thing, but poverty is non-existing. of good, evil, and death. Also, as in our previous “Then it is evident that all evils return to two religions, a theoretical philosophy is taught nonexistence. Good exists; evil is nonexistent.” by a messenger who fails to present real-world Presumably, evil will extinguish itself, but how verification as to his/her authorization by God. that will happen is undetermined. Its end is as (The fact that they led good lives does meet one of unexplained as its beginning. And while God is the minimum requirements, but many atheists taught as being Ultimate Good, there is no lead good lives, and many other religious leaders mention of sacrifice or effort to help us beyond exhibit goodness. Evidence, yes. Proof, no.) Spirit or Manifestations delivering messages. ‡ Main sources “These Messengers have been the only way to https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bahai-Faith knowledge of God, and their number includes the https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/ Founders of the world's great religions: Moses, https://bahai.com/spiritualbeliefs.html Krishna, Zoroaster, Buddha, Christ, and https://bahaiteachings.org/series/main- Muhammad—to name those Messengers who are principles/ best known.” This apparent unity is only symbolic. www.bahai.org/beliefs/life-spirit/human-soul/ “Although the Bahai faith imports people and articles-resources/non-existence-evil ideas from other world religions, it is important to know that adherents to those faiths don't traditionally share those same beliefs. For Judaism example, Judaism hasn't traditionally taught about Our final three religions—Judaism, Islam, and Abraham what Bahai's believe about him and Christianity—are all monotheistic, Abrahamic Christianity hasn't traditionally taught about religions that started in the Middle East. One Jesus what Bahai's believe about him.” would think this would result in peace, harmony, Therefore, the goal of global religious unity is and understanding. Sadly, the opposite is true. God created He created good. This evil is merely a symbolic veneer over underlying nothingness; so death is the absence of life. When contradictions and claims that are irreconcilable. man no longer receives life, he dies. Darkness is Once again, we encounter a religion that begins the absence of light: when there is no light, there well on the human level, makes bold positive is darkness. Light is an existing thing, but claims about God, but then cannot back it up with darkness is nonexistent. Wealth is an existing a big picture explaining and resolving the history thing, but poverty is non-existing. of good, evil, and death. Also, as in our previous “Then it is evident that all evils return to two religions, a theoretical philosophy is taught nonexistence. Good exists; evil is nonexistent.” by a messenger who fails to present real-world Presumably, evil will extinguish itself, but how verification as to his/her authorization by God. that will happen is undetermined. Its end is as (The fact that they led good lives does meet one of unexplained as its beginning. And while God is the minimum requirements, but many atheists taught as being Ultimate Good, there is no lead good lives, and many other religious leaders mention of sacrifice or effort to help us beyond exhibit goodness. Evidence, yes. Proof, no.) Spirit or Manifestations delivering messages. ‡ Main sources “These Messengers have been the only way to https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bahai-Faith knowledge of God, and their number includes the https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/ Founders of the world's great religions: Moses, https://bahai.com/spiritualbeliefs.html Krishna, Zoroaster, Buddha, Christ, and https://bahaiteachings.org/series/main- Muhammad—to name those Messengers who are principles/ best known.” This apparent unity is only symbolic. www.bahai.org/beliefs/life-spirit/human-soul/ “Although the Bahai faith imports people and articles-resources/non-existence-evil ideas from other world religions, it is important to know that adherents to those faiths don't traditionally share those same beliefs. For Judaism example, Judaism hasn't traditionally taught about Our final three religions—Judaism, Islam, and Abraham what Bahai's believe about him and Christianity—are all monotheistic, Abrahamic Christianity hasn't traditionally taught about religions that started in the Middle East. One Jesus what Bahai's believe about him.” would think this would result in peace, harmony, Therefore, the goal of global religious unity is and understanding. Sadly, the opposite is true. These religions are strongly, even violently, Rather, we sacrifice to him. opposed to one another, and each is riddled with Thus, we conclude that yet another religion division and factional differences. fails to score high on our four points of quest. Judaism, the religion of Israel, declares itself the ‡ Main sources true religion of Abraham (~2000 bce) and the http://www.patheos.com/Library/Judaism keepers of the law and teachings of Moses. They http://www.myjewishlearning.com focus on right actions. http://www.jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm “Unlike many other religions, Judaism does not chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/332555/ focus much on abstract cosmological concepts. jewish/Maimonides-13-Principles-of-Faith.htm Although Jews have certainly considered the http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism nature of G-d, man, the universe, life and the afterlife at great length (see Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism), there is no mandated, official, Islam definitive belief on these subjects, outside of the “The following six beliefs are those that are very general concepts discussed above. There is commonly held by Muslims, as laid out in the substantial room for personal opinion on all of Quran and Hadith. these matters, because as I said before, Judaism is "Belief in the Oneness of God: Muslims believe more concerned about actions than beliefs.” that God is the creator of all things, and that God So, while Judaism has a strong belief in an is all-powerful and all-knowing. God has no infinite good person who will judge unerringly offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is between good and bad behavior, the theology unaffected by the characteristics of human life. seems to have become more of a moral ethic than "Belief in the Angels of God: Muslims believe in a complete picture of origins, destiny, good, evil, angels, unseen beings who worship God and carry and the meaning of life. out God’s orders throughout the universe. The Where it really differs from its offspring, angel Gabriel brought the divine revelation to the Christianity, is on criteria #4– sacrifice. If there prophets. was a temple in Jerusalem, sacrifices of lambs and "Belief in the Books of God: Muslims believe that goats would resume. The story of Christ’s sacrifice God revealed holy books or scriptures to a on the cross means nothing to the modern Jew. In number of God’s messengers. These include the their theology, God does not sacrifice for us. Quran (given to Muhammad), the Torah (given to These religions are strongly, even violently, Rather, we sacrifice to him. opposed to one another, and each is riddled with Thus, we conclude that yet another religion division and factional differences. fails to score high on our four points of quest. Judaism, the religion of Israel, declares itself the ‡ Main sources true religion of Abraham (~2000 bce) and the http://www.patheos.com/Library/Judaism keepers of the law and teachings of Moses. They http://www.myjewishlearning.com focus on right actions. http://www.jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm “Unlike many other religions, Judaism does not chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/332555/ focus much on abstract cosmological concepts. jewish/Maimonides-13-Principles-of-Faith.htm Although Jews have certainly considered the http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism nature of G-d, man, the universe, life and the afterlife at great length (see Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism), there is no mandated, official, Islam definitive belief on these subjects, outside of the “The following six beliefs are those that are very general concepts discussed above. There is commonly held by Muslims, as laid out in the substantial room for personal opinion on all of Quran and Hadith. these matters, because as I said before, Judaism is "Belief in the Oneness of God: Muslims believe more concerned about actions than beliefs.” that God is the creator of all things, and that God So, while Judaism has a strong belief in an is all-powerful and all-knowing. God has no infinite good person who will judge unerringly offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is between good and bad behavior, the theology unaffected by the characteristics of human life. seems to have become more of a moral ethic than "Belief in the Angels of God: Muslims believe in a complete picture of origins, destiny, good, evil, angels, unseen beings who worship God and carry and the meaning of life. out God’s orders throughout the universe. The Where it really differs from its offspring, angel Gabriel brought the divine revelation to the Christianity, is on criteria #4– sacrifice. If there prophets. was a temple in Jerusalem, sacrifices of lambs and "Belief in the Books of God: Muslims believe that goats would resume. The story of Christ’s sacrifice God revealed holy books or scriptures to a on the cross means nothing to the modern Jew. In number of God’s messengers. These include the their theology, God does not sacrifice for us. Quran (given to Muhammad), the Torah (given to Moses), the Gospel (given to Jesus), the Psalms concept does not negate the concept of “free will;” (given to David), and the Scrolls (given to since humans do not have prior knowledge of Abraham). Muslims believe that these earlier God’s decree, they do have freedom of choice.” scriptures in their original form were divinely With Judaism, Islam shares the belief in an revealed, but that only the Quran remains as it infinite good person who will unerringly judge was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad. the behavior of human beings for punishment or "Belief in the Prophets or Messengers of God: reward. Behavior depends on choice and effort. Muslims believe that God’s guidance has been The worldview of Islam holds that Paradise and revealed to humankind through specially Hell are everlasting. Only a few sinful believers appointed messengers, or prophets, throughout will transfer from Hell to Paradise. history, beginning with the first man, Adam, who Evil started with a jinn (genie, something like is considered the first prophet. Twenty-five of an angel) named Iblis. “The different fragments of these prophets are mentioned by name in the Iblis' story are scattered across the Quran. In the Quran, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, and aggregate, the story can be summarized as Jesus. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last follows: in this line of prophets, sent for all humankind “When God created Adam, He ordered all the with the message of Islam. angels to bow before the new creation. All the "Belief in the Day of Judgment: Muslims believe angels bowed down, but Iblis refused to do so. He that on the Day of Judgment, humans will be argued that since he himself was created from fire, judged for their actions in this life; those who he is superior to humans, made from Clay-mud, followed God’s guidance will be rewarded with and that he should not prostrate himself before paradise; those who rejected God’s guidance will Adam. As punishment for his haughtiness, God be punished with hell. banished Iblis from heaven and condemned him to "Belief in the Divine Decree: This article of faith hell. Later, Iblis made a request for the ability to addresses the question of God’s will. It can be try to mislead Adam and his descendants. God expressed as the belief that everything is granted his request but also warned him that he governed by divine decree, namely that whatever will have no power over God's servants.” happens in one’s life is preordained, and that The internal inconsistency should be apparent. believers should respond to the good or bad that Disregarding the questionable command for one befalls them with thankfulness or patience. This creature to bow down to another creature, the Moses), the Gospel (given to Jesus), the Psalms concept does not negate the concept of “free will;” (given to David), and the Scrolls (given to since humans do not have prior knowledge of Abraham). Muslims believe that these earlier God’s decree, they do have freedom of choice.” scriptures in their original form were divinely With Judaism, Islam shares the belief in an revealed, but that only the Quran remains as it infinite good person who will unerringly judge was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad. the behavior of human beings for punishment or "Belief in the Prophets or Messengers of God: reward. Behavior depends on choice and effort. Muslims believe that God’s guidance has been The worldview of Islam holds that Paradise and revealed to humankind through specially Hell are everlasting. Only a few sinful believers appointed messengers, or prophets, throughout will transfer from Hell to Paradise. history, beginning with the first man, Adam, who Evil started with a jinn (genie, something like is considered the first prophet. Twenty-five of an angel) named Iblis. “The different fragments of these prophets are mentioned by name in the Iblis' story are scattered across the Quran. In the Quran, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, and aggregate, the story can be summarized as Jesus. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last follows: in this line of prophets, sent for all humankind “When God created Adam, He ordered all the with the message of Islam. angels to bow before the new creation. All the "Belief in the Day of Judgment: Muslims believe angels bowed down, but Iblis refused to do so. He that on the Day of Judgment, humans will be argued that since he himself was created from fire, judged for their actions in this life; those who he is superior to humans, made from Clay-mud, followed God’s guidance will be rewarded with and that he should not prostrate himself before paradise; those who rejected God’s guidance will Adam. As punishment for his haughtiness, God be punished with hell. banished Iblis from heaven and condemned him to "Belief in the Divine Decree: This article of faith hell. Later, Iblis made a request for the ability to addresses the question of God’s will. It can be try to mislead Adam and his descendants. God expressed as the belief that everything is granted his request but also warned him that he governed by divine decree, namely that whatever will have no power over God's servants.” happens in one’s life is preordained, and that The internal inconsistency should be apparent. believers should respond to the good or bad that Disregarding the questionable command for one befalls them with thankfulness or patience. This creature to bow down to another creature, the arbitrary and unreasonable release from hell to beliefs-in-islam/ tempt others into hell puts the responsibility for http://www.religionfacts.com/islam evil onto God—a supposedly infinite good person. This simplistic and contradictory explanation for Christianity evil, along with the never ending evil of hellfire, We now arrive at the largest of all religions. destroys Islam from within. Claiming a third of the world's population, Added to that problem are the opposing claims Christianity is the foundation of western that certain prophets and writings from Judaism civilization. Its teachings, along with ancient and Christianity are worthy of reverence while at Roman law, have shaped our governments and the same time their fundamental teachings are institutions. There must be something within it contradicted. The biggest of these is the central that makes it so popular, and therefore worthy of teaching of Christianity on the cross. consideration. However, even if all the other Islam says that Jesus was a good prophet, but religions are wrong and inadequate does not he was not God, did not die on the cross, and did mean it is right. not make a sacrifice. This of course is a total Yet, there is something about it that even the contradiction of what Jesus said about himself. dean of atheists, Antony Flew, recognized. “I think Again, self-destructing inconsistency takes place that the Christian religion is the one religion that because a liar cannot also be a good prophet for most clearly deserves to be honored and respected an infinite good person. whether or not its claim to be a divine revelation Like other religions, Islam looks good from a is true. There is nothing like the combination of a distance. Its words sound good in general, but charismatic figure like Jesus and a first-class when their conceptual details are analyzed and intellectual like St. Paul. Virtually all the compared, the system collapses. Therefore, our argument about the content of the religion was quest must continue. produced by St. Paul, who had a brilliant ‡ Main sources philosophical mind and could both speak and https://www.islam-guide.com/ write in all the relevant languages. If you’re https://www.islamreligion.com/ wanting Omnipotence to set up a religion, this is www.britannica.com/biography/Muhammad the one to beat.” (There is a God, 185) https://sites.udel.edu/msadelaware/six-major- However, one cannot ignore the history of its arbitrary and unreasonable release from hell to beliefs-in-islam/ tempt others into hell puts the responsibility for http://www.religionfacts.com/islam evil onto God—a supposedly infinite good person. This simplistic and contradictory explanation for Christianity evil, along with the never ending evil of hellfire, We now arrive at the largest of all religions. destroys Islam from within. Claiming a third of the world's population, Added to that problem are the opposing claims Christianity is the foundation of western that certain prophets and writings from Judaism civilization. Its teachings, along with ancient and Christianity are worthy of reverence while at Roman law, have shaped our governments and the same time their fundamental teachings are institutions. There must be something within it contradicted. The biggest of these is the central that makes it so popular, and therefore worthy of teaching of Christianity on the cross. consideration. However, even if all the other Islam says that Jesus was a good prophet, but religions are wrong and inadequate does not he was not God, did not die on the cross, and did mean it is right. not make a sacrifice. This of course is a total Yet, there is something about it that even the contradiction of what Jesus said about himself. dean of atheists, Antony Flew, recognized. “I think Again, self-destructing inconsistency takes place that the Christian religion is the one religion that because a liar cannot also be a good prophet for most clearly deserves to be honored and respected an infinite good person. whether or not its claim to be a divine revelation Like other religions, Islam looks good from a is true. There is nothing like the combination of a distance. Its words sound good in general, but charismatic figure like Jesus and a first-class when their conceptual details are analyzed and intellectual like St. Paul. Virtually all the compared, the system collapses. Therefore, our argument about the content of the religion was quest must continue. produced by St. Paul, who had a brilliant ‡ Main sources philosophical mind and could both speak and https://www.islam-guide.com/ write in all the relevant languages. If you’re https://www.islamreligion.com/ wanting Omnipotence to set up a religion, this is www.britannica.com/biography/Muhammad the one to beat.” (There is a God, 185) https://sites.udel.edu/msadelaware/six-major- However, one cannot ignore the history of its followers. Inquisitions and Crusades, bigotry and I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, hypocrisy, tradition and superstition, capped off who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, with abuse, immorality, colonialism, and petty born of the Virgin Mary, sectarianism, are disgraces of the Christian world. suffered under Pontius Pilate, If we are to find the truth of an infinite good was crucified, died, and was buried; person in Christianity, it will be in spite of, not he descended to the dead/hell. because of, its mainstream followers. On the third day he rose again; Of all the religions, Christianity is the most he ascended into heaven, fragmented. However, the "Christ" in Christianity he is seated at the right hand of the Father, is the one unifying factor, even if it is superficial and he will come to judge the living and the dead. in some cases. With widely varying degrees of I believe in the Holy Spirit, orthodoxy or weirdness, belief in Jesus Christ as the holy catholic/Christian Church, the embodiment of an infinite good person is the the communion of saints, foundation on which all denominations build. Of the forgiveness of sins, all the world’s religions, only Christianity teaches the resurrection of the body, that an infinite good person sacrificed for humans. and the life everlasting. Amen.” It is for this reason that it is worth our time for If the sects agree, why are they so different? further consideration. As the saying goes, the devil is in the details. What is the central teaching of Christianity? The creed is agreement on the basic importance of Ignoring all the wide variety of flavors and God, Jesus, and the church. It does not explain toppings, every bowl in Christianity has this ice how a person is converted and saved, or what cream: A God incarnated Himself, started a heaven is. It does not explain the origin or final church based on love, sacrificed Himself for our destiny of evil and evildoers. It avoids defining sins, then rose again to life and heaven. If we many theological points necessary to forming a choose (more or less), we spend eternity with Him complete worldview such as choice, death, law, in peace and happiness. This is captured in the authority, origins, afterlife, etc… slight variations of the Apostles’ Creed. Within the creed-believing denominations is a “I believe in God, the Father almighty, wide range of beliefs from everyone ultimately creator of heaven and earth. being saved to only a few select sect members. followers. Inquisitions and Crusades, bigotry and I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, hypocrisy, tradition and superstition, capped off who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, with abuse, immorality, colonialism, and petty born of the Virgin Mary, sectarianism, are disgraces of the Christian world. suffered under Pontius Pilate, If we are to find the truth of an infinite good was crucified, died, and was buried; person in Christianity, it will be in spite of, not he descended to the dead/hell. because of, its mainstream followers. On the third day he rose again; Of all the religions, Christianity is the most he ascended into heaven, fragmented. However, the "Christ" in Christianity he is seated at the right hand of the Father, is the one unifying factor, even if it is superficial and he will come to judge the living and the dead. in some cases. With widely varying degrees of I believe in the Holy Spirit, orthodoxy or weirdness, belief in Jesus Christ as the holy catholic/Christian Church, the embodiment of an infinite good person is the the communion of saints, foundation on which all denominations build. Of the forgiveness of sins, all the world’s religions, only Christianity teaches the resurrection of the body, that an infinite good person sacrificed for humans. and the life everlasting. Amen.” It is for this reason that it is worth our time for If the sects agree, why are they so different? further consideration. As the saying goes, the devil is in the details. What is the central teaching of Christianity? The creed is agreement on the basic importance of Ignoring all the wide variety of flavors and God, Jesus, and the church. It does not explain toppings, every bowl in Christianity has this ice how a person is converted and saved, or what cream: A God incarnated Himself, started a heaven is. It does not explain the origin or final church based on love, sacrificed Himself for our destiny of evil and evildoers. It avoids defining sins, then rose again to life and heaven. If we many theological points necessary to forming a choose (more or less), we spend eternity with Him complete worldview such as choice, death, law, in peace and happiness. This is captured in the authority, origins, afterlife, etc… slight variations of the Apostles’ Creed. Within the creed-believing denominations is a “I believe in God, the Father almighty, wide range of beliefs from everyone ultimately creator of heaven and earth. being saved to only a few select sect members. There are different levels of heaven and hell, and We are beings of free choice. God is a being of different methods to achieve either one. The free choice. Like a cosmic chess game, God makes confusing worldviews all claim to be based on an choices and we make choices. He make counter infinite loving person, but their definitions vary choices and we make counter choices. Free beings widely. Thus, the worldviews are to various dancing, bargaining, or fighting together! degrees contradictory. This means that the Gods That single insight is the cause and reason of all they teach are contradictory. To say this is a history, every revolution, every social movement. monstrous mess to filter is an understatement. I was under the impression, shared with most How does one get started? I honestly don’t other people, that both people and God cannot be know because I don’t think it can be solved from fully free. Depending on circumstance, one or the the outside in—from comparing lists of doctrines, other must have less than 100% freedom. In other Bible texts, and theological arguments. For me, words, we limit ourselves, our options, or our the whole tangled knot was cut out entirely. worth. Peer pressure and peer dependency, Though dimly realized at the time, the surprising tradition and authority, and other external revelation of choice from faith, hope, and love set expectations “push” us into the “inevitable.” We me in the right direction. view ourselves as victims of fate, slaves to a Personal experience predetermined destiny. A high school English assignment had me At other times, we bind God in similar researching psychics then prophecy. The world of expectations. We view him as unfeeling, uncaring, the paranormal and spiritual fascinated me, but it and incapable of feeling or caring. He merely has was all separate from God and made no difference an omnipotent will and plan that must be carried in my belief that God was dead. out. We might call him, Creator, but we don’t Then one day I found myself in a library view him as creative. Science tells him what to do reading the history of Jerusalem’s destruction by and determines what cannot be done. The the Romans in 70ad. The author then spent a principles of science, the laws of math, or brute couple paragraphs on the spiritual context from force are the real powers behind The Throne. God’s point of view. It described how even infinite To view God as infinite and fully personal at power could not force the doomed people to the same time seems to be a foreign idea to over choose better. That is when it hit me. 99% of the world’s population. It certainly was to There are different levels of heaven and hell, and We are beings of free choice. God is a being of different methods to achieve either one. The free choice. Like a cosmic chess game, God makes confusing worldviews all claim to be based on an choices and we make choices. He make counter infinite loving person, but their definitions vary choices and we make counter choices. Free beings widely. Thus, the worldviews are to various dancing, bargaining, or fighting together! degrees contradictory. This means that the Gods That single insight is the cause and reason of all they teach are contradictory. To say this is a history, every revolution, every social movement. monstrous mess to filter is an understatement. I was under the impression, shared with most How does one get started? I honestly don’t other people, that both people and God cannot be know because I don’t think it can be solved from fully free. Depending on circumstance, one or the the outside in—from comparing lists of doctrines, other must have less than 100% freedom. In other Bible texts, and theological arguments. For me, words, we limit ourselves, our options, or our the whole tangled knot was cut out entirely. worth. Peer pressure and peer dependency, Though dimly realized at the time, the surprising tradition and authority, and other external revelation of choice from faith, hope, and love set expectations “push” us into the “inevitable.” We me in the right direction. view ourselves as victims of fate, slaves to a Personal experience predetermined destiny. A high school English assignment had me At other times, we bind God in similar researching psychics then prophecy. The world of expectations. We view him as unfeeling, uncaring, the paranormal and spiritual fascinated me, but it and incapable of feeling or caring. He merely has was all separate from God and made no difference an omnipotent will and plan that must be carried in my belief that God was dead. out. We might call him, Creator, but we don’t Then one day I found myself in a library view him as creative. Science tells him what to do reading the history of Jerusalem’s destruction by and determines what cannot be done. The the Romans in 70ad. The author then spent a principles of science, the laws of math, or brute couple paragraphs on the spiritual context from force are the real powers behind The Throne. God’s point of view. It described how even infinite To view God as infinite and fully personal at power could not force the doomed people to the same time seems to be a foreign idea to over choose better. That is when it hit me. 99% of the world’s population. It certainly was to me. Then, to catch a glimpse that Deity could be present and polish and refine it. an infinite person who also happened to make Now, I not only want to share with you a belief choices at every junction that were eternally best system that is able to explain the whole universe for everyone was mind blowing. for all time, but also a personal experience with These thoughts all came rushing into my mind One I call my Father. In times of trouble, he gives in an instant. The next instant I looked up from me strength and assurance. In times of peace and my book and there appeared someone who looked solitude, he gives me rest and the peace that like the stereotypical Jesus. I instinctively comes from total trust in One who loves me, who understood him to be Jesus, the Son of God. likes me, who wants to personally connect and be Whether that lasted 5 or 15 seconds I do not with me. I am never alone! Never forsaken! know. Whether that was a vision in my mind’s I do not expect you to believe this on my word eye or whether I viewed Him with my physical only. How can you know what is really inside me? eyes, I do not know. What I do know was that a You can’t. Yet, you and I are both human. We whole new world, or a whole new view of the respond to the same basic patterns. We seek the world, was opened to me in a matter of seconds. same basic patterns that inspire faith, hope, and Divinity was personal! Life has direction! love. Unfolding those patterns is what I will share Or at least, divinity could be a person. When the with you next. They are so simple a child can experience faded, my research took an entirely understand them, but so deep that we will never new direction. Psychics and prophecy were no cease to wonder. Most importantly, these longer my goals. I had to know if God was real. I universal spiritual patterns are free and did not interpret that revelation in the library as uncontrollable and unchangeable. Though buried proof, but as possibility. I felt I was at the and hidden by commercialism and petty power beginning of knowledge, not the end. politics, they remain as freely flowing and pristine Was God real? Was the dead God really alive? pure as a waterfall in the wilderness. You are Was he truly a person? Did he love me? Could I invited to drink to your heart’s content! know him? Could we be friends? � In your words: The embryonic core of what I share in these What and who are you looking for? Have you books was presented to me that day. All these ever felt like an infinite good person was reaching years I have spent unpacking and unfolding it; out to you? checking it and double checking it; then trying to me. Then, to catch a glimpse that Deity could be present and polish and refine it. an infinite person who also happened to make Now, I not only want to share with you a belief choices at every junction that were eternally best system that is able to explain the whole universe for everyone was mind blowing. for all time, but also a personal experience with These thoughts all came rushing into my mind One I call my Father. In times of trouble, he gives in an instant. The next instant I looked up from me strength and assurance. In times of peace and my book and there appeared someone who looked solitude, he gives me rest and the peace that like the stereotypical Jesus. I instinctively comes from total trust in One who loves me, who understood him to be Jesus, the Son of God. likes me, who wants to personally connect and be Whether that lasted 5 or 15 seconds I do not with me. I am never alone! Never forsaken! know. Whether that was a vision in my mind’s I do not expect you to believe this on my word eye or whether I viewed Him with my physical only. How can you know what is really inside me? eyes, I do not know. What I do know was that a You can’t. Yet, you and I are both human. We whole new world, or a whole new view of the respond to the same basic patterns. We seek the world, was opened to me in a matter of seconds. same basic patterns that inspire faith, hope, and Divinity was personal! Life has direction! love. Unfolding those patterns is what I will share Or at least, divinity could be a person. When the with you next. They are so simple a child can experience faded, my research took an entirely understand them, but so deep that we will never new direction. Psychics and prophecy were no cease to wonder. Most importantly, these longer my goals. I had to know if God was real. I universal spiritual patterns are free and did not interpret that revelation in the library as uncontrollable and unchangeable. Though buried proof, but as possibility. I felt I was at the and hidden by commercialism and petty power beginning of knowledge, not the end. politics, they remain as freely flowing and pristine Was God real? Was the dead God really alive? pure as a waterfall in the wilderness. You are Was he truly a person? Did he love me? Could I invited to drink to your heart’s content! know him? Could we be friends? � In your words: The embryonic core of what I share in these What and who are you looking for? Have you books was presented to me that day. All these ever felt like an infinite good person was reaching years I have spent unpacking and unfolding it; out to you? checking it and double checking it; then trying to stay focused on them. Our question is, How do we get past all the inconsistent and confusing claims and doctrines? ? By climbing down the family tree of churches to the roots. We get past all the chewed leaves, dead twigs, and thorny vines by going down the trunk Patterns over proof texting to the roots from which they all grow. Where do all the churches come from? The answer is in the Our quest is by no means finished. We know Apostles’ Creed—the apostles and prophets. we need an infinite good person. We know that All of them contributed to the Bible (Greek Christianity is our last remaining hope of finding transliteration for The Book) which was written in a verifiable channel of communication. However, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek between 2,000 and we still have not proved that the Christian God is 3,500 years ago. The entire hodgepodge of our infinite good person, nor have we proved Christian denominations is based upon that set of Christianity is correct. In fact, I think it is safe to teachings claiming completeness. It only makes say that most of Christianity must be incorrect, sense to examine the foundation before trying to because of such a broad spectrum of extremes and build on it. If the foundation is bad, then the contradictions. whole Christian structure is flawed. If the roots So how do we solve our problem? By ignoring are dead, then the Christian tree is dead. it. The problem on which most of us focus is the What does the Bible say? A lot! It has 31,102 popular Christianity of today—the widespread verses, 1189 chapters and 66 books written by ignorance, superficiality, and hypocrisy of about 40 people. That is a lot to digest! That is professed believers. They are not our problem nor why it is imperative we check for complete, are they our solution. consistent patterns. Our goal is to verify (or not) that God is an Our question is, Is an infinite good person infinite good person, that he can explain and fix speaking through the book? To fairly answer that the entire conflict between good and evil, and that question means that we should not bring our he can transform us into unselfish people. These preconceptions or our denominational habits of expectations are real and reasonable. We should proof texting (cherry picking) to this research project. We need to leave behind our tendencies stay focused on them. Our question is, How do we get past all the inconsistent and confusing claims and doctrines? ? By climbing down the family tree of churches to the roots. We get past all the chewed leaves, dead twigs, and thorny vines by going down the trunk Patterns over proof texting to the roots from which they all grow. Where do all the churches come from? The answer is in the Our quest is by no means finished. We know Apostles’ Creed—the apostles and prophets. we need an infinite good person. We know that All of them contributed to the Bible (Greek Christianity is our last remaining hope of finding transliteration for The Book) which was written in a verifiable channel of communication. However, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek between 2,000 and we still have not proved that the Christian God is 3,500 years ago. The entire hodgepodge of our infinite good person, nor have we proved Christian denominations is based upon that set of Christianity is correct. In fact, I think it is safe to teachings claiming completeness. It only makes say that most of Christianity must be incorrect, sense to examine the foundation before trying to because of such a broad spectrum of extremes and build on it. If the foundation is bad, then the contradictions. whole Christian structure is flawed. If the roots So how do we solve our problem? By ignoring are dead, then the Christian tree is dead. it. The problem on which most of us focus is the What does the Bible say? A lot! It has 31,102 popular Christianity of today—the widespread verses, 1189 chapters and 66 books written by ignorance, superficiality, and hypocrisy of about 40 people. That is a lot to digest! That is professed believers. They are not our problem nor why it is imperative we check for complete, are they our solution. consistent patterns. Our goal is to verify (or not) that God is an Our question is, Is an infinite good person infinite good person, that he can explain and fix speaking through the book? To fairly answer that the entire conflict between good and evil, and that question means that we should not bring our he can transform us into unselfish people. These preconceptions or our denominational habits of expectations are real and reasonable. We should proof texting (cherry picking) to this research project. We need to leave behind our tendencies to pick and choose words and meanings that I hammer home this point because we are all support our favorite opinions. We don’t like the too ready to bow to the conclusions of “experts” confusion and contradictions of sectarianism, so on what this word or that phrase must exactly why let it be the judge? mean for everyone. We attribute power and Our only question is, What is God telling us? authority to them when we do that, which calls Whether or not we like it, whether or not we into question our foundation. Is God the authority ultimately accept it or reject it, is a later personal speaking through his authorized prophets and decision. Our focus now is only, Are these the apostles, or are the interpretations of theologians thoughts of an infinite good person? the authority? And how will we know? Patterns. Humanity has proven again and again that it is We have clearly seen that the universe is built all too willing to turn over the responsibility of entirely of interaction patterns. We as people thinking to leadership. The unavoidable side effect operate on patterns of faith, hope, and love. of that decision is to dumb ourselves down and Conflicting patterns of good and evil have led us reject personal communion with God. to the quarantine model as a potential explanation The only way, the absolute only way, to know if for our current condition. All of this is sourced in and what God says through Scripture is through an infinite good person. If the Bible is God’s patterns. If there is a complete pattern of teaching channel of communication then it will be from beginning to end that is consistent with all consistent with God’s universe. possible definitions of each word, then we know What we are seeking in Scripture (another term God is speaking and we are not imposing. for the Bible) is God’s thoughts to us, not man’s So is this assertion of patterns over priestly thoughts about God. We don’t need more proof texting a pattern taught in the Bible? That is ignorant, inconsistent speculation and projection. the topic of the next chapter. We should not be content to limit ourselves to what the theologians, or even the prophets and � In your words: apostles themselves, understood. They may be Can a pipe be rusty on the outside and still have helpful, but they cannot help us know what God clean water inside? Can a true message from God might be saying to me today. A messenger can be communicated through imperfect words or an faithfully deliver a message without ignorant messenger? Should experts be understanding all of it. authorities or teachers? to pick and choose words and meanings that I hammer home this point because we are all support our favorite opinions. We don’t like the too ready to bow to the conclusions of “experts” confusion and contradictions of sectarianism, so on what this word or that phrase must exactly why let it be the judge? mean for everyone. We attribute power and Our only question is, What is God telling us? authority to them when we do that, which calls Whether or not we like it, whether or not we into question our foundation. Is God the authority ultimately accept it or reject it, is a later personal speaking through his authorized prophets and decision. Our focus now is only, Are these the apostles, or are the interpretations of theologians thoughts of an infinite good person? the authority? And how will we know? Patterns. Humanity has proven again and again that it is We have clearly seen that the universe is built all too willing to turn over the responsibility of entirely of interaction patterns. We as people thinking to leadership. The unavoidable side effect operate on patterns of faith, hope, and love. of that decision is to dumb ourselves down and Conflicting patterns of good and evil have led us reject personal communion with God. to the quarantine model as a potential explanation The only way, the absolute only way, to know if for our current condition. All of this is sourced in and what God says through Scripture is through an infinite good person. If the Bible is God’s patterns. If there is a complete pattern of teaching channel of communication then it will be from beginning to end that is consistent with all consistent with God’s universe. possible definitions of each word, then we know What we are seeking in Scripture (another term God is speaking and we are not imposing. for the Bible) is God’s thoughts to us, not man’s So is this assertion of patterns over priestly thoughts about God. We don’t need more proof texting a pattern taught in the Bible? That is ignorant, inconsistent speculation and projection. the topic of the next chapter. We should not be content to limit ourselves to what the theologians, or even the prophets and � In your words: apostles themselves, understood. They may be Can a pipe be rusty on the outside and still have helpful, but they cannot help us know what God clean water inside? Can a true message from God might be saying to me today. A messenger can be communicated through imperfect words or an faithfully deliver a message without ignorant messenger? Should experts be understanding all of it. authorities or teachers? the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. And the LORD ? God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8-9) Before and after the start of evil, God initiated Inspiration - interpretation communication. He seeks connection with us. The Bible always shows Him taking the first step One note before we get started. I did not towards us before we take a step towards Him. discover these patterns immediately after my This is exactly what we are looking for from an library insight. It took years of sifting and infinite good and giving person. searching, learning and unlearning. My approach We are also looking for justice and healing. to any topic is to look for patterns rather than That is why Adam and Eve were expelled from the memorize details. That was my approach to the garden and placed in quarantine. For a long time Bible. I held to the same standards and used the the garden remained as a positive channel of same methods as in any other field of study. communication, but the contagion of negative Now let’s begin. Let’s see if the Bible presents a doubt, pessimism, and selfishness inspired most consistent pattern of an infinite good person people to reject God. After a long time, God communicating with us through patterns. moved on and turned to the loyal Abraham and his descendants, the Israelites. Adam and Eve They made unwise choices and found The first couple of chapters of Scripture tells the themselves in Egypt, then forced into slavery. This story of God creating a perfect world and placing brings us to Moses and the beginning of the the first humans in a perfect place called, Eden. recording of God’s words on paper. He talked with them face to face. We are off to a good start! Moses The third chapter tells the story of what is Moses was living in the wilderness when God known as the temptation and fall of our first began speaking to him through the miracle of the parents. After their disobedience, “they heard the burning bush. God wanted him to be His voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in spokesperson to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to win the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. And the LORD ? God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8-9) Before and after the start of evil, God initiated Inspiration - interpretation communication. He seeks connection with us. The Bible always shows Him taking the first step One note before we get started. I did not towards us before we take a step towards Him. discover these patterns immediately after my This is exactly what we are looking for from an library insight. It took years of sifting and infinite good and giving person. searching, learning and unlearning. My approach We are also looking for justice and healing. to any topic is to look for patterns rather than That is why Adam and Eve were expelled from the memorize details. That was my approach to the garden and placed in quarantine. For a long time Bible. I held to the same standards and used the the garden remained as a positive channel of same methods as in any other field of study. communication, but the contagion of negative Now let’s begin. Let’s see if the Bible presents a doubt, pessimism, and selfishness inspired most consistent pattern of an infinite good person people to reject God. After a long time, God communicating with us through patterns. moved on and turned to the loyal Abraham and his descendants, the Israelites. Adam and Eve They made unwise choices and found The first couple of chapters of Scripture tells the themselves in Egypt, then forced into slavery. This story of God creating a perfect world and placing brings us to Moses and the beginning of the the first humans in a perfect place called, Eden. recording of God’s words on paper. He talked with them face to face. We are off to a good start! Moses The third chapter tells the story of what is Moses was living in the wilderness when God known as the temptation and fall of our first began speaking to him through the miracle of the parents. After their disobedience, “they heard the burning bush. God wanted him to be His voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in spokesperson to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to win the release of his people from slavery. performed. As the smaller miracles were rejected, “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I they grew in scope and severity. After a time, the come unto the children of Israel, and shall say Israelites were led out of Egypt through the unto them, The God of your fathers has sent me parting of the waters of the Red Sea. The traveling unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his nation of millions were given water in the desert. name? what shall I say unto them? And God said For 40 years they had bread (manna) rained down unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus on them every morning except the seventh. They shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has gathered around Mt. Sinai and saw God’s power sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:13-14) with their own eyes and heard God’s voice with In this passage we see God authorizing a person their own ears. An entire generation was to speak for Him. We then see God giving Moses saturated with miraculous evidence of Infinity. It concrete evidence of His infinite power that he was abundantly clear that God was speaking can use to provide verification to Israel. through His chosen Moses. “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, Then, at the borders of the Promised Land, “the they will not believe me, nor listen unto my voice: LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, for they will say, The LORD has not appeared and gather you the assembly together, you and unto you. And the LORD said unto him, What is Aaron your brother, and speak you unto the rock that in your hand? And he said, A rod. And he before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the and you shall bring forth to them water out of the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled rock: so you shall give the congregation and their from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail. And the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became Aaron gathered the congregation together before a rod in his hand: That they may believe that the the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, you LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he appeared unto you.” (Exodus 4:1-5) smote the rock twice: and the water came out This was a small demonstration suitable for a abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their small group of leaders, but many more miracles beasts also. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and on a very large and public scale were later Aaron, Because you believed me not, to sanctify the release of his people from slavery. performed. As the smaller miracles were rejected, “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I they grew in scope and severity. After a time, the come unto the children of Israel, and shall say Israelites were led out of Egypt through the unto them, The God of your fathers has sent me parting of the waters of the Red Sea. The traveling unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his nation of millions were given water in the desert. name? what shall I say unto them? And God said For 40 years they had bread (manna) rained down unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus on them every morning except the seventh. They shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has gathered around Mt. Sinai and saw God’s power sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:13-14) with their own eyes and heard God’s voice with In this passage we see God authorizing a person their own ears. An entire generation was to speak for Him. We then see God giving Moses saturated with miraculous evidence of Infinity. It concrete evidence of His infinite power that he was abundantly clear that God was speaking can use to provide verification to Israel. through His chosen Moses. “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, Then, at the borders of the Promised Land, “the they will not believe me, nor listen unto my voice: LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, for they will say, The LORD has not appeared and gather you the assembly together, you and unto you. And the LORD said unto him, What is Aaron your brother, and speak you unto the rock that in your hand? And he said, A rod. And he before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the and you shall bring forth to them water out of the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled rock: so you shall give the congregation and their from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail. And the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became Aaron gathered the congregation together before a rod in his hand: That they may believe that the the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, you LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he appeared unto you.” (Exodus 4:1-5) smote the rock twice: and the water came out This was a small demonstration suitable for a abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their small group of leaders, but many more miracles beasts also. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and on a very large and public scale were later Aaron, Because you believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore quarantine. He wants us to trust Him and He you shall not bring this congregation into the land gives us verifiable, trustworthy evidence. which I have given them.” (Numbers 20:7-12) Even though the human messengers are not 40 years of miracles had abundantly declared perfect, yet they are chosen because they are that Moses spoke God’s words. This made it dependable enough to give the right message at vitally important that Moses never speak his the right time to the right people. We see this words in God’s place. The infinite good person centuries later in the story of Jonah. wanted only goodness spoken. Moses’ dictatorial, Jonah disobedient, and egotistical example did not “And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's represent the positive faith, hope, and love of God. journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Therefore God had to secure His channel of Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of communication by disciplining Moses. Truth had Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and to be separated from error, love from pride. God put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even maintained consistency in His messaging. to the least of them. For word came unto the king From the very beginning of the Bible, God of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he verified its divine origin with miracles and laid his robe from him, and covered him with character. However, that was not a “one and done” sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be occurrence. Going forward, God would repeat proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the miracles to help with major developments and He decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let would constantly reinforce positive character. He neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any also added prophecy. thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let “And if you say in your heart, How shall we man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry know the word which the LORD has not spoken? mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, from his evil way, and from the violence that is in if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and the thing which the LORD has not spoken, but the repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that prophet has spoken it presumptuously: you shall we perish not? And God saw their works, that not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22) they turned from their evil way; and God God is well acquainted with our dilemma of repented of the evil, that he had said that he determining truth caused by our seclusion in the me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore quarantine. He wants us to trust Him and He you shall not bring this congregation into the land gives us verifiable, trustworthy evidence. which I have given them.” (Numbers 20:7-12) Even though the human messengers are not 40 years of miracles had abundantly declared perfect, yet they are chosen because they are that Moses spoke God’s words. This made it dependable enough to give the right message at vitally important that Moses never speak his the right time to the right people. We see this words in God’s place. The infinite good person centuries later in the story of Jonah. wanted only goodness spoken. Moses’ dictatorial, Jonah disobedient, and egotistical example did not “And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's represent the positive faith, hope, and love of God. journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Therefore God had to secure His channel of Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of communication by disciplining Moses. Truth had Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and to be separated from error, love from pride. God put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even maintained consistency in His messaging. to the least of them. For word came unto the king From the very beginning of the Bible, God of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he verified its divine origin with miracles and laid his robe from him, and covered him with character. However, that was not a “one and done” sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be occurrence. Going forward, God would repeat proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the miracles to help with major developments and He decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let would constantly reinforce positive character. He neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any also added prophecy. thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let “And if you say in your heart, How shall we man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry know the word which the LORD has not spoken? mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, from his evil way, and from the violence that is in if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and the thing which the LORD has not spoken, but the repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that prophet has spoken it presumptuously: you shall we perish not? And God saw their works, that not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22) they turned from their evil way; and God God is well acquainted with our dilemma of repented of the evil, that he had said that he determining truth caused by our seclusion in the would do unto them; and he did it not.” (Jonah “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto 3:4-10) them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he that peep, and that mutter: should not a people was very angry. And he prayed unto the LORD, seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To and said, I pray you O LORD, was not this my the law and to the testimony: if they speak not saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I according to this word, it is because there is no fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that you are light in them.” (Isaiah 8:19-20) a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and “The prophet which prophesies of peace, when of great kindness, and repent you of the evil. the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beg you my life shall the prophet be known, that the LORD has from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. truly sent him.” (Jeremiah 28:9) Then said the LORD, Do you well to be angry?” The context of Jeremiah’s message is that of (Jonah 4:1-4) false prophets telling the king of Israel that there Jonah was chosen because he was among the would be peace as consequence of Israel’s few that knew the goodness and graciousness of transgression. Within two years, Jeremiah’s God. The prophet knew that God would prefer the prophecy was proven correct when the armies of Ninevites to repent and live rather than die in Babylon surrounded Jerusalem. stubbornness. Instead, it was the prophet who was These themes of miracles, character, prophecy, stubborn. He left no record of preaching salvation, and consistency are brought to life when God only of condemnation. It was the Spirit of God came to Earth for a personal visit in the flesh. that inspired the king and the people to change. Thus we see that God’s message got through. We Jesus see an unbiased account of how truth and love are Jesus healed the sick, calmed the sea, multiplied communicated from God to people in the fish and bread, and raised the dead. He told of darkness of the quarantine. things that would happen in the near future and in the end of time. He gave an unbroken example Later prophets of humble ministry and selfless love. Continuing our study in Biblical order, the later Jesus continually quoted, “It is written” as His prophets were careful to be consistent with the defense against temptation and against earlier messages. accusations of falsehood. He confirmed all the would do unto them; and he did it not.” (Jonah “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto 3:4-10) them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he that peep, and that mutter: should not a people was very angry. And he prayed unto the LORD, seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To and said, I pray you O LORD, was not this my the law and to the testimony: if they speak not saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I according to this word, it is because there is no fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that you are light in them.” (Isaiah 8:19-20) a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and “The prophet which prophesies of peace, when of great kindness, and repent you of the evil. the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beg you my life shall the prophet be known, that the LORD has from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. truly sent him.” (Jeremiah 28:9) Then said the LORD, Do you well to be angry?” The context of Jeremiah’s message is that of (Jonah 4:1-4) false prophets telling the king of Israel that there Jonah was chosen because he was among the would be peace as consequence of Israel’s few that knew the goodness and graciousness of transgression. Within two years, Jeremiah’s God. The prophet knew that God would prefer the prophecy was proven correct when the armies of Ninevites to repent and live rather than die in Babylon surrounded Jerusalem. stubbornness. Instead, it was the prophet who was These themes of miracles, character, prophecy, stubborn. He left no record of preaching salvation, and consistency are brought to life when God only of condemnation. It was the Spirit of God came to Earth for a personal visit in the flesh. that inspired the king and the people to change. Thus we see that God’s message got through. We Jesus see an unbiased account of how truth and love are Jesus healed the sick, calmed the sea, multiplied communicated from God to people in the fish and bread, and raised the dead. He told of darkness of the quarantine. things that would happen in the near future and in the end of time. He gave an unbroken example Later prophets of humble ministry and selfless love. Continuing our study in Biblical order, the later Jesus continually quoted, “It is written” as His prophets were careful to be consistent with the defense against temptation and against earlier messages. accusations of falsehood. He confirmed all the major events in the Old Testament by referring to unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man them as history and as having spiritual authority. that is a householder, which brings forth out of He consistently demonstrated His statement, “The his treasure things new and old.” (Matthew 13:52) scripture cannot be broken.” (John 10:35) We are wrong to ignore the Bible as an old The life of Jesus Christ was a summary and book. We are also wrong to make up new reflection of the Bible as a whole, because He not meanings and teachings from our favorite parts. only spoke the words of God, but He was the Every scribe that is instructed, every teacher that Word. He performed miracles because He was The truly understands brings forth things new and old. Miracle. He was the pinnacle of consistency. He There is nothing older than the eternal prophesied the future because He was Infinity. principles and patterns of the Infinite One. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word Therefore, every “new” teaching is but an was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) application and unfolding of the Eternal One. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among Properly understood, every spiritual truth in us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Scripture connects consistently. Upcoming books only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and will repeatedly demonstrate this. truth.” (John 1:14) That is why Christ said, “On these two All the words on all the printed pages of the commandments [love to God and people] hang all Old Testament pointed forward to Christ because the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:40) From He was the Word. His character of justice and the root of God’s truth grows the entire tree of mercy, His desire to connect with us and heal us, Biblical teachings. shines from every recorded thought. Every word Textual analysis has shown that translation finds its meaning and purpose in the Word who errors are so minimal that they cause nothing was not content to speak from a distance. He more than background noise. Those who read insisted on veiling His bright glory to be with us with eyes to see all the possible spiritual personally in the darkness of this quarantine. The meanings can connect them into a beautiful, God of the Old Testament appears to be consistent system of truth. incompatible with the Jesus of the New Testament Spiritual connection and consistency only when we fail to understand both the new Greater than miracles and prophecies, which and the old testaments. are temporary by nature, is the everlasting Jesus said, “Every scribe which is instructed major events in the Old Testament by referring to unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man them as history and as having spiritual authority. that is a householder, which brings forth out of He consistently demonstrated His statement, “The his treasure things new and old.” (Matthew 13:52) scripture cannot be broken.” (John 10:35) We are wrong to ignore the Bible as an old The life of Jesus Christ was a summary and book. We are also wrong to make up new reflection of the Bible as a whole, because He not meanings and teachings from our favorite parts. only spoke the words of God, but He was the Every scribe that is instructed, every teacher that Word. He performed miracles because He was The truly understands brings forth things new and old. Miracle. He was the pinnacle of consistency. He There is nothing older than the eternal prophesied the future because He was Infinity. principles and patterns of the Infinite One. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word Therefore, every “new” teaching is but an was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) application and unfolding of the Eternal One. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among Properly understood, every spiritual truth in us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Scripture connects consistently. Upcoming books only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and will repeatedly demonstrate this. truth.” (John 1:14) That is why Christ said, “On these two All the words on all the printed pages of the commandments [love to God and people] hang all Old Testament pointed forward to Christ because the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:40) From He was the Word. His character of justice and the root of God’s truth grows the entire tree of mercy, His desire to connect with us and heal us, Biblical teachings. shines from every recorded thought. Every word Textual analysis has shown that translation finds its meaning and purpose in the Word who errors are so minimal that they cause nothing was not content to speak from a distance. He more than background noise. Those who read insisted on veiling His bright glory to be with us with eyes to see all the possible spiritual personally in the darkness of this quarantine. The meanings can connect them into a beautiful, God of the Old Testament appears to be consistent system of truth. incompatible with the Jesus of the New Testament Spiritual connection and consistency only when we fail to understand both the new Greater than miracles and prophecies, which and the old testaments. are temporary by nature, is the everlasting Jesus said, “Every scribe which is instructed spiritual connection God seeks with us. We are urged to build consistently “upon the “Which things also we speak, not in the words foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” Ghost teaches comparing spiritual things with (Ephesians 2:20) The single reason there are so spiritual. But the natural man receives not the many Christian denominations is because there things of the Spirit of God: for they are are so many inconsistent builders. There are many foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, who are not “earnestly contend[ing] for the faith because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude Corinthians 2:13-14) 1:3) And that faith was delivered by the prophets Miracles and prophecies can be seen and and apostles of Christ. It is dependable from forgotten by skeptics and scoffers. The greatest beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation. prize, however, is the spiritual consistency of “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, Scripture. This can be seen only by those who and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for value positive faith, hope, and love. Only spiritual correction, for instruction in righteousness: that people can personally verify God’s spiritual love. the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly The apostle Paul verified this to himself because furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16- he wrote, “The things that I purpose, do I purpose 17) according to the flesh, that with me there should Even though the prophets could not understand be yea yea, and nay nay? But as God is true, our all that they prophesied, nevertheless God speaks word toward you was not yea and nay. For the to us through their words. It is God’s mind, not Son of God, Jesus Christ… was not yea and nay, the prophets understanding, that we want. but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of and searched diligently, who prophesied of the God by us.” (2 Corinthians 1:17-20) grace that should come unto you: Searching what, When we look at the human messengers of God or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which and the human words of God on paper, we see was in them did signify, when it testified surface inconsistencies in human language. We beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory see “yea and nay.” However, when we see the that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, spiritual messages of God delivered through those that not unto themselves, but unto us they did channels, we see only “yea” and “Amen.” spiritual connection God seeks with us. We are urged to build consistently “upon the “Which things also we speak, not in the words foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” Ghost teaches comparing spiritual things with (Ephesians 2:20) The single reason there are so spiritual. But the natural man receives not the many Christian denominations is because there things of the Spirit of God: for they are are so many inconsistent builders. There are many foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, who are not “earnestly contend[ing] for the faith because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude Corinthians 2:13-14) 1:3) And that faith was delivered by the prophets Miracles and prophecies can be seen and and apostles of Christ. It is dependable from forgotten by skeptics and scoffers. The greatest beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation. prize, however, is the spiritual consistency of “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, Scripture. This can be seen only by those who and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for value positive faith, hope, and love. Only spiritual correction, for instruction in righteousness: that people can personally verify God’s spiritual love. the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly The apostle Paul verified this to himself because furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16- he wrote, “The things that I purpose, do I purpose 17) according to the flesh, that with me there should Even though the prophets could not understand be yea yea, and nay nay? But as God is true, our all that they prophesied, nevertheless God speaks word toward you was not yea and nay. For the to us through their words. It is God’s mind, not Son of God, Jesus Christ… was not yea and nay, the prophets understanding, that we want. but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of and searched diligently, who prophesied of the God by us.” (2 Corinthians 1:17-20) grace that should come unto you: Searching what, When we look at the human messengers of God or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which and the human words of God on paper, we see was in them did signify, when it testified surface inconsistencies in human language. We beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory see “yea and nay.” However, when we see the that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, spiritual messages of God delivered through those that not unto themselves, but unto us they did channels, we see only “yea” and “Amen.” minister the things, which are now reported unto out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give you by them that have preached the gospel unto the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure which things the angels desire to look into.” (1 in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the Peter 1:10-12) power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Even though we were not with the apostle Corinthians 4:5-7) Peter upon the mount of transfiguration when The Bible is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Jesus shone bright with His divinity, “we have which God gave unto him, to show unto his also a more sure word of prophecy; unto which servants things which must shortly come to pass; you do well that you take heed, as unto a light and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of things that he saw.” (Revelation 1:1-2) any private interpretation. For the prophecy came Prophets and apostles, even angels, are mere not in old time by the will of man: but holy men channels of communication. They are pipes of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy through which spiritual messages flow. We do not Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:18-21) drink the pipe. We drink the water that flows We make a big mistake when we try to contain through the pipe. We do not worship the the Word of God in the mind of man. We cannot messenger. We honor Him who is the Message possibly know what they were thinking and and the Truth and the Life. This is the whole point meaning at the time they wrote. None of us was of God’s Word as He tries to heal us of our there. However, the same Spirit that inspired them spiritual darkness and selfishness and fear. to write in the same consistent pattern over many Fallible humans could not have put together centuries will help us interpret the words by the such a complete, complex, consistent structure same consistent pattern. Our goal is not to over so long a time without contradictions in understand the mind of the prophet, but to be one messaging and teachings. This all becomes clear with the mind of God. when we break through the facade of shallow “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus selfish Christians to see the Christ taught by the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' prophets and apostles. sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine minister the things, which are now reported unto out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give you by them that have preached the gospel unto the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure which things the angels desire to look into.” (1 in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the Peter 1:10-12) power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Even though we were not with the apostle Corinthians 4:5-7) Peter upon the mount of transfiguration when The Bible is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Jesus shone bright with His divinity, “we have which God gave unto him, to show unto his also a more sure word of prophecy; unto which servants things which must shortly come to pass; you do well that you take heed, as unto a light and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of things that he saw.” (Revelation 1:1-2) any private interpretation. For the prophecy came Prophets and apostles, even angels, are mere not in old time by the will of man: but holy men channels of communication. They are pipes of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy through which spiritual messages flow. We do not Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:18-21) drink the pipe. We drink the water that flows We make a big mistake when we try to contain through the pipe. We do not worship the the Word of God in the mind of man. We cannot messenger. We honor Him who is the Message possibly know what they were thinking and and the Truth and the Life. This is the whole point meaning at the time they wrote. None of us was of God’s Word as He tries to heal us of our there. However, the same Spirit that inspired them spiritual darkness and selfishness and fear. to write in the same consistent pattern over many Fallible humans could not have put together centuries will help us interpret the words by the such a complete, complex, consistent structure same consistent pattern. Our goal is not to over so long a time without contradictions in understand the mind of the prophet, but to be one messaging and teachings. This all becomes clear with the mind of God. when we break through the facade of shallow “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus selfish Christians to see the Christ taught by the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' prophets and apostles. sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine Summary This has been only a short introduction to the idea that the Bible is inspired by patterns and verified by real life experiences. Miracles provide ? initial evidence and authority, but then the messages builds upon itself with consistency. The following chapters and books will show Soul sacrifice example after example of these interconnected patterns. Everything from prophecy to salvation Once upon a time there was an adulterer—a to difficult words and passages to history to serial adulterer. Her unfaithfulness to her husband Christ’s life and more are all best understood by was not a one time affair of weakness, but patterns. repeated and continual over many years. Many � In your words: times the husband pleaded with her to change her In trying to determine if the Bible is inspired by ways. Instead, she offered him sacrifices of gold an infinite good person how would you rate the and money and beautiful buildings and self- relative importance of miracles, prophecy, inflicted suffering and words, lots of words. consistency, and character? Does a miracle prove If you think this was bad, the adulterous wife that the message is correct? thought she was safe and secure in the ultimate sacrifice of their son’s body. She interpreted the fruit of their marital love as an offering that covered her sins. She justified her right to live in the house by the blood of their son. She called it, “Grace, forgiveness, atonement, salvation.” This parable describes most of Christian church history and most of Christianity today. A shallow view of what happened on the cross leads directly to a shallow experience and a superficial theology to justify it. Sadly, it is rare to find a Christian that understands Christ’s sacrifice on the cross—the Summary This has been only a short introduction to the idea that the Bible is inspired by patterns and verified by real life experiences. Miracles provide ? initial evidence and authority, but then the messages builds upon itself with consistency. The following chapters and books will show Soul sacrifice example after example of these interconnected patterns. Everything from prophecy to salvation Once upon a time there was an adulterer—a to difficult words and passages to history to serial adulterer. Her unfaithfulness to her husband Christ’s life and more are all best understood by was not a one time affair of weakness, but patterns. repeated and continual over many years. Many � In your words: times the husband pleaded with her to change her In trying to determine if the Bible is inspired by ways. Instead, she offered him sacrifices of gold an infinite good person how would you rate the and money and beautiful buildings and self- relative importance of miracles, prophecy, inflicted suffering and words, lots of words. consistency, and character? Does a miracle prove If you think this was bad, the adulterous wife that the message is correct? thought she was safe and secure in the ultimate sacrifice of their son’s body. She interpreted the fruit of their marital love as an offering that covered her sins. She justified her right to live in the house by the blood of their son. She called it, “Grace, forgiveness, atonement, salvation.” This parable describes most of Christian church history and most of Christianity today. A shallow view of what happened on the cross leads directly to a shallow experience and a superficial theology to justify it. Sadly, it is rare to find a Christian that understands Christ’s sacrifice on the cross—the central teaching of their religion! Historically, forgiveness, encouragement, humility, generosity, Christians have reviled Jews, but make a similar compassion, love, and calm. The physical blood fundamental mistake. draining from a physical body on a physical cross “With what shall I come before the LORD, and is only the parable, the carrier, the visible channel bow myself before the high God? shall I come of communication for the outpouring of infinite before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a spiritual love. Inside the body on the cross was a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with soul that sacrificed himself in the hope that we thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers would exchange our souls with him. of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my The Bible records stories that form a pattern transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of that lead us to the ultimate soul sacrifice. my soul?” (Micah 6:6-7) Adam and Eve Can an adulterous relationship be fixed with In the beginning, “the LORD God formed man trinkets or diamonds or petty bribes? of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his The Christian thinks himself better because he nostrils the breath of life; and man became a does not offer God the blood of lambs, but instead living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) At the very start, God offers Him the blood of Christ. They think that a gives pieces of His soul to form human souls. physical offering solves a spiritual problem! The word, soul, is used in the Bible to describe a In their view, physical disobedience led to a physically and spiritually integrated human being, physical relocation outside of Paradise. Therefore, often with the emphasis on the spiritual. Man’s a physical sacrifice will result in physical life was not the ordinary biological life of animals. relocation back to Heaven. Their belief and trust It also had the component of a divinely breathed boils down to this simplistic, immature model. soul—a higher, inner nature. Of course, the real problem is a soul problem. This soul was capable of making choices based We have disconnected our trust in God and placed on faith, hope, and love. Because of background our faith, hope, and love in ourselves. This events we will explore later, a simple public spiritual problem can only be solved by a spiritual loyalty test was devised. They were prohibited solution. Selfishness can only be transformed by from eating from the tree of knowledge of good unselfishness. Guilt, fear, pride, greed, lust, hate, and evil. rage, and all other darkness in the soul can be However, they doubted the infinite good person washed away only by another Soul filled with central teaching of their religion! Historically, forgiveness, encouragement, humility, generosity, Christians have reviled Jews, but make a similar compassion, love, and calm. The physical blood fundamental mistake. draining from a physical body on a physical cross “With what shall I come before the LORD, and is only the parable, the carrier, the visible channel bow myself before the high God? shall I come of communication for the outpouring of infinite before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a spiritual love. Inside the body on the cross was a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with soul that sacrificed himself in the hope that we thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers would exchange our souls with him. of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my The Bible records stories that form a pattern transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of that lead us to the ultimate soul sacrifice. my soul?” (Micah 6:6-7) Adam and Eve Can an adulterous relationship be fixed with In the beginning, “the LORD God formed man trinkets or diamonds or petty bribes? of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his The Christian thinks himself better because he nostrils the breath of life; and man became a does not offer God the blood of lambs, but instead living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) At the very start, God offers Him the blood of Christ. They think that a gives pieces of His soul to form human souls. physical offering solves a spiritual problem! The word, soul, is used in the Bible to describe a In their view, physical disobedience led to a physically and spiritually integrated human being, physical relocation outside of Paradise. Therefore, often with the emphasis on the spiritual. Man’s a physical sacrifice will result in physical life was not the ordinary biological life of animals. relocation back to Heaven. Their belief and trust It also had the component of a divinely breathed boils down to this simplistic, immature model. soul—a higher, inner nature. Of course, the real problem is a soul problem. This soul was capable of making choices based We have disconnected our trust in God and placed on faith, hope, and love. Because of background our faith, hope, and love in ourselves. This events we will explore later, a simple public spiritual problem can only be solved by a spiritual loyalty test was devised. They were prohibited solution. Selfishness can only be transformed by from eating from the tree of knowledge of good unselfishness. Guilt, fear, pride, greed, lust, hate, and evil. rage, and all other darkness in the soul can be However, they doubted the infinite good person washed away only by another Soul filled with and acted on it. They immediately felt the natural Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the consequences. They lost their physical robes of knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD light and felt spiritual shame, guilt, and blame. called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Their evil was a blend of spiritual choice and Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, physical action, and so were the results. Lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do you Before being expelled from Eden, the pair were anything unto him: for now I know that you fear given a promise: “I will put enmity between you God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your [the puppet serpent used by Satan] and the only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his woman, and between your seed and her seed; it eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham heel.” (Genesis 3:15) went and took the ram, and offered him up for a To help the now darkened, fearful souls burnt offering in the stead of his son." (Genesis remember and not give up hope, a simple system 22:9-13) of sacrifice was given. It reminded them of the Hearing is remembering and seeing is believing, ultimate effect of sin, but also pointed forward to but experiencing is knowing. By experience the Promised Seed—the Savior to come. Spiritual Abraham came to know the pain of God in truth was embedded in the physical sacrifice. sacrificing His only Son. God would not let the For thousands of years this ceremony taught its patriarch offer Isaac to Him, but God would offer lesson. Then another significant layer of truth was Jesus to us. God does not require us to appease added. Him. Rather, He appeases our unjust anger. Abraham and Isaac Moses The story of Abraham and his young son, Isaac, Several hundred years later, Moses stood on the is unique in the Bible. It is the only time God top of Mt. Sinai receiving the ten commandments asked someone to violate His ten commandments written with God's own finger. Meanwhile, the to kill an innocent victim. descendants of Abraham were at the base wildly "And they came to the place which God had worshiping a golden calf as their new leader to told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and guide them back to the Egyptian slavery from laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, which they had just been delivered. and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And "And it came to pass the next day, that Moses and acted on it. They immediately felt the natural Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the consequences. They lost their physical robes of knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD light and felt spiritual shame, guilt, and blame. called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Their evil was a blend of spiritual choice and Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, physical action, and so were the results. Lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do you Before being expelled from Eden, the pair were anything unto him: for now I know that you fear given a promise: “I will put enmity between you God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your [the puppet serpent used by Satan] and the only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his woman, and between your seed and her seed; it eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham heel.” (Genesis 3:15) went and took the ram, and offered him up for a To help the now darkened, fearful souls burnt offering in the stead of his son." (Genesis remember and not give up hope, a simple system 22:9-13) of sacrifice was given. It reminded them of the Hearing is remembering and seeing is believing, ultimate effect of sin, but also pointed forward to but experiencing is knowing. By experience the Promised Seed—the Savior to come. Spiritual Abraham came to know the pain of God in truth was embedded in the physical sacrifice. sacrificing His only Son. God would not let the For thousands of years this ceremony taught its patriarch offer Isaac to Him, but God would offer lesson. Then another significant layer of truth was Jesus to us. God does not require us to appease added. Him. Rather, He appeases our unjust anger. Abraham and Isaac Moses The story of Abraham and his young son, Isaac, Several hundred years later, Moses stood on the is unique in the Bible. It is the only time God top of Mt. Sinai receiving the ten commandments asked someone to violate His ten commandments written with God's own finger. Meanwhile, the to kill an innocent victim. descendants of Abraham were at the base wildly "And they came to the place which God had worshiping a golden calf as their new leader to told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and guide them back to the Egyptian slavery from laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, which they had just been delivered. and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And "And it came to pass the next day, that Moses said unto the people, You have sinned a great sin: good will be admitted. The only way out of this and now I will go up unto the LORD; perhaps I spiritual quarantine is spiritual transformation. shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses And how does all this relate to the cross? Just returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people as the Transformer is greater than those have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods transformed, so the sacrifice on the cross must be of gold. Yet now, if you will forgive their sin—; greater than Abraham’s or Moses’ sacrifices. and if not, blot me, I pray you out of your book Hanged on a tree which you have written. And the LORD said unto Moving forward in history, the Israelites are Moses, Whoever has sinned against me, him will I established in the promised land and given this blot out of my book." (Exodus 32:30-33) command: "If a man have committed a sin worthy In contrast to Abraham being ordered to take a of death, and he be put to death, and you hang life, Moses volunteered to give his. But notice him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night what life he was offering. He said, "Blot me…out upon the tree, but you shall in any case bury him of your book." Moses was not merely offering his that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of physical, temporary life, but he was volunteering God;) that your land be not defiled, which the to give his spiritual, eternal life for his people. The LORD your God gives you for an inheritance." book—in modern terms, the database—was the list (Deuteronomy 21:22-23) of all who should be granted eternal life. The standard method of Hebrew execution was Though he was not permitted to follow through stoning, but if the crime was so terrible and/or the with this soul offering, was this not a sacrifice on criminal so unrepentant that the morale of the Moses' part? He stood to lose everything for a nation was threatened, then the dead body was to wicked people who deserved nothing. Simply out be hanged from a tree. This showed that not only of selfless love, the leader offered to sacrifice his the sentence of government had been carried out, eternal life on their behalf so they could gain but the criminal was also under the curse of God entrance to the Promised Land. for eternity. But what was God's response? Just as with With this in mind, the crucifixion of Jesus on Abraham, He would not let Moses sacrifice his two cross beams made from a tree takes on life. Everyone will enter or not enter on the basis greater significance: "Christ has redeemed us from of their own decisions. Whoever loves evil, will be the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for denied entrance. Whoever is transformed to love said unto the people, You have sinned a great sin: good will be admitted. The only way out of this and now I will go up unto the LORD; perhaps I spiritual quarantine is spiritual transformation. shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses And how does all this relate to the cross? Just returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people as the Transformer is greater than those have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods transformed, so the sacrifice on the cross must be of gold. Yet now, if you will forgive their sin—; greater than Abraham’s or Moses’ sacrifices. and if not, blot me, I pray you out of your book Hanged on a tree which you have written. And the LORD said unto Moving forward in history, the Israelites are Moses, Whoever has sinned against me, him will I established in the promised land and given this blot out of my book." (Exodus 32:30-33) command: "If a man have committed a sin worthy In contrast to Abraham being ordered to take a of death, and he be put to death, and you hang life, Moses volunteered to give his. But notice him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night what life he was offering. He said, "Blot me…out upon the tree, but you shall in any case bury him of your book." Moses was not merely offering his that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of physical, temporary life, but he was volunteering God;) that your land be not defiled, which the to give his spiritual, eternal life for his people. The LORD your God gives you for an inheritance." book—in modern terms, the database—was the list (Deuteronomy 21:22-23) of all who should be granted eternal life. The standard method of Hebrew execution was Though he was not permitted to follow through stoning, but if the crime was so terrible and/or the with this soul offering, was this not a sacrifice on criminal so unrepentant that the morale of the Moses' part? He stood to lose everything for a nation was threatened, then the dead body was to wicked people who deserved nothing. Simply out be hanged from a tree. This showed that not only of selfless love, the leader offered to sacrifice his the sentence of government had been carried out, eternal life on their behalf so they could gain but the criminal was also under the curse of God entrance to the Promised Land. for eternity. But what was God's response? Just as with With this in mind, the crucifixion of Jesus on Abraham, He would not let Moses sacrifice his two cross beams made from a tree takes on life. Everyone will enter or not enter on the basis greater significance: "Christ has redeemed us from of their own decisions. Whoever loves evil, will be the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for denied entrance. Whoever is transformed to love it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a but with the spiritual patience of a loving father tree." (Galatians 3:13) and the gentleness of a good mother. The sinner, by the natural consequences which "Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our he himself set in motion, is doomed to death not sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten only of the body, but also of the soul. Christ of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our permitted Himself to be hung on a tree to show transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: that He was taking on our soul death. We die the the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and death of the body so we have a visible example of with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep the results of sin, but Jesus took on our eternal have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his death so that we have hope of a resurrection. own way; and the LORD has laid on him the In summary, Abraham and Isaac teach us that iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6) The proud world God will die in our place. Moses teaches us that looks on the cross as a humiliating curse, and it Christ volunteered to give up His eternal life for was. Our curse is placed upon the Lamb of God. us. And the tree tells us that Jesus suffered the "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he soul death on our behalf. opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers Isaiah 53 is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. He was taken The poetic sadness of the 53rd chapter of Isaiah from prison and from judgment: and who shall now becomes rich in meaning. declare his generation? for he was cut off out of "Who has believed our report? and to whom is the land of the living: for the transgression of my the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow people was he stricken. And he made his grave up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; because he had done no violence, neither was any and when we shall see him, there is no beauty deceit in his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7-9) We thought that we should desire him. He is despised and Jesus was dying a pointless death, but He suffered rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted the death that was ours. with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an (Isaiah 53:1-3) A Savior from selfishness does not offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall come with the drama and violence of a superhero, prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a but with the spiritual patience of a loving father tree." (Galatians 3:13) and the gentleness of a good mother. The sinner, by the natural consequences which "Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our he himself set in motion, is doomed to death not sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten only of the body, but also of the soul. Christ of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our permitted Himself to be hung on a tree to show transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: that He was taking on our soul death. We die the the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and death of the body so we have a visible example of with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep the results of sin, but Jesus took on our eternal have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his death so that we have hope of a resurrection. own way; and the LORD has laid on him the In summary, Abraham and Isaac teach us that iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6) The proud world God will die in our place. Moses teaches us that looks on the cross as a humiliating curse, and it Christ volunteered to give up His eternal life for was. Our curse is placed upon the Lamb of God. us. And the tree tells us that Jesus suffered the "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he soul death on our behalf. opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers Isaiah 53 is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. He was taken The poetic sadness of the 53rd chapter of Isaiah from prison and from judgment: and who shall now becomes rich in meaning. declare his generation? for he was cut off out of "Who has believed our report? and to whom is the land of the living: for the transgression of my the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow people was he stricken. And he made his grave up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; because he had done no violence, neither was any and when we shall see him, there is no beauty deceit in his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7-9) We thought that we should desire him. He is despised and Jesus was dying a pointless death, but He suffered rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted the death that was ours. with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an (Isaiah 53:1-3) A Savior from selfishness does not offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall come with the drama and violence of a superhero, prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his potsherd; and my tongue clings to my jaws; and knowledge shall my righteous servant justify you have brought me into the dust of death. For many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore dogs have surrounded me: the assembly of the will I divide him a portion with the great, and he wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look has poured out his soul unto death: and he was and stare upon me. They part my garments among numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” (Psalms sin of many, and made intercession for the 22:14-18) transgressors." (Isaiah 53:10-12) The Son of God Psalm 69 did not only die a physical death for three days, "I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: but He offered up His infinite soul so that our I am come into deep waters, where the floods souls could be filled with His eternal life. overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat Psalm 22 is dried: my eyes fail while I wait for my God. The psalmist added more to the picture of body They that hate me without a cause are more than and soul sacrifice. the hairs of my head: they that would destroy me, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I (Psalms 22:1-3) Those very words Christ uttered restored that which I took not away." (Psalms 69:2- on the cross. Why? Because God's loving 4) In His mind, the Savior knew that He was goodness is holy. It refuses to compromise or personally innocent. No one could convict Him of partake of evil. So when the penalty for our a single sin or a moment of selfishness. (see John transgressions was placed on Jesus, then the 8:46) Yet, the sins of a guilty world were being Father had to separate Himself from His own Son. poured upon His tender, sympathetic soul. He was That is the greatest and final curse that anyone sinking under the flood of the world's evil. can ever suffer. "Because for your sake I have borne reproach; The psalm goes on to foretell some of the shame has covered my face. I am become a physical circumstances of the crucifixion. “I am stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my poured out like water, and all my bones are out of mother's children. For the zeal of your house has joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his potsherd; and my tongue clings to my jaws; and knowledge shall my righteous servant justify you have brought me into the dust of death. For many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore dogs have surrounded me: the assembly of the will I divide him a portion with the great, and he wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look has poured out his soul unto death: and he was and stare upon me. They part my garments among numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” (Psalms sin of many, and made intercession for the 22:14-18) transgressors." (Isaiah 53:10-12) The Son of God Psalm 69 did not only die a physical death for three days, "I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: but He offered up His infinite soul so that our I am come into deep waters, where the floods souls could be filled with His eternal life. overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat Psalm 22 is dried: my eyes fail while I wait for my God. The psalmist added more to the picture of body They that hate me without a cause are more than and soul sacrifice. the hairs of my head: they that would destroy me, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I (Psalms 22:1-3) Those very words Christ uttered restored that which I took not away." (Psalms 69:2- on the cross. Why? Because God's loving 4) In His mind, the Savior knew that He was goodness is holy. It refuses to compromise or personally innocent. No one could convict Him of partake of evil. So when the penalty for our a single sin or a moment of selfishness. (see John transgressions was placed on Jesus, then the 8:46) Yet, the sins of a guilty world were being Father had to separate Himself from His own Son. poured upon His tender, sympathetic soul. He was That is the greatest and final curse that anyone sinking under the flood of the world's evil. can ever suffer. "Because for your sake I have borne reproach; The psalm goes on to foretell some of the shame has covered my face. I am become a physical circumstances of the crucifixion. “I am stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my poured out like water, and all my bones are out of mother's children. For the zeal of your house has joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached you are fallen upon me. When I wept, ingratitude and disrespect, pile up accusations and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to against Him as if the sins were His! We commit my reproach. I made sackcloth also my garment; the spiritual crimes of selfishness and evil, then and I became a proverb to them. They that sit in judge Him guilty as if He were the criminal! But the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the Son of God bore the reproach and let His face the drunkards. But as for me, my prayer is unto be covered in shame so that we could see the you O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the deceitfulness of sin and to what twisted lengths it multitude of your mercy hear me, in the truth of will go to defend itself. We long for innocence, yet your salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and let we despise the innocent and make him suffer. me not sink: let me be delivered from them that Psalm 88 hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the “O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep and night before you. Let my prayer come before swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth you, incline your ear unto my cry; For my soul is upon me. Hear me, O LORD; for your full of troubles: and my life draws near unto the lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to grave. I am counted with them that go down into the multitude of your tender mercies. And hide the pit: I am as a man that has no strength: Free not your face from your servant; for I am in among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, trouble: hear me speedily. Draw near unto my whom you remember no more: and they are cut soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of my off from your hand. You have laid me in the enemies. You have known my reproach, and my lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Your wrath shame, and my dishonor my adversaries are all lies hard upon me, and you have afflicted me with before you. Reproach has broken my heart; and I all your waves. You have put away my am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take acquaintance far from me; you have made me an pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I found none." (Psalms 69:7-20) cannot come forth.” (Psalms 88:1-8) Here we see the depths of love contrasted with Imagine coming to the end of your life and then the depths of selfishness. The very sinners for you are transported to the pearly gates of heaven. whom Christ was dying, heaped up scorn and You see the glory within. You hear the music and accusation against Him. Because He suffered sense the peace and happiness. You think your under the load of our sins, we, by our lives of reproached you are fallen upon me. When I wept, ingratitude and disrespect, pile up accusations and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to against Him as if the sins were His! We commit my reproach. I made sackcloth also my garment; the spiritual crimes of selfishness and evil, then and I became a proverb to them. They that sit in judge Him guilty as if He were the criminal! But the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the Son of God bore the reproach and let His face the drunkards. But as for me, my prayer is unto be covered in shame so that we could see the you O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the deceitfulness of sin and to what twisted lengths it multitude of your mercy hear me, in the truth of will go to defend itself. We long for innocence, yet your salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and let we despise the innocent and make him suffer. me not sink: let me be delivered from them that Psalm 88 hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the “O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep and night before you. Let my prayer come before swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth you, incline your ear unto my cry; For my soul is upon me. Hear me, O LORD; for your full of troubles: and my life draws near unto the lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to grave. I am counted with them that go down into the multitude of your tender mercies. And hide the pit: I am as a man that has no strength: Free not your face from your servant; for I am in among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, trouble: hear me speedily. Draw near unto my whom you remember no more: and they are cut soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of my off from your hand. You have laid me in the enemies. You have known my reproach, and my lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Your wrath shame, and my dishonor my adversaries are all lies hard upon me, and you have afflicted me with before you. Reproach has broken my heart; and I all your waves. You have put away my am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take acquaintance far from me; you have made me an pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I found none." (Psalms 69:7-20) cannot come forth.” (Psalms 88:1-8) Here we see the depths of love contrasted with Imagine coming to the end of your life and then the depths of selfishness. The very sinners for you are transported to the pearly gates of heaven. whom Christ was dying, heaped up scorn and You see the glory within. You hear the music and accusation against Him. Because He suffered sense the peace and happiness. You think your under the load of our sins, we, by our lives of troubles are about to end. Then you are told the before you. LORD, why cast you off my soul? why terrible, undeniable truth. You are selfish and hide you your face from me? I am afflicted and hopelessly evil. You are then cast down into a ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer your dark, bottomless pit. You sink. You rush ever terrors I am distracted. Your fierce wrath goes downward with no hope of rescue. You cry out for over me; your terrors have cut me off. They came help, but your voice is swallowed up in the dense round about me daily like water; they surrounded darkness and nobody can hear you. You are about me about together. Lover and friend have you put to meet your eternal doom without any way of far from me, and my acquaintance into darkness." escape. You are an abomination to life itself. You (Psalms 88:9-18) are shut up and cannot come forth. In the great day of final judgment, those who This is the penalty that Christ took on your have not made Christ's soul their soul will die behalf. During those dark hours on the cross, the alone. In terror and abandonment, cut off from the ultimate consequences of your life of self-centered goodness of God, those who instead choose to evil and disobedience was poured into His very cling to evil will discover the full results of their soul. And He willingly swallowed it all. Every own handiwork. God is too good to torture the drop. Every pang of remorse. Every sigh of regret. sinner. He will not pile on the blame and the His soul took the place of your soul. In fact, His shame they so richly deserve. Rather, the selfish soul became your soul. He who knew no sin are left to reap the harvest of their own planting. became sin for us. Christ descended into the They are left to the darkness they have been darkness that you might one day live in the light. gathering to themselves their whole lives. They The psalm continues: “My eye mourns by die in the dark, deep graves they have dug with reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily their own hands, and they will recognize every upon you. I have stretched out my hands unto cubic inch. you. Will you show wonders to the dead? shall In this life, we often flatter ourselves that we the dead arise and praise you? Shall your can get away with our selfish schemes, that lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or your somehow we can escape the consequences. To a faithfulness in destruction? Shall your wonders be degree this is true, but only because God took our known in the dark? and your righteousness in the consequences upon Himself to buy us time. He land of forgetfulness? But unto you have I cried, O then lets us experience only a small portion that LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer come we are able to bear and from which to learn. troubles are about to end. Then you are told the before you. LORD, why cast you off my soul? why terrible, undeniable truth. You are selfish and hide you your face from me? I am afflicted and hopelessly evil. You are then cast down into a ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer your dark, bottomless pit. You sink. You rush ever terrors I am distracted. Your fierce wrath goes downward with no hope of rescue. You cry out for over me; your terrors have cut me off. They came help, but your voice is swallowed up in the dense round about me daily like water; they surrounded darkness and nobody can hear you. You are about me about together. Lover and friend have you put to meet your eternal doom without any way of far from me, and my acquaintance into darkness." escape. You are an abomination to life itself. You (Psalms 88:9-18) are shut up and cannot come forth. In the great day of final judgment, those who This is the penalty that Christ took on your have not made Christ's soul their soul will die behalf. During those dark hours on the cross, the alone. In terror and abandonment, cut off from the ultimate consequences of your life of self-centered goodness of God, those who instead choose to evil and disobedience was poured into His very cling to evil will discover the full results of their soul. And He willingly swallowed it all. Every own handiwork. God is too good to torture the drop. Every pang of remorse. Every sigh of regret. sinner. He will not pile on the blame and the His soul took the place of your soul. In fact, His shame they so richly deserve. Rather, the selfish soul became your soul. He who knew no sin are left to reap the harvest of their own planting. became sin for us. Christ descended into the They are left to the darkness they have been darkness that you might one day live in the light. gathering to themselves their whole lives. They The psalm continues: “My eye mourns by die in the dark, deep graves they have dug with reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily their own hands, and they will recognize every upon you. I have stretched out my hands unto cubic inch. you. Will you show wonders to the dead? shall In this life, we often flatter ourselves that we the dead arise and praise you? Shall your can get away with our selfish schemes, that lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or your somehow we can escape the consequences. To a faithfulness in destruction? Shall your wonders be degree this is true, but only because God took our known in the dark? and your righteousness in the consequences upon Himself to buy us time. He land of forgetfulness? But unto you have I cried, O then lets us experience only a small portion that LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer come we are able to bear and from which to learn. Jesus us. Jesus became human, which is an integration The promised Seed amplified all these lessons. of both the physical and spiritual. The physical He said, “Fear not them which kill the body, but was the channel through which infinite sacrifice are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him was poured because Christ was “the Lamb slain which is able to destroy both soul and body in from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation hell.” (Matthew 10:28) If the result of sin is 13:8) God always sacrifices all for us. He holds twofold, then so is the sacrifice for sin. nothing back. “I am the living bread which came down from The three dark hours on the cross heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, over all the land unto the ninth hour.” (Matthew which I will give for the life of the world. The 27:45) Before that time, Jesus spoke with those Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, around him. After those hours, he spoke only to How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then God. “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a Jesus said unto them, Truly truly I say unto you, loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and is to say, My God, my God, why have you drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever forsaken me?” (v.46) eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal The Son of God is in Isaac’s place, wondering life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my why his Father is about to kill him. Jesus is flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. making the soul sacrifice that Moses was not He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells allowed to make. He is hanging on a tree suffering in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent the curse of eternal separation from his Father, me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, who was also suffering. even he shall live by me.” (John 6:51-57) “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Obviously, Jesus was speaking in metaphor. He himself, not imputing their trespasses unto continued, “It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh them…. For he has made him to be sin for us, who profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, knew no sin; that we might be made the they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:18-21) It is neither the body death nor the physical During those three hours, Christ “by the grace eating of flesh that profits us. Yet, the physical of God should taste death for every man.” sacrifice is needed to make it real and visible to Jesus us. Jesus became human, which is an integration The promised Seed amplified all these lessons. of both the physical and spiritual. The physical He said, “Fear not them which kill the body, but was the channel through which infinite sacrifice are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him was poured because Christ was “the Lamb slain which is able to destroy both soul and body in from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation hell.” (Matthew 10:28) If the result of sin is 13:8) God always sacrifices all for us. He holds twofold, then so is the sacrifice for sin. nothing back. “I am the living bread which came down from The three dark hours on the cross heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, over all the land unto the ninth hour.” (Matthew which I will give for the life of the world. The 27:45) Before that time, Jesus spoke with those Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, around him. After those hours, he spoke only to How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then God. “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a Jesus said unto them, Truly truly I say unto you, loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and is to say, My God, my God, why have you drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever forsaken me?” (v.46) eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal The Son of God is in Isaac’s place, wondering life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my why his Father is about to kill him. Jesus is flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. making the soul sacrifice that Moses was not He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells allowed to make. He is hanging on a tree suffering in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent the curse of eternal separation from his Father, me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, who was also suffering. even he shall live by me.” (John 6:51-57) “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Obviously, Jesus was speaking in metaphor. He himself, not imputing their trespasses unto continued, “It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh them…. For he has made him to be sin for us, who profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, knew no sin; that we might be made the they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:18-21) It is neither the body death nor the physical During those three hours, Christ “by the grace eating of flesh that profits us. Yet, the physical of God should taste death for every man.” sacrifice is needed to make it real and visible to (Hebrews 2:9) Jesus. Then He chooses to take the consequence Some interpret this as “scapegoating.” That is for each of those choices. He does not just where an innocent person is blamed for the casually wave His hand and disinterestedly says, crimes of others. However, the Bible does not Yeah I will pay the price. No, he relives our lives permit scapegoating. intimately and personally, because He is infinite “The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not God, and loves us in detail and in spite of those bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the details. Not in a mighty gulp of the cup, but drop father bear the iniquity of the son: the by drop, the Savior consciously pays the price for righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, our sins and makes a way of escape for each one. and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon He lives our life and heals our life, not missing him.” (Ezekiel 18:20) one wound, one scratch, one pain. On the cross, Jesus died for us as us. This Now how could Jesus live our life of decades in enables us to live in Him. only three hours? Well, this is where we bow in By way of illustration, imagine your life as a gratitude and ignorance. Imagine your timeline, timeline that began at birth and (hopefully) instead of stretching left to right as usual, is now stretches on into eternity. The first segment of 50, stood on end. And next to yours is someone else's 70, or maybe 100 years is your life on earth. This timeline and next to theirs is somebody else's. part of your timeline is dirty from your selfish Timelines have a long length, but no width. In sins and with the pain inflicted by the evil of three hours billions upon billions of timelines can others. By the death of Christ this part of the be stood next to each other like a tightly packed timeline is guaranteed to you to make up your picket fence. mind about God and evil and eternity. (Romans Then, starting with Adam and Eve and moving 5:18) But your choice alone cannot atone for your in chronological order, Jesus experiences life after evil. Self cannot put self to death. Eternity cannot life after life. He suffers death after death after be chosen or entered by selfish reasons. death. In the multi-dimensional physics of God, Therefore, Jesus takes your timeline upon Jesus suffers a lifetime of death, then, in our time, Himself. The soul He gave you He takes back it is only an instant later and He experiences the upon Himself with all its guilt and selfishness. next lifetime. Nobody is missed. Not one sin is Every selfish moment you have ever lived, every overlooked nor left unpaid. Jesus pays the fullness evil decision you have ever made, is placed upon of eternal death for every precious soul that has (Hebrews 2:9) Jesus. Then He chooses to take the consequence Some interpret this as “scapegoating.” That is for each of those choices. He does not just where an innocent person is blamed for the casually wave His hand and disinterestedly says, crimes of others. However, the Bible does not Yeah I will pay the price. No, he relives our lives permit scapegoating. intimately and personally, because He is infinite “The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not God, and loves us in detail and in spite of those bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the details. Not in a mighty gulp of the cup, but drop father bear the iniquity of the son: the by drop, the Savior consciously pays the price for righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, our sins and makes a way of escape for each one. and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon He lives our life and heals our life, not missing him.” (Ezekiel 18:20) one wound, one scratch, one pain. On the cross, Jesus died for us as us. This Now how could Jesus live our life of decades in enables us to live in Him. only three hours? Well, this is where we bow in By way of illustration, imagine your life as a gratitude and ignorance. Imagine your timeline, timeline that began at birth and (hopefully) instead of stretching left to right as usual, is now stretches on into eternity. The first segment of 50, stood on end. And next to yours is someone else's 70, or maybe 100 years is your life on earth. This timeline and next to theirs is somebody else's. part of your timeline is dirty from your selfish Timelines have a long length, but no width. In sins and with the pain inflicted by the evil of three hours billions upon billions of timelines can others. By the death of Christ this part of the be stood next to each other like a tightly packed timeline is guaranteed to you to make up your picket fence. mind about God and evil and eternity. (Romans Then, starting with Adam and Eve and moving 5:18) But your choice alone cannot atone for your in chronological order, Jesus experiences life after evil. Self cannot put self to death. Eternity cannot life after life. He suffers death after death after be chosen or entered by selfish reasons. death. In the multi-dimensional physics of God, Therefore, Jesus takes your timeline upon Jesus suffers a lifetime of death, then, in our time, Himself. The soul He gave you He takes back it is only an instant later and He experiences the upon Himself with all its guilt and selfishness. next lifetime. Nobody is missed. Not one sin is Every selfish moment you have ever lived, every overlooked nor left unpaid. Jesus pays the fullness evil decision you have ever made, is placed upon of eternal death for every precious soul that has ever walked the earth, and yet only three hours of faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of earth time have passed. Spiritual wormholes?! God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For Time warps of the soul?! I really don't know we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus exactly how He did it, but somehow God paid the unto good works, which God has before ordained full price—suffered the full consequence—for that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) every sin of every sinner. Whether it took three “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; hours, three years, or three centuries, it is a yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which miracle of love and self-sacrificing suffering. I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son Now, because Jesus put Himself in my place, I of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” can just begin to understand why “about the ninth (Galatians 2:20) hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, The soul sacrifice on the cross is not lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my scapegoating, nor is it the commonly believed God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew half-substitution. It is a full substitution resulting 27:46) in full transformation. Jesus takes my evil soul It was not a show. It was an experience—my and fills my body with his good soul. It is a experience because of my selfishness. Because the complete trade in which I gain and he loses. I only way to deliver me from my selfish motives is “sacrifice” my selfish, guilty soul to Him who to pay the price for my evil deeds and sacrificed His eternally living soul for me. demonstrate total selfless love focused on me, � In your words: Jesus died for me. He sacrificed His eternity with What if Jesus died for only 99% of the people? the Father that I might have eternity restored to What if He sacrificed only 99% of Himself? What me. And now, because I see and accept the is the difference between a complete sacrifice and unselfish truth about God, I give up my rights, my an almost complete sacrifice? Would you rather demands, my pride in exchange for a life that is keep your selfish way of doing things, or would truly living and loving. Because He lived for me, I you rather have Jesus unselfishly live in and choose to live for Him. through you? But how can I do that? My soul is “dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) When I make a choice for goodness, I make it by the power of Christ’s soul. “For by grace are you saved through ever walked the earth, and yet only three hours of faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of earth time have passed. Spiritual wormholes?! God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For Time warps of the soul?! I really don't know we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus exactly how He did it, but somehow God paid the unto good works, which God has before ordained full price—suffered the full consequence—for that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) every sin of every sinner. Whether it took three “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; hours, three years, or three centuries, it is a yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which miracle of love and self-sacrificing suffering. I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son Now, because Jesus put Himself in my place, I of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” can just begin to understand why “about the ninth (Galatians 2:20) hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, The soul sacrifice on the cross is not lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my scapegoating, nor is it the commonly believed God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew half-substitution. It is a full substitution resulting 27:46) in full transformation. Jesus takes my evil soul It was not a show. It was an experience—my and fills my body with his good soul. It is a experience because of my selfishness. Because the complete trade in which I gain and he loses. I only way to deliver me from my selfish motives is “sacrifice” my selfish, guilty soul to Him who to pay the price for my evil deeds and sacrificed His eternally living soul for me. demonstrate total selfless love focused on me, � In your words: Jesus died for me. He sacrificed His eternity with What if Jesus died for only 99% of the people? the Father that I might have eternity restored to What if He sacrificed only 99% of Himself? What me. And now, because I see and accept the is the difference between a complete sacrifice and unselfish truth about God, I give up my rights, my an almost complete sacrifice? Would you rather demands, my pride in exchange for a life that is keep your selfish way of doing things, or would truly living and loving. Because He lived for me, I you rather have Jesus unselfishly live in and choose to live for Him. through you? But how can I do that? My soul is “dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) When I make a choice for goodness, I make it by the power of Christ’s soul. “For by grace are you saved through my orders and I am great. Therefore, each sin is great and deserves great punishment. You might be wondering, What is the point of ? this ridiculous little parable? It encapsulates the reasoning for eternal torment used by all the preachers I have heard defending that doctrine. Soul death Whether they believe in eternal fire or eternal darkness, they arrive there by Stalin’s reasoning: Daddy kissed little Johnny goodbye and went to Because God is infinite and sinners sin against work. On the way out the door, he told the 5 year God, therefore punishment must be infinite. old, “Make sure to clean up your room before I get This monstrous reasoning makes God appear to back tonight.” The toddler promised he would. be a monster. Thankfully, it is false. The Love that Arriving at work, the case of one of Dad’s sacrificed His own soul for sinners, will lovingly generals was brought to him. The general was put sinning souls to sleep, forever. “The wages of leaking government secrets to the enemy. Dad, sin is death.” “The soul that sins will die.” whose name was Josef Stalin, sentenced the man According to Scripture, a soul will cease to exist to life in prison with hard labor. after it suffers the proportional consequences of When Daddy arrived home, Johnny’s room was its own hurtful choices. still messy. He had refused to clean it. What was No self-existence Daddy’s response? He sentenced Johnny to life in Before a soul is created, it did not exist. God prison with hard labor. then brings that baby into existence by His own How does a leader arrive at such sentencing? choice. No person has a choice whether or not Very simple, everyone is treated the same. If you they will be brought to life. It would truly be a disobey, then you get life in prison with hard demented and grotesque God who creates people labor. It is easy to memorize and apply, and the against their will then tortures them forever for punishments are equal. going against His will! But, you say, the sentence might be fair for the However, God is a God of freedom. Every traitorous general, but it is way out of proportion person always has the right to return to non- for the kid. Yes, agrees Stalin, but both disobeyed existence. If the life God supplies is not to the my orders and I am great. Therefore, each sin is great and deserves great punishment. You might be wondering, What is the point of ? this ridiculous little parable? It encapsulates the reasoning for eternal torment used by all the preachers I have heard defending that doctrine. Soul death Whether they believe in eternal fire or eternal darkness, they arrive there by Stalin’s reasoning: Daddy kissed little Johnny goodbye and went to Because God is infinite and sinners sin against work. On the way out the door, he told the 5 year God, therefore punishment must be infinite. old, “Make sure to clean up your room before I get This monstrous reasoning makes God appear to back tonight.” The toddler promised he would. be a monster. Thankfully, it is false. The Love that Arriving at work, the case of one of Dad’s sacrificed His own soul for sinners, will lovingly generals was brought to him. The general was put sinning souls to sleep, forever. “The wages of leaking government secrets to the enemy. Dad, sin is death.” “The soul that sins will die.” whose name was Josef Stalin, sentenced the man According to Scripture, a soul will cease to exist to life in prison with hard labor. after it suffers the proportional consequences of When Daddy arrived home, Johnny’s room was its own hurtful choices. still messy. He had refused to clean it. What was No self-existence Daddy’s response? He sentenced Johnny to life in Before a soul is created, it did not exist. God prison with hard labor. then brings that baby into existence by His own How does a leader arrive at such sentencing? choice. No person has a choice whether or not Very simple, everyone is treated the same. If you they will be brought to life. It would truly be a disobey, then you get life in prison with hard demented and grotesque God who creates people labor. It is easy to memorize and apply, and the against their will then tortures them forever for punishments are equal. going against His will! But, you say, the sentence might be fair for the However, God is a God of freedom. Every traitorous general, but it is way out of proportion person always has the right to return to non- for the kid. Yes, agrees Stalin, but both disobeyed existence. If the life God supplies is not to the person’s liking, then they can return that life to pain and death on others around himself? Him and they can return to non-being. It takes time for a person to come to a firm Why can’t a person live his/her own life? conclusion that they do not want the infinite good Because they don’t have their own life. Creatures life offered by an infinite good person. During are not Creators. None of us have self-existence. that time they can be very unhappy and misery None of us have self-immortality. There is God’s loves company and misery seeks expression. life or there is no life at all. There simply are not Shouldn’t there be justice? Shouldn’t there be any other options or sources of life. Considering some kind of restitution before the objector exits that God supplies only the best (anything less existence? Shouldn’t the perfect God who would be wrong), what is there to complain promises a perfect life always getting better do about? But, freedom is freedom. If someone is not something about it? Otherwise, we are all going to happy, then they are free to go. The two options lose faith and life will become hopeless. are nothing, or the best (always getting better). As we introduced in book one, we need The error of eternal torment is usually based on ultimate justice to bring perfect closure. Only in the unbiblical belief that the soul is naturally that way can our faith emerge stronger and our immortal. (Another study for another time.) If that love grow more intense. So now let’s see how were true, unending torture would make a tiny bit God’s justice is both complete and proportional. more sense, but “only God has immortality.” (1 The soul dies, but it also faces the consequences. Timothy 6:16) Like spokes meeting at the hub, we will now Also, “God is love.” “He will not always chide: bring two Bible patterns together to make the neither will He keep His anger for ever.” (Psalm central point. We will first trace the pattern of 103:9) If a small, finite sinner is to suffer torture at fire, then we will follow the pattern of the hands of an angry God forever, then over time proportional justice. When they meet together in we would all come to conclude that something is the last chapters of Revelation, then we will see a wrong with God. We would all grow tired and picture of fairness and resolution. fearful of His maniacal, insatiable revenge. To Fire keep someone alive just so you can torture them It is undeniable that the Bible records instances is beyond cruel. of God using literal fire, brimstone, lightning, and So what is a God of love to do about the sinner thunder to destroy evil and get people’s attention. who not only wants out of God’s life, but inflicts person’s liking, then they can return that life to pain and death on others around himself? Him and they can return to non-being. It takes time for a person to come to a firm Why can’t a person live his/her own life? conclusion that they do not want the infinite good Because they don’t have their own life. Creatures life offered by an infinite good person. During are not Creators. None of us have self-existence. that time they can be very unhappy and misery None of us have self-immortality. There is God’s loves company and misery seeks expression. life or there is no life at all. There simply are not Shouldn’t there be justice? Shouldn’t there be any other options or sources of life. Considering some kind of restitution before the objector exits that God supplies only the best (anything less existence? Shouldn’t the perfect God who would be wrong), what is there to complain promises a perfect life always getting better do about? But, freedom is freedom. If someone is not something about it? Otherwise, we are all going to happy, then they are free to go. The two options lose faith and life will become hopeless. are nothing, or the best (always getting better). As we introduced in book one, we need The error of eternal torment is usually based on ultimate justice to bring perfect closure. Only in the unbiblical belief that the soul is naturally that way can our faith emerge stronger and our immortal. (Another study for another time.) If that love grow more intense. So now let’s see how were true, unending torture would make a tiny bit God’s justice is both complete and proportional. more sense, but “only God has immortality.” (1 The soul dies, but it also faces the consequences. Timothy 6:16) Like spokes meeting at the hub, we will now Also, “God is love.” “He will not always chide: bring two Bible patterns together to make the neither will He keep His anger for ever.” (Psalm central point. We will first trace the pattern of 103:9) If a small, finite sinner is to suffer torture at fire, then we will follow the pattern of the hands of an angry God forever, then over time proportional justice. When they meet together in we would all come to conclude that something is the last chapters of Revelation, then we will see a wrong with God. We would all grow tired and picture of fairness and resolution. fearful of His maniacal, insatiable revenge. To Fire keep someone alive just so you can torture them It is undeniable that the Bible records instances is beyond cruel. of God using literal fire, brimstone, lightning, and So what is a God of love to do about the sinner thunder to destroy evil and get people’s attention. who not only wants out of God’s life, but inflicts However, those were only earthly, temporary Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six illustrations to warn transgressors about the wings; with two he covered his face, and with two ultimate judgment to come. That judgment will he covered his feet, and with two he did fly. And not cleanse the universe with forest fires or flame one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, throwers. Something much more powerful is is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his needed. Our first hint is given in Genesis 3:24. glory. And the posts of the door moved at the God “placed at the east of the garden of Eden voice of him that cried, and the house was filled Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” This undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I flaming sword is clearly not the standard issue dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for medieval metal blade with a ivory handle. my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Millennia later, “the angel of the LORD Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a appeared unto [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my bush burned with fire, and the bush was not mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched your lips; consumed.” (Exodus 3:2) Again, this is clearly no and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin ordinary, earthly fire. purged.” (Isaiah 6:1-7) Soon after, God led the people of Israel through The temple was not filled with black, choking the desert by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by smoke or the angels would not be singing. Fire night. Did the Israelites feed this fire by chopping makes smoke, but the word “glory” is used here down entire forests? I think not! instead. Heaven’s fire and smoke and coals are Centuries later, “behold, there appeared a much different than earth’s. What charcoal chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them briquette can erase sin and grant pure speech?!! both apart; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind Chapters 1, 8, and 10 in Ezekiel describe “a fire into heaven.” (2 Kings 2:11) Obviously, this is enfolding itself,” and a Being with fire emanating heavenly fire taking the prophet to heaven. from His belly both upward and downward. These Isaiah was another prophet who experienced are clearly illustrations of self-existence. The same divine fire. “In the year that king Uzziah died I scene reveals angels and “living creatures ran and saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.” and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Daniel’s picture of the throne room shows However, those were only earthly, temporary Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six illustrations to warn transgressors about the wings; with two he covered his face, and with two ultimate judgment to come. That judgment will he covered his feet, and with two he did fly. And not cleanse the universe with forest fires or flame one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, throwers. Something much more powerful is is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his needed. Our first hint is given in Genesis 3:24. glory. And the posts of the door moved at the God “placed at the east of the garden of Eden voice of him that cried, and the house was filled Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” This undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I flaming sword is clearly not the standard issue dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for medieval metal blade with a ivory handle. my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Millennia later, “the angel of the LORD Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a appeared unto [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my bush burned with fire, and the bush was not mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched your lips; consumed.” (Exodus 3:2) Again, this is clearly no and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin ordinary, earthly fire. purged.” (Isaiah 6:1-7) Soon after, God led the people of Israel through The temple was not filled with black, choking the desert by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by smoke or the angels would not be singing. Fire night. Did the Israelites feed this fire by chopping makes smoke, but the word “glory” is used here down entire forests? I think not! instead. Heaven’s fire and smoke and coals are Centuries later, “behold, there appeared a much different than earth’s. What charcoal chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them briquette can erase sin and grant pure speech?!! both apart; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind Chapters 1, 8, and 10 in Ezekiel describe “a fire into heaven.” (2 Kings 2:11) Obviously, this is enfolding itself,” and a Being with fire emanating heavenly fire taking the prophet to heaven. from His belly both upward and downward. These Isaiah was another prophet who experienced are clearly illustrations of self-existence. The same divine fire. “In the year that king Uzziah died I scene reveals angels and “living creatures ran and saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.” and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Daniel’s picture of the throne room shows God’s “throne was like the fiery flame, and his these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither came forth from before Him.” (Daniel 7:9-11) Was were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had God burning His attending angels or was He passed on them." (Daniel 3:22-27) enlightening them with His glory? Heaven is In the New Testament, Mount Sinai is replaced truly beyond our comprehension! by the Mount of Transfiguration. “Jesus takes Daniel also tells the story of regular fire Peter, James, and John his brother, and brings without regular effects. We need to take note of them up into a high mountain apart, And was this for later. "Because the king's commandment transfigured before them: and his face did shine as was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the the sun, and his clothing was white as the light. flames of the fire slew those men that took up And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these Elijah talking with him. Then answered Peter, and three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: down bound into the midst of the burning fiery if you will let us make here three tabernacles; one furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was for you and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. astonished and rose up in haste, and spoke and While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the men bound into the midst of the fire? They cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He whom I am well pleased; hear you him." (Matthew answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, 17:1-5) The visual is the same, but “fire” and walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no “smoke” are replaced by “white light” and “bright hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of clouds.” This is a hint of things soon to come. God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the At Pentecost “there appeared unto them cloven mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spoke and tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you them." (Acts 2:3) Candles and torches on the servants of the most high God, come forth, and apostles’ heads? I think not! come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Skipping many more examples, let’s jump to Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And Revelation where Jesus appears. “And in the midst the princes, governors, and captains, and the of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of king's counselors, being gathered together, saw man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, God’s “throne was like the fiery flame, and his these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither came forth from before Him.” (Daniel 7:9-11) Was were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had God burning His attending angels or was He passed on them." (Daniel 3:22-27) enlightening them with His glory? Heaven is In the New Testament, Mount Sinai is replaced truly beyond our comprehension! by the Mount of Transfiguration. “Jesus takes Daniel also tells the story of regular fire Peter, James, and John his brother, and brings without regular effects. We need to take note of them up into a high mountain apart, And was this for later. "Because the king's commandment transfigured before them: and his face did shine as was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the the sun, and his clothing was white as the light. flames of the fire slew those men that took up And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these Elijah talking with him. Then answered Peter, and three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: down bound into the midst of the burning fiery if you will let us make here three tabernacles; one furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was for you and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. astonished and rose up in haste, and spoke and While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the men bound into the midst of the fire? They cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He whom I am well pleased; hear you him." (Matthew answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, 17:1-5) The visual is the same, but “fire” and walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no “smoke” are replaced by “white light” and “bright hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of clouds.” This is a hint of things soon to come. God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the At Pentecost “there appeared unto them cloven mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spoke and tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you them." (Acts 2:3) Candles and torches on the servants of the most high God, come forth, and apostles’ heads? I think not! come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Skipping many more examples, let’s jump to Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And Revelation where Jesus appears. “And in the midst the princes, governors, and captains, and the of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of king's counselors, being gathered together, saw man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and wrapped about the chest with a golden girdle. beast, he shall restore it: and he that kills a man, His head and his hairs were white like wool, as he shall be put to death.” (Leviticus 24:19-21) white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of It is the right of a person to forgive and turn the fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they other cheek, but for national law and order these burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of rules cannot be improved because they are based many waters.” (Revelation 1:13-15) For the third on fairness and proportionality. When crime is time in this pattern, we see the glorified Christ, overlooked or rewarded, all of society suffers. This this time with a mix of language but painting the is also true when Stalin’s iron fist comes down same picture. God’s fire is not man’s fire! hard and cruel on every minor infraction. When Finally, we arrive at Revelation 20 and mountains are treated as molehills and molehills introduce our punchline. “Fire came down from become mountains, then the people cry out, God out of heaven, and devoured them.” The protest, and demand justice. rejectors of God’s grace are consumed by fire. This is why God applies justice in proper Both earthly fire and heavenly fire are capable of proportion. “That servant, which knew his lord's doing this, but read the text again and notice the will, and prepared not himself, neither did source. God’s fire from heaven kills the wicked. according to his will, shall be beaten with many Why not just use regular fire? The answer is stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit found in our second pattern because ultimate things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few justice is needed to bring complete closure. stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men Proportional justice have committed much, of him they will ask the When God established the nation of Israel, He more.” (Luke 12:47-48) gave them laws such as, “If a man shall steal an He commands us to do the same. “If you forbear ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.” those that are ready to be slain; If you say, Behold, (Exodus 22:1) “And if a man cause a blemish in his we knew it not; does not he that ponders the neighbor as he has done, so shall it be done to heart consider it? and he that keeps your soul, him; Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for does not he know it? and shall not he render to tooth: as he has caused a blemish in a man, so every man according to his works?” (Proverbs shall it be done to him again. And he that kills a 24:11-12) and wrapped about the chest with a golden girdle. beast, he shall restore it: and he that kills a man, His head and his hairs were white like wool, as he shall be put to death.” (Leviticus 24:19-21) white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of It is the right of a person to forgive and turn the fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they other cheek, but for national law and order these burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of rules cannot be improved because they are based many waters.” (Revelation 1:13-15) For the third on fairness and proportionality. When crime is time in this pattern, we see the glorified Christ, overlooked or rewarded, all of society suffers. This this time with a mix of language but painting the is also true when Stalin’s iron fist comes down same picture. God’s fire is not man’s fire! hard and cruel on every minor infraction. When Finally, we arrive at Revelation 20 and mountains are treated as molehills and molehills introduce our punchline. “Fire came down from become mountains, then the people cry out, God out of heaven, and devoured them.” The protest, and demand justice. rejectors of God’s grace are consumed by fire. This is why God applies justice in proper Both earthly fire and heavenly fire are capable of proportion. “That servant, which knew his lord's doing this, but read the text again and notice the will, and prepared not himself, neither did source. God’s fire from heaven kills the wicked. according to his will, shall be beaten with many Why not just use regular fire? The answer is stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit found in our second pattern because ultimate things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few justice is needed to bring complete closure. stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men Proportional justice have committed much, of him they will ask the When God established the nation of Israel, He more.” (Luke 12:47-48) gave them laws such as, “If a man shall steal an He commands us to do the same. “If you forbear ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.” those that are ready to be slain; If you say, Behold, (Exodus 22:1) “And if a man cause a blemish in his we knew it not; does not he that ponders the neighbor as he has done, so shall it be done to heart consider it? and he that keeps your soul, him; Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for does not he know it? and shall not he render to tooth: as he has caused a blemish in a man, so every man according to his works?” (Proverbs shall it be done to him again. And he that kills a 24:11-12) This theme of corresponding rewards or destroyed until nothing is left to rebuild. punishments is often repeated. “I will repay them “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, according to their deeds, and according to the and surrounded the camp of the saints about, and works of their own hands.” (Jeremiah 25:14) the beloved city: and fire came down from God “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil his Father with his angels; and then he shall that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire reward every man according to his works.” and brimstone, where the beast and the false (Matthew 16:27) prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night Even the angels are subject to this principle. for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, “Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; and the heaven fled away; and there was found no whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 place for them. And I saw the dead, small and Corinthians 11:15) great, stand before God; and the books were “Reward her even as she rewarded you, and opened: and another book was opened, which is double unto her double according to her works: in the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the cup which she has filled fill to her double.” those things which were written in the books, (Revelation 18:6) Doubling is often used, but it is according to their works. And the sea gave up the still proportional. It seems to imply the dead which were in it; and death and hell transgressor will suffer the natural consequences delivered up the dead which were in them: and as well as paying for those that he hurt. they were judged every man according to their “Give them according to their deeds, and works.” (Revelation 20:9-13) according to the wickedness of their endeavors The executive summary is given in the first give them after the work of their hands; render to verse where we are told the wicked are destroyed them their desert. Because they regard not the by God’s fire. Then it is expanded in the rest of works of the LORD, nor the operation of his the chapter to give us the details that all suffer hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them according to their works. Then everyone dies. up.” (Psalms 28:4-5) This text brings us back to our Then, even death itself is destroyed, nevermore to focal point in Revelation 20. The wicked are threaten a purified, immunized universe. punished according to their deeds, then they are “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14) This theme of corresponding rewards or destroyed until nothing is left to rebuild. punishments is often repeated. “I will repay them “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, according to their deeds, and according to the and surrounded the camp of the saints about, and works of their own hands.” (Jeremiah 25:14) the beloved city: and fire came down from God “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil his Father with his angels; and then he shall that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire reward every man according to his works.” and brimstone, where the beast and the false (Matthew 16:27) prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night Even the angels are subject to this principle. for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, “Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; and the heaven fled away; and there was found no whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 place for them. And I saw the dead, small and Corinthians 11:15) great, stand before God; and the books were “Reward her even as she rewarded you, and opened: and another book was opened, which is double unto her double according to her works: in the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the cup which she has filled fill to her double.” those things which were written in the books, (Revelation 18:6) Doubling is often used, but it is according to their works. And the sea gave up the still proportional. It seems to imply the dead which were in it; and death and hell transgressor will suffer the natural consequences delivered up the dead which were in them: and as well as paying for those that he hurt. they were judged every man according to their “Give them according to their deeds, and works.” (Revelation 20:9-13) according to the wickedness of their endeavors The executive summary is given in the first give them after the work of their hands; render to verse where we are told the wicked are destroyed them their desert. Because they regard not the by God’s fire. Then it is expanded in the rest of works of the LORD, nor the operation of his the chapter to give us the details that all suffer hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them according to their works. Then everyone dies. up.” (Psalms 28:4-5) This text brings us back to our Then, even death itself is destroyed, nevermore to focal point in Revelation 20. The wicked are threaten a purified, immunized universe. punished according to their deeds, then they are “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14) Notice that this is the second death. Jesus spoke How do we know this? Not only are there of two resurrections and two deaths. (Matthew many examples of people collapsing in the 10:28; John 5:29) This second death kills both body presence of God’s holiness, but the finally and soul and death itself. Every trace of evil is impenitent resist the glory of God in the lake of eliminated. Every shadow of suffering is replaced fire. Remember, they will be destroyed, but not by by the light of life. the fire and brimstone around them. Like the “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for three Hebrews in Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace, they the first heaven and the first earth were passed were preserved from earthly flames. Meanwhile, away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw God’s glory descends like refining fire and the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from communes personally with each individual. He God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned who is “longsuffering towards us, not willing that for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of any should perish, but that all should come to heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is repentance,” (2 Peter 3:9) repeats His offer of life. with men, and he will dwell with them, and they For every sin, He shows Himself forgiving. But shall be his people, and God himself shall be with each gracious offer is refused. Those with more them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away sins, refuse more. Thus, their pain and guilt is all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more. The greater the darkness, the greater is the more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither needed light. And every time light meets shall there be any more pain: for the former darkness, darkness feels pain. things are passed away. And he that sat upon the Selfishness cannot survive nor be comfortable throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he in the presence of self-sacrifice. If God really said unto me, Write: for these words are true and wanted to torture the wicked, He would sit them faithful.” (Revelation 21:1-5) on stools close to His throne for all eternity. The glory of heaven is painful and undesirable The rebellious welcome death as a dark refuge to the stubborn evildoer. The unselfish life they from the Light of Love. Their bodies burn and turn resist in this world becomes the visible and to ash. (Malachi 4:1) The earth is made new. The omnipresent standard of eternity. They would universe is populated only by those filled with perpetually be filled with shame and guilt as well faith, hope, and love for each other and their God. as hatred, anger, and jealousy. “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has Notice that this is the second death. Jesus spoke How do we know this? Not only are there of two resurrections and two deaths. (Matthew many examples of people collapsing in the 10:28; John 5:29) This second death kills both body presence of God’s holiness, but the finally and soul and death itself. Every trace of evil is impenitent resist the glory of God in the lake of eliminated. Every shadow of suffering is replaced fire. Remember, they will be destroyed, but not by by the light of life. the fire and brimstone around them. Like the “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for three Hebrews in Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace, they the first heaven and the first earth were passed were preserved from earthly flames. Meanwhile, away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw God’s glory descends like refining fire and the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from communes personally with each individual. He God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned who is “longsuffering towards us, not willing that for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of any should perish, but that all should come to heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is repentance,” (2 Peter 3:9) repeats His offer of life. with men, and he will dwell with them, and they For every sin, He shows Himself forgiving. But shall be his people, and God himself shall be with each gracious offer is refused. Those with more them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away sins, refuse more. Thus, their pain and guilt is all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more. The greater the darkness, the greater is the more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither needed light. And every time light meets shall there be any more pain: for the former darkness, darkness feels pain. things are passed away. And he that sat upon the Selfishness cannot survive nor be comfortable throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he in the presence of self-sacrifice. If God really said unto me, Write: for these words are true and wanted to torture the wicked, He would sit them faithful.” (Revelation 21:1-5) on stools close to His throne for all eternity. The glory of heaven is painful and undesirable The rebellious welcome death as a dark refuge to the stubborn evildoer. The unselfish life they from the Light of Love. Their bodies burn and turn resist in this world becomes the visible and to ash. (Malachi 4:1) The earth is made new. The omnipresent standard of eternity. They would universe is populated only by those filled with perpetually be filled with shame and guilt as well faith, hope, and love for each other and their God. as hatred, anger, and jealousy. “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall freely made. Friends and family have chosen dwell with the devouring fire? who among us death over life, separation over unity. The saints shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that let them go. Then they turn their faces to their walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that Father and Savior and walk together into eternity. despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his � In your words: hands from holding of bribes, that stops his ears What if your favorite pet gradually became from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from rabid and kept biting people, and no treatment in seeing evil.” (Isaiah 33:14-15) the world could cure it? Would you put it to Who will dwell in everlasting burnings? Who sleep? Would you cry while you did it? Would will live with Eternal Fire? The saints. Hellfire is you still love that pet? Would you be exercising the glory of God. Only the Father’s true sons and both mercy and justice? If your best friend daughters will live with Him and in Him, for betrayed and persecuted you and they still refused God’s glory is both fire and life. to repent in the lake of fire, what emotions would No earthly fire is hot enough to burn up evil. you feel? What emotions might God feel? No earthly fire is hot enough to dry up all tears. No earthly fire is hot enough to wipe away suffering, separation, and death. Only the cool touch of Christ’s blazing glory is able to bestow and maintain everlasting immortality and eternal happiness. Only God’s glorious goodness can make plain the failed deception of evil. Before sin arose, no one knew any of this, but looking out from the walls of the city on the vast lake of fire the saints see the ultimate rejection of love by rebels who can see and feel the goodness of everlasting life within their reach. Yet, they choose to resist it in spite of a lifetime of effort to save them. This final, visible experience convinces the children of God that every decision has been surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall freely made. Friends and family have chosen dwell with the devouring fire? who among us death over life, separation over unity. The saints shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that let them go. Then they turn their faces to their walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that Father and Savior and walk together into eternity. despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his � In your words: hands from holding of bribes, that stops his ears What if your favorite pet gradually became from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from rabid and kept biting people, and no treatment in seeing evil.” (Isaiah 33:14-15) the world could cure it? Would you put it to Who will dwell in everlasting burnings? Who sleep? Would you cry while you did it? Would will live with Eternal Fire? The saints. Hellfire is you still love that pet? Would you be exercising the glory of God. Only the Father’s true sons and both mercy and justice? If your best friend daughters will live with Him and in Him, for betrayed and persecuted you and they still refused God’s glory is both fire and life. to repent in the lake of fire, what emotions would No earthly fire is hot enough to burn up evil. you feel? What emotions might God feel? No earthly fire is hot enough to dry up all tears. No earthly fire is hot enough to wipe away suffering, separation, and death. Only the cool touch of Christ’s blazing glory is able to bestow and maintain everlasting immortality and eternal happiness. Only God’s glorious goodness can make plain the failed deception of evil. Before sin arose, no one knew any of this, but looking out from the walls of the city on the vast lake of fire the saints see the ultimate rejection of love by rebels who can see and feel the goodness of everlasting life within their reach. Yet, they choose to resist it in spite of a lifetime of effort to save them. This final, visible experience convinces the children of God that every decision has been account human nature, worldview, and soul sacrifice, we found ourselves left with one difficult possibility—Christianity. More specifically, we ? literally needed to get back to the basics, back to the teachings of the founders—Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles. Checkpoint Even more specifically, we needed a way to avoid the contradictions and confusions of We have now completed the first two books in sectarianism by applying the same method that an ongoing series. It is important to summarize brought us all the way from zero—patterns. Only what we have accomplished and what still needs complete, consistent patterns in Scripture (or to be done. anything else) can bring us into unity of thought InZero to Infinity we laid a rock solid, real life with the infinite Pattern Maker. foundation as large as the universe. Freely chosen So now we have seen that the Bible explicitly interactions of faith, hope, and love operate our supports patterned, connected thinking. More whole world and saturate our entire experience. importantly, we have begun to see actual An eternity of positive personal interactions is examples of these patterns. Soul sacrifice and soul only possible through the power of an infinite death are two of them that introduce the Bible’s good person who will also entirely eliminate all support of our criteria. evil and heal all hurts. However, we have only begun to examine the But possibility is not proof. Wise faith is based evidence. We have seen the potential, but have on the weight of evidence. True hope is grounded not yet staked our faith that Scripture is God’s in experience, not wishful thinking. So where is authorized channel of communication to us today. this God we need? The next book will make a major step towards This book began a quest to find that answer. that goal. We established four criteria to help us narrow In volume 3,Patterns in Prophecy, we will see the field as quickly and accurately as possible. The why the Bible’s worldview is unparalleled in its infinite good person requirement alone filtered all completeness, consistency, and empirical support the world religions down to six. Then, taking into in history. Its centerpiece is a four-layered prophetic timeline of world and church history account human nature, worldview, and soul sacrifice, we found ourselves left with one difficult possibility—Christianity. More specifically, we ? literally needed to get back to the basics, back to the teachings of the founders—Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles. Checkpoint Even more specifically, we needed a way to avoid the contradictions and confusions of We have now completed the first two books in sectarianism by applying the same method that an ongoing series. It is important to summarize brought us all the way from zero—patterns. Only what we have accomplished and what still needs complete, consistent patterns in Scripture (or to be done. anything else) can bring us into unity of thought InZero to Infinity we laid a rock solid, real life with the infinite Pattern Maker. foundation as large as the universe. Freely chosen So now we have seen that the Bible explicitly interactions of faith, hope, and love operate our supports patterned, connected thinking. More whole world and saturate our entire experience. importantly, we have begun to see actual An eternity of positive personal interactions is examples of these patterns. Soul sacrifice and soul only possible through the power of an infinite death are two of them that introduce the Bible’s good person who will also entirely eliminate all support of our criteria. evil and heal all hurts. However, we have only begun to examine the But possibility is not proof. Wise faith is based evidence. We have seen the potential, but have on the weight of evidence. True hope is grounded not yet staked our faith that Scripture is God’s in experience, not wishful thinking. So where is authorized channel of communication to us today. this God we need? The next book will make a major step towards This book began a quest to find that answer. that goal. We established four criteria to help us narrow In volume 3,Patterns in Prophecy, we will see the field as quickly and accurately as possible. The why the Bible’s worldview is unparalleled in its infinite good person requirement alone filtered all completeness, consistency, and empirical support the world religions down to six. Then, taking into in history. Its centerpiece is a four-layered prophetic timeline of world and church history that is brutally honest, simply patterned, and detailed enough to test. Volume 4,Patterns of Beauty, will unfold the principles of the Beatitudes which delineate the difference between good and evil, and draw the battle line between the opposing sides. Also, we will see how they form a rainbow colored stairway to heaven, to God, and to eternal peace starting right now in your own soul.

Once again, we end with a visual summary. that is brutally honest, simply patterned, and detailed enough to test. Volume 4,Patterns of Beauty, will unfold the principles of the Beatitudes which delineate the difference between good and evil, and draw the battle line between the opposing sides. Also, we will see how they form a rainbow colored stairway to heaven, to God, and to eternal peace starting right now in your own soul.

Once again, we end with a visual summary. start with simple observation

interactions are universal spiritual physical

chosen by caused by faith hope love +- power, force

response to predictable patterns» faith progressive patterns » hope +- profitable patterns» love spiritual physical

made by made by spiritual persons power, force

who have paradise instinct

who need

Infinite Good/Giving Person 6

who would choose to quarantine negative patterns transform negative persons

through infinite soul sacrifice

resulting in ultimate justice, perfect closure

reliably taught only through progressive pattern inspired devices

end up on eternally good path