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A Summary without Biblical Terminology Text in Light Blue or bold Light Blue can be "clicked" for backup in scripture or detail in writings. Today, man lives in a spiritual state much lower than God, and lower than our original ancestors. Man was created to be united with God firmly in his heart, guiding him, teaching him, and leading him in a state of perpetual joy and happiness. Man enjoyed this for a time, but was tempted by an opposing spirit to become like God, deciding what was good and what was bad, to make his own decisions, without the counsel, wisdom, guidance, and joy of God’s direction. Thus each man became independent of God’s guidance, deciding what was good for himself and what was bad - in effect each man acting as his own God. Obviously, we all know different people reach different conclusions. Man became captive to his lusts, pleasures, habits, anger, pride, and self-gratification with this self-centered behavior - often at the expense of others around him. There is a full history of God’s struggle with this newly selfish man, including giving him a set of rules to live by – called the Law, delivered by Moses. But this did not result in a large scale restoration of man back to unity with God. This restoration was left to God sending a perfect man to earth, born of woman, but conceived by God – the man named Jesus. Before coming to earth as a man, Jesus had previously created the heavens and the earth, having been the first-born of God’s creation and in whom God then dwelled to rule the heavens and earth. Jesus stripped himself of his glory and kingship, coming to earth in order to teach the next step in man’s restoration to God. The man Jesus [meaning, a savior] Christ [meaning, with God’s Spirit] was killed by the religious people of his day, who failed to recognize the character of God and recoiled against God’s condemnation of man’s selfishness, pride, and rituals of religion without a change of heart. Jesus had many teachings about love and the necessity to kill the selfish spirit in each of us, so God’s spirit could replace it, restoring us to unity with God; and then living a life of joy, peace, faith, goodness, kindness, patience, and love – while enjoying the guidance, counsel, wisdom, and happiness of God’s direction. Jesus came so he could teach men and women how to get back into fellowship and happiness with their creator. When man fell, there was a seed of God left in all men and women, called the Light in men. Christ is this Light, which is within our consciences. This Light makes us feel bad when we lie or steal. This Light, within all men, has been the source of wisdom throughout the ages. The everlasting good news, eventually given to every man, is: "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth." Every man and woman has their day of visitation where the Spirit of God reasons with them to alter their ways. If we heed the advice of the Spirit or Light within us, we get more counsel. If we ignore the advice, God ignores us until we decide to seek his counsel and direction. Christ’s message was: that if we humbly want to know how to please God our creator, and if we will get quiet and still to listen and watch, we will hear and see his direct teachings to us. This process of "coming to him" in quietness, listening, and watching is known as meditation. Several other religions share the same basic techniques of meditation. Both Hinduism and Buddhism share meditation’s seeking of the Light within man; and they share the hope of attaining purity of heart and mind. The ancient Jews also practiced this silent listening and stillness, seeking enlightenment. So did the early Christians (prior to 390 AD), and so did the early Quakers (1646-1750) practice meditation and the seeking of the Light to attain purity and death of their selfish spirit. They all sought purity of mind and heart, a holiness and peace. But the early Christians and early Quakers also sought, after purity, the promise of union with God and entering another dimension of consciousness and awareness, the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said he came to earth to declare the good news about the Kingdom of Heaven, which does not come with visible signs, but is within and around a man – a different dimension in this same physical space. In meditation the Voice and Light of the Lord will teach us what to stop or deny. The Voice and Light will show us the selfish defects in our heart; and if we regret the defects shown us, resolving to try to be different, (called changing our ways or repentance), he will change us to be able to be different – showing us our defects and then removing them. As we continue to wait on his teachings on a daily basis, he will change us over time, one defect at a time, to become pure. As he purifies us, he draws closer to us, giving us the satisfaction of his encouragements, teachings, and understandings about the real life – the truth of life. This death of the selfish spirit is called the death of the cross, like Christ physically dying on the cross. But our cross is not a physical cross, rather is a series of actions as follows: (repentance - regret of past action and resolution to change our ways, resulting in his powerful help)
This is the Inward Cross of Self-Denial Luke 9:23 Since our spirit and mind is selfish, by denying self, we (with his powerful help) are slowly killing off our selfish spirit, mind, ways, words, and thoughts. So, if you wish to please your creator, or to have the wisdom of his guidance, or to know your creator, or to be sure of your maximum happiness forever, you will seek to listen and follow your creator’s guidance. God will never take away our free will. Before the Lord removes the evils in our hearts, (which He reveals to us), we must learn to hate and deplore our lusts, addictions, pride, and pleasures. We must hate them so much that we would never consider returning to patterns of selfishness or rebellion against the leadership of God. This is the single purpose of life – to find and be united with God. Trust your creator. God is love. He wants more than anything to change us, so we can be in his company, to be loved by him, and for us to love him. He is perfect, with great mercy and kindness, with arms open, waiting for those who choose to please him. But, if we are selfish, not having learned to hate our anger, pride, lusts, and addictions, we are not fit to be in the presence of God. Union can only occur after we are purified. The so-called Christian churches today are clueless as to repentance, purity, union with God, and entrance into the Kingdom of God. They rely on special worded prayers, getting wet, eating bread wafers/drinking grape juice - all superstitious ritual and ceremony, which you are supposed to accept as true without experiencing God yourself. This deficit is hardly surprising, when you consider that Christ's disciples and apostles (John, Peter, Paul, and Jude) wrote of false teachers and preachers in their time. Instead of teaching you to listen to the Lord yourself, the deficit sects' ministers read the Bible to you and tell you to study the Bible to grow as a Christian. When you hear the Lord speak to you, you will be thrilled; your faith will grow exponentially. He is kind. He never upbraids. His words and visions are immediately understood. His gentle reminders of your condition are easily accepted as though from a kind friend or father. He never keeps records of wrongs. Despite our failures, if we regret them and resolve to do better next time, he is always ready to proceed with our improvement. He will tell you of his love for you. He will encourage you and compliment you for your successes. He is perfect. He is the one, true Teacher, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, (giving us specific instructions as to what to deny and forsake), and how to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. Note: These writings only refer to the early Quakers. There are many books written between 1650 and 1725 by the Early Quakers - in English, with no translation necessary, thereby eliminating many translation errors. Many of these writings are on this site, with George Fox's Journal and Letters most prominent. They all testify to thousands of men and women experiencing the attainment of purity and union with God in his Kingdom. (Unfortunately, by 1880, the Quakers had completely lost any substance of the true religion and today do not even require a belief in God). There is a brief history on George Fox and the Early Quakers available, (click here). The Early Quakers had three testimonies to the validity of their message of purity:
The purpose of this site it to show you the true hope of purity, union with God, and entrance into paradise - the Kingdom of God - while on earth and then forever. There are three keys to the attainment of this hope, all keys to the power of God working in you to change you:
That he would grant unto us, that being delivered out of the hand of our enemies God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb 11:16 You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy; See How to Benefit from the Changing Power of God for more information on how to hear the Voice of the Lord, become enlightened, attain peace, and be restored to fellowship and union with God in the Kingdom of God. |
