*** From Garrett's Blog
The bottom line, what it’s all about....
It's Tuesday night in the city, just got in from an enchanted evening with a dear friend, and had popcorn and a coke at Stonewall Inn. For those of you who know the history of Stonewall, it was a spiritual experience.
I have noticed that the blog hits have gone way up the past few days, and I have gotten quite a few personal emails from some of my old Church friends, which I appeciate, even the ones calling me bad names for being pro-gay now.
I am rushed tonight, and want to write a lot more, but my bed is calling me. So I will be fast and just want to share some food for thought.
BOTTOM LINE....
God is pure unconditional love. Love is God and God is love. Read the book of
I Corinthians 13 for a great definition of God. God does not keep a record of wrong. God is patient, kind, merciful, compassionate, all that is good and grand, that is God.
There has never been a time when you were not the object of God's eternal love. Before you came into this world as a person, the Scripture tells us that your very spirit was one with God. After the death of this mortal body, your spirit will return to it's source, God. It is impossible for you to be separate from the love of God.
The story of Christ reveals to us a God of unconditional love who has forgiven, redeemed, and reconcilled the whole wide world. Everyone is forgiven by God, like it or not.
When Christ died upon the Cross, the story says that He prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do?" In Christian theology, Christ never prayed a prayer that the Father did not answer. Christ prayed forgiveness even upon those who reject love and the knowledge of God revealed in Christ. Both believers and unbelievers were forgiven through the work of the Cross. In Christian theology, there is no sin left between God and man. Christ has taken away the sins of the whole world. Yes, everyone is going to heaven.
I Corinthians 15 tells us that one day, "God will be all in ALL." Every knee will bow before the awesome and amazing love of God.
The good news of the original Christian gospel is that God has already forgiven and accepted you. You are one with Him. Religion is what Christ came to save the world from. When Christ died upon the cross, Scripture tells us that He ABOLISHED the law that made men sinners. Where there is no law, there is no sin, the book of Romans says.
Christ took away the law, thus took away all sin, and today the law of God is LOVE. Love is the fulfillment of the law. Love yourself, love the God within you, and love all with the big love of God. Love is it. There is nothing greater or beyond love. Love is not a mere part of the spiritual life, love is the spiritual life. When you live in love you are living in the depth of God Himself, for God is love.
Heaven and hell are not mere places that people go after death. Heaven and hell are where people are living now. Christ said that the KINGDOM is WITHIN YOU. Not way off yonder in the sky. God's kingdom dwells within your heart. When you live in the awareness of God and His love, you are entering into the Kingdom of God. Live in Love and you are living in the Kingdom of Heaven. Eternity will only be an extension of what you lived in here. Nothing changes about the real you. You stand today forgiven, loved, and accepted by God. Believe that and live in that love and you will see heaven on earth come to your heart and spirit.
Hell is living in the denial and rejection of the love of God. Of course love will never fail. Love will one day cast out all the negative, hate filled judgment of religon from the souls of all, but untill that day comes many still choose to live in hate, fear, guilt, condemnation, and anger. This is hell. If you want to feel hell, simply visit some of the websites dedicated to slandering those who share grace and the love of God. It is like walking through a sewer of religious vomit.
How tormented the souls of those are who live thinking that the God of Jesus is going to torture without mercy the majority of humanity. This is not God, it is the 'devil.' Fear based religion is satan himself personified.
To see the true image of God look into the face of Christ. There you see a God who hung with hookers, had His feet washed by prostitutes, loved on lepers, let thieves preach His gospel, and forgave people before they asked.
There is a great awakening happening in the Christian Church. The god revealed in much of the Old Testament was clearly not the God revealed in Christ. Much of the Old Testament religion was a twisted tribal insane presentation of a fear based god, that was no god at all.
Hybrid Mode
