Oh Death ~ Where is Your Sting ~ Part III

While I was walking, it occurred to me that we need to redefine sin and death.

Traditionally, according to what man teaches, sin is that which has become our human nature, our separation from God ... and this results in death, spiritually and physically (& perhaps, unless we repent and accept Jesus as our Savior, eternally).

I've come to believe that we are not, and never have been, separated from God, except in our own minds. And I see the whole "accepting Jesus as Savior" teaching as just another striving work, to "earn" God's favor -- I believe that we never lost God's favor, except in our own minds - and I believe that Jesus came to show us that.

What needs to be changed, to be repented of, is the belief in sin in the first place, the belief in a false god in the first place.

Back to walking, and thinking ...

I heard "sin gives birth to death."

And here's that whole verse:

James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust (or passion, or desire).

15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

(It's a worthwhile exercise to read the entire first chapter of James, from the perspective of overcoming duality, and coming to see Oneness...!)

Ok, but what is sin, and what is death? I know the traditional explanation, but what does it really mean..?

What if sin is just the (erroneous) thought that we are separated from God...? In that belief, that state of consciousness, all manner of harmful choices are made, which do indeed result in death -- or the opposite of Abundant Life. If we do not KNOW that we are living the life of God, then we are experiencing death... our experience will the the state of believing in that separation from God.

But we are told to repent and LIVE... for God does not delight in our death, but wants us to live the Abundant life that is OURS, to be had here and now, once we have an awareness of our Oneness with God.

We need to change (repent from) our wrong thinking. We chose this way of thinking -- we can choose again.

We need to see and know the connection between our thoughts, and how they manifest in our lives. We need to connect the dots ...

It's not about blame, fault, or guilt...! It's about awareness and awesome responsibility. Knowing who we are, and the power we have ... a power which we either use unconsciously, or consciously...!

We are not victims of random chance ... we are co-creators of the lives we're living.

Everything, without exception, begins as a THOUGHT.

We need to take every thought captive ... not just a few of 'em, but all! Our thoughts show what we really believe (& not just what we say we believe, or what we want to believe). Our thoughts show what we accept, what we allow, what we think in our hearts ... and as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

"According to your faith shall it be done unto you." Whew! Think on that for a minute! As we think, as we believe, whatever we have faith in, it shall be done unto us (it shall manifest). That's a HEAP of responsibility, folks...! We cannot afford to waste any more time living unconsciously, bringing about all manner of things we fear, and then blaming God for letting it happen (or for causing it to happen)...! The insanity of it!

What *do* we believe, about God, about ourselves, about life, about powers "other" than God, about our bodies ... that keep showing up as manifestations (i.e., accidents, diseases, happenings, circumstances, difficulties, struggles)...?

When something happens that we don't like, what if we stopped and asked, "what is it that I believe that allowed this to manifest in my life...?" Might we learn something from that?

No blame -- no "fault" here, no shame. Just a shift in awareness.

If we are co-creators of our own lives, if our thoughts and beliefs do manifest as our experience ... wouldn't you want to know? Wouldn't you rather be proactive, than passive? Wouldn't you rather be a participant in this adventure of life, rather than a victim of "happenstance"?

What if we can connect the dots, renew our minds, and let truth set us free ...free to experience the Abundant Life...?

I'd like to know. I'd like to see this from "above the dotted line" and bring that vision down to this realm ... to all the MORE enjoy this gift of Life, this physicality ... to all the MORE be part of the Light that floods the darkness, and sets the captives (including myself) free...!

I'd like to know. Show me more God ... the "much more" that You have to show us ... increase my bearability, and lead me into all truth...

Shalom, Dena