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There is a lot of doctrine about salvation in contemporary religions. But not much agreement as to how salvation is supposed to work, or if it is a valid spiritual topic in the first place.
The Bible shows us conflicting passages, some passages say the sins of the father will be visited upon the children even to the third and fourth generations. While other passages say the opposite, it is only the person who sinned that will receive punishment and his children will not be punished for the sins of his father.
Punishment of the children for their fathers iniquity.:
(Exodus 20:5) – “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,”
Children are not punished for the iniquity of their fathers.:
(Ezekiel 18:20) – “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.”
During my near death experience I stood in the presence of God, and felt only love, unconditional love. I believe God is just, and fair, and loving. I don’t think He would ever punish anyone, especially for the sins of another. Jesus didn’t think so either when He healed the man that was born blind.
John 9:2
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
John 9:3
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
The idea of original sin goes back to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. But it is not clear why God would put a temptation in front of His newly created souls, with the instruction of “don’t eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.” I believe the author of Genesis 2 meant to explain why the world of his day contained so much evil by blaming it onto the first created humans. Writing that it was Adam and Eve that started all the troubles we saw in the world then, and currently see in the world today. But we know that God gave man free will, and with free will comes the knowledge of good and evil. It is the choices we make in our daily lives that determine our future.
So if there was an original sin by Adam and Eve, God does not hold all His children responsible for the mistakes of a few. Each person is responsible for their own actions and thoughts in this physical world. Without free will man would not be able to choose anything at all. We would be little more than bio-robots, controlled by God. However, by the grace of God, with free will, we can become helpers to God, co-creators with Him after we have proven we understand the benefits of choosing good over evil. So we come into physical life on earth to learn these lessons of choosing good (God) and learning to love as God loves us.
Now where does that leave “Salvation.” Who or what do we need to be saved from? The obvious answer is ourselves, we need to be saved from ourselves, or rather all our bad choices in life. Our bad habits, our haughty attitudes, our cheating, lying, and harming of others. All this is caused by a lack of love for others. Our ultimate salvation lies in Love. Learning about love, understanding the power of love, holding love for ourselves, and all others. Freely giving and using love in our lives every minute of every day. Love is our salvation.
“Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love doesn’t demand its own way. It’s not irritable or touchy. It doesn’t hold grudges and will not notice when others do it wrong. It’s never glad about injustice, but rejoices in truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends”. — Saint Paul.
Love will never leave you, but you can leave Love. Learn to live in Love. Love will bring you peace, calm, and joy. The path to freedom is the path of Love. It is also the path to God which is unconditional Love.
© 2010, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
In God’s love there is room for all people. God doesn’t do credit checks, or background searches, He doesn’t exclude anyone. It doesn’t matter what you believe, or what you have done, or what you have left undone. His love embraces all. His love is unconditional.
All sacred religious writings are authored by people. Many of them attempt to define God saying: “God is like this or that,” God wants you to do this,” “God will punish you if you don’t….” But in their attempt to define God they have only succeeded in defining themselves. God is often portrayed with human attributes and failings. The God I was in the presence of during my NDE had no human attributes or failings. He was unconditional love. This is verified by thousands of other’s near death experiences.
We all live within God’s love and God’s love lives within us at all times. Together we are One with God, and He is One with us. There is never a separation between us and God’s love. Even as we wear the physical body and walk the physical plane, there is no separation, we are always connected to God’s eternal love for us, his children.
However, there are those that feel they are separated because they can’t feel God’s love within. Some think God’s love never existed, and others feel God has turned His back on them. Neither is true. God’s love for His children never waivers. His love is unconditional. What then is true? It’s that God’s love has been crowded into a tiny space of our hearts by our larger desires for fame, fortune, or power. We are so busy with physical survival that we spend little or no time practicing spiritual love. So we can no longer feel the love within because we no longer practice love without. We forgot we are created in the image of God, and therefor eternal. Many even believe they will perish when they die. It is not God that has turned His back on us, it is we that have turned our backs on God.
Knowing that many of His children are troubled God sent His Son to help us find our way back to Him and His love. So we could again feel the light of His love within.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
–John 3:16
Jesus, the son of God, brought His message of love to all that would listen, saying: “He who has ears, let him hear.” “The Kingdom of God is within you” said Jesus. He then taught His message of “love one another” in the towns, and from the hillsides. Everywhere Jesus went a crowd would follow to hear Him and learn from His teachings.
In Matthew 5:38-39, Jesus says:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 7:1: Jesus said:
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matthew 18:21: Jesus said:
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Luke 17:20: Jesus said:
The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Jesus said: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” –John 14:15
Many heard Jesus’ teachings on love, but only a few actually practiced the teachings. Few took the time to show love and compassion to their fellow man. But the few who did rediscovered the light of God’s love within. They became peaceful, calm, and unafraid. They were noticed by others, and became successful in achieving their goals. They helped others achieve abundance in life, becoming leaders and teachers on walking the spiritual path. Their lives were filled with joy and happiness.
Jesus said: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” –Matthew 6:33
© 2010, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
When this question is asked in the Greater Reality, the answer given is: “God has always existed.” God is the Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End of all things.
All things come from God and have their existence in God. We live within God and God lives within us. Jesus said that the Father was within and did the good works. If we believed this, we could do the good works also, and even greater works than Himself.
The nature of God is universal, unconditional Love. Compassion, truth, and caring for all. This is confirmed by the Near Death Experience.
Now, where did evil come from? If in the beginning only God existed, how could evil come from good? It couldn’t and it didn’t.
Man became so focused on the physical world that he forgot his spiritual nature. He mistakenly thought himself weak and vulnerably. He became fearful of his neighbors and divided the lands and built walls. He warred against his neighbors and brought much suffering into the world. Needing an excuse for his actions, man invented devils, demons, and symbols of evil to explain his own transgressions.
Where did Evil come from?
© 2009, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
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