A
depiction of Jesus Christ and Nicodemus.
Today,
reply is on death and the character of symbols we see that are used
to communicate Christian beliefs and sacred
knowledge.
Christian belief is far from being morbid and death-centered. When
speaking to the things of divinity, mankind must regard elements that
are invisible, unseen, and without material form because they consist
of Spirit. The separations for man and beast center primarily in
their consciousness and self-will (willpower) imparted from the
makeup of GOD that is entirely of spirit (e.g., faith, holiness,
righteousness, wisdom, wrath against sin). Human potential allows
for mankind to display self-expression and self-government by
behavior and conduct that are recognized as animal, human, or divine.
Humans portray divinity where they serve as vessels containing
divine spirit. Their use of such finite tools as language, law,
mathematics, and carnal reason, make humans seem to be on a level of
existence that is higher than that for animals. Properly understood,
that mankind communicates among themselves regarding their own life
process relative to the immortality and incorruptibility of divinity
is the primary distinction between animals and mankind. Described as
spiritual awareness, just as mankind has consciousness of mortality
and its completion, there is knowledge of connection with a sovereign
Creator as well as knowledge of duration for life through
resurrection from the dead. Animals do not sorrow for sins and
violations of sacred law, yet, as seen through the account of Noah
and the flood, divinity holds animals accountable with mankind for
transferring sin from the earth to the Sanctuary in heaven. Animals
make no penance and do not repent; and they neither make a choice to
embody Jesus Christ, nor do they acknowledge the atonement for sin
offered mankind by the Son of the Highest. Where Solomon operating
under the influence of the flesh, rather than the imparted,
indwelling Holy Spirit, bewails the brevity, frustration, limited
vision regarding future events, and vanity (i.e., the lack of sacred
substance within mankind), his initial mistaken conclusion is
recorded within the holy writings: Ecclesiastes 3: 18-21, King
James Version (KJV): 18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate
of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might
see that they themselves are beasts. 19 For that which befalleth the
sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the
one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that
a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is
vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn
to dust again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward,
and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? One of
the fighters in the “Yahoo! Answers” forum on Religion and
Spirituality who uses the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information
shown) posted the following:
Why
do Christians use the brutal execution of a guy as the symbol of
their beliefs? Is it not a macabre symbol?
THE
GOLDEN ARROW: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
(1st Corinthians 1: 18, King James Version, KJV)
THE
DOUBLE DAGGER: Bible Language About Spirit? (06/13/2018); The Loaves
and Fishes (08/09/2016); Represented by The Cross? (03/08/2016); The
Meaning not the Object (05/26/2015); Not Images Used in Worship?
(09/14/2014); Death is a Divine Tool (09/15/2014); A Sleep and a
Second Death (09/16/2014)
“Anonymous”,
among many mature Christians, death is understood as a divine tool
used to fashion life; therefore, reflecting on death does not
generate feelings of anxiety, depression, fear, and revulsion. More
important than death are forgiveness, divine love, and mercy in
judgment that make visible the righteousness of GOD. However, these
are sacred things that may only be fully communicated to mankind by
using simple elements. Human potential as a creation of divinity
allows the character, nature, and substance of mankind’s
life process and makeup to be displayed through attitudes, behavior,
emotions, and conduct that may be described as animal, human, or
divine. In a given moment, some will display all three at the same
time, resulting in confusion. The continuous communication of the
Creator and the created has been corrupted and degraded through the
operations of sin that oppose the continued existence of divine law,
the Lawgiver, and divine order throughout the universe. Sin promotes
nonexistence, and a return to the conditions of chaos, confusion, and
flux that were in place before the founding of heaven and earth. Sin
contains and puts forth no spirit substance from the makeup of GOD,
yet, sin may dominate consciousness and self-will (willpower) within
created beings and living creatures. Where divinity makes an
outreach to explain these things to mankind, ones usual way of
thinking and speaking must undergo permanent change. The finite
tools of intellect, logic, philosophy, carnal reason, and science are
best fitted for exchanging academic information, for detailing
secular knowledge, and for manipulating things that are
material, political, and social. Relying on verbal communication or
“word of mouth” is made to be graphic to be made memorable. The
issues addressed by Christian belief and sacred knowledge are
to be received as spirit content from the makeup of divinity (we say,
revelation) whereby GOD becomes knowable, known, accessible, and
approachable. Inseparable aspects of divinity are provided that
include faith, holiness, joy, longsuffering, lovingkindness, oneness
without sameness, personhood, wisdom, and wrath against sin. These
allow Christians to apprehend the realities of origins for mankind,
his sphere of life, and the full extent of life essence (we
also say, breath; spirit; word) imparted from the Creator; the
elements of imagination, mind, and recall for fashioning and
preserving information; and the sacred law, principles for
relationships with GOD, eternal purposes, and the immutable and
unchanging truth from divinity that serve as the reliable standards
for all that have existence and life. Consider the following that
uses language from the Bible, and a presentation from the music
ministry of Steve Amerson:
1.
James 1: 16-22, King James Version (KJV): 16 Do not err, my
beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from
above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he
us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of
his creatures. 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man
worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all
filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness
the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
2.
John 3: 1-7, KJV: 1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night,
and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from
God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be
with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is
old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s
womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
There
is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually
apprehended (for example, 3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ-iXt14nrg).
Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you
according to your faith.
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Washington,
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