Only perfect people have access to Heaven.
This central Biblical truth has, alas, discouraged many a soul from even considering the Gospel as a viable lifestyle. Others, who have received this truth as a challenge, have engaged every ounce of their intellect, emotion and will to the task of attaining Perfection, only to either become horrendously discouraged (and subsequently wind up a worse sinner than before they tried to be perfect) or turn themselves into arrogant, hideous, religious monsters.
As one who has actually experienced Divine Perfection as well as spent the last thirty-five years studying the same, I’m delighted to share with you, in a few easy steps, how to receive the Ultimate Transcendental State of Pleasure: Divine Perfection.
Before we proceed, let me share some valuable notes…
…first off, it’s important to note that these steps, in sequence, build on each other; just because you feel comfortable with Step Four, that doesn’t mean you should stop practicing Steps One through Three.
Secondly, it’s critical that you remind yourself that THE CHALLENGE OF THE GOSPEL IS NOT THAT IT’S TOO DIFFICULT, BUT TOO EASY.
I’m quite serious.
The Gospel, explained clearly to a seven-year-old child, will enable that child to know God as intimately as any apostle or prophet. It is our fallen nature and flawed methods of cognition, not the Unconditional Love of God, that tends to “religiousize” and complicate simple spiritual truth.
Here’s the Path to Divine Perfection in Seven Easy Steps…after which we’ll explore each one in brief detail (this blog entry contains Steps One to Three…Step Four will be in my next entry). Some of this material has been addressed in my books and other blog entries; I’ll reference them by links where appropriate. If there’s a particular step or issue you wish to discuss or debate, drop me a comment below and I will respond as soon as I can by comment, a subsequent blog entry, or both.
Step One: Entertain the possibility that Divine Perfection exists.
Step Two: Realize that REAL Perfection is effortless.
Step Three: Accept your own spiritual bankruptcy.
Step Four: Practice the pleasure of receiving the Gift of Jesus Christ’s Perfection continually.
Step Five: Practice the pleasure of giving Christ’s Perfection to others (Compassion, Mercy, Generosity and Forgiveness) AT NO CHARGE.
Step Six: Practice the pleasure of PROPERLY digesting the Bible on a regular schedule.
Step Seven (the most challenging): Practice the pleasure of Divine Dependency–translation: STOP WORRYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Step One: Entertain the possibility that Divine Perfection exists.
If you’re an atheist, there’s not much farther you and I can go here; we would have to engage in another conversation.
If you’re an agnostic, at least be willing to PRETEND that what I’m saying here is true; you may find yourself attracted to the Promises and Pleasures of the Gospel…good for you!
If you are a devotee of another religion (or of any Christian denomination), read on! There are all kinds of erroneous ideas–even in institutionalized Christendom itself–about the Gospel that I attack continuously in my books and these blog entries. It is my hope that, at the least, you will come to understand what the Gospel really is saying to the world and make an informed decision on the possibility of surrendering your spirit, soul and body to the Christ it presents.
As for those that are more familiar with the Scriptures…
…to be God is to be Perfect with a Perfection that exists beyond the spiritual comprehension of created beings, even as the size and wonder of the physical universe exists beyond the grasp of human intellect. The idea that Life can exist without birth or death…that Light can exist apart from darkness…that Love can exist without conditions…that Hate can exist without malice…and that Acceptance can exist independent of (human) obedience fries our religious wiring and throws our carefully-conceived theologies into spiritual chaos.
Nevertheless, the fact remains: the God described by the Bible is the ONLY God that exists; and that God demands that we–created in His Image and Likeness–become vessels of His Transcendent Glory and Nature. And beyond all reasonable doubt God has historically proven His Existence through the miraculous Birth, Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Step Two: Realize that REAL Perfection is effortless.
This is a tough pill to swallow, but is essential to avoid the pitfalls of human religion and esoteric thought. Think about it: DOES GOD EXPEL ANY AMOUNT OF EFFORT AT ALL TO BE PERFECT?
No…
…and neither should you.
“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you REST. Take My Yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find REST for your souls. For My Yoke is EASY, and my burden is LIGHT.” – Jesus Christ, Matthew 11:28-30
This is a worthy litmus test for all spiritual endeavor: if being spiritual doesn’t come easy, you may have a serious issue.
You don’t try to be a sinner…sinning comes as easily to us as breathing. If you have acknowledged Christ as the Owner of your being and you have welcomed Him into your heart and you have made Him RESPONSIBLE for your spiritual progress and pathway to Heaven, being “good” becomes increasingly effortless…
…because it is no longer you being good, but Jesus being God IN AND THROUGH YOU.
Step Three: Accept your own spiritual bankruptcy.
This is an unavoidable and very critical step which many find difficult to grasp, mainly due to the way we were taught the concept of MATURITY. To the world:
Maturity = Freedom.
To people who live without God, the whole point of life is FREEDOM and INDEPENDENCE…for each of us to have the wit, wisdom, understanding and FREEDOM to make our own decisions and take credit for our own success–to be a self-made (a reference to Deity) person.
The funny thing is that not even the Godhead enjoys that kind of “freedom.” To God:
Maturity = Holiness.
REAL Perfection doesn’t boast over the FREEDOM OF BEING ABLE to make a decision, but in THE ACT OF MAKING THE PERFECT DECISION EVERY SINGLE TIME A DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE.
At our best, we glory in the freedom to make a decision–whether good or bad–and then hope afterwards that our decisions are the correct ones; God doesn’t allow Himself the luxury of EVER making a bad decision…
…and that attitude is what He demands of us…and we are simply INCAPABLE of that level of dedication (or level of awareness necessary to reach) to the Light of Righteousness (what the Bible calls HOLINESS).
And the first step in receiving ANYTHING from God is the realization that WE ARE COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT…that we are NOT going to manufacture or obtain such a Treasure as Holiness ANY OTHER WAY than for God to GIVE it to us FREE OF CHARGE.
This is where I lose both the religious people and the New Age people.
I lose the religious people because they actually believe that Perfection is a ladder that they can climb; Perfection is not a ladder, but an Elevator (Jesus Christ) built by God to take its passengers up to Him. Because God IS the Elevator, HE GETS ALL OF THE CREDIT FOR THE RIDE AND WE GET NO CREDIT…EVER (though we do receive all the benefits of being Perfect).
I lose the New Age people and spiritists because they believe that darkness (evil) and light are two sides of the same coin (The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil)…therefore there is no “Holiness” nor absolute standard of Light, Truth and Righteousness…they are already “God.”
We have no currency or legal tender (other than Faith) with which to do business with God; the GOOD NEWS (Gospel) is that WE DON’T NEED ANY!!! God is more than willing to give us His Holy Nature and to make all of our decisions for, in and through us!
Now the more discerning of you (grin) may have realized that I am attacking the idea of Free Will…
…you’re right; but it’s not me attacking Free Will, but God. How do you suppose that, after God eliminates sin from the universe (as the Bible says He will), sin is prevented from EVER occurring again???
Hmmmm…
(The answer lies in understanding how sin came to exist in the first place.)
In Part 2 we’ll address Step Four.
The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
(LISTEN to this blog-post on any of TEN podcast platforms!)
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