A Call to Purity

He Who came to sanctify the world is here.
He has risen long ago and remains among us.

Prepare yourselves to be purified by means of sincere penance.

Jesus purified Himself to give you an example of purification. He also purified the church.

The Kingdom of God has been established by Christ. It is not a kingdom of earthly riches and material wealth, no, we are called to a King which is far greater and much more noble, and you are called by King Himself.

The King is the example of the citizens which will be admitted and found in the Heavenly Kingdom.

Who will enter?

By no means will the multitudes of the armed and violent people the Kingdom. Nor will the violent or the overbearing. Neither will the proud, the wrathful, the envious, the lustful, nor the avaricious.

Heaven will be peopled by the good, the meek, the continent, the merciful, the humble, the patient, and those who love God and their neighbors.
---These are some of the many qualities of those admitted.

Fight for your place in the Kingdom

You are not asked by God to fight against external enemies, as many who ruin themselves think, but against internal ones.

Fight against those which are in all of our hearts.

Remove the stains of sin if you wish to be among the Children of God. We have a song to sing.

Come to Jesus!
Come and be purified by sincere penance!

Repent your sins and be forgiven. Be ready for the Kingdom.

There is within us a barrier of sin. Each has his own. Each has his one against the Ten Commandments of eternal salvation.

Examine your consciences with sincerity and you will find your errors.

Repent with sincere humility

You must repent.

Repent not just with your mouths but with a firm will that you may change your way of living and return to the Way of the Lord.

The Kingdom of Heaven is waiting on us!

Do penance! The morrow of the Kingdom is impending!

May it find you pure so that you may possess the eternal day.

Jesus is He Who saves and cures us. Let us go to Him.

reply to post by backcase


On "who will enter"

Anytime God gets to choose who enters, a man always interrupts and chooses for him. Not by the will of God does this man choose, but by his own.

reply to post by backcase


How can a religion/belief be pure if it has made false deities as equals to God?

Surah Az Zumar

1. The revelation of this Book (the Qur'an) is from Allah, the
All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

2. Verily, We have sent down the Book to you (O Muhammad ) in truth: So worship Allah
(Alone) by doing religious deeds
sincerely for Allah's sake only,
(and not to show-off, and not to
set up rivals with Him in
worship).

3. Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is
for Allah only. And those who
take Auliya' (protectors and
helpers) besides Him (say): "We
worship them only that they may
bring us near to Allah." Verily, Allah will judge between them
concerning that wherein they
differ. Truly, Allah guides not him
who is a liar, and a disbeliever. 4. Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring or children), He
could have chosen whom He
pleased out of those whom He
created. But glory be to Him! (He
is above such things). He is Allah,
the One, the Irresistible.

5. He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. He
makes the night to go in the day
and makes the day to go in the
night. And He has subjected the
sun and the moon. Each running
(on a fixed course) for an appointed term. Verily, He is the
All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving.

6. He created you (all) from a single person (Adam); then
made from him his wife
[Hawwa' (Eve)]. And He has sent
down for you of cattle eight
pairs (of the sheep, two, male
and female; of the goats, two, male and female; of the oxen,
two, male and female; and of the
camels, two, male and female).
He creates you in the wombs of
your mothers, creation after
creation in three veils of darkness, such is Allah your
Lord. His is the kingdom, La ilaha
illa Huwa (none has the right to
be worshipped but He). How
then are you turned away?

7. If you disbelieve, then verily, Allah is not in need of you, He
likes not disbelief for His slaves.
And if you are grateful (by being
believers), He is pleased
therewith for you. No bearer of
burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is
your return, so He will inform
you what you used to do. Verily,
He is the All-Knower of that
which is in (men's) breasts.

8. And when some hurt touches man, he cries to his Lord (Allah
Alone), turning to Him in
repentance, but when He
bestows a favour upon him from
Himself, he forgets that for which
he cried for before, and he sets up rivals to Allah, in order to
mislead others from His Path.
Say: "Take pleasure in your
disbelief for a while: surely, you
are (one) of the dwellers of the
Fire!"

9. Is one who is obedient to Allah, prostrating himself or
standing (in prayer) during the
hours of the night, fearing the
Hereafter and hoping for the
Mercy of his Lord (like one who
disbelieves)? Say: "Are those who know equal to those who
know not?" It is only men of
understanding who will
remember (i.e. get a lesson from
Allah's Signs and Verses).

reply to post by logical7


Thank you for replying, my friend.

It is written by the prophets in the OT that the Lord would come and walk among us, speak to us, and understand us. Not only those things but it was said that He would come to purify and sanctify us.

He came to do that, and I'm sorry that you do not recognize the He Who Speaks as the Word, but a lot of times our own dogmas and beliefs held dear to us blind our eyes. God sees and understands our hearts.

I do not want to get into the whole thing, because that is not what this thread is about.

This thread is about transforming ourselves by becoming less and less in 'the world' in the biblical way of using the word.

I am sure that you have some ideas on the topic, care to share friend?

reply to post by backcase


Good thoughts. A few years ago, I found the true meaning behind the symbol of baptism. It's a concept called involution and evolution. What does the Bible call it? Baptism and rising to new life. There are many people here that are what we would term new age alchemists. Essentially, they are seeking enlightenment and betterment of self by taking for the self. It doesn't matter what practice they use, the end result is to make the self better. Why is this contrary to biblical truth? God's will is to give and receive. Taking makes us a thief. In the end, the true repentance of baptism is to turn from the self and to then suffer for others. This type of servant leadership then transposes the mortal coil of our human nature into the Spiritual path of Christian faith. Giving is the key to regeneration. We merely flip one switch from faith, and the rest falls into place. God can only change us if we are willing to follow His will. His will is simple. Give and never take.

We are literally born into the waters of life to repent. Repentance is turning from self and back to God. The name of Christ is the character. If we take the name and not the character, we have taken it in vain.

reply to post by EnochWasRight


Yes, thank you, that part of your book has really stuck with me.

But as for 'give and never take', I feel that in giving what is good to the self with good will, like studying and meditation, you benefit others, and it can be seen around you.

To have peace in our souls is to give peace wherever we go, and it facilitates the work of God in all situations.

But to make ourselves pure surely is a process of suffering and it could not be without repentance as you said. So I am going to try to include those things in my words.

Thank you EWR, peace to you

Originally posted by backcase
reply to post by EnochWasRight

 

Yes, thank you, that part of your book has really stuck with me.

But as for 'give and never take', I feel that in giving what is good to the self with good will, like studying and meditation, you benefit others, and it can be seen around you.

To have peace in our souls is to give peace wherever we go, and it facilitates the work of God in all situations.

But to make ourselves pure surely is a process of suffering and it could not be without repentance as you said. So I am going to try to include those things in my words.

Thank you EWR, peace to you

Sure. We view our current state and know our deficit. Compared to the eternal perfection we will inherit, this life is a reflecting point allowing us to search for something we inherently know was there before. It's an empty state that needs to be filled. I agree that there are many aspects of our spiritual practice that are necessary. I'm not implying that these are not beneficial, but giving to others and service for the benefit of others is the most effective way toward the goal of improvement. Ultimately, we will not be the ones fixing ourselves. Goodness and perfection will be a state that is imparted and given to us. It will have nothing to do with our efforts. The reflecting point at that time will allow us to look back at the gap between to realize what was given.

God is invariable and we are variable. This state offers us freedom to explore. I am really just getting at the prime state of giving over taking, but this is not something we can totally accomplish. As long as we are variable, we are essentially thieves. Salvation offers the cure this curse, but the past remembrance of this state is the thing that changes us between the two. This is our Esau to exchange for Jacob; Cain to exchange for Abel.

reply to post by EnochWasRight


Okay, I think I understand what you mean.

I feel like I'm still in the preparation stage for my mission. I have been given a lot of time and room for solitude, prayer, and meditation, and also for readying, studying, and the like.

reply to post by backcase

Prepare yourselves to be purified by means of sincere penance.

I don't think there is such a thing taught in the New Testament.
That was probably a Medieval invention originally given out by the church as punishment for crimes when they ran the court system.

reply to post by jmdewey60


John the Baptist taught penance and repentance. Stuff like fasting ans self sacrifice. I don't mean like flagellation. One saint used to make his disciples walk around the town carrying his big dog as a sort of humiliation and detachment from social standing.

I would say fasting is a very effective and purifying sacrifice, never has my prayer been more ardent than in fasting.

Maybe penance could be taking a walk, or confession of a secret. I don't know, whatever right for a person, but as long as they do what it is in the name of God with the goodwill that edifies themselves and others.

reply to post by jmdewey60


Another thing I like to do is dedicate a day to jesus. I wake up, say a few prayers and spend the day thinking of God and doing God related things like reading, writing, meditating in God's presence, and basically anything that brings us closer to God.

We are purified by being close to God in mind, heart, and body.

reply to post by backcase

John the Baptist taught penance and repentance. Stuff like fasting ans self sacrifice.

"Fasting and self sacrifice" but it does not say why they did it or what results they expected from it.

. . . or confession of a secret.

As long as it is to God, be it Jesus or the Holy Spirit.

We are purified by being close to God in mind, heart, and body.

I am aware of a "purity" movement in the churches and had done an extensive study on it but it is nothing but Medieval monasticism, which ends up just subjecting you to papal authority, which I consider part of the Beast system.

reply to post by jmdewey60


""Fasting and self sacrifice" but it does not say why they did it or what results they expected from it."

I think it's talked about in the old testament. the aim is to be contrite in heart and inwardly humble. This brings us closer to God.

"As long as it is to God, be it Jesus or the Holy Spirit."

Yeah, but you can also tell someone something that you have held from them. Maybe an apology. And as a catholic, go to confession.

All of these this help to purify your heart of the yeast within it.

"I am aware of a "purity" movement in the churches and had done an extensive study on it but it is nothing but Medieval monasticism, which ends up just subjecting you to papal authority, which I consider part of the Beast system."

This I have never heard of, but chastity and continence are virtues which help us to understand and love God purely. remember this "blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God".

Mary too is our example of purity, because in order to have Jesus grow within us we must make a pure altar of our hearts for Him.

It seems to me, forgive me for judging, that you are only concerned with the letter of the word and not the Spirit.

reply to post by backcase

Yeah, but you can also tell someone something that you have held from them. Maybe an apology.

Apologies can be harmful, and confessions even worse. You should never inflict tales of evil onto people because it is selfish, making you feel better but making the person you unload on, worse.

And as a catholic, go to confession.

Like the antichrist?

All of these this help to purify your heart of the yeast within it.

None of it does. Only God's spirit can make you a better person, not by your own efforts. That goes against everything that the New Testament is teaching. If works could make you better, what better than the old Jewish system?

It seems to me, forgive me for judging, that you are only concerned with the letter of the word and not the Spirit.

It just seems that way because too many people missuse the Bible, where I feel compelled to correct it since no one else is. I would much prefer not to but just talk about the spirit but my time is burnt up by people slandering the Bible.

reply to post by backcase


I take it that you are a Catholic? You speak of penance and suffering.

reply to post by jmdewey60


Look man, you are mistaken. In your views I see a world of base coldness. I see your world where the only people that thrive are the miserable and tedious.

I think that God is merciful. I think that heaven will be peopled with people from all races, religions, and distortions. The true religion is that of virtue and he who practices that religion in whatever church he pleases has the correct religion.


If I were to look for every error I would be doing what not even God does! God looks past all of the minute and silly errors because He has mercy. What makes you so correct?

I know the bible too, but I know the Presence of God within it. That is how I know none of my words go against it. The words are lifeless without the Word, and I have the Word beside me.

And also, there is an effort needed. We need to persevere in grace. we need to stay with God through temptations. We need to repent. WE NEED GOOD WILL.

Policing the bible will only make you confused and distressed.

Take it from Rumi:

"Beyond our ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase ‘each other’
doesn’t make sense any more"

Peace

reply to post by guitarplayer


I speak of God.

reply to post by backcase

Policing the bible will only make you confused and distressed.

It's kind of a basic in Christianity, the old and new testaments, that actually means something, where the old was all about a big list of rules to follow, as if following them would make you righteous.
Jesus came along and pointed out that even that system of rules can be gamed by perfectly evil people.
Paul and other Apostles wrote the New Testament that says that all the rule following is worth a pile of dung, and no one will be saved but by the grace of God, which in practical terms is the leading of the Spirit of God.
Trying to reverse this trend is ignoring a revealed truth and rejecting the work of Jesus, as I understand it.

What makes you so correct?

Do you mean my critical view on Pope worship? I was just fortunate to have been brought up in a church that taught that was wrong, so I am sharing my good fortune with others who did not have the same opportunity as I did to know the truth of things in the world.

The true religion is that of virtue and he who practices that religion in whatever church he pleases has the correct religion.

I think that "virtue" is a relative sort of thing where some people have it or they don't, in different degrees, which is a natural attribute that they are born with, basically. Of some people, more will be expected, based on what they started out with. Judging people on the outward appearances was what the Pharisees were doing that Jesus was critical of. Everyone has their own internal battles to fight in this life and that does not always show. Like you said, it is perseverance, and some have a tougher road than others. We need to trust in God that not going with the flow in a world full of pitfalls is what will be more beneficial in the end, for our eternal future and for those around us.

Originally posted by backcase
Come to Jesus!
Come and be purified by sincere penance!

Dude .. preaching your religion is against the rules here. No proselytizing allowed.
Of course, some try it by trying to pass it off as 'discussion'. But it's still proselytizing.

Originally posted by logical7
How can a religion/belief be pure if it has made false deities as equals to God?

How can a religion/belief be pure if it has made false doctrines/'prophets' as equal to ones REALLY from God?

reply to post by FlyersFan


"Dude .. preaching your religion is against the rules here. No proselytizing allowed. "

You could have clicked on another thread. I am doing as I have always done on this site. Report me to the mods, i don't care.

If they want to ban me from the site, so be it.

I am showing transcendence of the actual religion to show the spirituality of it.

This is the religious section and I am speaking to people who are already religious(for the most part) trying to bring more spirituality to religion, more virtue, more life.

I am talking about going from outward to inward and becoming a transformed being, going from disharmony to harmony.

I am empathizing and praying with all of these people, because we are all in the same boat.

Have the words of God upset you? Good. Divest yourself of impurity and make of yourself the true gold.


Peace.