If I’m Obsessed with Anything, it Is Truth.

And so after a couple of little exchanges this morning, something occurred to me.

Jesus Christ told the Jews who Doubted His Authenticity, His Truth, that He Was the Son of God.

He told those who believed he was Lying, that Their ‘father’, was the father of “Lies”.

As in, if they Believed the Lies, they would Eventually become the Chosen Ones who Would Attempt to Envelop the Entire World in Lies.

To be CLEAR, I’m NOT Saying that Jewish people Are ‘bad’, Nor would I Ever, because that kind of Thing is Not Mine to Judge.

That is the Exclusive Territory of the One Who Has True Discernment, and That isn’t a Title Fit for Any ‘Man’.

And Christ Told Us That, Because He Knew.

And What, Exactly, DID he Tell Them the Pharisees who Questioned Him?

He Told them that IF they Embraced a False ‘truth’, a Lie, They Would Complete the Prophecy He Told Them, At That Moment.

Because He Already Knew.

Embracing Lies, is the True, Sin.

He Said That, Two Thousand Years ago, and Guess What?

It’s Playing Out, in Real Time, Right Now.

The Only Cure for Radical Lies, is the Radical Truth, in my Humble opinion, and this is sort of what I think it Looks like:

And to Exchange in Question:

If the ‘Test’ were Easy, Everyone, even the Hubristic, would Pass.

But it is That Hubris that leads to Atrocity.

I don't know how else to Nutshell it.

See, here's the thing though, the "Jews", didn't actually Kill Jesus.

They just betrayed him, and Romans did it.

And Jesus even told them they would do it, and the ones with Too Much Pride, were the ones Who, to This Day, are the Ones who Cannot See the Truth.

And I Find that Fascinating.

(this came after this particular post on my FB, I think it’s Also Worth Sharing)

And So at the End of the Day, here’s What I’m Trying to Say.

Christianity was and Is Unique among World Religions, who were all remnants of a Time before we have True Understanding for, a World Filled with Polytheisms that ‘evolved’, like Ideas tend to want to do. Because Without Some Key to Understand the Truth, Men Fall Prey to False Idols. Every Time.

I will share One Last exchange I had this Morning to Illustrate that point.

There appears to be a Real and Pronounced effort to Diminish the Truth, that Christ Was in Fact the ‘Son’ of God, and I’ve gone into how I came to that conclusion previously in my stacks, and referred back multiple times, so if this piques your Interest, please go into my past arguments.

But it appears to be Oriented in a kind of new age Theosophy, the kind Embraced by the UN/WEF/WHO Nexus. I feel people pulling towards the embrace of ‘Omnism’, or the ideas that all Religions are equal, and this have some contribution that is ‘equal’.

I Personally Reject that, for the Reasons I keep hacking away at, but this example, given by someone named David Silva on a Quora post, Really digs into it.

In Regards to friend who posted this picture:

where he wrote:

“Weird how they all preach the same concepts yet people are too detached from their own spiritual connection with it all they can't seem to fathom how accurate these beliefs are STILL in this day and age”

I replied:

"Fake News"

Reality: https://www.quora.com/Did-any-God-or-religious-entity-die...

Read the reply as Illuminated by someone named David Silva.

Christianity is Unique. It's about a God who showed the way by Dying for OUR Sins.

In other words, it's Uniquely about Forgiveness.

From the Quora response, which is Fantastic:

Why if Jesus died for our sin we have to ask God to forgive us our sins?

If there’s one topic in the realm of Christianity I’ve spent a considerable amount of time contemplating and ‘chewing on,’ it’s forgiveness.

As a matter of fact, before the “sinful nature” topic my early writings were known for, and before the general topic of grace, and any of the other topics I’ve talked about, forgiveness was one of the first I started questioning, after realizing I could actually question what I grew up believing in the church.

It just so happens that the cornerstone of the Christian message (at least in the western world) is forgiveness. In fact, if you ask most Christians why Jesus died, they will likely tell you for the forgiveness of sins.

The immediate problem however, is that many will also include the subtle disclaimer, “He paid the price so that we could ask God for forgiveness.”

It sounds innocent enough, but along with it comes the implication that none are forgiven until they ask, and still after, you become unforgiven for every new sin, until you ask again.

This used to keep me up late at night, trying to remember and recite every sin I thought I did throughout that day. Finally I found the shortcut that many Christians have, consolidating all my daily sins into one general prayer, “Please forgive me for all the sins I did today.”

The terrible truth I discovered shortly after questioning what I had believed about forgiveness my whole life is is that you don’t have to ask God to forgive you. Nobody does.

The reason why is that his forgiveness has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with him.

This is the summary of the gospel Paul gave to one of his churches (2 Cor. 5:18-19).

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:”

Stop. I want to emphasis “God gave us the ministry of reconciliation,” because Paul is about to tell us what the ministry of reconciliation is, and it’s this message that God gave the church to preach.

“[the ministry of reconciliation is] that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not holding men’s sin against them.”

The word reconciliation simply means to win someone over to friendliness, or to restore a friendly relationship. By what method was God restoring a friendly relationship between himself and humanity? By erasing humanity’s long debt of life-mismanagement; “not holding men’s sin against them.”

He’s speaking of the forgiveness of sins.

However, in the realm of forgiveness, it’s important to realize that God wasn’t forgiving us for his sake, but for ours. In other words, he wasn’t forgiving us so He could appease his anger towards us, but on the contrary, so that He could appease our anger towards him.

“For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross. Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds because of your evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence—”

So because of our bad behavior, we made God out to be our enemy, the same way an immature child might think their parents are “meanies” because they have the power to send them to their room when they act up.

When I could cut school, or not have my chores done, I used to dread the sound of my dad’s vehicle pulling into the driveway because I knew my little party was over. He used to hide the cable I used for internet, but I found his hiding place, so I would use it anyway when he wasn’t home. Then when he pulled up I would rush to unplug the cord and put it back in its hiding place. I was the one sneaking around not doing the right he asked me to do (go to school, wash the dishes when you get home), but I still painted him as the bad guy because he took my internet cable away.

I was hostile towards him because of my actions, and all he was doing was being a father. Something I couldn’t actually see until he died. Then, however it works (just like he told me it would when I was that age!), it all became clear and I realized how much he loved me and only had good in mind for me.

In our anticipation of punishment we automatically deem the apparent punisher as our enemy. But, “there is no fear in love, because fear has to do with punishment.” I feared my dad, not because he was abusive, but because I knew he had the power to shut my free-for-all party down.

Likewise, as long as we expect God to be our punisher, the pooper on our parties, we can never enjoy the reality of reconciliation, because “friendly relationship” will forever be threatened, in our minds, by our bad behavior. We only expect to be talked down to in response to our bad behavior, so we react in advance as if we already have been. Blame, defensiveness, hardening of our heart, searing of our conscience.

But as soon as God declares, “I’ve erased every record of your bad behavior! I’ll never hold it against you!” then we can approach him with confidence.

Yes, some will abuse it and think, “Oh! He’s not going to say anything if I don’t go to school or do the dishes? I’ll just never go to school and dirty all the dishes!” And this has been one of the primary reasons Christians have feared a fully free forgiveness, because “people will hear that and think they can sin all they want!” But others will see the kindness that’s there, and out of their appreciation to the mercy they don’t deserve (the refusal by the father to mention or punish over wrongdoing), they will desire to do the things they previously tried to get out of. Then it’s nit work out of obligation or debt, but out of love.

Humanity has always believed that God holds cosmic grudges against evildoers, and the only way to get him to lay off is to make some sort of payment sacrifice, whether it be the goats of the ancient times, the subtle self-degradation of the modern church, or spending literal money to appease his apparent thirst for cash in tithes and offerings. (God really needed that $5 you held back on Sunday, Jimmy!)

That’s not surprising either. If you read the Old Testament, that’s mostly what you’ll find: evil people trying to make up for their evil actions by killing goats, slaughtering their enemies (which were OBVIOUSLY always God’s enemies, too), and begging God to spare them.

So what was Paul saying with the ministry of reconciliation? “Christ on the cross is the announcement that God has already forgiven you (“not holding men’s sin against them”), and through this gracious act of forgiveness has reconciled us to himself (“restored a friendly relationship”).”

That’s the message the church was given to tell the world.

“God’s not mad at you, stop being mad at him!”

Sounds good! So why do people (especially Christians) have such a hard time accepting it?

Because they literally don’t have to do anything for it, and we humans have this strange obsession with earning what we have. We can’t just let “free” be free and lose our reputation to all the hard workers who will deem us lazy good-for-nothings.

TURNING DOWN A FREE MEAL

Have you ever tried to buy a stranger lunch?

The other day an old married couple came into the restaurant I work at. After getting up to the cash register to pay, the man realized he forgot his wallet and began to apologize profusely. I said immediately, “Oh, no worries! I’ll get it for you!” and I pulled out my wallet to pay.

They argued against it for about 2 minutes before finally saying “Okay.” That was mostly because they realized how determined I was to not let them leave without those damned burritos! They weren’t giving me permission to buy them dinner, I was already set on doing it from the beginning. They were simply conceding to a decision I already made about them. Sure, they could have just walked out without the burritos, but on their drive home while their bellies were aching, who is to blame? Was it me punishing them for rejecting my free gift? Or was it the consequence of their stubborn stupidity?

But they accepted. They got their free gift, but that wasn’t good enough.

“I promise I’ll go home,” the man said, “and I’ll come in and pay you back! What’s your name? When do you work next?”

Do you see how humans are? These two were no doubt incredibly nice people. They weren’t evil for wanting to pay me back, but it’s just an example of how hard it is for humans to accept a free gift.

Tonight at work two men came in and ordered seven different dinner bowls. The first man tried to buy the whole thing, including his friend’s dinner, and the second man argued and said, “No! I’ll get it! Use my card!” Then they both looked at me and held their cards forward. I jokingly said, “Oh! Now you guys are gonna make me fight over it?”

They argued some more. I took the card from the first man, and the second man said, “Only charge half on his!” I looked at the card for a few seconds, looked back at the second man, remembered this very post I was working on earlier in the day, and said, “I’m going to put the whole thing on here.”

Why? Not to be a jerk. But to hopefully show that man that he’ll survive if he receives a gift from a friend. You’ll be okay! But I could see the shame on his face. He told the first man, “I’ll get it next time!”

See it? He couldn’t receive a gift from a friend without feeling obligated to pay him back, even though the friend told him happily, over and over, “No! I got it!”

Humans get very weird about accepting anything that’s free, so they have to attach their own conditions and payment methods to it. “I’ll get the next one!” “I’ll pay you back!”

We literally have phrases against freeness, like, “Nothing in this world is free!” Nothing is free because even what is free has our own self-imposed restrictions added to it. It’s not because “free” doesn’t exist, it’s because we insist on paying, even for that which is offered for free. Even when humans feign the acceptance of something free, they are already thinking about how to “pay” the person back, thus, defeating the freeness of the gift, and all the joy that was meant to be included in that freeness.

***

Why did I want to buy the couple dinner? Solely because it was a pleasure to do so. I wasn’t thinking price, I wasn’t wondering when I’d get paid back. I saw humans in a situation where they couldn’t cover themselves and needed someone else to, and I was in front of them with the resources to do so, so I did.

That’s what is supposed to be the message of Jesus coming into the world. He did it because it was his pleasure to do it, not because he expected applause, approval or payback. He did it simply because of his love for the people in front of him, taking compassion on them and knowing they stood no chance to eat unless he bought the whole dinner for them.

“Please let us pay you back!”

Sir, that implies I’m keeping a record of what I’m owed. That implies that I’m holding you in debt. That implies that I’ll spend even one second after this thinking about how much I spent on you. It miscommunicates my nature and my intentions. The whole gesture of this free gift is to reassure you that any debt you think you owe me has been cancelled. I’ll never mention it as a debt, I’ll never think about it as something I’m owed. All it will ever be from here on out is the reminder of what I had the pleasure of providing for you. I didn’t do it because I think less of you, but because I think so much of you. Stop trying to include yourself in the payment somehow, I already paid it all! Just go, enjoy your food and be thankful. Know that you are loved and looked out for. That’s all I want from you, my friend: be happy.

Side note: What do you think that married couple did when they got home? The next time they talked to their friends? The next time they talked to their family? And what will they think about every time a similar topic comes up?

“There was this nice young man at a restaurant who bought us dinner one night when George, over here, forgot his wallet!”

Get why some Christians preach? Not because we’re pushy and want you to join our club, not because think it’s our business to tell you what to do, but because we’re so excited and thankful about the time we forgot our wallet, thought we’d have to go without food, and some young man swooped in and paid the price for our dinner.

He forgives because it’s his nature to forgive. It has nothing to do with us beyond being the beneficiaries of his love.

We attach conditions and prerequisites like “you have to ask first,” because it makes us feel better about receiving the gift. We get to come off less like deadbeat losers taking “handouts” from someone else, and at the very least get to include in our forced-participation a subtle declaration that tells everyone, “See! Look how much I’m helping! I’d chip in more if I could! But at least I’m giving what I can! Please don’t think I’m just a moocher or a charity case!”

The reality of this whole thing is that humanity has nothing to give. It arrived at God’s dinner table without a wallet. The only choice it has is to accept the free gift of someone else paying for dinner, or else just don’t eat at all because it so desperately wants to avoid the appearance of a “free loader.” And if you’re going to make a big scene in front of the other guests who are trying to enjoy their plates, because of your petty insistence to pay for what has already been paid for, you can go outside and mope in the rain with the other stubborn people that are too proud to say “yes!” to a free dinner. “And there will be much gnashing of teeth” out there because there’s nothing else to chew on.

I’m a deadbeat, a loser, and a freeloader. And it’s only in that acceptance that I can truly enjoy the dinner that all the self-proclaimed “hard workers” and “bread earners” reject. It’s not because I do anything for it, rather it’s because I refuse to do anything for it, realizing that I can’t do anything for it. The dinner was paid for by the blood and body of Jesus, and God isn’t going to charge for it twice. My only say in this whole matter is, “Wow! Thanks!” and then enjoy it.

In summary: Not a single person in this entire world has unforgiven sin. The whole world and every sin that ever has and ever will be committed, is already forgiven. “Asking” for forgiveness is just a concept of spiritual currency Christianity created to feel like they’re chipping in a few pennies at the register, completely in denial about the fact that all they have is pocket full of lint like everybody else.

Every Christian, Atheist, Satanist, Muslim, Buddhist… every human shows up to the restaurant register the same: with nothing but their broke-ness.

The question, then, is simply yes or no: will you let another man buy you dinner?

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” - Isaiah 55:1

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” - Rev. 22:17

Okay I hope that Helps. I’ve just thrown this together, I have a few Big things I’m working on, but this Felt Important, And, I’m going to go spend some Quality time with my Family ;)

To Sum Up:

Reject False Narratives.

We’re All in This Together.

Much Love, and Merry Belated Christmas.

Andrew