Month: April 2026

The Mystery of Melchizedek

Joseph Dewey

The Mystery of Melchizedek

Several times in the Bailey writings DK identifies Melchizedek with Sanat Kumara, the Lord of the World. Here is one:

“The Lord of the World, the Ancient of Days, Sanat Kumara, the planetary Logos, Melchizedek, He to Whom Christ referred when He said, ‘I and My Father are One.’” Externalization of the Hierarchy, Page 287

On the other hand, he indicated that the famous statement of oneness is not limited to a connection to one being but is more universal, for he also said this:

“The first Logos is electric fire, the fire of pure Spirit. Yet in manifestation He is the Son, for by union with matter (the mother) the Son is produced by Whom He is known. ‘I and my Father are One’ is the most occult statement in the Christian Bible, for it not only refers to the union of a man with his source, the monad, via the ego, but to the union of all life with its source, the will aspect, the first Logos.” TCF, Pages 150-151

He says quite a bit in this quote. First, he says that when in manifestation through matter the First Logos becomes the Son, or we could say the first ray of power manifests as love-wisdom.

Secondly, he says that the famous statement of union embraces more than a union with one being “for it not only refers to the union of a man with his source, the monad, via the ego, but to the union of all life with its source, the will aspect, the first Logos.”

What does this tell us? It tells us that Jesus and the overshadowing Christ saw themselves as, first of all, having a oneness to their source the monad, which is one with the universal God beyond all the hierarchies. Secondly there was a vision of oneness of not just the Christ, but “all life with its source.”

In other words, that which was realized by the Christ would eventually be achieved by all of us.

That Source he says is “the will aspect, the first Logos.” This would include Sanat Kumara, but not be limited to him, for this first aspect runs through all the Logoi in the universe.

Since DK links the name Melchizedek with Sanat Kumara it is natural to assume that the entity of that name in the Bible is the Lord of the World, but there is a major problem with this assumption which can be found in this statement:

“Sanat Kumara and His Pupils are in physical form, but have not taken dense physical bodies. They work on the vital etheric levels, and dwell in etheric bodies. Shamballa, where They dwell, exists in physical matter as do the Kumaras.” TCF Page 753

The type of bodies they have is revealed here:

“Shamballa will be one of the latest etheric sacred spots to be revealed as it exists in the matter of the second ether.” Initiation Human and Solar, Page 33

Thus Sanat Kumara dwells in Shamballa where all forms are composed of the second ether, which is normally invisible to human eyes, much more difficult to see than the fourth ether of Kirlian photography.

From the writings we have about Melchizedek it appears that he existed in a dense physical body. Consider this account from Genesis:

When Abraham learned that his nephew Lot had been kidnapped by four kings involved a conflict, he decided to rescue him and retrieve his stolen flocks and herds. He gathered 318 of his men and attacked them by night and made a daring rescue as well as retrieving his goods and some from his enemies. On his return he was greeted by a mysterious person. It is written:  

“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” Genesis14:18-20

Outside of a brief mention in Psalms this is all the Old Testament has to say about him. However, Josephus, the Jewish historian, adds a couple more details. His name means “Righteous King” and says he was a Canaanite leader who founded Salem, which was later named Jerusalem. There he built the first temple and served there as the first priest.

Then in some of the Aramaic renderings of the Book of Genesis we have this added detail: “And Melchisedech, king of Jerusalem—he is Shem the Great—brought out bread and wine, for he was the priest who ministered in the high priesthood before the most High God.”

So here Melchizedek is identified as Shem, son of Noah, who according to Biblical chronology outlived Abraham by about 35 years.

According to these various Old Testament era accounts it sounds like the Melchizedek of Abraham’s era could not have been Sanat Kumara, Lord of the World for the following reasons.

He was said to be a priest of the most high, not the most high himself.

He was obliviously in a dense physical body even sharing food and wine with Abraham.

So where does the idea come from that he was a supernatural being such as the Lord of the World?

It seems to largely come from the Book of Hebrews of the New Testament. There we are told that Christ was “Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.” Heb 5:10

Then it indicates that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham because Abraham paid tithes to him, a recognition of superior status. Then it makes a statement about him not found in the Old Testament that adds to his mystique as someone more than human:

He is: “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” Heb 7:3

This was indeed a strange statement since the ancient records tell us he was born and died and had parents. How could the mortal Melchizedek of the time of Abraham also be an almost godlike and immortal figure as presented in the Book of Hebrews?

A hint is given in verse 15 where Jesus is said to be “after the similitude of Melchisedec.”

This takes on additional meaning when we look at the Gnostic Library of Nag Hammadi wherein we discover that many Gnostic Christians saw Christ and Melchizedek as the same being. In other words, Christ was Melchizedek in a previous life.

In saying this we must take into consideration the teachings from DK that there were two entities involved in the life of Christ. There was Jesus who was incarnated as the Son of Mary. DK says that in previous lives he was Joshua who was with Moses and Jeshua from the time of Ezra. Also, Yogananda tells us he was Elisha who made this unusual request from Elijah: “let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” II Kings 2:9 He then manifested that double portion as Jesus.

Then at the baptism we are told that an even higher entity who had the position of the Christ descended upon Jesus and dwelt with him for the next three years. DK tells us that his entity was the same as Krishna of Hindu fame.

Thus, this entity who DK says is the Christ was not born into the body of Jesus but functions with him and filled the description of Melchizedek being “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God.” Heb 7:3

This indeed sounds as if it was Melchizedek who descended upon Jesus and assisted him. No wonder DK says that the words of Jesus “I and My Father are One” refer to Melchizedek as the Father. (See Externalization of the Hierarchy, Page 287)

All these details are enough to make a student’s head spin. How do we put all these pieces together so they all make sense? Actually, it is pretty simple. Everything makes sense when we consider this scenario:

The mortal Melchizedek from the days of Abraham, who had a mother and father, was an incarnation of the entity who currently holds the position of the Christ. Even Abraham recognized him as greater than himself.

Melchizedek then returned at the baptism of Jesus and entered into him and assisted him for three years.

But, the overshadowing of Jesus was not a one-time event as it has happened numerous times, including at the time of Melchizedek’s mortal life.

Sanat Kumara could not take off 600 years from his position as the head of the Council Chamber at Shamballa to incarnate as Melchizedek so, instead, he overshadowed him and assisted him from a distance. Melchizedek and Sanat Kumara were thus one just as Jesus and Christ/ Melchizedek were one.

This Sanat Kumara, who was without father and mother, assisted Melchizedek in the days of Abraham as well as in the days of Jesus.

This explanation is far from orthodox, but seeing it from this vision causes all the pieces to fall into place and make sense.

May true seekers contemplate and receive soul confirmation or themselves.

 “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them (the disciples); that they may be one, even as we are one.” Jesus, John 17:22

April 18, 2026

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Understanding Initiates

Joseph Dewey

Understanding Initiates

A reader comments:  I am a little surprised that this autobiography seemed to paint Steve Jobs in such a good light.

I had read that he was notorious for absolutely humiliating his staff for the slightest misstep and was very difficult to work for.

JJ: Actually, Isaacson painted a whole picture of Jobs warts and all. This is what Steve wanted and gave him full power to write with no power of revision or dictating on his part. Steve said that he probably wouldn’t like parts of the book so he never planned on reading it. Quite a number of times he does come across as a jerk, but no sooner does that happen then you start to like him again and wish you could have met him.

The author does point out how difficult Steve was to work for but also notes how dedicated employees were to him and how many were willing to sacrifice anything to share in the achievements of the work. I liked one section where Isaacson compared Steve Jobs to Moses in the eyes of his admirers.

Question: If he was entering his 3rd initiation experience, then this was happening as he physically died?

JJ It would mean he entered the threshold of the Angel of the Presence as he was crossing over.

Question:  Does this mean that the Dweller was the cancer/disease that was killing him,

JJ The Dweller could have aggravated the cancer, but the cancer was not the dweller.

Question: Then as he started to pass over, he chose the Angel of the Presence and hence got to pass his 3rd initiation? At death, how would he choose between the Dweller or the Angel?

JJ: No one chooses the Dweller though you make choices that give the Dweller more power.. Why would you choose something that is trying to destroy you? You do, however, accept or reject the Angel of the Presence and whatever it was that Steve encountered at death he seemed to embrace it.

More often than not the initiations are acknowledged, consummated and understood between lives. When initiations are relived in a certain life this usually happens on the physical plane. All the growth and advancement to achieve initiation must be achieved in the physical. Often (but not always) the actual initiation happens between lives.

Question: Did Steve Jobs have control and master his emotions in order to pass the 2nd initiation before doing the third?

JJ If he passed the second then he did master his emotions but let me clarify what that means.

First, it does not mean that the initiate is like Spock who has little or no emotion. The initiate will have more powerful emotions than average because all the petals in his sacral center will be unfolded.

The initiate may very well express strong emotion from time to time but the emotion expressed is regulated and decided upon mentally. The most important thing a second degree or higher will do is not make important decisions based on emotion but upon what makes sense from rational or intuitive thinking.

A reader implied that I was portraying Jobs as very righteous, almost like a saint.

My point was that initiates are far from perfect especially as far as the personality goes and that was an accurate response

My comments on the possible initiate status of some is a million miles from Crèmes. Crème claims to have received his information directly from Christ and I make no such claim to authority but am making an educated guess.

The reason I talked about the possible initiate status of Jobs wasn’t to show my cleverness but to give readers a better idea of what an initiate is and the range of people that fit into this category. Many people think of an initiate as a very good or holy person who exudes love all the time and I wanted to make sure readers understand that many do not come across this way.

Reader Comment:  I can identify much more readily with his technical partner Steve Wozniak. Always two there are: one who is the front man, and the one who works behind the scenes and makes things happen.

JJ: Steve collaborated with Wozniak mainly at the beginning. There were many innovations from Apple that Wozniak did not participate in. Wozniak was smart, but he had little inclination to take any steps to initiate anything. If Steve did not have Wozniak available, he would have found someone else, but any engineer looking for another Jobs would still be looking.

Question: This whole thread on what is an initiate got me rethinking on the subject of disciple and initiate. So, to understand correctly, an initiate is necessarily a disciple but not the other way around?

JJ: Actually, it is the other way around. A truly committed disciple is one who is near or passed the third initiation and all of them are initiates to some degree. DK identifies seekers who are not disciples as aspirants.

DK told us back in the 1920s there were only a little over 300 disciples on the entire planet. One can only guess how many there are today but it would not be a large number.

There are a lot of initiates who are not disciples and do not consider themselves being on a spiritual path. What many of these do not realize is that all work that helps humanity evolve and progress is spiritual. There are initiates in science, education, sports, politics and various endeavors not normally seen as spiritual.

Question: Is it correct to say that an initiate will be a disciple first and foremost before getting to the stage where he or she actually initiates something?

JJ The first thing on an initiates mind is “What can I do to improve the world or the human condition?”

Question: And does an initiate always have to turn out to be a ”popular person” in the press or worldwide?

JJ: Good question. It may seem so because when people try and identify initiates usually famous people are named. The reason for this is that initiates that are not famous are generally not known to us and there is no way to name them.

Higher initiates usually make significant accomplishments that garners then some degree of public recognition, but many first and second degree initiates are unknown outside of their circle of associates. Many of these are initiating things that does not change the world but does create positive change and improves peoples’ lives. Some join with other initiates to work on a group endeavor. For instance, I’m sure there were a number of initiates who worked with Steve Jobs.

Reader Comment: I read something not long ago from DK stating that there will also be times where initiates must act behind the stage so to speak and without receiving all that recognition attention i.e.: like Steve Jobs did.

JJ: This will sometimes be the case. If a person initiates by working behind the scenes and is truly responsible for creating constructive change then he is of course initiating.

Question: And speaking about initiates, how may are there on earth at the present moment? I imagine there can’t be that many since it is a demanding endeavor and a lot of times there must be failures too.

JJ I’d say that there are millions who have passed the first initiation, hundreds of thousands who have passed the second, under 1000 who have passed the third and under 50 in mortality who have passed the fourth.

He is not an honest man who has burned his tongue and does not tell the company that the soup is hot. – Yugoslav proverb

Nov 29, 2011

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What is an Initiate?

Joseph Dewey

What is an Initiate?

Question: Is being an initiate is the same as one  who invents.

No. That is a million miles away from what I have taught about initiation.

Many inventors have no power to initiate that which they invent. An initiate introduces and secures ideas into public consciousness and use. No one knows who invented the mouse, but Jobs introduced it to public use and consciousness. This is a much more difficult thing to do than to invent a thing.

Columbus was not the first to discover America, but he initiated the great exploration. Like they say. Ideas are a dime a dozen, but making something of them is the greater work. I’ll write more on this later.

Question: Does being an innovator come closer to what you are teaching?

JJ The word “innovation” doesn’t really describe the initiate either. To be an innovator and inventor are two very similar things.

Let me give two examples of innovative thinkers. Ben works for Acme manufacturing and gets an idea that would save six steps in the manufacturing process. He tells his boss about it but he doesn’t see the vision and brushes him off. Ben then goes to the next guy up the ladder but gets chewed out for going over his bosses head.

Ben is frustrated and spends the rest of his days grumbling that no one listens to him.

Chuck goes through the same process with his company and reaches the same dead end. Instead of accepting his fate, one day he puts down his remote and does some thinking. He realizes that there are a lot of companies that could use his innovations. He then sets up a consulting company and contacts numerous other manufacturers that could benefit from his thinking. A handful accept his proposals. Then, after a period of success, many companies, even Acme, make changes proposed by Chuck.

When Ben sees Chuck’s success he feels cheated and thinks to himself that he had these ideas first and no one gives him any credit.

So… is Ben initiating just because he came up with good innovations?

Obviously not. Chuck is the true initiate here because he is the driving force that pushed the ideas into existence.

Most of what Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or even Einstein introduced was already dreamed up by someone else but these men initiated new products and concepts into the public consciousness that others merely dreamed about.

Perhaps we could define an initiate this way:

An initiate is one who sees a better way and does more than dream about manifesting it but takes the necessary steps to bring it into existence. An initiate is one with true faith as I have previously defined the word.

Here are examples of initiates and non initiates.

Initiate: Columbus discovers America and changes the world.

Non Initiate: A Chinese captain discovers America long before Columbus, but nothing changed.

Initiate: Colonel Sanders has an unique chicken recipe that changes the chicken industry.

Non Initiate: Aunt Martha has an even better recipe but it dies with her.

Initiate: Steve Jobs successfully brings the desktop computers to the market.

Non Initiate: Even before this Steve Nebulous builds his own desktop from spare parts and amuses his friends with it.

Initiate: H. P. Blavatsky writes a book that changes the way many people think.

Non Initiate: Yogi Sahara writes an even better book but he never gets it published and no one reads it or knows that it exists.

Initiate: Sam sees the value in an innovative idea being introduced by an initiate, sees a way to help the idea blossom and lends a helping hand.

Non Initiate: Bart sees the value in an innovative idea being introduced by an initiate and becomes an armchair quarterback and critic.

It’s important to realize that there is a big difference between the public idea of a saint or holy person and a true initiate. Many initiates are not religious or pious at all. Many of them have difficult personalities and are hated by numerous people.

There is a wide variety of people among the aspirants and first and second degree initiates. Some are impossible to live with and have many enemies. Many are seen as being the opposite of spiritual.

The higher initiates have generally worked off the rough edges but remember that even Jesus was hated so much that he was gleefully crucified.

What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it; boldness has genius, power and magic in it. – Johann von Goethe

Nov 28, 2011

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Steve Jobs and Einstein

Joseph Dewey

Steve Jobs and Einstein

I recently finished the biography on Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. It was perhaps the best biography I gave ever read. The only others I can compare with it as being interesting were ones I have read on Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Mao. “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” was also very good, but was not written as a biography on Hitler

The book I liked on Mao was called, Mao: The Unknown Story By Jung Chang and Jon Halliday. This was good because it was a great story of a tyrant not because Mao was a good guy.

Jobs had the feeling from the time he was young that he would die early so his whole life was a crash course to get as many things done as possible before that event happened.

When it became obvious the end was near he had the foresight to contact one of the best biographical writers and talk him into writing his story. Isaacson thus conducted interviews right up until the end and thus had lots of first hand material from direct interviews.

Even so, the reader can tell that he did not use these interviews as a crutch for he obviously interviewed many people associated with Jobs as well as researching everything published about him. There are a few things on which he could have gone into greater detail but overall he did an excellent job. The book reads with the intrigue of a Dan Brown novel.

The big question that this group may have concerning Jobs is, was he an initiate and how advanced?

First, he was definitely an initiate for he never stopped initiating new things right up to the last days of his life.

He initiated the desktop computer and then the mouse and windows type operating system that was used in the Mac and copied by Microsoft. After he was fired from Apple he did not rest but began a cutting edge animation company, Pixar, which initiated new technology that revolutionized children’s movies.

In desperation, as Apple was about to go under, they wooed Jobs back to Apple. He came back and worked for a dollar a year for the first couple years.

The first thing he did when he came back was to trash two thirds of the Apple models to the ash heap of history and start fresh working on new innovating models. Shortly thereafter, they came out with the iMac which finally turned sales around. The next big leap was the ipod which they advertized as “1000 songs in your pocket.” This was an amazing breakthrough when you consider than the competitors could only manage a handful of songs on a portable device.

He didn’t stop there and soon the ipod type gizmos could manage your photos, play movies, take pictures, record movies and on and on.

Then he realized that the life of the ipod would come to an end in a few years and be replaced by a phone with all these abilities built in. He thus switched attention in this direction and created the iphone.

Next was the ipad. When this was introduced critics said it would never sell much because it was so expensive and netbooks was the future, but of course they were wrong.

Near his death he realized that television as we know it was coming to an end and worked on creating a home entertainment system that access all shows produced through the internet on demand and replace cable and satellite systems. Apple will yet reveal his last innovation.

He was a vegetarian throughout his life and experimented with a number of diets including the Mucusless Diet System. Many initiates are vegetarians, especially the first and second degree.

Throughout his life he pondered the mysteries of existence and life after death. Some of his favorite books dealt with metaphysics such as,

Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, Chogyam Trungpa’s Be Here Now, Baba Ram Dass

He wasn’t positive there was an afterlife, but hoped there was one. He represented that hope by making Apple products that had no off switch. He hoped that we as humans had no off switch when we died.

He seemed to receive his answer about life after death at the point of his departure. Just before he passed he looked beyond those gathered around him and said three times: OH WOW! After this he died.

It was quite possible that he was entering his third initiation experience with the Angel of the Presence.

Many wonder why he got cancer when he was on a vegetarian diet. There are several reasons that could be.

First, many vegetarian diets are not as healthy as a quality meat eating diet is. He was on numerous diet programs throughout his life rather than sticking to one consistent good one. It’s quite possible he had an overbalance of carbohydrates and starches. It’s also possible that he received too many chemicals that were not removed from vegetables.

One sign that something was wrong with his diet was that people often complained of his body odor. A proper diet should not generate that complaint.

A person can get cancer even with a good diet. Grievance and suppression is a major cause here and Steve suffered great hurt when he was fired from Apple. He seemed to have a real grievance toward John Scully who replaced him. Then watching powerlessly as they degraded his company was too much to bear.

It sounds like Steve was never able to let this and possibly other grievances go until possibly near the end of his life.

These are a few comments not found in standard reviews. I would suggest you go to Amazon, read several reviews and buy the book or audio. You will not be disappointed.

How Advanced was Einstein?

Question. How spiritually advanced was Einstein? Was he as far as being a third degree initiate that can see through illusion?

A third-degree initiate is far from omniscient and infallible. Even the highest of initiates. masters and gods have their limitations and do not see and understand all things. A third-degree initiate can dispel illusion provided he has the necessary facts available and focuses his attention on the subject where the illusion resides. For instance, such an initiate may have not placed much attention on global warming because many other matters occupy his mind. Consequently, he doesn’t have a strong opinion one way or another.

Finally, something stimulates his interest and he decides to look into it. Once he studies the available data he then unravels the illusion surrounding the subject and hones into the truth of the matter.

I would guess that Einstein was a very savvy second degree. The reason I do not peg him at third degree is that he was agnostic about God and a third degree would have experiences that should have removed all doubt.

I believe that Newton was a third degree as he was a very spiritual scientist and spent much of his life unraveling the mysteries of the works of God.

Einstein was a Jew but not all Jews believe the same. Here was Einstein’s response to some religious questions:

Do you believe in God? “I’m not an atheist. I don’t think I can call myself a pantheist. The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn’t know what it is.

That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God. We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws but only dimly understand these laws.”

Is this a Jewish concept of God?

“I am a determinist. I do not believe in free will. Jews believe in free will. They believe that man shapes his own life. I reject that doctrine. In that respect I am not a Jew.”

Is this Spinoza’s God?

“I am fascinated by Spinoza’s pantheism, but I admire even more his contribution to modern thought because he is the first philosopher to deal with the soul and body as one, and not two separate things.”

Do you believe in immortality?

“No. And one life is enough for me.”

The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. – Albert Einstein

Nov 23, 2011

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Understanding the Molecular Business

Joseph Dewey

Understanding the Molecular Business

TEACHER: Today we are going to talk about a dynamic new business idea. It is, perhaps, the first really original business concept since the establishment of free enterprise. It is called the MOLECULAR BUSINESS and is designed to benefit the many instead of the few.

In the beginning of civilization men and women worked instinctively together for the benefit of the tribe or group. Each person had his job, but generally the assets of the group were shared equally according to need, except in cases where the strong took from the weak. There were jobs but no business as we now know it.

As the tribes gathered together and formed kingdoms private business began to be created and people found that by their superior intelligence, hard work, and cunning that they could gain an advantage over their neighbors as long as they found favor in the sight of the king. Thus people began to be divided into two general classes: The rich and the poor. In those days financial security was almost impossible, even for the rich, for all their wealth could be confiscated by a displeased ruler. The poor generally had no private business or job at all, but were often slaves with no hope for financial abundance.

The third stage of business evolution appeared after the establishment of the democratic society and the freeing of the slaves. At this point we see the establishment of big business and the emergence of the entrepreneur. In this age we find that competition has reached a high point. Everyone in our world today is either directly competing or working for someone who is competing for their share of the market place.

We are now reaching a point in history where there will emerge the next great evolutionary step in business, and we already see foreshadowings of it in the business world. Can you guess what is replacing the competitive business?

STUDENT: I’m not sure.

 

TEACHER: Have you heard of cooperatives?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Can you tell me how they work?

STUDENT: Basically, there is no one owner, but employees and stockholders all own and operate the business cooperatively.

 

TEACHER: I’m sure you have also heard of profit sharing haven’t you?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Tell me how you understand this principle.

STUDENT: I understand that the employees are paid in addition to their wages a percentage of the net profits of the business.

 

TEACHER: Why do you suppose that cooperatives and profit sharing programs have been so successful?

STUDENT: I suppose that they help keep the employees involved.

 

TEACHER: Even the corporation that sells stock requires a high degree of cooperation and group effort. Such a company has many owners and many people directly benefit from its profits. The corporation, profit sharing, and the cooperative all foreshadow the next great stage of business evolution that will replace the competitive society. Can you guess what that is?

STUDENT: It looks like we are moving towards greater cooperation.

 

TEACHER: We will soon leave the competitive society and enter a cooperative one. The New Testament gives us an ideal to which the cooperative society will strive. Turn to Acts 4:33 “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”

Would you say here that it would take a great deal of cooperation to have all things in common as did the early Christians?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: It gives us the basic reason as to why they could cooperate to this extent. Can you find it?

STUDENT: It says that they were of one heart and soul.

 

TEACHER: If everyone is of one heart and soul then competition automatically ceases and cooperation is the natural course. Cooperative efforts if forced will never excel over a competitive effort, but if cooperation happens naturally then the results will exceed a competitive group.

The key to making a cooperative effort work is to have one mind and heart toward the task at hand whether it is converting the world to Christianity, making a marriage work, or running a business.

Let’s talk about this principle as it applies to the creating of a successful business. Would you say that most of the people working for the various companies have one heart and mind directed to the benefit of the business or is it that there are generally only a few dedicated toward the good of the whole and the majority are dedicated to getting the most money with the least effort?

STUDENT: I would say that the latter is true.

 

TEACHER: But if everyone were of one mind and heart this would not be the case. Therefore, we must discover those principles which cause separation in business and correct them. Can you name some of the divisions or classifications of people involved in a typical company?

STUDENT: There are the owners and non owners; management and labor; those who make a lot of money and those who do not.

 

TEACHER: Would you agree that as a general rule that the owners are much more concerned about the health of the company whereas the non-owners are more concerned about their paycheck?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Would you also agree that there is generally distance between labor and management because labor is at the mercy of management and has little input as to how the company is run, and management often has little sensitivity toward the concerns of labor?

STUDENT: That sounds correct.

 

TEACHER: And would you further agree that those who are low on the pay scale often feel jealous and separative from those who make a lot of money?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: The old saying decrees that “The taste of the pudding is in the pie”. We can see in real life that there is little social intercourse between owners and non owners; management and labor; the rich and the poor. Have you noticed this?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: All three of these problems keep the people from being of one heart and mind, but the Molecular Business will correct them. First, the division between owners and non-owners will be eliminated because in the Molecular Business all will be owners. Each payday the worker is paid not only with money but a portion of his recompense is in the form of increasing Company ownership, generally in the form of stock. The division of owners and non-owners thus comes to an end as all are owners to some degree. Do you think this would make people feel more involved with their company?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Solving the division between management and labor is a little more complex, but still relatively simple. The Molecular Business management is somewhat comparable to our democratic government whereas existing business government is comparable to totalitarian governments where all authority is invested from the top down instead of from the bottom up. Do you understand the difference of authority placement between the US and a totalitarian state?

STUDENT: I think so. In a totalitarian state the leaders have supreme authority, but in the United States the people do – at least in theory.

 

TEACHER: Let us describe it this way. The authority in a totalitarian govecrnment is from the top down. That means that those in high positions have complete power over those below them. The higher can criticize the lower, but the lower cannot criticize or even suggest that the higher may be wrong.

In the United States the lower can criticize the higher and has power to remove the governing authority from power. The higher can also criticize the lower but is very hesitant to do so for they do not want to offend those who elected them. Thus, they only make a criticism when they are sure they are accurate. Have you heard the President or any other elected official criticize the common man lately?

STUDENT: Only at their peril.

 

TEACHER: On the other hand, did you notice that the first thing a totalitarian leader does when he gets in office is blame all the troubles of the nation on the common slothful worker?

STUDENT: I do seem to recall that.

 

TEACHER: Which system do you think works the best: government authority from the top down as in totalitarian states or from the bottom up as is supposed to be in the United States?

STUDENT: The U.S., of course.

 

TEACHER: Doesn’t it seem logical that if the bottom up governing system works so much better with a nation that it would also work better with a business?

STUDENT: I suppose.

 

TEACHER: Doesn’t it also seem strange that the business world has held on to the top-down government that belongs to the dark ages and has never in history switched completely to bottom-up management?

STUDENT: I suppose it does.

 

TEACHER: The Molecular Business has a democratic government with control from the bottom up. This concept will revolutionize the business world and dramatically increase the economic stability of the individual.

Let us examine exactly how the bottom-up approach in the Molecular Business works as compared with the status quo:

If you work for a regular company today you often begin as a common worker and over you will be a foreman, supervisor, or some type of “boss.” This boss is always right and if you see a better way you normally remain silent. He has complete power over your job and can terminate you on a whim. In essence, for eight hours a day you are his slave. If you have a good master your job will be tolerable, but if your boss is a tyrant you can loose all sense of freedom and you experience for eight hours a day what those in a dictatorship experience all their waking hours.

By contrast, the supervisor in the Molecular Business does not have any such totalitarian power over your job. He can only suggest that you be terminated. And who do you think he has to suggest it to?

STUDENT: His Boss.

 

TEACHER: His boss would have nothing to do with it, but the supervisor could only suggest termination to your local group of fellow employees. After that they will vote and the manager has to have a two-thirds majority before he can fire you. One of your fellow employees can challenge the boss for his job and call for a vote. If he succeeds they will change positions. Can you see how this will have the effect of taking away your fear of the boss, but making him work harder to get along with your fellow employees?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: In a regular company if you want to get a promotion you have to catch the attention of your manager and somehow convince him you are the one for the next promotion. Have you noticed that those who are often promoted are those who are best at making a show when the manager is around?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Who are the ones who really know whether or not you are doing a good job?

STUDENT: The fellow workers.

 

TEACHER: Your fellow workers are usually with you much more than the manager and they tend to be less biased then the manager. Thus in the Molecular Business any promotion you attain has to be voted on by them. Who do you think decides whether or not you should be nominated for the position of a new supervisor, for instance?

STUDENT: The follow employees.

 

TEACHER: This may surprise you, but neither your boss nor the employees decide this, but you do. Isn’t the first qualification of a good manager the fact that one must believe that he can do the job, and, above all, want the job?

STUDENT: I guess so.

 

TEACHER: Therefore, if you believe you can do a better job than your current supervisor all you have to do if you want the job is to challenge the person for his position. Unless two thirds of the employees object the group will have an election and after the votes are tabulated you will be the new manager if you receive the most votes.

Now you are the new supervisor and you are aware that you can be replaced at any time by one of your subordinates. In this situation are you going to have an incentive to do a good job?

STUDENT: I would think so.

 

TEACHER: Do you think you will try hard to treat those under you with consideration and kindness?

STUDENT: I would imagine so.

 

TEACHER: Now you are a supervisor and have learned the ropes you begin to study the position of the area supervisor and realize that you could do a much better job than the person currently there. If you desire you can challenge that person for his job just as you previously did with your supervisor. If all your fellow supervisors vote for you instead of the current position holder you will move up again. You can continue to challenge and replace superiors until you reach your highest level of competence.

In a regular business a person of talent is often viewed as a threat by his superiors and is suppressed in a low position for many years, but in the Molecular Business he will be able to advance very quickly. Why will this be good for the Company?

STUDENT: Key positions will always be held by people of talent who will be better able to help the Company.

 

TEACHER: Even people who have a good rapport with management have to work many years to reach their highest level, but can you see how in the Molecular Business any person can reach his highest level of competency in a short fraction of the time?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: This also corrects a problem that has been called THE PETER PRINCIPLE which states that in a large company each person raises to his highest level of incompetence. In other words, a person is promoted until he reaches a position he cannot do well then he is promoted no more. Neither is he placed back in a position where he is competent. Instead, he is locked into a position where he is incompetent, unhappy, and able to make the working lives of others miserable.

In the Molecular Business this would never happen for when a person reaches a position wherein he does not perform well then it will not be long before he is challenged and replaced. It is obvious that this will be benefit the company, but do you also think it will benefit the individual replaced in the long run to be in a position he can do well rather than one where he can not?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Can you see how the Molecular Business will create a situation here where the individual has more freedom and can express ideas without fear of getting fired?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Can you see how this concept in the Molecular Business will end the division between management and labor and help them come closer to the goal of one heart and one mind?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: The third area that creates division among employees in a regular company is the great differences we find in the pay scale. Those who make a lot of money rarely are seen socially with those who do not. This third cause of division is also eliminated in the Molecular Business. This solution may sound radical at first until the whole picture is presented, but all employees in the Molecular Business receive the same take home wage whether he or she be president of the company or a new worker on the assembly line. Now we realize that common workers would be easy to hire at any reasonable wage, but I’ll bet you are wondering how we can hire and keep management level employees that could make a lot of money with another company than with us. Is that right?

STUDENT: Yes. I am curious about that.

 

TEACHER: Let us say that the pay scale established by the Molecular Business [and these could vary with different businesses] is $60,000 a year. Very few people who are currently making over $100,000 will be attracted to us. But remember this that most of them started at a much lower pay scale. Don’t you think that there is a lot of very talented people out there that would start with us for $60,000 and would stay with us if they saw enough benefits?

STUDENT: Possibly.

 

TEACHER: They will stay with us because they receive payment with more than money. Remember that we told you that all workers are also owners?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: The employees [more appropriately called co-owners] are paid with stock or ownership in the company in addition to their take home wage. With every paycheck they receive an increasing ownership in the company as well as cash. Now we told you that all receive the same take home wage. Nevertheless, superior performance or responsibility still needs some kind of reward or bonus doesn’t it?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: In other words, people need incentive, don’t they?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: In the Molecular Business incentive is created in two ways. First there will be a high degree of involvement and employee satisfaction. Secondly, instead of using money, stock is used as the physical incentive.

 

As we stated all employees from the greatest to the least receive some payment in stock, but this payment varies according to the importance of the person’s position. The entree level worker, for instance, may receive something like two hundred dollars’ worth of stock a month, whereas higher management or workers with essential skills may receive $5,000 to $10,000. That amount of value ought to give some incentive, shouldn’t it?

STUDENT: One would think so.

 

TEACHER: This principle creates an extension of the most motivated worker in the world. That is the small business owner. Have you noticed how some business owners will work as many as 14 hours a day sometimes seven days a week just to get the business going?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: In addition to sacrificing family and pleasures the successful small businessperson, when he is starting a company, will pay himself only what he needs to live on and put the rest back in the company. Why is he willing to do this?

STUDENT: So he can have working capital.

 

TEACHER: He sacrifices now to obtain working capital in the hopes that his business will be successful. And if it is then he can draw out all the money he needs for pleasures later. He will also be financially independent and not have to work so hard. That’s pretty good incentive, isn’t it?

STUDENT: It seems to be.

 

TEACHER: It is an incentive that has been proven to work. Now the Molecular Business will operate on this principle. Visualize all the workers in a large company as one entity that owns a business. The many people cooperating as if they were one take from the company what they need to live on now and receive the rest of their payment in the form of stock so working capital remains available for expansion. If the company is successful the stock will multiply in value and the workers can eventually cash this in and obtain all the pleasures they want in life as well as financial independence. That sounds like a good idea doesn’t it?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: To make this principle work the employees are not actually issued the stock on their payday, but it is credited to them. They can receive the stock and cash it in on three occasions. The first is if they are terminated or quit the company. The second is if they retire. It would make a nice retirement income, wouldn’t it?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: The third reason for cashing it in is very interesting. The desire of many enterprising individuals is to be financially independent and have a business of their own. If they wish to create another business that is an extension of the mother Molecular Business then they can cash in their stock, and possibly even get a loan from the company, and create a business of their own. A lot of people would really like to own their own business wouldn’t they?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: On the other hand, workers do not have quit or wait for retirement to receive greater financial benefits. As the company makes greater profits where do you think the extra money will go?

STUDENT: The employees.

 

TEACHER: That’s right. As profits increase the take home salary of all the workers increases. If the company is successful eventually all the workers will receive a substantial wage. That would create one happy family of employees, wouldn’t it?

STUDENT: It surely would.

 

TEACHER: When the principle of the Molecular Business proves that it can create more success than anything now existing then many other businesses having financial troubles will want to come under the umbrella of the mother company. The beauty of this is that all businesses under the Molecular Principle will not compete, but cooperate with each other because if one benefits they all benefit. The mother company corresponds to the Constitution and the branch companies are liken to the independent states. Can you see that if the Molecular Business really is superior that many other companies will join it?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: And if it does far outperform the orthodox business then it is only a matter of time before all businesses are molecular isn’t it?

STUDENT: I would suppose.

 

TEACHER: That would really change the world for the better wouldn’t it?

STUDENT: It would seem so.

 

TEACHER: We stated at the beginning that there are three things that keep workers in a state of separateness: income differences, management-labor relations, and the fact that some are owners and others are not. Can you see how the Molecular Business ends these differences?

STUDENT: I believe so.

 

TEACHER: Can you see how, when these principles are implemented that the people involved in the Molecular Business will really be of one heart and one mind?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Is this something you would like to participate in?

STUDENT: I really would.

Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him and to let him know that you trust him. – Booker T. Washington

Nov 14, 2011

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Baptism and the Holy Spirit

Joseph Dewey

Baptism and the Holy Spirit

 TEACHER: The mode of baptism as well as the reason is clearly given by Paul: [Read Romans 6:3-5] “Know ye not, that so many of us were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” When we are buried in the water through baptism it is a symbol of what?

STUDENT: The burial of Christ in the tomb.

 

TEACHER: And what is being raised up out of the water a symbol of?

STUDENT: Christ being raised from the dead

 

TEACHER: It is also a symbol of being born again. Before we are born for the first time we are completely submerged in water. By submerging ourselves completely in water through baptism we are symbolizing a new birth. Let us read about this newness. [Read II Cor 5:17] “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” This new birth is a symbol of starting over in the life of the Spirit with a clean slate, as if all past mistakes have never been, and all guilt is instantly washed away. Why do you suppose Jesus, the greatest of us all, was baptized?

STUDENT: To set the example for us.

 

TEACHER: Do you remember what descended and rested upon Jesus when he was baptized?

STUDENT: The Spirit of God

 

TEACHER: There is an ordinance to assist us in receiving the spirit which is mentioned in Acts Chapter Eight verses fourteen through seventeen: “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. [For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.] Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” What did the apostles do to help the church members receive the Holy Ghost?

STUDENT: They laid their hands on them.

 

TEACHER: Again, this follows a correspondence. Right after we are born we come out of water and have the spirit of life enter us. After we are born spiritually through baptism what is to enter us?

STUDENT: The spirit of God.

 

 

Continual Revelation

 TEACHER: Many of the churches today teach that all that God has to say to man is contained in the Bible. Does it make any sense that God would speak to people in one age, but not another?

STUDENT: Not really

 

TEACHER: The Bible indicates that this is true. [Read Acts 10:34] “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respector of persons.” If this is true would God respect the people in one age and give them revelation, but close the windows of heaven to their requests in another?

STUDENT: I would not think so.

 

TEACHER: Many churches teach that there will be no more prophets after Jesus, but this is not in harmony with the Bible. Let us read here in Ephesians [Eph 2:19-20]: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.” What is the foundation of the church of Christ?

STUDENT: Apostles and prophets.

 

TEACHER: The Bible even names prophets that were in the church after Jesus left. [Read Acts 13:1] “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.” How many prophets were named in the one city of Antioch alone?

STUDENT: Four: Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen.

 

TEACHER: Now a prophet is one who has power to prophesy or reveal spiritual truths. An important ingredient in becoming a prophet is mentioned in the Book of Revelations: [Rev 19:10] “And I fell at his [the angel’s] feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy.” This scripture tells us that we will have the spirit of prophecy if what happens?

STUDENT: If we have a testimony of Jesus.

 

TEACHER: If you had the spirit of prophecy then you’d be a prophet, wouldn’t you?

STUDENT: I suppose so.

 

TEACHER: This spirit is supposed to rest upon many people in the time we are approaching. We can read about this in Joel [Read Joel 2:28-29] “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” It sounds like there will be many prophets doesn’t it?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Will the prophets be just men, or men and women?

STUDENT: The scripture mentions daughters and handmaids so it must be men and women.

 

TEACHER: Did you ever think that you may become a prophet yourself?

STUDENT: I never thought about it that way.

 

TEACHER: We must always remember that the gifts of the Spirit are for all men and women, not just a select few. One of the reasons many churches do not believe in revelation today is because of one of the last verses in the Bible. [Read Revelations 22:18]: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” Many people think that the book talked about here is the Bible and that whoever adds new revelation to it will be damned, but did the Bible even exist as a book at the time John was writing the Book of Revelations?

STUDENT: No.

 

TEACHER: The Bible was not compiled as we have it today until hundreds of years later; therefore, what book could John have been referring to?

STUDENT: The Book of Revelations.

 

TEACHER: John was merely telling readers not to alter his book. If you wrote an inspired book you wouldn’t want people to change it either, would you?

STUDENT: I guess not.

 

TEACHER: Furthermore, John himself added to the Bible after the Book of Revelations was written. Scholars say that he wrote the Gospel of John after the Book of Revelations and that is the real last book written for the Bible. Therefore, if the books of the Bible were placed in chronological order the Book of John would be last. Now let us read the true last verse of the Bible. [Read John 21:25] “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” Does this sound like that there could be more spiritual books than just the Bible?

STUDENT: It certainly does.

 

TEACHER: In fact the Bible clearly tells us that all things hidden shall be revealed. [Read Luke 12:2]: “For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.” Do you think it will take more than the Bible to reveal all hidden things to mankind?

STUDENT: Definitely.

 

TEACHER: In the past God has revealed his word through scriptures. You are probably aware that there are many other scriptures in the world. Almost every religion has some type of holy book. We read earlier that God is no respector of persons. Therefore do you think he may have given inspiration and revelation to other people besides the Jews?

STUDENT: It is possible.

 

TEACHER: Therefore, do you think that these other world scriptures may also have many worthwhile things in them just as the Bible does?

STUDENT: Probably.

 

TEACHER: A church teaching the truth does not recognize any book or an interpretation of any book as infallible because all truths have to be filtered through human consciousness. But we can get infallible truth from any scripture if we read it in connection with what?

STUDENT: The Spirit of God within us.

 

TEACHER: Therefore, we encourage people to read and teach from any of the world scriptures that teach truths that are verified by our Higher Selves. Does that sound fair enough?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: There are many other good books in the world too numerous to mention that teach many great and important principles. We encourage people to read and study several books which many believe are revelations given out either through Jesus Christ or his associates. They are as follows:

[1] Many of the world scriptures.

[2] The Secret Doctrine through Madame H. P. Blavatski. This was published in 1888 and revealed by a Master working under the Christ. It contains introductory teachings for the New Age.

[3] The writings of Alice A. Bailey. She published twenty-four books with revelations from the same Master. These contain the intermediate teachings for the New Age. The advanced teachings will be given out after 2025.

[4] A Course in Miracles. This is a three-volume set designed to lead us away from the illusion to the true reality.

[5] The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ. This is a revelation given out around the turn of the last century giving a history of the entire life of Jesus.

[6] Inspired writings that will be given out from time to time. This ought to give us plenty of study materials for a while, shouldn’t it?

STUDENT: You’d think so.

Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man. – RaBindranath Tagore

Nov 13, 2011

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Jesus Christ, And the Mystery Of His Name

Joseph Dewey

Jesus Christ, And the Mystery Of His Name

 TEACHER: It is important here that we clear up some of the darkness surrounding Jesus. The various sects today are purporting the idea that Jesus is the one and only Son of God. The Bible, on the other hand, shows Jesus as our wiser brother who came to show us an example and to teach us. A lot of the problem is caused through mistranslation. Let us read John 10:36: “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said I am the Son of God?” Notice Jesus is quoted as saying he is “the” Son of God but in the Greek that it is translated from there is no ‘the’ and it is correctly translated as “a Son of God” or “Son of God am I.” Why do you suppose the translators mistranslate it even though they know better?

STUDENT: Because it goes along with what they believe.

 

TEACHER: It is surprising that they did not repeat the error with the word Saviour because most sects call him “the Saviour.” Let us read Luke 2:11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” When someone is called “the” something it generally means he is the only one, but when he is called “a” something it means he is one of many. Since Jesus was called a Son of God and a Saviour would this mean that there are other Sons of God and other Saviours besides him?

STUDENT: I suppose so.

 

TEACHER: We will prove it. Read Obediah verse 21: “And Saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” How do we know there will be more than one saviour here?

STUDENT: Because Saviours is plural.

 

TEACHER: There are numerous instances in the scriptures where we are called brethren to Jesus. [See: Matt 25:40; Heb 2:11 & Rom 8:29] If Jesus is our brother would we also not be sons of God?

STUDENT: I would think so.

 

TEACHER: There are many scriptures that teach this. We’ll just read one [Read Romans 8:14-17]: “For as many as are lead by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” How many of us are sons of God according to verse 14?

STUDENT: As many as are lead by the Spirit.

 

TEACHER: It says we will be joint-heirs with Christ. What does this mean?

STUDENT: It would mean that we will inherit the same benefits that he will.

 

TEACHER: Another false teaching is that the man Jesus created the heaven and earth. This is because Jesus is identified with the word of God in John [Read John 1:1-3]: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” If Jesus was the Word it certainly sounds like he created everything, doesn’t it?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: There is an important word here that is mistranslated. In verse three which reads “All things were made by him” instead of “him” it should read “it.” Now read it over and tell me how that changes the meaning.

STUDENT: “It” would not refer to a person.

 

TEACHER: “It” here is the creative Spirit of God that not only flows through Jesus, but through all of us. Just as Jesus is not the only Word he is also not the only Christ. To understand what Christ is it would be helpful to read all of First Corinthians Chapter Twelve. We will just take time for verse 12 however: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” Here Christ is not referred to as a person but what?

STUDENT: A body.

 

TEACHER: Does it say that the body has one member, or many members?

STUDENT: Many members.

 

TEACHER: Now read verse 27. It tells who the members of the body were: “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” Who are the members that made up Christ?

STUDENT: The people Paul was writing to and probably us today also.

 

TEACHER: The man Jesus is not all of Christ there is but is merely the head [Colossians 1:18] of the body of Christ. Now another startling fact is that the Master from Galilee is only one of many that bears the name of Jesus Christ. The name actually signifies a calling and means “anointed to deliver, or save.” Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, but there are many who cooperate in that calling. The man Jesus is our head or leader, but the name is shared with infinite beings throughout the universe. Others who were called Christ or Messiah [which has the same meaning] are Saul [I Sam 24:10], David [Psalms 89:38], King Cyrus [Isaiah 45:1, Israel Psalms 105:14-15] and the High Priest [Leviticus 4:5]. The root of the word is used in connection with the early saints: [Read II Corinthians 1:21] “Now he which stablishesth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God.” The word “anointed” here comes from the same root as Christ does and could be translated as “Christed”. Now read it again translated this way.

STUDENT: Now he which stablishesth us with you in Christ, and hath Christed us, is God.

 

TEACHER: Were other people besides Jesus Christed then?

STUDENT: It appears so.

 

TEACHER: This name that we can share is a great mystery and a stumbling block to the religions throughout history. Let us read here where Paul is talking about Jesus Christ. [Read Ephesians 1:21]: {He is} “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come.” The name of Jesus Christ is higher than any name not only in this world, but where else?

STUDENT: Also the world to come.

 

TEACHER: Now read Philippians 2:9: “Wherefore God hath highly exalted him [Jesus], and given him a name which is above every name.” The name of Jesus Christ is higher than how many names?

STUDENT: “Every name.”

 

TEACHER: Jesus often talked about his Father’s name. Let us read an interesting scripture about it. Read the first two lines of verses 6 & 26 in John Chapter 17. “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me… And I have declared unto them [the disciples] thy name, and will declare it…” Here we are told that Jesus revealed to men the name of the Father. Do you remember any scripture where Jesus identified the name of the Father?

STUDENT: No.

 

TEACHER: The name of the Father was revealed many times. We have just missed it. We can read a hint in the last sentence of John 14:28: “My Father is greater than I.” Who was the greatest? Jesus or his Father?

STUDENT: The Father.

 

TEACHER: Therefore who should have the greatest name?

STUDENT: The Father

 

TEACHER: But who does the scriptures say has the highest name in this world or the world to come? [Refer back to Eph. 1:21 and Phil 2:9 [Scriptures 20&21] if necessary]

STUDENT: Jesus Christ

 

TEACHER: How could Jesus Christ have the highest name when the Father is greater?

STUDENT: I’m not sure.

 

TEACHER: We’ll read one more scripture to clarify this. Let us turn to John 10:25: Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed me not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. Whose name did Jesus do his works in?

STUDENT: The Father’s.

 

TEACHER: And what name was that?

STUDENT: The name of Jesus Christ.

 

TEACHER: This makes everything logical. If the name of Jesus Christ is the highest then and the Father is greater than the man Jesus, then the name of the Father would also have to be the highest name, wouldn’t it?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Obviously, the Father would not have a lower name than the Son. On the other hand, do not sons carry the same name as their fathers?

STUDENT: Yes they do?

 

TEACHER: This is verified in Ephesians 3:14-15: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” Earlier we read that God’s sons are those who have his Spirit. Would you agree that the Father’s family are the Sons and Daughters of God, or those who are in tune with His Spirit?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: This scripture says that God’s family in heaven and on earth is named after who?

STUDENT: The Father.

 

TEACHER: And what name does he have?

STUDENT: Jesus Christ.

 

TEACHER: Do you remember what this name means?

STUDENT: Anointed to deliver or save.

 

TEACHER: The reason it is the highest name is because there is no greater calling in the universe than to be anointed to deliver or save others from a lower estate or plane of consciousness and bring them up higher. Can you think of a greater work than helping someone else in their progression?

STUDENT: No.

 

TEACHER: As final evidence of this let us read the final words of Jesus to his disciples: [Read Matthew 28:19] “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Look at the word “name” here and tell me if it is singular or plural.

STUDENT: It is singular.

 

TEACHER: Now if the Father, Son and Holy Ghost had three names it would read “the names of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost,” but because it is singular, how many names would he be referring to?

STUDENT: One name.

 

TEACHER: Peter clearly tells us what name that was [Read Acts 2:38]: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” So what was the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost that they were commanded by Jesus to be baptized in?

STUDENT: The name of Jesus Christ.

 

TEACHER: The next thing we need to learn is how to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. An ordinance was instituted to help us accomplish this. Do you know what it was?

STUDENT: Was it baptism?

 

TEACHER: Let us read the effect of baptism: [Read Galatians 3:27]: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” What is supposed to happen through baptism?

STUDENT: We put on Christ.

 

TEACHER: Do you suppose that means that we take his name upon us as well as his nature?

STUDENT: It could.

 

TEACHER: Not only do we take his name upon us but we also are to bear his image. [Read Romans 8:29]: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son [Christ], that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Whose image are we supposed to bear?

STUDENT: The Christ or the Son of God.

 

TEACHER: How do we know from this scripture that Jesus will not be the only Christ, or the last one born?

STUDENT: Because it calls him the firstborn among many brethren. Therefore, there are going to be many more like him.

 

TEACHER: In addition we are supposed to have another part of Christ in us. Read here in Philippians: [Phil 2:5-6] “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” What is supposed to be in us?

STUDENT: The same mind that was in Jesus.

 

TEACHER: Now let us read about what we are supposed to be like when the Master appears: [Read I John 3:2] “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” What are we to be like when he appears?

STUDENT: Like him.

 

TEACHER: And why is that?

STUDENT: Because we shall see him as he is.

 

TEACHER: And what is he?

STUDENT: Our brother. He was the firstborn of many brethren?

If you make people think they’re thinking, they’ll love you. If you really make them think, they’ll hate you. – Don Marquis

Nov 13, 2011

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Was Jesus a Socialist?

Joseph Dewey

Was Jesus a Socialist?

Many on the Left use Jesus along with various scriptures to convince us that high taxes and the redistribution of wealth is all part of God’s will and therefore a benevolent thing to advocate.

They say that Jesus was a socialist because he advocated loving your neighbor and giving money to the poor.

The question some sincere seekers do as is whether Jesus was a socialist?

Actually, there are 41 definitions of the term “socialism” that covers most every aspect of community and sharing so yes, I’m sure one or more of those definitions could be applied to make the argument that Jesus was a socialist of some kind. The same arguments could be used to make the case that many mainstream Christians of today are socialists for sharing, but that totally misses the case that the socialist advocates are subtly trying to make.

And what is that?

First, I’ll tell you what it is not. They are not trying to convince us that we as individuals are supposed to help those in need by giving our time and money directly to them as Jesus advocated. They have no interest in that. Instead, they want us to believe that Jesus wants us to share by giving our money to the government through high taxes so Big Brother can then give to those in need. Since about 50% of the people in the United States get money from the government that is a whole lot of need happening out there.

When we hear the Left saying that Jesus was a socialist we need to understand that they are not saying he was some fringe definition of socialist that just donates his money to good causes, but they are making the case that he would support higher taxes, especially for the rich, so their wealth can be taken from them by force and given to those in need after millions of bureaucrats take their cut in the form of high wages and benefits.

So the question is not: Was Jesus a generous and sharing kind of dude, but was Jesus an advocate of giving to Caesar so Caesar could redistribute according to his will?

The answer should be obvious, but unfortunately it must not be, because a lot of people, believers and non-believers, think that Jesus was a socialist who would smile at the current government give-aways and encourage more of them.

There is a huge difference between the redistribution of wealth advocated by Jesus and that of big government people today. The difference is that Jesus taught the people what to do and let them make up their own minds. If a person didn’t want to give to the poor he didn’t have to. Jesus didn’t even follow him around to pester him to share his wealth.

On the other hand, when Caesar, or the government, decides that you need to share your wealth it will follow you around with IRS agents and force you to share whether you want to or not.

The question is – do the teachings from the scriptures apply to forced sharing through taxes as advocated through modern socialists?

Let us look at a couple of the scriptural arguments used to justify the government confiscating wealth and then sharing it.

One of the most popular is the story of the rich young man who came to Jesus and asked him what he needed to do to obtain eternal life. Jesus responded by telling him to keep the Ten Commandments.

To this the man responded:

“‘All these I have kept, … What do I still lack?’

“Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.’” Matt 19:16-23 New International Version

“So there you have it,” says the aspiring socialist. “The rich are supposed to give away all their money to the poor so we are just following the teachings of Jesus in advocating sharing or redistribution of wealth.”

I find it amazing that this comparison can be made with a straight face because there is a big difference between what Jesus advocated compared to the socialists and communists of today.

Jesus advocated sharing through free will. Socialists of today advocate sharing by taxes that we are forced to pay – two very different approaches.

Let us suppose that after the rich man talked to Jesus he went home to discover that a thief had broken into his house and stole all his wealth. The thief then shared that wealth with his family and friends who were in need. Do you suppose the rich man then obtained a spot in the kingdom of heaven because his wealth was shared by force with the poor?

Such an idea obviously makes no sense, yet this is what the Left wants us to believe when they quote this scripture. They seem to think they are helping the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven through taking their wealth by force.

If the taking of wealth by force helps people enter heaven then the churches ought to hire burglars to rob from their rich members. They’d kill two birds with one stone. They will fill their coffers with cash while assisting those resisting rich on the path to heaven.

Notice that the advice of Jesus to the rich man had nothing to do with force. Did he tell the man to go to Caesar, or the government, and donate his money so the welfare programs of Rome could be enhanced? (And they did have welfare programs).

No. He did not hint that he should give his wealth to government through either force or free will. Jesus did not even ask him to give to himself or his group. He simply told him to give directly to the poor through his own free will.

Then, when the man refused, Jesus let him be. He did not lift a finger to force the man to comply.

This is a difficult scripture for Christians as it is a hard thing for all of us to part with our money. And it is quite possible that Jesus never intended for all the rich to part with their money. Perhaps this particular individual was corrupted by wealth more than most and parting with it would help his mind focus on spiritual things.

Joseph of Arimathea was a rich friend of Jesus who donated his burial tomb. He never gave away all his wealth but is considered a saint. Perhaps Joseph’s wealth did not corrupt his soul and he used it toward a good end – making it unnecessary to give it all away at once.

Here is the effect Jesus said we must have upon the disadvantaged if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven:

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matt 25:35-36 NIV

Again, the socialists say, “See. Jesus wants us to share the wealth if we are to get into heaven.”

But again, there is no mention of Caesar or force involved. Those who attain the prize are those who are benevolent through their own free will.

There are numerous scriptures admonishing the rich to share, but not one that indicates forced sharing benefits the soul.

It is interesting to note that the authorities were concerned that Jesus was delinquent in taxes or perhaps avoiding them altogether. It is written:

“…the collectors of the twodrachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax’?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. (He apparently lied here to protect his master)

“When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. ‘What do you think, Simon?’ he asked. ‘From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes— from their own sons or from others?’

“‘From others,’ Peter answered.

“‘Then the sons are exempt,’ Jesus said to him. ‘But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.’” Matt 25:24- 27 NIV

Here we learn that Jesus didn’t pay this tax because he didn’t think it applied to him but when accosted – to keep himself and Peter out of trouble – he went ahead and made the payment.

Word must have gotten out that Jesus was dragging his feet in paying taxes for the Pharisees approached him about his view on them in the hope of getting him in trouble with the authorities.

“Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

“But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, ‘You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.’

“They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, ‘Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?’

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

“Then he said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’” Matt 22:17-21 NIV

He avoided saying no, which would have led to an early arrest. Instead, he told them it appeared the coin belonged to Caesar since it bore his image. If it belongs to Caesar then let Caesar have it but give to God that which belongs to God.

This confused them enough to leave Jesus alone for a while but word must have gotten out that he wanted the rich to give directly to the poor instead of sharing the wealth through taxes. We find this accusation made at his trial:

“And they began to accuse him, saying, ‘We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar.’” Luke 23:2 NIV

It should be crystal clear to any honest thinker that Jesus would not be in harmony with today’s tax and share the wealth socialists. If something belongs to an individual it was up to him whether he shared with others or not.

Paul also taught the benefits of sharing but he was against being a freeloader for he said this:

“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” II Thess 3:10-13

Because of inefficiencies of bureaucracy today it costs us at least two tax dollars to give away one to people in need. The philosophy of Jesus not only operated on free will but was much more efficient. He told the rich to just give their money directly to the poor. Under the plan of Jesus three dollars out of three went to the poor compared to maybe one out of three today by Big Brother. Which makes the more sense?

Most Christians today follow the example of Jesus and pay their taxes to keep out of trouble, but as far as helping the disadvantaged goes, in most cases, they would rather have the extra money and help of their own free will rather than being forced to share. A thief with a gun can force you to share but that doesn’t even get your big toe into the Kingdom of Heaven.

“I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.” –Benjamin Franklin, “Management of the Poor” (1766)

April 10, 2026

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Precept Upon Precept

Joseph Dewey

Precept Upon Precept

TEACHER: Today’s lesson reviews some fundamentals of The New Age. First, we are going to show you from the scriptures why the churches are lacking in knowledge and stimulation. Next, we are going to talk about Jesus Christ and the mystery of his name. Then we will go into the real purpose of baptism and the Holy Spirit. Finally, we will show that the Bible itself teaches that it does not contain a fullness of His word and prophets, and revelation exists today as much or more than it did in ancient times. We think you will find this and other lessons we have quite stimulating and interesting.

 

TEACHER: There are certainly a large number of churches in the world today. There are thousands of Christian as well hundreds of non-Christian faiths. Why do you think there are so many?

STUDENT: I guess people have different ideas and interpretations.

 

TEACHER: Do you think they could all be right?

STUDENT: Not really.

 

TEACHER: There are many opposing doctrines taught in the churches where both sides cannot be correct. For instance, some teach that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, a perfect man. Others teach that he was a fraud and imposter. Both teachings could not be correct now, could they?

STUDENT: I guess not.

 

TEACHER: On the other hand, none of the churches are entirely wrong either. They all teach us to submit to God and love our brother and sister, don’t they?

STUDENT: Pretty much.

 

 TEACHER: A person with pure intent will get some good out of any church. The problem is that they all have some good things about them, but they do not take the people far enough. The Bible talks about these problems connected with our day. Let us read here in Isaiah: [Read Isaiah 29:9-10] “Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.” It tells us here that the people of our day will not be drunk with regular wine, but with what?

STUDENT: A deep sleep.

 

TEACHER: Yes. The scripture tells us that this condition of sleep has caused the prophets and rulers to be “covered” and the people’s eyes will be closed. Have you noticed that many of the religious people of today seem to have their eyes closed to new knowledge and new and better ways of doing things?

STUDENT: It seems so.

 

TEACHER: Let us read more about this subject. Here in Chapter 28 the prophet is talking to people of our day that he calls the “drunkards of Ephraim.” [Read Isaiah 28:7] “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgement.” We have seen from the last quote that drunkenness is not always caused by a literal wine. The wine the ministers of today are drunk with is the scriptures. That may seem funny that the religious leaders and followers are drunk on the scriptures but when you think of all the things that people do in the name of God, it makes sense. Have you heard of people going to war because of some literal interpretation of the Bible or some other religious book?

STUDENT: Yes I have.

 

TEACHER: And have you heard of people abusing children because of something written in the scriptures?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Have you heard of people quoting the Bible to prove the earth is flat?

STUDENT: Indeed.

 

TEACHER: There are many other strange things people do who are drunk with scripture. They handle poisonous snakes and many men are tyrants over their wives in God’s name. Others believe babies are in a state of sin. Some hate other races because of the Bible. Some will die rather than take a blood transfusion. Many believe their priest or prophet cannot make a mistake when talking about religion because they have a special place with God. Others sell everything they have and go to a mountain top to await the return of Jesus believing he will destroy everyone but themselves. Others will not let their children go to school because they think it is controlled by Satan. Others think the Bible contains all the truth in the world. One of the most common signs of drunkenness is that most religious people think that God is going to send everyone to hell that does not have the same belief system as they do, even if they are good and loving people. Now when you think about it, doesn’t it seem like people would have to be drunk to believe and do these things?

STUDENT: It would seem so.

 

TEACHER: Would you say that Isaiah is right when he says they err in vision, they stumble in judgement.

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Now read verse eight. “For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.” Do you think that some religious leaders, like the child abusers we read of, helped to fulfill this prophecy?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: There are many other things besides infidelity that cause uncleanliness. The only real sin condemned by Jesus was hypocrisy. Do you think that this is a problem with the teachers today?

STUDENT: Definitely.

 

TEACHER: One of the biggest problems in this area is that many people teach love, but do not demonstrate it. Have you noticed this before?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Now read verse nine: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” The apostle Peter tells us that milk is the scriptures. [See I Peter 2:2] and breasts are linked with organizations that claim to be God’s people [see Isa 66:11]. Isn’t it interesting that God says that people will have to look beyond the scriptures and churches to find knowledge and understanding?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Next read verse 10: “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” What does the scripture say “must” be added?

STUDENT: Precepts must be added.

 

TEACHER: Wouldn’t it be difficult to continue to add precepts, knowledge and understanding if we used nothing else but the Bible?

STUDENT: I suppose so.

 

TEACHER: All of our schools and universities add much knowledge that is not in the Bible. On the other hand, there is much spiritual knowledge that the Bible does not clearly explain. For instance, it does not plainly tell us what happens after we die or how the universe was created. Have you ever had questions that have not been answered from the Bible?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Verse eleven tells us why he repeated himself in verse ten: “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.” We are taught in English today which is a different language than Isaiah used but the word “stammering” is particularly interesting. It comes from the Hebrew LAEG [Law-ayg] which indicates a silly or imperfect repetition of a foreign speech or a foreign person. Therefore he is prophesying that the people of today will be taught out of the Bible [which was written by a foreign people in another tongue] with silly repetition. Does this prophecy seem to be fulfilled?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Now read verse 12: “To whom he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.” God has always promised his people a rest and refreshing. He did through Moses [Exodus 33:14] and also through Jesus. You may remember the words of Jesus when he said: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [Matt 11:28-30] Would you say that the ministers of the world have made the burden of the people easier or heavier?

STUDENT: It would seem to be heavier.

 

TEACHER: The burdens they have heaped upon the people have been great. They expect them to give large sums of money and the people get nothing in return but a large stone building and a sermon once a week. Followers give ministers their dedication, but they receive no new precepts, they give of their spirit yet they get no healing. Lastly, they give them custody of their souls yet they have much more guilt and a heavier yoke than the so-called heathen. All the teaching of the scriptures is directed toward lifting our burdens and entering into the rest of God, but how does it say that people will react toward the invitation of rest?

STUDENT: That they would not hear it.

 

TEACHER: It is amazing that people almost seem to want to have guilt, worries and heavy burdens. Now read Isaiah 28 verse thirteen: “But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept: line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.” Here he repeats or stammers on the words, “precepts” and “lines” again. Why do you suppose he does that?

STUDENT: To emphasize that the people will be taught with great repetition.

 

TEACHER: The little light they are given with great repetition will cause the people to do what?

STUDENT: To fall backward, and be broken, and snared and taken.

 

TEACHER: How do the scriptures, even if they are true, make the people fall backward?

STUDENT: The teachers and the people are asleep and do not understand them.

 

TEACHER: The word “taken” comes from the Hebrew Lâkad [Law-kad] which means “caught in a trap.” The great repetition and misunderstanding of simple scriptures will actually lead the people backward, instead of forward, into a trap that God has set for the Bible teachers of today. Isaiah tells us in this same chapter that a “report” [verse 19] or message of light will be given and certain calamities will follow it to get the people’s attention. But the trap will be seen when regular church teachings are compared to this message. Is a light more visible in daylight or darkness?

STUDENT: In darkness

 

TEACHER: The people will see the trap set for the Bible teachers when their darkness is compared with the light of the New Age. The Bible tells us that people will not only stumble with the scriptures, but with Christ himself. Peter here talks about this. [Read I Peter 2:8] “And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” Here Peter tells us that those who stumble at the word, or the scriptures, and do not fulfill their appointments will have Jesus as “a stone of stumbling.” We talked about how teachers are often blind to the scriptures. Do you think that many of them are also blind to the Living Christ and who he really is?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: In the days of the early Christians Paul wrote concerning those who thought they had a corner on the scriptures in that day; [Read Romans 11:8-10]  “[According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear;] unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap. and a stumblingblock, and a recompense to them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.” Do you think that history is repeating itself and that this scripture applies to the religions today?

STUDENT: Yes.

Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark, or the man afraid of the light? – Maurice Freehill

Nov 13, 2011

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The Gathering of Lights

Joseph Dewey

The Gathering of Lights

TEACHER: Today we are going to discuss a principle that is talked about repeatedly in the scriptures, yet I doubt that you have ever heard a sermon preached upon it. The Bible calls it “The Gathering.” Can you remember who it was that the prophets said would be gathered?

STUDENT: I’m not sure.

 

TEACHER: Let us read a scripture to clarify this. Please read here in Matthew: [Open to Matthew 24:31]: “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Now according to this scripture who will be gathered?

STUDENT: The Elect.

 

TEACHER: Elect comes from the Greek EKLEKTOS which can be translated as either “elect, chosen or selected”. The elect are generally thought of as being the chosen of God, but does it not make sense that they are also people who have chosen God?

STUDENT: It seems to.

 

TEACHER: Therefore, does it sound right to say that the elect are those who have chosen God and in return are chosen back as a recognition that they are on the correct path?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Who does it say here will gather the elect?

STUDENT: Angels

 

TEACHER: Most people think of angels as spiritual beings, but the word angel is a mistranslation. It comes from the Greek AGGELOS which literally means “messenger”. Did you know that regular mortal men were called angels [or AGGELOS] in the Bible?

STUDENT: No. [Note: Angels were ordinary mortals in Rev 2:1 and Matthew 11:10. The word “messenger” here comes from AGGELOS]

 

TEACHER: Therefore, it seems quite possible that regular mortal men and women will gather the “elect” doesn’t it?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: In the Old Testament this event is called “The Gathering of Israel.” Let us read a prophesy of this in Jeremiah 16:14-16: “Therefore, behold the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.” Here God says that He will gather Israel from all the lands that they were driven to, and that it will be such an event that it will eclipse the deliverance of Israel through Moses. How does it say here that God will gather his people again?

STUDENT: It says that He will send fishers and hunters, who will find the scattered people of Israel.

 

TEACHER: Even though spiritual beings may assist us in the gathering, much of the responsibility lies with men and women here on the earth. Do you think that these fishers and hunters could be regular mortal people?

STUDENT: It seems possible.

 

TEACHER: Most of us have heard the name Israel, but few are aware of its origin and meaning. The Bible tells us about a man named Jacob who wrestled all night with a supernatural being in the form of a man. Jacob bested the being and told him he would not let him go unless he gave him a blessing. We can read this blessing in Gen 32:28. “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” What was Jacob’s new name?

STUDENT: Israel.

 

TEACHER: We are told here that Jacob prevailed and had power with who?

STUDENT: God and men.

 

TEACHER: Doesn’t it seem unusual that a mortal man would not only have power with God, but also prevail with or over God?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Verse 30 tells us who the person was that Jacob prevailed against: [Read Gen 32:30] “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Who does Jacob tells us he prevailed over in the wrestling match from whom he received a blessing?

STUDENT: God

 

TEACHER: This background helps us to understand the name Israel for it comes from the Hebrew YISRAEL. The first part of the word is derived from the prime root SARAH which literally means “to prevail” or “have power.” The second half of the word is EL which is often translated as “God.” Therefore, the name literally means “to prevail or have power as God or a god.” From what we have read why was Jacob given the name Israel?

STUDENT: He prevailed over God so he was called a name that meant “to prevail as a god.”

 

TEACHER: Now the Bible tells us that Jacob had twelve sons who had a great posterity that were eventually scattered among all nations. Descendants of Jacob are called the children of Israel, or Israelites. The Jews, which are only one of the tribes, call themselves Israelis. Did you know that the Bible indicates that many descendants of Israel will be in the United States?

STUDENT: No.

 

TEACHER: Do you think that all the millions of people who are literally descended from Israel are good and spiritual people?

STUDENT: Probably not

 

TEACHER: This is correct. Even those who put Jesus to death were descended from Israel. Now, on the other hand, do you think that there are some righteous and good people on the earth who are not literally descended from Israel?

STUDENT: I would think so.

 

TEACHER: Therefore, does it sound logical to conclude that the gathering of Israel, or the elect, refers to a quality of people rather than a race?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: The Bible verifies this. [Read Romans 8:14-15] “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” How many here can be the sons of God?

STUDENT: As many as follow the Spirit.

 

TEACHER: If a person is not of the race of Israel, but follows the Spirit of God what happens to him?

STUDENT: He is adopted by God.

 

TEACHER: If you follow the spirit of God you are adopted into the house of Israel. Therefore, a true Israelite is not necessarily one belonging to a particular race, but one who has what inside of him?

STUDENT: The Spirit of God.

 

TEACHER: Therefore, if you have, or recognize, God in you, you will then prevail or have power as God. Does it sound right to say that an Israelite is one who realizes that God is in him?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Do you think we could then say that the gathering of Israel is, in reality, the gathering of those who feel God in them, no matter what race they may be?

STUDENT: I would think so.

 

TEACHER: The names Jacob and Israel are symbolic of the two types of people on the earth today. Jacob means “supplanter” and symbolizes the person who is ruled by the lower self. In other words, the lower or carnal self supplants or replaces the rule of the Spirit of God in man. On the other hand, when Jacob’s name was changed to Israel it symbolized that the Spirit was no longer overruled by the carnal. What would then be the true ruler within an Israelite today?

STUDENT: The Spirit.

 

TEACHER: We like to refer to the gathering of these Israelites as “The Gathering of Lights.” Such a gathering is described in Revelations 14:1:  “And I looked, and lo, a lamb stood on mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.” Where did these Israelites have the name of God?

STUDENT: In their foreheads.

 

TEACHER: Is it not logical that if you have God within you, and prevail and have the power of God as an Israelite, that you would have the name of God within you?

STUDENT: I suppose so.

 

TEACHER: A son of God is named after his father and grows to be like his father, doesn’t he?

STUDENT: Yes

 

TEACHER: This helps us to understand an unusual scripture where the Jews were upset because they thought Jesus was claiming to be God.. [Read John 10:33-36] “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the [Correct translation: “a”] Son of God?” Who did Jesus say were gods here?

STUDENT: Those who received the word of God.

 

TEACHER: This gives us further evidence that the gathering of Lights will be the gathering of those who are manifesting the God within. How does this doctrine feel to you?

STUDENT: It feels good.

 

TEACHER: Now we will attempt to show you the value of the principle of the gathering by looking into the history of humanity. As you may guess the first gathering of humans in primitive times was the gathering together into families. Eventually a number of families gathered together for their mutual protection. What do we call these first human gatherings?

STUDENT: Tribes.

 

TEACHER: The first governments on the earth were tribal, but humans eventually found even the tribe was limited in its protection and numerous tribes gathered together to form a greater unit that is still with us today. What is this?

STUDENT: A nation or kingdom.

 

TEACHER: We will call these early nations kingdoms because they were always presided over by a king or strong ruler with life-or-death power over his subjects. The kingdom was more advanced in civilization than the tribe and within the kingdom there was a much greater measure of safety and security. Even though strong authorities ruled the people and there were some disadvantages, which do you think most people would prefer: tribal or kingdom living?

STUDENT: Most would rather live in a kingdom.

 

TEACHER: The next gathering was rather unique. It began after America was discovered. The call then went forth among the kingdoms of the earth that there was an opportunity for greater freedom and abundance in this new land. Those who did not like the strong authority of the kingdom governments left in search of freedom. What was the basic difference between the people who came to America and those who stayed home?

STUDENT: Those who came to America were more independent and freedom-loving.

 

TEACHER: Yes. The gathering at that time drew many of the most enlightened people of that era: men like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and many more. When these people were gathered together they were not satisfied with the old kingdom government. So they created one where the people participated in government. What effect did this third gathering have on the standard of living for its people?

STUDENT: It was greatly improved.

 

TEACHER: The symbolism of these three governments is interesting. The gathering into tribes represented the rule of the physical or instinct. The kingdoms represented emotional rule and the gathering in America produced rule of the mind or common sense. We can see that gatherings have taken us from the physical to the emotional to the mental. Where do you suppose the next gathering will take us?

STUDENT: To the spiritual.

 

TEACHER: This is why we call this next gathering, The Gathering of Lights. It will center man’s group consciousness on the Spirit for the first time in history. Do you think that this will improve our quality of life?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Jesus verified that his work was to bring abundance. Let us read here in John 10:10:  “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Does it make sense then that a spiritual gathering would produce more abundance?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: Few Bible students realized that Jesus tried to gather the lights in his day. Let us read what he said in Luke 11:23: “He that is not with me is against me: he that gathereth not with me scattereth.” If you had lived in the days of Jesus how could you tell if a person truly supported Jesus?

STUDENT: He gathered with him.

 

TEACHER: You will remember that Jesus always had his followers gathered around him. They were the twelve apostles and other unnamed men and women. Why do you suppose he wanted his followers close to him?

STUDENT: So he could teach them and they could grow together.

 

TEACHER: Unfortunately, he was only able to gather a few. Near the end of his life he overlooked Jerusalem and said these sorrowful words: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” [Matt 23:37-38] Why was Jesus upset here?

STUDENT: Because the people would not gather with him.

 

TEACHER: The Bible tells us how many people were gathered after his resurrection. We can read this in Acts 1:15: “And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, [the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty.]” How many people did Jesus gather through his life’s work?

STUDENT: Only 120.

 

TEACHER: That was not very many, but we must remember that this was a spiritual gathering of some of the greatest lights on the planet. Would you agree that this little gathering had a powerful effect?

STUDENT: Yes.

 

TEACHER: People do not realize the powerful effect of even a few souls working together. For instance, did you realize that only about 80 people were responsible for the entire Renaissance and only several dozen key people inspired the American Revolution?

 

STUDENT: Not really.

 

TEACHER: True spiritual gatherings in the past have concerned only a small handful of people. That was because the time was not yet ripe. Now let us reread the scripture in Matthew 24:31 where the gathering of the New Age takes place: “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” This time, instead of a few people gathered around Jerusalem where will the lights be drawn from?

STUDENT: All over the world.

 

TEACHER: Where there is a gathering of Israelites, or the people of light, that place has been called Zion in the scriptures. Let us read an interesting prophecy about Zion: [Turn to Psalms 102:16] “When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” According to this scripture what must the Lord build before he comes again?

STUDENT: Zion.

 

TEACHER: The scriptures give a message to ministers of our time who claim to be shepherds of Israel: [Read Ezekiel 34:6] “My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.” What was God’s complaint here?

STUDENT: No one searched after scattered Israel.

 

TEACHER: Now let’s read on: “Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock.” What do you suppose it means when it says the flock became a prey to every beast of the field?

STUDENT: They were deceived by false teachers.

 

TEACHER: Who do you suppose the shepherds are here?

STUDENT: The ministers in the churches today.

 

TEACHER: We are told that the ministers are not searching for the true Israelites. Instead they became a prey, or hunted. This has certainly been true for the greatest lights in history have always been persecuted or ostracized. Now it says something else here that is really true – that the ministers feed themselves and not the flock. What do you suppose that means?

STUDENT: It means that they take care of their own needs, but not that of the flock.

 

TEACHER: Would you say that many ministers today set a bad example, taking riches for themselves while many of the donors were on social security.

STUDENT: That sounds fitting.

 

TEACHER: Now let’s read a little farther: [Read verses 9-10]  “Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; This saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.” What is God going to take away from the greedy ministers?

STUDENT: His flock, or Israelites.

 

TEACHER: Now read verses 11-13: “For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all inhabited places of the country.” Here we are told that God will search out his people. Those who are supposed to gather will receive a witness through his Spirit. When God brings Israel out from the people what will He do?

 

STUDENT: Gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land.

 

TEACHER: Let us continue reading: [Read verse 14]  “I will feed them in good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.” The pasture refers to spiritual food and it tells us this pasture will be good. Mountains in the scriptures refers to higher consciousness and Israel stands for the power of God. Therefore, what does it mean when it says they will “feed upon the mountains of Israel?”

STUDENT: They will attain higher consciousness through the power of God.

 

TEACHER: What do you suppose it means when it says they shall lie in a “good fold?”

STUDENT: It would mean that they will enjoy the good company of other enlightened people.

 

TEACHER: Now read verse 15: “I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord.” The Lord will feed Israelites with his own Spirit, but what does it mean that they will lie down?

STUDENT: It means that the Israelites are content and able to rest because of the spiritual food. It also means that they have ended the long search for their true shepherd.

 

TEACHER: Finally read verse 16: “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and strong; I will feed them with judgement.” In the past an enlightened person has felt lost like he is a stranger in a strange land. He was different so he was driven away. His enemies felt threatened so they tried to break him. He became weary in his search and mission so he became sick. What does the Lord say he will do about these problems?

STUDENT: He will heal them.

 

TEACHER: Yes, and he will feed those who oppressed them with a just judgement. The 18th chapter of the Book of Revelation also describes this event. We do not have time to go into the whole chapter, but it says this gathering of Lights will save them from great destructions which may come. Read verses 4-5: “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Here they are told to come out of Babylon [see verse 2]. Babylon stands for illusion. Why are we told to come out of her?

STUDENT: So we do not partake of her sins and plagues.

 

TEACHER: Sin refers to error and the plagues refer to the destructions which may come. Would this mean that the gathered Israelites will be safe from the foretold destructions?

STUDENT: It seems so.

 

TEACHER: Now let us read another interesting scripture about the gathering: [Turn to Jeremiah 3:14-15] “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” Here we are told that the Lord will bring Israel out of the cities and families to the gathered condition of Zion. What will the new pastors give them?

STUDENT: Knowledge and understanding.

 

TEACHER: Eventually the people of Light will build cities. We can read about this: [turn to Isaiah 60:14]  “The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, the CITY OF THE LORD, THE ZION OF THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.” What does the scripture call Zion here?

STUDENT: The city of the Lord.

 

TEACHER: Isaiah gives us additional information about Zion. [Read Isa 4:2-3] “In that day shall the branch of the Lord be glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even everyone that is written among the living in Jerusalem.” Jerusalem and Zion are often used synonymously for Jerusalem means “to show the way to peace.” Who do you think the “escaped of Israel will be?

STUDENT: The gathered Israelites who escaped the error and the plagues of the world.

 

TEACHER: Now read verses 5-6: “The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense, and a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” It looks as if there may be a supernatural fire and protection for the gathered people. It says here that Zion will be a place of refuge from what?

STUDENT: Heat, the storm and rain.

 

TEACHER: We have a lesson that deals with these problems when we talk about the various plagues. Now perhaps we can understand this scripture: [Read Obediah Verse 21] “And saviours shall come upon mount Zion to judge [correct] the mount of Esau [the world]; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” Why are people in Zion called saviours?

STUDENT: They shall deliver people physically and spiritually.

 

TEACHER: Isaiah gives another interesting prophecy about Zion. [Read Isa 60:22] “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in its time.” Zion will start out just a little city, but will grow to be how many?

STUDENT: A thousand

 

TEACHER: Just as the gathering in America started small and produced a thousand cities because there was more opportunity so will Zion grow because of the freedom, peace and abundance that shall be there. Now we will read one final prophecy about Zion in Micah 4:1-3: “But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into prunninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more.” There may be literal mountains involved, but the most important meaning here is that Zion will put forth a standard of higher consciousness that will draw many people. In verse three we are told they will even have power to rebuke strong nations afar off. If a nation desires to start a war Zion will have power to rebuke them. Now read again the rest of the verse:

STUDENT: “And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into prunninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more.”

 

TEACHER: Wouldn’t it be great to have a part in fulfilling this prophecy?

STUDENT: Yes, it really would.

 

TEACHER: Then will the song of the angels after the birth of Christ be fulfilled: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” [Luke 2:14]

If you chase two rabbits, both will escape. – Author Unknown

Nov 12, 2011

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