"theology.html"

This OOLSB article is not an apology setting out proofs that there is a one true God. This article is a clarification of the reality called God.

Since people act out of their notion of reality and have different notions of what constitutes reality it is important from the onset to identify how people establish their notion of reality and why there are differing notions of reality.

Firstly, a definition of reality is required. Reality is a sense of what is real. What is real is defined in terms of the categories of possible and impossible, probable and improbable. These categories constitute a mapping in our mind where all instances of living are grouped according to these categories. These categories then serve as the basis for thinking and decision making.. A very simple example should suffice. If I climb up in a tree and try to fly gently down to the ground I get hurt. From this instance in life I discover through the injury or experience that it is not possible for me to fly. If I try to fly like a bird it is highly probable that I will get hurt. This simple example illustrates that our notion of reality is learned and if our successes and failures are similar so also is our notion of reality. But if we encounter different consequences to our actions then our notion of reality diverges. The more common our experiences the more alike is our notion of reality. Our experiences constitute literally millions of different instances of life which differ based on culture and the society in which we are born and raised.

Let us begin with a statement that fundamentally defines man and then let us examine the veracity of the statement.

Man is essentially spirit or mind "clothed" in a form called a human being. This is very different from saying that man is a physical human being, which has a mind.

The second notion assumes that the physical universe is absolute and separate from God if there is even a God. The first notion assumes the physical universe is not absolute but that spirit (which is not matter but gives rise to matter) is absolute. The first notion is based on the bible teaching that God is Spirit and so also is man. Paul taught that in God we live, move, and have our very being. He said this to a bunch of Greek philosophers. (this is a fragment from a discourse so check out the discourse). Another interpretation says that all things cohere and have their being in God who is Spirit. How is that possible?

It's all a matter of perspective. Life itself does not change based on the perspective. A door is still a door and a house is still a house and so on. What is different about the two perspectives is that one limits possibilities to material cause and effect whereas the other holds the promise of possibilities that transcend the normal. The second notion is based on the philosophy of materialism, the belief that the only reality is matter and physical (has mass, size, shape, dimensions, etc.) in character. The bible teaches that creation of which man is a part is formed in and by God who is Spirit or Mind. The clear implication is that the non-physical (spirit) gives rise to the physical or what we perceive as physical. It is also clear that God who is Spirit/Mind is the intelligent source and force that gives rise to the physical creation.

The second notion says the mind of man is simply the organ called the brain. The first notion says mind or spirit is fundamental to existence in whatever form existence takes. The two definitions of mind are radically different as obvious by the usage. Then there are those who are somewhere in between the two notions and get caught in contradictions. So we are looking at two fundamentally different notions of reality.

The first notion can be clarified using the "dream analogy". God is the dreamer and creation is the dream. Man is part of creation (dream) and so appears in creation (the dream). The creation (dream) is non existent without God (the dreamer). The creation (dream) occurs or is created in the mind of God (dreamer) but is not the dreamer.

To carry the analogy further; if we are a person in the creation (dream) we may in the creation (dream) see ourselves only in terms of the creation (dream). To clarify: The terms of the dream are the rules of the dream as applied by the dreamer. To illustrate "terms of the dream" let us look at a somewhat comical human dream. In this comical human dream everyone has wings therefore wings are one of the terms of the dream. If everyone in the dream has roller skates then roller skates are also one of the terms in the dream. There are people in the dream so people are also one of the terms of the dream. Lets say there is no ground to skate on in the dream so everyone moves about by skating on water. Again the manner of movement and the base of movement as water are also terms of this human dream. As another example of a human dream many people see themselves flying in their dreams and suddenly appearing in different places. Their dreams are couched in those terms.

Life is like the dream. Let us return to the analogy. Since the terms of creation (the dream) are physical we perceive ourselves in those terms - as matter. But we should perceive ourselves as participants of creation (the dream). The creation (dream) that God (the dreamer) has formed gives us the impression that the creation (dream) is absolute whereas only the dreamer is absolute and we are literally nothing without the dreamer. Sin is essentially separation from God (the dreamer) by being caught up in the terms of creation (the dream) and not recognizing the true reality of God (the dreamer) through out creation (the dream). This dream analogy, where the dream represents the creation and the dreamer represents God, helps us to understand what Paul was saying regarding how all life coheres and exists in God.

God is not dreaming and life is not a dream but Divine Spirit or Divine Mind is the source and force that propels creation of which we are apart. This creation exists in Divine Mind or Spirit but is not Divine Mind. The analogy helps to clarify that difference. Also the definition of mind is loosely equated to that of spirit. Divine Mind is the primary intelligence that gives rise to what we perceive as the physical universe. This will get explained further down and there are other articles in the OOLSB that deal with the "dream analogy". But one thing should be clear. It should be evident that if Divine Mind controls and gives rise to what we perceive as the physical universe then Divine Mind can easily change the terms that define what is possible and probable regarding what we perceive as the physical universe. Thus the bible teaching that all things are possible with God.

But we should also bear in mind that God formed creation with stability in place where the so-called physical terms of reality are initially dominant in our minds. But both Jesus and Peter walked on water and did miraculous things which proves that we can transcend this perceived stability by altering how we think. Many people have cured their cancer by altering how they think. This is a powerful statement regarding the ability of the human mind to transcend the terms of our perceived physical environment.

The primary characteristic of mind is perception. Perception is a complex term embodying imagination and rational thought. Rational thought is more than just logic and the use of language to identify objects of the perceptive process. All life forms are like man but not as sophisticated. Animals and other creatures exhibit intelligent thought processes and conceptualizing that enable them to make decisions at their level of existence just as does man. Without, getting into a great deal of detail regarding the thought processes operating in mind (whether it be the mind of man, animals, birds, fish, or slugs) it is important to identify thought as a fundamental reaction of mind - part of the perception process. As such mind consists of layers of mapping or sophisticated associations generated within mind in response to the environment of each creature. All things are a form of "clothing" for a specific expression of mind.

Within mind and thus within all forms of creation there develops a will, and an intellect consisting of memory, various forms of reasoning, imagination, conceptualizing, and life modeling. As life forms get increasingly lower in such sophistication there is less life modeling, conceptualizing, imagination, reasoning, memory, and a notion of direction (called will) with respect to these characteristics. The will and something more primitive and less perceptive called instinct are geared to the fundamentals of survival reactions. But all creatures have will and instinct. The human will is more rational and imaginative in its formation. There are inanimate forms of creation like rocks, dirt, metals, air, water and so on. These are the most primitive expressions of mind as we use the word mind. In the molecular and atomic composition of these apparent inanimate objects there is an intelligent force expressing design, which from a human perspective implies purpose and plan.

There is one "mind" in which all other expressions of mind from the most primitive to the most sophisticated cohere and have their being. That mind is called God who is the beginning and end of all creation. This means that God encompasses all, not an attribute of God but God Himself - Divine Mind. The human word "Spirit" is used to identify the will, purpose, plan, and essence of this one great mind in which all others exist. Man is said to be a "spirit" (a will or sophisticated intelligence and force) given individual expression from "the Divine Spirit" (Divine Will or sophisticated intelligence and force). All expressions of mind that occur in the creation, occur within the One True Great Mind called God or Divine Spirit or Divine Mind. This is said to be the spiritual basis of life. The word spiritual implies non-physical. The spiritual is rather the source and force that gives rise to what we identify as physical. What we identify as physical occurs as a perception in our mind.

To summarize: God is not His creation. The "dream" analogy is used to clarify this. When you dream your dream occurs within your mind. But the dream is not your mind but is generated within your mind. You and your dream are separate in one way yet your dream coheres and has its very being in your mind. This is an analogy where the dream is creation and your mind represents God in the analogy. In the dream the environment and objects are limited expressions of your mind yet they are not your mind. So also God is not His creation. These are very important and fundamental distinctions.

Our language and other forms of communication are based on the created dimension in which we discover ourselves and try to form a notion of reality. For man that dimension is perceived as physical. Therefore, most of the words in the language humans use refer to physical terms involve mass, movement, space, size, appearance, etc. So these terms are woefully inadequate when we want to communicate about spiritual things because the word spiritual points to the intelligent force and source of the physical but does not describe that to which it points our attention. This forces us to use analogies which appeal to concepts within our mind that cannot be adequately expressed in human language. This is the basic difficulty in trying to define our theology. The only way to talk about the spiritual is in terms of its affects or manifestation as the physical. Therefore, we have to perceive the physical from the standpoint of it being a manifestation of the Divine - intelligent source and force. In doing this we are using the terms of the physical to communicate spiritual issues.

Let us bring this all together. We enter this dimension (physical universe) by being born or created into it as a limited expression of the One Mind who is spirit. Each human spirit is a limited expression of the One Spirit/Mind. In other words, the One Mind is the force and author of all creation including man. The basis of creation, including man, is spiritual as has been explained. This (so called physical) creation should be considered to be a dimension in Divine Mind and not an autonomous free standing creation separate from God. We perceive this dimension or creation in so called physical terms such as space, weight, movement, etc. But even though we perceive this dimension which we enter or join to in physical terms we understand that it has a spiritual basis. Our spirit/mind enters this physical dimension according to the rules or terms of the physical dimension, so we are born into the physical dimension. During this period from birth to death we establish an imprint on the spirit called the "soul". This soul is like a body, clothing so to speak for the mind. It will survive the death of the body. If the soul does not reflect a personal relationship or experience with Divine Spirit then it is subject to destruction for it has not developed properly. Without such a personal relationship we cannot be co-workers with Christ. However, the soul is a secondary consideration so that is all that will be said regarding the soul. We leave the physical dimension according to the rules or terms of the physical dimension so the body functions shut down and the body disintegrates. If we have achieved a personal relationship with God while in the so called physical dimension we continue after death of the body to be with Him and Christ in a "place" or dimension specially prepared for us. The reason we enter this physical dimension is to achieve a relationship or experience with God so that we can become a co-worker with Christ under God. We liken this whole situation to the "dream analogy" which illustrates that the constituent parts of creation cannot be identified as the creator. But the creator gives rise to the creation as its source and force. Our language terms and syntax are constructed around this physical dimension into which we are created or born. The words in our language are designed to describe creation not God. Knowledge of God is developed based on how his creative force expresses itself in creation. That expression should be recognized as our true reality. Since the main attribute of mind is perception the manner that our reality forms in our mind is via our perceptive process. If that perceptive process does not see God as all in all then it is deficient and needs fixing.

Every man's perceptive process is deficient because he is born into an already established culture and social system that does not recognize the true relationship of God to His creation. In addition, creation is still occurring. The earth for example was created by the source and force which is God directed through astronomically powerful and large reactions within the physical dimension. Creation occurred according to the intelligence and design that governs how the elements and compositions interact. So the earth has been created but is still changing. We are part of an on going creative process. So also is man undergoing change. The purpose and plan for man is that man becomes a coworker with God and shares in the Divine Mind as opposed to simply being a limited expression of the Divine mind. As such the bible speaks of man partaking of the Divine nature, being the temple of the Living God, and being transformed and becoming "one" with the Divine Mind which is God. This is the direction of the ongoing creative process for man.

But man needs special help in order to even engage in such a transformation. Please note at this point that becoming transformed in "oneness" with God is itself what the bible calls eternal life. Only God can cause this kind of "oneness" to occur between man (an expression of Mind in the dream analogy) and God (the dreamer in the dream analogy). Essentially then the objective is that man becomes not only part of the dream but an extension of the One Mind. The specific purpose and plan for each man (or woman) so united or joined or fixed in this state of oneness is so they also exercise the power and authority of this One True God.

To accomplish this purpose and plan for man, God gave himself an expression in the form of man (Jesus Christ) in his creation (compare to the dream in the "dream analogy"). He made this human expression of himself subject to the same entry (being born into) and exit requirements associated with this physical dimension in which man finds himself. Note that God did not create a separate spirit to represent himself. His own spirit that gives rise to all spirits took the form of man. So we say that Jesus Christ was God himself incarnate-God as the person Jesus Christ.

When we are joined in oneness with God we also become God incarnate, except we are an extension of the Mind of God in human form. We are made unique by the one Great Spirit and as such we are not the person of God only an extension. Now for the hard part! The words "person" and "personal" get used in many different ways. It is a human word and therefore is inadequate to define God. But it can also be used to express respect. But as a human word tied to this physical universe for it's root meaning, it reflects an appreciation between one human and other humans all having in common a sophisticated mind above that of the rest of creation. This means that from person to person humans are all sort of like one other. As persons they can communicate in elaborate ways with language, art, music, and other forms of expression with one another. They can even communicate with themselves using signs and symbols in the form of mathematics, language, art, music, and so on. In other words, the more creative and human like a creature is the more possible it is for man and that creature to have a personal relationship. A cowboy and his horse is a simple example. A hunter and his dog is another. A man and a woman for example can have a very strong and intense personal relationship. So can some animals. And so can man with animals as in the two above examples. For example, I could walk out into the field of our farm where the cattle were grazing and laying about and they would not be frightened and I could talk to them and pat them and even call them and they would follow. We had a personal relationship based on some kind of understanding, trust, and respect even though we did not share a language and other differences. There are many documentaries about the intelligence of seals, sharks, whales, birds and porpoises where it has been shown they can not only form a personal relationship with man but they also demonstrate mental capabilities that in some cases rival some of man's mental capabilities. So we see that higher intelligence results in relationships and bonding. This is an important Christian concept - the concept of social relationships. Social relationships constitute part of the theology necessary to understand Gods love, purpose, and plan.

When God incarnated as Jesus Christ he did so in order to create the means or interface whereby man could have a personal relationship with God. This is why we use the term "He" for God. "He" is the personal pronoun. By using that pronoun for God we are saying that a personal relationship can be established between man and God. Also, the term "He" is not sexist rather it is meant to convey intelligent source of life. That one true Mind clothed himself with the human form called Jesus Christ in order to provide the means and interface to establish this personal relationship with man.

In all of this, do not forget we are first mind and then form or body which is our "clothing" or the expression of mind that defines who we are. The spirit of man enters into what we perceive as the physical universe of form (comparable to the dream) - created by the One Divine Mind - the first and the last, the beginning and the end. This is our opportunity to establish a personal relationship with God and other spirits. Please note carefully at this point that a personal relationship with God is established within a community relationship. God's main attribute is His love which is the caring he exercises with regard to His involvement with His creation. When we are joined in mind in a personal experience or relationship with Divine Mind we become a channel of this caring. Therefore, a personal relationship with God necessitates as part of its expression a personal, intimate, supportive, collaborative kind of caring social intercourse with others so bonded to Divine Mind and based on trust and respect. This social relationship is called the Divine Fellowship of Believers or Body of Christ or simply the "church". In addition, the New Testament clearly teaches that this Body of Believers should be of one accord and that the love they manifest in their attitudes, motivations, and behavior to one another and the world is the testimony of Christ in corporate human form. This relationship between believers is the vehicle of testimony of the gospel. This Body of Christ is the witness of God and His Love through Christ towards man and the rest of His creation

Although God is sovereign over His creation he has formed his creation so that his creatures have free will. Man has the most sophisticated form of free will and that sophistication drops with the "level" of creation considered. A rock for example shows little movement on it's own initiative. It is a mixture of elements in a fixed formation. But as the molecular and atomic level of the rock is investigated action becomes evident as analysis approaches the source and force of the existence of these elements. Finally in the analysis of our minds we try to consider sub atomic or so called nuclear particles or packets of energy. At some point testing and analysis significantly interfere and distort what we are analyzing. At this point man can no longer describe and predict behavior at this level because he cannot probe (with devices made from the physical universe) the layers that merge into Spirit or the non-physical. Nor can man properly comprehend these inner layers of matter. He must start to think in terms of effects that come out of these layers of testing and analysis and define the behavior at some physical level. Man cannot see or comprehend God. But man can have a relationship with God if his mind is restructured to accommodate this relationship. The mind of man, as explained above, can become part of, an extension of Divine Mind.

In all of this it should be apparent that it is the state of the human mind that perceives reality and which must be transformed to properly appreciate how God is all in all. But before man can develop such perceptive capabilities and be part of and inherit eternal life, he has to take several steps. The first step is to repent or turn away from the worldly, sensual, materialistic, self-gratifying sense of reality that accepts the notion that the physical universe is absolute and separate (autonomous) from God. This reality is called sin. No personal relationship can exist with God if materialism is our dominant reality. We need a New Reality and the way that is implemented in our minds is through Jesus Christ. Jesus who is an example of the kind of person we must become. Jesus is also the interface between man and God. Our minds must be transformed to a likeness of his mind and character. So how exactly does that happen?

Note: Elsewhere in the OOLSB you will find more details on human perception, reality, and the spiritual basis of all life. There is also information showing the inherent contradiction associated with the concept of reality that attempts to combine or bridge both the materialist and spiritual concepts as briefly presented above. This in-between-philosophy states that the "power" or "will" of God's Spirit holds creation together while also asserting that creation is absolute and autonomous and God is everywhere within this absolute and autonomous physical construct. This philosophy although held by the majority of professing Christians is both non-scriptural and totally illogical. *1

So far we have presented a simplistic understanding regarding God and Jesus Christ as well as sin and the notion of a personal relationship or experience with God. Relative to this, there are many terms used in the New Testament that relate back to Old Testament observances and rites. Terms such as salvation, repentance, the blood of the lamb, forgiveness, belief, faith, Christ died for us, and many others terms and expressions that describe the purpose and plan of God with respect to mankind. These colorful terms are all explained elsewhere in the OOLSB.

The New Testament contains many figurative and symbolic expressions taken from the Old Testament cultural base. This commentary has tried to capture the intent underlying this content without reverting to a large array of New Testament jargon that might be confusing to the reader. But some of this jargon is necessary. This commentary on theology has focused more on fundamental issues that affect the definition of theology. As an example, one issue covered was how human perception is a key component in defining theological doctrines. Another example was the issue of experiencing God by forming a personal relationship as well as the character of that relationship in terms of testimony, love, and fellowship. The key issue discussed was the perception of reality and that God must constitute our notion of reality.

But we need to understand another concept that we have only indirectly touched upon. This is man's perception of God as the Holy Spirit. This is the Divine Mind as Spirit in which the whole physical universe coheres and has its very being. But the word Holy stresses the set apart (incomprehensible but approachable) character of God. God is set apart from the creation and its sin as sovereign over all that is and with Christ as the interface by which man can approach this incomprehensible intelligent force.

But the Divine Mind or Spirit, just as He configured Himself as the person of Jesus Christ can also configure himself as the agency that forms the personal relationship between Himself and man. This Agency is Himself by His Spirit acting within the mind of man to transform that mind to be Christ Like. .As the transformation progresses in the life of a believer their mind becomes an extension of the Divine Mind. This agency (the Holy Spirit) is under the direction of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ sends the Holy Spirit from God the Father into the life of a believer. We can restate this. God in the form of Jesus Christ directs his Will into the willing processes in the mind of believers. This joining is therefore a special operation of the Divine Spirit in the mind of man to accomplish a personal relationship or experience with God.

So we have what traditional Christianity calls the Trinity that says while God is one but He is also 3 persons. This tends to come out as meaning 3 separate and distinct persons or entities. This could be misleading. It would be more appropriate and scriptural to say that God took on human form in the person of Jesus Christ. The purpose of Jesus Christ was to die because of sin at the hands of sinful man, conquer death and the grave, ascend into Heaven, and prepare a place for believers. This was done so they could be (figuratively speaking) seated with him (figuratively speaking) at the right hand of God Almighty to be with God the Father. Once with the Father he received all authority to represent God to man by both his human example and as an active interface between man and God.

Above, the term "person" as applied to God was already explained. Jesus was certainly a person and God forms a personal relationship with man through Jesus Christ by means of the Holy Spirit. Essentially what we have is God redeeming mankind through Christ as God reconciles man to Himself. He accomplished this by taking on human form and glorifying that form as His interface to mankind. Through that interface he changes, transforms, and deals with humanity by means of His Spirit manifest through the person of Jesus Christ. So the Spirit of God (for God is Spirit not God has a Spirit) is the means of creation.

Creation coheres and exists in His Spirit. But His Spirit being the source and force of creation also deals with the management of believers as well as the rest of humanity. So the One True God is honored by man as a "person" capable of forming a personal relationship with man. This approachable but incomprehensible holy God in the form of the glorified person Jesus Christ interfaces with mankind to manage mankind according to His purpose and plan. He does this through Jesus and by means of His Spirit because He is after all Spirit. But as Spirit He acts as several agencies in order to facilitate the creation and relationships with man. There are two relationships with mankind, one with believers and one with unbelievers as already discussed.

The One True God as Jesus Christ is the mediator or interface between Himself and man and directs and implements His Spirit/Mind (for God is Spirit/Mind) called the Holy Spirit in this capacity. Whenever the Will of Divine Mind finds expression in the creation a formative process is at work by His Spirit/Mind, which eventually manifests physically. Everything that has or will happen has to happen by the Spirit/Mind of God. This distinction emphasizes the source and force character of His intelligence. The term Holy Spirit is used to designate the difference in the relationship between God and believers and God and unbelievers. When the Spirit/Mind of God joins to the spirit/mind of believers that agency is called the Holy Spirit because of the nature of the operation. Here the believer is being transformed to be Christ Like in mind and character. But creation and management of mankind is designated as "by His Spirit" because the operation is not considered to be Holy and personal in the sense it is with believers. See the section below where His sovereign will is enforced by constraining the devil. From the perspective of man then we say there are 3 agencies or states that God has configured Himself into. Remember that this is all happening in Divine Mind and we use the dream analogy to try and appreciate that situation. In other words, man comprehends God based on the effects on the creation. God Himself cannot be defined. But in terms of man's perspective we have not only One True God the all in all, but we have in terms of His effects on creation and specifically man, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Some denominations make a big thing about the 3 persons, unique and inseparable and in so doing attempt to describe God as a Holy Trinity. And that is fine if they really understand what they are talking about and are trying to emphasize how God interacts with man. I prefer to use the term 3 agencies by which the One True God forms a personal relationship with man. In other words, depending upon how you use the word person we can also say the one person of God expresses Himself as 3 agencies. God became man in two ways, as individualized expressions called man and in the form of Jesus Christ. The term Son of God applies to Jesus Christ resurrected. Before his death and resurrection he referred to himself as the Son of Man. When we become "one" with God in the special way we are considering we become adopted Sons of God or Daughters of God.

The thing to be cautious about with these words "Father", "Son", and "He" are not meant to be sexist. The sexual aspect (man or woman) of the physical body that meets death is not even relevant in this discourse. But to continue; God is not a man. Even though Jesus Christ was a man - that did not limit God to just the form of Jesus Christ. In addition, in order for Jesus Christ to become the interface and channel between God (who Jesus defined as his and our Father) he had to first die. It was necessary for him to die, to leave this physical universe through the doorway of death yet be able to interact with it. This he had to do towards the end of reconciling man to God and saving man from sin. Therefore Jesus after his resurrection had to return to his original state while yet retaining the human connection and he accomplished this by transforming his physical body to a "glorified" body.

The "glorified" body is a form in another dimension created at the time as his death and resurrection. It is the "place" he prepared for those that believe and engage the transformation process towards his mind and character. After his resurrection he received from the Father all power and authority and thereafter sends the Holy Spirit to join with the spirit of man in order to transform the mind of man. It is a commonly held belief that Jesus will return and at that time the kingdom of God will be physically established on this earth. There is also associated with this notion the idea that the earth and all upon it will be transformed in some way. In addition, those that formed a personal relationship of oneness with God making God their New Reality would also take on glorified bodies with Jesus being the first of many such to come.

This web site has a NEWS section because Jesus instructed his followers to watch (probably for his second coming). And of course we are to interact with the world by expressing the love (creative caring for the well being of man and creation). God is sovereign but has opened up in His creation the complexity of "free will". God therefore exercises his sovereignty with regard to allowing this expression of free will. It was the design of God that he eventually creates a kingdom where it's members or citizens would work with him sharing in his power and authority to shape on going creative processes. But before that objective in his design of creation can be realized man has to be transformed into a mind and character like that of His example to us, Jesus Christ. This means that our will and intellect must always operate in a way that our attitudes, motivations, and behavior reflect those of Jesus Christ. There will always be differences in the details because we are made as unique. However we are not all clones. But even if we were clones, which we are not, then there would still be differences in the details because of the operation of free will. The biggest challenge when engaging in this transformation towards the New Reality is to listen to, hear, and understand what the Holy Spirit is attempting to teach us. In other OOLSB articles it is shown that this specific direction from the Holy Spirit requires our obedience and is reflected in our thoughts and feelings. We need to be humble and submit our mental processes or real estate as I call it, to this transformation. The transformation is changing our notion of reality from the carnal worldly notion to a notion that God is all in all and that our mind should reflect this in our attitudes, motivations, and behavior.

The notion of "oneness" when it becomes the reality in our minds extends to all true believers as well as mankind at large. Each of these extensions (for each believer) has a specific manifestation of caring and relationships. True believers engaged in the transformation to the New Reality must care for each other's transformation as God cares. This means that the relationship between believers must reflect the relationship we have with God as an extension of that relationship. The one implies the other, they cannot really be considered independent of each other as done by most denominations. If a believer's mind is an extension of the mind of God and reflecting his specific will for them then that state must also exist between true believers. That same New Reality must be shared at a social level and is done so because God has defined dependencies between believers. In the OOLSB the concept of the Divine Fellowship of Believers is introduced. This is a caring, trusting, intimate, collaborative and supportive relationship between believers. The importance of this relationship cannot be over emphasized. This relationship necessitates that every believer see Christ at work in the other and lends their assistance in the form of ministerial support to that end. It is this relationship that establishes a type of Pentecost Culture - a society whose focus in life flows out of the collective notion of a New Reality where God is all in all.

Regarding the attributes of God

God can configure himself. I use the term "He" and related words such as His, Himself, and so on to express the Divine involvement with creation as both source and design.

Since humans refer to themselves as "persons" meaning they have the intelligent faculty of mind which is exercised in the forming of relationships with other humans. And since man is a product of Divine Mind, it seems appropriate to honor God or Divine Mind with some term that best represents His involvement with His creation. The term "person" was eventually used. This term "person" implies, in a limited way that the mind of man reflects the Divine Spirit/Mind. But for this term not to be degrading, the "person of God or Divine Spirit or Mind" must be viewed from a different perspective as opposed to the perspective one human views another human as a "person". The non-degrading perspective is that man says of himself that he is formed in the "image" of God. More precisely put, "an image" or expression of God. Instead of placing God at our level of "person" the believer honors God with the term "person" meaning we are made in a likeness of God having intelligence. In addition, even though God is incomprehensible He is also approachable in a personal relationship or experience through Christ.

By recognizing God as not only the force of creation (Spirit) in which creation coheres and has its being or design, man also identifies with the involvement of God with His creation (Mind). This is all explained above and elsewhere in the OOLSB from a human sense by using the "dream analogy".

The word configure, as used here, should not be viewed in any physical sense for God is Spirit (Mind not in the human sense but more profound and incomprehensible). The Divine Mind is the primary intelligent source and force of creation. God should not be viewed by man as a thing, or creature, or any other physical form described in the terms (size, shape, spatial terms, weight, etc.) of the creation. God is not the creation he is the incomprehensible source and force of creation even though creation coheres and has its very being in Him.

So God cannot be described in terms of the creation. God -the intelligent creative force - is perceived by man only by noticing the effects upon creation and himself as part of the creation. So God cannot be described by man but can only be understood in terms of the creation, which exists in God. The Bible teaches that the creation declares the glory of God. Man finds himself or perceives his existence as part of what he calls a physical dimension sensed by faculties such as ears, nose, tongue, eyes, touch, etc. So the terms Spirit and Mind are human words used to point to God as understood relative to the creation and in terms of the creation as it is constantly moved into being in and by God. So words used to explain (not describe) God are relative to our perceptive process and we speak of God as Divine Mind meaning both the source and force which propels creation.

"Form" as used here is the meaning or perception developed by man as he experiences or encounters the impact of the Divine Spirit manifesting through creation (including man himself). This "form" or meaning reflects design which has purpose and plan.. For humans this perception process notices that God encompasses all of creation. Therefore, the term "form" or meaning involves man's perception of creation as the expression of intelligence. So from the standpoint of man, the term "form" is relative to our perception of the physical dimension.

In this context of the physical dimension "form" refers man's perception of the terms of reference that the intelligent force called Divine Mind configures. Man perceives and God configures. Man perceives what God has configured as well as what God is now configuring. Generally speaking "configure" here means the combination of attributes recognizable by an intelligent entity within the scope of any given creative dimension. Specifically for our physical dimension, the character of configuration is perceived by intelligent life forms (man, animals, etc.) within our dimension and is described by man as physical consisting of the measurable attributes of space, matter and time. So "form" is what we perceive and configuration is what has been prepared for us to perceive. Configuration is done by God and "form" or meaning is a perception of that accomplishment. Based on man's perceptive process the effect of this intelligent creative force impresses upon us these attributes that also describe our presence in this physical dimension.

However, there can be other dimensions and for each the term "configure" and "form" take on meaning relative to the attributes of that dimension and this is only so if another dimension is even perceptible by man, otherwise the dimension is out of scope of man's perceptive processes. In all likelihood the "place" Jesus prepared is such an other dimension within the scope of man's perceptive process. But here the configuration has different but possibly similar attributes, which give that dimension "form". The Book of Revelation speaks of a New Heaven and a New Earth. Whether this involves reconfiguration by God to a better "form" or whether this involves an entirely brand new configuration and "form" is anyone's guess.

Since God can configure Himself He can also set any attributes within a dimension as he so chooses. His Will is sovereign and there is nothing without His Will or Spirit. God in the design of man has provided for effects of His Presence and Will to be felt within the "heart" or unconscious thoughts and feelings of man's mind. Provided and enabled are two different things. Salvation is among other things the process that enables what has been provided in terms of man's ability to correctly form a personal relationship with God. Only Jesus Christ can enable this provisioning. This is all explained elsewhere on this web site and the OOLSB.

A Christian has established the experience of a personal relationship with God. Therefore, a true Christian will be "led" and "instructed" by God by means of the personal relationship and how God configures Himself (as the agency of the Holy Spirit) in the personal relationship such that the willing processes of a true believer reflect the attitudes and motivations and behavior consistent with the specific Divine Will for that individual. Communication with God requires a humble stance (we are nothing without God) and an obedient frame of mind (willingness to turn over our mind to the influence of the Holy Spirit). Explained elsewhere is the key role played by Jesus Christ as the intercessor, mediator, high priest, or simply put, the interface between man and God.

Historically, true believers of God through Jesus Christ are a minority of the world's population. For the majority, which do not have a personal relationship, God's will is still sovereign but in a much different way than for a believer. God created man and to some degree all intelligent forms of life in the physical dimension with a "will". The human will is the capability of the human intellect to perceive itself as a unique entity having the conscious power of direction over the formation of attitudes, motivations, behavior, and deeds or actions taken with regard to others and creation as a whole. People without a personal relationship with God will pursue life in a self indulgent manner acting primarily in their perceived best interests and done so at the detriment of others. Such people vary in their self indulgence based on their up bringing, education, experiences, culture, and social norms and standards while being somewhat predatory creatures controlled by habit and social conditioning. God controls these people while at the same time allowing them free will. This may sound like a contradiction because of the term "free". Man is free to exercise his will based on past decisions and consequences and relative to his state of mind. The notion of "free" and "predestined" have to be understood in this social context. The mind of man can be constrained by circumstances that influence, support or collide with his attitudes and motivations. God does not directly apply pressures in this way. Control is established in another way.

The devil is the mechanism of control. The mind of man is sensitive to a "pressure" applied by this evil force. In a believer, the Divine Will is expressed from the "heart" (unconscious part of the mind) and manifests as conscious attitudes, motivations and behavior. Thought transfer between people is a hotly disputed area of research. What we speak of here is not direct thought transfer but a pressure on the human mind by means of the frontal lobe of the brain and which is applied on attitudes and motivations which are not aligned and synchronized to the Divine Will. When one goes along with this "mental pressure" they give up "mental real estate" to the devil. This is possible because the brain is the interface used by the mind to experience this physical dimension. The devil is the current ruler of this physical dimension. The devil exists in rebellion to God - his purpose and plan. The devil is afraid of the Body of Christ and does everything in his power to defeat the growth of the Body of Christ. If the Body of Christ were to grow and display the attitudes and motivations of Christ as led by the Holy Spirit then the devil would be defeated and chained and robbed of his ambition to rule over the kingdom of man and be worshiped by man. God can and does restrain the devil limiting the degree of pressure the devil can exercise for any given individual. The devil is blind to the power of God through Christ in this way and he acts obsessively only to establish mankind as his kingdom thus making himself like God. The devil is a master of deception and has great power when allowed to exercise this power. God controls the course of history in periods and for each period of time or history the devil is controlled in this manner so that the outcome of each period brings mankind closer to the objective of the kingdom of God on earth. In other words, the evil of the devil is the force that feeds on the non Christ Like attitudes and motivations of world leaders and the world population so that through their self indulgence in the form of hate, greed, lusts of the flesh, and lust for stature, possessions, power, and control, they inadvertently cause what God wants done for any given instance and circumstance of time and place. Man has free will as explained but is either obedient by choice to either good or evil while God remains sovereign throughout.

It is man that brings upon himself war and destruction as societies grow more evil and collide with each other. It is man that causes problems with the environment and a chain of consequences. There are also natural phenomena like hurricanes, tornadoes, avalanches, volcanoes, earthquakes, and many other such phenomena including meteorites, sun flares, etc. If man were not caught up in sin man would be taking his direction from God regarding stewardship issues managing the planet and its natural resources. Mankind is so dramatically involved in evil, self indulgence, hate, and war that the engineering and planning issues of this planet have been sorely neglected. God can constrain natural phenomena and can also reduce his constraint of natural phenomena. This is a complicated subject and will be dealt with elsewhere in the OOLSB.

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Those advocating an autonomous and absolute physical creation separate from God do so because they wish to avoid such arguments such as the created universe is God or God is the created universe - they are one and the same. I agree that God is not equivalent to the physical universe as explained in the "dream analogy". But I do not deny that the physical universe is autonomous from God. I try to show that mankind perceives the creation of God as a dimension expressed in terms known to man as "physical" with examples of these terms being space, matter, time, size, appearance, etc. In bible terms, "the universe declares the glory of God". These "physical" terms are derived by the so called senses which pass our experience of life into a mental framework or perperception. All that man can know or feel is in the final analysis a perceptive process occurring with the mind of man. The New Testament clearly states that the physical universe exists and has its being in God. These kind of scriptural statements are not expressing a functional dependency as much as they are expressing the intent of total dependency. God is Spirit/Mind, that is He is the source and force that is perceived by man in terms of it's effects in the form of a physical universe. The "dream analogy" is provided to help clarify these issues.

However, those advocating an autonomous and absolute physical creation separate from God (who is spirit/mind) do so by using words such as the "power of God" based on the "will of God" to do anything He so pleases. By using these terms in this way they are arguing my position not theirs. Let me explain.The term "power" or "will" in this context (of absolute autonomy between God and creation) is both confusing and begs the question as these words pretend to provide some kind of attribute of God that can act separate from God to maintain creation in absolute autonomy (meaning the presence of God is not required). This is just nonsense. In order to hold such a physical absolute and autonomous structure of creation together this "power" or "will" (attribute) has to span between the spiritual presence of God either within creation or outside of creation and that makes God subject to physical terms which is an absurdity. Therefore, the term "power" or "will" has no real meaning as used in this context because its usage implies an agency associated with God but is not the presence of God but yet represents the source and force of God. Such a linking agency (which links one to another) is denied by the very state of autonomy. This is simply contradictory and is illogical.

• 1. Jesus Christ declared that there is only One True God (Divine Spirit/Mind) and he is the only human manifestation of the Spirit/Mind of God as opposed to created human spirits/minds.
• 2. Jesus Christ as such a manifestation demonstrated the true Reality, which is God as all in all, and when that reality is intact how man can transcend the notion of a worldly reality by such things as miracles and victory over sickness, disease, and even death.
• 3. Jesus Christ taught repentance from sin which is essentially separation from God brought about by man's preoccupation with the world notion of reality. Jesus also indicated that those preoccupied with the worldly notion of reality and the worldly value system are often acting under the influence of a spiritual evil force that when manifest in the human mind is called "Satan". The counterfeit kingdom opposed to the kingdom of God is a kingdom based on the worldly notion of reality with its citizens under the influence of Satan.
• 4. Jesus Christ represents God as He is God but in human form. A spiritual battle now wages between Christ and Satan for the mind of mankind. Satan when evil personifies or takes human form is the mystery of evil but exists under the sovereign will of God as explained elsewhere in this document.
• 5. Jesus Christ as God in human form returned to his spiritual state but maintained this interface to mankind as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The Way is to know and understand how God wants humans to think, feel, develop loving or caring attitudes, express motivations, and behave. True believers are imputed with the "righteousness" of Christ but expected to be transformed according to that template of "righteousness" (attitudes and motivations). So true believers are saved through a condition of grace but expected at the same time to use that status to be transformed towards a Christ Like mind and character. Salvation is not a one time free gift like a piece of jewelry. Salvation is the process of transformation. Salvation is freely available to all but is not free. It is forgiveness which is free and must thereafter be practiced.
• 6. Jesus Christ as God inherited all the power and authority of God. Jesus Christ is just another name for God but as the human interface to God. As a human my hands are an interface to my fellow man. Likewise, Jesus Christ is God's interface/mediator/high priest/intercessor to man. When we speak, or pray, or commune, or meditate with God there is only one supreme entity involved not 3. If we direct these operation to Jesus Christ we simply speak to the one supreme entity via the human interface. But if we direct these operations to God the Father as instructed by Jesus Christ taught in the Lord's Prayer example, then we continue to speak to the one supreme entity through our identification with Jesus Christ.
• 7. Jesus Christ as God is able to forgive sins and save man from the death associated with preoccupation with the physical reality.
• 8. Jesus Christ as God is able to manage such a transformation in the life of every true believer by means of the Holy Spirit. This is how the children of man become the adopted children of God.
• 9. Jesus Christ, as God, is called the Son of God and we the believers are adopted Sons and Daughters of God.
• 10. Jesus Christ taught us to pray to the Father but in his name. This means that we must be Christ Like - identify with Jesus Christ - and acknowledge that we are literally nothing without God through Christ and that we must be obedient to God and in so doing recognize the purpose and plan of God for Jesus Christ in our individual lives. We are to become co-workers with Christ under God but with Christ as our head, leader, Lord, and Savior.
• 11. Jesus Christ, as God, prepared a "place" (dimension) that where he is we can also be (present tense). True believers don't "go there" when their bodies die, they are already there, and will remain there upon death of the body. The expression, "to go and be with the Lord" is coloqial and means to part with this body and this world and be only with God and His Lamb in this "place". So it is very important not to look at "oneness" with God and eternal life as a future prospect. Now is the time, for that is the reason why this time has been provided each of us.
• 12. Jesus Christ, as God, sends the Holy Spirit into the life of a true believer to create "oneness" of spirit/mind such that believers become transformed so their spirits/minds become individualized and unique expressions or extensions of the Divine Mind - Sons and Daughters of God. Those progressing in this transformation towards Christ Likeness are very aware of the presence anointing of God in their lives in this manner. The Divine Will for our specific lives surfaces from the deep parts of our mind (heart or unconscious) under the influence of the Holy Spirit as thoughts and feelings, eventually as attitudes and motivations, and finally as caring behavior and fellowship with other believers.
• 13. Jesus Christ baptizes true believers by the Holy Spirit in order to initially prepare their minds for the transformation towards Christ Likeness. Being baptized by the Holy Spirit is an important and empowering step and must not be confused with receiving the Holy Spirit or "Presence of God" into our lives teaching us to integrate our minds with the Divine Mind. Many Christians today have been denied knowledge of the baptism by the Holy Spirit and are taught to confuse this with reception of the Holy Spirit and misled to believe that such reception is automatic. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit. This act is totally at his discretion. Only a true believer will be given the Holy Spirit. In the book of Acts sometimes receiving the Holy Spirit was synonymous with being baptized by the Holy Spirit. Baptism of the Holy should not be confused with immersion or water baptism which is a symbolic social action indicating to the local community acceptance of Christ. Also, transformation into the Mind and Character of Jesus Christ takes time and does not happen as a sudden and complete event. Transformation is both certain and ongoing as is our salvation once the general Christ Like attitudes and motivations based on caring or love become entrenched in our minds and therefore our personalities. Peter cautioned believers regarding security of eternal life through perseverance. We must become that righteousness (general attitudes and motivations of Christ Likeness) for which we have been imputed.
• 14. True believers made one with God in this fashion share the Divine Essence, are one in spirit/mind with the Father, and as such have and will inherit (if they persevere) life eternal with God and the Lamb of God. We are to be His tabernacle. We are to be partakers of the Divine. We are to seek and set our minds that which is "above". We are to be seated with Christ. We are to have that mind which is in Christ Jesus. We are to become God's incarnation and express his love (caring for mankind and creation). We are commanded to love one another by being one with God and with fellow believers. This was stressed by Jesus Christ above all other things.
• 15. Jesus Christ interacts with mankind to express the sovereign will of God in an environment of "free" will.
• 16. Jesus Christ said that no man comes to the Father except by the Son, and this means that Jesus must not only be the interface to God and the means of our salvation from sin but we must become Sons and Daughters of the Living God. There is no other name under heaver whereby man can be saved.
• 17. Jesus Christ founded The Divine Fellowship of Believers, the Body of Christ, the "church" as the collection of all true believers. These people are known by their love (the way they care for) for one another and their witness of the gospel which is the story of Gods Love in Christ for man as well as their expression of this love and power. The purpose of this witness is to bring others into the "church" and prepare and ready the church so that whenever Christ appears in their midst they find favor in his sight as a bride does with her bridegroom. Symbolically, the bride is to be attired in white to symbolize the righteousness of Christ and forgiveness of sin as well as the great sacrifice of enduring and overcoming physical death on our behalf - often reference to symbolically as the blood and cross aspect of salvation. It is Jesus Christ who saves us not his blood. But the term blood refers to the giving of his life in order to engage the death experience and establish his interface to man from the "throne of God".
• 18. Jesus Christ comes quickly (suddenly) when we least expect him and so we should always be prepared.
• 19. The Body of Christ should be active in every helpful (not violent, criminal, or depraved) way to identify and establish the kingdom of God on this earth. This cannot happen until our minds and "hearts" (foundations of our mind) are saturated with the New Reality the reality of perceiving everything from the "throne" where we are "seated" as true believers with Christ and his God our Father.
• 20. Finally the Catholic church, Protestant denominations, New Age movements, Fundamental movements, Moslems, or any other religious movement or organization, none of these constitute the "church" that Christ founded. Nor do any of their leaders constitute legitimate unique "church" authority unless so appointed by a "church" group defined as follows. The church or church group is those that have taken on the New Reality under Christ and who love one another as part of that New Reality. Their love is evident in their association and accord with one another and the Holy Spirit as they engage each other collaboratively in a trusting, intimate social intercourse where each recognizes Christ at work in the other and each submits (cooperates and supports) this transformation. This is the obvious and intended meaning of "church" as stated all through the New Testament. Whenever 2 or more of these true believers get together under the authority of Christ as moved in love by the Holy Spirit then church is in session.
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