“Now this is Eternal Life; that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” – John 17:3.

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What is Sin?

The original sin was the lie of Satan that blinded us to the truth; and in that darkness is where we live apart from Christ. The lie? That we are alone, separate, independent selves apart from God – to find our meaning and life within ourselves (a god within self). A separate “I” independent from God trying to find meaning within “self” (self-sufficient, self-for-self).

That God is remote, beyond us out there somewhere disinterested in us out there beyond the clouds. That He in His self is self-outside of us and we, in our self, is self-outside of God. That He is angry and is judge and jury. Religion perpetuates this and says that we simply are waiting for the end of our lives to be judged by God. This is the perception most have of God, Christian or not.

The Illusion

These belief systems are illusionary and found, not only in the world system in humanism, but in religious systems creating formulas and programs in which to control and “get a handle on life.” Reaching for things we believe will bring happiness and success but all formulated in the illusion of “self” – independent apart from God. They bring hurt to ourselves and others and produce all kind of “sins” (missing the mark), a by-product.

This life in the darkness (illusion) is what scripture calls “death.” It brings about depression, despair, anxiety and a sense of self-responsibility – that YOU control your destiny (good or bad). In reality we are having an identity crisis – we have forgotten who we are!

Blaming God

When the events and pressures of life arise, it is this formula that either we’ve been taught or come up with for “success” and “happiness” seeking to try and control life. But, it’s hit or miss. Sometimes it appears to work, others it does not. We go through devastating situations, pain and hardship and we begin to blame God and others and FEAR sets in. Fear then, is the signature of death! Next comes worry, anxiety, panic, terror, hopelessness and torment.

The Truth IS……

The truth, as opposed to the lie, the darkness – is that God is not like that. God is love. Passionate love that will suffer if necessary to gain you back, His Beloved. And He did just that, so we would be with Him, united to Him in Covenant Union, brought back home – in Him. He came to destroy the lie. In fact, He became one with the lie.

In His death on the cross, burial and resurrection He carried US and put the Holy Trinity (Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit) within US. THIS, is salvation. THIS, is the Gospel. Jesus didn’t just die for our sins – He died to bring us into union with Himself in our innermost being (center) through the Holy Spirit. To restore us to our original love-union – back to our Father (God), who is love. To bring us back home (Luke 15).

What then, is Salvation?

Salvation then is not going down to the altar and “repenting” of everything we have done wrong. In fact, the word “repent” is not in the original text of scripture but instead the word “Metanoia” – which means “I am awakened in my center (innermost being), to the truth, my eyes are opened and I SEE the lie. I see that it was / is an illusion. And seeing that, I am resurrected out of the death; that which I have been calling life.” It is a “WOW, I get it” moment. We have been awakened to who we are in Him, and who He is in us.

Now, there in this inner center where Father, Son, now dwell through the Holy Spirit there begins the dismantling of all the lies of the world and religion, the formulas for happiness and success, the programs that I thought were keys to the very meaning of life. And layer by layer these things are gradually removed from my belief system – at my core – my center.

Who We Really Are

We live then, in the love of God who is in process of being perfected within us. He, not we – being perfected! (Understand?) And we are on a journey to discover (in this present life) that Jesus is THE LIFE. There is no alternative. If it isn’t Jesus, it is death. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6) the Living One – He is residing in us and as we SEE this and accept that we are in union with Him – everything begins to change.

We are then on a journey to learn again (like a child) to be who we really are, who we were intended to be – in union with Christ. He, is living as we (life with a wink). We are entering into a relationship and friendship with Him; A care-free child of the Father. Jesus said “I will be in you and you in Me, perfectly united” (John 17:23). This is organic union.

Christ Living In You

“When I try to do good, I can’t. I can neither do the things I want to, nor stop doing the things I hate” (Romans 7:24). The I in me is helpless, even if I may be a “believer.’ I may try and do good things, I may try and not do bad things. I try and keep the law, the Ten Commandments, and so on – for “I delight to do the will of God.” But, I cannot keep the law. The law was never intended to be kept – but only show man he (in Himself) could not keep the commandments, the law. He needed a better way. He was created to contain God himself, who would then manifest all godliness through him, as him. The law would be fulfilled by God in him, the law OF love. Man then, is simply a container.

When we realize our helpless condition we come to a place where we can readily recognize we need a solution. This is not working! We recognize that in His death, burial and resurrection He took US in our condition (whatever that looked like) and united us to Himself in newness of life, His life – perfect life, perfect love. Our resurrection with Christ means an indwelling Christ as the One who has raised us. Here the union-life is completed. It had nothing to do with us, other than our “eyes being opened to see” the truth and “receiving it” as truth. All of life is then, receptive. Receiving what He did.

Held by Love

So, if He lives in us why doesn’t He just take over? That wouldn’t be love. Love sets you free. It’s scary. Love never imposes itself upon you. It will never manipulate you. Love sets you free. When I come face to face with Love, I stop and yield to the love within me. He, opens my eyes and ears – He, teaches me and guides me by His spirit. He, fulfills all – in me. This is radical. It changes everything.

Dead to Sin and Law

What about sin and the law in this new relationship? “You have not only died to sin, you have died to law” (Rom. 7:1-6). Once you lived in sin and paid no attention to any law (or the Ten Commandments, for example). Then the law caught you and first showed you your guilt before a holy God. Then when you were justified from that by faith (receiving Christ only as your life), the law catches you again and shows you that you are a helpless, captive to sin (wanting to change but in yourself, you cannot).

Now you are learning a deeper lesson – that you have been brought into an inner union by grace, where Christ lives His life IN you, and you just go along with Him. Christ IS the law. He is love, which is the perfect law of liberty. This means you forget about outward law – (these are baby things 1 Cor. 12:11) for your life is now Christ, living in you. He will live the law in you (love) and by you (Romans 8:4). He will fully and naturally live the life of love in you, and sin will not be able to get at you – there will be no you! You were crucified with Him, yet living, yet not you, but Christ living in you.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

No Condemnation

“There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Religion often uses law to condemn or drive others into ‘false effort’ or ‘condemnation’. It is imperative that we always go back to “Our life is in Christ” and He is now responsible for me. We are living now in union-relationship, in the law of Love. We recognize our helplessness in and of ourselves but take our position that He has taken up His permanent residence in us in all His Divine fullness, not to give us His goodness or power, but Himself – to be THE ALL within and without. We trust Him to work out all the details. We stop all striving and straining “not to do evil” or “to do good.” We are dead with Christ to all of that! Now, He has taken over, and we walk quietly with Him, trusting – not trying. We have become a branch only, in the Vine – Christ. Simply a conduit of His Love and Life!

So then, Salvation is Wholeness in every area (complete, whole, lacking nothing). A WOW, recognition, that He did it ALL. I simply SEE IT, accept it as truth – and allow His Truth, to set me free! For Truth, is a Person, Christ! It’s all Him.

This is the Sabbath rest. (Hebrews 4:9-11) We rest in His finished work which is being fulfilled and worked out in me, spontaneously.