Here is the next installment dealing with our transformation.
Transformed into a New Being
Soul transformation through the Divine Love is the only way to qualify for the Celestial Kingdom of God and have a guarantee of immortality. This is the New Birth which “means merely the flowing into a [person's] soul and becoming a part of it, of the Divine Love of the Father.” It isn’t the result of one’s accepting the blood or death of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, to appease the wrath and requirements of the Father, or because of any vicarious suffering of Jesus – which cannot transform us. In other words, the New Birth is “brought about by the flowing into [human souls] of this Divine Love, whereby the very Nature and Substance of the Father [infuses the soul], and wherefrom men cease to be the merely created beings, but become the souls of men born into the Divine reality of God.” (TGRABJ/1/308 and 2/56)
So the New Birth is both a present and future reality. Jesus told James Padgett: “Your soul, as you, has been developed in its spiritual nature and you have become in closer union with the Father and have partaken to a large extent of His Love, and, to a degree, been transformed into his essence, so that you have become a very different entity from what you were when your development for our purpose commenced; … You are now [progressing] towards the fountainhead of the Father's love, and have taken on a part of his immortality, and it depends only upon yourself how rapid your progress shall be towards a complete transformation such as spirits who are inhabitants of the Celestial Spheres, possess. You need not wait until you come to the spirit world in order to make a rapid progression, although it will be more difficult for you to progress while in the flesh, as you understand, but wonderful progress may be made while in the flesh, and you have been told the secret of this progress.” (1/5)
The Bible concurs that with the Holy Spirit / God’s Love / Christ in us (these terms often denote the Father’s gift of saving grace), we indeed become and are becoming a new creature or creation. We are exhorted to “live by the Spirit”, i.e., follow the promptings of the Divine Love in our hearts and souls as opposed to the physical passions and desires:
2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [Divine Love], he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” We embark on a new way of life – one where ceremonial laws fall by the wayside. “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision [and other ceremonies and rituals] means anything; what counts is a new creation.” “Those who belong to Christ Jesus [walk the Divine Love path] have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit [Divine Love in our souls motivating us], let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:15; 5:24-25)
Transformed by Love to Love
The crux of the Padgett messages is to pray for the Divine Love. Specifically, James Padgett was further advised: “Your praying must be more frequent so that the soul may be freed from … thoughts not spiritual. … You need not wait for occasions or opportunities to formally pray but all during the day and evening let your longings for the love ascend to the Father. A long prayer, or even one formulated into words, is not necessary, as [words are not necessary] to give [the longing] form. The longing may be rapid as unformed thought, and as effective for the Father to catch. … The longing is quicker than the thought, and the answer … will come with as much certainty and love as if you were to put the longing into the most exact form. Prayers of this kind ascend to the Father and are heard and answered.” (1/5)
The Bible, often using the term “Holy Spirit” to mean the Divine Love, says in Luke 11:13 – “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
The more we pray and seek God’s Love for the transformation of our soul, the more we’ll be able to live from the soul / spiritual mind and make loving decisions. It is indeed love – fulfilling the “Eleventh Commandment” – that transcends the law and identifies us as Jesus’ disciples. As the first to inherit the Celestial Kingdom of God, he is the Master of the Celestial Heavens and the first of many who already have or are yet to enter the Father’s Kingdom as divine angels transformed by the Divine Love into a new creature and true children of God – divine and immortal as God is divine and immortal.
Jesus told his disciples shortly before his death: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you [with the Divine Love], so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
He elaborated further: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love [Divine Love throughout]. If you obey my commands [to love one another], you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends [not necessarily in sacrifice]. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you [the gospel of salvation through Divine Love]. (John 15:8-12)
Desires are the key to and seeds of our actions and their consequences. If our desires are motivated by love, we’ll do well, but if they are motivated by the “sinful nature”, including ego, the desires will come to fruition as sin. Romans 8:5-7 tells us: “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit [Divine Love] have their minds set on what the Spirit desires [spiritual things]. The mind of sinful man is death [making the soul dead or dormant], but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace [Divine Love leading to immortality and peace that passes all understanding]; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”
James sums it up succinctly: But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death [death of the soul without the Divine Love]. (Jas 1:14-15)
As mentioned, ultimately the Law of Love is the highest law. Love fulfills all individual laws and indeed transcends those laws. In other words, if we love others, motivated by the Divine Love in our souls, we don’t have to worry about the minute laws that the Pharisees were and some Christians are so particular about – sometimes at the cost of being unloving.
Romans 13:8-10 says: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
In James 2:8, the second great commandment is called the “royal law”. It says: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:9, we read: “Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God [through His Love working in and changing our hearts and souls] to love each other.” (See also John 6:45 and Isaiah 54:13)
Jesus’ closest disciple John, who understood his teaching better than the others, penned these words in his first epistle: “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. [Divine Love imparted by his Holy Spirit]. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the son of God [through union with God as a result of the Divine Love], God lives in him and he in God [in the same way that this was true of Jesus]. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in [Divine] love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment [since the law of compensation has been transcended], because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:12-18)
To finish this section, here is Paul’s quote from the famous Love Chapter in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13:
“And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
So love – indeed Divine Love – is the most excellent way and the highest law -- transcending even the law of compensation. And the best news is that it is available for the asking.
[to be continued]
New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
Re: New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
Here is an addition/expansion to the above section, dealing mainly with our desires -- how worldly desires lead us into sin, and how we need to choose to follow the desires motivated by the Divine Love working in our souls. I hope that you find it profitable. Love,
Eva
Transformed into a New Being
Soul transformation through the Divine Love is the only way to qualify for the Celestial Kingdom of God and have a guarantee of immortality. This is the New Birth which “means merely the flowing into a [person's] soul and becoming a part of it, of the Divine Love of the Father.” It isn’t the result of one’s accepting the blood or death of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, to appease the wrath and requirements of the Father, or because of any vicarious suffering of Jesus – which cannot transform us. In other words, the New Birth is “brought about by the flowing into [human souls] of this Divine Love, whereby the very Nature and Substance of the Father [infuses the soul], and wherefrom men cease to be the merely created beings, but become the souls of men born into the Divine reality of God.” (TGRABJ/1/308 and 2/56)
So the New Birth is both a present and future reality. Jesus told James Padgett: “Your soul, as you, has been developed in its spiritual nature and you have become in closer union with the Father and have partaken to a large extent of His Love, and, to a degree, been transformed into his essence, so that you have become a very different entity from what you were when your development for our purpose commenced; … You are now [progressing] towards the fountainhead of the Father's love, and have taken on a part of his immortality, and it depends only upon yourself how rapid your progress shall be towards a complete transformation such as spirits who are inhabitants of the Celestial Spheres, possess. You need not wait until you come to the spirit world in order to make a rapid progression, although it will be more difficult for you to progress while in the flesh, as you understand, but wonderful progress may be made while in the flesh, and you have been told the secret of this progress.” (1/5)
The Bible concurs that with the Holy Spirit / God’s Love / Christ in us (these terms often denote the Father’s gift of saving grace), we indeed become and are becoming a new creature or creation. We are exhorted to “live by the Spirit”, i.e., follow the promptings of the Divine Love in our hearts and souls as opposed to the physical passions and desires:
2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [Divine Love], he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
We embark on a new way of life – one where ceremonial laws fall by the wayside. “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision [and other ceremonies and rituals] means anything; what counts is a new creation.” “Those who belong to Christ Jesus [walk the Divine Love path] have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit [Divine Love in our souls motivating us], let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:15; 5:24-25)
The transformation and development process is further described in the second epistle of Peter:
2 Peter 1:3-9 – His divine power [Divine Love] has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him [God] who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises [of Divine Love / immortality / place in the Celestial Kingdom], so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins [by the law of Divine Love transcending the law of compensation]. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ [the Celestial Kingdom].
Change of desires is another aspect of the transformation. Led and motivated by the Divine Love within, we start desiring the things of God, rather than the things of the world. But conscious choices are still required because following godly desires doesn’t happen automatically. Therefore on numerous occasions, God’s children on the Divine Love path are exhorted to be aware of their desires:
Romans 6:12 – Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
Romans 8:5 – Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Romans 13:14 – Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ [Divine Love], and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Galatians 5:16-17, 24 – So I say, live by the Spirit [Divine Love], and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Ephesians 4:22-24 – You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, a created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:5 – Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
James 1:14-15 – … Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
1 Peter 1:14 – As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. [before understanding and receiving the Divine Love].
1 Peter 2:11 – Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
1 John 2:17 – The world and its desires pass away [sin will eventually be eradicated from the universe], but the man who does the will of God lives forever [because he possesses immortality].
[to be continued]
Eva
Transformed into a New Being
Soul transformation through the Divine Love is the only way to qualify for the Celestial Kingdom of God and have a guarantee of immortality. This is the New Birth which “means merely the flowing into a [person's] soul and becoming a part of it, of the Divine Love of the Father.” It isn’t the result of one’s accepting the blood or death of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, to appease the wrath and requirements of the Father, or because of any vicarious suffering of Jesus – which cannot transform us. In other words, the New Birth is “brought about by the flowing into [human souls] of this Divine Love, whereby the very Nature and Substance of the Father [infuses the soul], and wherefrom men cease to be the merely created beings, but become the souls of men born into the Divine reality of God.” (TGRABJ/1/308 and 2/56)
So the New Birth is both a present and future reality. Jesus told James Padgett: “Your soul, as you, has been developed in its spiritual nature and you have become in closer union with the Father and have partaken to a large extent of His Love, and, to a degree, been transformed into his essence, so that you have become a very different entity from what you were when your development for our purpose commenced; … You are now [progressing] towards the fountainhead of the Father's love, and have taken on a part of his immortality, and it depends only upon yourself how rapid your progress shall be towards a complete transformation such as spirits who are inhabitants of the Celestial Spheres, possess. You need not wait until you come to the spirit world in order to make a rapid progression, although it will be more difficult for you to progress while in the flesh, as you understand, but wonderful progress may be made while in the flesh, and you have been told the secret of this progress.” (1/5)
The Bible concurs that with the Holy Spirit / God’s Love / Christ in us (these terms often denote the Father’s gift of saving grace), we indeed become and are becoming a new creature or creation. We are exhorted to “live by the Spirit”, i.e., follow the promptings of the Divine Love in our hearts and souls as opposed to the physical passions and desires:
2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [Divine Love], he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
We embark on a new way of life – one where ceremonial laws fall by the wayside. “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision [and other ceremonies and rituals] means anything; what counts is a new creation.” “Those who belong to Christ Jesus [walk the Divine Love path] have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit [Divine Love in our souls motivating us], let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:15; 5:24-25)
The transformation and development process is further described in the second epistle of Peter:
2 Peter 1:3-9 – His divine power [Divine Love] has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him [God] who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises [of Divine Love / immortality / place in the Celestial Kingdom], so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins [by the law of Divine Love transcending the law of compensation]. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ [the Celestial Kingdom].
Change of desires is another aspect of the transformation. Led and motivated by the Divine Love within, we start desiring the things of God, rather than the things of the world. But conscious choices are still required because following godly desires doesn’t happen automatically. Therefore on numerous occasions, God’s children on the Divine Love path are exhorted to be aware of their desires:
Romans 6:12 – Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
Romans 8:5 – Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Romans 13:14 – Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ [Divine Love], and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Galatians 5:16-17, 24 – So I say, live by the Spirit [Divine Love], and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Ephesians 4:22-24 – You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, a created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:5 – Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
James 1:14-15 – … Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
1 Peter 1:14 – As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. [before understanding and receiving the Divine Love].
1 Peter 2:11 – Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
1 John 2:17 – The world and its desires pass away [sin will eventually be eradicated from the universe], but the man who does the will of God lives forever [because he possesses immortality].
[to be continued]
Re: New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
This section discusses more about the New Birth and specifically how are we born anew "of water and the Spirit".
Born of Water and the Spirit
In John 3:5-7, Jesus told Nicodemus: “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
What is the New Birth of water and the Spirit? What does “water” refer to in this case? Other scriptures give us the clue.
Titus 3:3-7 – At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared [time of re-bestowal of the Divine Love], he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through [the teachings of] Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Ephesians 5:26 -- … to make [the church] holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.
John 6:63 – The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
John 15:3 – You are already clean because of the word I [Jesus] have spoken to you.
John 17:17 – Sanctify them [make them holy, set apart] by the truth; your word is truth.
1 Peter 1:22-23 – Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
James 1:18 – He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all he created.
John 1:12-13 – Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name [and his teachings], he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
We learn that the water is truth – the word of God that Jesus spoke to his disciples. It has the power to cleanse, purify, give hope of eternal life (immortality) and indeed to save us, giving us the New Birth – to become born of God.
What then was this God-given doctrine which Jesus proclaimed, but which has been so long discarded in favor of man-made notions of salvation? The rest of this section has been adapted from https://new-birth.net/padgetts-messages ... ume-2-dgs/ by Dr. D.G. Samuels.
The New Birth is Jesus' revelation to the world that the Divine Love of the heavenly Father, withdrawn from mankind with the fall of the first parents, had been re-bestowed by the Father in His goodness and mercy. Jesus, his soul filled with the Father's Love, was the visible proof of its bestowal.
Our salvation, then, resides in the Divine Love of the Father. His Love, obtained through earnest longing of the soul and prayer to Him, is not inherent in the soul itself, as some may believe, but it is something added from the Father in response to individual seeking. When obtained in sufficient degree, It gives that soul the certainty, knowledge and possession of immortality, eternal life in the Kingdom of God. The soul that seeks the Father's Love may continue to obtain it in increasing abundance throughout all eternity.
That is what Jesus meant by being born of the water and the Spirit. The water is not any symbol of purification, but the "living waters" of God’s own essence, His Divine Love, which fills the soul and enables it to live. The Spirit does not come to dwell in the soul of man but, as the instrument of God, conveys the Father’s Love into the soul of the earnest seeker.
The Father’s Love, as it continues to permeate the soul, transforms it from the image of God, in which it was originally created, into His very essence and nature, and brings it into at-onement with Him. As prayer for His Love continues, the evil desires of the flesh which pollute the soul are in time eliminated and only the Father’s Love, Goodness and Mercy remain.
This is the real meaning of forgiveness of sin, and in this sense can come only with the New Birth. It doesn’t come miraculously through belief in Jesus’ name or trust that God by His mere fiat will overlook the transgressions of His children. It is true that by exercising his will, man can seek forgiveness by trying to tear out of his soul emotions which are not harmonious with his real nature. And indeed, he should strive to do so. Yet everyone knows how difficult this is. And God’s help to overcome sin is available for those who seek it with a contrite heart and in earnest prayer.
God’s forgiveness consists of our turning to Him and seeking His Love, which, on entering the soul, progressively eradicates from it desires and emotions which are at variance with His Laws. The forgiveness that comes with the New Birth, then, is an act of cooperation between man and God. Man must seek it in soulful prayer and God confers it through an active process of sin eradication.
The New Birth, then, as the transformation of the human soul into the Divine Soul and the consequent purification from sin through the Father’s Love, thus qualifies the soul to live throughout all eternity with God in His Celestial Mansions. This is the Love which Jesus manifested in his soul and with which he charged his apostles to love one another at the Last Supper.
Thus Jesus was born from above. Indeed, he was born of the Holy Spirit in the sense that it is the agency through which the Father’s Love was poured out in abundance into his soul. And he told Nicodemus that he too and all those who would obey his teachings, could be reborn through the Spirit and become at-one with the Father.
[to be continued]
Born of Water and the Spirit
In John 3:5-7, Jesus told Nicodemus: “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
What is the New Birth of water and the Spirit? What does “water” refer to in this case? Other scriptures give us the clue.
Titus 3:3-7 – At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared [time of re-bestowal of the Divine Love], he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through [the teachings of] Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Ephesians 5:26 -- … to make [the church] holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.
John 6:63 – The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
John 15:3 – You are already clean because of the word I [Jesus] have spoken to you.
John 17:17 – Sanctify them [make them holy, set apart] by the truth; your word is truth.
1 Peter 1:22-23 – Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
James 1:18 – He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all he created.
John 1:12-13 – Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name [and his teachings], he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
We learn that the water is truth – the word of God that Jesus spoke to his disciples. It has the power to cleanse, purify, give hope of eternal life (immortality) and indeed to save us, giving us the New Birth – to become born of God.
What then was this God-given doctrine which Jesus proclaimed, but which has been so long discarded in favor of man-made notions of salvation? The rest of this section has been adapted from https://new-birth.net/padgetts-messages ... ume-2-dgs/ by Dr. D.G. Samuels.
The New Birth is Jesus' revelation to the world that the Divine Love of the heavenly Father, withdrawn from mankind with the fall of the first parents, had been re-bestowed by the Father in His goodness and mercy. Jesus, his soul filled with the Father's Love, was the visible proof of its bestowal.
Our salvation, then, resides in the Divine Love of the Father. His Love, obtained through earnest longing of the soul and prayer to Him, is not inherent in the soul itself, as some may believe, but it is something added from the Father in response to individual seeking. When obtained in sufficient degree, It gives that soul the certainty, knowledge and possession of immortality, eternal life in the Kingdom of God. The soul that seeks the Father's Love may continue to obtain it in increasing abundance throughout all eternity.
That is what Jesus meant by being born of the water and the Spirit. The water is not any symbol of purification, but the "living waters" of God’s own essence, His Divine Love, which fills the soul and enables it to live. The Spirit does not come to dwell in the soul of man but, as the instrument of God, conveys the Father’s Love into the soul of the earnest seeker.
The Father’s Love, as it continues to permeate the soul, transforms it from the image of God, in which it was originally created, into His very essence and nature, and brings it into at-onement with Him. As prayer for His Love continues, the evil desires of the flesh which pollute the soul are in time eliminated and only the Father’s Love, Goodness and Mercy remain.
This is the real meaning of forgiveness of sin, and in this sense can come only with the New Birth. It doesn’t come miraculously through belief in Jesus’ name or trust that God by His mere fiat will overlook the transgressions of His children. It is true that by exercising his will, man can seek forgiveness by trying to tear out of his soul emotions which are not harmonious with his real nature. And indeed, he should strive to do so. Yet everyone knows how difficult this is. And God’s help to overcome sin is available for those who seek it with a contrite heart and in earnest prayer.
God’s forgiveness consists of our turning to Him and seeking His Love, which, on entering the soul, progressively eradicates from it desires and emotions which are at variance with His Laws. The forgiveness that comes with the New Birth, then, is an act of cooperation between man and God. Man must seek it in soulful prayer and God confers it through an active process of sin eradication.
The New Birth, then, as the transformation of the human soul into the Divine Soul and the consequent purification from sin through the Father’s Love, thus qualifies the soul to live throughout all eternity with God in His Celestial Mansions. This is the Love which Jesus manifested in his soul and with which he charged his apostles to love one another at the Last Supper.
Thus Jesus was born from above. Indeed, he was born of the Holy Spirit in the sense that it is the agency through which the Father’s Love was poured out in abundance into his soul. And he told Nicodemus that he too and all those who would obey his teachings, could be reborn through the Spirit and become at-one with the Father.
[to be continued]
Re: New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
Hi Eva,
Thanks for your work on this, I really appreciate what you are doing here. I realize that some may not wish to emphasize the Biblical and Christian roots, but for others it is very helpful. However, I agree that there are alternative ways of presenting the basic message, especially in the early stages. And, as Al has apparently found, those ways may even lead to more positive results in some cases. Perhaps in some areas and among some people, these may even be the only approaches that work. This says a lot about the disrepute with which the Bible and Christianity are held among many. I'll not delve into the reasons or possible justifications for this, but I do believe that what you are doing could help to shift this tide.
Best,
Steve
Thanks for your work on this, I really appreciate what you are doing here. I realize that some may not wish to emphasize the Biblical and Christian roots, but for others it is very helpful. However, I agree that there are alternative ways of presenting the basic message, especially in the early stages. And, as Al has apparently found, those ways may even lead to more positive results in some cases. Perhaps in some areas and among some people, these may even be the only approaches that work. This says a lot about the disrepute with which the Bible and Christianity are held among many. I'll not delve into the reasons or possible justifications for this, but I do believe that what you are doing could help to shift this tide.
Best,
Steve
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jeanne
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Re: New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
Good morning from western Canada, Steve! Welcome to this forum and thank you for your very thoughtful comments - greatly appreciated. With loving wishes to you on your spiritual journey! Jeanne 
Stay centered in Divine Love and expect miracles to happen!
Re: New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
Hi Eva,
I've spent a lot of time reading your posts or threads on the DLSF and while I'm very impressed with how you presented your topic to bring forth truth both from TGRA and the Biblical scriptures to support Jesus' messages, etc. You have gotten some good responses and some that are not so encouraging. For, instance Arie and Steve tried to express his views of why he prefers not to use the terms such as "True Children of God," "Christian," or even Jesus, etc., and Al and Jeanne also confirmed more or less the same sentiment.
While I truly understand their concerns and beliefs because these feelings of rejecting Christianity, the Bible, etc, has been a hard thing to correct or FIX for a long time. Yet, most of us do realize that Jesus did not come here to start a new religion nor is he a Christian nor is his mother, Mary, a Catholic which I'd mentioned some time ago. Nevertheless, IF I’m not mistaken this was the very reason why Jesus of Nazareth started communicating with James E. Padgett over a 100 years ago trying undo the errors and wrong teachings that had been passed down for thousands of years to mankind about the truth of who the Creator our heavenly Father is and also undo the misconceptions of why Jesus was sent here in the first place -- which you so skillfully pointed out that it had nothing to do with his blood or dying on a cross for the sins of mankind or wreath of an angry heavenly Father. (Paraphrased).
Eva you've put in so much hard work and time that you've put in getting this wonderful series together, I am so very proud of you because you are an excellent teacher. Moreover, you are thorough and kind hearted. Thus, you have presented a clear and thorough picture of your research because it is TRUTH and KNOWLEDGE that most people would be able to understand IF they had a religious background. For those that didn't we can go slowly and gently because that is what causes division and wars. And our elder brother, and our heavenly Father are about Love, unity and peace above all else. Yes? Yes!
Nevertheless, how can one be expected to go forward trying to teach spiritual concepts to carnal minds because the truths of God are spiritually discerned and cannot be understand with our physical minds? Or as Paul said:
“And so, brothers and sister, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?” (I Cor. 3:1-3 NRSV)
Or the prophet Isaiah said about trying to teach knowledge:
"Whom will He teach knowledge, and to whom will He explain the message? Those who are weaned from milk, those taken from the breast?" (Isa. 28:9 NRSV)
I truly believe that our elder Brother, Jesus, inspired David Lampron to send out an email a couple of weeks ago that just may have some material that may be of some benefit to your topic in an email that he actually pulled off of his Foundation Church of Divine Truth in some wonderful messages that Jesus presented to him in three parts called, "The Law of Activation." David was the medium who channeled these messages that Jesus spoke through him back on May 20, 1987, May 28 thru June 4, 1987. Please forgive me up front because while this is NOT directly inline with what you've brought to the table, I truly hope it shines some light and understanding on where you are coming from. Please feel free to correct me if you don’t agree. Nevertheless, his message will confirm that there should be some sign that you have the Divine Love inside and it is active. Moreover, God will make his desires and truths known to His children via higher Angels or even mortals that are working for the Kingdom of God.
While David only sent out one part of this subject matter, he did ask us to check out the other two messages -- which I did; and was very impressed because he confirms that our heavenly Father has a way of communicating directly to us by speaking to us "soul to soul." Which does affirms one of your scripture quotes about "being taught by God!" He even goes into details how this is done and it does incorporate our being in prayer and how our Father simply makes known His Thoughts and Desires to ministering Angels who He wishes to employ in carrying out His Desires.
Here's an excerpt from Part I:
"As you have been told, the "Law of Prayer" is a law whereby both mankind and the Father have a part to play. The Father receives all prayers offered in true sincerity and that emanate from the souls of His children; and He, in turn, responds to these prayers in a benevolent fashion unfailingly when the soulful condition just expressed is met by His aspiring children. What you have not been told about as yet is how these prayers are answered in terms of the Father's helps: The Celestial and other good and high spirits.
You have been told thus far that the Father has His helpers to carry out His Will, and that these helpers are always ready, willing and able to carry out the Desires of our Heavenly Father. And this help, or its communication, is affected through a Law of Activation. When the Father hears and determines that He wishes to answer a material prayer, shall we say, He has to communicate His Desire to those spirits who will conform to His Wishes, and who will perform whatever deeds are necessary for His Will to be fulfilled. And this communication is effected rather immediately and through an inner knowing on the part of His ministering angels that a particular work is to be performed."
Here's an excerpt from Part II:
"...the Father communicates Soul to soul where His children are concerned, and He does this so that His Will and Desires may be made known to mankind. I have also told you that there is a hierarchy of communication wherein the highest of God's angels are most clear in the reception of His Desires, and that correspondingly clarity becomes somewhat less well received as we go down the scale of soul development. The communication effected is caused by the Activation of the Father's Own Soul, either in response to the sincere, heartfelt prayers of His children or upon the Desires that spring from his Own Benevolent Soul apart from any outside stimulation.
Now, in receiving the inner message of the Father's Will, His highest angels are prompted to carry out His instructions as expeditiously as possible. But of course, in order to do this, we of the Celestial Spheres must often seek the assistance of either other high spirits or even in some cases the assistance of mortals as well." (FCDT, The Law of Activation – Part II, May 28, 1987; Author: Jesus of Nazareth; Medium: Dr. David R. Lampron)
Excerpts from Part III:
The Father’s Truths are so many and carried that undoubtedly none of us will ever experience and end to their revealment; that is none of us will experience such an end when our hearts, minds and (most importantly) souls wish to learn more of these Truths as we progress in the development of our souls through the inflowing of God’s Love. For with this inflowing comes many other blessings such as health and happiness, and even material gains if the Father feels He wishes to gift His children in these things we well. But one gain which is of a higher order and priority than other gains is the KNOWLEDGE OF THE FATHER’S HIGHER TRUTHS.
“…Truths, you see, are intended to be housed in the soul, not just the mind, just as the Father’s Divine Love is housed in the soul. The soul being the man, it would make no sense for higher Truths to be housed or located in the transitory physical body or even in the transitory physical mind…”
In a previous message, it was declared that the Divine Love was the quintessential “Food” for the soul, and this is most certainly true. But the Divine Love has in it diverse properties that are accompaniments of this Love. IF Love can be said to be the “Fruit” that the Father gifts or presents to man in response to his sincere aspirations for this Love through prayer, then It also might be said that Truth represents a “Covering” for this Fruit. For just as the energy of the soul must have a material covering or means of expressing that energy, so too, the Father’s Love has Its more visible Coverings through which It is expressed. And the most prominent Coverings I would like to refer to are God’s Truths. Through the application and revealment of Truth, God’s Love is made known. It, the Truth, is the visible manifestation of the invisible Love which is in existence in the Soul of the Father, and which may be in existence in the souls of His children.
Now, in order for this Love of the Father to manifest in terms of mankind’s appreciation of Its existence, the Truth of Its existence must first be brought to their attention. With some “visible” property that mankind can grasp in their intellects or understanding, the Father’s Love would remain a mystery and essentially unavailable to men. It becomes important and crucial then that the manifestation of Truths is presented to mankind in order for the Love of the Father to be inferred as that which is in back of these Truths. The Truths of God are that which can be “seen” and “grasped” by material and spirit minds. They become the visible manifestation of the invisible existence of the Producer of these Truths, the Great Loving Soul of the invisible Father, Himself. (FCDT, The Law of Activation – Part III, June 4, 1987; Author: Jesus of Nazareth; Medium: David R. Lampron)
My dear Eva, you've done a wonderful job of bringing forth the proof of God's Divine Love is dwelling richly in your soul. May our heavenly Father continue to fill you with even more Divine Love, so please be encouraged to keep up the great work you are doing for the Kingdom.
Much love and respect to you,
Marga
(Your Sister in Christ)
I've spent a lot of time reading your posts or threads on the DLSF and while I'm very impressed with how you presented your topic to bring forth truth both from TGRA and the Biblical scriptures to support Jesus' messages, etc. You have gotten some good responses and some that are not so encouraging. For, instance Arie and Steve tried to express his views of why he prefers not to use the terms such as "True Children of God," "Christian," or even Jesus, etc., and Al and Jeanne also confirmed more or less the same sentiment.
While I truly understand their concerns and beliefs because these feelings of rejecting Christianity, the Bible, etc, has been a hard thing to correct or FIX for a long time. Yet, most of us do realize that Jesus did not come here to start a new religion nor is he a Christian nor is his mother, Mary, a Catholic which I'd mentioned some time ago. Nevertheless, IF I’m not mistaken this was the very reason why Jesus of Nazareth started communicating with James E. Padgett over a 100 years ago trying undo the errors and wrong teachings that had been passed down for thousands of years to mankind about the truth of who the Creator our heavenly Father is and also undo the misconceptions of why Jesus was sent here in the first place -- which you so skillfully pointed out that it had nothing to do with his blood or dying on a cross for the sins of mankind or wreath of an angry heavenly Father. (Paraphrased).
Eva you've put in so much hard work and time that you've put in getting this wonderful series together, I am so very proud of you because you are an excellent teacher. Moreover, you are thorough and kind hearted. Thus, you have presented a clear and thorough picture of your research because it is TRUTH and KNOWLEDGE that most people would be able to understand IF they had a religious background. For those that didn't we can go slowly and gently because that is what causes division and wars. And our elder brother, and our heavenly Father are about Love, unity and peace above all else. Yes? Yes!
Nevertheless, how can one be expected to go forward trying to teach spiritual concepts to carnal minds because the truths of God are spiritually discerned and cannot be understand with our physical minds? Or as Paul said:
“And so, brothers and sister, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?” (I Cor. 3:1-3 NRSV)
Or the prophet Isaiah said about trying to teach knowledge:
"Whom will He teach knowledge, and to whom will He explain the message? Those who are weaned from milk, those taken from the breast?" (Isa. 28:9 NRSV)
I truly believe that our elder Brother, Jesus, inspired David Lampron to send out an email a couple of weeks ago that just may have some material that may be of some benefit to your topic in an email that he actually pulled off of his Foundation Church of Divine Truth in some wonderful messages that Jesus presented to him in three parts called, "The Law of Activation." David was the medium who channeled these messages that Jesus spoke through him back on May 20, 1987, May 28 thru June 4, 1987. Please forgive me up front because while this is NOT directly inline with what you've brought to the table, I truly hope it shines some light and understanding on where you are coming from. Please feel free to correct me if you don’t agree. Nevertheless, his message will confirm that there should be some sign that you have the Divine Love inside and it is active. Moreover, God will make his desires and truths known to His children via higher Angels or even mortals that are working for the Kingdom of God.
While David only sent out one part of this subject matter, he did ask us to check out the other two messages -- which I did; and was very impressed because he confirms that our heavenly Father has a way of communicating directly to us by speaking to us "soul to soul." Which does affirms one of your scripture quotes about "being taught by God!" He even goes into details how this is done and it does incorporate our being in prayer and how our Father simply makes known His Thoughts and Desires to ministering Angels who He wishes to employ in carrying out His Desires.
Here's an excerpt from Part I:
"As you have been told, the "Law of Prayer" is a law whereby both mankind and the Father have a part to play. The Father receives all prayers offered in true sincerity and that emanate from the souls of His children; and He, in turn, responds to these prayers in a benevolent fashion unfailingly when the soulful condition just expressed is met by His aspiring children. What you have not been told about as yet is how these prayers are answered in terms of the Father's helps: The Celestial and other good and high spirits.
You have been told thus far that the Father has His helpers to carry out His Will, and that these helpers are always ready, willing and able to carry out the Desires of our Heavenly Father. And this help, or its communication, is affected through a Law of Activation. When the Father hears and determines that He wishes to answer a material prayer, shall we say, He has to communicate His Desire to those spirits who will conform to His Wishes, and who will perform whatever deeds are necessary for His Will to be fulfilled. And this communication is effected rather immediately and through an inner knowing on the part of His ministering angels that a particular work is to be performed."
Here's an excerpt from Part II:
"...the Father communicates Soul to soul where His children are concerned, and He does this so that His Will and Desires may be made known to mankind. I have also told you that there is a hierarchy of communication wherein the highest of God's angels are most clear in the reception of His Desires, and that correspondingly clarity becomes somewhat less well received as we go down the scale of soul development. The communication effected is caused by the Activation of the Father's Own Soul, either in response to the sincere, heartfelt prayers of His children or upon the Desires that spring from his Own Benevolent Soul apart from any outside stimulation.
Now, in receiving the inner message of the Father's Will, His highest angels are prompted to carry out His instructions as expeditiously as possible. But of course, in order to do this, we of the Celestial Spheres must often seek the assistance of either other high spirits or even in some cases the assistance of mortals as well." (FCDT, The Law of Activation – Part II, May 28, 1987; Author: Jesus of Nazareth; Medium: Dr. David R. Lampron)
Excerpts from Part III:
The Father’s Truths are so many and carried that undoubtedly none of us will ever experience and end to their revealment; that is none of us will experience such an end when our hearts, minds and (most importantly) souls wish to learn more of these Truths as we progress in the development of our souls through the inflowing of God’s Love. For with this inflowing comes many other blessings such as health and happiness, and even material gains if the Father feels He wishes to gift His children in these things we well. But one gain which is of a higher order and priority than other gains is the KNOWLEDGE OF THE FATHER’S HIGHER TRUTHS.
“…Truths, you see, are intended to be housed in the soul, not just the mind, just as the Father’s Divine Love is housed in the soul. The soul being the man, it would make no sense for higher Truths to be housed or located in the transitory physical body or even in the transitory physical mind…”
In a previous message, it was declared that the Divine Love was the quintessential “Food” for the soul, and this is most certainly true. But the Divine Love has in it diverse properties that are accompaniments of this Love. IF Love can be said to be the “Fruit” that the Father gifts or presents to man in response to his sincere aspirations for this Love through prayer, then It also might be said that Truth represents a “Covering” for this Fruit. For just as the energy of the soul must have a material covering or means of expressing that energy, so too, the Father’s Love has Its more visible Coverings through which It is expressed. And the most prominent Coverings I would like to refer to are God’s Truths. Through the application and revealment of Truth, God’s Love is made known. It, the Truth, is the visible manifestation of the invisible Love which is in existence in the Soul of the Father, and which may be in existence in the souls of His children.
Now, in order for this Love of the Father to manifest in terms of mankind’s appreciation of Its existence, the Truth of Its existence must first be brought to their attention. With some “visible” property that mankind can grasp in their intellects or understanding, the Father’s Love would remain a mystery and essentially unavailable to men. It becomes important and crucial then that the manifestation of Truths is presented to mankind in order for the Love of the Father to be inferred as that which is in back of these Truths. The Truths of God are that which can be “seen” and “grasped” by material and spirit minds. They become the visible manifestation of the invisible existence of the Producer of these Truths, the Great Loving Soul of the invisible Father, Himself. (FCDT, The Law of Activation – Part III, June 4, 1987; Author: Jesus of Nazareth; Medium: David R. Lampron)
My dear Eva, you've done a wonderful job of bringing forth the proof of God's Divine Love is dwelling richly in your soul. May our heavenly Father continue to fill you with even more Divine Love, so please be encouraged to keep up the great work you are doing for the Kingdom.
Much love and respect to you,
Marga
(Your Sister in Christ)
Re: New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
Hi Marga,
Thank you for your extensive and as always thoughtful response. Yes, I was encouraged to read Dave's message when it came and could see my work as a part of what the message he received was saying. I usually briefly respond to his emails, which he appreciates. In my last response, I pointed him to this forum thread and he was very supportive, as also have others. Now, of course I know that not everyone is ready to receive this kind of material, but I also know that there are those who are. In fact I have been encouraged by the number of people who have been visiting this thread even though I haven't posted for a while (I am working on a section on Faith and trying to weave together several intertwining threads, which is taking me time). Perhaps it is like the parable of the sower (Matthew 13). Seed (truth) falls on different kinds of soil and only a small part takes root and produces fruit. Those that do are worth the effort of sowing. I think we all have to follow our guidance and use our gifts and I believe that is what I am doing. Ultimately, spiritual understanding has to be given -- both the Padgett messages and the Bible affirm this. It is all by grace.
Here are two quotes regarding this:
We read in TGRABJ-V2-p. 200, “You cannot perceive spiritual things with the material mind, neither can a man by reason of those powers of the mind which know only material things, be able to perceive the truths of the spirit. Hence the necessity for man cultivating the soul perceptions, which are greater and more comprehending than all the faculties of the material mind. … The soul is to the spiritual things of God what the mind is to the material things of God. And the great mistake that men make and have made, is to attempt to learn these spiritual things with the powers of the material mind. … I want to impress upon you the necessity for exercising the soul perceptions which will come to you as your soul develops. These perceptions are just as real as are the five senses of the natural mind, though most men do not even know of their existence.”
The Bible concurs:
1 Corinthians 2:12-14 -- We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Anyway, Marga, I appreciate you taking the time for writing -- knowing that you are very busy. Thank you for the encouragement. More coming soon for those who are interested.
Love,
Eva
Thank you for your extensive and as always thoughtful response. Yes, I was encouraged to read Dave's message when it came and could see my work as a part of what the message he received was saying. I usually briefly respond to his emails, which he appreciates. In my last response, I pointed him to this forum thread and he was very supportive, as also have others. Now, of course I know that not everyone is ready to receive this kind of material, but I also know that there are those who are. In fact I have been encouraged by the number of people who have been visiting this thread even though I haven't posted for a while (I am working on a section on Faith and trying to weave together several intertwining threads, which is taking me time). Perhaps it is like the parable of the sower (Matthew 13). Seed (truth) falls on different kinds of soil and only a small part takes root and produces fruit. Those that do are worth the effort of sowing. I think we all have to follow our guidance and use our gifts and I believe that is what I am doing. Ultimately, spiritual understanding has to be given -- both the Padgett messages and the Bible affirm this. It is all by grace.
Here are two quotes regarding this:
We read in TGRABJ-V2-p. 200, “You cannot perceive spiritual things with the material mind, neither can a man by reason of those powers of the mind which know only material things, be able to perceive the truths of the spirit. Hence the necessity for man cultivating the soul perceptions, which are greater and more comprehending than all the faculties of the material mind. … The soul is to the spiritual things of God what the mind is to the material things of God. And the great mistake that men make and have made, is to attempt to learn these spiritual things with the powers of the material mind. … I want to impress upon you the necessity for exercising the soul perceptions which will come to you as your soul develops. These perceptions are just as real as are the five senses of the natural mind, though most men do not even know of their existence.”
The Bible concurs:
1 Corinthians 2:12-14 -- We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Anyway, Marga, I appreciate you taking the time for writing -- knowing that you are very busy. Thank you for the encouragement. More coming soon for those who are interested.
Love,
Eva
Re: New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
Here is the first part of a longer section on Faith.
Saved by Grace through Faith
In Ephesians 2:8-9, we read: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
As discussed earlier, salvation comes by grace through soul transformation by the Divine Love, but the soul has to be opened to be receptive to the inflowing of the Love imparted by the Holy Spirit.
Our pre-salvation state was one of “being dead in transgressions and sins, following the ways of this world, and gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts” (Ephesians 2:1-3). However, as we read in the following three verses (4-6): “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” We were raised from our dead soul state through the Divine Love, given immortality, and eventually we’ll occupy the Celestial heavenly realms, where Jesus is the firstborn of many brethren and the loving and benevolent master.
Where does faith fit into this? Faith can mean several things, but true faith is more than just mental belief. The various aspects of faith will now be discussed.
Faith as a Point in Time
The New Testament in the book of Galatians mentions circumstances “before faith” and “after faith has come”, and contrasts living by faith with keeping the law. These points in time can be on a global or individual level.
Globally the time of faith starts with Jesus’ coming and announcement about the re-availability of the Divine Love. Before that, moral laws were to guide human behaviour, and as history and the Old Testament shows, those laws were often disobeyed with unpleasant consequences. The law of cause and effect or the law of compensation was in full operation both on earth and in the spirit world. When Jesus announced the re-bestowal of the Divine Love, not everyone was ready to receive it – in fact most were not. We learn from TGRABJ 3/303 that “the teachings of the Master were twofold, and for those who were not in a condition to hear and understand his higher spiritual truths, he preached those things, which if followed, would make them better men and women and cause them to progress in the development of their natural love.” Paraphrasing further, natural love teachings and the work of preachers who have limited understanding must therefore not be undervalued, for people differ in their intellectual or spiritual conditions. The truths taught may by their influence on the hearts of the hearers turn their minds to spiritual things of the higher nature. This then may open their souls to the influence of Celestial spirits, and from that may follow longings for the Love of the Father.
On an individual level, the time of faith has to do with one’s spiritual development and readiness to accept Jesus’ invitation to take on his light yoke and embark on the path of faith, grace and Divine Love, as contrasted with the more difficult natural love pathway of striving to keep the law and overcoming one’s weakness on one’s own strength.
The passage of Galatians 3:23 to 4:7 gives us insights on our position before and after embarking on the Divine Love path, or, as the scripture calls it, the path of faith. In verses 23 and 24, Paul explains the role of the law, or moral teachings: it was a “tutor” for the time before being ready for following the path of the Divine Love. The passage then moves on and tells us what happened when “faith” came:
Galatians 3:23-26
“But before faith [Divine Love teaching] came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ [Divine Love], that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.”
Then chapter 4 of Galatians continues:
Galatians 4:1-7
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children [spiritually immature], we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law [redeem them from experiencing the law of compensation which every breaking of the law automatically brings], that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons [begotten of God and God’s true children], God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts [Divine Love, which was first in Jesus’ soul], the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave [to the law], but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir [heir to God’s Kingdom through the Divine Love].
[More coming]
Saved by Grace through Faith
In Ephesians 2:8-9, we read: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
As discussed earlier, salvation comes by grace through soul transformation by the Divine Love, but the soul has to be opened to be receptive to the inflowing of the Love imparted by the Holy Spirit.
Our pre-salvation state was one of “being dead in transgressions and sins, following the ways of this world, and gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts” (Ephesians 2:1-3). However, as we read in the following three verses (4-6): “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” We were raised from our dead soul state through the Divine Love, given immortality, and eventually we’ll occupy the Celestial heavenly realms, where Jesus is the firstborn of many brethren and the loving and benevolent master.
Where does faith fit into this? Faith can mean several things, but true faith is more than just mental belief. The various aspects of faith will now be discussed.
Faith as a Point in Time
The New Testament in the book of Galatians mentions circumstances “before faith” and “after faith has come”, and contrasts living by faith with keeping the law. These points in time can be on a global or individual level.
Globally the time of faith starts with Jesus’ coming and announcement about the re-availability of the Divine Love. Before that, moral laws were to guide human behaviour, and as history and the Old Testament shows, those laws were often disobeyed with unpleasant consequences. The law of cause and effect or the law of compensation was in full operation both on earth and in the spirit world. When Jesus announced the re-bestowal of the Divine Love, not everyone was ready to receive it – in fact most were not. We learn from TGRABJ 3/303 that “the teachings of the Master were twofold, and for those who were not in a condition to hear and understand his higher spiritual truths, he preached those things, which if followed, would make them better men and women and cause them to progress in the development of their natural love.” Paraphrasing further, natural love teachings and the work of preachers who have limited understanding must therefore not be undervalued, for people differ in their intellectual or spiritual conditions. The truths taught may by their influence on the hearts of the hearers turn their minds to spiritual things of the higher nature. This then may open their souls to the influence of Celestial spirits, and from that may follow longings for the Love of the Father.
On an individual level, the time of faith has to do with one’s spiritual development and readiness to accept Jesus’ invitation to take on his light yoke and embark on the path of faith, grace and Divine Love, as contrasted with the more difficult natural love pathway of striving to keep the law and overcoming one’s weakness on one’s own strength.
The passage of Galatians 3:23 to 4:7 gives us insights on our position before and after embarking on the Divine Love path, or, as the scripture calls it, the path of faith. In verses 23 and 24, Paul explains the role of the law, or moral teachings: it was a “tutor” for the time before being ready for following the path of the Divine Love. The passage then moves on and tells us what happened when “faith” came:
Galatians 3:23-26
“But before faith [Divine Love teaching] came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ [Divine Love], that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.”
Then chapter 4 of Galatians continues:
Galatians 4:1-7
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children [spiritually immature], we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law [redeem them from experiencing the law of compensation which every breaking of the law automatically brings], that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons [begotten of God and God’s true children], God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts [Divine Love, which was first in Jesus’ soul], the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave [to the law], but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir [heir to God’s Kingdom through the Divine Love].
[More coming]
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Re: New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
Hello Eva, Marga, et.al.,
Thank you for this beautiful thread! Your loving and thoughtful posts are bearing fruit in my soul! It's lovely to come here and receive God's Divine Love in the form of your shared wisdom and compassion. After a long day, when I am weary, these words refresh like Living Water. I am grateful...Blessings...
Much Love,
Catherine
Thank you for this beautiful thread! Your loving and thoughtful posts are bearing fruit in my soul! It's lovely to come here and receive God's Divine Love in the form of your shared wisdom and compassion. After a long day, when I am weary, these words refresh like Living Water. I am grateful...Blessings...
Much Love,
Catherine
Re: New Birth and Our Status as True Children of God
Hello Catherine,
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. And the way you expressed them was such a familiar and endearing term: “These words refresh like Living Water.”
Sending you Peace and continued Blessings,
Marga
Dear Eva:
I needed to make a correction to my earlier post of last week.
Correction to Part III:
The Father’s Truths are so many and varied that undoubtedly none of us will ever experience and end to their revealment that is none of us will experience such an end when our hearts, minds and (most importantly) souls wish to learn more of these Truths as we progress in the development of our souls through the inflowing of God’s Love. For with this inflowing comes many other blessings such as health and happiness, and even material gains if the Father feels He wishes to gift His children in these things we well. But one gain which is of a higher order and priority than other gains is the KNOWLEDGE OF THE FATHER’S HIGHER TRUTHS.
You Said:
We read in TGRABJ-V2-p. 200, “You cannot perceive spiritual things with the material mind, neither can a man by reason of those powers of the mind which know only material things, be able to perceive the truths of the spirit. Hence the necessity for man cultivating the soul perceptions, which are greater and more comprehending than all the faculties of the material mind. … The soul is to the spiritual things of God what the mind is to the material things of God. And the great mistake that men make and have made, is to attempt to learn these spiritual things with the powers of the material mind.
Then as I reread David's Channelled message and found this passage:
Jesus Had Also Spoken of His Own Soul Development in David’s Message:
While on earth, IF I myself had lacked this soul development, I could not have performed the mission I had, nor could I have been instrumental in bringing healings and other kinds of blessings to my brothers and sisters in the flesh who were living as mortals at that time. But even I had the constant assistance of high spirits then in existence in the spirit world during my earthly ministry. While they did not possess the Divine Love until I myself received It, these spirits were perfected in their natural love at that time, and were quite capable of bringing me the kind of spiritual comfort and support I too needed during my periods of trial and tribulation on earth. Of course, the greatest comfort and support I received were directly given to me by the Father Himself. But even in my own case, the Father utilized His highest perfected spirits to accord me additional blessings while on earth.
Just thought this was very interesting seeing that many people think that Jesus had it all together during his public ministry, not understanding that since he was the first to possess the Divine Love after it had been rebestowed or reinitiated to mankind, that it was a work in progress situation...not everything came all at once.
Again, thank you so much for all of your hard work and devotion.
Marga
(Your sister in Christ)
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. And the way you expressed them was such a familiar and endearing term: “These words refresh like Living Water.”
Sending you Peace and continued Blessings,
Marga
Dear Eva:
I needed to make a correction to my earlier post of last week.
Correction to Part III:
The Father’s Truths are so many and varied that undoubtedly none of us will ever experience and end to their revealment that is none of us will experience such an end when our hearts, minds and (most importantly) souls wish to learn more of these Truths as we progress in the development of our souls through the inflowing of God’s Love. For with this inflowing comes many other blessings such as health and happiness, and even material gains if the Father feels He wishes to gift His children in these things we well. But one gain which is of a higher order and priority than other gains is the KNOWLEDGE OF THE FATHER’S HIGHER TRUTHS.
You Said:
We read in TGRABJ-V2-p. 200, “You cannot perceive spiritual things with the material mind, neither can a man by reason of those powers of the mind which know only material things, be able to perceive the truths of the spirit. Hence the necessity for man cultivating the soul perceptions, which are greater and more comprehending than all the faculties of the material mind. … The soul is to the spiritual things of God what the mind is to the material things of God. And the great mistake that men make and have made, is to attempt to learn these spiritual things with the powers of the material mind.
Then as I reread David's Channelled message and found this passage:
Jesus Had Also Spoken of His Own Soul Development in David’s Message:
While on earth, IF I myself had lacked this soul development, I could not have performed the mission I had, nor could I have been instrumental in bringing healings and other kinds of blessings to my brothers and sisters in the flesh who were living as mortals at that time. But even I had the constant assistance of high spirits then in existence in the spirit world during my earthly ministry. While they did not possess the Divine Love until I myself received It, these spirits were perfected in their natural love at that time, and were quite capable of bringing me the kind of spiritual comfort and support I too needed during my periods of trial and tribulation on earth. Of course, the greatest comfort and support I received were directly given to me by the Father Himself. But even in my own case, the Father utilized His highest perfected spirits to accord me additional blessings while on earth.
Just thought this was very interesting seeing that many people think that Jesus had it all together during his public ministry, not understanding that since he was the first to possess the Divine Love after it had been rebestowed or reinitiated to mankind, that it was a work in progress situation...not everything came all at once.
Again, thank you so much for all of your hard work and devotion.
Marga
(Your sister in Christ)