30th Day of Lent – What is Salvation? - Part II

Of the 4 gospels, John is by far the most esoteric. Many researchers believe John to be a Gnostic gospel and much closer to the actual teachings of Jesus than the other 3. If tradition is correct and the Gospel of John was written by the “beloved disciple,” then this disciple was likely taught in more depth than the others. nnIn the Gospel of John, Jesus repeatedly shifted the attention away from himself and to the Father. nn In John 12:44-46, “Jesus cried aloud: ‘Whoever believes in me believes NOT IN ME, but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness.” nn“Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19)nn“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:30)nn“My teaching is not mine but his who sent me.” (John 7:16)nn“I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” (John 7:28-29)nn“The one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him…. I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” (John 8:26, 28-29)nn“I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.” (John 12:49-50)nn“The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do GREATER WORKS than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:10-12)nnWhat was Jesus telling us when he repeatedly told his disciples “I do not speak on my own?” Here is where the Gospel of John insists that we cease reading on the surface level and delve into the esoteric, or metaphysical, levels. Reading the surface words is the “milk” that the Apostle Paul said he had to feed the Corinthians because they were not ready to be fed the “meat” of the gospel. (I Corinthians 3:1-2) Jesus also told his disciples in John 16:12, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” He taught in parables in order to teach the people one level of knowledge, but taught his disciples on a deeper, esoteric level and still had more to tell them. nnAt present humanity functions with approximately 10 % of our brain power. As Paul states in I Corinthians 13:12, “for now we see in a mirror, dimly.” It is impossible for us to comprehend the true nature of life. So for now, let’s consider what we can glean from the Divine Self Illustration.nnnLet’s say Jesus is the human being residing on the physical plane. Remember the middle figure represents our Higher, Intuitive Mind. The top figure is the I AM PRESENCE or God dwelling within us. Jesus called it “the Father.” When Jesus says “I do not speak on my own,” he means that he is channeling the words of the Father (I AM PRESENCE) through the channel of light seen in the Illustration extending from the top figure into the head of the physical man.nnTry reading the “I AM” statements in John understanding that the man Jesus is channeling the I AM PRESENCE. nn“I AM the bread of life” … “I AM” the resurrection and the life” … “I AM the light of the world.” Jesus, speaking the words of the Father, is stating that attunement with the I AM PRESENCE within us is our bread of life … our means of resurrection and life eternal … our means of becoming the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). GOD (I AM) IS OUR SALVATION. nnJesus incarnated to show us the Way to salvation, to release us from the spiritual blindness that imprisons us, especially the fear of death and extinction. We learn to develop attunement to God (I AM) by believing the teachings of Jesus---both the exoteric and esoteric levels.nn“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16) As we follow the teachings of Jesus, we become One with God, as illustrated by the Enlightened One picture.nnnnnHumanity is awakening to higher consciousness. As we awaken, we will grow to understand more and more of the “meat” that is the esoteric teachings of Jesus and Paul and beyond. nnFor now, it is important that we give up the belief in a vengeful God who required a blood sacrifice in order to forgive our sins and grant us salvation.