Excellent essay. Word meanings are important. Especially those that are key to our understanding of Christ's gospel itself.
The worked 'testament' in "New Testament" is probably better translated as 'covenant'. The gospel is a new covenant with humanity.
And the word 'love' in First Commandment might better be translated as 'devotion', 'to be devoted to'. The love required of us is not a feeling, it is a choice to put God above all else and to be absolutely devoted to Him.
Sep 9, 2023·edited Sep 9, 2023Liked by Jim McCraigh
Thanks for sharing.
Does anyone else sense the "Invasion of the Body snatchers" vibe that has come to surround the modern take on the message of Christ's gospel, which has not changed so much in the delivery, but in the acceptance?
The Christ implored of us to take no concern for earthly treasure, as was to my ear CLEARLY STATED in the Sermon on the Mount, in the book of Matthew, chapter 6, verse 19, as well as reinforcing the message again in verse 24, where the last sentence is the well known passage "Ye cannot serve G-d and Mammon."
Continuing on, in order to try and hammer it through the thick layer of devilish deceit that would keep us all in the darkness forever, the Christ tells us "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink".
A tall order for the faithless that abound in these dark days, who mostly mock the plain truth of these powerful words.
Nearly all that I know have found a way to sever theirselves from the meaning of these words, so strait forward and simple.
There is no mistake made here- it is EASY TO READ, easy to hear this Truth, but oh how the liar has turned our ears and hearts and hands from this Truth, to pollute it's pure and sincere message.
I am not bragging of the fact that in order to adhere as best I might to the message as I heard it, I have willingly achieved the status of extreme poverty, meaning that I have accepted a life in which I choose to pay as little to Caesar as I may, by making less than $1000 per month cash income, which allows me to be relieved of all federal income tax obligations, and so I am no longer a tax mule at that point, beholden to the evils inherent within this domain occupied by the Prince of the air.
This does not make me succumb to a wretched life, though, by any means. In fact of matter, it has Saved Me From Many Perils. I am stronger, healthier, happier in many ways, more conscious of things of weighty matter than ever before, all from harkening to the Christ's message to the best of my abilities (which continue to grow in strength and number).
Many have been compelled to mock me as a loser, and would even claim that I am, or must be, jealous of the rich and comfortable life of financial ease that I am just too inept to have compiled for, COMPETED for, myself. Sadly for these, such is not the case.
I cannot- and would not if I could- force anyone to comply with the Truth, but will continue on along the straight and very narrow Path, calling out in the voice that I've been given.
Yet so many that I have shared this with- all but a small handful - immediately make their multiple excuses for participating within the evil system that the Christ warned us of so clearly, somehow allowing for earthly riches to be their rightful blessing from our Creator, when it is stated in very plain English to the contrary.
I see the difficulty presented for many that have been made dependent on, and soft from, the system as it's been made (by the deceiver), in that people are taught that it's their right and even a necessity for them to have a electrified life of artificial ease, never dirtying one's hand with the tasks of procuring food or making simple shelter from all natural Nature, but must instead always have the brightly-lit sterility of the modern corporation stores, selling their chemically cleansed food 'stuff', and along with the other requirements to life, things like our water (which less than 250 years ago, almost all waterways in the US were clean to drink straight away direct from the Source- wouldn't advise that today), and the very air we all need to order to breathe our Life, along with so many more of the adversary's shenanigans.
How is it that so many have been made deaf, or have been overcome with fear?
To these eyes, it is a simple matter rooted in the desires of the flesh being given free reign over our lives, while never completing the faith-backed actions required of those of us who would profess a growing faith in the Holy Spirit's message of profound Truth.
In other words, most have fallen prey to the temptations of That Old Serpent, and to the call of 'riches' of the sorts mentioned in the book of the Revelation, chapter 18.
"Come out of her, my people."
Blessings to be burned pure and clean by the Refining Fire of Truth.
This is good. This is like a special dessert. Thank you so much for sharing.
Excellent essay. Word meanings are important. Especially those that are key to our understanding of Christ's gospel itself.
The worked 'testament' in "New Testament" is probably better translated as 'covenant'. The gospel is a new covenant with humanity.
And the word 'love' in First Commandment might better be translated as 'devotion', 'to be devoted to'. The love required of us is not a feeling, it is a choice to put God above all else and to be absolutely devoted to Him.
Thanks for sharing.
Does anyone else sense the "Invasion of the Body snatchers" vibe that has come to surround the modern take on the message of Christ's gospel, which has not changed so much in the delivery, but in the acceptance?
The Christ implored of us to take no concern for earthly treasure, as was to my ear CLEARLY STATED in the Sermon on the Mount, in the book of Matthew, chapter 6, verse 19, as well as reinforcing the message again in verse 24, where the last sentence is the well known passage "Ye cannot serve G-d and Mammon."
Continuing on, in order to try and hammer it through the thick layer of devilish deceit that would keep us all in the darkness forever, the Christ tells us "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink".
A tall order for the faithless that abound in these dark days, who mostly mock the plain truth of these powerful words.
Nearly all that I know have found a way to sever theirselves from the meaning of these words, so strait forward and simple.
There is no mistake made here- it is EASY TO READ, easy to hear this Truth, but oh how the liar has turned our ears and hearts and hands from this Truth, to pollute it's pure and sincere message.
I am not bragging of the fact that in order to adhere as best I might to the message as I heard it, I have willingly achieved the status of extreme poverty, meaning that I have accepted a life in which I choose to pay as little to Caesar as I may, by making less than $1000 per month cash income, which allows me to be relieved of all federal income tax obligations, and so I am no longer a tax mule at that point, beholden to the evils inherent within this domain occupied by the Prince of the air.
This does not make me succumb to a wretched life, though, by any means. In fact of matter, it has Saved Me From Many Perils. I am stronger, healthier, happier in many ways, more conscious of things of weighty matter than ever before, all from harkening to the Christ's message to the best of my abilities (which continue to grow in strength and number).
Many have been compelled to mock me as a loser, and would even claim that I am, or must be, jealous of the rich and comfortable life of financial ease that I am just too inept to have compiled for, COMPETED for, myself. Sadly for these, such is not the case.
I cannot- and would not if I could- force anyone to comply with the Truth, but will continue on along the straight and very narrow Path, calling out in the voice that I've been given.
Yet so many that I have shared this with- all but a small handful - immediately make their multiple excuses for participating within the evil system that the Christ warned us of so clearly, somehow allowing for earthly riches to be their rightful blessing from our Creator, when it is stated in very plain English to the contrary.
I see the difficulty presented for many that have been made dependent on, and soft from, the system as it's been made (by the deceiver), in that people are taught that it's their right and even a necessity for them to have a electrified life of artificial ease, never dirtying one's hand with the tasks of procuring food or making simple shelter from all natural Nature, but must instead always have the brightly-lit sterility of the modern corporation stores, selling their chemically cleansed food 'stuff', and along with the other requirements to life, things like our water (which less than 250 years ago, almost all waterways in the US were clean to drink straight away direct from the Source- wouldn't advise that today), and the very air we all need to order to breathe our Life, along with so many more of the adversary's shenanigans.
How is it that so many have been made deaf, or have been overcome with fear?
To these eyes, it is a simple matter rooted in the desires of the flesh being given free reign over our lives, while never completing the faith-backed actions required of those of us who would profess a growing faith in the Holy Spirit's message of profound Truth.
In other words, most have fallen prey to the temptations of That Old Serpent, and to the call of 'riches' of the sorts mentioned in the book of the Revelation, chapter 18.
"Come out of her, my people."
Blessings to be burned pure and clean by the Refining Fire of Truth.
Fascinating!
Great post. Makes me think differently of the word, gospel.