Enlightenment, a Christian Perspective Part 2

The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man

“13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

“16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”

Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

“17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

“18 But the Jews did not believe him that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

John 9:39 (KJV)

“39 And Jesus said, for judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind”.

We need to discriminate between what is right and that which is wrong and do what is right and not what is expedient. In our spiritual journey, we need to embrace a sense of awe, of faith and wonder, and seeing ourselves as co-creators with God’s plan. We ought to be as Jesus exclaimed: “I have come to do the work of Him that sent me”. We all are a part of creation and have a responsibility to the whole. In this process we have to be watchful as children of light.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 (KJV)

“5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness”.

We must be watchful. We can only get away with evil, if we explain it to ourselves as virtue. Anyone who does wrong thinks of himself with some distorted perception, like using violence in, let’s make the world safe for democracy or helping others, we always have a rationale to justify our violent nature. That is the self serving ego speaking. It does not want to admit the truth of its false perceptions. It is never wrong.

“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”

A look at Salvation

Another word for enlightenment in Christianity is salvation. It is the act of being saved or protected from harm, risk, loss, destruction, or an act of healing that Jesus performed on many occasions according to the bible. 

The Hebrew words used to signify salvation, yasa (to save, help in distress, rescue, deliver, set free) it is most frequently used in the Old Testament.

In contrast, the employment of salvation in the New Testament usually signifies deliverance with special spiritual significance. In addition to the notion of deliverance the Bible also uses salvation to denote health, well-being, and healing.

The most common meaning of salvation is God's sovereign and gracious choice to be "God with us" in the person of Jesus Christ, who is described as both author and finisher of salvation ( Heb 2:10 ; 7:25 ). But the movement of Jesus' life goes through the cross and resurrection. It is therefore "Christ crucified" that is of central importance for salvation (1 Cor1:23), for "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor 15:3) and was handed to death for our trespasses (Rom 4:25).

Matthew 20:28 (KJV)

“28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many”.

In practical terms salvation became the overall word for the final healing that is experienced in life and after death that makes us right with God. Jesus healed, he mingled with all people. He did not ask what their religion was. He transformed many that were within his reach. He had no pre-requisites, but he told people to change their life style or repent.

In the New Testament there are three different passages. Some which point out, that salvation has already happened, some point out that salvation is in the process of happening, and there is a finality and future tense.

Example:

God has been pleased to reconcile all things to Himself.

Colossians 1:19-20 (KJV)

“19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell”;

“20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven”.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast”.

Romans 5:5 (KJV)

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

We need to recognize that well spring of the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 2 (KJV)

“2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them”.

Unfortunately in some of the Christian teachings, salvation or enlightenment is largely taught as an evacuation plan for the next world.

Instead religion needs to be taught in a manner that transforms people now so that they can experience God’s presence through the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives.

We need to look at the deep present tense passages like

John 1:9 (KJV)

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Philippians 2:12 (KJV)

“12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”.

This is what keeps one on the journey.

Then there are future passages.

1 Corinthians 15:22 King James Version (KJV)

“22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”.

On incarnation,

The incarnation did not begin with Jesus’ birth. The incarnation of Christ started the moment God decided to materialize; where we have the eternal Christ, the combination of matter and spirit.

An enlightenment experience must be observable. The people project a glow, they change in personality, and they also change others just by being who they are.

Unfortunately many Christians limit the Christ mission to their own vision. Few realize that Jesus’ mission continued beyond his incarnation. He showed that he is able to materialize his body at will in the world or on any other level of existence at any time. This is why He could say to his disciples;”Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world”. He immortalized His body as well as His spirit. Any true devotee can see him as Jesus Christ or know Him as one with the Infinite Christ. Saint Francis, born centuries after Jesus, used to see him every night. St. Teresa of Avila knew him as one with the Infinite Christ.

Some people are blessed with ultimate visions, where they can touch the body of Jesus and talk with him, just as truly as when he walked on earth. The intimately real sensation of touching the materialized form is not the same as contact with the gross matter of the incarnate form, but the realization of the true essence of the body as a combination of spiritual vibrations of Bliss impart a wondrous elevating sense of joy and blessings. Any sincere devotee can and should have an intimate relationship with the living Christ. Christ is now and forever, He is eternal. One can have a daily experience of His presence.

Romans 1:20 (KJV)

“20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse”.

Our knowledge of God is certainly partial at best, but we cannot plead complete ignorance. His creation reveals enough of Him to make a major difference in our lives.

For the invisible things of him - The expression “his invisible things” refers to those things which cannot be perceived by the senses. It does not imply that there are any things pertaining to the divine character which may be seen by the eye; but that there are things which may be known of him, though not discoverable by the eye. We judge of the objects around us by the senses, the sight, the touch, and hearing.

We have examined Enlightenment from a Christian Perspective, stated that Mysticism is the belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the Absolute is possible. We have said, that the

Eastern Church, contemplation consisted not merely in negation and renunciation, but in a union with God's Spirit, in an experience of spiritual illumination

We have touched on, that experiencing the Holy Spirit is a feeling of inner peace and joy. We presented some of the teachings of Jesus and said that God is light, and in Him is no darkness and that we are “Ye are all the children of light”, and that Enlightenment in Christianity is also spoken of as salvation.

Our knowledge of God is certainly partial at best, but we cannot plead complete ignorance.

An elaboration on the Holy Spirit I

I will tell you of that which is to be known, because such knowledge bestows immortality. Hear about the beginning-less Supreme Spirit, He who is spoken of as neither existent nor nonexistent. He dwells in the world, enveloping all, He is present everywhere, shining in all the senses, yet transcending them; unattached to creation, yet the source of all creation.

He is within and without all that exists, the animate and the inanimate; he is the Indivisible One. He appears as countless beings; He maintains and destroys forms, then creates them anew. He is the light of all lights, beyond darkness; he is knowledge itself, that which is to be known, the goal of all learning, He is seated in the hearts of all.

An explanation of the Holy Spirit II

Spirit is motionless, vibration-less, both in thought and energy. It has no dimensions, no relativity; it is like nothing in creation. It knows neither pleasure nor pain. It is beyond the relativity of the four ordinary states of human consciousness, pleasure, pain, indifference, and temporary peace.

It is bliss, which is deeper than peace, and is always new and unceasing. That is the only quality of Spirit. When we feel that and nothing else satisfies; then you have true spiritual consciousness.

Spirit is nameless and formless. If we try to name Spirit, we immediately limit it. Spirit is not knowable by the limitation of understanding, but that does not mean that Spirit is entirely unknowable, because Spirit can be felt.

From the human point of view of time, Spirit is, was, and ever shall be. In Spirit there is no past or future, only the present. Spirit is ever conscious. Spirit's Cosmic Consciousness does not cease to operate actively, as does the consciousness of man in sleep. Spirit has no alternating consciousness of wakefulness or sub-consciousness like that of man, but has perpetual, enjoyable, active and inactive wakefulness combined within Itself.

It is said, that Spirit was Joy, but there was no one else to taste of this Joy, so Spirit divided Itself to become the Enjoyer, the act of enjoying, and the thing enjoyed, the Knower, the process of knowing, and the thing known.

This triune division of Spirit into Knower, Knowing, and Known was accomplished by the law of relativity. Spirit, being one and indivisible, had to imagine and will Itself to be many. Expressed another way: Spirit divided Itself into God as the Father, the Cosmic Consciousness or "Knower" remaining beyond all creation; and into God as the Son, the Christ Consciousness or cosmic intelligent subjective "knowing" power in creation; and into God as the Holy Ghost, the cosmic intelligent objective creation itself, the thing known.

Manifesting in creation, Spirit divided Itself into subject and object, the Knower and the Known.

What is the difference between Spirit as subject and object?

Spirit as God in the aspect of Christ Consciousness manifests subjectively in creation as the power of perception of thoughts and feelings; and Spirit as God the Cosmic Intelligent Vibration manifests objectively to produce the universe. Everything is One, but when that One Infinite Spirit differentiates Itself into many, It has many forms and many names. But Spirit, the great One Reality, cannot be named.

The word "God" means the manifested, transcendental Being beyond creation, but existing in relation to creation. Spirit existed before God. God is the Creator of the universe, but Spirit is the Creator of God. Spirit is not the universe; Spirit is that which was and will be whether the universe does or does not exist. Spirit includes everything.