Way of Holiness & the Sacred Hoop-10-19This is the last article in the “Creator Spoke to Everyone” series. Again the CoIC is privileged to be able to bring this knowledge to you. We are thankful that Robert Mendelson was chosen and able to write it for us. God watch over and bless you Robert Mendelson. We know you will go far with your work.
Following are examples of scripture supporting the principle salvation extends to
righteous people of different religions.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Luke 10:25-37;
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.
“Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he [Jesus] replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He [the expert in the law] answered:
” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ;
and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he [the “expert in the law”] wanted to justify himself,
so he asked Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said:
“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the
hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away,
leaving him half dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down the same road,
and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
32 So too, a Levite,
when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was;
and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.
Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.
35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper.
‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return,
I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think
was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied,”The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Samaritans followed a religion similar to Judaism. Its roots were partially from
Judaism, with elements adopted from the religions of people imported into Samaria
by the Assyrians from Babylon and elsewhere. This is documented in 2Kings17:24.
This parable supports the Narrow Gate, specifically points out the Samaritan
(who follows another religion but has a good heart) is worthy of salvation, whereas
the Levite and priest of the “correct” religion, Judaism, weren’t .Jews, by the way,
shunned Samaritans (John 4:9),much as many Christians shun Muslims, Hindus,
“Pagans”, and even members of other sects of Christianity. In doing so, people
deny Christ by disobeying his commandments, such as;
Matthew 7:1-2, Jesus;
1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged,
and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
People deny Christ by disobeying what he said in Luke 11, too…
Luke 11:9, Jesus;
“So I say to you:
Ask and it will be given to you;
seek [truth and knowledge of God] and you will find;
knock [politely, reverently,]
and the door [of spiritual knowledge] will be opened to you.”
THE “NARROW GATE” IN ISLAM
Sura 4:164;
“Of some apostles We have told thee before:
of other apostles We have not told thee…”
Sura 13:38-39;
38 To each age its book.
39 What He pleaseth will God abrogate or confirm:
for with Him is the source [and timing] of revelation.”
Sura 5:69;
Verily, they who believe (Muslims),
and they who follow the Jewish religion,
and the Christians,
and the Sabeites—
whoever of these believeth in God and the last day,
and doeth that which is right,
shall have their reward with their Lord:…”
fear shall not come upon them, neither shall they be grieved.”
Sura 57:29; That the people of the Book may know
that they have no control over aught of the favours of God,
and that these gifts of grace are in the hands of God,
and that He vouchsafe them to whom He will;
for God is of immense bounty.”
Sura 10:48; And every people hath had its apostle…”
Sura 22:34; And to every people have we appointed rites,
that they may commemorate the name of God…”
Sura 22:67; To every people
have we appointed observances which they observe.”
Sura 30:22;
And among His signs are the creation of the heavens and of the earth,
and your varieties of tongues and color.
Herein truly are signs for all men.”
Sura 29:46;
Dispute not, unless in kindly sort, with people of the Book;
And say ye,
“We believe in what hath been sent down to us [Qur’an]
and what hath been sent down to you. [Entire Old & New Testaments]
Our God and your God is one,…”
THE “NARROW GATE” ALL ACROSS MOTHER EARTH
Here is a portion of the vision given the Lakota Sioux prophet Black Elk,
from “Black Elk Speaks” (p.33), demonstrating proper use of spirituality;
“And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people
was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight,
and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree
to shelter all the children of one mother and one father.
And I saw it was holy.”
The key thing is, it must be done the right way.
The way shown by Baha’u’llah (Baha’i), in “The Book of Certitude” pp.103,104;
“These attributes of God are not and have never been
vouchsafed specially unto certain Prophets, and withheld from others.
Nay, all the Prophets of God,
His well-favored, His holy, and chosen Messengers, are, without exception,
the bearers of His names, and the embodiments of His attributes.
They only differ in the intensity of their revelation,
and the comparative potency of their light…”
The way shown by Malachi;
Malachi 2:10;
Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us?”
And Paul;
Romans 2:11; …For God does not show favoritism.”
And Jesus;
John 10:29; …no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand…”
And Muhammad,
Sura 22:34; And to every people have we appointed rites,
that they may commemorate the name of God…”
And Joseph Smith (Mormon);
2 Nephi 29:6-10;
6 Thou fool, that shall say:
A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible.
Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews [i.e., Someone else]?
7 Know ye not that there are more [spiritual] nations than one?
Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men,
and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea;
and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath;
and I bring forth my word unto the children of men,
yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word?
Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God,
that I remember one nation like unto another?
Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another.
And when the two nations shall run together,
the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same
yesterday, today, and forever;
and that I speak forth my words according to my own pleasure.”…
[Anytime, anywhere, no people excluded]
9 cont.; …”And because I have spoken one word
ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another;
for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man;
neither from that time henceforth and forever.”…
And the way shown by Sri Krishna (Hindu);
Šrïmad-Bhãgavatam Book 10, Chapter 4, pp. 181-183;
- 181; [Brahma] looked about him
and saw Krishna [Hindu name for God] in each form in the universe,
Krishna in all beings and things.
He saw Krishna as the light of all lights, the revealer of the whole universe,
and knew that everything [and all names for the One] was He…”
- 182 Brahma;
“Blessed are those Who art not concerned about philosophy, or doctrines,
But who live and follow Thy life-giving words;…
Those whose divine sight is clear Find Thee within themselves…”
- 183 “Thou [Krishna] art Atman, the divine Self;
Not without do the wise seek Thee, but within,
For Thou art present in the hearts of all.”
2 Nephi 29:6-10. cont.;
10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible
ye need not suppose that it contains all my words;
neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.”
For I command all men,
both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south,
and in the islands of the sea,
that they shall write the words which I speak unto them;
for out of the books [plural] which shall be written
I will judge the world, every man according to their works,
according to that which is written.”
Interestingly, Nephi lived around the time of Isaiah, and spoke of future books
in the plural. He spoke before Jesus, Muhammad, and Baha’u’llah, too. And once
more, the way shown by Black Elk;
“And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people
was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight,
and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree
to shelter all the children of one mother and one father.
And I saw it was holy.”
Psalms 100:1,3;
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
3 …Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we [all the earth] are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
Many good-hearted Christian believers will have a hard time accepting that
traditional theology is flawed. Yet the Bible clearly states…
2 Peter 2:1-3;
1 But there were also false prophets among the people,
just as there will be false teachers among you.
They will secretly introduce destructive heresies…
2 Many [mainstream religion] will follow their shameful ways
and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.”
If people can be convinced to accept traditional Win/Lose theology as truth,
it provides religious leaders with spiritual power and control over their followers.
Those who have been deceived have a choice…
Luke 12:47-48, Jesus;
47 “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready
or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.
48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment
will be beaten with few blows.”
Anyone who blindly condemns other religions before thoroughly researching their
holy books with an open heart and mind has disobeyed Christ. In fact, they fulfill
the present day role the Pharisees played in Jesus’ time. So, this parable applies to
modern-day Pharisees, too;
The Parable of the Two Sons
Matthew 21:28-31, Jesus, speaking to self-righteous Pharisees;
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons.
He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 ” ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.
He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth,
the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God
ahead of you.”
This is akin to the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus said not to judge other
people. The tax collectors and prostitutes didn’t judge other people like the
Pharisees did. Jesus wasn’t saying prostitution or racketeering are good. He said
judging people and being self righteous is bad. Jesus called people who did that
“a brood of vipers”. Christianity is a sect of Judaism, which means Christians can be
“Pharisees”, too. Churchgoers who glory in their own “salvation”
and “personal relationships” with God as they condemn others are the Pharisees’
unwitting spiritual heirs. Non-judgment was a central theme of Jesus’ ministry.
Galatians 3:26-29, Paul;
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s [spiritual] seed,
and heirs according to the promise.”
A Christian’s genetics aren’t altered by “faith in Christ Jesus”. The phrase
“you are Abraham’s seed” is meant spiritually, not genetically. A true Christian
is akin to Abraham spiritually. An example of Abraham’s spirituality is found in
Genesis18:22-33, which happens right after God promised him a son from Sarah
through whom a great nation would be created to bless the whole earth. The Lord
also told Abraham He was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis 19:3-11 portrays Sodom’s inhabitants as being very wicked people.
Nevertheless, Abraham wasn’t satisfied with only his own “salvation”. Compassion
for his fellow-man compelled Abraham to plead with God to spare the two cities.
He begged God to spare both cities on behalf of the righteous, yet sparing the
“unsaved” along with the “saved”. He asked God to spare Sodom for the sake of
fifty righteous people. When God agreed to do so, Abraham bargained with God
to save the city for fewer and fewer, from 45 down to 40, 30, 20, and finally,
10 righteous people. Abraham, who was “saved” pleaded with God to spare those
who weren’t saved. How many Christians pray Muslims may be saved as Muslims?
Hindus as Hindus? Would we want others to pray for us if roles were reversed?
Jesus said, Matthew 5:44;
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”
How many of us are content with our personal salvation while believing those
of other faiths are lost? Such behavior isn’t spiritually akin to Abraham’s.
John 8:39,41,44, Jesus;
39 If you were Abraham’s children…
then you would do the things Abraham did.
41 You are doing the things your own father does.
44You belong to your father, the devil…”
I sometimes wish Jesus’ language was more gentle, but he had his reasons for
speaking sternly. Traditional Christian win/lose theology denies Christ’s gospel,
again and again. As its followers condemn others, their words condemn themselves.