I'm the Sinner Jesus Calls to the Kingdom
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about a particular topic and I decided to share it with you. I’ve been praying a lot about it too. The topic is about sin and about being called home to God. Specifically, I’ve been thinking and pondering my own salvation.
One of the things that prompted me to write about this topic came from one of my social media posts on my personal profile. It is as follows:
“I've learned to go without things, survive on less, appreciate family and friends, and learn that in the Kingdom Earthly treasures are worthless. Without struggle and challenges, I couldn't adapt and overcome. I would be stagnant and static. Financial comfort doesn't equal happiness and unless you deprive yourself of the all the Earthly desires, you will never free yourself from them.
After contemplation about some parallels between Eastern and Western Philosophies and Religions, I realized that many of them share one thing: to ultimately free oneself from the material constraints imposed by the physical universe. Rising to a higher order of existence within Divine Consciousness is the objective. Buddhists call this Nirvana, to escape Karma. Christians call this entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Hinduism calls it Moksha, or escaping the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. From east to west, many systems of belief arrive at the same inevitable conclusion, despite their nuanced differences, histories and origins. Having studied several of them throughout the course of my life, this understanding has aided me in my own spiritual journey. I no longer seek certain things of this world. They are below my ultimate objectives. What is important to me now is different from before and though sometimes I experience moments where I reflect on how things could be, I know I am where I am for a reason. I am the product of my own freewill, Divinely crafted and set into motion to make my own choices. It's been quite a learning a experience but it is my experience to be had. I wouldn't trade it for anything. So with that, I'll leave anyone choosing to read this to contemplate for oneself what it means to reach the next level of existence. Do you really think that having stuff in the physical universe and acquiring some sort of status has meaning in the afterlife? Do you think you have done enough to earn your place in the Kingdom?”
In this post, I was thinking about the road to the Kingdom of Heaven and how in this Divine Realm physical treasures can’t be possessed. In God’s Heaven we are fulfilled in every way. We are at total peace and in a Divine state of tranquility. We have everything we need and everything we will ever want.
It isn’t a place within the physical universe. It really isn’t a place at all. I prefer to think of it as a state of being, or existence within a stream of consciousness. His consciousness. I also believe that the path to reaching this state began when we were created.
The Bible tells us in many places that the Kingdom isn’t within the physical plane. Here’s two:
John18:36
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Luke 17:20-21
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
Reaching Home
So how the heck do I reach this “place” called Heaven? I’ve been thinking deeply about that. I don’t know if constantly dwelling on this is normal or not, but it is important for me to figure out. The Bible lays out the teachings of Jesus and with this in mind, I’ve looked inward at my own life. Again, I don’t know if it’s usual to look inward this much, but I feel it is necessary to find the answer I seek. When I reflect upon my life until this point, I see mixed results. I see triumph, victory and accomplishments but I also see shame, regret and sin. It’s a checkered record.
Inevitably, I’ve concluded that I need to be open and honest with myself. I need to be willing to forgive others as I ask for my own forgiveness and atone for my sins. I must also wrestle with my own ego, control myself and ultimately rid myself of my own material desires. Jesus demonstrated control over his emotions. He never allowed himself to be manipulated and he demonstrated control over the flesh at all times. He resisted temptation and acted with authority over all demons, mortal afflictions and false beliefs. His record on Earth shows us that the mortal constraints of the physical universe do not reflect Divine Truth, that our true nature is rooted in Divinity and that we can rise above physical illusions. This is the goal. This is my objective.
For several months, I have contemplated the meaning of my own life. I have changed over the years, becoming increasingly spiritual and enamored with the example Jesus made for all of us and becoming closer with the Father. I have struggled continuously to understand what is I must do, but I find strength in Jesus. He’s there with God, right now. It’s been over 2,000 years since his crucifixion but time is a human construct. He’s been home for that entire period calling each of us towards the Kingdom. Yes, that’s right. If you believe that Jesus died for your sins, appeared after his crucifixion to his disciples, proving that there is life after death and then ascended into Heaven, then you must also believe he is there now with God. His demonstrations have survived and been passed down over two millennia, proving that his message calls us to him. It calls each of his followers home.
Take a minute to ponder that he’s calling us right now.
Did you reflect on that statement? It’s powerful in my opinion. Jesus is calling each of us from the Divine Realm, waiting for us to accept the call and then set out on the path.
I remember several stories in the Bible where Jesus helped a sinner and afterwards he would tell them to sin no more. Cessation from sin is a critical aspect of embarking on the path to Heaven. I can't continue to sin and ask for forgiveness and then continue sinning. I have to stop sinning against God and my fellow Man as part of my own salvation. I must seek forgiveness and atonement after I stop sinning. Then I have to apply the Golden Rule from that point on.
The Golden Rule
Matthew 7:12-14 ESV
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
I’ve known about the Golden Rule since I learned it as a child. However, it has taken me my entire life to realize it’s full power. This philosophy, or rule of thumb, is a demonstration of one’s own self control. The individual who lives by this manner of thinking knows that there’s a higher authority in place who will judge his or her actions and that the one who resists the urge to act out of malice is the one who is worthy to enter the narrow gate to Heaven.
Acts of malice are evil. Evil is the way of Satan, who dwells within the physical realm outside of the Kingdom. The serpent aims to trick us into committing acts of sin and self indulgence. It wants us to be spellbound by shiny objects. Fancy cars, homes, and clothes, along with the “look at me” virtue signaling lifestyle, will not fit through the narrow gates.
Self control, a cornerstone of the Golden Rule, is also a key component to many of the beatitudes. Standing steadfast when mourning or being falsely accused of something is a demonstration of control. I have come to realize that I must first demonstrate control over myself before demonstrating control over other things. Resisting temptation, purging evil thoughts, and acting with love and compassion are ways to display control. Evil falls away and is rendered powerless when it is countered with acts of love and compassion, thus making each act a powerful weapon against evil. It’s a form of spiritual warfare.
In order to reach the Kingdom of Heaven, I must first accept that Jesus died for my sins. Taking that first step shows that I acknowledge the path to the narrow gate. The second step towards the gate involves my behaviors. Living in accordance with the teachings of Jesus, sinning no more and applying the Golden Rule are components of the second step. However, being able to master my own own ego, having control over my thoughts, feelings and actions and acting with authority over the physical senses until there are no more mortal objections paves the rest of the way.
In other words, living exactly like Jesus and being close with God, the Father, will light the way. I don’t need ANYTHING else. This will guarantee a life of fulfillment and salvation, as evil will be powerless. Again, it’s Spiritual Warfare of the purest form. (Jesus was quite the Spiritual Warrior himself.)
It’s taken me a long time to figure this out but I am glad I did. I still have a ways to go. However, half the battle is just knowing. Now it is time to “do.” Realizing that the rest of my salvation lies within myself, I choose to be saved so that I can return home. I will come to the fountain of life to drink. I will be meek, humble and stop sinning. I will be merciful and I will purify myself so that I can be like him when he appears to me. It may take some more work on my part, but in doing so, I will be destroying evil. I’m the sinner Jesus calls to the Kingdom and when I get there he will welcome me with compassion and love.
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