Will Christianity Accept It's Own Salvation?
"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known." (Luke 12:2)
A Pew Research Center study, America's Changing Religious Landscape, published in May 2015 shows an ominous decline in numbers of people identifying with Christianity. The study showed Evangelical Protestants down close to 1%, Catholics down approximately 3%, and mainline Protestants down about 3 1/2%. Excuses offered by Christian leaders range from blaming others ("Liberal-progressive political correctness is waging a war on Christianity.") to blaming themselves ("We are turning people off by appearing holier-than-thou.").
But none of this need be. Christianity can once again increase and thrive. Jesus Christ has already given the solution. Christians need only open their minds and accept His modern day revelation for the 21st Century. The problem has been Christian closed-mindedness and Christian arrogance, the insistence on the part of Christian leaders that they already know the entire teaching of Jesus and all correct interpretations.
Can you imagine Jesus revealing more thorough, clear and complete explanations of his teachings, and saying, "Here, read this. It will help you," and Christian leaders (instead of rejoicing) rushing into print with attacks to "prove" this new revelation cannot be from Jesus because it doesn't in every respect fit their previous understanding of Christianity?
No matter, say Christian leaders, that this new revelation, A Course in Miracles, has released tremendous amounts of pain, fear, and guilt from the lives of millions of people who have read it, and allowed them instead to live with ever-present joy, deep inner peace, and overwhelming love.
No matter, argue Christian leaders, that this new revelation has actually brought many former atheists into Christianity.
Christian leaders brush aside such evidence. "In this case we don't care about by their fruits ye shall know them," they declare. They insist all Christians should buy into the argument that A Course in Miracles cannot really be revelation from Jesus because the voice which identified itself as Jesus was heard and written down by a non-practicing Jewish woman who at the time she first heard it considered herself to be an atheist. After all, doesn't Jesus say in the Bible: He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God?
Are Christian leaders saying that nobody can hear God's voice unless in their ego mind they think of themselves as "of God?" Does it mean nothing that this woman from a non-practicing Jewish family had been deeply influenced as a little girl by the family housekeeper, Idabel, who was a fervent Baptist?
No matter, they say.
What if as a little girl she had secretly prayed to someday hear God's voice speaking to her?
No matter, they echo.
It doesn't appear to matter to Christian leaders that one of the first things this woman heard was: "All miracles mean life, and God is the giver of life. His voice will direct you very specifically. You will be told all you need to know." (A Course in Miracles, page 1)
Christianity teaches that those who listen to God's voice and follow His direction become true teachers of God. One of the attributes of a true teacher of God is open-mindedness, about which His Course states:
"The centrality of open-mindedness, perhaps the last of the attributes the teacher of God acquires, is easily understood when its relation to forgiveness is recognized. Open-mindedness comes with lack of judgment." (A Course in Miracles, Manual for Teachers)
Christianity's salvation will come when enough Christian leaders decide to open their minds, quit trying to judge what is beyond their current understanding, and accept modern revelation from Jesus Christ. To be sure, there are those who are already open to hearing, and who will lead the way. But there are still far too many, like the Pharisees and Sadducees of Biblical times, who are in resistance.
When Christian leaders quit judging based on their past learning and preconceived ideas, when open-mindedness to modern revelation becomes the norm far and wide throughout Christianity, when Christian writers quit resisting new revelation from Jesus ... we will see a bright new Christian Renaissance. Christianity will thrive as never before, having accepted its salvation from Jesus Christ. And we'll all have fun reading a new study from the Pew Research Center: The miracle of Christianity's resurrection and ascension.
But none of this need be. Christianity can once again increase and thrive. Jesus Christ has already given the solution. Christians need only open their minds and accept His modern day revelation for the 21st Century. The problem has been Christian closed-mindedness and Christian arrogance, the insistence on the part of Christian leaders that they already know the entire teaching of Jesus and all correct interpretations.
Can you imagine Jesus revealing more thorough, clear and complete explanations of his teachings, and saying, "Here, read this. It will help you," and Christian leaders (instead of rejoicing) rushing into print with attacks to "prove" this new revelation cannot be from Jesus because it doesn't in every respect fit their previous understanding of Christianity?
No matter, say Christian leaders, that this new revelation, A Course in Miracles, has released tremendous amounts of pain, fear, and guilt from the lives of millions of people who have read it, and allowed them instead to live with ever-present joy, deep inner peace, and overwhelming love.
No matter, argue Christian leaders, that this new revelation has actually brought many former atheists into Christianity.
Christian leaders brush aside such evidence. "In this case we don't care about by their fruits ye shall know them," they declare. They insist all Christians should buy into the argument that A Course in Miracles cannot really be revelation from Jesus because the voice which identified itself as Jesus was heard and written down by a non-practicing Jewish woman who at the time she first heard it considered herself to be an atheist. After all, doesn't Jesus say in the Bible: He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God?
Are Christian leaders saying that nobody can hear God's voice unless in their ego mind they think of themselves as "of God?" Does it mean nothing that this woman from a non-practicing Jewish family had been deeply influenced as a little girl by the family housekeeper, Idabel, who was a fervent Baptist?
No matter, they say.
What if as a little girl she had secretly prayed to someday hear God's voice speaking to her?
No matter, they echo.
It doesn't appear to matter to Christian leaders that one of the first things this woman heard was: "All miracles mean life, and God is the giver of life. His voice will direct you very specifically. You will be told all you need to know." (A Course in Miracles, page 1)
Christianity teaches that those who listen to God's voice and follow His direction become true teachers of God. One of the attributes of a true teacher of God is open-mindedness, about which His Course states:
"The centrality of open-mindedness, perhaps the last of the attributes the teacher of God acquires, is easily understood when its relation to forgiveness is recognized. Open-mindedness comes with lack of judgment." (A Course in Miracles, Manual for Teachers)
Christianity's salvation will come when enough Christian leaders decide to open their minds, quit trying to judge what is beyond their current understanding, and accept modern revelation from Jesus Christ. To be sure, there are those who are already open to hearing, and who will lead the way. But there are still far too many, like the Pharisees and Sadducees of Biblical times, who are in resistance.
When Christian leaders quit judging based on their past learning and preconceived ideas, when open-mindedness to modern revelation becomes the norm far and wide throughout Christianity, when Christian writers quit resisting new revelation from Jesus ... we will see a bright new Christian Renaissance. Christianity will thrive as never before, having accepted its salvation from Jesus Christ. And we'll all have fun reading a new study from the Pew Research Center: The miracle of Christianity's resurrection and ascension.
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For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
