Date: Fri, 14 July 2000

Hello.

I have been corresponding with a person who visited my web site last week. I'm not going to give out their name. So, lets just use Pat for the person's name. Pat is a very polite and caring person that has just recently turned to Christ. In my opinion, Pat has a great understanding of the teachings of Christ. However, Pat believes that we are all God. And Pat believes that he/she is going to influence when Judgement Day comes.

I don't look down on Pat or judge Pat because of this belief. We are all free to believe what we want to. However, I feel that I need to explain the beliefs behind this web site so that I don't give anyone the wrong idea about my personal beliefs.

There are "Ascended Master" and metaphysical/new age teachings that say that we are God or that we can be reincarnated into God. I'm not saying that Pat is a part of these teachings in any way. However what Pat was describing is very similar to the teachings of Saint Germain's 'I AM' discourses and the White Brotherhood. I just want to make it perfectly clear that my web site does not in any way promote these teachings. My beliefs are strictly rooted in the traditional Bible. The Bible is the Word of God.

I do not believe that I am God. I can't just go out and create another universe. God on the other hand, can create a universe if he chooses to do so. He has already done this and we are evidence of it.

The Bible says that we can be the Temple of the living God. It teaches that the Holy Spirit can come and dwell in us. It does not teach that we are on the same "level" as God. The Bible says that we will answer to God for everything that we say and do.

Additionally, I do not believe that we are now free to ignore the Law in the Old Testament. Here is what Jesus says about the Law:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:17-20. --NIV

Upon further study, growth, and understanding, I updated this section on July 27, 2007:

Then Jesus continues talking about the different commands. He points out to us that having sinful thoughts is just as sinful as actually committing the sin. He warns that the end result of sin is hell. Thus, we should repent of our sins and ask Him to forgive us. We are forgiven as we forgive others that sin against us.

I believe that Jesus summarized the Law when he said the following:

"You will inherit eternal life if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself." --Luke 10:27 --NIV

Think about it, if we love our neighbor and God, then we will be obeying his commands. For example, we would not steal from or murder our neighbor if we loved them. Additionally, we would not want to use God's name in vain, or worship other gods if we love God with all our heart.

We must realize that it is our relationship with Christ that makes us worthy enough to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Without Christ we will not enter Heaven, regardless of how great we are or how great we think we are. Jesus teaches us to obey his commands and then he will be there to carry us the rest of the way. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." -John 14:6 We must have Christ in us and be in Christ to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We must first obey his commands, then Christ says they will make their home with us. Then we will be much more than merely human. The Bible says we will be a new creature. We will be God's Holy Temple. But first, we must give up our sinful, selfish desires. We must be reborn, giving ourselves to Christ like Apostle Paul did: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20

I believe that if we are disobeying God's commands, then we will drive God out of us. I don't think God will stay in an unholy temple. Jesus said that we are liars if we say we believe in him but do not obey his commands. To become a new creature in Christ again, we will need to stop disobeying God's commands and ask him to forgive us. And if we have harmed someone else with our sin, we will confess our sin to them and help them recover from the damage that our sin has caused them. We should pray together and ask God to forgive the sin and to heal us. Then as Christ said, when we start obeying God's commands, God will come to us and make his home with us. God is graceful enough to forgive us time and time again, starting over with us as his holy temple until we drive him away again. He will always be ready to come back. He will be knocking, waiting for us to open the door of our temple to him. But we must keep our temple clean, holy, and fit for the King of Kings to live in.

Deep down, I know in my heart that I really don't want to drive God away. And I know I have driven him away from me far too many times. I really do want him to be pleased with me and to always be with me. And I certainly want him to be with me on the day that death comes looking for me. Because without God, I will not be getting into Heaven. I know that just like anybody else here, at any moment, my life could come to an abrupt end. I know there is no way to trick God into coming into my life right before I die. My love for him and my obedience to him must be genuine. He knows my heart and my mind. Even though I know I should, I have not always been in Christ every given moment of my life. I know I should. I should always be in Christ, being prepared to look death square in the eyes denying his claim on me. The Bible tells us to endure, always being watchful and ready. So, I know I should always be in Christ. Because eternity is a very long time. And the trade-offs of what little temporary satisfaction I may gain from a sin here, is not worth giving up an eternity in Heaven for.

David