Up, Down, Left or Right--Which Way Is "One Way?"

“Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away.” Matt 24.35

In July of 2006, when I was dunked into the ocean and baptized, accepting Jesus Christ as my savior, I believed I was saved and had eternal life. Though I didn’t feel different, I knew that feeling was not evidence or proof for me to trust. I was in the Kingdom. There was no instrument for ascertaining whether I had received salvation, no proper position, place or stage I needed to go next. It was all based on faith and belief. I was saved because Jesus died for me. I was to know I am saved because God says so in his Word: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13.

Hallelujah!

It sounded effortless in comparison to the “church of all religions,” I’d left five years prior to my conversation, where I had to attain super consciousness to know God, or as it was called, “Nivikalpa Samadhi.” In this state, you’re told you can see everything as one, you’re pure awareness and one with God—but you do the work. I had never attained Samadhi in 30 years, but I did, through meditative techniques, slip into intense peaceful states that lasted for a few hours. On a side note, I’d like to point out that being a Christian is not effortless all, but the most engaging and exciting way to live my life.

It’s been difficult to deconstruct eastern thought and make the switch to absolute faith in Jesus, and now I’m learning it might not have been necessary. In today’s diverse Christian world there’s a movement afoot called the Emerging Church which embraces some of the theology I’ve worked to uproot. This term is used to incorporate any new thoughts or technology into Christianity and can include, but not limited to, humanistic works, psychological study or mystical teachings. The irony is some of this thought isn’t really new, and that’s the point of this article. I can’t help but chomp at the bit over this stuff.

As a child of the 60’s I often say that our culture at the time led me into eastern religion, that and my lack of Christian training. Many people today have grown up in a similar manner, victims of their culture without knowledge of Christ. Most people have no theological background whatsoever, and since they’ve had no discourses about God and religions, or know their Bible, they can be sold on just about anything that’s cultural and disguised as Christianity.

There was no ambiguity about Christianity when I started to study and practice eastern religion. Christians knew their Bible! If I said the word “meditation,” they would become “alarmed.” I would have to explain to them that meditation was “prayer.” Are we not hearing this same explanation about “meditation” in Christian churches today? It’s now coined Christian meditation. I wouldn’t dare have mentioned “higher consciousness!”

Any practice of mysticisms was considered pagan, and meditation is a discipline used to achieve communion, identity with, or conscious awareness of the ultimate reality, the divinity, spiritual truth, or God through direct experience.

Let me take a breath.

Okay, do you get it yet?

I’m just a nano pea here, but having come from a church of all religions, I can say with some authority that blending teachings leads to individual interpretation of scripture, to disciplines—or works, which can cause guilt when not practiced, which in turn can cause shame. Shame keeps man from God. Let’s go back to the Garden for that reference.

I’ve heard Christians wax fantastic about the lives of monks—their spiritual experiences being something we should study. I knew many monks and they were not so holy! Monks do not live in our realities and we should not be comparing our spiritual lives with theirs. The word monk comes from the Greek meaning something or someone who is alone (monos 'alone'). In the Greek world, monk came to mean an ascetic who lived alone away from the world. Frequently the monks, although living alone, would gather in the same area. It was these solitary monks whom Pachomius brought together into one place. The place where all the once solitary monks now lived with one another is a monastery.

Here I am, a new Christian, looking around at mature Christians, wondering why this Works movement isn’t upsetting them more, and then I realized they’re not educated in other theologies or psychology and aren’t aware that some of the “new” ideas thrust upon the modern churches are not new at all—just regurgitated theologies and psychologies.

Sigh…and I thought it was hard to be a Raja Yogi.

Bottom line for now, I’m holding fast to scripture.

The New Standard Reference Bible was published in 1936, and was specifically written to help believers engage unbelievers, and to get them saved, and like today, they were also trying to fill their pews. But there’s nothing about humanistic, psychological, or Christian meditations in their method, in fact, it it’s quite simple. It doesn’t “bend” to the cultural changes of their times, nor offer new steps to God.

Here’s what it says. Reflect on these words and see what they mean to you and the direction of your church —

This Bible contains:

The mind of God, is the state of man, the way of salvation, doom of sinners and happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to directly you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you. It is the travelers map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilots compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christians charter. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, or good it’s design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth a paradise of glory, and a fiber of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be open at the judgment and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility. Rewards the greatest labor and condemns all who trifle with its holy contents.

This book unfolds Jehovah’s mind.

This Voice salutes in accents mind

This friend will all our need supply

This Fountain sends forth streams of joy

This mine affords us boundless wealth

This good physician gives us health

This sun renews and warms the soul

This sword both wounds and makes us whole

This letter shows our sins forgiven

This guide conducts us to the gate of heaven.

This Charter has been sealed with blood

This volume is the Word of God.

If you have received God’s gift (Jesus) you have God’s word for it that you have life. The life is in his Son. Believe this and you will know it. Confess Jesus as your Savior and you will have the witness of the Spirit.