John 10:10
PASSAGE: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
QUESTION: I am trying to find out why man is the fullest, highest form of God manifested as life.
COMMENT: I don't think this passage speaks to man as the fullest, highest form of God. It speaks of the Christ as the fullest expression of God. It is in the awareness of our own Christ nature that we become expressers of the divine quality of life.
As is often the case in the Gospel of John, Jesus is speaking as the Christ—the full expression of God that is the spiritual potential of each of us, which Jesus was able to perfectly and completely express as an example and challenge to us all to do the same.
This central teaching—what Paul would later describe as "Christ in you, the hope of glory"—was dramatically different from earlier religious teachings of an angry God forcing us to live lives of lack and limitation. In the Gospel of John Jesus uses many analogies to help him communicate the nature of the Christ and the difference between his spiritual approach and past religious doctrine. "All who came before me were thieves and bandits." he says at John 10:8. By enforcing a judgmental religious structure they robbed individuals of any awareness of their own divine natures, and they stole any possibility for living lives of abundance and fulfillment.
On the other hand, embracing the Christ allows us to lead joyful and abundant lives as we make creative choices from that innate divine Power and lovingly support each other as we create together the new consciousness that Jesus calls the kingdom of heaven.
Blessings!
Rev. Ed
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Interpret This with Rev. Ed
Have you ever wondered how a specific Bible verse might be interpreted metaphysically? Interpret This provides greater insight into the hidden meanings of the Bible.
To Request Scripture Interpretation:
1. Review the previous interpretations below for previous interpretations.
2. Please provide a specific chapter and verse(s). If chosen for interpretation, our Bible expert, Rev. Ed Townley, will provide his insight and the response will post on this site. Requests for entire books of the Bible are not possible.
3. Click the link below to complete the online request form. References are from the New Revised Standard Version unless otherwise indicated.
Request a Bible verse interpretation.
4. Check back often to see if your request has posted and to read what others have requested.
To Request Scripture Interpretation:
1. Review the previous interpretations below for previous interpretations.
2. Please provide a specific chapter and verse(s). If chosen for interpretation, our Bible expert, Rev. Ed Townley, will provide his insight and the response will post on this site. Requests for entire books of the Bible are not possible.
3. Click the link below to complete the online request form. References are from the New Revised Standard Version unless otherwise indicated.
Request a Bible verse interpretation.
4. Check back often to see if your request has posted and to read what others have requested.
Sep
29
02:45 PM
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Posted By Rev. Ed Townley
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About the Blogger
Rev. Ed Townley was licensed and ordained as a Unity minister in 1991. He has served as senior minister in Beaverton OR , Chicago IL and Dallas TX. Author of The Secret According to Jesus, a metaphysical exploration of the Sermon on the Mount.
Rev. Ed is known as one of the top Bible teachers in the Unity movement.
In 1992 he founded Spirit Expressing, a non church ministry dedicated to the creative process. The Spirit Expressing ministry sponsors Higher Ground, a weekly Dallas group that explores spiritual principles through the challenges and adventures of life. Weekly talks and other materials are at www.spiritexpressing.org.
Rev. Ed is known as one of the top Bible teachers in the Unity movement.
In 1992 he founded Spirit Expressing, a non church ministry dedicated to the creative process. The Spirit Expressing ministry sponsors Higher Ground, a weekly Dallas group that explores spiritual principles through the challenges and adventures of life. Weekly talks and other materials are at www.spiritexpressing.org.
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