The Ego in Man
In
this study we will explore the vital factor that is the prime cause of the
alienation from God that characterizes
life in the world in which we live. It is a thing we call “Self” or
“Ego.” Society today has been molded by a philosophy we call HUMANISM.
Amongst other things this concept considers each person to have a unique
identity which effectively separates them from everyone else. Here lies the
basis for racial intolerance, bigotry and many other offending attitudes against
others. This EGO does not develop naturally but has to be cultivated and
encouraged both by family and also by all branches of society.
First
of all, let me say that the thing we call EGO is probably the greatest threat to
Christianity that we have to face. A great deal of Church life is founded by
Pastors and other Church leaders ministering and functioning out of their own
EGO, that multiplies like a virulent disease on contact with others. There are
only TWO antidotes to this problem that are available to us, and these are
L-O-V-E and T-R-U-T-H, and both of these are absolutely free and freely
available.
However
our exposure to this powerful force of the ego begins at home while we are very
young. There are various patterns of behavior orchestrated by governments and
society to create certain illusions, one is that both parents need to work in
order to fund a satisfying lifestyle. This objective often causes such problems
as a lack of cohesion in the family as the children strive to survive without
sufficient parental influence and guidance. Very quickly they establish their
own personal identity which they exert in every relationship.
Society
today suffers from an expression of individualism that asserts the rights of an
individual against the rights of the community. This attitude is reflected as a
great deficiency in LOVE. The general focus has been turned inward, viewing the
SELF as all that matters. Ethnic issues are causing fighting and bloodshed in
Indonesia, Yugoslavia and Israel to name but a few. Ireland is divided on
religious grounds, while other nations are in conflict over land and
sovereignty. But to keep to our theme, I want you to know when the dust settles
and we can examine all the evidence, we discover behind all conflict there
stands the EGO OF MAN.
Was
it the plan and purpose of God to create man who would find himself driven
relentlessly by an inward force called EGO? Here is the Word of the Lord, “And
God said, Let us make man IN OUR IMAGE and AFTER OUR LIKENESS, and let them have
dominion….. so God created man in HIS OWN IMAGE, in the IMAGE OF GOD created
he him.” Traditional theology sees man as a separate entity from God,
but this account in Genesis 1:27 suggests that God and man are inseparably
linked together.
Paul
spoke to the Greek philosophers of his day on Mar’s Hill expounding to them
something of the mystery of God. “God
has made of one blood all men to dwell on the face of the earth, and has
determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation. That
they should SEEK THE LORD, if haply they might feel after him, though he be not
far from every one of us. FOR IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING…..
For we are the offspring of God.”
This
truth, that God and Man are inseparably linked together, may be a new thought to
you, but it is true nevertheless. In John’s heavenly vision he heard the
angelic host singing, “Thou
art worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honor and power, FOR THOU HAST CREATED
ALL THINGS, AND FOR THY PLEASURE THEY ARE CREATED.” However because of
the blindness of our hearts we fail to see God’s involvement in our lives day
by day.
Where
then did this EGO come from? We have to look back to Adam in the garden to see
many changes that developed in him at that time. Just imagine this man walking
and talking with God in the most natural setting of a Garden, in a relationship
most could only dream about. This is the relationship that existed at that time
between the CREATOR and the man he created. He even shared with the creator in
the naming of the animals in the garden.
Of
course, for those who are firmly rooted in fundamentalism, the whole scene may
just as well be “make believe.” Truth that has its source in the realm of
heaven, cannot be transmitted intellectually to humans, as was proven in the
conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus. So we must see that the early chapters of
Genesis are written distinctly in “parable” form.
The
“Garden” represents the HEART of man, and is designated as the only place
where we can find God. Such an understanding brings to life all the facts
recorded, and in no way destroys the Truth God wants to communicate to us. Thus
right at the beginning of man’s existence, we find God and MAN walking
together as ONE in perfect harmony. There is only one authority resident in this
man Adam, and that is the voice of GOD speaking from the Garden within his
heart. “Of
every tree of the Garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the KNOWLEDGE OF
GOOD AND EVIL you shall not eat of it, for in the day that you eat thereof, IN
DYING YOU WILL DIE.”
How
simple life was for this man, who did not walk in confusion as to what he should
or should not do. For him life was uncomplicated and certain. The voice of God
did not give lengthy lists of do’s and don’ts that must be memorised, for
the VOICE was always there when it was needed, giving guidance and direction to
preserve the PEACE and beauty of the Garden. This is Paradise, expressed as LIFE
in harmony with God. In the glory and order of this paradise man functioned as
ONE with God. As a result we see MAN exercising his God given function of
dominion over all the works of God’s hands. Adam had authority over the
animals exercising his right to give
them a name.
Remember
in the Bible a NAME denotes character, and in those cases recorded where the
character of a person changed God also changed their name, as in the case of
Abram, Sarai and Peter to name just a few. So the peace and harmony of the
garden was assured, for Adam was living in union with God. The animals in the
garden represent the emotions in man, so each of these emotional forces were
given their character and nature by ADAM
thus ensuring there was no disruption or disharmony. Be assured this is not
fantasy, but the reality established by God in the beginning, as his plan and
purpose for all mankind. Under these circumstances, in the Garden of man’s
heart, THE LION LAYS DOWN WITH THE LAMB in perfect peace and in keeping with the
design of God.
The
LION representing the powerful
emotions resident in man, is in perfect harmony with the LAMB
that is symbolic of the very nature of GOD, both functioning in unison in the
man. So we can see the pattern set for man to follow in the beginning is exactly
the same for us today, walking boldly in love and harmony with God as we bow
meekly in subjection to his voice. However the day came when this peace and
harmony gave way to a new destructive force that destroyed the unity between God
and man. The glassy surface of the “still” water reflecting a perfect image
of the heavens, only needs a small pebble thrown in to cause ripples to radiate
from the disturbance affecting the whole surface of the water, and so distorting
the image
So
it is with man who only has to disobey the inner voice of God by establishing
his own authority, to throw his whole being into chaos.
Eve
explored and finally embraced a knowledge that did not come from that inner
voice, about which they had been warned. This knowledge birthed in the mind of
man, is represented by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve was
deceived by the “serpent” or the CARNAL MIND, that was more subtle than any
beast of the field. God had already told them, that to eat the fruit of that
tree would result in death, if they allowed this knowledge to exercise authority
over them.
This
new unauthorised knowledge of GOOD AND EVIL, became the arbiter of all truth
silencing the voice of God that had guided and directed them up to this time. A
strange unrest broke the peace and tranquility of the Garden throwing everything
into confusion. Adam became conscious that he was naked and an overwhelming
desire came over him to run and hide from God, who came as usual to share with
them, just as he had always done. Without any divine direction he hid behind the
trees of the garden fearing the one who had been his constant companion and
guide.
The
face of God that had been so clearly reflected in his inner being, now appeared
to be his enemy. His voice was still heard within calling to him, but only
reluctantly did he respond saying that he was hiding because he was naked. The
response from God directed Adam to the very seat of his problem when he asked, “WHO
TOLD YOU?” Another VOICE had been birthed within the MAN which now
occupied the position once held by God. It did not take long for the tranquility
of the garden to disappear and be replaced by a form of organised chaos. The
garden within man’s heart became a desolate and unfriendly wilderness and the
animal forces of his emotions which once lived in perfect harmony within that
garden, now expressed a new character more in keeping with the need to survive
in this hostile environment.
This
helps us to understand why so many are afflicted by depression, headaches,
stress, ulcers, etc, and all the professional medical help in the world can only
provide temporary relief to what is a SPIRITUAL PROBLEM. Thus was born this
“thing” called EGO, referred to
in the dictionary as the “I” or SELF,
the PERSONAL IDENTITY. EGOISM
is systematic selfishness, a theory that bases morality on self interest.
EGO
is the controlling force developed in this SELF, having the power to govern
because we perceive ourselves to be a separate entity from God. In the beginning
Man’s direction came from God who dwelt within, showing the way and declaring
truth as he spoke. All decisions made by man were made in unison with God for
the two functioned as one. Thus the peace and tranquility of the garden was
assured. BUT now, the voice of God is not consulted, for another voice had been
raised up within man with the appearance of having all the knowledge required to
direct his own path, so making God superfluous!
It
was the Prophet Jeremiah who said, “O
Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself, IT IS NOT IN MAN THAT WALKETH
TO DIRECT HIS STEPS.” As the ego in man develops he becomes convinced
he is master of his own destiny. Job said of the Lord, “He
causeth the people to wander in a wilderness where there is no way, they grope
in the dark without light, and he makes them to stagger like a drunken man.” The
NATURAL MAN is governed by FIVE SENSES, sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell,
none of which are capable of reaching God. Therefore man cannot know God until
the Holy Spirit brings light and understanding.
“Then
I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done
under the sun, because though a man labor to seek it out, YET HE SHALL NOT FIND
IT.” God
can only be found in a land that is beyond human imagination or understanding,
where the SPIRIT is sovereign. Therefore it becomes a battle against the
unbelief generated by the EGO to cross its border. The promise is, “When
the Holy Spirit is come he will GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH.”
“Where
does wisdom come from, and where is the place of understanding? It is hidden
from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Destruction and death say, we have heard the fame thereof with our ears, but God
understandeth the way thereof…. And unto man he says, BEHOLD THE FEAR OF THE
LORD, THAT IS WISDOM.” What
does it really mean to FEAR THE LORD?
It
means to stand in awe of, to
reverence, honour and respect him. Adam lost his “FEAR” of the Lord when he
began to take direction from the SELF or EGO he birthed within himself, and
disobeyed the voice of God. Here is the cause of all man’s problems even to
this present time. Israel was told “If
you will OBEY MY VOICE, you will be a peculiar treasure unto me above all
people.” But to deny the voice of God and bow down to the voice of “self”
will cause us to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
This
principle is fully expressed in Jesus Christ who stated, “I only DO what I see
my Father DO, and I only SAY what I hear my Father SAY. Herein lies the
simplicity of the Christ life. Not studying the Bible or praying, or attending
meetings, however helpful these things may be, but SAYING WHAT FATHER IS SAYING,
which will result in DOING WHAT FATHER IS DOING. Remember the power of LIFE and
DEATH are in the tongue, so what we say can produce LIFE or DEATH in us. Jesus
said, “MY WORDS they are SPIRIT AND LIFE.” However the words that come from
the carnal mind ARE DEATH.
Since
that time when man left the peace and harmony of the Garden of Eden, he has
sought to discover where wisdom can be found, and where is the place of
understanding? However, man does not know where to look or what is the cost to
find it. Paul said, “For
we know that the Law is spiritual, but I AM CARNAL, sold under sin.”
Carnality is the condition Man finds himself in when he is subject to the ego.
The word “Carnal” is the translation of the Greek word SARKIKOS
and means FLESHLY or having the nature of flesh, being under the control of the
“animal” appetites and governed by mere human nature instead of the Spirit
of God.
It
is obvious from the creation account in Genesis, that man was to be the pinnacle
of the whole creation process because in him, God purposed to manifest his
likeness and image. Not some cardboard cut-out or close replica of God, but a
true manifestation that was preserved and finally revealed in Jesus Christ. The
WORD that became FLESH has provided us with a true manifestation of our real
identity and origin in Jesus Christ who is the man of Genesis 1.
The
EGO is the great stumbling block preventing man from achieving the will and
purpose of God. This alien force has assumed the place of God within man,
boasting of its wisdom and ability to discern between Good and Evil, and so
being able to achieve the image and likeness of God.
So
much in Christianity today carried the title of CHRISTIAN but is simply a
masquerade on the part of the ego. Man can dress up and go to Church on Sunday
and sing the hymns and hear the sermon, then return home to a war zone that is
camouflaged as a family. Man can declare in song that JESUS IS LORD, yet be
driven by an out of control Ego to cheat and defraud. He may serve as a deacon
or an elder but never hear the voice of God within. The great zeal of many
Pastors to captivate their congregation and win souls for the Lord, so often is
but the function of a disguised ego.
The
ego creates its own agenda, but
never reveals it to anyone until it is dressed up in some “spiritual
disguise.” The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately
wicked and who can know it. It was said of the serpent (the carnal mind) in the
garden, that is was “more
subtle than all the beasts of the field.” The ego is a “chameleon”
able to adjust itself to blend into the most acceptable surroundings. The
Laodecian Church boasted itself that it was rich and increased in goods, and had
need of nothing, and did not know that in truth
it was “wretched, and miserable, poor,
blind and naked.” The EGO is able to create an illusion of reality out of
nothing.
The
strategy of the EGO is to bring God down to man making him to be even as one of
us, so we can meet the standard, rather than lift man up to God. But in all the
darkness and despair of the soul of man, God is today calling out a people unto
his Name. For if you live after the flesh you will die, but if you through the
Spirit do put to death the deeds of the body, YOU WILL LIVE. We must return like
the prodigal son to FATHER and HOME, and forsake the illusion of SELF that has
led us down the pathway of independence from God.
Man
studies the Bible with the help of a leader and books on theology, while the
Holy Spirit who knows the deep things of God is ignored. The EGO has blinded
man’s eyes to truth substituting the doctrines of man for the voice of God.
The words of the prophet have come to pass, “Behold
ye despisers and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your day, a work that
you will not believe, though a man declare it unto you.” Acts 13:41.
It is because of this blindness that the greatest secrets of God are still
largely unknown even though they have been made open for
us to see. Jesus said,
“In that day many will say unto me, Lord Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
Name, and in thy Name have cast out devils, and done many wonderful works? And
then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU!!”
The
Problem Exposed
John
5:1-9. At the sheep gate in Jerusalem there is a pool with 5 colonnades, called
BETHESDA. Here there lay a crowd of sick people, blind, lame and paralyzed,
waiting for the disturbance of the water. From time to time a angel came down
into the pool and troubled the water. The first to plunge in after this
disturbance recovered from whatever sickness had afflicted him. Among the sick
was a man who had been crippled for 38 years.
Jesus being aware that he had been there most of his life asked him,
“Do you want to be healed?” “Sir I have no one to put me in the pool when
the water is troubled, but while I am on my way some one else gets in before
me.” Jesus said, “Rise pick up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man
was cured, picked up his bed and walked.
This
man represents the people today who become aware of the terrible spiritual
condition in which they find themselves. They have been sick with both an inner
and an outer paralysis, trying to walk and live for and from the ego.
This man has been so long in that state that he knew no other life. However he
has seen others who were in a like condition as his, who made it to the water.
He knows there is an answer but is powerless to fulfill its conditions.
Of
all the sick people lying there that day, Jesus only visited ONE, who knew there
was an answer to his condition. The SELF or EGO is that paralyzing force in
every man that denies him access to the freedom available to us in the realm of
Spirit. This power, locks mankind into the darkness of this world, so that it
seems impossible for him to ever escape. Thus the darkened mind of man becomes
also his prison, shutting out any hope of accessing the freedom available in the
realm of Spirit.
God
has sent a messenger that is Christ, to “stir the waters” within the human
heart providing a door of opportunity for man to break free from the power of
the self which has paralyzed his spiritual life. The “WATERS” in scripture
refer to the mind of man which like the ocean is in constant motion. It was in
the beginning that DARKNESS was on the “face of the deep” that
the sub-conscious mind of man was revealed. God’s answer was simply to turn
on the light, which was not some doctrine or code of ethics, but is the
impartation of a knowledge of himself.
The
man at the pool of Bethesda represents the person
who endures an inward paralysis because up until that time the darkness
within his mind had allowed the EGO to control his being. This man’s mind is
like the ocean that is never still, and so would endure one wave only to find
the next one right behind it, giving him no peace. Man under the control of self
or ego is never able to rest, for he has set in motion forces within himself
over which he has no control.
Paul
explains it this way, “when I
would do good evil is present with me.” But the confusion is worse, for he
says, “That which I do (out of my ego), I do not really know why I am doing
it, because what I really want to do, I do not do,
but find myself ( out of my ego) doing what I hate.
This
man is lying beside the SHEEP GATE through which the sacrificial lambs passed on
their way to the altar in the Temple. He must have thought about those blood
sacrifices and how he could benefit
from them.
However
he had to learn that the only sacrifice that is acceptable to God is the living
sacrifice of himself, bringing death to the ego.
It
is ones’ own EGO that needs to be dethroned and robbed of its authority, so
that we might be free to hear and obey the voice of the living God who dwells
within.
Religion
has always endeavored to reconcile a deep seated duality that exists in human
nature. Paul calls these two, the OLD MAN and the NEW MAN, but never suggests
that they can abide together under any conditions. The OLD man, the SELF we
consider we are, that is independent of God, must be put off and discarded, as
our mind is renewed by the Spirit. This will allow the NEW man to exercise his
rightful authority as the REAL SELF, and that is CHRIST. The paralysis we endure
is induced by the OLD man that is always in conflict with the spirit. Paul says,
“I delight in the Law of God after the inward or Spiritual man, but I see
another power within, warring against me bringing me into captivity to the law
of SIN and death.”
In
this seemingly impossible situation I cry out, “who
shall deliver me from the body of this death?” But the answer now is
made known to me and that is, “through
Jesus Christ our Lord.” The truth has now dawned concerning the
duality that has kept the man at Bethesda paralyzed for 38 years.
As
long as a man remains under the power and authority of the ego or self, he will
remain estranged from God. Jesus stated quite clearly, that a man must get rid
of the SELF if he desires to follow him. Matt 16:24. The man lying by the Pool
was indeed sick of his “self”
which not only put him in the condition he was in, but it had the power to hold
him there.
This
is the condition we all must face before we will ever rise up and walk breaking
the power of the spiritual paralysis that is keeping is in despair. However this
time there was one at hand who was able to administered grace to him and at the
“stirring of the waters” this man received the WORD of the LIVING GOD spoken
into his heart, and he arose to walk in newness of life.
How
many times had that man witnessed the stirring of the waters?? Of course this
whole episode was recorded for our spiritual edification, and not just to tell
us that Jesus could heal the sick which is all many Christians see in this
account. The stirring of the waters is that STILL SMALL VOICE which stirs
something within us introducing a new thought or Truth that we can either accept
or reject. If we respond to that voice of God we will live, but to disregard it
will keep us bound in the darkness of our despair. So many Christians hear the
voice of God but then look for a MAN to explain it to them or to discern IF IT
BE OF GOD OR THE DEVIL. Thus they remain living beside the “pool” with all
the rest of the impotent folk. There are many souls today attending Church,
living beside the Pool of Bethesda who remain impotent like this man Jesus dealt
with.
Cursed
is man that puts his trust in man, says the prophet. Jesus said, “He
that heareth my word and believes on him that sent me HATH EVERLASTING LIFE and
shall not come into condemnation but us passed from DEATH unto LIFE.”
Paul says, “The
righteousness which is by faith speaks on this wise, Say not in your heart who
shall ascend into heaven? That is to bring Christ DOWN to us, or Who shall
descend into the deep? That is to bring up Christ again from the dead. BUT it
has already been stated, THE WORD IS NIGH THEE EVEN IN THY MOUTH, AND IN THY
HEART, THAT IS THE WORD OF FAITH WHICH WE PREACH.” Rom 10:6-8.
Forget
about looking for a man to help you
into the “water.” The word Christ speaks into your heart has all the power
you need to cause you to rise up and walk whether it be after 38 years or 98
years if you will simply confess that word of the Christ with your mouth and
believe it in your heart. The sick man was in the right place for it was called
Bethesda, which literally means “the House of Mercy.”
How trivialized the Word and Work of God can become to the man who has
never heard the voice of the Living God. The Pharisees became jealous of the
ministry of Jesus. “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees heard that he
was winning over and baptizing more disciples than John (in fact however, it was
not he himself who baptized, but his disciples), he left Judea and went back to
Galilee.
The
Jewish religious leaders were quite concerned about John the Baptist who seemed
to come from no-where but spoke with great power and authority as was declared
by the prophets. But now this JESUS was drawing bigger crowds who were following
him wherever he went. The message Jesus preached became a real problem for the
Pharisees who felt threatened by his words, for he spoke as one having
authority. The Pharisees only spoke from tradition, which lacked reality for
them and for their hearers also.
Their
own ego prevented them from receiving the Truth but instead raised in them a
hostile attitude toward Jesus and the truth that he was declaring. Their
authority over the people was being threatened by Jesus who said, “I
know that you are descendants of Abraham, yet you seek to kill me because my
words finds no place in you.”
On
the way to Galilee Jesus had to pass through Samaria and came to a town called
Sychar. This was the plot of ground Jacob gave to Joseph and there was found
Jacob’s Well. Jesus sat and rested at the well while the disciples went into
town to buy supplies. A woman comes to the well to draw water and Jesus uses the
opportunity to lift the woman’s understanding from tradition to Truth.
He
says to her, “Give
me to drink.” The woman who was obviously a religious person resorts
to her tradition in order to form a reply. She says, “You
are a Jew. How can you ask me, a Samaritan, and a woman, for a drink?” But
the request for a drink carried a far higher meaning than she had considered.
Jesus was really asking her to share the spiritual life she had received from
this “traditional” well, which was dug by the Patriarch Jacob.
Jesus
replies, “If
only you recognized
God’s gift, and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would have been
asking him instead, and he would have given you living water.” But
again the EGO gets in the way and so she is forced to resort to her traditional
teaching and heritage, to defend herself. “Are
you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well which has supplied us
with water all these years? In any case, this well is deep and you do not have a
bucket. How then can you give me living water?”
Her
interest in this Jew is slowly being aroused. At first all she saw was a man who
was a Jew, which triggered in her understanding all the animosity and bigotry
her Samaritan tradition had taught her. The Samaritans were not recognized as
part of Israel and Nehemiah refused their help in the rebuilding of the walls in
Jerusalem after their return from captivity. But this man is talking about being
able to give LIVING WATER, which would mean there would never be a need to
search for life anywhere else. Could this man really be greater than Jacob, and
does he have access to Truth beyond the traditions handed down through the ages?
Jacob
represented the man who was the progenitor of the nation of Israel. Like
Abraham, Jacob had a very personal dealing with God that transformed his life.
After seizing the birthright from his brother Esau, he set about deceiving his father
by assuming the identity of his older brother in order to obtain the patriarchal
blessing. That false sense of identity continued in his life until he was
reconciled to his brother Esau.
This
reconciliation began the night Jacob found himself alone
and wrestling a “heavenly messenger” (his true identity), who sort to
overcome the lie that Jacob was living within himself. As the dawn approached
this mysterious visitor found that he had not secured the victory, so he touched
the hollow of his thigh.
This
was a mortal blow to the ego as this heavenly visitor, who now asked to be
released, so easily exposed its vulnerability. However, as the new day dawned a
subtle change came over Jacob because for the first time he was powerless in the
presence of this heavenly one. Jacob the cheat discovered the deceiving force
that had controlled his life had been broken in the presence of this one from
heaven. He said, “I
will not let you go until you bless me.” This was the blessing he had
sort for from his birth when he grasped the “heel” of his first born
brother, but his ego prevented him from receiving it until now.
Jacob
was transformed that night and was given a new name suited to his new character,
ISRAEL, a Prince with God. These things were a very real part of this Samaritan
woman’s religion, which raised the question in her mind of superiority between
Jesus and Jacob. However the thought of having the inner spring of life giving
water, caused her to ask for it without hesitation. So Jesus takes her further
along the road, by asking her to, “Go
home and call your husband and then return.” The woman replied, “I
have no husband.” This truthful admission makes her ready to receive
further truth, Jesus said, ”You
are right is saying you have no husband, for you have already had FIVE, and the
one you presently have (your EGO) is not your husband.”
Jesus
is not making any moral judgment here regarding the woman, for the word
“husband” could be translated as “master” or “Lord.” In the Greek it
is derived from the word for MAN = ANTHROPOS. The truth is that Jesus went
straight to the very crux of the matter with this woman, and that was far
greater than any moral issue. The woman’s problem was that there was no real
authority in her life. Her five former ”husbands,” for whatever reason had
not provided that authority.
If
we are governed by the five senses
we will be as a kingdom divided against itself, and brought to desolation. Jesus
taught this principal in the sermon on the Mount. “The
light of the body is the EYE, if your EYE be single your whole body will be full
of light.” First of all we must understand that the eye
is dependant upon light in order to function. You may have 20/20 vision but if
you are in the dark you will not be able to see at all.
Secondly
if the eye is functioning correctly, it will focus the light it receives
perfectly on the retina and our mind or understanding will be filled with that
light. However if the eye diffuses that light by dividing it and not allowing
all the light to be concentrated, then we will receive a garbled message and so
we will be filled with darkness
having no understanding.
This
woman of Samaria had been governed by the five
senses of the carnal mind. As a result she had no single authority in her
life and so had to rely on the confused direction of the five “husbands” or
senses. However on this day she had met someone who so impressed her that she
declared openly, “Sir,
I can see you are a Prophet.” In this statement she sensed a wisdom
and an authority she had not encountered before. But her old religious thinking
was not yet ready to concede defeat.
“Our
ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you people say that Jerusalem is the
place where men ought to worship God.”
This revealed the confusion that was in her mind, so Jesus answered, “The
hour is coming and is already here when you will worship the Father neither on
this mountain nor in Jerusalem. YOU people worship what you do not understand,
but we understand, for after all, Salvation is from the Jews. But the time is
come when those who are the real worshippers will worship the Father IN SPIRIT
AND IN TRUTH. These are the ones Father is seeking for, because GOD IS
SPIRIT.”
This
woman is afraid because this “prophet” is taking her beyond the limits of
her understanding, and she is powerless to resist. She has exhausted her
inherited understanding, based upon sense knowledge but is now being drawn into
into the unfamiliar world of the Spirit. Jesus had already brushed aside her
limited knowledge and infused a desire in her to ascend into a higher realm,
that of the Spirit. The power of her ego was broken as truth
began to penetrate her heart. The question of ancestors and mountains is gone
and now the focus is on a God
that is Spirit.
The
woman recalls, “WE
know that the Messiah (CHRIST) is coming, and when he is here he will tell us
everything.” Jesus
replied, “I
AM is the one speaking
to you now.”
This revealing of “I AM” was
prophesied by Isaiah, “Therefore
they shall know in that day, that “I AM” he that speaks, behold it is I.”
In the presence of the “I AM” every other power (knee) must bow including
the ego in man. Babylon is brought to desolation because she said, “I AM and
none else beside me.” Isa 47 : 8-10.
Let
every man beware of using this Name of God lightly, The only ones who can
legitimately use this Name are those who are no longer the author of the words
they use, and who only does what he see his Father do. This is the final
destruction of the ego that has directed life from its secret throne within man,
creating a pseudo identity in defiance of God’s declaration of man being in
the image and likeness of God.
The
Samaritan woman had now drunk her fill of that living
water and so returned to the city. She must have had a standing as an
honorable person in her community because her word was accepted by the people.
Many came out to meet this extraordinary man who had living water to give to
those who asked. Jesus used this occasion to show the disciples not to look at
the work of the Spirit in human terms, such as set times for harvest. In the
realm of spirit it is always harvest time, as typified by Aaron’s rod that
sprouted, budded, blossomed and fruited in one day in the tabernacle.
The
birthing of this new life in man
requires radical spiritual surgery. Jesus said to his disciples, “Who
ever wishes to become a follower of me must deny himself, take up his cross and
follow me.” This is not some simple intellectual thought process
achieved by a changing of the mind. This strikes at the very root of the
problem, for the cross as a spiritual experience, will totally destroy the ego
or self that has reigned as king in the lives of men.
Jesus
knew the multitudes did not follow him to receive of the Spirit but for purely
selfish reasons. Within each of us there are the “inner
multitudes” of thoughts and desires that have no unity or co-ordination,
but each one is driven by personal desires, being pre-occupied with comfort and
success. Just advertise a “miracle
meeting” and invite those who need healing, and you will pack the house.
WHY?? Because people’s focus is not on “seeking first the Kingdom of God,”
but on their own personal needs. What have such desires to do with spirituality?
The answer is nothing, for their interest in God is for reasons that are purely
selfish.
Everyone
is seeking for some external authority that will approve of what they think or
believe. Most people look for the adulation of the crowd, or approval from their
parents, or some spiritual leader, as well as traditions, verses from the Bible
or some external God. The ego can only thrive when it has acceptance from others
and approval of its thoughts desires and actions. The Church often becomes the
“well” from which such acceptance is generated.
We
must be careful not to bring “eternal life” down to our natural level of
understanding, as if it is simply the life we now live with just a few religious
overtones. Eternal life is only resident in the ageless identity in which, “I
and the Father are ONE.” The “I
AM” within a human being constitutes the bridge between this
world and the realm of Spirit,
between what is below and what is above.
If this link did not exist there would be no hope of salvation, and mankind
would be condemned to remain in darkness.
The
Word becoming flesh shows us, that if the Eternal Christ could take on the form
of man, (Jesus) then the presence of that I AM dwelling within us today, would
produce the same results. So many Christians fail to recognise the real nature
of I AM and so cannot receive it. It is recorded in John 6:16-21, “The
disciples entered into a ship to go to Capernaum and it was dark, but Jesus had
not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when
they had rowed about thirty furlongs they see Jesus WALKING ON THE SEA, and
drawing near unto the ship, AND THEY WERE AFRAID. But he said unto them, I AM,
BE NOT AFRAID. Then they willingly received him into the boat and IMMEDIATELY
they were at the shore where they were going.”
The
minds of the disciples were closed to the meaning of the events that they
witnessed with Jesus. They had not learned the lesson of the loaves and the
fishes. Now as they witnessed Jesus walking on the water they cried out in fear
supposing it had been a spirit. Mark 6:49-50, 52. These specially selected men
had absolutely no idea of “I AM.” But in their fear and frustration Jesus
revealed to them the power and majesty
of the sacred Name of God, “I AM.” The
NAME in Bible days was always linked to the recognized character of a person,
and where they had a divine encounter with God they were given a name in
accordance with the change.
To
speak in the Name of somebody, is to
participate in that person’s being and share in his power and authority. To
speak for or “In the Name” of the government, is to speak with the authority
invested in the Government. If a person believes in (into)
the Name of Jesus Christ, it means
that he understands the real nature of the Christ,
and would be able to participate in his being
and power, and could act on his authority.
The
Greek word for “Name” is onome,
and bears the connotation of power and
being. It seems there is also a connection between the Greek words
“onome” and “Logos”. So when we look at the Name of JESUS,
we discover it is the English version of Joshua,
who was chosen of God to lead Israel across Jordan and into the promised land.
Now Joshua comes from the Hebrew
word Yehoshua, which literally means
Yahweh saves. Yahweh
in its traditional form is the tetragrammaton YHWH
and is connected with “I AM” as
the Name of God. So it could be said that the name Jesus
literally means, “I
AM SAVES.”
The
Name “I AM” was first revealed to MOSES as the name of the one who would
deliver Israel from bondage in Egypt. Moses asked God, “When
they ask me who it is that sent me, what am I to tell them?” God said
to him, “I
AM THAT I AM.” Then he added tell them, “I AM sent me unto you.”
Ex 3:11-14. This is the first time God revealed this most mysterious, powerful
and sacred Name. The Greek word used in John’s Gospel and the Septuagint for
the expression “I AM” is Ego eimi
(pronounced ego I -mee). This
expression of the divine Name is found particularly in the Book of Isaiah. “ I
am, “I AM” that blotteth out thy
transgressions.” Isa 43:25. “I am, I
AM who comforts you.” 51:12. “Therefore my people shall know my name, in
that day that “I AM” is speaking
to them.
The
Name “I AM” in these examples functions as the proper Name of God, with all
the power and authority resident in him. So when Jesus Christ used this title he
is identifying himself with God, so that the things he did were not
manifestations of his own ability but the power and being of God. The ego says,
“I am this” or “I am that” so as to identify everything that is done
with themselves. As the “I am” Jesus came in his Father’s Name but the
Jews would not receive him, however he said if
another shall come in his own name, you will receive him.
In
Church circles we have often seen preachers claiming to speak for God when
actually it was their ego people were listening to. The man with the
“Charismatic” personality, and great oratory ability soon gathers a crowd of
loyal supporters. But he has come in his own name. How subtle is the ego that it
has the power to sway the multitudes. However it is interesting that so many
Christian people who also are still driven by their own ego are attracted to men
who function in the same way. Jesus said to the people, “In
very truth, I know that you have not come looking for me because you saw the
miracles, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for that
which perisheth but for that which endures unto eternal life, which the Son of
man shall give unto you, for him hath God the Father sealed” Jn 6:26-27.
The
people asked him for a sign that they might see and believe. They said,
“Our fathers ate Manna in the wilderness, as it is written, He gave them bread
from heaven to eat.” How ever Jesus refuted their words saying, “MOSES
did not give bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from
heaven. For the BREAD OF GOD is HE (the I AM) that comes down from heaven, and
gives life unto the world.”
Jesus
warned the people not to be satisfied with eating bread to satisfy their
physical hunger, but to search for the nourishment that comes from heaven and
gives eternal life. How many of God’s people go to Church to get healing for
the body, or are motivated by some other selfish desire. How refreshing it is to
see a soul seeks God with a pure heart, and not simply to fulfill some carnal
desire. The wants and desires of the EGO so often obscure the deep longing of
the soul to find her beloved, that they may be one.
The
Jews asked Jesus, “How
can we do the works of God?” He replied that they would need to
understand and embrace the one sent by God (I AM) and follow the path he has
set, seeing as he dwells unrecognized within the heart of every man. The pseudo
ego of man has usurped the place of the ego
eimi, (“I AM”) that is the true reality of our being. So many Christians
are devoted to satisfying the wants and desires of the natural man, by giving
mental assent to Bible verses and repenting of wrong doing and even being baptized
in order to gain for this “self” some benefit.
I
am not writing this paper with a judgmental attitude, but in an effort to expose
this insidious “phantom,” the ego, that absorbs our time and energy to
satisfy its wants and desires. Today
the Spirit is revealing to us the ego eimi, the I
AM that was manifest from heaven declaring our identity and oneness with
God, while demonstrating the glories of our being and the miraculous nature that
waits to find expression in our lives. Lord open our eyes that we might see you,
as you really are.
Jesus
said, “I
AM the bread of LIFE, whoever comes to me shall never hunger and whoever
believes in me shall never be thirsty.” Beloved let us grasp these
words and the TRUTH they contain that we may LIVE. I AM dwelling in you as Lord
means you will never suffer lack. Even the prodigal son knew that in Father’s
house there is always an abundance of bread and no one ever went hungry, but at
the same time he was eating the food offered to pigs because the
ego was ruling his life. “I am” dwelling in you as Lord means you
will never be thirsty, for every desire of your heart will be satisfied under
his authority for he says to us, “all
that I have is yours.”
Man’s
identity in the natural, is wrapped up in his ego. That is why we say “I am”
this, or “I am” that, for in this way we lay stress on our particularity,
being special and so in a class of our
own. We could say the ego makes us exclusively important, and so it becomes very
difficult for us to discover the truth of our real identity. The real reason for
the destruction of Babylon is because she said, “I
am, and there is none else beside me.” Isa 47:8-10.
However
when we are liberated from our ego we discover the truth, that of ourselves we
can do nothing. However as we enter into ego eimi, man finds himself absorbed
into the “ALL THERE IS,” of God,
outside of which life is but a vapor. So instead of man being centered in
himself now finds his center IN GOD. There was a time when man thought that the
earth was the center of everything and the sun and the moon revolved around it.
Now we know that the earth is not the center but it revolves around the sun.
Neither is man the center around which life revolves, for our center is found
only in God.
Jesus
said to the people, “No
man can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him
up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught
of God. Everyone who has heard the Father and been taught of him comes to me.”
Jn 6:43-45.
The
knowledge of God cannot be gained by studying the Bible, for the things of the
spirit can only be revealed by the Spirit. God has revealed himself to us in his
only begotten son, Jesus Christ. He is the true “Bread of Life” providing
spiritual nourishment which alone can give to us eternal life. Many Christians
believe that without the Bible and the so called “Christian Church” people
cannot know God. If this were so then Salvation is denied to millions on the
earth today who live in heathen countries and many have no Bible. Our God is not
a man as conceived in the minds of many Christians, but Spirit, and that Spirit
fills the universe, from the darkest jungles of Africa to the major cities of
the developed world.
That
Spirit is omnipresent so there is no place where God is not to be found. The
Spirit that is God is also omniscient, being the fountain of all wisdom and
knowledge, and omnipotent in power so that the prophet could say unto Zion,
“Thy God reigneth!!” There is
not a man on this earth who cannot be wakened by the voice of God, “for
the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof and all they that dwell
therein.”
Jesus
said, “Unless
you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you.” Jesus
did not come into this world to set some kind of example for us to follow. The
Christian life has been reduced to, “What
would Jesus do” in any given circumstance, and then seeking to do whatever
we happen to think he would have done. But Jesus made it very clear that we must
become what he is in the reality of his being.
He
never suggested that by believing certain facts we could possess eternal life. Eternal
life is in the Son, so if we have “the
Son”, we have life but if we are not in possession of “what
the Son is,” we do not have life. To help us understand what this means,
Jesus said, “Except
you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you.” We must
discover the reality that what he is,
in actual fact is what I am. There
is no other way that we can enter into life. The Word
became flesh, the flesh did not produce some superficial changes to
accommodate the Word! At that point he was speaking about the spiritual sense of
body and not the gross physical body, which Jesus said PROFITS NOTHING. Jn 6:63.
Physical flesh is necessary for physical life, however the flesh
of Christ is needed for eternal life, for which the natural body is of no
use.
Paul
says, that there is a natural body just as there is a spiritual body, one is
dissolved as the other is raised up. The first
man became a Living Soul but the
Last Adam has become a life
giving spirit. The first was from the earth
but the second is the Lord from heaven.
“Even
as we have borne the image of the earthly just as surely we will bear the image
of the man from heaven.” 1 Cor 15. In Man we find the meeting place
between the earthly and the heavenly, as the two levels of life converge. Paul
says, “I
live, but it is not I that lives, but Christ, (I AM) that lives in me.”
As
we partake of the body and blood of Christ we are building up within us that
spiritual body of Christ. In this process we become one
with him and partake of his being. Those who so partake of Christ, dwell
in him and he in us, just as Christ dwells in God. We must learn to
distinguish between the physical body and the Spiritual body, or we will be in
confusion. When we eat our natural food it is translated into the tissue that
forms our natural body. But it is obvious that when we partake of the Spiritual
Flesh and Blood of Christ this does not become part of our natural body, but
builds up that Spiritual body of Christ within us.
Paul
says, ”We
know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have (present
tense) a building of God a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavenly
realm.” 2 Cor 5:1. This cannot refer to our natural body for it is a Spiritual
body and it is eternal. The
Psalmist says, “Lord
thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.” Ps 90:1.
That
“dwelling place” is Christ where we once were, but now through natural birth
our dwelling place is in a physical mortal body. So Paul goes on to say, “We
know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for by
faith we are walking and not by perception, yet we are encouraged, and delight
rather to be away from home out of our body, and to be at home with the Lord.”
2 Cor 5:1-8.
Religious
people believe that to be at home with
the Lord is to die physically! This proves that they have no concept of the
indwelling Christ who is Lord. Beloved if we have not found our dwelling place
and oneness with Christ n-o-w, we have nothing in this life. Christ dispensed
with his physical body at the Cross and entered his glorified body which is spiritual
so he can dwell in this earthen vessel, in which we groan until we are clothed
upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
Jesus
said to the disciples, “I am going away, and you will look for me and not find
me, where I am you cannot come!”
The Jews said, “ Where is he going that we are not able to find him? Will he
go to the Diaspora among the Greeks? What is he talking about? The natural mind
flounders in its attempt to understand Spiritual truth. The natural mind has
sought him for 2000 years trying to find out where he is. Christendom has not
been any more successful. When the Christ disappeared in the midst of the
disciples on the Mount of Olives, he entered the world of Spirit. The source of
LIFE, the Son of the Living God, the hope of all mankind, the desire of the
ages, has cut himself off from all those “who
are separate from him!”
“If any man be in Christ, he is a New Creation”. Only then can we
partake of Spirit and become One with him. As Spirit, Christ fills the universe,
from the highest heaven to the lowest hell, while puny man thinks that he has an
identity apart from him, and so gropes in the dark seeking to find him.
But
we have one more issue we must pursue, concerning the problem of the ego in man.
Anyone who thinks we can just make some glib commitment to God and so become a
new creature has no concept of reality. Jesus said, “No
man can serve two masters.” So there can be no room for our “ego”
and “ego emimi”. They are totally incompatible and our life would be filled
with confusion if we tried to function with these two authorities.
Christians
have devised all kinds of teaching to solve this question of authority. We only
have to look at the confusion that reigns in the lives of so many that say they
are Christians, to know there is a problem. God is not the author of confusion,
or of fear. Some have suggested that the “old man” with the ego as the
driving authority, was destroyed at the Cross when Jesus Died. I can testify
that I “reckoned” as much as I could, that I was dead unto sin because
Christ died on the cross for me, but my “old man” just refused to die.
This
answer to the problem of the ego in man has no easy solution for we are not
dealing with some small appendage to our lives, but an integral part of our
identity. If we were very unhappy with our opinion of ourselves we may be
willing to seek a change, but the fact is that we like what we are, and many
times are even proud of it. We take the credit for our achievements in life
believing we are responsible for our own success. Such is the depth of the
deception into which we have fallen. Jeremiah says, “O lord I know that the
way of man is not in himself!”
It
was immediately after being declared a SON OF GOD that Jesus was LED OF THE
SPIRIT into the wilderness. The wilderness speaks of an place which has not been
farmed and where the wild animals roam free without restraint. The animals refer
to the emotions and desires within the heart of man. These were named by Adam in
the garden, so that he gave them the nature he wanted them to have. The result
there was no problem in the Garden of Eden with the “animals” so the Lion
could lay down with the lamb. But subsequently outside the garden through
disobedience the animals has a change of character due to the change that took
place in Adam.
If
he was to be the manifested as the I AM the EGO EIMI, there must be a swift and
certain victory won over any other conflicting authority in Jesus. This testing
is attributed to the “devil” giving it a surreal setting. The word
“devil” used here means the accuser or slanderer. In the Garden this
slanderer said that Adam would not die as God said he would, if he ate of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil, BUT that they would be GODS in their own
right. Adam believed this word and man’s EGO was born, as this human authority
in man took over the control of his life ascribing to him an identity separate
from God.
Now
Jesus the pattern man is put to the test to see what authority reigned in him.
First he was subjected to the power of selfish desire. “If thou be the Son of
God, command this stone be made bread.” Remember this took place after he had
been forty days without food. The ego saw this as an opportunity to declare to
all that he had the power to meet his own need. But Jesus said, “Man
shall not live by bread alone but BY EVERY WORD OF GOD.” There was no
craving for food, that the ego could use to entice him to act out of himself,
for he was being sustained not by anything from this world but by the Father. So
he won the first round.
Then
he was transported into a high mountain and shown all the kingdoms of the world,
and was told he would be given power over all these kingdoms if he would but
worship his EGO. Pride and achievement are two of the strongest responses that
drive the ego. Being one with the Father he knew the EARTH IS THE LORDS and the
fullness thereof. So he denied his ego the pleasure of being anointed king!
Finally he was taken to the temple in Jerusalem and set on one of the high
pinnacles. He was told to cast himself down because the angels would not allow
him to be hurt. This test involved presumption, in that because of his position
he could take chances knowing that he would be protected. Again Jesus was
victorious.
Now
I have had many people say to me that it was impossible for Jesus to sin. Of
course if that is so then this whole episode is simply a charade. But we are
told that he was tested in all points just as we are, yet he never sinned.
Beloved I have not written this paper just to give you some information.
I want to challenge you today to declare, “what is the authority in your
life?” Is your EGO producing your identity and therefore dictating how you
live?
The
same “test” Jesus experienced in
the wilderness, with the ego fighting for supremacy, is being played every day,
in your life as well as mine. The religious cliché, “Have you given your
heart to Jesus,“ is irrelevant to our problem. The question is, “did your
ego dictate your attitudes to others making you feel superior to them?” Did
you satisfy your selfish desires when you should have pleased your Heavenly
Father? Did you succumb to pride and a sense of having made a success by your
own efforts? Did you deliberately try and impress others today with your
“Christian Faith” giving the impression that your prosperity or health is
the result of your commitment to God? As a Christian have you thought or acted
presumptuously today assuming things that were not legitimate for you? If your
answer is YES to any of these questions you can be assured that your EGO IS
STILL ALIVE AND WELL, and that you have an identity, quite apart from God.
Just
a cursory glance at the life of Christ reveals his selflessness, and dedication
to “please the Father” without thought for himself. But after all the
miracles and demonstration of supernatural power, he is faced yet again with the
greatest test of his fidelity. He tells the disciples there is yet one more
thing declared by the prophets that must be accomplished in himself. Isaiah
said, “And
he was reckoned among the transgressors, for the things concerning me have an
end.” Luke 22:37.
The
word “end” here does not relate to time, but means to set out for a definite
point or goal, which constitutes the aim or purpose of a thing. This is how the
Prophet saw this experience. Isaiah 53:12. “Therefore
I give a portion to him among the many, And with the mighty he apportioneth
spoil, Because that he exposed to death his soul, And with transgressors he was
numbered, And he the sin of many hath borne, And for transgressors he
intercedeth.” (Young’s Lit Translation.)
What
does it mean to “expose one’s soul
to death?” This is the ultimate end of the independent
function of the soul that has provided the basis for the operation of the
EGO. Never before in the history of man was there such a purging of the soul.
This took place on the Mount of Olives with the disciples, who were left about a
stone’s cast behind to “Pray that they enter not into temptation.” They
were not yet ready to participate in such an experience.
Being
alone Jesus faced the real reason for his coming to the world, to provide the
sacrifice that would release all mankind from their slavery to sin through the
offering of his body. In that sacrifice his “flesh and his blood” are made
available as the food and drink, that when consumed give to us eternal life.
This is not a “dead” sacrifice as the Hebrews made through the centuries,
but a “Living Sacrifice”
providing a New and Living Way
through the veil of our flesh into the Most
Holy Place of God’s presence.
Jesus
now faced his darkest hour as he contemplated the “cup” containing the will
and purpose of his heavenly Father. He entered into the world as a babe at
Bethlehem in obscurity and now as he was facing his departure, he was being
reckoned among the transgressors. Even though he came to this earth to bring
light and life to all men, and a revelation of man’s true identity as well as
a manifestation of God so that we might know him. But now he must become
identified with all those who in their minds had become enemies of God. Surely
in the holiness of his being he would distance himself from all those who were
living under the law of Sin and Death.
It
was Father’s will that he become identified with ALL MEN, the obedient and the
disobedient, the good and the bad, the rich and the poor, the black and the
white, for “I AM” has no human
limitations, and none can be excluded. Think about it beloved, and tell me if we
who name the Name of Christ have ever faced such a death sentence to the carnal
activity of our souls, enabling us to drink that “CUP” and be willing to
say, “Not my will but thine be
done.”
The
King of Glory departs this earth scene, numbered with the transgressors. I
declare to you, a powerful compulsion rises within me, like Peter and I want to
cry out, “Not so Lord, this must not
be so.” But I hear the voice of the Master saying, “Get thee behind me
satan!” In the agony of soul through which Jesus passed it is recorded that he
sweat as it were great drops of blood. Who of us has any idea what transpired
that night on the Mount of Olives? The disciples fell asleep as so many of his
followers have done today, ignorant of the inward tribulation through which we
also must pass if we are to enter into the Kingdom of God.
In
our ignorance we magnify the image of the physical cross, making it the record
of the suffering of Christ. The nails
that pierced his hands and feet and the crown
of thorns become the major issue of our outrage, while the death
process that brought purity to the soul of the Master in the Mount, is
glibly overlooked. No beloved, the agony was not the nails or the thorns, but
the drinking of the cup the Father gave to him, as he became identified with the
transgressors. He was made to be
“sin” for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God
in him
Never
before was there a time when “Mercy
and truth have embraced, and righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”
Ps 85:10. For Christians generally, Truth has made us intolerant and lacking
in mercy. Is there a place where the redeemed and the transgressors can find
common ground in the world today? Yes, for the Holy one of Israel, became the
representative of all mankind in “I AM”.
That
night on the Mount of Olives, those who represented the Political and Religious
powers of this world came to arrest Jesus Christ, not realizing that they were
dealing with a superior power that was not born out of the carnality of man’s
soul. History records, that when the soldiers who probably numbered about 600
came to arrest him, he answered them, “I
AM,” and they stepped back and fell to the ground. However I want you to
know that the “I AM” is not an identification of a particular person such as
Jesus Christ. This concept has crept in amongst many Christians today, leading
to this “Name” being adopted as a means of identification.
When
the expression “I AM” is understood, we find ourselves in the presence of
something extraordinary, and totally incomprehensible to the natural mind. This
can only be expressed as the state of a relationship that exists between the
FATHER and the SON, as the Son participates in that mysterious and sacred NAME
of GOD, I AM or EGO EIMI. In this relationship there is a fusing together of the
Father and the son in a mystic unity that allows God total expression through
his creation. Jesus said, “But
when the Holy Spirit is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even
the Spirit of TRUTH which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me. And
you shall also bear witness, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN WITH ME FROM THE
BEGINNING.” Jn 15:26-27.
There
is a mysterious transference of SPIRIT from the Father to his sons that is
designated the “Spirit of Truth.”
This Spirit of Truth is the antidote to the falseness of the ego, if we can
receive it. The truth concerning our origin has nothing to do with this world.
Jesus said, “Call
no man on the earth your Father!” We have been begotten of God, and
have been with him from the beginning. The word “begotten” indicates that
what is brought forth remains true to its origin without change.
The
ego is built up on the false notions of the carnal mind, that sees man as an
individual entity capable of functioning out of its own capacity to decide its
own destiny. The pathway of salvation involves not only the correction of the
false concepts generated by the mind of man, but breaking the estrangement that
has developed between the Father and the son until they become one.
Jesus
said, “I
have manifested thy NAME unto them.” Not just told them what your Name
is, but I have become an expression of your name “EGO
EIMI.” Sanctify them (set
them apart) through thy Truth. Just as thou hast sent me into the world, in the
same way I have sent them into the world. And for this reason I sanctify myself
that the Truth might sanctify them also. That they all may be one,
just as you Father are one in me and
I am one in you in the merging of
your essence to become an expression of the “I
am,” which will be to the world the proof of our origin and of theirs
also.
I
have declared thy NAME and will continue to declare it unto them that the
mysterious bond of love that unifies us will have the same effect upon them
enveloping them in that same mystery of Godliness.
May
these words humble and challenge you even as I have been challenged, whilst
writing them.
As bound together in Him………Des
Walter
(Written February 16, 1999 )