My Experiences Of Point 1

[Guest wayfarer2k]

1. How does language “an approach to God” fit your spiritual needs?

 

To me, it implies a personalness (is that a word?). It tells me that we all come to God in a unique way, not by a formula.

 

2. What language would you have used for you own spiritual journey?

 

Probably the word "enlightenment", although I don't consider myself a mystic. I don't think that I really came to God or that he came to me. He's always been there. I just think I had my eyes opened to him.

 

3. Do you feel as the life and teachings of Jesus have brought you closer to an experience of God? How so?

 

They bring me closer to experiencing God because Jesus accepted people just like me, warts and all. And he stressed that God's kingdom was already within us if we would seek for it. I try to follow his two greatest commands. And doing so often brings me love in return.

 

4. How does the absence of salvation language help or detract from your spiritual path?

 

Things can go so stereotyped, especially the word "salvation." It had a broad meaning in the Old Testament, everything from deliverance to healing to wholeness to restoration to nuturing. But in the culture that I am often involved it, salvation is narrowly defined as being taken out of the going-to-hell line and put in the going-to-heaven line.

 

I'm beginning to see that my salvation is not a one-time process. My deliverance, healing, wholeness, restoration, and nuturing is an ongoing, everyday process. I don't deny the value of the destination, but I am finding the journey just as rewarding.

 

5. How does the Jesus of history or his teachings affect your understanding of God?

 

They show me that God is foremost a father, a father who waits for us and runs to us to embrace us and kiss us upon our return. A father who is not angry that we left home. A father who is so glad for our return that life becomes a celebration of relationship.

 

6. How might our understanding of who and what we are, as human beings, change if we remove the need for the sacrifice of Jesus as the Pascal Lamb, our redeemer?

 

We might get beyond the notion that Jesus had to "fix" some type of inner character war in God. We might get past the pagan notion that the gods do demand human sacrifice and blood. We might begin to believe that God loves us and accepts us just as we are without having to torture his son for our sakes. We might actually begin to believe that God is, and always has been, a God of love.

 

7. What is the difference between savior, hero, master, teacher, or prophet for you?

 

I think the differences a quite self-evident. Jesus is portrayed as all of these (and more) in the New Testament. I find that I don't have to choose one and only one definition. But he transcends them all for me and becomes the face of God. That brings me comfort and invites me to come closer.

 

wayfarer

[McKenna]

1. How does language “an approach to God” fit your spiritual needs?

 

To me, it implies a personalness (is that a word?). It tells me that we all come to God in a unique way, not by a formula.

 

2. What language would you have used for you own spiritual journey?

 

Probably the word "enlightenment", although I don't consider myself a mystic. I don't think that I really came to God or that he came to me. He's always been there. I just think I had my eyes opened to him.

 

3. Do you feel as the life and teachings of Jesus have brought you closer to an experience of God? How so?

 

They bring me closer to experiencing God because Jesus accepted people just like me, warts and all. And he stressed that God's kingdom was already within us if we would seek for it. I try to follow his two greatest commands. And doing so often brings me love in return.

 

4. How does the absence of salvation language help or detract from your spiritual path?

 

Things can go so stereotyped, especially the word "salvation." It had a broad meaning in the Old Testament, everything from deliverance to healing to wholeness to restoration to nuturing. But in the culture that I am often involved it, salvation is narrowly defined as being taken out of the going-to-hell line and put in the going-to-heaven line.

 

I'm beginning to see that my salvation is not a one-time process. My deliverance, healing, wholeness, restoration, and nuturing is an ongoing, everyday process. I don't deny the value of the destination, but I am finding the journey just as rewarding.

 

5. How does the Jesus of history or his teachings affect your understanding of God?

 

They show me that God is foremost a father, a father who waits for us and runs to us to embrace us and kiss us upon our return. A father who is not angry that we left home. A father who is so glad for our return that life becomes a celebration of relationship.

 

6. How might our understanding of who and what we are, as human beings, change if we remove the need for the sacrifice of Jesus as the Pascal Lamb, our redeemer?

 

We might get beyond the notion that Jesus had to "fix" some type of inner character war in God. We might get past the pagan notion that the gods do demand human sacrifice and blood. We might begin to believe that God loves us and accepts us just as we are without having to torture his son for our sakes. We might actually begin to believe that God is, and always has been, a God of love.

 

7. What is the difference between savior, hero, master, teacher, or prophet for you?

 

I think the differences a quite self-evident. Jesus is portrayed as all of these (and more) in the New Testament. I find that I don't have to choose one and only one definition. But he transcends them all for me and becomes the face of God. That brings me comfort and invites me to come closer.

 

wayfarer

 

Lovely writings. I agree!