In the Image of the Spirit's Own Nature

About the Book

The concept of being created in the image of the Spirit's own nature is the core of my treatise. Using only the Jerusalem Bible and the Lost Books of the Bible, I take the position that since man is created in the image of God's own nature - loving, forgiving, and eternal - then that nature cannot be extinguished by the action or life-style of a human being. To destroy the nature of God within us is to destroy a part of the Spirit of Creation within us. Can man destroy something that is divine and eternal? No!

Surely Jesus held this same view when he urged his followers:

"You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

(Matthew 5:48)

Jesus recognized the divine nature of God within people and therefore urged people to use this God-given nature in their daily lives.

Following Paul's understanding of the relationship between God and his creation (Romans 5:19), theologians argue that the nature of the Creator within people was extinguished by the action of Adam, and can only be now restored by our union in Christ's death and resurrection through baptism. (Romans 6:4).

There is no evidence in the Bible that the Hebrew people believed in the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. On the contrary, Ezekiel wrote:

"...a son is not to suffer for the sins of the father, nor the father for the sins of his son."

(Ezekiel 18:20)

If this is what the Hebrew people believed - each person is responsible for his/her action - then why did Paul take an ancient practise of blood and flesh sacrifice and apply it to the life and death of Jesus? He insisted that God's righteousness does not allow a penitent sinner to enter his kingdom. Only through the shedding of the blood of Christ on the cross can a penitent be welcomed into the kingdom. From the Bible's point of view, Paul's understanding of God's righteousness has nothing to do with the true nature of the Spirit of Creation.

Speaking through the prophet Hosea - and many more - God makes it abundantly clear:

"...since what I want is love not sacrifice; knowledge of God not holocausts."

(Hosea 6:6)

David, the penitent sinner, stated it even more clearly:

"...my sacrifice is this broken spirit. You will not scorn this crushed and broken heart."

(Psalm 51:16-17)

The Prophets, King David, and Jesus captured the true nature of the Creator. The Spirit of Creation desires people to love, to forgive, and to embrace one another. It wants people to live virtuous lives.

About the Author

Many years ago the author had undergone a spiritual rebirth.  The comfort and warmth of the experience overwhelmed him.  He no longer was the driver in his life.  He surrendered his driving privileges to Jesus and comfortably relaxed on the passenger’s side.  Years went by, the author’s smoking, cursing, and alcohol habits became long forgotten.  Then he met several Jewish people and soon discovered they showed more empathy towards people than many of his born-again comrades did.  Later he met a Muslim with a heart towards other human beings as big as a heart can be.  The author began to wonder about his understanding of the Spirit’s grace.  For all intents and purposes, these people were alike in spirit and concern for other people.  But the author remembered what the scriptures and the church fathers taught.  He realized that the other human beings were doomed to everlasting damnation because they simply could not understand the christian doctrine and theology.  These Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists were the rich people of the world, ignoring the plight of poor Lazarus.  He began to feel that he was Abraham, sitting beside the scorching fire, refusing to dip his finger in the cool water and moistening the lips of the damned man being broiled eternally in the scathing inferno.

Is the author being overly crude in this description of a scenario contained in the “holy scriptures”, and attributed to no other than the saviour of the world?  Of course he is.  However he is merely conveying the picture purportedly painted by Jesus.  Such gruesomely cruel scenes have no place in the midst of a declaration that:   “God so loved the world.”   Among other sins, the author must be blasphemous to juxtaposition the Spirit’s overwhelming mercy and compassion with the cruel punishment assigned for people who refuse to accept Jesus as the incarnation of the Creator.

Hence the author’s quest began.  His research and heart lead him to the conclusion that the christians now viewed themselves to be the Spirit’s chosen people, much the same way Paul declared them to be. The Jews had been given the opportunity to remain the chosen people but they blew it.  Now the christians have become the chosen people.  They soon went on to take the distributing rights away from the vineyard owner and became the sole distributors of the Spirit’s mercy and virtue.  They began to bestow their understanding of the Spirit’s justness and righteousness on those whom they viewed earned it.  Slowly the glowing warmth and comfort the author experienced years ago has slowly become a distant memory.

Now, however, he urges the seekers not to give up.  What once was a distant memory to the author has now become a burning reality.  Despite the elaborate labyrinth created by esoteric doctrine and theology of the sole distributors of the Spirit’s mercy, the awesome Spirit is approachable to all.  Through Isaiah the Prophet, the Spirit assures all who are searching for its presence that:   “I live in a high and holy place, But I am also with the contrite and humbled spirit, to give the humbled spirit new life, to revive contrite hearts.” (57:15)