Coming to understanding from sayings written long ago

When being in tune with God a believer has made a choice to come closer to God and to try to be one with the Maker of all things. that person as such has made a decision which let him take an action or do a work.

Possibly that person came to take his actions by what he read and understood from writings written long ago. Those old scriptures have brought guidance and insight to that person so that he could make a choice. It even could be that at the beginning it was not so easy to go through and to continue searching, because many people would have opposed his or her actions to search the Scriptures. And the person became confronted with words which did not always seem so nice and where cutting deep into the heart.

We must be aware that the Word of God is not a passive word. It is much alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it is able to penetrate even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. The reader will not only be confronted with himself but also will find judgement over himself, which shall not always be received so nicely. God knowing the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, shall give clear signs. Though we would love to hide many things for others and for God, we must know that nothing can be hidden from God’s sight, everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Heb 4:12-13 The Disciple’s Bible  (12)  For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.  (13)  And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Psa 139:2 The Disciple’s Bible  (2)  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; Thou understandest my thought afar off.

Jer 17:10 The Disciple’s Bible  (10)  I, Yahweh, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

It was through the Word (Logos) that the world(s) were framed – that is, they came into existence. (Genesis 1.1ff; Psalm 33.9) By the speaking of God everything was created. From the moment God created He had a plan with His creation. In it fitted man who got to hear His Word. This creature had to get to know that by the Word of God everything is sustained and held in its natural order.

Gen 1:1-3 The Disciple’s Bible  (1)  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  (2)  And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  (3)  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

2Pe 3:2-7 The Disciple’s Bible  (2)  that ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior:  (3)  knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come, walking after their own lusts,  (4)  and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  (5)  For this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God;  (6)  by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:  (7)  but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

God created the soul (the being of man) so that in his heart could be hidden His Word, which heals and delivers. If this Word is hidden in the heart –it will prevent – hold off – put a stop to “sin”, the going against the Will of God.

We must be confronted with the Word (σπερμα = sperma/seed of God) which goes in – deep into our heart (into your DNA) remarks Soterios, who calls herself a ‘Lover of Jesus Christ’ and bibliophile. She writes:

– into good fertile soil – it will yield fruit à it will restructure the way you think (which will be reflected in the way you speak and what you do/actions) à resulting in increase, and bring forth an abundant harvest (some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred fold!!!) {Do You Know The Word?}

Already from early at the beginning man had to make choices. In the Garden of Eden Eve tempted Adam to go with her into an other way than their Creator had asked them to follow. Though God wanted to help them and provided a solution for the future and gave them His Word of promise and the Word of Guidance.

From the early times we can see there where people who wanted to listen to God’s Voice and continue their way in the manner God wanted from them. They were taught virtues they should have and today we still can use the same Scriptures to teach us those virtues.  It guides us in how to think, act, and changes our spirits from within, helping us turn away from our sinful natures and towards the One who offers salvation for us all.

The Bible also distingueshes what is natural (“soul”) and what is spiritual (“spirits”), as well as the thoughts (reflections) and intents (insights) of a person.  The word of God exposes the natural and spiritual motivations of a believer’s heart. {The Living Word of God}

We all have our soul, our human form, the body with life in it. But being alive does not yet mean we do have true life in it. It also does not mean when we are walking around in this world that we shall have a worthwhile life nor a life which shall become our entrance to an never ending life. In our body we have our mind working and giving us the ability to recognise things and to think. How we use our brains shall be a decisive part for our further life. We can be guided by natural and spiritual motivations which shall be known to the Most High Maker of everything.

Lots of people have grown up in one or another climate of religiousness or atheist visions. We are born in a culture and are brought up with a certain cultural background and when born in a religious family we have been nourished with the doctrines of the parents their religion. people sometimes do find themselves caught up in their parents religion and look for ways to escape from what they find the dark hollow shell. Growing older we may come to be more conscious of what we can accomplish. it also can well be that we shall realize how much power we possess. Though still we have so many uncertainties.

When growing up in a church certain elements seem so evident, often because we do not want to think about them. But should we not question more what we believe? Is it not often that we start centring our own believes around ourself?

I think it’s one of the possible curses you get from growing up in a church context your whole life. Most of the time you go one of two ways: you get super self-righteous or you ditch the whole thing.  I took that first path. My religion became man-centered. Not around me, but around others. {Following Jesus For Other People to See vs. Having a Good Witness}

Many in such churches go saying those things others like to hear.

I do my Christianity so other people can see. I say things that people want to hear. I do things that people want to see. There’s a fine line between “having a good witness” and “following Jesus for other people to see.”

Being a Christian should mean “being a follower of rabbi Jeshua, Jesus Christ from Nazareth”. But in many Christian denominations we do see that the teachings have gone far away from the teachings of Jesus the Messiah. In lots of churches they made Jesus in to their god and worship in front of graven images, pictures, crosses and statues. Idolatry crept in. And for the Word of God, the reading from the scriptures only a few minutes per service are spend for that.

Fear of man drives a lot of our actions, whether it’s an active decision like the Pharisees or something subconscious we just go to. And there’s sometimes fear is justified. If someone comes at me with fists ready to fly, and I have no business fighting him and I’m freaked out, I’m running. No question there, I will submit to my fear of that man.

continues the writer who calls himself not a risk taker {A Little Less Self-Control, A Little More Self-Control} He knows that having not enough self-control is at the heart of all giving into temptation. Though human beings very often are attracted by many tempting things.

God cannot be tempted, but even the son of God got tempted many times. He knew very well the Scriptures and read regularly in them and regularly quoted them. He gave an example for his disciples to follow that Word of god. He managed to do not his own will (which he would have done when he would have been God himself), but tried to full-fill the Will of God and demands his followers to do likewise.

Everybody needs to grow in their self-control and God has provided the tools for it.

Logical thinking, reflection and meditation may help to lead man to know himself better and to come closer to certain truths. As they use logic to define their doctrine and interpret scripture they also can be come caught up in human doctrines, and become chained by lies. In case they would take the bible serious and take the words for what they mean and how they are written they would see much clearer.

God, being a God of order and not of confusion, did not make His words too complicated for ordinary man to understand them.

The resource and network that says to connect individuals and churches to ‘sound doctrine of the Christian faith’ writes:

With so many teachings being passed around and so many new religions and cults coming and going throughout history we need to be sure we hold to sound doctrine and the truths recorded in scripture.  There are some other religions that claim to view the bible as divine but then use other sources to add to it or interpret it making their other outside sources equal to scripture in essence. Yet these different religions do not believe the same things and in many ways contradict each other in what they teach about the bible. {Scripture Alone}

Much too often in many denominations we can see too much focus is laid outside the Bible. though we should know that the Bible itself is the Best Teaching tool we can have. Only Scripture has the full right to claim to be of divine inspiration; not man.

2Ti 3:16 The Disciple’s Bible  (16)  Every scripture [is] God-breathed, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness:

Neh 9:20 The Disciple’s Bible  (20)  Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

Isa 41:17-20 The Disciple’s Bible  (17)  The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I, Yahweh, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.  (18)  I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.  (19)  I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree; I will set in the desert the fir-tree, the pine, and the box-tree together:  (20)  that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of Yahweh hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

As wretched and needy lots of people today are looking for answers. They are thirsty for what they do not seem to get to know. Those who want to look for the truth and seriously want to find God, Jehovah the Only One God of gods, is willing to answer. There is none other than Him Who can give us the best reply to the many questions we may have. Jehovah the God of Israel will not forsake them that are eager to find Him.  He wants man to find Him and has given the world His Word, written down by His men, so that many may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Elohim has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

It is up to man to make the choice and to come to see what is written in those many Words God has given. Therefore he should come to read them. No Christian sshould have to confess that they just followed the rest of their church because they took their words for granted. They all shall have to make sure that those church members did not follow cunningly devised fables. They all should look up at the apostles and follow also their teaching, in the knowledge that when they made known to the members of their meetings the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, had become eyewitnesses of his majesty.  For Jesus received from God the Father honour and glory, when there was borne such a voice to Him by the excellent glory, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I have found delight” .

2Pe 1:16-17 The Disciple’s Bible  (16)  For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  (17)  For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there was borne such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased:

The Voice sounding then was the same Voice that sounded at the beginning of the universe and all those years after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Some two thousand years ago the apostles also could hear that Voice which was borne out from heaven, which they also heard, when they were with Jesus at the holy mount.  They too got the prophetic word more sure; to which we do well taking heed in our hearts, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in our hearts:  knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture comes of its own interpretation.  For the prophecy was borne not at any time by the desire of man: but … men from God spoke as they were borne along by Divine power.

2Pe 1:19-21 The Disciple’s Bible  (19)  And we have the word of prophecy [made] more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts:  (20)  knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation.  (21)  For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spake, being moved along by the Holy Spirit.

The WordPress site “The Body of Christ” reminds us:

Scripture itself acknowledges the fact that it can and will be misinterpreted and misunderstood; which is why it says to test everything and praise when correctly understood (1 John 4:1Acts 17:11).  The test of truth is tested against the authority of scripture and not any other source.  Traditions, Confessions, and other teachings are completely dependent on agreement with scripture (Colossians 2:8).  If they contradict scripture, because of the authority of scripture over them; they are declared a heresy (2 Timothy 4:2).  Jude makes it clear that scripture is the only source of divine truth (Jude 1:3). {Scripture Alone}

Jesus always gave the authority to God’s Word and not his own words, like he also said he could do nothing of his own but let God do His work by him. (John 8:40,44,45; John 5:17-27)

Jehovah has prepared His throne for judgment;  and He will judge the world in righteousness, ministering judgment to the people in uprightness.  He has given His Word so that His Holy Name shall be know all over the world and shall make that people will put their trust in Him, the Most Almighty who does not forsake them that seek Him. (Psalm 9:7-14)

God condescends himself and his truths so that man can understand them.  He makes himself absolutely clear as he sees fit through scripture (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).  Scripture helps guide and lead men in God’s Will because it is right, truth, and a light in life and enlightening the heart to see the things of God through scripture (Psalm 119:105,130). 

Paul makes it clear there are no hidden messages that have to be decoded (2 Corinthians 1:13-14).  And if people who don’t understand but genuinely study scripture, God will make things clear (Philippians 3:15-16).  He tells Timothy that it is Scripture that is what is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:14-17); therefore it is clearly understood to be “profitable… for every good work”.  {Scripture Alone}

We should not have to look far away for finding the right answers. We all can find it at our fingertips. Nearly everywhere the Bible can be found.

Take it up, read it, hear it, study and think about it.

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Next:

some quotes from the Holy Scriptures itself to confirm what is said in this article above. Words to consider and to take at heart.

Bible, sword of the Spirit to come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man

Bijbel, zwaard van de Geest in de eenheid van het geloof en van de kennis van de Zoon van God om tot een volkomen mens te komen

Bible, épée de l’Esprit à venir dans l’unité de la foi et de la connaissance du Fils de Dieu

Bibel, Schwert des Geistes, in die Einheit des Glaubens und der Erkenntnis des Sohnes Gottes

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Additional reading:

  1. Genesis – Story of creation 5 Genesis 3:1-12 Eating of the fruit-tree of knowledge
  2. The very very beginning 2 The Word and words
  3. Philosophy hand in hand with spirituality
  4. Science, belief, denial and visibility 1
  5. Fools despise wisdom and instruction
  6. Looking at three “I am” s
  7. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
  8. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #3 Callers upon God
  9. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #7 Prayer #5 Listening Ear
  10. Challenging claim 3 Inspired by God 2 Inerrant Word of God
  11. Necessity of a revelation of creation 4 Getting understanding by Word of God 2
  12. Bible in the first place #2/3
  13. Bible, God’s Word to edify (ERV)
  14. Looking for wisdom not departing from God’s Word
  15. The holy spirit will bring back to your minds all the things told
  16. True God giving His Word for getting wisdom
  17. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
  18. Eternal Word that tells everything
  19. Bric-a-brac of the Bible
  20. We should use the Bible every day
  21. Feed Your Faith Daily
  22. May reading the Bible provoke us into action to set our feet on the narrow way
  23. Hearing words to accept
  24. Genuine message of salvation
  25. God who knows the heart
  26. Bible, God speaking words profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction
  27. Bible, helmet of health, salvation and sword of the spirit
  28. God Helper and Deliverer
  29. Gods promises
  30. Gods salvation
  31. Gods measure not our measure
  32. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
  33. God doesn’t call the qualified
  34. Change
  35. Prophets making excuses
  36. Testify of the things heard
  37. L’esprit saint vous rappellera toutes les choses dites
  38. Vrai Dieu donne Sa Parole pour obtenir la sagesse
  39. La Bible, Parole de Dieu poussés par l’Esprit-Saint pour enseigner, pour convaincre et pour corriger
  40. Bible, casque du salut, témoignage de Dieu en vue de la perfection pour l’édification utile pour enseigner, pour convaincre, pour corriger et pour instruire
  41. Bijbel, Gods Woord ingegeven nuttig tot lering, tot bestraffing, tot verbetering en tot onderwijzing
  42. Bijbel, Gods Woord ingegeven nuttig tot lering, tot bestraffing, tot verbetering en tot onderwijzing
  43. Het woord van de Ware God gegeven voor wijsheid te vergaren
  44. Bijbel, Gods Woord tot opvoeding (NBG51)
  45. De heilige geest zal alle dingen welke gezegd zijn in herinnering terugbrengen
  46. Hele Skrif deur God geïnspireer om in die waarheid te onderrig en dwaling te bestry
  47. Die helper, die heilige gees sal julle alles leer en julle herinner
  48. Der heilige Geist wird euch an alle Dinge erinnern
  49. Wahren Gott gibt sein Wort für immer Weisheit
  50. Bibel Gott redet Worte zu unserer Belehrung geschrieben
  51. Die helper, die heilige gees sal julle alles leer en julle herinner
  52. Der heilige Geist wird euch an alle Dinge erinnern
  53. Wahren Gott gibt sein Wort für immer Weisheit
  54. Bibel Gott redet Worte zu unserer Belehrung geschrieben
  55. Bibel, Helm des Heils, nütze zur Lehre, zur Strafe, zur Besserung und zur Züchtigung

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Philosophy hand in hand with spirituality

Experiences and Interest in philosophy and spirituality

I think it is wrong to think philosophy can not go together with spirituality. I also think it is wrong to assume that when a person is interested in philosophy, he would not be interested in the spiritual or the religious.

Expérience

Expérience (Photo credit: Saturne)

The world itself presents itself in a succession of pure experiences which we should see. We can either ignore what is going on in the world or look at it question the what and why’s and how’s. Often the human beings can not qualify these experiences in a way by which all would agree with.

Should we not recognise that those things which come along our way are always felt and undergone by our own self, which was constructed by previous experiences and learnings. In a way this may give us always the way of the subjective choice and subjective sense or experience. Each is simply a pure impression that is made upon us at some point in our life, where we do have a certain education or development which shall obey the laws of our state at the moment.

Experiences and Impressions

Reality appears to us first as an unqualified multitude of original impressions that cannot be compared or ordered in anyway without our previous learnings. Is our experience not mere juxtaposition in space and succession in time; an aggregate of utterly disconnected particulars?
Living in this world we can not do without seeing what is happening around us. We can not merely observe the things, and not bring them into thought-relationships.

The things which happen in our lives shall give us our experiences. Those experiences will create senses and shall be our best teacher, experience being the mother of wisdom. To take on any qualities or relationships whatsoever thought or reason must act upon them. It is the process of thought that attributes qualities to pure experiences and relates some experiences to others to build an understanding of the world.

Conscious or unconscious direction with second nature

Our way of thinking or the process of thought should proceed through certain ways be it our conscious or unconscious direction. Our brain should go on working, considering what happened and analysing everything. Probably it shall order everything, classify it. This using some organic laws of interconnection. These laws are part of the world of thought itself and not completely within our control. Pure experience presents itself in a spontaneously emerging stream and thoughts grow out of that experience making it distinguishable to us and situating it in relationship to the rest of experience.

Some do consider the process of thinking not a human activity. We may say that thoughts emerge out of pure earlier experiences and are dependent on our upbringing or rearing and the language we learned, both becoming a second nature.

Out of body experience

Out of body experience (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Our religious thinking and being should also become such a second nature. From the Bible we can learn that the ‘soul‘ is not an external element in our being. Many Christians and Muslims imagine there are a good and a bad angel sitting on our shoulders and talking to a soul which can go out of our body when we die. For them this human soul is to be a phantom-like inner being that contains our conscience and moral fibre. It is the element which can let us do good or let us do bad, under influence of other spirits called either angels, for the good ones, and devils, like Satan and Lucifer, for the bad ones.

Breath given by Creator

Those people forget that it was God Who blew his breath in the nostrils of the first man and woman, to bring them to life. The Pneuma or spirit in those first human beings was not something separate from them. It was their breathing, their being itself.

The soul is not a specific element as such but the transcription of the inner being and the thinking which happens by ‘electronic actions’ in our brain and by breathing. Without breathing we shall not be able to give oxygen to our brains by which they will not be able to work, and with a non-working brain we are as good as dead.

You could say that the soul is our “background of our being”. This ‘being’ has to be fed to stay alive. And because it is not a material element it has to find its food in the immaterial. therefore we as human beings should also give food to the immaterial elements of our being, our “body and soul”.

God gave breath to all creation, but the difference between man and the other living organisms is that god has given more power to man. He has received the power to think, to make choices, to make decisions, to give names and to handle like he wishes to do. But all his actions will create experiences, be it nice or bad ones. He shall have the choice to learn from them or to continue his life without learning more from those things that overcame him.

Material and immaterial being and understanding

Like the soul in an immaterial thing, our thinking its coming to understand something is an abstract element. Understanding is “an abstraction which the human mind forms by reflecting on its own thoughts and forms of thinking.” This knowing is a natural product of the process of mind and it is bound up in, and limited by, language. {Coleridge}

Coleridge asserted that it is a process that requires no “self” to enact. It is a natural process of the lawful interaction of mental elements, a simple unfolding of the characteristics of the mind in nature. But I do think we do have a responsibility and we do have the choice and power to have the self to come to understanding.

I believe when we do open our mind to different thoughts we can enable ourselves to learn more. I also believe this is one of the tasks God has given His creation in the Garden of Eden. We can only give the plants and animals name and classify them in groups when we do have the knowledge and skill to do so. This would not require that we all have the same certificate of proficiency or that we may excuse ourselves when it is not in our domain.

Given brains and reason

An illustration of the Cartesian theater, wher...

An illustration of the Cartesian theater, where a homonculus sits in a person’s head seeing and hearing everything that he experiences. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Because God has given us brains to use, we should use them. So we should think about matters and question things. This questioning things may fall under philosophy. Today many may say “Reason is a direct product of the reasoning faculty.”, but that is not taking the Creator in mind. He had a reason to place human beings on this earth having a brain to reason. Reason is a direct product of the power of creation, Who Himself is Spirit. God is not a man of flesh and blood, but a Spirit without a beginning and without an end. His breath gave us spirit, making us capable to reason, to become reasonable figures in that Created World.

It is not an “accident” that reason comes to us. Reason is breathed into us by the Creator. Though many may think it is just something what happens accidentally, it is something which is in-breath in our human constitution. It may appear spontaneously without warning or precursor, but it is grounded or part of a growing seed, which can only come into existence when the person is willing to use his brain. It is from all the previous experiences, the teachings a person got, that he or she shall be able to think. Though this would not be possible without the Power of the Most High, the Spirit God. Without Him we are nothing. It is the Holy Spirit Who can give us ‘spirit’ to think about matters and to come to reason. God has implanted ethic thoughts in us. He has created us all in His image, so we all do have certain elements of the Supreme High Being. We do not all have the same elements, but somehow we all received enough elements to become full human being who can think properly and who should be able to find God. The Reason as such becomes Spontaneous Knowing. We all have received the power to get to Knowing. Some may think it is not an understanding that is constructed through any thought process, but they should remember the Creator who build in His creations the possibility to think and to come to conclusions. In our inner being we do have the key to come to understanding. It is the direct and self-authenticating recognition of truth.

Different ways to go giving different opinions

From the beginning of the world mankind questioned the Spirit God and for that reason Jehovah God gave man the possibility to work it out himself. Woman would bear children in pain and would find they all could be different, going their own way or helping each other. All had to make their own decisions and could think their own way. God allowed it to be so.

Because we all went different ways on the paths which lay in front of man, different opinions came into the world, and people could choose between many theses or postulates.

The direct knowing of truth is build in by the Creator and could happen spontaneously and also compulsively. The reasoning faculty is ‘knowing’ itself. It is not a process that leads to knowing. This implies that there is some part of us that simply knows the truth and cannot help but know it. But we are stubborn beings, though we do not want to admit it. We have direct sense impressions – smells, tastes, sensations, sounds and sights – which simply appear in awareness. We don’t call them into being and we cannot alter or avoid the way they present themselves. Ideas and intuitions also – upon their initial appearance – share the same unalterable immediacy of presence.

With this awareness of things, matters and background knowledge, we can hear others and see what others do or create. Seeing what happens in the world we can not ignore the inner language of thought. We can only deny our interpretation of experience, not the fact of having it.

Trying to perceive more knowledge

So we may experience a lot of things in our life, encounter lots of publications and thoughts. By tackling our taste to get more knowledge,we are not going against God His wishes. The opposite I would say. We should learn and we should try to get more knowledge.

With philosophy we may come into the domain of the seekers who search to get more wisdom, knowledge and understanding about reality. Did or do not many philosophers try to get to answers about life and about why and how things are? They do like to offer an explanation of the way things are where spirituality is a description of a position that we as a human being should take in relationship to the way things are.

Trying to become one with self and environment

Experience

Experience (Photo credit: Kaptain Kobold)

In the action of Spirituality a person tries to become One. Bring mind, soul, thinking in unison with his being, material body. By the spiritual action we do want to go to the source from which everything else originates, whilst by the philosophy we want to come to an understanding why and how human being went away from its source and how it can come back to this source again.

While Philosophy is generally in the mental state of consciousness, the mind taking efforts to know, the spiritual would love to come to that Source of knowledge, believing that there exist something more than the material being its consciousness that exist above the mental ranges.

Trying to transcend domain of rationale and intellect

Moral philosophy

Both the philosopher and the spiritualist may be willing to come to knowledge which transcends domain of rationale and intellect. The philosopher not so much concerned by the own individu or individual, person, character, his identity, but preferring to give objective pictures of reality without telling us explicitly (although often they do implicitly) how we should be in relationship to that picture. Even in moral philosophy generally what we get is an explanation of why certain things are right and others wrong. What we don’t get is someone telling us that we should do the right thing. What we do with morality is left in our own hands.

Spirituality resides in higher regions and has much more to do with the own subjective personality. From the subjective point of view the spiritualist tries to go deeper into himself, looking for the realm of truth there and not as such by others. He knows that the soul is in each of us and is inseparable joined together with flesh and blood. In that casing of human flesh there is our way of breathing and thinking, spirit and moral judgment.

Trying to Relate things

We may be interested to see how we can relate to things, and therefore we can look what philosophers do have to say about that. Spirituality wants to go a step further than just knowing how things are related with each other. It tells us how we should be in relationship to the way things are. It can show us how we should react and by knowing what actions we do have to take we also shall be able to choose if we are willing to use such a knowledge to take on an attitude and to build up a religious field. Spiritualities always include philosophical explanations of the world, but those philosophical aspects are the backdrop for the main event which is direct instruction about how to live.

Door to transcendence

Understanding, intellect and the mind is one door to transcendence. From philosophers we can learn a lot, and we should take the opportunity to learn from their writings. But they will never be able to give the full answer. They mostly do not look for The Divine Source. In our normal consciousness people are so caught up with their emotions, sensations and thoughts and their own mind, they get full of themselves in the emptiness of the world. They become so active that there is no room for the Divine. There the spiritual person wants to go against. He wants to have his wondering not taking him to put Him in the chains of life.

No reason to be afraid of philosophy

To see clear
Man thinking on a train journey.

Man thinking on a train journey. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Christians should not be afraid that the philosophy would carry people away from the Divine. When this would happen it is because the person is not prepared to sincerely look for the Divine. Often the person going away from religion is because he does not see clear the difference between philosophy, religion, religiousness and spirituality.

The philosopher may have the love and intellectual search for wisdom. The spiritual minded person knows or believes there is something extra in our life than just the knowledge of the material world. The spiritual person does want to find knowledge to come to wisdom, but understands that wisdom is more that putting all facts together. To come to spirituality there must be more than the willingness to come to understand the own being. Besides the willingness to come to get to know the inner-self there is the love and opening of their hearts for the wisdom and the willingness to have it taking part in the relationship with others.

Sister and brother

We should understand that the religious person may like to look into philosophy and at the same time may look into spirituality. The two approaches can marvelously be like sister (heart) and brother (brain) in the process of coming to the point of Being part of the One on one side and then Becoming part of the big thing on the other side – in being active in life.

Relationship of unity and Oneness

So, I would say, do not mind letting philosophy going hand in hand with spirituality and making a person to become religious in the good sense of the word, finding and loving the Only One Who is One and wants us to be one and worshiping the Right One in a relationship of unity and Oneness.

The only thing a Christian should be careful for is that he does not get carried away with human thinking, but keeps himself concentrated on the sacral and spiritual matters, looking for the Most Important Being making our self being possible to be a being, the Only One God, the Adonai Elohim Hashem Jehovah.

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Preceding articles:

Looking for True Spirituality 1 Intro

Looking for True Spirituality 2 Not restricted to an elite

Looking for True Spirituality 3 Mind of Christ

Looking for True Spirituality 4 Getting to Know the Mind of Christ

Looking for True Spirituality 5 Fruitage of the Spirit

Looking for True Spirituality 6 Spirituality and Prayer

Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News

Looking for True Spirituality 8 Measuring Up

Fruits of the spirit will prevent you from being either inactive or unfruitful

How long to wait before bringing religiousness and spirituality in practice

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Additional reading:

  1. A concrete picture of what is to come in the future
  2. Migrants to the West #7 Religions
  3. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
  4. Women, conservative evangelicals and their counter-offensive
  5. Lying in the senses in matters of love
  6. Our relationship with God, Jesus and each other
  7. Separation from God in death, the antithesis of life
  8. Fragments from the Book of Job #7 Epilogue
  9. Exceeding Great and Precious Promise
  10. Wondering
  11. Believing to understand
  12. Light within
  13. Let tomorrow be sufficient
  14. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
  15. Don’t let anyone move you off the foundation of your faith
  16. Know Who goes with us and don’t try to control life
  17. Know by trying
  18. Knowing where to go to
  19. Think hard before you act today
  20. Disappointed expectations
  21. I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !
  22. Put on the whole armor of God
  23. Weapons of our warfare
  24. A call easy to understand
  25. Getting of at the fence
  26. Hope as long as you live
  27. A goal is a dream with a plan
  28. Lying in the senses in matters of love
  29. Be humble like Christ
  30. The way God sees us
  31. Two forms of Freedom
  32. Altar everything in life
  33. Duty of encouragement
  34. Establish Priorities
  35. Luck
  36. Joy: Foundation for a Positive Life
  37. Nothing noble in the flesh left to itself
  38. Determined To Stick With Truth.
  39. Created to live in relation with God
  40. God’s promises
  41. Sow and harvests in the garden of your heart
  42. A love not exempting us from trials
  43. Call unto God so that He can answer you
  44. Life in gratitude opens glory of God
  45. Do not be so busy adding up your troubles
  46. Preexistence in the Divine purpose and Trinity
  47. Immortality, eternality – onsterfelijkheid, eeuwigheid
  48. Dying or not
  49. What happens when we die?
  50. Dead and after
  51. Sheol or the grave
  52. Satan the evil within
  53. Soul
  54. Destination of righteous
  55. Destination of the earth
  56. God’s design in the creation of the world
  57. God His reward
  58. Is there an Immortal soul
  59. The Soul not a ghost
  60. The Soul confronted with Death
  61. The soul has no rainbow if the eyes have no tears
  62. Trust God to shelter, safety and security
  63. God wants to be gracious to you
  64. Invitation to all who believe

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