Note: these excerpt threads are subject to continual revision and updating as opportunity and priority permits

http://ebionite.com - http://nazirene.org || http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ebionites_according_to_the_Church_Fathers

Allan Cronshaw: "Where the undeveloped soul views the biblical narrative in a historical/literal manner, the more spiritually advanced soul understands that the symbols portrayed in the form of marriages, the begetting of children, the many battles and confrontations, and even the very names of animals, places and people. All present to the mind of the reader the struggle of the indwelling soul in the its endeavor to overcome its own lower nature -- i.e., to bring about Armageddon and the next stages of birth in the life of the individual. If the symbols of higher reality as portrayed in the scriptures did not exist in a written form, then the shepherds and caretakers of the lost would not be able to raise themselves up in order to guide their lesser developed brothers and sisters. That both the church and the scriptures exist in a corrupted form when placed in the hands of a corrupted culture and society, is merely the reality of life that we must begin to comprehend. That these defiled and corrupted scriptures remain spiritually viable in the hands of more highly developed souls -- even during those times when they literally dwell in the darkest corners of this world -- is merely a demonstration of the ingenuity and genius of the system of development that has been ordained by our Creator God. In order to be effective, the church itself must be on the same level as the people it serves. In the manner of our educational systems, in order to accommodate the transition of the believer from the thinking of this world to that of discipleship, the church itself must have an entry-level doctrine that attracts those souls who are sinners and hopelessly lost in this world. If, on the other hand, the modern church was in fact more pure, then it would not be effective in serving its intended purpose in both the past, as well as our present cultural climate..." [I] THE CHRISTIAN JUDAS: The Plight of the Church as the Unfaithful Spouse


"What is being revealed here is that what is written literally in the sacred writings of the people we call Pagans, is not the true and genuine message that is being conveyed to the enlightened members of the Pagan religions -- who by reason of their enlightenment, were called Christians. All these many stories and myths pertaining to gods and goddesses were in reality pertaining to the manifestation of the laws and divine powers throughout all of Creation.   Thus, if we are truly perceptive, we must begin to admit that we haven’t the slightest idea what the true Pagan initiate believed. Moreover, what we should really take to heart and be concerned about from our own religious perspective is the fact that these initiates were referred to as Christians prior to the time of Jesus -- and their gods where spoken of as the Christos, or Christ... Unlike the people of the simple faith, the biblical scholars knew that many Pagan concepts were added into the text of the New Testament in order to better bring the text into harmony with traditional Greek and Roman religious ideas. With good reason it has even been speculated that the verse most used by modern Evangelical Christians to prove that Jesus was God, was added to the beginning of John at a later date by the Roman Church in the endeavor to Paganize the gospel. What this means is that Christians today could in every way be calling upon the god of Plato, and the Christ of the Pagan philosophers." Divine Manna


"Prior to being Anointed -- i.e., a pre-Christian state -- the believer is in a state where they are seeking to become Anointed -- which means that they cannot be called the Anointed (Christian), until which time they have perfected their walk with the Lord, and they have achieved that condition of illumination of mind and being. From this more correct perspective we can then understand that the Gentiles who the Apostle was writing to were a body of believers who were striving to become Christian... and whether they will in fact attain the goal of becoming a Christian will be dependent upon whether they can overcome their natural, carnal nature, and manifest their soul and spiritual natures. The doctrine of faith which is expressed by Paul in his Epistles must be understood as being written to the wannabe Christians. What is expressed by Paul is the assurance that if they follow in The Way, the Son of God will come to them -- that he will teach them the Truth and the Mysteries of the Father -- and that the Son of God will sanctify and Anoint them. This is the article of faith that the true believer in the Lord expresses -- i.e. that the Son of God will fulfill the promises of the Gospel, and not leave them orphans in this world. From a biblical perspective, faith itself is transformed as the disciple matures in Christ. This can be compared to a woman who has faith that she can conceive and bear a child. Prior to conception, she has faith that she can become pregnant. After conception, and during that time when she feels life being formed with her womb, she has faith that she will give birth. It is not until after she endures labor, and holds her infant in her arms, that she can be called a mother. The same is true with respect to a Christian. When one hears the Good News which is the Gospel of the simple faith, one has faith that if they believe, and embrace the Word, that the spiritual conception will take place within them. In the same way that a woman is only an expectant mother until after the birth of the infant, neither is a person of the simple faith a Christian, until after their minds have been Anointed by the Light. As the believer begins to take on a greater measure of Godliness, they experience a series of spiritual cleansings -- or baptisms -- that opens the inner door of the soul-mind. From a spiritual perspective, it is the disciple who has travailed the 'narrow path', and is moving through the 'straight gate', that is in fact immerging out of the womb of Mother God, and into the Kingdom of Paradise. What is referred to by the Apostle Paul as the Mysteries of God, is as the sustenance that nourishes the disciple as he develops in the womb of this world..." [II] THE GNOSTIC PAUL


"In my search for the very essence of the Word, I also had to recognize another great truth that is generally rejected by those we call religious experts: That each of us sees nothing more than what the Will of God permits us to see -- which ultimately meant that it must have been the Hand of God that had been moving the hearts and minds of the people that actually led each of these faithful religious authorities into their perception of the scriptures... If, then, I was to go beyond their perception of the vision and beliefs which God had imbued other men in search of truth with, I realized that it was of paramount importance that I niether rejected or condemned what they said -- but rather, use their vision of the Word as a sort of springboard from which I was to propel myself to still greater heights. Perhaps the key to my rationale was not to condemn but to instead attempt to see the truth that each of these individual thinkers of the past saw. The result was that in recognizing all the doctrinal alternatives, and attaching myself to none, I was in effect making myself teachable by opening my mind to the possibilities, acknowledging my ignorance, and asking the Lord to guide me through the sea of confusion... From a biblical perspective, the genuine surrender of oneself is to be led wherever the Lord will guide you -- without limitations or restrictions -- is the exercise of true biblical faith that was prescribed by the Apostle -- i.e. a faith where one stretches forth their hand in the endeavor to make oneself ready and willing to follow and be guided into the unknown. One of the first realizations that serious Bible students must immediately come to terms with is the fact that the English language is gravely insufficient to express the true meaning of the original Greek and Hebrew tongues. The result is that Bible translators often use words and phrases that suite their own religious doctrine, while obscuring the real meaning of the verse in question..." [IV] Coming into the Light - The Obstacles


"Unlike the Greek and Eastern religions who view this world as an illusion that one must escape, if you are going to follow in The Way the Master ordained in the New Covenant scriptures, you must instead see every aspect of this world as an allusion -- which means that every experience has a deeper meaning and significance than what the carnal mind perceives. If, in your present life you are a man or woman, then you are a man or woman because your soul chose that gender, or the laws forced you into such a life. You are what you are, because you have something to learn and accomplish. The same is true of your race, nationality, genetics and cultural origins. Each of these aspects of life are as a filter that causes the mind to experience life differently, and must be viewed from a very specific perception and vantage point. The objective, then, is to not only learn about oneself from the vision of where we individually look out at the world, but to capture more of ourselves by perceiving our own reflection in the lives of others. Regardless of our present gender, we are all an active force in a reflective world. What that means is that while we are either male or female in relation to each other, that does not negate the fact that it is our own mind that is the active principle in relation to the world that is reflected back to us. From a spiritual perspective, it is as if we are looking into a great mirror that is teaching us about ourselves. It is paramount for the disciple to recognize the limitations that is indigenous to his body-vessel that he presently inhabits. The road to higher consciousness and enlightenment begins with the process of the disciple being able to see and observe himself in his perception of all the other people..." [IV] THE DIVINE MARRIAGE - Marriage to Messiah


Disclaimer: chew on that which nourishes - spit out anything which does not - be free to be who you are

Homepage - Biblioteca