Blind Love and Unseen Faith: Rethinking Religious Tradition and True Righteousness

“They" say that love is blind. Is this true? While we may not fully comprehend the mechanisms or timing of love, we undoubtedly embrace its mystery in our lives. How is it that we see and acknowledge what we cannot understand? How do we, in matters of faith, care for what is unseen?

This question strikes at the core of religion, which often assures its followers that through adherence to laws, deeds, beliefs, and rituals, we care for the "body" of our faith, which is ultimately invisible. But does the Bible support this method of caring for our faith? Is the saying wrong, “If righteousness comes by the law, then Christ died in vain”? (Galatians 2:21)

This passage illuminates our query. By applying our faith to "righteousness," we nurture it correctly. But what is "righteousness" in this context? According to the passage, "righteousness" is equated with religious laws, rituals, policies, theories, rites, and ceremonies. Yet, the author argues that this traditional religious approach is not the true definition of righteousness.

If this form of worship and service were acceptable, then the chief apostle of the living God died for nothing. This assertion is bold. Observing our religious traditions, we find practices that the book of Galatians advises against. The author of Matthew echoes this sentiment, stating:

"I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven," Matthew 5:20.

What is the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees? They reject the commandment of God to keep their own tradition, Mark 7:9, and the prophet says, "This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men," Isaiah 29:13. Their "righteousness" is performing traditional religious law for supposed divine favor.

This much is true: maintaining our faith through religious laws and traditions is a form of devotion the Bible does not endorse. This practice is unhealthy because it creates a false sense of devotion through routine, convincing the individual they are favored by their actions. According to the Bible, this act is misguided.

What opposes the “righteousness” of the scribes and Pharisees? What counters traditional religious thought and feeling? The scriptures advise, "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind," Romans 12:2, and, "Concerning the work of my hands command ye me," Isaiah 45:11, and, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," Psalm 111:10.

We nourish our spiritual body with spiritual food. The sustenance for our faith is the wisdom gained from challenging the scriptures to prove themselves. Yes, we can demand proof of the Creator's work! Yes, the living God expects us to question and engage with the scriptures! Yes, we have the right to confront the living God about our personal and devotional struggles! This is expected of us.

We argue with our siblings, spouses, associates, and friends for respect, but we shy away from questioning the living God. Does that make sense?

"Let me not argue with God," we think. "Let me either commit to ritual and silently please the “God” I'm too afraid to engage with, or abandon the act and despise the one I need to confront," we continue. Does this make sense? Instead of turning to the source of our experience, we hide within ourselves or seek solace in others' consciences. Does this make sense?

True care for our faith is demonstrated through our engagement with the living God. Though there is no physical figure to argue with, it doesn't mean it's impossible. We argue with the living God by thoughtfully, patiently, and privately wrestling with the scriptures. "Care," according to the Bible, is shown through exercising our minds on what troubles us. If we do this, it will be said of us, "The LORD hath loved him," Isaiah 48:14.

The Spiritual Depths of Jesus' Narrative : A Philosophical Allegory for Devotional Evolution

In my upcoming book, The Dawn of Devotion: A Sacrifice for Devotional Evolution, the reader is brought face to face, in a philosophical way, with the main character of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The book’s task is to present the reader with what popular theology, through various religious theories, hides: that the Jesus character is not meant to be taken as a literal person or figure, but as an allegory educating on what an intelligent devotional conversation looks like.

The allegory that the Jesus character represents is one ultimately decoding the Bible’s terminology for profound revelations about accessing and maintaining high devotional consciousness. The context and the language of the Bible matters. When looking at how the authors of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John write, it is clear that their tone is not one of reality, but is rather one of allegory, and if reading their work correctly, the idea of how to carry personal belief, as it is intended to be understood through their main character, will manifest.

In exploring spirituality within the Jesus narrative, certain verses stand out for their profound complexity and rich symbolism. An issue that The Dawn of Devotion tackles is the issue of the Jesus character as “I Am,” where Jesus declares, in John 8:58, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." This statement, at first glance, appears quite mysterious, inviting deeper contemplation and interpretation within its spiritual context.

The Bible teaches that spiritual truths are not always evident on the surface but require discernment through spiritual understanding. Jesus's statement about Abraham transcends mere chronological existence; it points to a deeper spiritual rationale beyond traditional theological constraints. However, the response of the Jews to Jesus's declaration reveals their inability to grasp its ideal spiritual significance.

Their insistence on interpreting Jesus's words literally blinded them to his message. The Jesus character said what he said because his devotional character aligned with the character at the core of the scriptures. In no way was he saying that he literally shared a timeless existence with their Deity. The context of his language distinguished between two philosophical approaches: one can either maintain a religion by continual faith in circumcision, as is exemplified by Abraham, or one can maintain an experience that existed before the Abraham experience, which is an experience harping back to creation, being one that is wholly dedicated to the development and organization of mind.

What is covered in esoteric lore is a foundational philosophical testimony of one’s experience with the words of the scriptures. Both “Abraham” and “I AM” represent two devotional experiences. Abraham represents an experience where the body is bogged down by religious routine, and by exercising “faith” in those routines. The “I AM” experience is one where the belief is becoming intelligent from exercising retained wisdom from the scriptures. I explain the subject of what “I Am” represents, and in mindful detail, on my YouTube Channel.

It is because the conscience of his belief meshed with the words of the scriptures that his mind shared in the limitless scope of their science. The Bible does not promote the religious theory of “eternal life.” The Bible teaches that the words of the scriptures add a long life to our devotional understanding (Proverbs 3:1,2). It is our mind, as we are presently alive, that is to receive the benefit of never “dying”; not the being within the human or anything that is believed to be connected to it. A naturally limited theological mind hindered the Jews from comprehending what he was saying.

Deciphering scriptural language is essential for unlocking its deeper meanings. The Dawn of Devotion tells the story of how language transforms Jesus into an instrument created to define a mindful devotional experience. His dialogue with the Jews revolves around doctrinal understanding rather than a literal or esoteric interpretation. Abraham figuratively represents the symbol of a constraining religious experience yet to be fully realized. This conveys a message of the importance of faith and obedience within physical religious rituals, which is, to the mind at the core of the Bible, very unsound and irrational.

True circumcision, as is taught through the Jesus character, is inward and mental, demanding faith in learned principles rather than adherence to outward practices. Abraham's obedience to God's voice serves as a model for spiritual growth and transformation, leading to alignment with every commandment for spiritual renewal, yet to constrain that obedience to a religious routine sort of cancels out the experiment by faith. Why? Because the concept of faith doesn’t exist within the philosophy of the religious law (Gal. 3:12).

“I AM” is a philosophical devotional experience that the man Jesus knew and practiced. This man figuratively represents an experience where devotional growth occurs not through the stimulation of the body, but through a mindful experience. When our belief can also safely exist without religious routine, theory, and law, we too will be able to say that before our denominational theory was, or before our religious opinion was, we have become doers of “I AM” to possess a health devotional character and discipline.

Understanding the significance of the statement, "Before Abraham was, I am," requires a spiritual perspective that transcends popular theological limitations. This is not a statement having historical or esoteric precedence, but rather a profound declaration of the authority of “experience” above “religion,” inviting observers to look deeper into the Bible’s philosophical nature and embrace a deeper connection with the living Mind inspiring them.

I have also covered what it means to awaken the body of our belief and to navigate the Bible’s philosophy for growth on my Youtube channel.

The Dawn of Devotion: The Philosophy Behind Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection

My new book, The Dawn of Devotion: A Sacrifice for Devotional Evolution, is arriving soon. This work touches on the sensitive issue surrounding the context and the reality of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. The debate of if the resurrection actually took place, or if an actual “Jesus” existed, is one that is fixed to theological frameworks and never intelligently enters into the realm of philosophy. The philosophical and intellectual inquiry over the existence, death, and resurrection of Jesus is important to our present spiritual wellbeing, especially when learning that the fuss is all about a minister willingly sacrificing himself to make a statement about the correct devotional experience.

It is true that, in the multitude of theological narratives, few events hold as much significance as Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. This pivotal scene in Christian theology has sparked centuries of debate and interpretation, albeit without sincere contextual reflection. However, beyond the surface-level understanding often presented in mainstream or popular theology, lies a deeper philosophical exploration that challenges traditional views on salvation and redemption.

The portrayal of Jesus Christ as a divine figure sacrificing himself for the sins of humanity is a cornerstone of Christian theory. Yet, upon closer examination, particularly the divergent narratives presented in the four canonical gospels, a more meaningful interpretation emerges. Are we actually reading about the life of a demigod? Is this sacrifice and resurrection actually for natural human fault? We know that, for every religious cult that has existed, the theme of dying and rising deities is central to their core belief. Despite having a familiar pagan theme within the gospel narrative, could there be more to the story connected to Jesus?

Each gospel, despite their reader noticing, offers a unique perspective on their main character, reflecting the diverse theological viewpoints of their authors and their communities. While some emphasize Jesus' role as a savior sent to redeem mankind through his sacrificial death, others focus on his teachings and philosophical insights, completely ignoring the narrative of him as the world’s gift.

The original Jesus community, if we should purge reality from the fictional narrative within the book of Acts, taught what was called, “The Way.” They had taken their leader to have been crucified to death and then resurrected. This idea was not Greek or Roman, but strictly Jewish. They did not see his death as the world’s redemption from sin. They did not see his blood as being something to call upon for pardon of sins. They did not envision their hero next to God in heaven as high priest. They saw him like as they saw Elijah, Elisha, or Moses, as a man, whose death shed light on “the way” to honor that Deity for eventual resurrection at the world’s last day, that was deeply touched and inspired by their Deity.

The Gospel of Luke, for example, deviates from the traditional narrative by emphasizing the importance of adherence to the law of Moses as a path to salvation. In this gospel, Jesus is portrayed as a wise teacher, sharing the wisdom of the inward kingdom of heaven. He is not ultimately the gift to the world, but the kingdom of heaven is. He is bringing that gift to the world, setting the example of how one’s heart and mind, in order to be nearer to the Father, may enter into the intended experience.

Central to understanding the deeper meaning of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection is the concept of Immanuel, which means, "God is with us." Dawn of Devotion investigates how this interpretation suggests that Jesus was not a God with mankind, but that he taught “God,” or that he taught a wisdom inviting hearers to embrace an experience of inner transformation, rather than an external experience of salvation by religious deeds and acts. 

The illustration of the crucifixion sheds light on the potential wisdom that the man taught. This wisdom is understood through the allegory of his suspended body. The scriptures inform us to view his body as representing a devotional experience by religious laws, deeds, rites, theories, and rituals. To observe this crucified body is to actually observe not the crucifixion of a man, but rather the crucifixion of a devotional experience held together by religious laws and oppressive theological frameworks.

The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are profound symbols of devotional liberation and enlightenment. Dawn of Devotion looks deeper into the philosophical underpinnings of the gospel’s main character, because if we can transcend traditional interpretations to embark on a journey toward greater inward understanding, our living experience will sincerely match the devotional.