Resolve
Inconsistencies in Your Beliefs
By Kim Michaels
It is hard to imagine Jesus having inconsistencies in his beliefs and
religious practices. If we want to truly follow Jesus, we must be willing
to take an honest look for any inconsistencies in our beliefs. And we
must be willing to resolve inconsistencies by reaching for a higher
understanding.
The following discussion of common inconsistencies is not meant to weaken
your Christian faith, but to strengthen your faith by bringing it into
alignment with the reality of Jesus’ inner teachings. Jesus said,
“Seek and ye shall find,” so let us accept that we can resolve
all inconsistencies by reaching for a higher understanding of the inner
teachings of Jesus.
Inconsistency No.
1. Why do some Christians take the opposite approach to religion than
the approach taken by Jesus himself?
The scriptures make it clear that Jesus was in constant opposition to
people who took a particular approach to religion. He denounced the
scribes and the Pharisees and said,
Woe unto you, lawyers!
for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves,
and them that were entering in ye hindered. (Luke 11:52)
What was the approach to
religion that Jesus denounced? It was what we might call an outer, dogmatic
or letter-of-the-law approach. These people were attached to outer doctrines,
interpretations, their religious organization and its rituals. They
refused to look beyond this outer framework to find a higher understanding.
Jesus clearly wanted people to look beyond the letter of the law and
discover the spirit of the law. Moreover, he wanted people to internalize
the spirit of the law.
Jesus himself did not follow orthodox doctrines and was accused of violating
them on several occasions. He taught with authority, in contrast to
the scribes who merely interpreted the letter of the law. So it seems
clear that Jesus wanted people to take what we might call an inner,
spiritual or mystical approach to religion.
Today, many Christians are attached to certain outer doctrines and dogmas.
They cling to a certain view of Jesus and his message, and they often
seem unwilling to look beyond it. Yet they seem to overlook that it
was precisely people who took this approach that opposed Jesus, plotted
against him and eventually succeeded in getting him crucified. The fact
that Jesus so forcefully denounced these people shows us that an important
part of Jesus’ mission was to help us free ourselves from the
dogmatic approach to religion and adopt a better, more spiritual, approach.
Does it make sense that modern Christians take the outer approach to
religion when Jesus denounced this approach? Then what approach should
modern Christians take? How about taking the same approach to religion
that Jesus took. How about looking beyond outer doctrines and interpretations?
How about looking for a higher spiritual understanding of Jesus and
his teachings?
If Jesus had not been willing to look for truth inside himself, he could
not have brought forth his teachings. How can we hope to fully understand
and internalize his teachings unless we are willing to look for truth
inside ourselves?
Inconsistency No.
2. Why are some Christians attached to outer doctrines and interpretations
when Jesus clearly refused to be bound by doctrines and dogmas?
Jesus grew up in a culture dominated by the Jewish religion. He taught
in the temple at the age of 12 and people were astonished at his knowledge.
Is there any doubt that Jesus could have attained a position in the
Jewish religion if he had wanted it? So why didn't he pursue such a
position—wouldn't he have encountered less opposition from the
religious authorities if he had been one of them?
The explanation could be that Jesus knew there was no room within the
Jewish religion to bring forth his new teachings. In order to fit into
the system, he would have had to accept restrictions, and he would have
had to conform to outer rules. He might have been forced to compromise
the truth in order to fit into the system. Clearly, this would have
prevented him from bringing forth his new teachings.
Jesus also demonstrated that he wanted truth above all else, and he
never let any earthly institutions or doctrines prevent him from seeking
God’s truth. So as Christians we need to consider whether we are
willing to follow Jesus’ example and look beyond traditional doctrines
and interpretations? Do we want the truth about Jesus and his teachings,
or are we content with doctrines and interpretations about him
Inconsistency No.
3. Why do some Christians think it is sufficient to believe in outer
doctrines and dogmas when Jesus clearly wanted people to internalize
his teachings?
The scriptures contain several examples of how Jesus told his disciples
that they had too little faith and that they were without (sufficient)
understanding. He clearly denounced the scribes and the Pharisees for
wearing religion as an outer clothing (saying their prayers and doing
alms in public). He denounced their interpretations of the letter of
the law and accused them of being devoid of the spirit of the law.
In contrast, Jesus spoke with authority about spiritual matters. He
seems to have internalized spiritual truth to such a degree that he
knew what he was talking about. It had become a part of his consciousness
and being instead of merely an intellectual understanding of outer doctrines
and interpretations.
Jesus never claimed that he was the only one who could internalize truth.
In fact he repeatedly encouraged his disciples to get a deeper understanding
of the truth. He also encouraged people to change their consciousness,
as when he said it was not enough to abstain from adultery because you
have to overcome the desire for it.
Can we claim to truly follow Jesus unless we open our hearts and minds
to a higher understanding of his teachings, an understand that might
go beyond outer doctrines, interpretations and intellectual knowledge?
Can we truly follow Jesus unless we internalize his teachings and allow
them to change our state of consciousness?
Inconsistency No.
4. Why do some Christians seem reluctant to look beyond their current
beliefs when Jesus clearly said that if we seek truth, we shall find
it?
Many Christians have grown up in a culture dominated by specific doctrines
or interpretations of Jesus’ teachings. Yet many Christians have
unanswered questions about the spiritual side of life. If you have unanswered
questions, there can be only one explanation. The answers to your questions
cannot be found within the context of the doctrines and interpretations
that you currently know and believe. So if you truly want answers to
your questions, you have to be willing to look beyond your current beliefs.
You must be willing to think outside the box.
Jesus clearly demonstrated that he was willing to look for answers outside
his religious culture. Jesus also demonstrated that he was willing to
seek truth with an open mind and heart. Jesus told us to seek the truth
and we shall find it. Many Christians think Jesus was in a special category,
yet he never said that he was the only one who could know truth. He
told us, “Seek and ye shall find.” If we were unable to
find, why would Jesus tell us to seek? He talked about the truth that
will make us free. Again, if we were unable to find the truth, how could
it set us free?
The problem is that if we cling to existing beliefs, we will only look
for and accept ideas that conform to those beliefs. We hear only what
we want to hear. Therefore, to truly find a higher understanding, we
must be willing to seek with an open mind and heart. Jesus demonstrated
this willingness—can we do any less?
Inconsistency No.
5. Why do some Christians cling to outer doctrines and interpretations
when Jesus did not base his knowledge on outer sources?
Although Jesus clearly knew and respected the teachings of the Old Testament,
he did not base his teachings on outer doctrines and interpretations,
as did the scribes and the Pharisees. Jesus knew truth from within himself.
He had internalized the truth, and that is why he taught with authority
and not as the scribes.
It is easy for Christians to think that Jesus was above and beyond the
rest of us. Yet in this respect, Jesus said, “The kingdom of God
is within you.” He did not say that the kingdom was only within
him but within all of us.
What is the kingdom of God? Is it possible that by looking for the kingdom
of God within ourselves, we can discover and attain contact with the
same source of truth that Jesus tapped? Did Jesus perhaps mean that
we all have the ability to find God’s truth within ourselves?
If so, should we not be willing to look for truth the same place Jesus
found it?
How do we find truth inside ourselves? What if the ability to do so
is already built into our minds? It is commonly called intuition, but
there might be a lot more to it than what most people see as intuition.
Even some psychologists are talking about a higher part of the mind,
a higher self or superego. What if we really have a higher mind that
we can contact by sharpening our intuitive faculties? What if this higher
mind, this Christ mind, or Christ self, is the key to knowing truth
from within ourselves?
Saint Paul talked about the lower mind, the carnal mind, and the natural
man. He also talked about putting off the old man and putting on the
new man. Was he perhaps saying that we can rise above the carnal mind,
which cannot recognize truth, and unite with the higher mind, which
is one with truth? Did Jesus come in part to demonstrate an ability
that all people have, namely the potential to reach beyond the lower
mind and know truth? Was Jesus saying that when we are willing to lose
our life, the sense of life and identity based on the lower mind, we
shall find a more spiritual life based on truth?
Inconsistency No.
6. Why do some Christians have a fear-based approach to God and religion
when Jesus’ approach was based on love?
It is difficult to imagine Jesus being afraid of anything, including
God. In Old Testament times, the Jews had created an image of God as
being an angry and judgmental God who was ready to punish people for
the slightest transgression of his laws. Jesus brought a distinctly
different view of God, namely that of a loving Father figure.
After the time of Jesus, some Christian churches, especially during
the Middle Ages, reverted back to a frightening image of God. Yet if
this image is out of touch with Jesus’ teachings on God, why should
modern Christians continue to hold on to it?
It is also difficult to see Jesus having a fear-based approach to religion.
He clearly was not afraid of the orthodox Jewish authorities. In fact,
one might argue that it was his open independence and defiance that
got him killed. So why should modern Christians have a fear-based approach
to religion? Why should they fear a particular church or the authorities
of a church? Why should they fear that by thinking about ideas outside
orthodox doctrine, they will go to Hell? Jesus clearly did not believe
that his followers would go to Hell for accepting ideas that went far
beyond Jewish doctrine.
Jesus clearly was not afraid to question the authorities, the scriptures
or the official interpretation of the scriptures. So why should modern
Christians be afraid to ask questions that go beyond orthodox doctrines?
Jesus told us to seek, and he clearly was not afraid to seek beyond
the orthodox doctrines of his time. Why should we be afraid to seek
beyond the doctrines and dogmas of our time?
Jesus clearly loved God, and he told us to love God with all of our
hearts, minds and souls. Fear and love are incompatible emotions. You
want to get close to what you love, and you want to get away from what
you fear. So if Jesus told us to love God, then he clearly wanted us
to overcome all fear related to God and religion. In fact, he talked
about the perfect love that casts out all fear.
If we want to truly follow Jesus, should we not seek and accept that
perfect love and stop living in fear?
Inconsistency No.
7. Why do some Christians ignore Jesus’ statement that unless
we become as little children, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven?
Obviously, Jesus could not have meant that we should become like children
in a physical sense, so he must have been talking about the mindset
or approach to life that children have.
Children are naturally very open and curious about life, including the
spiritual side of life and God. They want to know, and they are not
afraid to ask questions. They will openly ask questions and seek the
answers wherever they can be found. In contrast, many adults close their
minds and set up an outer framework of beliefs and doctrines that determines
the type of questions they are willing to ask.
Children are naturally very loving towards God and have great faith
in God. In contrast, many adults adopt a fear-based approach to God
and religion.
In summary, children are unconditional in their approach to spirituality,
whereas many adults gradually become more and more rigid and conditional.
This conditionality causes people to close their minds to ideas that
go beyond the framework that they have chosen as the only truth. It
is obvious that Jesus’ approach to God and spirituality was completely
unconditional. He was willing to look beyond any outer framework to
find the truth, and he approached God with no fear. Should we not strive
to approach God, and spirituality with the same unconditionality as
Jesus himself?
Inconsistency No.
8. Why do some Christians fail to understand the statement that the
lawyers had taken away the key to knowledge?
Jesus was very direct in his challenge to the lawyers, and it must be
important for us to understand why he so forcefully denounced these
people and their approach to religion. Jesus stated that the lawyers
had not entered in themselves, but what did he mean? Did Jesus possibly
mean that they had not adopted the inner approach to religion as he
had? After all, the lawyers were clearly letter-or-the-law people and
were emotionally attached to outer doctrines and interpretations.
The fact that Jesus told people to do their alms in secret and to pray
in private shows that to him religion, or rather spirituality, was an
inner, private activity. To Jesus, spirituality seems to have been a
personal walk with God, and he clearly encouraged his followers to also
make it a private, inner activity instead of displaying it publicly.
One of the major turning points in Jesus’ ministry was his forty
days in the desert. Consider why it wasn't forty days in the temple?
Obviously, because to Jesus the outer religion was not the key to contact
with God. That contact can be attained only by going within, by finding
God in your heart.
Was Jesus actually teaching us that the essence of religious practice
is to find God within ourselves? Was he demonstrating that we must never
allow an outer religion to prevent us from attaining this goal or to
distract us from looking inside ourselves?
Jesus said that the lawyers had taken away the key to knowledge and
were seeking to prevent others from entering into the correct approach
to religion. What is the key to knowledge? Is it possible that the key
is to activate the ability to find truth from within ourselves? We have
seen that Jesus clearly sought and found truth from a source inside
himself and that he encouraged us to do the same.
Was Jesus denouncing the lawyers because they had refused to find the
source of truth within themselves and because they were seeking to scare
others into conforming to their interpretation of the letter of the
law? If so, then should we not make a decisive effort to distance ourselves
from the mindset of the lawyers, even as we see it acting in today's
religious culture? Should we not adopt the same approach to religion
that Jesus took and find the inner source of truth that he had discovered?
Inconsistency No.
9. Why do some Christians ignore Jesus’ saying, “The kingdom
of God is within you” and think that we can be saved only through
an outer church?
At the time of Jesus, the Jewish religion was based on the idea that
the only key to salvation was the outer religion controlled and administered
by the temple authorities. In other words, people could be saved only
through the outer church. Jesus clearly denounced this approach by stating
that the kingdom of God (as the key to salvation) is within us. The
consequence of this statement is that every person has the key to salvation
inside him/herself and does not need an outer church to be saved.
To the Jews this was a revolutionary idea, and one might argue that
it was this challenge to the core of temple authority that got Jesus
killed. During the first few centuries, the Christian faith gradually
became split into two factions. One was a very diversified movement,
often called the Gnostics, that maintained an individual road to salvation.
The other was the official, orthodox church which stated that the only
key to salvation was the sacraments controlled by the church.
Once again, if we truly want to follow Jesus, should we not adopt the
same approach to salvation as Jesus did? For Jesus, salvation clearly
was not a matter of outer characteristics, such as membership of a church,
doing alms in public or following the letter of the law. For Jesus,
salvation was clearly an inner condition of knowing truth, having the
spirit of the law and aligning one’s consciousness with the truth
of God.
What does it mean that the kingdom of God is within us? What is within
us? Obviously, Jesus must have been talking about our minds, our state
of consciousness and the condition of our hearts. Jesus repeatedly told
us to purify our hearts, our state of consciousness. Is it possible
that Jesus was saying that the kingdom of God is a state of consciousness?
Might Jesus have been saying that the kingdom of God is the Christ consciousness?
Is Christ consciousness the key to knowing the truth and the reality
of God?
Inconsistency No.
10. Why do some Christians ignore the statement of Paul to “Let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus?” (Php 2:5)
This statement was made by one of Jesus’ foremost followers. Paul
had received his understanding of Jesus' teachings from within. Is it
possible that Paul understood something about Jesus’ inner message
that most modern Christians have not yet understood?
Based on our previous reasoning, we can now gain a new perspective on
Paul's statement. Is it possible that Paul understood that the very
essence of Jesus’ message is that the key to salvation is to attain
a higher state of consciousness? Is it possible that Paul saw Jesus
as an example to follow and that he did not put him on a pedestal or
think that Jesus was the only one who could attain Christ consciousness?
Let us compare this to Jesus’ parable about the man who entered
the wedding feast without a wedding garment. Is it possible that “wedding
garment” is a metaphor for a state of consciousness? When we attain
this state of consciousness, we are worthy to enter the kingdom of Heaven.
When we have not yet attained this state of consciousness, we cannot
enter the kingdom. Therefore, we must live in outer darkness, meaning
the state of consciousness shared by most people on planet Earth. This
is the state of consciousness that Paul called the carnal mind or the
natural man.
In this human consciousness, we see ourselves as mortal human beings
who are separated from our source, separated from God. Jesus had clearly
transcended that state of consciousness. He saw himself as a spiritual
being who was not separated from his source. Did Jesus want us to change
our sense of identity so that we too can overcome our sense of separation
from God? Did Jesus want us to let this mind be in us, which was also
in him?
After all, how can we hope to enter the kingdom of God unless we accept
that we are worthy to enter? And how can we accept our worthiness unless
we attain a higher state of consciousness in which we no longer see
ourselves as separated from our source?
Inconsistency No.
11. Why do some Christians ignore Jesus' own words that if we believe
on him, we shall do the works that he did?
Most Christians ignore the statement made by Jesus,
Verily, verily,
I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall
he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I
go unto my Father. (John 14:12)
Yet Jesus must have seen
it as an important statement, so doesn't it seem logical that we need
to gain a deeper understanding of what Jesus really meant? Because so
many Christians see Jesus as being far above them, they cannot envision
that they could perform the miracles that Jesus performed. Yet either
Jesus was out of touch with reality, or we are out of touch with the
reality of what Jesus was saying.
What would it take for us to do the works that Jesus did? It would first
and foremost take a change in consciousness. In our present state of
consciousness, we cannot imagine performing the miracles that Jesus
performed. The key to Jesus’ works was his complete faith in God.
For us to have that same faith, we would have to be in the same state
of consciousness as Jesus. Is it possible that when we let this mind
be in us, which was also in Christ Jesus, then we can do the works that
he did?
Perhaps we should take a closer look at Jesus’ state of consciousness.
Jesus clearly stated that he of his own self could do nothing. It was
the Father within him who was the true doer of his works. This shows
us that Jesus no longer saw himself as separated from his source. He
had attained an inner union with God (“I and my Father are one”),
and therefore God could work through Jesus. Is it possible that if we
overcome our sense of separation from God, then God can work through
us? We might not do the exact same works that Jesus did, but God will
use us according to our individual talents.
So if Jesus did not limit God’s ability to work through him, how
can we limit God and say that God cannot work through us? Should we
not let God be the one to decide what works he desires to perform through
us? Should we not strive to transcend the carnal mind so we can stop
limiting God?
Inconsistency No.
12. Why do some Christians ignore that Jesus had an inner message and
that we cannot understand Jesus without looking beyond the outer doctrines?
In Mark 4, it is stated:
33 And with many
such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear
[it].
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were
alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
It is clear from this quote
that Jesus gave teachings at two different levels. He had an outer,
exoteric, teaching and an inner, esoteric, teaching. The multitudes
were not ready for his inner teaching, so he could give it only to his
disciples who were at a higher level of consciousness.
It is difficult to deny that humankind as a whole is at a higher level
of consciousness and understanding than was the case 2,000 years ago.
Is it possible that many people have now attained a state of consciousness
that makes it possible for them to understand the inner, esoteric, message
of Jesus?
If so, where might we find this teaching? Is it possible that Jesus
could find ways to reveal his inner teaching to us and to have it published
as an outer teaching through various sources? Is it possible that the
key to finding and recognizing this inner teaching is to go within and
establish contact with the source of knowledge? Only by doing so can
we recognize the truth in an outer teaching.
Yet the first step is a willingness to open our minds and hearts to
the fact that Jesus has an inner teaching. Unless we are willing to
seek this teaching, how could we possibly find it?
Inconsistencies,
Part 2.
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© 2003 by Kim Michaels |
