Читать книгу From Karma to Grace - John Van Auken - Страница 9

Some consideration should be given to understanding what Spirit is. The first use of the term in connection with the Lord is found in the book of Numbers. In this passage, the Lord’s Spirit came upon Moses in the form of a descending cloud. Moses had gathered seventy good men with him. The Lord took some of the Spirit that was upon Moses and put it on the seventy men. As a result, these men began to prophesy, but only while the Spirit was upon them. Here’s the passage:

And Moses went out and gave the people the words of the Lord; and he took seventy of the responsible men of the people, placing them round the Tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and had talk with him, and put on the seventy men some of the spirit that was on him; now when the spirit came to rest on them, they were like prophets, but only at that time.

Numbers 11:24-25; Bible in Basic English (BBE)

The full term Spirit of the Lord does not appear in the Bible until the book of Judges. In this following passage, the people of Israel were in captivity and were crying to the Lord to deliver them.

When the people of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who delivered them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel; he went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.

Judges 3:10

Othniel was the only judge in the Scriptures from the tribe of Judah. The name literally means “lion of God,” Oth’ni-el. Interestingly, Jesus is referred to as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah.”

After this initial passage about the Spirit of the Lord coming upon the individual Othniel, the term appears over ninety more times in the Scriptures, including eight times in the New Testament.

In His local synagogue Jesus read a passage from Scripture before His townspeople, sat down, and then stated that today this passage had been fulfilled. Some who were present took this to mean that the Grace of the Lord was upon Him, while others questioned who He thought He was, speaking this way, because they knew Him as just the son of the carpenter Joseph.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the Sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Luke 4:16-21; RSV

Often Jesus stated that His powers, actions, and activities came from God the Father within Him.

The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.

John 14:10-12; RSV

Later, in the garden just before His capture and crucifixion, He would teach that, after He went to the Father, He would send the Spirit of Truth, who would be a comforter to us and teach us all things.

His term for this Spirit in the original Greek is paraclete, which means counselor, helper, and comforter, and is considered by Christians to be the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, that will become our companion.

I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. “I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

John 14:16-20; RSV

He adds to this, saying,

The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26; RSV

Later in this teaching, He added more about this Spirit, explaining that He, Jesus, had much more to say, but it could not yet be absorbed by His followers; the Spirit would guide.

I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

John 16:12-13; RSV

The disciple Paul added another view into the nature of our consciousness and the Spirit of the Lord: There is a veil that needs to be removed so that we can bear more knowledge, more guidance from the Spirit.

To this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds; but when a man turns to the Lord the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:15-18; RSV

To the woman at the well, Jesus explained that “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24; RSV) To Nicodemus, Jesus taught that not only must we be born of flesh, but we must be born anew of the Spirit.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born anew.” The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.

John 3:5-8; RSV

When we practice the fruit of the Spirit, it nourishes us in a manner that gradually changes us from predominantly physical, worldly vibrations and consciousness to more spiritual, godly vibrations and consciousness. As one loves, one unites with love, and as the Scriptures point out: God is love. (1 John 4:8) As we apply these virtuous fruits in our thoughts, words, and actions each day, we become one with these virtues, thus united with the Spirit. Then the Spirit gives the gifts that strengthen us and that expand our minds and hearts in such a manner that we become increasingly one with God and companionable to God—the God of the entire universe and all that is in it. The evangelist Paul wrote:

It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

Romans 8:16; RSV

Edgar Cayce’s discourses affirm this several times in various ways; here are two:

Doubt not self, nor self’s abilities, for in doing does strength come. Keep that consciousness that answers to self, as face answers to face in the water, and this will bring the answer in self as to whether the Spirit of the Creative Forces bears witness with your own spirit.

EC 262-7

Why is God mindful of an individual soul? Spirit! For our spirit, that is a portion of His Spirit, ever bears witness with His Spirit as to whether we be the children of God or not.

262-115