Grace

[chegg]

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Edited March 28, 2015 by chegg

[Jeff]

Think that one has to soften in order to be receptive to grace. The softening is a crucial practice. Allowing grace to enter and flow.

 

Beautifully said. I sometimes think of it as the difference between holding and being held.

 

Grace and light to all.

[chegg]

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Edited March 28, 2015 by chegg

[chegg]

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Edited March 28, 2015 by chegg

[thelerner]

Another Interesting analogy about being under Grace and under the Law.........Enjoy !

 

 

"Think about it this way; Say you were found guilty of murdering someone, and the law of the land sentenced you to death. Can you "work" your way to freedom? No, because you are under the law and it demands your life. The only way you can be free, is if a judge has compassion on you and pardons you. Let's say that happens; A judge comes along and pardons you. You are now under grace and no longer under the law, which demanded your life. You are free!! Now, do you leave thinking, "I'm free!! I found grace with the judge, I'm free to go and commit more crimes, because I'm now under grace, not under the law!" Of course not. Any person with an ounce of gratitude would now go and KEEP the law the best they could. And anyway, does the law of the land now become void because you found grace from the judge? No, the law still stands. Do you see this truth with regards to being under grace, not under law?"

 

Source: https://www.facebook.com/notes/jesus-changed-my-life/under-grace-not-under-law/199243126780143

Not really justice for the guys family and friends if a judge lets the murderer go free. Nor would I think the answer to 'Would you commit another crime being 'Of course not', it'd be maybe. You can have tons of gratitude and still commit another crime. They got away with the first murder, maybe they'd be get lucky and not get caught or get the same super lenient judge for there second crime.

 

I take this as a <edit> paradigm that we're all evil (due to Eve?) and every man woman and babe deserves horrible degrading suffering because of it. And all humanity did or over 95%, until Christ came along, and the litmus test for eternal suffering or heaven <edt.

 

Literally I'd rather see a system based on simple standards of morality, admittedly with the spirit of the law and forgiveness included, then see a system where belief in a particular man god as the top decider.

Edited November 4, 2013 by thelerner

[chegg]

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Edited March 28, 2015 by chegg

[chegg]

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Edited March 28, 2015 by chegg

[thelerner]

 

Thank you for speaking up. It means alot.

and thank you for your kind reply to my gruff negative commentary. I'm trying to do better and shouldn't have pointed a finger at Christianity when most olde school religions have similar thoughts at there core.

 

I don't believe in Satan or the Devil, I think people create enough 'evil' on there own without an X factor needed.

 

I'm not against religion either but its only as good as the people who run it. Whether its sermons or dharma talks I think we need reminders to be good, keep an open heart. So I'm willing to accept authority- as long it makes sense and I have the free will to follow it.

 

A good question is 'What brings us closer to God?'. And what are the implications built into that question, and its answer?

[chegg]

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Edited March 28, 2015 by chegg

[thelerner]

The question: 'What brings us closer to God?' is loaded with assumptions.

 

The guy who shouts'"Your already there !, Your already there !, Your already there !" with great excitement." is echoing the masters who proclaim 'You're already enlightened', but it doesn't feel that way. .

 

In both cases, I need to ... feel/know/experience it personally. Which has its share of hubris, yet also circles back to the concept of grace. I can't help but think the path is one with extreme silence and maybe along with the deep silence is a dropping of thought, language, conceptualizing and all the filters I've accumulated. Maybe then I can gain awareness of whats around me.

 

I don't think any intellectualization will do it. Which is again circling closer to your first comments.