Posted by Roberta Grimes • January 12, 2019 • 17 Comments
Book News, Jesus, The Teachings of Jesus
Recently we sat at the feet of the Lord and listened as He taught His flock.
Among other things, freshly listening to Him made us realize that He was bent on achieving the almost immediate arrival of the kingdom of God on earth. He expected His spiritual revolution to start small and then grow rapidly, and to be substantially completed within the lifetimes of some of those who heard Him speak. This astonishing insight seized the imaginations of some of our readers here, and it prompted them to ask a question that also has been on my mind.
What would the modern world be like if the kingdom of God arrived on earth today? Let’s talk about that. This week we’ll discuss in more detail the kingdom of God that Jesus meant to begin here. Then next week we will all catch hands and step together into the possible world of our beloved Lord’s dearest imaginings!
In studying the words of Jesus, we have one big advantage over traditional Christians. We have the detailed and consistent testimony of people that we used to think were dead. For reasons I prefer to think are innocent, Christian leaders have long insisted that communicating with the dead was evil, and that all our dead communicators were actually demons in league with the devil. In fact, these warnings are patent nonsense. The Bible holds a number of accounts of ancient people speaking with those not in bodies! And for moderns who need Biblical permission, 1 John 4:1 assumes that we all talk with spirits. It says just, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” Every reputable medium of whom I am aware does exactly that. And we are being given now by those not in bodies extensive new ways to communicate across dimensions, including real progress with electronic communication that we are told will result in a telephone! In the face of this great effort being conducted at the highest levels to establish better communication, for Christians to continue to try to prevent our loving dialogue with higher levels is a literal rejection of the will of God. So we test the spirits, then we eagerly welcome what the dead have to say about the meaning of the Gospel words of Jesus.
I should mention for readers new to this space that one thing we know for certain is that Jesus did not come to die for our sins. The dead tell us that the death of Jesus on the cross has never made an afterlife difference for a single human being, which should not surprise us when Jesus Himself tells us that God does not judge anyone (see JN 5:22). The fact that God does not judge us has been plain in the Bible for two thousand years, but Christians have altogether ignored it! The whole doctrine of substitutionary atonement – the notion that Jesus came to die for our sins – was human-made in a primitive day when animals were being sacrificed in temples. It was a way for those who had been devastated by the unexpected death of their Messiah to make sense of that death in first-century terms, and to turn it into something that to them seemed positive. In our more enlightened age we are able to see the whole idea as a frank barbarity, an insult to God and a humiliation of Jesus, so we are relieved to learn it is bogus! And our knowing Jesus didn’t come to die for our sins now frees us to look to His Gospel words for a different reason still big enough to explain the amazing fact that God came to earth in the body of Jesus.
When we sat and listened at the feet of the Lord, we heard Him tell us He had come to abolish fear-based religions and teach us to relate to God in love so we could bring the kingdom of God on earth. And if attempting to bring God’s kingdom on earth was so important two thousand years ago, then surely in this more enlightened age you and I ought to give it a second try!
What is the Kingdom of God?
Translators called it the kingdom of Heaven in the Book of Matthew, where Jesus mentions it more than thirty times. He refers to it fourteen times in Mark, and more than thirty times in Luke. No one reading the Gospels can have any doubt that God’s Kingdom is the Lord’s obsession! We know now that everyone on earth arrives in the
self-same afterlife, so what then might be this more selective place that Jesus urges us to try to reach? The kingdom of God is the joyously blissful upper levels of the afterlife that can be attained only by people who are spiritually very far advanced. As Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter” (MT 7:21).
What we experience as human consciousness is the only thing that objectively exists. Every human mind is part of that consciousness, and we spoke last week about the fact that consciousness exists in a range of vibrations, from fear at the lowest to love at the highest. When we talk about our need to grow spiritually, what we really are talking about is our need to raise our personal consciousness vibrations away from the fear-based end and toward the love-based end of the spectrum. Jesus makes it clear in the Gospels how we can raise our own vibrations: He tells is that we must learn to love perfectly and learn to forgive completely. Christians take the Lord’s words as aspirational – just things we should try so we can make God happy – but no one who actually reads the Gospels can see His words as less than divine commands:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (MT 5:43-48).
Peter asked him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (MT 18:21-23).
Jesus tells us we are always either growing or shrinking spiritually, and we are coming to see He is precisely right. Consciousness cannot remain static! He says, “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. And throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (MT 25:29-30).
What Is It Like In the Kingdom of God?
Here our willingness to listen to and learn from those that we used to think were dead is a great asset! There is a nearly infinite gradation of consciousness vibrations in the afterlife, but for convenience we on earth group these vibrations into seven general levels. What Jesus called “the outer darkness” is the lowest afterlife level. Virtually everyone enters at Level Three, and we are told that reincarnation on earth in order to achieve more rapid spiritual growth is no longer necessary once we reach the upper part of Level Five. The highest level below the Source, Level Six, is what Jesus refers to as the kingdom of God. Few who have attained that exalted level ever have communicated with us on earth; and in fact, for most of my research career Level Six was assumed to be non-material. Mikey Morgan is a being who achieved Level Six after having last lived on earth in the 1600s, and he wonderfully took
a brief additional earth-life that ended in 2007 so he could better understand modern people and thereby know how he might best teach us. Mikey’s book, Flying High in Spirit, is again in print, and it is one of the reasons why we now realize that the Sixth Level is gloriously material! The Sixth Level is full of spectacular flowers and amazing universities. Those who live there often teach in the lower afterlife levels, and a few – like our beloved Mikey Morgan – have made it their personal mission to teach people who are still in bodies.
Why Should We Want to Bring the Kingdom of God on Earth?
A lot of what we hear Jesus say when we sit at the Lord’s feet and closely listen feels like gentle urging toward freeing our minds from fear so we can vibrate toward more perfect love. For example He says, “Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (MT 6:25-33).
So what Jesus came to earth to do was to teach us how we can make this anger- and hatred- and fear-filled planet into a love-filled mimic of the highest heavens. Even if you are a traditional Christian who believes Jesus came to die for your sins, don’t you agree that if He considered bringing the kingdom of God on earth to be important enough that He spent three years teaching us how to make it happen, then perhaps after two thousand years of misery we ought to give His ideas a second try?
What would our world be like if we followed the Lord’s directions now? Let’s talk about that next week….
Hello Dear Roberta! The thought was just crossing my mind that your post had not arrived … and at that very second it did so! I would like to ask a question that is slightly diversified from today’s topic … albeit that one way or another it is all related.
Continuing to study ACIM, I have been reading with fascination about the need to totally heal the body in order to demonstrate the innocence of our brother. (Ch. 27). As damaged bodies are accusers, total forgiveness and exoneration of both of us, apparently cannot take place before total healing. Given the bodily damage I sustained when I was shot, this is very interesting to me. How amazing would it be to achieve total healing specifically in order to prove my assailers’ innocence – instead of going through the courts to prove their guilt? It would be interesting indeed – sensational even. I am even asking myself if it could even be the reason that it all happened in the first place!
I have also been reading with interest, of Simeon Toko from Angola, who was deeply devout and, inter alia, apparently formed the most magnificent choir that has ever been. Simeon, reportedly died of his own volition in 1984, but prior to this had been persistently persecuted and brutally murdered several times. However, his body simply instantly reconstructed itself – proving that, as stated in ACIM, that a right-thinking person knows that he cannot be harmed in any way … and therefore he cannot. Eye witnesses, who are still alive today, are many. Not unsurprisingly, Simeon is sometimes reported as having been the “Second Coming”. Asking my father (on level 4) he says, that no, it was certainly not a ‘second coming’ – Simeon was a totally different person, but with a similar level of ‘Christ Consciousness’.
What are your views on such issues? I am also sure that the Kingdom of God on earth is indeed nigh – and achievable … and that we do not have one moment to waste.
Looking forward to your reply.
Alexandra
Hello dear Alexandra! To try to answer your questions:
1) Bodily “total healing” is impossible. No one past the age of forty can ever be in a body that is totally healed! So clearly here these advanced-being authors are expressing themselves in their own terms, and not in ours. I see that passage as one of the places where ACIM focuses our attention on areas of possible blockage of our awareness of love’s presence, and nothing more: they are essentially saying that whatever it is in our lives that gives us reason to accuse others must be either abandoned, healed, or accepted by transforming the way we look at it. The point of that passage, in other words, is to remove another possible barrier to the awareness of love’s presence; it is certainly not to turn your injury into a barrier to your learning to completely forgive and love. A Course in Miracles, like everything else channeled from the upper levels by beings that have been for centuries out of bodies, often shows – as in this passage – a kind of absolutism that doesn’t sound harsh to them because they have forgotten how it is to live in this world of negativity and duality. Their intention here is good, but their word choice carries the black-and-white, good-or-evil thinking of people who have been living in perfect love for a lo-o-ong time! (Just about everything I write is channeled by a team led by someone who has been out of his body for more than a century, and even he is careful to work with my mind rather than using me as a word processor. He wants me always to have the last word on tone and nuance, and this is why. When Jesus stepped in and wrote most of Liberating Jesus, I was a word processor, so I know the difference!)
2) Where Simeon Toko is concerned, your father is right: he wasn’t Jesus, but you wouldn’t need to be Jesus in order to heal as he did: there are many stories of such healings. Our minds are immensely powerful, and the only barrier to everyone’s being able to do these things is that we don’t realize how powerful we really are! Jesus said, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you” (MT 17:20).
Please know that nothing those not in bodies ever might say is meant to suggest that there are any real barriers to love! And nothing is meant to inspire us to test God’s powers or God’s love. As Jesus said, “It is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” (MT 4:7)
Thank you. That puts quite a lot more into perspective!
Roberta,
Your words and insight have inspired me the last two years since my youngest son left this physical plane. You have been a saving grace when I didn’t think I could take another breath.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Lauri
Dear Lauri, you have lifted my heart more than you know! When I first read your comment this morning, my immediate thought was that now my entire life feels worthwhile, every bit of the work and effort, if I really have made such a difference in your life. Thank you!!
And know that of course your son is healthy, happy, infinitely loved, and eternally safe in everlasting arms. You will be holding him in your arms again for the biggest possible hug before you know it! And meanwhile the rest of the time you spend on earth can be devoted to so well raising your consciousness vibration that you will make him very proud ;-).
Just under, “What is the Kingdom of God” you write: “We know that everyone on earth arrives in the self-same afterlife”
Are you saying that Consciousness will give to us what we gave to It during our life as we lived in this dimension?
Dear Kim, thank you for commenting here! Our friend Mac will be delighted to see you, as am I.
And you know, when I last read this post before turning in – knowing it would go out at 5:02 U.S. eastern – I thought I probably should have elaborated further on what was really a throwaway line, so thank you for giving me the chance to elaborate on it here! The fact is that there is one afterlife. Its lower-level aspects are somewhat culturally dependent, so (for example) the North American Summerland levels where we first arrive have snow-capped mountains in the distance, while those for the British Isles – while otherwise similar – seems to lack those mountains. If you are an American who dies in an unexpected accident in China, you can expect to see pagodas. And so on. But it doesn’t matter what religion you practiced, or even whether you were an atheist: there is one universal afterlife process. It isn’t related to how well we grew spiritually here when we are talking about the entry moment, although some who feel themselves to be evil might either refuse to enter or simply detour themselves right into the outer darkness area; and some whose religion has made them adamant about what to expect might detour themselves into what Bob Monroe called a “hollow heaven” that matches what they expected heaven to be. But all such detours seem to be rare, fortunately!
I am indeed happy to see any member of ALF (afterlifeforums.com) visiting and contributing to your blog, Roberta. I do wish, though, that your regulars along with those new to your blog would also choose to take a look at the many, interesting discussion forums on AfterLifeForums. 🙂
see:afterlifeforums.com
What then would happen to people like myself who have no preconceived ideas about the afterlife? I couldn’t go to a consensus reality (hollow heaven) since I don’t have any specific belief. People find this odd as I have done so much studying on this that they assume I’ve come up with some exciting answers, but I haven’t. I simply have no idea what will happen since I don’t know how the system actually works (if there is indeed a system).
Dear Lola, yours is the perfect attitude for everyone to have as we look toward dying! You have done enough research to lessen your fears, and you are not wedded to any particular outcome. I advise friends and people who contact me soon before they take that step to simply have no expectations at all! There is indeed a system, and it is designed to keep you supremely happy and perfectly safe in the arms of your loved ones from even before you leave your body until the glorious moment when the fog clears or the bridge reaches the opposite bank or the stairs end at their top – it’s usually the fog, but in some cultures it is more often the bridge or the stairs. In any event, at that moment you will be in a whole new solid reality that is beautiful and literally composed of love!
Why not also take your question to the discussion forums found on Roberta’s website AfterLifeForums? There you may find alternative views and explanations. 🙂
ALF – afterlifeforums.com
Dear friends, Mac runs a wonderful discussion forum on afterlife-related topics, and Mikey Morgan and his mother, Carol, have lately returned to answering questions there. Wow, does having a sixth-level being who knows how to talk with modern people make a tremendous difference! If you wonder about something related to the afterlife, you might go to the questions thread on ALF and ask the REAL expert!
Hi Roberta,
I am looking forward to next week’s installment. I appear to be very impatient!
Oh, the pressure ;-)!!
One reason why I do this weekly is so my guides and I will be forced to work out what they think, and what I think. I really have been pondering this topic, and I don’t think we will be saying anything definitive and discussion-ending next week; but rather, my hope is that all of us will be thinking about this topic during the coming week, and then next weekend all of us together will be able to have a lively conversation!
Dear Roberta: I have been a student of the Bible, a follower of Jesus and for the last several years I have been listening to many NDE. The first was Howard Storm’s. Most NDE’s are positive and suggest a universalism, which is what you have concluded. How do you deal with Jesus’ exclusive statement “I am the Way, the Truth, the Light, No man comes to the Father except through ME” and the universal entry to a heaven like after life? What was the purpose of God making so many prophecies to be fulfilled by Jesus if His death and resurrection were not for some great cause?
Thank you for commenting, David! It’s clear that you are encountering my work only now, since I have answered these questions repeatedly. I don’t have time to write long answers again here, but I will give you brief ones; and if you want to know more, simply email me through the contact block on this website and I will send you a PDF of Liberating Jesus.
Some starting facts:
1) The dead tell us consistently that everyone gets into the same afterlife, and that no religion whatsoever is practiced there. They also tell us that the dogmas of Christianity are wrong, while at the same time the dead revere Jesus and tell us that what He said was right! Furthermore, the greatest spiritual crisis of my life was the moment when I finally accepted the fact that there is not a single instance in nearly two hundred years of recorded communications with the dead in which Jesus’s death is said to have made any difference at all for a single human being (which is why Christian leaders emphatically do not want their followers to talk with the dead!).
2) The Bible is NOT the inspired word of God. It was assembled by the Council of Nicaea in 325, which is where that claim comes from. I have studied the Council of Nicaea. Among other travesties, they even took things from and added things to the canonical Gospels! Believe me, if you like hot dogs, don’t ever watch them being made. And if you want to believe the Bible was divinely inspired, for heaven’s sake, don’t study the Council of Nicaea!
3) What Jesus said was an oral tradition for a couple of generations, and it has suffered two translations (Aramaic to Greek to English). So we cannot assume that we have exactly what we would have heard if we had sat at His feet! Given all the challenges to their having survived at all, it is a literal miracle from God that what we have is so close to what the dead confirm that Jesus actually said!
4) Jesus spent three years teaching us the truth at a time when for Him to speak against the prevailing religion – which was precisely what He was doing! – was a capital crime. He used some very clever devices to get the truth to us despite the Temple guards and spies who were often listening. So we know that His teachings were extremely important to Him! In His mind, clearly they were the purpose of His life. He said things like, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (JN 8:31-32). Don’t be misled by any of the 40,000-odd Christian denominations that largely ignore the Lord’s teachings, David. To Him it was HIS TEACHINGS that mattered!
Okay then, here is the claim you are worried about. He is reported to have said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me”. But clearly He did not say that, because He knew that would not be true! So instead He must actually have said something like, “My teachings are the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through my teachings” (JN 14:6). My guess is that this tweak must have happened during the period when His words were being handed down orally. To first-century primitives, those words probably sounded like the same thing. They could not have imagined that later church-builders would use that change to hijack the Lord and wrap His words in a religion that to this day is a first-century Jewish sect (despite His insistence that people NOT package His new wine in that old wineskin!). So this answers your first question.
To answer your second question, I had better tell you first that in fact everything Christians say about Jesus is true (and then some!), except for the reason for His crucifixion. He came to earth embodying God, and He came for an extremely important reason that is summarized in the blog post above: He came to abolish fear-based religions and teach us to relate to God in love so we could bring the kingdom of God on earth in the decades immediately following His death. That’s a pretty good reason for God to embody and walk among us, wouldn’t you say? And it’s a much better and more Godlike reason than the one that Christians give!
As for the reason for His resurrection, there is in fact a big one. The dead tell us that when He first entered His body He didn’t intend to die that way, but He was having such trouble convincing His primitive followers that in fact life is eternal that He changed the plan. To inspire His followers to spread His words, He addressed their skepticism of His claim that human life is eternal by undergoing a grisly public death and then rising from the dead. “Ta-DA!”
If you would like the book, David, just email me and I will send it to you. But I hope this helps!
Apologies to Roberta’s blog readers for my shameless promoting of her forum-based website, ALF at: afterlifeforums.com
Why not now pay us a visit? 😉