The hokum of so-called “life improvement” beseeched from the pulpit is the source of many a Christian’s (and ex-Christian’s) agony. I’m thankful that the theology I’ve adopted has freed me from a career of having to drum up life-betterment programs for my poor listeners each week. I don’t have to arm myself with empty threats about what will happen to people if they don’t “improve.” I’m free from feeding them the falsity that love will make their lives better and better and better forever (if they’d just work harder at it). I don’t need to wag my finger at anyone and warn them that they must stop sinning if they want God to like or love them.
Jonas, As a follower more of Vedanta (non-duality) than Christianity, (although I was raised in the Protestant church), I enjoy your writings and find the similarities striking. Your viewpoint seems more in line with Christian Mysticism than the “scary God” that I was raised with, and I appreciate reading your point of view.
This blog post reminds me of something a Zen master told his students. It went something like this. There is nothing you need to "do" in order to become enlightened. You are already enlightened. But haven't yet realized it.
The real Gospel, the Gospel of Grace, makes all the difference. It is truth that sets us free. Thank you, Jonas, for your unapologetic voice for freedom in Christ.
I love this article. I relate to it so much. It has never made sense to me that we are saved by grace, accepted by grace, ect, but we still need to constantly be trying to improve ourselves. Seems to be too much reliance on the flesh and not enough of the spirit. I wonder how tired God gets of our silly self-improvement things.
Jonas, As a follower more of Vedanta (non-duality) than Christianity, (although I was raised in the Protestant church), I enjoy your writings and find the similarities striking. Your viewpoint seems more in line with Christian Mysticism than the “scary God” that I was raised with, and I appreciate reading your point of view.
This blog post reminds me of something a Zen master told his students. It went something like this. There is nothing you need to "do" in order to become enlightened. You are already enlightened. But haven't yet realized it.
The real Gospel, the Gospel of Grace, makes all the difference. It is truth that sets us free. Thank you, Jonas, for your unapologetic voice for freedom in Christ.
I love this article. I relate to it so much. It has never made sense to me that we are saved by grace, accepted by grace, ect, but we still need to constantly be trying to improve ourselves. Seems to be too much reliance on the flesh and not enough of the spirit. I wonder how tired God gets of our silly self-improvement things.