My Favorite Verses - Vol III (Aug 16 to Nov 16)

John 14:6 … The Way of many Ways
(08/09/2016)
It is true that the Bible claims that Jesus said “I am the Way, and the Truth,
and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” in John 14:6 ... Of
course, what most Christians fail to understand is that Jesus never said that there
was only one way to walk his Way, or that there was only one religious dogma
that fulfilled his Truth, or that there was only one lifestyle that enlivened his Life.
Indeed, Jesus went out of his way on dozens of occasions in the Bible to show that
he did not want to be worshipped as a god (Mark 10:18, John 7:16, John 8:50-55,
John 12:44 et al), that he did not want to start a new religion (Matthew 5:17-18 et
al), and that he most certainly did not reject or condemn anyone, regardless of
their race or their gender or their sexual inclinations or their religion.
And this far-more-Beauty-full interpretation is actually supported by the
Greek used in John 14:6, namely the Greek word that is commonly translated as
"through" -- the Greek word "dia" - the Greek word which did not mean "via" or
"because of" or "on account of", but rather meant "in honor of" or "by emulation
of" (Strong's #1223) ... You see, my dear Friends, Jesus (at least according to the
Scriptures) was an emissary of humble, unconditional, selfless, and indeed
joyfully self-sacrificial LOVE. And as such, he cannot have ever demanded that
only those who worshipped him or only those who literally followed him would be
saved or "know the Father" ... Indeed, what he did say -- and what he so clearly
and so consistently showed throughout his 3 year ministry -- was the simple Truth
that the only WAY to know the full TRUTH of a fully Meaning-full LIFE was to
live that life LOVE-fully; where that Love was not given to him with words or
thoughts or prayers or passion, but rather was given to all others nearby in acts of
Kindness and Service and Mercy and Caring … And this my Friends was his Way
-- and this was his Truth -- for this was his entire Life!
May we each have the
humility to awaken thereto
-- and may we each have
the courage to act
accordingly thereafter.
Amen ... Let it be so.
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