Paradigm shift in understanding the gospel of grace

My understanding of the gospel has changed from an evangelical viewpoint to an inclusive viewpoint. The evangelical view of the gospel tends to revolve around the finished work of Jesus Christ at the cross in terms of penal substitution. For example, about a couple of years ago, I used to think that all of God’s blessings have been freely given to me through the cross of Jesus Christ. While that sounds like good news to me back then, it doesn’t sound that good to me today because my mindset has evolved since then.

After all, come to think of it, does God need Jesus’ sacrifice in order to bless me? Why not bless me right away? Is God the kind of Judge that requires payment for some “sin debt” before He is willing or able to bless someone?

So, my answer to the above questions is: No, God is not that kind of Judge who demands an eye for an eye, unlike what most religious christian institutions and preachers said. I have come to think that the reason we are blessed is because we are already one with Christ and co-heirs with Him. Christ is simply a manifestation of our true identity – spiritual beings on a human journey. Christ is not exclusive, but rather inclusive. We are already one with God because in Him we live and move and have our being.

Detoxing from the Christian Religion

It was a gradual process for me to deprogram myself from the cultish christian institutional system and mindset. I stopped going to the church services in early 2011, as I have been learning and evolving in my own belief system. I found that the sermons no longer minister grace and peace to me as they used to, and I found myself disagreeing with many of the things the preacher said, such as the concept of sin, hell and the separation mindset of “us versus them” or “christians and non-christians”. I have come to see the futility of man-made labels such as “christians”, “muslims”, “buddhists” or “atheists” because such labels tend to create divisions among people. To me, we are all spiritual beings on a human journey.

Along the way, I have revisited some of the belief systems that I have studied in the past, such as Buddhism and New Age. Somehow, my foray into Christianity has helped me to see these belief systems in a new light because I am beginning to see the similarities in their basic teachings on love, compassion, unity and harmony. At the same time, I am also looking at Christianity in a new light because I no longer see it as something that is exclusive and discriminating. Once I peel away the old layers of religiosity and illusion from these belief systems, I see the source of love revealed in the core that unites different religions/faiths/belief systems/philosophies/schools of thought.

I agree with this quote:

“I begin with an observation from Meister Eckart, who says that “Divinity is an underground river that no one can stop and no one can dam up.” There is one underground river–but there are many wells into that river: an African well,a Taoist well, a Buddhist well, a Jewish well, a Muslim well, a goddess well, a Christian well, and aboriginal wells. Many wells, one river. To go down a well is to practice a tradition, but we would make a grave mistake (an idolatrous one) is we confused the well itself with the flowing waters of the underground river. Many wells, one river.” – Matthew Fox

As for detoxing from the harmful effects of condemning religious christian teachings, I find that talking about it and blogging about it helps in my process of deprogramming myself and finding greater peace.

“Confronting a trauma helps people to understand and ultimately assimilate the event. By talking or writing about previously inhibited experiences, individuals translate the event into language. Once it is language-based, people can better understand the experience and ultimately put it behind them.”
(From “Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions” by James W. Pennebaker)

Sin doesn’t exist in reality

If there is a God, who is perfect, it is only reasonable to conclude that God creates perfect beings. The concept of sin only exists in the religious framework of those who have a separation mindset, such as the jews, because they were under the law which they imposed on themselves. For the law-minded, they thought they had to do in order to become something. As long as they have that performance-based mentality, they will always think they fall short of the mark. They are living an illusion.

But the truth of the gospel is we are already made in God’s image, perfect, complete and beautiful. There is no need for us to do in order to become. We already are perfect and complete. Therefore, there is no falling short and there is no sin issue outside of the religious framework and the performance-based mentality. Where there is no law, there is no imputation of sin. Grace is the reality we live in. The reality is that we are originally innocent, whole and complete, flawless and blameless – this is who we really are.

I think there is much truth in what the psychologists, motivational speakers and self-help books are telling people about believing in themselves and feeling good about themselves because we are created beautiful and successful. Our bodies are designed to function optimally when we align our thoughts with the universe, the divine, and we will rise above any thought of low self-esteem and self-hate that religion and society has imposed in the past.

I like this inspired poem that says, “Awake to your innocence and remember who you are… You are a workmanship created in Love.”