I’ve been listening to Bart Ehrman who happened to remark that Gnostic Christians believed there is special knowledge and might have implied it was like magic chants or incantations. Alan also said that if one knew the name of God, he could exercise some special power with it. I don’t know much about this topic.
Does that imply anything about the name Will I am (William)?
I currently believe that any mind picture of God is a graven image and it’s more prudent to not try to conceptualize God. Faith is not-clinging.
How does one become brother to Jesus?
What do you make of the verse:
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
That satanist on youtube (Mark Passio I think) says the verse alludes to duality and the nondual (eye be single). I’m not sure.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
It is not a direction to keep the commandments, but keeping the commandments is evidence of a saved condition.
Predestination supports the idea that there is nothing to be done.
Reminds me of this
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YwEArrXNnI[/youtube]