Spiritual Forum

Esshena has posted an article called

Ascension is work, work, work, work - self wor

in which he emphazises personal diligence in order to apply spiritual tools and gifts.

The author`s goal is to encourage people going that way. His intentions are without doubt honorable and honest. He wishes many people having part in such personal efforts. Obviously his heart feels an urge in expressing concerns on actual appearances of people`s efforts. Does he see a lack of efforts? Does he wish people would come more forward? Does he wish his enthusiasm would infect other ones?

I humbly hope the author will not take my lines as offence against him - I surely will not cause any offence. I`d rather take his words as example revealing some basic approaches having taken place in history.

I speak from two approaches encountering the message of Christ in the first century we can clearly comprehend - work and grace.

It was Jesus himself using words and figures of speech encouraging listeners to have part in what he called "the kingdom of God", where he called God "Father". Jesus connected human experiences with divine affairs - God will forgive you as far as you also forgive. The father is gracious, has empathy and compassion and, according Luke, is searching for those who seem lost.

It was Paul who in many ways misunderstood Jesus introducing the teachings of sacrifices in order to understand the death of Jesus. Thus he believed making it easy for Jews to understand Jesus from their well known system of sacrifices.

Despite misunderstanding Jesus Paul emphazised one important thing - becoming a child of God has to do with GRACE without any WORK. This he took from Jesus.

At the same time there was a fraction around the brother of Jesus and Peter, who had difficulties with Paul`s GRACE teachings. They wanted a code of regulations and reglementations for non jewish believers. On of this circle, Jakob, contradicted Paul in stating, that there is no salvation by GRACE alone.

All in all a very interesting chapter of struggeling about proper approaches regarding Jesus and the kingdom of God.

This struggle will continue via the middle age up to our time, where different denominations still fight over the mystical pair GRACE and WORK - which is prior? - how is their relation?

This short excursion into history may show the old and brand new tensions the mystical pair is able to create.

Now Esshena has his emphasis on work, work, work, work - he uses it 5 times in his headline.

As antipole I`d like to indroduce GRACE in the happening of ascension. Esshena`s work emphasis seems to me like wanting to shovel the Mount Everest away...

I simply see too much work being demanded. It seems to me inhuman and infinite. I belong to the GRACE men, and I have reasons for this. Grace is never without work, to make it clear. But too much work emphasis is feeding the wrong impression as though humans could work till perfection. And this ain`t true. Humans fail, and humans are imperfect, as it is supposed to be. Work is always looking for fulfillment. Love does not, for love is always looking for the lost ones (Jesus), for the imperfect and the dark places, as if there are also people crying for light. Love is the light in places of no fulfillment.

Grace is another word for love. We are not loved, because we worked hard - we are loved, because we ARE. It is our BEING, not our WORKING.

From there, my dear Esshena, from there I insist in GRACE in the process of ascension. It is a free gift, a gift of love and not of work we have accomplished.

Please allow me to leave it that way and take my greetings...