What Did Jesus Really Mean?

Article Title: What Did Jesus Really Mean?

Shared by: Craig Lock
Category (key words): Spiritual Growth, Faith, Christianity, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Quotations, Thoughts, Thoughts on Jesus, “Inspiration, Spiritual”, Inspirational Writings (enough there now, craig)

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(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, 'spiritual writings' (how 'airey-fairey'), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig!).

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This article (as with all his articles) may be freely reproduced electronically or in print. If it helps any others "out there" towards success, then we're very happy.

"We share what we know, so that we all may grow."

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WHAT DID JESUS REALLY MEAN?

Submitter’s Note:
These are a few of my notes that I’m jotting down, as I study the life of Jesus Christ. Hope these thoughts may be of interest... and perhaps even “enlightening” to you too. Enjoy...

Jesus spoke often of the highest values like respect for others, honour, truth, tolerance, virtuousness, especially love and so on.

He used many figures of speech, taking “poetic licence” to get across his message to the masses. Even with dashes of humour, hyperbole, like “take the plank out of your own eye, before you tell another to take the speck out of their own eye” (or something like that). Jesus wasn’t literally talking about a “plank of wood”, or “a (powerful) faith that can move a mountain” (not a “literal mountain”, as only God can do that!)

PEACE

Jesus spoke about a true and lasting peace... and it all begins within... in the heart.

His words "I come not to bring peace, but a sword" are often misunderstood. He was using a metaphor, implying that following him through faith (fanatically" would cause division within families and in the community.

IS WAR EVER JUSTIABLE?

When he spoke about "loving one's enemies", he wasn't speaking about war situations, as Christianity maintains that war is justified in certain situations (and as an absolutely final resort after all other options (to preserve peace) have been exhausted) - to remove evil tyrants and dictators, who are killing scores of innocent civilians (as an Adolf Hitler did). Muhammar Gaddafi? But then what about a situation like Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe???

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When Jesus spoke about being "reborn", he was using a figure of speech and it was not intended to be taken literally. When a person is "reborn to enter the Kingdom of God", it means transformation to a new way of thinking - in short, it's a new heart, a new way (or path) of living, which results in "embracing a new life" (“be transformed by the renewing of your mind”- Romans, I “tink”).

This transformation starts from that moment in a believer's life. And it's this new (fresh)spirit (of faith, when a person chooses to follow Jesus’s teachings and fully LIVE them), which lives on (even after a person's life on earth), so this is meant by the term eternal!

We can do no better than end with the words of a leader who gave his life for the cause of justice, freedom and abundant life for all people. ..

"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

- Martin Luther King, Jr

Shine your own bright light as you travel along YOUR unique and magical journey of life

Shared by craig

"True success is just being the person you really want to be."

"The task ahead of you can always be overcome by the power within you...and the often seemingly difficult or even "impassible") path ahead of you is never as steep with the great spirit that lies within you."

Using words as our weapons, lets see how many hearts can be transformed from hate into... perhaps even love...

and only God can do that!

"Together, one mind, one soul at a time, let's see how many people we can impact, empower, encourage and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials

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“Where love endures, hope inevitably follows.”
- craig