310. Embrace Vulnerability, Find Affirmation

Mike Parsons reading an excerpt from his latest book, Into the Dark Cloud, which is out today! Get it in print or as an ebook.
More info https://eg.freedomarc.org/books

We need a process of restoration, and only God can restore us. We can meet God as our Father. We can have encounters with Him, and He wants to meet us in that way. But let’s go beyond just seeing it as an exercise.

I encourage you to think about it ahead of time and give God the opportunity to show you if there are any areas that need resolution.

Are there any unmet needs within you?
Are you still seeking affirmation from others, because you have not fully received it from the Father?

We will run into trouble if we keep seeking approval from others because they will inevitably let us down. Nobody is perfect. And then we might feel betrayed, wounded, and hurt, causing us to build walls around us.

There were times when I could be surrounded by people, even in a small group, and still feel alone; I would have my barriers up, protecting myself from getting hurt. Despite being in the presence of others, I felt isolated. But when those barriers finally came down and my wounds from my father and from betrayal were healed, suddenly I was free to be myself. I no longer had to compare myself to anyone else. I could embrace vulnerability, be open, and freely share.

Now I know that other people’s opinions and judgments do not define me: it is what God says about me that matters. I know how deeply He loves me. I know the beautiful things He has spoken over my life and the revelations He has given me. That is how I measure my worth and purpose.

So, let others say whatever they want, positive or negative, neither have any effect on me. I have learned to forgive and release people, especially when they are acting hurtfully. My identity and confidence come solely from God, my Heavenly Father, who has lovingly shaped me into who I am today.

So here is what I urge you to do: allow God to uncover any unresolved areas in your life. Maybe there are still some lingering scars that need healing and restoration. God cares for you more than you care about yourself, more than anyone else could possibly care about you.

He also wants to help you and to fulfil every need you have. He put those needs for acceptance, approval, affirmation, and significance in you because He wants to meet them. So if you are trying to find fulfilment for them from your spouse, friends, children, or anyone else, they will never be able to give you what God can give you. If you are seeking fulfilment elsewhere, you are looking in the wrong place.

Let Him reveal who you truly are and show you where you came from. Let Him take you back to that wonderful place of security within His embrace, where you can truly shine and understand your purpose in life. But beware: do not rush into chasing your purpose without truly knowing who you are. Otherwise, you can easily fall into the trap of striving and trying to discover your purpose through endless activity.

These are deep questions we all face. Take some time to let these things sink in. Find somewhere quiet where you are or go for a walk if you prefer. Give yourself that space now to ask the important questions: is there anything still unresolved in my relationship with God as Father, or in my relationships with my earthly father or others?

Key Takeaway

Do not rush into chasing your purpose, without truly knowing who you are.

Into the Dark Cloud is out in print today, and can be ordered from all good booksellers worldwide. Or you can get the ebook delivered instantly right now!

 

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309. Experience love – and be free!

Mike Parsons reads from his latest book, ‘Into the Dark Cloud’.

Engaging in love, joy and peace within the eternal heart of God has transformed my entire life. God has challenged my understanding of who He is, my mindset and my beliefs about Him. He has shown me love, love, and more love in ways I could never have imagined.

At this point, all I desire is a deep relationship with Him.
The way I look at and engage with the world has changed as a result of that.

I am beginning to experience what it means to live loved. It changes everything. Life takes on a whole new perspective: I do not feel obliged or bound by anything, I am free to be myself within the context of a loving relationship with my Father.

God is love, and He wants me to experience that love and be free within it.
Because of that, I can live a life filled with love and demonstrate that love to others. After all, “God so loved the world that He gave…” and Jesus told us to love one another just as He loved us.

In order to do that, we must be able to receive love ourselves. How can we love, if we have not received His love? It would be superficial, limited to a mere physical or emotional affection. But God desires to take us deeper into a love that surpasses that between friends, romantic partners or spouses,
into agape love, unconditional love. To love in such a way, we must first receive it ourselves. That is why God wants us to receive and experience His love.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).

This Word, Jesus, came to reveal love to us. In His earthly life He fully expressed the image of the Father. He even said, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.”

So, what do we think God is like?
Do we see Him as being like Jesus?
Or as a distant figure from the Old Testament?

It can be confusing to have a divided perception of God, as if He were somehow two-faced, so that we could never be sure which face we would encounter. My view of God used to be more aligned with an old covenant perspective; but Jesus was awesome, so I focused mostly on Him.

But there is no difference between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in their nature of love. They are all expressions of love, and they want us to experience that love.

Into the Dark Cloud is out in print on 14th February, but you can get the ebook – suitable for kindle – delivered instantly today!

Key Takeaway

God is love, and He wants you to experience that love and be free within it.

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308. Energy Systems Within Our Being

Mike Parsons

I wouldn’t want to deny the ‘righteous real’ of the energy gates within our being.

We have a blood system, a nervous system, a lymphatic system—systems that the body was created with, or has now, even if not in the original creation. I have no problem with there being an energy system, energy Gates within the core of our being—rivers of living water flowing from our innermost being. I’ve learned to activate those energy gates, and the abilities that God created us to have as sons of God, made in His image and likeness. So I have no issue with any of that. But it’s when it gets mixed with Eastern mythology and religion that the problem arises.

Of course, they believe in a kundalini spirit, a serpent-like energy that rests within the coils of the human spine and all of this stuff. They believe that through spiritual techniques, this energy stretches out and awakens to an awareness, leading to out-of-body experiences, physical sensations, hallucinations, and more. Some associate demonic oppression with the Kundalini, referring to it as a demonic entity linked to spiritual experiences. They criticise the charismatic movement for manifestations like holy laughter, drunkenness in the spirit, and being slain in the spirit, attributing these to the Kundalini Spirit. Others connect the Kundalini spirit with yoga, Eastern mysticism, Buddhist meditation, acupuncture, and similar practices.

While some of these things are neutral, I personally wouldn’t engage in practices like yoga or Eastern mysticism because I can engage with God without resorting to those methods. There’s a mixture of different views out there, some from Christians arguing against other Christians, warning about ‘new age’ practices. Just because these practices are associated with energy, chakras, or similar concepts doesn’t negate the possibility of a true reality, which is what I believe I’ve discovered.

God took me on a journey to understand that I am spirit, soul, and body—a unified being, whole. In my spirit, connected to heaven, flows the River of Life. At the core of my being, there’s an energy centre often described as the Merkabah, linking spirit, soul, body — and heaven. It’s a portal for travel and communication within me. I can be one with Heaven and Earth, and one with spirit, soul and body. Spirit, soul, and body are connected at the core of my being; the River of Life flows, energised through the Merkabah, focused into different energy gates.

I’ve activated these energy gates as needed—for creativity, discernment, and so on—learning to function in an energised state, doing what I see the Father doing. I don’t need more energy than necessary; I never run out because I have all I need for my designed purpose. I’ve lived through periods without needing food or sleep, drawing from a different energy source, but I also appreciate normal natural activities like eating and sleeping.

I live with a conscious awareness that I am energised and equipped for my calling. It’s become part of my unconscious, like breathing. However, the association of these concepts with Hinduism and other religions, and their terminology, can be a distraction. I don’t have a serpent or python spirit; I only have the Holy Spirit and my spirit working together. I’ve had out-of-body experiences, physical sensations, and visions, but not through Eastern practices. Some experiences, like laughter and drunkenness in the spirit, may be criticised and labelled as a Kundalini spirit, but I see them as positive, even if they never came close to what I now experience in encountering God face to face. They are no longer necessary as we grow in maturity.

God does such things to get our attention and draw us back to intimacy. Bob Jones prophesied about ‘Joel’s bartender’, emphasising the pouring out of the spirit to bring attention to intimacy.

We can live in a state of peace and rest, not needing external manifestations.

So, while I wouldn’t be afraid of it, I also wouldn’t choose to engage in Eastern mysticism, because I don’t need to. Instead, I believe in focusing on our relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit in intimacy.

Key takeaway

Don’t be fearful of Eastern mysticism, but you do not need to engage in it: focus on your relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit in intimacy.

 

306. Reflecting on My Journey with God

Mike Parsons

Reflecting on my personal journey, I found immense joy in being led by God rather than following a rigid set of practices. It wasn’t about ticking off tasks but allowing my senses to be trained, within the relationship I shared with God. If I were to offer advice, I would suggest a less systematic and more relational approach, emphasising the importance of being led, enjoying the journey, and avoiding unnecessary stress.

Our journey with God isn’t a duty; it’s a dynamic relationship. Whilst the Engaging God programme can be a useful guide, it’s showcasing possibilities rather than dictating a routine. I wouldn’t change my journey, as it uniquely unfolded based on my relational connection with God. However, I’ve added basic meditation and rest at the beginning of each day to enhance the experience of simply being, not doing.

It’s about enjoying the journey, and I encourage others to be led by what resonates with them rather than adhering strictly to a predetermined order. Following God’s guidance is paramount, since every individual is at a different stage in their journey. I stress the importance of being led to what personally resonates, acknowledging that everyone’s path is unique. One size definitely does not fit all, and that’s perfectly fine.

Key takeaway

Approaching the journey from a place of rest, enjoying the process rather than fixating on the destination, leads to the unfolding of identity and the revelation of destiny through a deep and relational connection with God.

Recent posts from Freedom ARC

304. Wrath is not the solution (PSA [2])
303. The Nature of God’s Love
302. Practice, practice, practice…
301. Trauma Response | How memories can control our emotions
Into the Dark Cloud
300. Be Transformed Through Intimacy. 
299. PSA Sounds Nothing Like Jesus! (Penal Substitutionary Atonement [1])

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Thank you!
Note: This donation is securely handled through PayPal but you do not need to have a PayPal account yourself to make a one-time donation.
For repeating donations, if you do not have (or want) a PayPal account please support us through Patreon instead.

301. Trauma Response | How memories can control our emotions

Mike Parsons

Emotions are a good servant and a bad master. The negative reactions we experience are often triggered by mindsets or neural pathways connected to memories. Predicting and controlling emotional responses can be difficult, but the restoration and healing of memories can lead to wholeness. Recognising our triggers and negative reactions is the first step, and in the Engaging God programme, I set out a process called Trauma to Transformation, exploring the roots of trauma with Jesus and the Father for healing.

When trauma surfaces, it provides an opportunity to explore its roots and understand why triggers occur for us. Walking through these memories with Jesus and the Father is a healing process, replacing neural pathways associated with trauma with pathways to the truth. This structured approach takes time but reduces the likelihood of repeated triggering. Meanwhile, in moments of overwhelming emotions, avoid condemnation or guilt. Turn to the Father, quickly re-centre yourself, and practise deep breathing to regain control until you can address the entire dynamic.

God wants to separate our soul and spirit, in order to properly reintegrate them. Our spirit does not need purifying as it has never been polluted; however, things we have done or had done to us can negatively impact our soul. When I go to sleep at night, I lie down in green pastures by quiet waters. I ask the Father to restore my soul, trusting Him as the Shepherd of my soul. I present myself as a living sacrifice, continually surrendered for Him to do whatever He wishes, and I respond when He reveals something. In this way, triggers can be dealt with, as the Father reveals their roots.

Several years ago, I faced an unexpectedly intense emotional response, which the Father revealed as stemming from childhood trauma from which I had completely dissociated. Rather than succumbing to the darkness, I chose to focus on finding peace and rest in the Father’s love. It took a few months, but over time He revealed and addressed the root cause and brought healing.

The sacrifice does not prepare itself; the high priest does. I offer myself to God daily, allowing Him to do as He pleases. I maintain my focus on Him, without pressuring Him to address my issues. I trust His guidance and surrender everything to Him, relying on His provision to renew my mind, heal my emotions, and restore me completely.

Key takeaway:

Focus on God, and allow Him to lead and guide the process. Trust in His love and provision for complete renewal in spirit, soul, and body.

Recent posts from Freedom ARC

300. Be Transformed Through Intimacy. 
299. PSA Sounds Nothing Like Jesus! (Penal Substitutionary Atonement [1])
298. Revealing the Function of the Earth Shield
297. Most people don’t want to know God – and I wouldn’t either!
290. Discovering the Reality of Salvation

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Thank you!Note: This donation is securely handled through PayPal but you do not need to have a PayPal account yourself to make a one-time donation.
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299. PSA Sounds Nothing Like Jesus! (Penal Substitutionary Atonement [1])

Mike Parsons

Penal substitutionary atonement refers to the doctrine that Christ died on the cross as a substitute for sinners. God imputed the guilt of our sins to Christ, and he, in our place, bore the punishment that we deserve (Theopedia).

Penal Substitutionary Atonement (PSA) Theory faces a significant challenge when we consider it in the light of Jesus’ life and teachings. There is a stark disparity between PSA and the person of Jesus, who is the incarnation of God and the very image of the Father. PSA appears to align with the Old Testament perception of God from a Hebrew standpoint rather than embracing the New Testament revelation embodied by Jesus.

PSA’s assertion that God cannot be in the presence of sin (due to His holiness) may resonate with evangelical doctrine. But in that case, none of us could be in God’s presence and He would not be able to even look at us. The idea that God turns His back on the world is nonsensical. And if God could not be in the presence of sin, then surely Jesus could not be either? And yet He spent time around prostitutes, tax collectors and sinners!

PSA also says that God cannot forgive sin without some form of punishment, contradicting Jesus’ consistent demonstration of unconditional forgiveness. Even on the cross, when He was undergoing punishment (by men, not by God) Jesus forgave without demanding punishment for anyone: “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” PSA argues that God’s standard of justice is higher than ours and demands payment. In reality, it is we who demand payment, in the religious systems we have created.

Jesus challenged prevailing Hebrew notions of justice rooted in violence and retribution. He urged a shift from an “eye for an eye” mentality to a radical perspective of love, turning the other cheek and extending kindness to enemies. Genuine forgiveness harbours no resentment against enemies; and God, in His mercy, holds nothing against mankind. Let us allow the discrepancy between PSA and Jesus’ person and teachings to prompt a critical re-evaluation of our theological perspectives, to ensure we are aligning with the profound love and forgiveness exemplified by Jesus, even if this challenges the preconceived notions deeply ingrained in our theological traditions.

To be continued…
This is intended to be an occasional series on PSA theory.
The video above is taken from a longer one already available on YouTube:

Discover the Chariot of Ascension | Unconditional Love (18)

H/T Bryan Finley

Key takeaway

Love and forgiveness: God, in His mercy, holds nothing against us – and never has. Let’s ensure we are aligning with His profound love and forgiveness as exemplified by Jesus, even if this challenges our preconceived religious notions.

Recent posts from Freedom ARC

298. Revealing the Function of the Earth Shield
297. Most people don’t want to know God – and I wouldn’t either!
296. A New Perspective on the Millennium (2)
295. A New Perspective on the Millennium (1)
290. Discovering the Reality of Salvation

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Our Patreon patrons give a small amount each month and can join us for our monthly group Zooms, get exclusive or early access to Mike’s teaching and enjoy further patron-only benefits. Or you can use the blue button to support our work with one-time gift*.
Thank you!Note: This donation is securely handled through PayPal but you do not need to have a PayPal account yourself to make a one-time donation.
For repeating donations, if you do not have (or want) a PayPal account please support us through Patreon instead.

292 Is God Shocking People into Embracing Love?

Mike Parsons

We have to be careful to ensure that what may seem like disorder or hardship is not part of God’s plan to bring about a realisation that the world has moved away from the loving values that He espouses. Timing is important when it comes to heavenly legislation, as the apparent issues can help people recognise that their way of life and the systems they depend on may not align with God’s values. This awakening relates to wider political and financial situations, as well as individuals’ lives. It leads to questions about genuine happiness and success.

Occasionally, when systems and personal lives collapse, people are forced to search for better outcomes. During struggles on a local or global level, conscience and God can prompt individuals to look past their current circumstances. Trying to make a nation “great again” (whether America or ‘Great’ Britain) is flawed because true greatness comes from reflecting God’s love, not from human strength or pride. The pandemic revealed the deceptive nature of previous beliefs about life and relationships. Instead of asking for a return to the old ways, we should pray for the ongoing outworking of the awakening. This will help people fully grasp the truth and emerge from the darkness of deception. Sometimes, darkness makes light more visible and effective, leading to a positive transformation.

Obviously we would not want the world to be in chaos and anarchy, but sometimes it is only terrible things that can shock people out of their existing mindsets and beliefs systems to enter into something better.

Key Takeaway

Collapse as Catalyst for Change: In moments of system breakdowns or personal crises, people are compelled to look beyond their immediate circumstances. Sometimes only severe disruptions can jolt people out of existing mindsets.

Recent posts from Freedom ARC

291. Can Yoga be ‘Christian’?
290. Discovering the Reality of Salvation
289. One New Man In Christ
288. Enoch’s Secret to Walking with God
287. Unconditional Love, Grace, and the truth about salvation

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Thank you!

Note: This donation is securely handled through PayPal but you do not need to have a PayPal account yourself to make a one-time donation.
For repeating donations, if you do not have (or want) a PayPal account please support us through Patreon instead.

291. Can Yoga be ‘Christian’?

Mike Parsons

This is a question someone asked me in an online mentoring session: “Can yoga be Christian?”

We would do well to ask God for guidance and discernment, and to look at the heart and motive of the person doing yoga or any sort of healing.

Seeking the guidance of the Father and discerning the frequency of truth through spending time with Him is crucial. While some argue there is a ‘righteous real’ that is counterfeited by various practices, the key is understanding the heart and philosophy behind it. If someone approaches yoga as a stretching exercise or a means of finding a quiet place from a Christian perspective, it may not be inherently wrong. Checking the practitioner’s motives, philosophy, and whether they align with Christian beliefs is essential.

Meditation also is itself neutral, but can be positive or dangerous based on whether it invites positive focus or an open mind. Questioning practitioners about their perspective is a sensible precaution – but beware of dismissing anything based solely on others’ opinions of it. Asking questions and seeking peace and rest through personal discernment is key.

Key Takeaway

Don’t just believe what I say – or what anyone else  says – develop a relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit in which you can ask and receive revelation for yourself.

Recent posts from Freedom ARC

290. Discovering the Reality of Salvation
289. One New Man In Christ
288. Enoch’s Secret to Walking with God
287. Unconditional Love, Grace, and the truth about salvation

 

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Our Patreon patrons give a small amount each month and can join us for our monthly group Zooms, get exclusive or early access to Mike’s teaching and enjoy further patron-only benefits. Or you can use the blue button to support our work with one-time gift*.
Thank you!

Note: This donation is securely handled through PayPal but you do not need to have a PayPal account yourself to make a one-time donation.
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287. Unconditional Love, Grace, and the truth about salvation

Mike Parsons
with Jeremy Westcott

In a world where what passes for ‘love’ often comes with strings attached, showing unconditional love can make a real impact. A while ago, someone sent me a link to a testimony that highlights the incredible result of demonstrating unconditional love in a real-world setting.

In a radio interview, Riaan Swiegelaar, the co-founder of the South African Satanic Church, said he did not believe that Jesus Christ existed. Afterwards, a lady from the radio station went up to him and just gave him a hug. He did not know it at the time, but she was a Christian. A week later, while he was doing a ritual with the SASC council, Jesus appeared before him. Riaan  challenged Him to prove He was Jesus, and was flooded with the most beautiful love and energy, which he recognised from the hug he had received the week before.

Now Riaan has a relationship with Jesus, converses with Him every day, and has resigned from his position in the Satanic Church. “I have for a long time believed that I am not worthy of God’s grace because I am gay. But the Kingdom of God is not a gated community, the kingdom of God is open to everybody,” he says.

Unconditional love has the power to break down barriers and transform even the most hardened hearts. Sadly, some reaction to this story has not been so accepting: Did he truly repent? Did he actually confess? Is he really a believer? Is he ‘saved’?

Grace and works

Most of us would agree that salvation is not dependent on our works, but on the unconditional love and limitless grace of God. Yet the evangelical view of salvation I was brought up with is not grace-based at all, however much it claims to be: it requires our works. You have to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth to be saved. I tried to believe and confess but I was never sure it was good enough to please God.

We have had it the wrong way around: in reality, believing is the consequence of our experiencing God’s love and grace. Evangelical theology makes forgiveness and salvation totally dependent on what man does. But all man’s religious works are dead: they can produce no life independently of God’s grace.

Reframing Confession

Another religious misconception is the idea that we must confess our sins in order to be forgiven. Jesus did not wait for those who were crucifying Him to be sorry or ‘confess’ their sin: He asked the Father to forgive them. He had taught His disciples the importance of forgiving from the heart and now He demonstrated it for them.

This understanding of ‘confession’ is heavily influenced by Catholic doctrine and can leave us feeling sin-conscious and burdened by guilt. However, the true meaning of ‘confession’ is not dwelling on our wrongdoings, but declaring and agreeing with what God says about us. We confess our righteousness, our forgiveness, and our new identity in Christ, rather than confessing our unrighteousness as perpetual sinners. Understanding this truth releases us from the cycle of guilt and allows us to fully embrace the forgiveness and grace which is lavished upon us.

Licence to sin?

Critics of limitless grace argue that it gives us the licence to sin, suggesting that if we are forgiven regardless of our actions, then we can just go ahead and do whatever we want. This is a misunderstanding of the purpose and power of grace. It is not a free pass to continue living according to our old nature: no, instead it is receiving God’s grace that enables us to walk in the freedom of our new nature. And sin, in its true definition, refers to lost identity, not wrong actions. Wrong actions do carry consequences, but they are not God’s punishment. Jesus has already defeated sin and its wages (which Paul says are death – not eternal torment), so His mercy always triumphs and His grace is always sufficient.

Metanoia, not repentance

We have seen before how ‘repentance’ (Greek metanoia) is often portrayed as remorse, with its accompanying guilt and shame, and doing penance. However, the true essence of metanoia is about returning to our true identity and restoring our relationship with the  Father. It is a transformative change of mind that aligns us with how God sees us and enables us to live in the fullness of who we were created to be. Rather than attempting to change our behaviour to earn acceptance, metanoia invites us to agree with God’s mind and embrace the truth of our identity as forgiven, righteous children of God. This shift in perspective empowers us to live a life that reflects our true nature in Christ.

Living loved is accepting the truth of being unconditionally forgiven,  celebrating it in joy and rejoicing in love. If we live in the truth that we are loved and forgiven unconditionally, we do not have to fear admitting we sometimes mess up, as we are still having our minds renewed. We can be real with the Father if we are struggling with something. We do not have to run away in fear and hide from our Father as Adam did, we can run to Him. We can come boldly to the throne of grace and receive limitless grace and triumphant mercy. We are only alienated in our own minds – that is why we need deep religious deprogramming.

Life-changing power

Riaan Swiegelaar’s transformation from a leader of the Satanic Church to a follower of Jesus serves as a powerful testament to the life-changing power of unconditional love. It is through God’s grace, not our works, that we are saved. Understanding the true meaning of confession, repentance, and grace liberates us from guilt and empowers us to live in the fullness of who we are in Christ.

Let’s embrace the truth of God’s unconditional love, extend it to others, and live in the freedom and joy of our salvation.

You can watch Riaan’s testimony and a sequel on YouTube.

Each of this series of blog posts is adapted from Mike’s latest FREE video series on ‘Unconditional Love’.
Why not become a patron and join us live for the next recording – they are normally on the second Sunday of each month at 6pm UK time.

Recent and related posts

286. Unconditional Love in Action

Mike Parsons
with Jeremy Westcott

Two Covenants

We live in a new age, in a New Covenant that Jesus made with the Father. We and all mankind are included in it. Jesus warned his disciples of the religious and political spirit that would be like leaven, yet my experience, through the churches and movements in which I have been involved, is that our understanding of the New Covenant has invariably been tainted with Old Covenant concepts.

Unconditional love requires absolutely no sacrifices or offerings but an Old Covenant mindset always requires something: it requires our obedience, our obligation, our duty – which are all dead works and none of them have any value whatsoever before God. The Father does not require them (and actually He never did, which may be a shock to a lot of people. I will come back to that!).

Operating under an Old Covenant works-based performance-orientated mindset towards God will wear us out; we will never be at rest if we think we have to earn His love and favour. There is no guilt, shame or condemnation within unconditional love: they are just religious concepts which will keep us coming back for more religion.

Foundations

The book of Hebrews is almost entirely about the differences between the two covenants. It was written to people who were so accustomed to the Old Covenant ways of thinking that they were in danger of missing out on the benefits of the New. And Hebrews 6:1-2 are very misunderstood verses. I totally misunderstood them for most of my life and taught the concepts they contain as foundations of the New Covenant.

What that passage actually says is this:

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1-2).

So the Old Covenant was immature, and the New Covenant will bring us to maturity, but only if we don’t lay another Old Covenant foundation. What is that Old Covenant foundation? Repentance from dead works, faith towards God, instructions about washings (baptisms), laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. All those things are Old Covenant understandings and mindsets which have nothing to do with the New Covenant. And yet most of those things are what we habitually teach: repentance, faith, baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection and judgment. Those subjects are part of most churches’ foundation courses (they were certainly the basis of ours).

So when I used to read Hebrews 6:1-2, I just thought the writer was enumerating the elementary principles of Jesus that we needed to lay – but in reality they were exactly the opposite of that. Now I realise that these were the very foundations that the writer advises us not to lay again in the New Covenant! It is so important that we do not mix covenants by embracing Old Covenant understandings. Let’s not lay that Old Covenant foundation in the New Covenant: the only foundation of the new covenant is love.

The completeness of the fulfilled promise

Look at the passage again in the Mirror Bible:

Consequently, as difficult as it may seem, you ought to divorce yourselves from sentimental attachment to the pre-figuring doctrine of the Messiah, which was designed to carry us like a vessel over the ocean of prophetic dispensation into the completeness of the fulfilled promise. A mind shift from attempts to impress God by your behaviour to faith righteousness in Christ is fundamental. There is no life left in the old system: it is dead and gone – you have to move on. All the Jewish teachings about ceremonial washings (baptisms), laying on of hands (in order to identify with the slain animal as a sacrifice) and all teachings pertaining to a sin consciousness, including the final resurrection of the dead in order to face judgment, are no longer relevant. [All of these types and shadows were concluded and fulfilled in Christ, their living substance. His resurrection bears testimony to the judgment that he faced on humanity’s behalf and the freedom from an obstructive consciousness of sin that he now proclaims.] (Hebrews 6:1-2 Mirror).

‘The completeness of the fulfilled promise’ – that is Jesus. He is the fulfilment of every promise and covenant: everything is fulfilled in him. He is the conclusion, the completeness of everything that God said, to bring us into the reality of that today. And yet for most of my life I unknowingly tried to live in that same Old Covenant system by doing the very things that I should have left behind. If only the children of God, right throughout the world, would come into a revelation of this reality: that we would not have a sin consciousness but a righteousness consciousness instead!

The Law of Moses

Every church I have ever been in has always focused on sin. But we know that the more we try not to do something, the harder it is not to do it. That is why the Law was ineffective. It is impossible to keep the Law: Jesus made that very clear. And if you failed in one thing, you failed in it all. From the very beginning of the birth of the church, the religious spirit, operating in the Judaizers, tried to get believers back under the Law of Moses (and is still pursuing the same agenda today). But as I mentioned earlier, the whole Old Covenant system of sacrifices and offerings associated with the Law, which was instituted by Moses, was never God’s idea.

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17).

“What are your many sacrifices to Me?” says the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle; and I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.” (Isaiah 1:11).

For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. (Jeremiah 7:22).

If God accepted their sacrifices and offerings, and if He accepts ours, it is only because He accepts us!

And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant which I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put My laws upon their hearts, and write them on their mind,” He then says, “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will no longer remember.” Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required. (Hebrews 10:15-18).

The Mirror Bible again:

So when Jesus, the Messiah, arrives as the fulfilment of all the types and shadows, he quotes Psalm 40:6-8, and says, “In sacrifices and offerings God takes no pleasure; but you have ordained my incarnation! None of the prescribed offerings and sacrifices, including burnt offerings and sin offerings were your request…”
Having said what he did in the above quote, that the prescribed offerings and sacrifices were neither his desire nor delight, he condemned the entire sacrificial system upheld by the law. (These only served to sustain a sin-consciousness and was of no redemptive benefit to anyone.)
Also by saying, “I am commissioned to fulfil your will,” he announces the final closure of the first in order to introduce the second. (Grace replaces the law; innocence supersedes sin-consciousness.) (Hebrews 10:5-6, 8-9).

Mankind is declared innocent. You are innocent. Let that sink in.

The verdict of the judge, in light of the victory of Jesus through the cross, is that all mankind is innocent, not guilty, justified and righteous. That is unconditional love in action; and that is God in action. The cross was an amazing love transaction that dealt with the legal consequences of mankind’s lost identity. Jesus conquered sin and death with love. Love released full and total, unconditional forgiveness.

Forgiveness is as unconditional as love; no works are required.

Each of this series of blog posts is adapted from Mike’s latest FREE video series on ‘Unconditional Love’.
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