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I am a pastor and a clinical psychotherapist. My life's passion is defining healthiness from a human perspective and paralleling it to the holiness of God, divine perspective. Shifting perspectives creates a paradigm that is alongside of rather than over and against. The parakalein of God and the paradoxes of humanity are redefined. Humanity is all about winning and yet we are losing ground everywhere. Divinity is all about letting go of the desire to win and the fear of loss. The Divine embraces the world with loving care regardless of anything.

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What Price Eternal Life

Posted by Don Paine

When the rich man asked Jesus "Good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

He got a comment: "Why do you call me good there is none good except God" and an answer:  "Keep the commandments".

His response was I have been a good boy keeping all the commandments till now.

Really, do any of us think we are that good.  The audacity to believe that I am that good is not so good, honest or humble.  Did he really believe that about himself.  Notice, God did not debate that issue but went to a deeper issue.

Jesus said, so be willing to sacrifice all that you have and give to the poor and then come and follow me then you will have riches in heaven!".  The man went away very sad as he had much riches.  He was sad that the part of him that did not want to give up what he had was greater than the part that wanted eternal life.

Was Jesus saying if you keep the commandments you will have eternal life or if you give up all and follow him you will have eternal life or something more?

Jesus, himself, was willing to give up al the riches of heaven and come to earth to live among us and die for us to teach us how to live free of the fear of death or the holding on to things.  Following his example of "willing to give up everything" to transform us form people who try to hold on to things to people who let go of all things so that the life that is everlasting can live in us here and now.

What seems to be "no where" on earth that is a place of heaven is "Now Here" when the Kingdom of God that is already within us is free of the things of earth that weigh us down.

The rich man went away sad because he was not willing to let go of what he had to discover who he was free of that weight.  You cannot buy eternal life, you cannot do enough to get eternal life you simply have to be glad regardless of anything and "eternal living is in you".


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