Publishing House DAS WORT

DAS WORT - the Publishing House in Universelles Leben

This is My Word
Alpha and Omega

The Gospel of Jesus.
The Christ Revelation, which
the world does not know.
John's Sermon of Penitence

CHAPTER 7

John's Sermon of Penitence

The significance of symbols and ceremonies (4).
The judgement: The law of sowing and reaping - Purification of the soul (10)

1. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Caesar Tiberius, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee (Caiaphas being the high priest and Annas the chief of the Sanhedrim), the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

2. And John came into the countryside on the Jordan and preached the baptism of penitence for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, to prepare Your way before You. It is the voice of one calling in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the holy One and level the paths for the anointed.

3. All valleys shall be filled in and all mountains and hills shall be levelled; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

4. John had his raiment of camel hair and a girdle of the same about his loins; and his food was the fruit of the locust tree and wild honey. And the people of Jerusalem and all of Judea and the region along the Jordan went to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan and confessed their sins. (Chap. 7:1-4)

I, Christ, explain, correct
and deepen the word:

Even in this report, man recognizes that God allows habits and customs which are not against the eternal, holy law. In this case it is baptism by water.

God leaves it up to His human children whether they still wish to keep water as a symbol of purification, until they are baptized with the Spirit of life.

However, the one who has developed love for God and for his neighbour is raised by the Spirit of God, that is, he is imbued with the Spirit of truth.

The one who is spiritually mature needs fewer and fewer symbols and ceremonies. He lives in the inner being, just as it is in heaven: pure. The pure one is filled with the Spirit of truth and imbued with the Spirit of life: He is thus baptized by the Spirit of God.

5. And he said to the people who came forth to be baptized by him, "O you disobedient generation! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath which will come? Bring forth therefore honest fruits of penitence and do not begin to say of yourselves: We have Abraham as father.

6. For I say to you: From these stones God can bring forth children for Abraham. And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees, and every tree which does not bring forth good fruits will be hewn down and cast into the fire.”

7. And the rich ones asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, "The one who has two coats shall give to him who has none; and the one who has food shall do likewise.”

8. Some tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Master, what shall we do?” And he said to them, "Do not demand more than what is prescribed to you, and be lenient, according to your discretion.”

9. The soldiers likewise asked him, "What shall we do?” And he said to them, "Do not do violence or injustice to anyone and be content with your wages.”

10. And to all he spoke, saying, "Keep yourselves from the blood of the strangled and from the carcasses of birds and animals and guard against all cruelty and all injustice. Do you think that the blood of animals and birds can wash away sin? I tell you: No! Speak the truth. Be just, be merciful to your neighbour and to all creatures that live, and walk humbly with your God.” (Chap. 7:5-10)

I, Christ, explain, correct
and deepen the word:

The word "wrath” means the judgement which will befall him who does not change in time: The one who disregards the divine law will suffer what he has sown. No person can flee from his own judgement, from the effects of his own causes. Only by his repenting, asking for forgiveness, forgiving and making amends - as long as this is still possible - can the soul be cleared from sin. The human being carries with himself what he has entered into his soul, light and shadow, until the latter is erased. At whatever time and in whichever place he is, he carries with him the shadows which he, himself, has entered into his soul - until these are erased.

The words, "And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees, and every tree which does not bring forth good fruits will be hewn down and cast into the fire” mean: Every cause not atoned for will have to be borne. The axe is the law of sowing and reaping. The tree is the human being who does not repent of his sins and does not make amends for what he has caused. The fire symbolizes the purification of the soul; it is the active effect of the deed which was committed and not atoned for, the cause.

The one who is able to grasp the meaning of what is written realizes that the soul and the person will become pure only when they recognize their mistakes and sins, repent, forgive, ask for forgiveness and atone - that is, when they make amends and no longer do the same or a similar thing.

Recognize: All of nature, the animals, plants and stones are God's garden, His work of creation. The one who disregards this commits a sin - and he will be confronted with his sins again and again until he recognizes, repents and atones. And if he sins no longer and keeps the commandments, he will live in Me, and I will live consciously through him.

The one who loves his neighbour selflessly will neither kill nor consume animals anymore. Such a person becomes pure in his soul, and the fruits which he brings forth will be the life in Me.

11. And the people were in expectation, and all thought in their heart and wondered whether John was the Christ or not. John answered, saying to them all, "I baptize you with water; but a mightier One will come after me, whose shoe-straps I am not worthy to loosen.

12. He will baptize you with water and with fire. In His hand is the shovel and He will cleanse His threshing floor and will gather the wheat into His barn; and He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.” And he said many other things to the people in his sermon of penitence. (Chap. 7:11-12)