”this is Elias, which was for to come” - Being Spiritual and Being Materialistic

 

Tokyo Sky-Tree Tower

Being Spiritual and Being Materialistic  

The difference between spiritual matters and material matters was emphasized by Christ Jesus, although people living in the material world could not simply understand spiritual matters:

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3)

In other word, a man who was born and has been living in this material world should learn spiritual matters and change his mind from material-oriented to spiritual-oriented one.  

Otherwise, this teaching of Christ Jesus is thought to mention metempsychosis or a cycle of life and death.  After physical death in this world, a man or his soul should be born in the spirit world as a spirit.  Then, his spirit may be allowed to enter Heaven or the kingdom of the God.  But, if it cannot enter Heaven, it must be born again in the human world.  And what human body a soul will enter is only known by the God.    

But, who is the one who was born of flesh?  Such a man should have been born without linkage with the spirit world.  He should not believe any spiritual matters and cannot understand the words of Christ Jesus in spiritual meaning.  

However, while living in this world, a materialistic man can become a new man who is spiritual by learning and believing words of Christ Jesus and spiritual truth.  Indeed, it is said that words of Christ Jesus are water of life.     　

Therefore a man who has become spiritual by believing in the words of Christ Jesus is closer to the kingdom of the God than a materialistic man who believes only power of money and values of materials, seeking material happiness.  

Finally we have to be spiritually born again leaving material desire behind while living in this world before going into the spirit world after physical death.  Anyway, being spiritual must be very different from being materialistic like between a living man and a dead man.     

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Matthew 11, King James Version
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

"No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever" - Be Poor as Much as Possible

 

Around Tokyo

Be Poor as Much as Possible

What is the most important word of Christ Jesus?  It is simple: 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God (Mark 10).

No other founders of any religion clearly stated hatred to the rich as the above word of Christ Jesus.  It is indeed recommendation to be poor, which is so revolutionary that is against the commonsense in this human world of seeking money or praising the rich.  But, Christianity based on words of Christ Jesus has survived these 2,000 years, although the movement of pursuing poverty has not yet prevailed in the human world.    

The core of Christianity is to pursue poverty but not money and wealth.  It seems absurd in this human world where money is believed to have power to make a man happy.  Indeed, people think that unhappiness in this world comes from poverty.  To solve any human problems needs money, or money can solve any problems in the human world.  So, people envy or praise the rich.  But, Christ Jesus clearly stated that the rich could not enter Heaven or "the kingdom of God."   

To understand true meaning of this word of Christ Jesus should mean to learn Christianity.  And, Christ Jesus gave the answer or truth that men should take either of the God or money.  It means that money is another form of Satan.

However, this material civilization is based on wealth, which means our civilization has been driven by human desire used by Satan in its defiance against the God.  Satan induces men to acquire money and more money by selling their souls to Satan.  And, souls of such men would be those of Satan.  Accordingly, the rich men go to the hells.

Therefore, the Gospels are books telling people to enter Heaven through poverty, since material wealth or civilization based on Satan's machinations should finally collapse to make men distressed and despair.  

So, if you have no goal in your life, you had better follow Christ Jesus and try to be poor as much as possible to see how the Holy Spirit sent by the God would help you become spiritually happy.  This is an interpretation of the original Christianity. 

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Mark 11, King James Version
12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.