Just the BOOK

Introduction

God’s WORD

“Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.”—Isaiah 40:21–23

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us…

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”—Acts 17:24–30

Unbiblical, but spiritual terms and concepts
One of the difficulties of defining “spiritual” terms and phrases that are not from the Bible is that in actuality one is trying to understand a foreign language. Since the words and concepts are not found in the kingdom of light, the full meanings and implications are not obvious and even obscured.

It would seem that the real problem is the underlying belief of other “spiritual” systems that say “we are divine,” part of “the All,” the “Ultimate Reality,” “the Absolute”, “the One,” etc., which is of course, part of the very first lie:
“…ye shall be as gods…”—Genesis 3:5

To those following the Kingdom of Darkness’ worldly wisdom which teaches that “we are divine,” the Bible is a “foreign language,” so there is no concept or comprehension that each person has a desperately wicked heart and that all people are in a terrible predicament, needing to be rescued from the god of this world, Satan. There is no understanding of a need for a Saviour. Why would you need a Saviour if you are divine?

As I mentioned in the last post, I will be discussing some word and concept definitions, as well as some people in the next few posts, to give some background information to the research I have been doing. Today’s post will
be some word definitions and some Bible verses. There is more research if you click on more at what seems to be the end of this post.

pantheism, panentheism, immanence, transcendence
These words are not in the Bible, but are concepts from a different belief system. These terms do not describe the God of the Bible, or His children, so whose kingdom are they really from?

pantheism
God is not the creator of the universe. He is the universe. God is everything and everything is God—everything is part of the Universal ALL of God; the Universe, or nature, and God are equivalent.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
—Genesis 1:1

“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”—Psalm 33:6

“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”—John 1:3

“And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”—Psalm 102:25–27 and Hebrews 1:10-12

panentheism
Panentheism is essentially a combination of theism (God is the supreme being) and pantheism (God is everything)…Panentheism claims that God is greater than the universe and that the universe is contained within God…God is everything in the universe, but God also is greater the universe. Events and changes in the universe effect and change God. As the universe grows and learns, God also increases in knowledge and being.—from gotquestions.org/panentheism.html

“For I am the LORD, I change not…”—Malachi 3:6

“… before me there was no God formed, neither shall there
be after me…”—Colossians 2:9

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
—Hebrews 13:8

ancient panentheism
Most native Americans (except the Cherokee) were and still are largely panentheistic; thinking of God as both immanent in Creation and transcendent from it. Most South American peoples were largely panentheistic as well, as were ancient South East Asian cultures…”

Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism is polytheistic and panentheistic. Plotinus taught that there was an indescribable, transcendent God (The One) from which emanated the rest of the universe…In Neoplatonism the world itself is a God. Neoplatonists believed human perfection and happiness were attainable in this world, and could be achieved through philosophical contemplation.

immanence
Immanence, is from Latin, “to remain within” and refers to philosophical and metaphysical theories that the divine exists and acts within the mind or the world.

The immanence of God in the world is the basic feature of pantheism. Among the most important philosophies using the concept of immanence are Stoicism and the systems of Giordano Bruno and Spinoza (who I will discuss at a later time).

Divine Immanence
Divine immanence…in its extreme form is Pantheism, in which God and the world are virtually identical.

Recap of Panentheism, Pantheism, Immanence
God in everything is immanence/panentheism. Everything is God is Pantheism. The belief is that you are God. The Bible does not teach this. Only Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”—John 1:1

“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
—John 1:18

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;”—Colossians 1:19

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;”—Colossians 2:9

transcend
Transcend is from the Latin transcendere which means to climb over or to exist above and independent of; to rise above, surpass exceed.
—American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language c 1973

Transcend from the Hindu dictionary says: To go beyond one’s limitations, e.g., “to transcend one’s ego.” Philosophically, to go beyond the limits of this world… beyond time, form and space into the Absolute, the Self God.

Transcendental
Rising above common thought or ideas; mystical.
—American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language c 1973

trancendentalism
Belief or doctrine that knowledge of reality is derived from intuitive sources rather than objective experience.

transcendental meditation
Transcendental Meditation is in reality a form of pantheism. It does not teach the existence of one eternal, personal God, the Creator of the universe.

Albert Einstein Quote
The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend personal God and avoid dogma and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things natural and spiritual as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description. If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.—Albert Einstein

What the Bible says About God

“…O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind…Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever…”
—Psalm 104:1–9

“…The LORD our God is one LORD:”—Deuteronomy 6:4

“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”—Exodus 3:14

“The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth…”—Joshua 22:22

“God is not a man…”—Numbers 23:19

“God is a Spirit…”—John 4:23, 24

“For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:”—Deuteronomy 10:17

“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”—Psalm 115:3

God is Eternal and Wise

“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…”—Deuteronomy 33:27

“Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever…”—Psalm 45:6

“Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.”—Psalm 93:2

“…the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.”—Isaiah 40:28

“…King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God…”
—1 Timothy 1:17

God is Holy

“Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.”—Psalm 99:9

“…God, that cannot lie…”—Titus 1:2

“For our God is a consuming fire.”—Hebrews 12:29

God is Love

“… God is love…”—1 John 4:16

“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”—Psalm 86:15

“The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all…”
—Psalm 145:8, 9

“Now the God of hope…”—Romans 15:13

Jesus is God

“God…Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”—Hebrews 1:1–3

“I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour…therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.”
—Isaiah 43:10–12

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,”—Titus 3:4

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”—Revelation 22:13

Judge of the Universe

“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”—Psalm 7:11

“But ye are come…unto the city of the living God…to God the Judge of all…”—Hebrews 12:22, 23

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.”—Revelation 20:11

How People react when they see God

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

“Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”—Isaiah 6:1–5

What the Bible says about Worshipping God

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”—John 4:24

“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”—John 14:17

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”
—Romans 11:33–36

Part 2 inner eye, inward eye, all seeing eye, eyes of God

“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”—1 Corinthians 8:5, 6

pantheism
God is everything and everything is God, i.e. everything is part of the Universal ALL of God.

“…all material objects in the universe are pervaded with the infinite divine presence.—http://mb-soft.com/believe/text/immanenc.htm

Although it is said that the word “Pantheism” was coined by Irish writer John Toland in his 1705 work, Socinianism Truly Stated, by a Pantheist, the concept had been discussed as far back as the time of the philosophers of Ancient Greece…Toland was involved in at least one such society of pantheists: in 1717
he founded the Ancient Druid Order…

The term Panentheism was originally used by Karl Christian Friedrich Krause (1781-1832) in 1828, as a way to transcend the Theist—Pantheist dichotomy. (This system he called panentheism, a combination of theism and pantheism). “Panentheism” can also be traced back to Plato, the Neoplatonism of Plotinus, Meister Eckhart, and Giordano Bruno.  Fuller elaborations of panentheistic beliefs can be found in the development of German Idealism, starting with Immanuel Kant…as well as the Transcendentalism of Ralph Waldo Emerson….

God is in everything and everything is in God. The only difference between pantheism and panentheism is how God is in everything. This position of the panentheist is challenging to understand: Your outer personality is not God, but God is still in you as your true identity. This explains why mystics say, all is one. At the mystical level, they experience this God-force that seems to flow through everything and everybody. All creation has God in it as a living, vital presence. It is just hidden.—from A time of Departing by Ray Yungen.

Immanent and near at hand
“…Sufis interpret the Qur’anic parable of the Lamp as expressing the presence of God in the human heart as a light, illuminating the lamp of the body. In Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism the divine immanence is described ontologically: Ultimate Reality is the Self (Atman). In Buddhism the divine immanence is described psychologically: Essence of Mind or Suchness (Tathata) is realized by a mind dwelling in Perfect Wisdom and expressing a mind of enlightenment (bodhi), Dhamma nature or Buddha nature.

“Divine immanence [God in everything], on the other hand, is divinity here, near and now, inherent in the material stuff of life….It will also be here, right now, in me, in the earth, in this river and this rock, in excrement and roses alike.” Sue Monk Kidd, Dance of the Dissident Daughter, p. 160

transcendental meditation
Transcendental Meditation is in reality a form of pantheism. It does not teach the existence of one eternal, personal God, the Creator of the universe. It is part of the monist tradition in that it teaches belief in the essential oneness of all reality and therefore the possibility of man’s unity with the divine. The practice of T M itself leads the meditator toward the idolatry of selfworship because of the identification of the self with the higher “Self” of the creation. In short, T M promotes an experience involving the loss of one’s distinctive identity under the false pretense of a scientific techniques.

transcendence
In religion, transcendence is a condition or state of being that surpasses physical existence, and in one form is also independent of it.

Muslims
“Muslims share the belief in Allah’s transcendence…”

Sikhism
God, called Waheguru, is the central idea of the sikh faith… Ik Onkar, meaning “One God” is the phrase sikhs take upon themselves to pray upon. God is a transcendent being, without fear, without hate. He is the water, the air, and he is in our hearts.

Hinduism
Transcendence is described and viewed from a number of diverse perspectives within Hinduism and its multi-faceted scriptural metaphysics. Some traditions, …view transcendence as …God without attribute - indeed even without “god-ness”), transcendence being absolute. Other traditions…, view transcendence as God with attributes… the Absolute being a personal deity (Ishvara), such as Vishnu or Shiva.

Within the Bhagavad Gita, transcendence is described as a level of spiritual attainment, or state of being which is open to all spiritual aspirants (the goal of yoga practice) - the state at which one is no longer under the control of animalistic, base desires and is aware of a higher spiritual reality.

“When the yogī, by practice of yoga, disciplines his mental activities and becomes situated in transcendence — devoid of all material desires — he is said to be well established in yoga.” BG 6.18

Shiva
The images of Shiva vary significantly in their symbolism. The unclad body symbolizes the transcendental aspect of the Lord. Since most things reduce to ashes when burned, ashes symbolize the physical universe. The ashes on the unclad body of the Lord signify that Shiva is the source of the entire universe which emanates from Him, but He transcends the physical phenomena and is not affected by it.
The crescent moon… Since the Lord is the Eternal Reality, He is beyond time. Thus, the crescent moon is only one of His ornaments, and not an integral part of Him.

Baha’i Faith
Bahá’ís believe in a single, imperishable God, the creator of all things, including all the creatures and forces in the universe….though inaccessible directly, God is nevertheless seen as conscious of his creation, with a mind, will and purpose. Bahá’s believe that God expresses this will at all times and in many ways, including through a series of divine messengers referred to as Manifestations of God or sometimes divine educators.[3] In expressing God’s intent, these manifestations are seen to establish religion in the world. Bahá’í teachings state that God is too great for humans to fully comprehend, nor to create a complete and accurate image.[4]

Wicca and Neopaganism
The belief in Neopaganism generally recognises that the Divine (often called the Goddess and God, or, more simply, The Goddess) is both immanent and transcendent, constantly giving birth to, destroying, and rebirthing Itself. Physical reality is seen as one the Goddess’ many manifestations, including visions and experiences found in trance states, which are considered Her transcendent aspects… human beings are considered part of the Divine as a whole, and therefore carry the spark of divinity within them.

As I grounded myself in feminine spiritual experience, that fall I was initiated into my body in a deeper way. I came to know myself as an embodiment of Goddess…. Mystical awakening in all the great religious traditions, including Christianity, involves arriving at an experience of unity or nondualism. In Zen it’s known as samadhi…. Transcendence and immanence are not separate. The Divine is one. The dancer and all the dances are one…. The day of my awakening was the day I saw and knew I saw all things in God, and God in all things—Dance of the Dissident Daughter pp. 161-163

A second and perhaps more important concept agrees that behind the physical world lies a hidden reality, and we can interact and have a relationship with this hidden spiritual realm. Occult practitioners in every age and every country agree that all of creation is connected together and God is in all of creation–thus, all is God. These two definitions sum up occultism succinctly. The contemplative prayer movement conforms to these aspects of occultism to the letter.—Roger Oakland on Contemplative Prayer or Terror?
  
It is important to understand that Satan is not simply trying to draw people to the dark side of a good versus evil conflict. Actually, he is trying to eradicate the gap between himself and God, between good and evil, altogether. When we understand this approach it helps us see why Thomas Merton said everyone is already united with God* or why Jack Canfield said he felt God flowing through all things. All means all-nothing left out. Such reasoning implies that God has given His glory to all of creation; since Satan is part of creation, then he too shares in this glory, and thus is “like the Most High” (Isaiah 14) (ATOD, 2nd ed., p. 108).