Most popular
The Bible and Spiritual Experience – How God’s Word Confirms the Truth
Introduction: The Word and Experience
Throughout the centuries, the Bible has been a source of comfort, guidance, and wisdom. Yet just as important as the written word is the spiritual experience each of us carries. God continually reminds us that love is the key. When we open ourselves to God, we come to understand that the words of the Bible are not always to be taken literally. Rather, they must be seen in the light of love, and whatever does not resonate with love can be set aside.
It is important to recognize that the Bible is a human product, written by people inspired by God. Some carried the Holy Spirit within them, while others wrote copies of the insights of others. Still, human ego has sometimes colored the message. That is why we must learn to read with love as our measure, in order to find the truth in God’s word.
Love as the Key to Interpretation
When Jesus says that the whole law and the prophets rest on love for God and neighbor, he reminds us that everything we do must flow from love. The commandments have their place, but those who live in love do not need them. In the absence of love, people need rules to lean on. But with love, the commandments are naturally fulfilled, without compulsion.
Therefore, when we read the Bible, we should always ask ourselves: is this love? To judge or punish others is not love. Thus we can know that such words are not from God, but from human voices shaped by time and culture. This is how we learn to distinguish God’s word from human ego.
The Necessity of Experience
God could have given us all insight from the beginning. Yet experience is an irreplaceable path to understanding. Just as a child warned not to touch a flame must still experience its heat in order to truly understand, so too does the soul need experience. Documentaries, books, or stories can provide knowledge, but true understanding arises only when we live it ourselves.
That is why we as souls have chosen to experience life on earth. Before we were born, much of our journey was planned. Yet free will allows us to take other paths. Sometimes we choose them ourselves, other times we are influenced by the choices of others. Thus long detours arise. But even these are part of learning, and God reminds us that it is worth it.
The Meaning of the Long Detours
Free will is sacred. It can lead us astray, but it also gives us the opportunity to choose love authentically. When we take detours, it may seem as though time is lost, but the experience we carry with us is never in vain. Jesus came to shorten these detours. He came to remind us that love is the key, and that the truth will set us free.
Truth frees us because it saves us time. When we base our choices on truth, we reduce the chance of going astray. Lies, even the small ones, create chains of consequences. After this life, we will experience it all again through God’s loving eyes. Not as punishment, but as learning. Yet the remorse may feel heavy, because we see what our choices caused others.
Truth in God’s Eyes
In God’s eyes, truth is clear. God sees our thoughts, feelings, and actions, and knows what deviates from the truth. We cannot hide, but we are still loved unconditionally. Punishment does not come from God. It comes from ourselves, when we stand in God’s light and see the consequences of our actions. Then we feel remorse, but God holds us in love.
This is how God’s truth differs from human truth. People may twist and turn it, but God’s truth is simple: everything that is love is true, and everything that is not love is false.
Judgment and Fear
The Bible often speaks of the day of judgment and punishment. But God reminds us not to see this as punishment. It is learning. Remorse and shame can feel like punishment, but it is not God who inflicts it. We inflict it ourselves, because we see with God’s eyes what our actions led to. God is only love.
Judgment Day is not a day of eternal condemnation. It can be understood on many levels. As souls, we experience a kind of judgment day when we see our life in review after death. The earth itself can also experience catastrophes that people interpret as judgment days. But these are not final. They are part of the cycle of life, and time does not exist in God’s kingdom. Therefore we should not fear.
Unity in God
We are all souls from one and the same source. This unity can be difficult to see in a world marked by ego and conflict. But love binds us together. God says that the time will come when people live in one great, loving fellowship. But until then we will face adversity. Through adversity we learn, and love grows.
How do we live out this unity in everyday life? It is simple: be kind and good. Small actions such as showing care, forgiving, or supporting another person are proof that we live in unity. Love in practice is stronger than any words.
New Messages in Our Time
God still speaks to people today. Everyone can ask God directly and receive answers. Just as the Bible came to be when people listened to God, we too can receive messages in our time. The decisive factor is to listen with love. Everything that resonates with love is genuine inspiration from God.
Recognizing true inspiration is therefore simple: it leads to peace, hope, and love. Anything that creates fear, hatred, or condemnation is not from God. In this way, through prayer and silence, we can distinguish God’s voice in a world full of noise.
The Bible Read with Love
When we read the Bible today, we must keep an open mind. We must remember that it was written in another time and culture. Words about punishment, judgment, and fear were often colored by human ego. God reminds us to keep what is good and set aside what is not. In this way we can read with love and find God’s true voice.
Jesus said that the truth will set us free. This truth is love. By living in truth, we avoid unnecessary detours. By interpreting everything in the light of love, we let go of fear. Then we live closer to God, and we fulfill the whole law and the prophets.
Conclusion: Everything Is About Love
The most important message from God is simple: everything is about love. We should not fear life, but live it in love. We should strive to be righteous, but also know that we are all children of the same source. When we live with love as our measure, both the Bible and our spiritual experience confirm the truth: God is love, and love sets us free.