The core distinction between the mainstream "exoteric" interpretation of scripture and the mystical "esoteric" interpretation, is one of disempowerment versus empowerment. One need not look any further than every other mainstream institution to recognize this pattern of deception. Whether it be our government, legal, economic, academic, religious or medical institutions, all have been expertly designed to brainwash the masses into outsourcing their natural sovereignty and internal "knowing" to an outside source. Whether it be the institutionally degreed, accredited, ordained, or licensed "experts and authorities", or still further, to a man who lived two-thousand years ago or something else that sits afar and apart from us. In all cases, the exoteric presentation of all our institutions has trained humanity to look "out there" for its answers. Precisely in the opposite direction to where all our answers actually exist.

This single deception, defined by the controlling cabal as the "liberal agenda", which I call "victim consciousness", is a perfect inversion of how reality actually works. Whether it be a government official, lawyer, professor, doctor, minister, priest or Jesus or God looked to for answers, the end result is a profound sense of helplessness and powerlessness as we deny and dismiss our own perfectly tuned inner-knowing. Within this inversion our natural free will is ultimately violated as we are forced to disregard our instinct and intution in favor of intellectual BELIEVING.

And make no mistake, that's precisely what's going on -> BELIEVING. What scripture meant by "belief or faith" bears no resemblance to how these words are understood today. Today, a BELIEF is an abstract idea, concept or thought that resides exclusively within the smallest, newest and least important aspect of our "mind". It was meant to only occupy 1% of our attention when added to the human being. Intuition and instinct were always meant to be the dominant aspects of "mind".

This is precisely what the "fall from grace" or "fall of man" is referencing. To "eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil" is to JUDGE. "Knowledge" represents intellectual thought-fodder, almost none of which is needed, let alone required to operate in this earthly realm. Judgment naturally leads to fear. And it is these two energies, fear and judgment, that destroy man.

I would greatly expand upon the other quote you shared regarding "the purpose of the sabbath". Focusing upon God/Love/Heart is the reversal of the fall from grace. It's not something to be done one day a week for an hour or two, it's something to be practiced during all our waking hours. Heart-Based-Awareness (HBA) is our NATURAL STATE. We find ourselves in it when we are laughing, playing, relaxing, enjoying, enthusiastically working, perfecting a craft, hobby, musical talent, sport with inspiration. These are all examples of natural HBA.

To "focus on God" simply means to withdraw your focus on primarily the incessant monkey-mind thought-stream, but also on what your five senses are reporting upon from "out there". In short, your attention is redirected "within", where scripture tells us "God" or "Christ" exists quite accurately. HBA is a subtle, gentle, effortless shift that requires discipline and vigilance. It's simple, but not easy as we were all deeply brainwashed into allowing our attention to drift and settle upon the monkey-mind thought-stream.

This HBA practice redirects our attention, or "awareness" back to "God", which is effectively our intuition and instinct, the vital parts of our "minds" that are largely ignored by the masses. That "still, small voice" is always available and speaking to us. You simply have to hold your attention on it in order to hear it. Unlike the endlessly chattering monkey-mind, this intuitive voice speaks quietly, softly and doesn't incessantly repeat itself.

"God" is "love" through and through. "Loving awareness" to be more precise. And as such, "God gives us more of what we focus upon, what we place our attention upon. If our attention is on the monkey-mind, fear, judgment, hate, blame, condemnation, anger, self-devaluation, uncertainty, worry and doubt abound. Such is the nature of the monkey-mind - RESISTANCE. When these energies are BELIEVED TO BE TRUE, we feel badly. It is in the "feeling badly" that our Christ intuition is communicating its disagreement with these "satanic" thoughts we are entertaining.

As the pithy sayings go; "where your attention (awareness), a.k.a. "love" goes, energy grows. And likewise, "that which you RESIST, persists".

Thus, more "focus on God" grows your feelings of love, kindness, compassion, understanding, humility, charity, etc. which I call the "Jesus energies". Unlike the satanic energies of RESISTANCE, the nature of these is one of ALLOWANCE/ACCEPTANCE. It is easy to distinguish between the two, once again, by how you FEEL when entertaining them.

The "sabbath" is indeed the period of total relaxation and enjoyment after you FEEL LIKE your desires are "on the way". It is a "knowing" quite apart from BELIEVING. As such, scritpure takes on a whole new meaning if you can make this leap;

Matthew 21:22 - "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

To "pray" is to FEEL LIKE you have what you desire. it is not to "want" or "wish for". And this is how you "pray without ceasing". You move through your daily activities in the KNOWING/FEELING of your wish fulfilled.

And to BELIEVE is to have complete TRUST that your wish has already been fulfilled, as it has in the metaphysical realm. It merely takes time to manifest into physical form. The only thing that can prevent the materialization of your wish is, of course, 'satan", which can best be described as what I call the "FUD-Monster" - Fear, uncertainty and doubt. I prefer to use the word "worry" instead of fear as so many people misunderstand what "fear" represents. Therefore, to worry or doubt is to have COMPLETE TRUST in not getting what you want as you waste your all-valuable attention (love) on intellectually thinking about a future you do not desire.

Herein lies the caricature of the devil on the left shoulder and the angel on the right. The "great battle" between Christ and Satan. Do you trust that all your desires can be achieved, as your heart and intuition tell you, or do you trust the outer "experts and authorities" and their intellectual knowledge fodder giving you all the reasons why you can't have what you want?

The "sabbath" is reached when you FEEL fully confident and are sure your wishes will be RECEIVED. I call this state "receptive mode", which is synonymous with the "sabbath". There is no more "work" needed to be done in imagination and now we can relax and enjoy the fruits of our currently manifested desires. All along the way, from the seed of the desire to its fruition, the path is lined with ease, grace and FEELING GOOD. When we aren't feeling good, that's your soul or Christ communicating to you that you're off the path of least resistance (most allowance).

You have all the power. And your power is "Love", the nature and essence of "God". You have been gifted with unlimited use of this power to create the life of your dreams. The more you employ it, the better life gets for you. The more you unwittingly allow the intellectual thought-stream to interfere with your desires, the worse life gets for you.

And your ability to wield the greatest power in the universe starts with SELF-LOVE. The more you love yourself, the easier everything gets. And loving yourself includes the good, bad and ugly you currently define. Your body, you appearance, your bad habits, your tough days, your weaknesses, etc. All of it needs and is begging to be loved by you. This is what many people call 'shadow work". Which is really this simple. Can you love all aspects of yourself unconditionally? The new age "unconditional love" phrase effectively means to ALLOW/ACCEPT yourself as you currently are.

As you get better at this, the judgment you project onto others and the world at large begins to diminish with equal rapidity. All that complaining, blaming, criticizing and hating of "others out there" fades into the background. And when you notice this, your ability "live the life of your dreams" really begins to accelerate in seemingly miraculous ways. Because all that nasty judgment we spew out onto others and the world at large is really us projecting aspects of ourselves that we have not yet come to love and accept as they are.

An esoteric lesson in scriptural interpretation for your consideration and contemplation.

Namaste (As I see/feel the Christ in me, I see/feel the Christ in you)

Nice!

https://greatawakening.win/p/1AR0Q64lCG/x/c/4eWc5wwX0Ex

I do get a bit wound up with the “careful, legalism” argument.

Ah, yes. Let’s all just be gods unto ourselves!

Tricky point. The real crux of the matter, Paul makes abundantly clear himself:

Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Paul openly and unabashedly admitted that he doesn't see the whole picture. Accordingly, his perspective, while powerfully instructive, cannot be taken as perfect truth.

Despite this, Paul foresaw a future point where he, and we, would be 'upgraded' in our understanding to the point that 'I shall know fully, even as I am fully known'.

I ask myself, who is the one who 'knows' Paul, fully? That is the Father and Jesus.

To me, what Paul is foreshadowing is that as part of God's divine plan, there will be a stage and a point in its unfolding when we will come to know and understand ourselves (and the rest of the providence) as God does.

I believe that when Christ returns, this is the upgrade he will bring. The third and final installment. The entire purpose of the Gospel is to help humanity to prepare and be ready for when Christ returns. Not being ready will have difficult consequences.

In any case, to call Paul a false teacher misses the point. God an Christ used Paul to lay down many key, important aspects of the New Word, the Gospel (aka the New Testament) as guidance for Christians during the long period (as it turns out) of waiting and preparing for Christ's return.

$0.02