Spinoza was the 17th Century's philosopher of the Word of God: the philosopher of true Christian Salvation and Holiness. Within the corpus of Spinoza's work, there are many references pointing to a significant and important place for Christ in Spinoza's work. Actual texts and historical information readily affirms this. The historical evidence itself is not in question. This booklet makes extensive use of many of those textual and historical references to make a case that from an experiential or experimental religion point view, Spinoza's life and work are coherent and focussed. That in turn points to a significant and important place for Christ in Spinoza's life. Based on his writings and information about his life, Spinoza had a bone fide spiritual experience of union with God of the kind that he describes as a "second birth" or as being "born again". As a result, Spinoza was aware of what he called "Christ after the spirit" from personal experience. Spinoza was selective in his critique of Christian churches and denominations. Spinoza does not treat all Christians the same way. He distinguishes between those of the "superstitious kind" and those who follow "Christ after the spirit". It is puzzling that most professional philosophers are reluctant to factor in the irrefutable historical evidence of Spinoza's use of Christ and the spirit of Christ into their interpretation of Spinoza's life work and life's purpose. It may be that many scholars and students of Spinoza have tried to comprehend the man and his work within a limited philosophical framework. There is a different person and a different work when Spinoza (and his work) are approached as participating in experimental religion and are comprehended from the perspective of personal experimental religion. Spinoza personally knew God and the idea of God to be real from within his person. For Spinoza God is not part of a discussion or thesis. "Deus sive Natura" at once Natura Naturata and Natura Naturans. We need to keep in mind that while in his Ethic, Spinoza demonstrated his understanding following a geometrical method; he did not come to that understanding and knowledge geometrically. According to Spinoza it came to him experientially. To date, Spinoza's critical work in regards to Christian thought and religion remains exceptionally relevant. Yet he is not recognized and acknowledged as a preeminent Christian thinker. Over many years, the responses to Spinoza's work varied, but two counterproductive and disconcerting trends are noteworthy. Some people, with little sense of the reality of God have tried in one way or another, to simply ignore or inadequately explain away Spinoza's spirituality and work, in particular his Christian spirituality and work. Others, mostly from established 'theo-political' churches, have largely viewed Spinoza from a crass materialist view, with materialistic proclivities. From their established church frameworks, the latter have found Spinoza an anathema. Their vitriol is born of their own materialism, and both a meagre and superficial grasp of what Spinoza calls "Christ according to the spirit" Spinoza is a major influence in western philosophy and theology. Spinoza was also an outstanding and innovative 17th century scientist and a philosopher of scientific methodology. Given Spinoza's reliance on sense experience and his scientific method, Spinoza has an empiricist approach to demonstrating actually present existential epistemology and theology. Spinoza had a significant and lasting influence on the Enlightenment. However, it may be his larger contribution to human well-being is yet to come and it will be in the area of what Spinoza would call 'true' Christian Theology and Christology.
It is not that God created or caused us; rather that God indwelling through Christ is creating or causing us. In the time we have and with what we are given in that time, it is for us to exist with ultimate existential significance, meaning and purpose. In the most simple of terms, reality for most people is not and will not be what it has been for most people for millennia. The few shreds of 'reality' that have survived the last few centuries are being disintegrated by the advances of science and philosophy and are not being credibly replaced. In our existence and existing, what is real and what is not? This question is the backdrop of personal existential significance, meaning and purpose. The answer is with God or Existence ("I AM".) Two theatres of being are before us: one experienced as the world of objects external to our person (biblically, the world after the flesh); the other experienced as the world of the things of God internal to our person (biblically, the world after the spirit). The latter is identified by Paul as the world according to Christ after the spirit. The world according to Christ after the spirit is the area of existential Christology. Existential Christology as approached in this book provides a practical framework for Christianity in the 21st century that securely stands the scrutiny of critical reflection and thought. More importantly Existential Christology establishes the ground on which Christian practice frees people from bondage and captivity. What could be more important to a Christian than scripture? The reality and accessibility of the existing Christ is more important. The former merely tells of the latter... as best it can. It is not that God created or caused us; rather that God indwelling through Christ is creating or causing us. The coming century promises that the grounding and framing of Christian living will move and shift. The challenges will cause faith to stumble, if not fall. In the infinite and eternal reality of Christ there is a Covenant --- a Christ Covenant --- that will ground and frame or form spiritual living. This book is about the reality Christ and how that presently existing reality forms our spiritual person. Drawing on some 17th Century Radical Protestant writings, as well as Quaker, Wesleyan and Reformist legacies of Light and Experimental Religion, this book delves into the pursuit and securing of salvation and holiness. It draws on the book of John and its Gospel message regarding the existing Christ, as well as the authenticated letters of Paul and the work of Spinoza. It reflects on some salient themes from the Gospel of John, presenting thought provoking and 'creative' reflections on some of those texts.
This work has been prepared for young people driven to spiritual matters by life and death urgency. It should be of interest to others who feel that spiritually they do not have enough to be live meaningfully. The New Testament gospel given in the book of John, Paul's authenticated letters and Spinoza's works have much to reveal to serious readers about discerning and engaging God, as well as enabling and empowering people who earnestly and deeply pursue personal salvation and holiness. The central message of the gospel given in the book of John, the authenticated letters of Paul and the work of Spinoza is that what is important about personal existing and living is to personally be in God of and from God. Spinoza closed his last and most important work, the Ethic, by writing: ... the wise man... being conscious by a certain eternal necessity of himself, of God, and of things, never ceases to be, and always enjoys true peace of soul. If the way which, as I have shown, leads hither seems very difficult it can never the less be found... if salvation lay ready to hand and could be discovered, without great labour, how could it possible that that it should be neglected by almost everybody? But all noble things are as difficult as they are rare. (Ethic, Pt5Prop42Sch.) From his letters, we know Paul did not 'neglect' his personal salvation. Through difficult pursuit, he discovered that 'eternal necessity of himself, of God and of things". In his letter to the Galatians, Paul writes that he spent 17 mature years in pursuit of discerning personal salvation and holiness. Those 17 years were not taken up with a focus on abstract theology or philosophy. They were radically taken up by God. According to the book of John, in all their lives, including 3 years of 24/7 discipleship, the disciples never once asked for anything in the 'name of' Christ (John 16:24). Yet all they had to do (or we have to do) is ask in the 'name of' Christ and all that is ultimately significant, meaningful or purposeful is given to us personally. According to Paul's letter to the Galatians, Paul asked for 17 years... and God was faithful to complete him. The Way, the Truth and the Light (John 14:6) are not made up of words, of images, or of abstract reasoning. In experience of reality, they are without words, images or abstract reasoning. Existentially experience of following the Way, knowing the Truth and seeing with the Light is not in having sophisticated words, not in having sacred cognitive or emotive images, and notin reasoning from our experiences. While the way of salvation may be "difficult", "it nevertheless can be found" and be existentially affirmed by anyone whose person is in God of and from God, to the eternal enjoyment of their "true peace of soul". This booklet explicates and addresses the primary core message in the gospel as given in the book of John, in Paul's authenticated epistles, and in Spinoza's work.
"...Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (NIV John 8:31-32) The teaching is the teaching presented to Nicodemus (and the woman at the well). Many, like Nicodemus, had "heard of" the truth, but few if any had "seen" it. "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." At the same time, in keeping with Job's erstwhile friends, Nicodemus asked, "How can this be?" (NIV John 3:5-9) This study and commentary on the book of Job, situates Job at the core of authentic and radical Christian experience, which has God and nothing other than God. The book of Job is amongst the old texts of scripture. From the book, we can know that, unlike his friends, Job know God but not clearly. We learn that despite his friends, Job came to a clear knowledge of God. Long after it was first written, Christ provided a rationale for the book of Job. Within this framework, the book of Job is sensible and intelligible. Reading, studying and understanding the book of Job through the lens of the book of John, the authenticated letters of Paul, and Spinoza's work are all in concert with the book of Job and what it is about. In the amalgam everything is changed. The distilled view is radical. The book of Job is a testament of our being able to 'see' or directly and immediately experience God, God's essence and the things of God. At the same time, the book of Job radically debunks anthropomorphism as an acceptable alternative to personally experiencing and knowing God directly and immediately. This reading, studying and understanding suits a 21st century Radical Christian grasp of God and Christ after the spirit, in keeping with the trends of the radical Protestantism for example that of the 16th and 17th centuries.
