"Take my Yoke," "sitting in Sackcloth and Ashes." John 3:16 about sacrifice?

Question

It all sounds like Yoga to me. Jesus was speaking about all of these things... "take my YOKE"... and Yoga means "To Yoke."

The yogis are the ones who sit in "Sackcloth and Ashes." Jesus said that this is how to repent... "in sackcloth and ashes."

And if you put John 3:16 in context, it is about the LIGHT of God and Spirit, not sacrifice for sins. Sounds like enlightenment to me.

Haven't these things been taken out of their original Eastern Spiritual context? Why has Christianity moved away from the things Jesus was actually preaching?

Answer 1

Most everything in Christianity has been taken out of it's original context. And indeed, much of what early Christians believed was based on some of the eastern religions/spiritual concepts. I don't know enough history to discuss all of that in detail, but I can answer your last question.

The reason Christianity has moved away from what Jesus actually preached is because Jesus did not preach power, control, or organized religion. The Church today is consumed with keeping and adding to it's membership. They are focused on conversion, rather than living the way Jesus showed us. They focus on worship, rather than emulating him. Once the church became structured, there had to be leadership. With leadership come power. Power Corrupts... I'm guessing I don't need to finish that quote for you to understand where I"m going
Have a blessed day and new year!

Answer 2

Well this is a BIG wonderful Q. To me it is 3 or more Qs in one. So please forgive this long response, but I feel you ask in sincerity, and so then is this the form of my response. I did a little digging here (otherwise half my day would be spent, easily, on praying and researching and meditating upon this answer) - and here is what comes up for me. Don't know if it will be of help to you or not. Remember this is in BRIEF and not very in-depth form, no matter how long it is here.

Take My Yoke - Literally means to get His understanding, awareness, perspective, and let it become your own - different from taking up the cross and carrying it daily which means to stand firm in Christ principles (these are really close and similar, but with a subtle difference - the first is to 'get' the awareness, the second is to 'live' the awareness)
Jesus also said, My yoke is light.

Sitting in Sackcloth & Ashes - Repent means to have a complete change in perception, changing where you look, an about face, as it were, of awareness, perception. Sitting in sackcloth and ashes from the eastern perspective is the practice of physically lowering oneself so that the material world becomes of little importance - the belief being that then true 'enlightenment' will shine through without worldly distractions. Not all yogis did this - there were also incredibly 'great' (by the standards of their culture) yogis who could be in the material world as householders, etc, some who had mastered their ability to be in the world but not of the world. Sitting in sackcloth and ashes to westerners today suggests that we walk by faith and not by sight, a whole lot easier said than done, but not impossible to do, and that is when, if we all practice this awareness of Jesus rightly, that all is transformed in the twinkling of an eye. If the chair owns you get rid of the chair. If you own too many chairs, give some to those who have none. It's not about material possession, it's about if material is possessing you to the point that you cannot see the etheral Truth that is the foundation underlying all this material outpicturing.

John 3:16For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotton Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. - Jesus, here, is saying 'IAM the direct genetic offspring of GodLove, IAM the perfect understanding and expression and demonstration of GodCharacteristics in this material realm and elsewhere, and when you understand my perspective rightly you also will always be in this perpetual life expression(having eternal life)'
[Much like when He said - 'all these things I do you can do and more']

I do not believe that 'Christianity' has moved 'away' from the things Jesus was actually preaching [I would use the word teaching here - but this all about semantical interpretation - and always has been, even back in His day]. My above sharing should show that it doesn't matter which sides of the cultural perspective you come from. God'sTruth is DivineTruth is PrincipleTruth regardless of which part of the globe it comes out of the mouth. Because this is not about worldy stuff, but it impacts the world when rightly perceived.

We are a glorious and diverse humanity. We are hardwired for God even into the depths of our DNA structure. (yes, even science admits there is a 'God' part of the strand, they acknowledge its existence). But more importantly than is this religion the 'right' one, or is this Scripture the 'right' one, is the Truth that rises above, overshadows, dissolves, and sings louder than all misconceptions, misinterpretations, dissentions, and disbeliefs - and it is in the depths of each person's heart. So 'lean not on your own understanding...but on every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God'. That requires remembering Who you are (offspring of Almighty), What you are made of (God 'stuff'), Why you are here (to communicate with IAM THAT IAM - your Maker, Abba, Father, Grand Architect). I promise, if you get even that far in your subconscious and conscious thoughts that, truly, more will be revealed to you. And still you find yourself having to interact with others on this planet as you go about your or God's business. The free-will choice is up to you entirely. You are a co-creator with God here on this planet. Jesus also said, 'Is it not written 'ye are gods' ?' His meaning might well be studied here. That is gods with a little g - we are in the image and likeness of God - but that, in my awareness, has little, very little, to do with physical form, and very much to do with what Jesus is speaking of in John 3:16. You breathe, God moves. But please, remember who is in charge. Jesus did, 'Not me, but the One Who Sent Me'. Jesus spoke to all, not just to one religious or political group. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. After all the outward study and logical approaches have been attempted, it comes down to a movement of the heart - which is NOT the seat of emotions but of an unwavering awareness.. That's why Jesus is invited into the heartspace, not the head space.

This is such an individual walk. May you be blessed and enlightened and uplifted into clarity wisdom grace peace and total love and divine understanding.

Happy New Year :)

Answer 3

The yoke is (literally) on us (if i may pun)...i am much in agreement that Jesus brought a new way of being to humanity; not about sin, sacrifice, and salvation so much as Light and Love and forgiveness and seeking the treasure within. His teachings echo many other masters and saints throughout history. Many who are educated know of the influences that Christianity has borrowed from other sources. The sad thing is that they have been twisted, corrupted, and distorted to support what seems to be an "agenda" of control and power over people. The ideal would be that everyone would research and question the status quo regarding the "company line" spoonfed to the masses. It really takes little effort to open to "possibilities" of other ways of viewing and perceiving. It can be very enriching to appreciate the full context from which a teaching evolved. And independent study is essential to avoid adopting someone else's ideas.

i am Sirius

Answer 4

There is a big difference between enlightenment and repentance...to repent means to turn from your ideas to the truth of Jesus, not just say it, outward physical signs of this are visible...true enlightenment is from God and shows God's truth....Jesus has taken on all sins for us and then died in our place...Yes, things have been skewed from true understanding and the way "christians" should live life, so much is to profit mens own desires and ideas of what is right and who God is(that goes for every religion, etc.)...not God's...and it is simply because people want to be right about everything themselves and not because it is the truth. Christianity should be and is an extremely spiritual way of life, relying on and communicating with God. But we do not recieve enlightenment by practicing anything or from our own desire to obtain it. It is after we repent and believe God that we are coverted...then as we are obedient to Him we are given more faith....God alone is our life, not ourselves in any manner.

Answer 5

To repent means to "turn away", which is what one does in meditation, and the Bible - both old and new testaments are full of references to meditation. Perhaps if more followers of the Bible spent more time repenting and less time preaching, this understanding would become more clear.

Answer 6

Eastern spirituality teaches that the individual is the measure of self.

Christianity teaches that God is the standard by which we judge ourselves. When we do that we see how we all sin and come short of the glory of God, and, those who are called out of the world repent in humbleness and turn to him with their whole heart, mind, and soul to serve him in newness of life because their sin has been remitted.

Answer 7

If you stretch things any further something will snap, for sure!
You're shooting arrows in the dark.

Answer 8

Jesus has taken on the sins of the world, and he can take on yours also. The Son of Man has authority over the devil, and any sin confessed is light to him.

Answer 9

the western version of christianity is about riches, greed and lack of charity or forgiveness that is popular and spread via mega churches laden with americana type people wanting more, more more

the eastern version of christianity is more orthodox and about simple life, charity and forgiveness that seems more hindu than christian

Answer 10

I've studied, practiced and taught yoga for years, but after the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the truth about yoga and the Lord Jesus Christ, I became a Christian. Ever since then I've been filled with the true love, joy and peace of God and realize what it means to be intimately and blissfully united to God.

Many pagan mystics have believed and taught that Jesus practiced yoga and achieved enlightenment. When comparing Jesus to yogis, one must ask certain questions, like the following:

Which human being besides Jesus claimed to be the Bread of Life?
Can evil spirits be cast out in the name of Yogananda, Mahasaya or Babaji?
Which other person was born of a virgin by the power of God and the Holy Spirit?
Can any Indian guru baptize others with the Holy Spirit and with fire? By the way, how do you explain the Fire Baptism? I've received this.
Do angels worship any of the alleged god-men of India? Angels worship Jesus (Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 5:13).
Do any of these men hold the title "King of Kings and Lord of Lords"?
Does any human have the ability to employ angels? Jesus has this ability (Matthew 26:53).
Why did Jesus tell His disciples to baptize believers in the name of the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit?
Was there any other man who could have offered their blood to atone for the sins of mankind so we could by faith have unity to God?

Yogis and many users of entheogens mistake altered states of consciousness for Godly experiences. They erroneously attribute to these states such terms as God-Realization, Self-Realization, Enlightenment, Illumination, Unitive Knowledge of the Divine, Reentering the Kingdom and Reintegration.

DMT (dimethyltryptamine) is a hallucinogen found naturally in the mammalian brain. DMT can also be extracted from certain plants. Deep and prolonged practice of yoga causes the brain to release DMT and this induces altered states of consciousness, hallucinations and feelings of bliss. Yogis who spend long years in yogic practices achieve the same altered states and feelings as individuals who consume or inject themselves with DMT derived from external sources.

Some individuals take DMT and other entheogens with the intention of communing with God. Persons who take DMT and those who practice yoga to release DMT from their brain claim to experience bliss, cosmic consciousness and feelings of being one with the universe. Drugs are harmful to the body, soul and spirit and therefore inhibit the user’s union with God who does not approve of taking intoxicating substances. Cosmic consciousness is therefore not a Divinely inspired experience. Taking extracted DMT or releasing DMT through yoga can result in insanity. In addition to this, the state of mind it puts one in is a state which facilitates demonic possession. Kundalini syndrome (many persons who practice yoga have this) is the result of demonic possession. The Hindu deities (which are fallen angels or demons) taught yoga to humans so they could be united to humans, and the powers one receives from yoga (siddhis) are the powers of those entities.

The human being has a physical body, soul and spirit. The spirit of a human being isn’t God but needs God. It is where one receives God when they accept Christ as their Saviour. Where the “S” in spirit is capitalized in the Bible, it refers to the Holy Spirit who is the third person of the triune Godhead. After one accepts Christ, the Holy Spirit (not their spirit) brings life to them (Romans 8:10). In Zechariah 12:1, we see that God formed the spirit of humans within them. As soon as one accepts Christ as their Saviour, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within their spirit making them a true child of God (Romans 8:15-16).

The Holy Spirit enables us to have a spiritual understanding of the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:11).

Without God, man’s spirit is unilluminated. This illumination happens at the time one’s spirit is united to the Holy Spirit (which happens only after one has accepted Christ as their Saviour). The Light went out of the spirit after the fall of man. Man had lost communion with God. Christ, the second person of the Triune Godhead made the sacrifice for our sins so the Light could be lit in the spirits of all. There is no redemption or unity to God apart from receiving Christ as one’s Saviour and Lord. The infilling of the Holy Spirit was possible only after Christ’s sacrifice. Before the death of Christ, the Holy Spirit only fell on persons who worshiped and served the true God (Judges 15:14; Ezekiel 11:5). Hebrews 9:6-8 (KJV) tells us that unity to God “the way into the Holiest of all” was also possible only after Christ’s sacrifice which brought an end to the Old Covenant. Christ made the sacrifice for our sins as the spotless lamb (1 Peter 1:9) and took the place of the Jewish high priest and became our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 6:20). The Book of Hebrews explains how the Old Covenant was replaced by the New Covenant.

Three days after Lord Jesus died for our sins, He resurrected from the dead (Luke 24:1-8; Acts 10:40; 1 Corinthians 15:4) and 40 days later, He ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:3; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-11). Jesus Christ is Lord over all and His name is above every name (Philippians 2:9-11).

The blood of Christ was shed so our sins could be paid for and we could have direct unity to God. The Holy Spirit leads us to remain focused on God so we can grow spiritually. God the Father lives within believers (John 14:23), God the Holy Spirit lives within believers (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and God the Son also lives within believers (2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 2:20). Because Christ lives in us, we are a new being, having our old self with its evil practices stripped off, and we are being renewed and remoulded after the image of God, in order to bring us to a full knowledge of Himself (Colossians 3:9-10). Because He lives in us, we have His peace (John 16:33), we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), we have His strength to do all things (Philippians 4:13) and we are a chosen race, the King’s priests, the holy nation and God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God (Peter 2:9). As Christians, the Lord Jesus Christ is always interceding for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25), He is preparing a place for us in heaven (John 14:1–3) and He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11).

Salvation, redemption, reception of the Holy Spirit and adoption as God’s own children happen the instant a human being has faith in Christ as their Saviour and Lord and not at some future time in the believer’s life.

People who have not accepted Christ can become better individuals, but only to a certain extent. The Holy Spirit calls out to everyone but only those who have let the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Triune Godhead) into them by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour are the ones who are transformed and experience abundant and constant spiritual growth.

Iniquities (tendencies that cause one to sin) pass down the generation line (Numbers 14:18). After one accepts Lord Jesus as their Saviour, God forgives their sins as they truly repent and removes their iniquities (evil tendencies) in the transformation process which makes one more and more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 9:12-14). After genuinely accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, ALL sinners (alcoholics, liars, drug addicts, fornicators etc.) will be saved and transformed. Each believer is cleansed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and receives the infilling of the Holy Spirit who renews them.

Reincarnation is a false teaching (Hebrews 9:27). The Lord Jesus said that the human being’s afterlife state whether torment or paradise, will be eternal (Matthew 25:46). In the original text, the Greek word for eternal, “aiōnion” is used. He didn’t say that we would be born again and again until we got it right and received liberation. He would not have made that huge sacrifice for us if we could have had unity to God another way, and if there was another way, He would have taught that. The Lord said he could have employed legions of angels to prevent His crucifixion (Matthew 26:53), but because of His great and perfect love for humanity, He chose to endure a very painful death so we could be redeemed and united to God.

The Kingdom of God is within the believer (Luke 17:21) and the Kingdom of God is also the Eternal Order that will manifest upon the earth at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 21-22). Christ is returning not as “Christ consciousness for all” but as a Mighty Warrior, who will annihilate the Antichrist and his armies, set up His Millennial Kingdom and rule with the Father and Holy Spirit in the Eternal Order forever.

Fulfilled Prophecy: Evidence for the Reliability of the Bible by Dr. Hugh Ross http://www.believers.org/hughross.htm

REDEMPTION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

Because mankind is incapable of meeting God’s standard of perfection necessary to abide in God’s presence (Romans 3:19-20,23), God sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay the total debt for the believer’s sins and mercifully credits to his account Christ’s righteousness (Romans 3:21-28,5:1-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Jesus’ gracious act of atonement was complete and covers all sin (Colossians 2:13-14; 1 John 1:9). Salvation is not based on good deeds but according to the mercy of God (Titus 3:4-5). Believers are justified by faith; it is a gift by God’s grace (Romans 4:3-8; Ephesians 2:8-9). A true, living faith will result in a desire to live a holy, loving life of good works (Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:6; James 2:14-26), but failure to be absolutely successful at righteous living does not negate the believer’s justified status.

https://victoryinjesuschrist.wordpress.com/