One: a topical Bible study/One as a specific point of fact/Purity and Singularity of the Whole

Purity and Singularity of the Whole:

The body whole may be viewed as a glass of water, complete and contained. Do you drink it or throw it out? If there are no contaminants, the water is one thing. If that one thing is only water, drink it. If someone should put a drop of ink in the water, it is no longer just one thing. Throw it out. Purity, or singularity, is precious. Purity holds a special place in our estimation of value and worth. If we filter out the drop of ink from the pure water, the water may be salvaged. Even if we could only save half of the water, we could incorporate that half and not be forced to discard the whole. Many lives have been spared by the amputation of a damaged or corrupt part. Diabetics are often faced with the prospect of amputation. In other words, cast off the bad part and save the rest.

This has a spiritual application. Cast off the part that corrupts the whole. Down through the ages, people have been told to repent because a part of their nature and behavior is corrupting all the rest. If you, as a member of a society, spread disease to others, society at large might ask you to change your behavior. Should that plea fall on deaf ears, society might rise up and destroy you. Cancers are destroyed, tumors are removed. The thought behind such actions is to save what can be saved. Such actions presume that the corruption has gone too far. Enough is enough. The concept of save what you can is clearly seen in Matthew 18:9 “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.” See also Mark 9:47 “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”

I want to bring up the language of these two verses. There is 'life' and its opposite and there is 'the kingdom of God' and its opposite. Both opposites are the same. Comparatively, life and the kingdom of God are the same. Life may not be found exclusively in the body as the body dies. Therefore, life must be seen as an entity that continues past the termination of flesh. Life is spiritual. All of us possess spiritual life before our bodies perish. In our attempt to save what may be saved, we cast out spiritual corruption. It is not the physical eye that is offensive, it is the mind's eye that offends and corrupts when it turns from what is evidently right to accept what is clearly wrong.

In our life experience, we are aware that the whole consists of both right and wrong, both good and bad. In society, there are good and bad people. The good have subscribed to the body whole. They treasure what is right and reject what is wrong. They are sheep that listen to the Shepherd's voice. The bad people have been asked to change their behavior, but that plea has fallen on deaf ears. Therefore, what awaits the bad people, as a corrupt and unwanted part of the body whole, is the moment when the body whole rises up to destroy them. The following Bible verses lay out this truth plainly and should be compared to the verses about the offensive eye. Matthew 24:40 “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” Matthew 24:41 “Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

Those two verses were written in the context of war. Those two verses do not describe a 'rapture.' People are not taken up into the air. The 'taken' in those two verses are people who are killed during war. The descriptions of double efforts in the fields and women gathered in essential labors are reminiscent of wartime occupations. We find in Luke 17:34 what may be a reference to prisoners in a concentration camp. “I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.”

There is another verse that may be compared to the verses about the offensive eye that must be taken out. Matthew 25:29 “For unto every one that hath shall be given, he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken even that which he hath.” Matthew 25:29 is a verse that obliquely references that time when society will rise up to amputate from its body those members that corrupt. I would give the warning, “people, listen!” But, the people that I would warn already refuse to hear.

The body whole has its language, and the adherents speak the message. That message is continuity, completion, purity, singularity. Despite having deaf ears, the other lot, the corruptive members, also have a message, and they speak it loudly. That message is “MY WILL! MY CHOICE!” Clearly, there is a winner and a loser in the battle of the messengers. It is plainly laid out in Matthew 5:19 “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” 

One: a topical Bible study/one as a specific point of fact/Continuity and Completion within the Whole

 Continuity and Completion within the Whole:

Our choices are connections. Connections reach completely between points. Completion is continuity. If you jump off a cliff, there is continuity in the fall. You don't stop halfway down; you fall to the bottom. Continuity is found in the right order of things, and, really, that is what we should look for. It was gravity that assured continuity in the fall. On the other hand, if you jump into the sky, gravity will be of no use as you are trying to do something contrary to the right order of things. You will not go to the top.

There is a natural order to everything in life. Sailing ships go where the wind takes them. Sun-dependent plants follow the course of the sun. Rivers run out of the mountains and find the sea. Day follows night and night follows day. Those who ask receive. We see continuity in symmetry. We have two feet so that we may put one before the other and get where we want to go. Common sense guides us through much of our daily struggle, but not all. We naturally expect the good to follow our efforts, but continuity demands that the bad also follow through.

Continuity is completion. Few appreciate the bitter cold of winter, but winter is necessary for the completion of the year. The rules of everything we know are already set to reach completion. The pendulum of life experience will include both sides. Therefore, if the bad, like the good, is geared toward continuity, and if the mechanics of all natural outcomes strives toward completion, then we are wise to allow matters to run their course. This may be understood from Luke 6:29 “And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other”

One" a Topical Bible Study/One as a specific point of fact/Prioritization within the whole

 Prioritization within the Whole:

When I use a word such as amputate, I refer to the choices an individual makes. Choices are parts of the body whole. They are clear and bright connections that all may see and recognize. It was individual choice that placed men on one side or the other in the Civil War. My great great grandfather was a Confederate soldier wounded during the battle of Antietam. It was a personal choice that made him a member of the Confederacy, a member of the wounded. Choices will lead us into one camp or another. They are connections that make us a part of something.

What choices have you made? What are you a part of? In the story of a meal, Mary chose to sit and listen to Jesus, leaving her sister to do all the work of preparation. When Martha complained to Jesus, he gave the following response in Luke 10:42 “One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part.”

We are recognized by our choices as being a part of this or that. If you are recognized as a member of the group who earns something, you are also recognized as a member of the group who worked for it. See Luke 11:10 “For every one that asketh receiveth.” All of us, naturally, prioritize. If you are thirsty, your first choice is to drink. If you are hungry, eating is top on your list. Our choices are priorities that place us here or there. Where are you? What have you chosen to be a part of?

One: Topical Bible study/The Whole and the Part

 One as a specific point of fact:

The Whole and the Part:

There is the body whole and there are the parts that belong to it. We may turn our eyes to any part of our experience, any part of our reality, and see this fact. In the previous sentence, for example, common knowledge dictates that our whole experience, our whole reality, is known by its parts. Our home life is but a part of our whole experience and reality. We may also see our childhood as a part, our place in the neighborhood and local society as a part, our extended place in society as a whole, including our work lives, free time, and responsibilities under the law. We know ourselves as only a part, and not as the whole.

We see ourselves, not as a part alone, but as a part that has far-reaching connections. My wife, for example, has family connections in Mexico, California, Oregon, Illinois, Iowa, and overseas. When I look at my family tree, I see connections that reach far back through history. None of us are blind to our connections. In that we are able to recognize that we are part of this, or part of that, we also recognize the whole that we are part of. Others know us by the whole we are a part of. When we see a pot-bellied old man riding a miniature motorcycle in a parade, and wearing a Fez, we instantly recognize him as a Shriner. When you see a member of your social circle, you instantly recognize a friend. Sometimes far, sometimes close, we see the member and know the body whole.

A clear example of this is found in Luke 17:24 “For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven.” Our connections shine forth. They can not be mistaken. Even when some people amputate parts of their connecting identities, the subconscious eye still sees the light.

One: a topical Bible study

One

by DL Herring

(c) 2021

Author's Note

My earnest studies into the scriptures began in the 80s. At that time, I did not make notes on my studies. I was neither Catholic nor Protestant, and I was certainly not Jewish. However, I endeavored to observe the Sabbath on Saturdays, albeit after my own fashion. I also fasted on Saturdays while I studied. My study method has always been to pray first for the Holy Spirit to be with me, and second, to trust the thoughts he gives me.

It was later that I took notes of my studies. The notes became my first book, The Great Reflection. It can be found on Amazon, but one must search for it. They keep it on a dusty back shelf. Through the years, I have written other books based on my studies. After the scriptures, I looked into some of the apocryphal books from the Nag Hammadi Library. In all, I have tried to dig beneath the surface and pry loose the hidden truths. I have sought those things that many people miss for one reason or another. I believe one must stop and pay close attention to the details. The truth, I think, is ordered in such a way that each generation may draw from it the things that are applicable to their day and age.

The language of the truth is not a neon sign. There are no bells and whistles, no big red arrows pointing to a particular truth. One must not only read the things that are written, but also the words that are left out. One must constantly ask why. Why did Jesus call secretly for Mary? Why did the angels speak as if they were God? Why did God say the same thing to Adam and Noah? I have benefited personally from my studies, and I have immensely enjoyed all of the discoveries throughout my journey. Now, I find myself once again in the pursuit of truth. I think it will reveal something big.

Many people limit themselves to the cold hard facts. It is a form of amputation. They cut away the parts of themselves they find troubling. Why does God allow suffering? Why did the church perpetrate such atrocities? The obvious answer for them is to delete God from their view of reality. Unknowing and uncaring that their own minds are bits of implanted God, they sever the connection to God by cutting away parts of themselves.

We are so much more than meets the eye. Facts and figures and neat little measurements are but a small part of the overall reality. I do not write books for people who insist on self-mutilation. As I have said before, the truth is a path open only to those who are open to that path. People who close their eyes to truth higher than facts and figures end up with very practiced eyelids. They will never be convinced; they will not allow it. If my books may be of service to anyone, it will be to the seekers of higher truth. It will be to those who know there is something more. People who practice seeking truth will become strong in the practice. Their treasure hunt will be a joy, and their reward will be the connection to God that the world rejects.

Introduction

One word: One. What is the most consistent definition of the word as used by Christ and reflected in the writing of the apostles? What is the most applicable understanding that we may derive from a topical study of that one word? Join me as I pull together the Bible verses that deal with oneness, for I believe we will be rewarded with a life-changing view of who we really are.

We find the word 'one' used in the King James Bible exactly 1, 990 times. Interestingly, if we add across (reducing as we go) we get this: 1+9=10, 10+9=19, 19+0=19, 1+9=10, 1+0=1. All of those numbers, all 1,990 of them, are included in the number one.

There may be one side to an issue. That one is always half of the whole. There may be one apple, the individual one. Then, there is the one bag of apples. Each individual is a part of the whole. In this writing, I use the term 'body whole.' By that, I mean the bag of apples. The body of a man has a lot of stuff tucked away inside, and things hanging from the corners, but it is a body. It is considered whole. In the mental image of a bag of apples, we may add multiple ones to get the sum of one.

Our experience with life repeatedly proves to us that individuals are members of something bigger. They may be members of a family. If so, they are recognized as such. Within a family, there is a family resemblance that few members are able to escape. They may be members of a group or fraternity and are highly recognizable by the hat or helmet they wear. They may be members of a political party. They are recognized by the party line. Members of a Catholic church are recognizable as distinct and different from members of a Protestant church. Atheists may be known for their opinions and rhetoric being different from those of believers. Clearly, the Jewish faith is easily recognized by the curls men wear. As well, members of the Muslim faith are known by their language, appearance, and beliefs.

A single fact may be considered as one. However, there is no getting around the connection that one side of a coin has to the other side. Connection, in a sense, is membership. Most of us have quite a lot of connections. It is how we know we belong. I, for example, am a menagerie of single but connecting facts. I am a man, I am a Christian, I am a senior citizen, I am an American. I am a lot of things, and each fact connects me to someone or something other than myself. Seeing the difference between the part and the whole will be the beginning of this study. Then, parts must necessarily be prioritized within the whole. Throughout, we will see that a collection of parts fulfills the definition of continuity, and works toward completion. Finally, the completed whole, the body whole, may be viewed in the light of singularity and purity.

The point of this study is to see the connection between individual men and the unified whole within the parameters of God. Oneness is made possible by sameness. That has been the work all along. Our development has been toward sameness, like-mindedness, with the end result being inclusion. The evidence of our sameness sets us distinctly apart as a body whole unto itself. We will be recognized as those who love rather than hate, as those who rise above and persevere rather than settle for less. If we are known as Christians, that recognition exists in opposition to wholes such as Atheists, Jews, Muslims, etc. We are known for who we are, by which I mean the individual in regard to his or her connection to the body whole.

Table of Contents

One as a specific point of fact

The Whole and the Part

Prioritization within the Whole

Continuity and Completion within the Whole

Purity and Singularity of the Whole

One as a member of the body whole

A Recognized Member of the Body

On Knowing the Whole and the Member

The Sameness Within the Body

Know Your Place in the Body Whole

One as on the same page

One Accord

The Actions of a Single Heart and Soul

One Spirit, One Mind

One as the sum of its parts

The Flesh and the Spirit

Gathered into a Whole

The Joining

How it Connects

God is All of it