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
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