What Is Consciousness?

Consciousness is a Latin philosophical word that derives from conscientia, a literal translation of the Greek equivalent for conscience. This word denotes a knowing with (oneself) and means awareness, feeling of guilt or conscience. We understand consciousness as the seat of rational and emotional awareness and response. The Bible uses words like mind, imagination, thought to denote what happens in what we call consciousness. It also cuts a wider swath in involving the spirit, the will and the heart in this concept; the heart being the center of our personality.

The appeal by the apostle James to be a doer of the law, is not an exhortation to Mosaic law, but to Christ as the ultimate law of Love. The law came through Moses, but grace and truth through Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul taught that the ten commandments are in fact the elements of the world--all moral philosophy appeals to natural law, or by whatever name it goes--but that the law of the Spirit of the Life in Christ has freed me of the law of sin and death. Mosaic law is like a lamp that exposes my sinfulness, Christ extolls me to Himself. Abraham was not under law, but under a form of grace. Mosaic law has been given to the Jewish people as a pedagogue to lead them to Christ. It has never been given to the gentiles, who are directly addressed with the promises of Christ. Christendom has mixed up law and grace and has turned it into an inefficacious influence. According to the decision by the council of the apostles in Acts 15 and according to Paul's letter to the Galatians, Mosaic law is Hagar (the mount of condemnation), but grace is Sarah (mount Zion). This awareness is true Christian consciousness. It draws us to Christ and infuses us with true virtue. The ten commandments condemn, Christ sets free. Not so as to sin, of course, but to live a sanctified life. And the law cannot give you that. Neither out of a so-called thankfulness. For then you are not taking the bull by the horns, but by the hind legs as it were and it will kick you in the face.

When Paul speaks of his inward parts having been given rest, he refers to the intestines (stomach, kidneys, liver, etc.) as the seat of emotion. Little is known about this scientifically, but science is starting to explore this matter. The Bible talks about the kidneys (reins) at numerous occasions (I ((God)) search the heart and examine the kidneys). We simply do not know at the moment what that means exactly. Physicians understand much about the chemical physiology, but little or nothing about its role in emotion; let alone its spiritual typology (such as the sifting out of proud and sinful emotions).

Inveterate atheists see religion as a cognitive parasite that changes whenever there is a shift in the influence of science. Little do they realize that the Bible not only predates today's science, but that it has been a source of inspiration for earlier scientists that stand at the cradle of modern knowledge.

Many Greek thinkers abandoned Democrates' materialistic philosophy as implying that consciousness is itself a fortuitous awareness about random molecules, which would mean that we are playthings of nothingness. Modern philosophers that believe in materialistic determination deny their own philosophy when they take recourse to a rationalistic ethics of you should not punch me in the nose. Obviously this flight into rationalism or emotionalism shows they cannot live themselves with the idea of totally random meaninglessness of nerve impulses.

Buddhists flee into the determination of self through meditation. Hindus use meditation as an access to the gods and as a flight from the illusion of so-called reality. "Be happy in the mud." And the belief that karma determines caste. Such a form of consciousness leads to gross negligence of the poor and the sick and is a self congratulatory and self fulfilling prophecy. Agnostic materialism fills its consciousness with a pragmatic approach to life and is apathetic about higher ideals. Emotionalism runs away with feelings and ends in a lopsided view of life. Rationalism runs away with reason and bogs down in a so-called enlightenment of science that never can solve the moral decay of society. New Age ideas are nothing but pantheism in a new dress. It boils down to supposedly discovering the true self, the inner light, the spirit of all, the divine in nature, or whatever way they pass it on. Witchcraft borders on Satanism and is a modern throwback to ancient magicism. It only imprisons you and enslaves you under the influence of the spirit guides that initially were supposed to lead you to the light.

The Bible teaches true expansion of consciousness in that it leads to thinking outside the box of all conventions. It liberates us from the misleading spirits that are operating in the world, of which Satan is god. It is not meant to prohibit at will and in a whimsical fashion, but to advance us to true Love, Wisdom and Knowledge. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge and to turn from evil, is understanding. In this way our consciousness is transformed and does not remain sitting in a narcissist limbo or in a navel staring awareness. He that sins against Me, violates his own soul and all that hate Me, love death. Spiritual death now and the second death in the lake of fire.

The Bible teaches us so many things that there is enough in it for everybody and for every good work and purpose. It is the living Word of the living Lord. It goads on, it leads to true awareness and when it tests you with its all seeing wisdom, it is to bring you back and to teach you more than you could ever have known or felt. The Lord's chastisement does cause a temporary sorrow, but afterwards brings the fruits of joy. And the ultimate sense of it all, is found in Him alone.