Natural path vs. path of divine love

I had a clarification question in regards to the natural Path versus the divine love path. In the book “our world and transition; messages from Jesus”, in lesson four, page 33, there is a statement that says, “each individual takes a journey towards either a purification and realization of their natural potentials or that which brings at-one-ment to God and eventual habitation in the celestial kingdom.” My question is doesn’t the purification of the soul on the divine love path also bring out the natural potentials and gifts within each individual? The paragraph in the book seems to infer that’s the main difference between the two path. I’ve always assumed you get both blessings as you follow the DL path…soul gifts manifesting, realizing your potentials, as well as becoming at-one with the heavenly creator. Thank you for clarifying.

Hello Susan,

As I understand it, the natural love path leads to purification of souls from sins and encrustations to where ultimately those thus purified become in the state of perfection that the first parents were created before their Fall. Their soul was in the image of God and they had the potential for becoming divine, but did not have the divine in them at that time. They also had the potential to reject God's offer of Divine Love and insist on their own independence, which unfortunately they did.

By contrast, the Divine Love path leads to transformation of soul from the image of God to the substance of God. This is what makes us divine, gives us immortality and makes us at one with God. We acquire divine nature and possess divine substance, which doesn't occur on the natural love path. This transformation is also the new birth, new heart and becoming new creatures. Once we reach the new birth, we'll be divine angels in the Celestial Kingdom and never sin.

I hope that this helps.

Hi Eva! I agree with what you said. That’s what I’ve always understood to be the difference as well. But I was also thinking our soul gifts would also develop as we follow the divine path. That’s why the sentence from the book provoked my question since it inferred a difference between the two paths related to the development of our gifts, in addition to what you stated. Thanks for responding Eva

Hello Susan,

Back to the quote: "... a journey towards either a purification and realization of their natural potentials or that which brings at-one-ment to God and eventual habitation in the celestial kingdom.”

The natural path develops our natural potentials and gifts. While it doesn't specifically state that, you are right that the divine path develops our soul gifts. The quote also does not state that we acquire immortality, peace, divine nature, etc., so it is a bit oversimplified and not comprehensive. At-one-ment with God, who is Soul, would also imply soul gifts, including soul perceptions.

“each individual takes a journey towards either a purification and realization of their natural potentials or that which brings at-one-ment to God and eventual habitation in the celestial kingdom.”

The difference is quite significant. In "purification" essentially this is human driven. You identify and change yourself. On the Divine Love path provided you wish to change the errors that cause the issues can be removed from the scope of the Law of Compensation (ie purification) and hence progress in cleaning yourself up is much much faster. This is of course "God Assisted." But as always - indeed on both paths - the human has to want to change.

I have asked about soul growth on the two paths, and I suspect the answer is complex, because I did not get great clarify. But it is not true to say the soul of a person on the Natural path has no growth. On the other hand they do not grow the soul such that the mind is dispensed with and the soul mind emerges and thus we experience "Christ Consciousness." As also it requires very significant soul growth for the true emergence of "soul gifts".

I hope that helps
Geoff

Actually, there are three Padgett messages that mention soul development in natural love, so it will occur. These are TGRABJ, Vol 1, p. 12; and Vol 2, p. 367 and 371.

Here is one of the passages about soul development: "So you will see from this, that as man’s thoughts and desires become freed from these things that tend to defile him, he naturally progresses toward that condition which is necessary, in order for him to have this development of the soul in its natural love. Again, the development may be helped very much by man thinking and doing acts of charity and kindness, and observing the golden rule; for every act of charity and kindness and self sacrifice for the sake of others, has its reflex action in his own condition of love and soul, and helps their development. (https://new-birth.net/padgetts-messages/true-gospel-revealed-anew-by-jesus-volume-2/luke-the-development-of-the-soul-in-its-natural-love-cont-vol-2-pg371/)


These messages also mention that while the natural love path requires largely human effort, God will also assist if He is sought.

The natural love path and the Divine Love path parallel as follows: "Now, the way to each of these kingdoms is not the same, although in pursuing the way to one, and that the Celestial Kingdom, the way to the others, must necessarily be followed, or in other words, he who follows the way to the Celestial Kingdom pursues that course which in its pursuit, will cause him to do those things and obey those laws of God that are necessary to establish the Kingdoms on earth and in the spirit world; but he who pursues only the way that leads to the establishment of the kingdom on earth and in the spirit world, cannot possibly become an inhabitant of the Celestial Kingdom." (https://new-birth.net/padgetts-messages/true-gospel-revealed-anew-by-jesus-volume-1/the-kingdom-of-god-on-earth-and-in-the-spirit-world-vol-1-pg12/)

Eva