It is a mistake to assume that all the facts relating to the life and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ are to be found in present-day Bibles. Jesus Christ did not Himself write anything about His own life, mission, and teachings. And the accounts contained in the different Bibles were written many years after the earthly departure of Jesus. It is not surprising, therefore, that there are gaps in the accounts of His life and teachings. Moreover, in thinking about Biblical authority, we should be mindful of the history of how the books that now constitute the Bible were decided upon as well as the fact that even today the Bible means different things to different Christians. The books which constitute the Bible for the Protestant Churches are different from those of the Catholic Church and are in turn different from those of the Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches. Furthermore, for a given book of the Bible, there may be differences on account of the different original sources (manuscripts) used for the translations from ancient into modern languages. Thus, strictly speaking, one should specify which of the four types of Bibles and which specific version one has in mind when one speaks of biblical authority or cites the Bible in support or in opposition to a particular point. Some assertions of many pulpit preachers and television evangelists often give the impression that they are unaware of these facts about the Bible.
We are an especially fortunate generation because there is now available to genuine seekers a most unique and invaluable source of knowledge on the life and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. The source also shines light on the lives and the authentic teachings of past Truth Bringers and of some personages connected with past events of great spiritual significance on earth. This unique source of new knowledge about humankind’s spiritual heritage is the Forerunner Book Series, which came into being in the 1930’s in connection with the activity of Abd-ru-shin (Oskar Ernst Bernhardt), author of the work “In the Light of Truth: The Grail Message.”
Among those closely associated with Abd-ru-shin were some people who were gifted with unusual abilities, including actually perceiving, seeing, and hearing unfolding events connected with the lives and works of specific past Truth Bringers. They wrote down what they perceived, saw, and heard as would a living witness to the events. But these “seer-reporters” were even better than any contemporary witnesses in that they did not only see the events as they unfolded and heard what was being said, they also perceived the thoughts and volitions of all the physically visible and invisible participants. These unusually gifted ones did not consider themselves authors in the traditional sense, as they were merely transcribers or recorders of events of past eras, some of which date back to many millennia. For this reason, the books were published (and are still published) without any indication of authors; rather, under the title of each book appears the following text: “Received in the proximity of Abd-ru-shin through the special gift of one Called for the purpose.”
The phenomenon represented by this kind of writing arises from the fact that everything that has taken place (including thoughts, words, and actions) is recorded indelibly in the annals of time; nothing has ever been or will ever be truly lost or destroyed. But it takes unusual spiritual abilities and special spiritual circumstances to retrieve such records. Because of the wider range and scope of the perceptions of the “seer-reporters”, the accounts in the Forerunner Book Series are more authentic and are from a far more comprehensive standpoint than would have been possible for ordinary contemporary witnesses.
The books in the series that contain aspects of the life and teachings of Jesus as well as some of those closely associated with Him and His mission include the following:
FROM PAST MILLENIA: This volume has separate accounts of the lives and activities of Moses; Abd-ru-shin; Mary; and Jesus, in that order.
PAST ERAS AWAKEN, Volume I: The volume has separate accounts of the lives and activities of Krishna; Nahome; Cassandra; and Mary of Magdala (also called Mary Magdalene), in that order.
PAST ERAS AWAKEN, Volume II: This volume has separate accounts on Atlantis; The Realm of the Incas, and aspects of the lives and activities of Abd-ru-shin; Cassandra; John the Baptist; and Jesus of Nazareth, in that order.
PAST ERAS AWAKEN, Volume III: This volume contains separate accounts on Egypt; Nemare; Pharaohs; Unknown Events from the Life of Jesus, the Son of God; and The Apostles, in that order.
Other titles in the Forerunner Book Series are:
It will be noted that the Series includes the lives and works of most of the bringers of the teachings on which are based virtually all the major religions and belief systems of the world. The Forerunner Book Series thus constitutes a truly unique record and history of humankind’s spiritual heritage. Accounts of some Truth-Bringers and personages occur in more than one volume; these are not repetitions but different aspects of the lives and activities of those concerned. Serious seekers, regardless of religion, will find a study of these books richly rewarding. And they will have a new appreciation of the inconceivable Grace of God in the activities of His messengers. But they will also be appalled by the gross distortions that human beings have introduced into the teachings brought by the faithful messengers. As to the reliability and authenticity of the accounts, each reader will have to make his/her own assessment, using all the faculties at his/her disposal.
The books in the Series were all originally written in German. Translations are now available in English and French and some of the titles have been translated into additional languages. They are available from the publisher (Stiftung Gralsbotschaft, Stuttgart, Germany) and through the regular book trade channels, including via the Internet.
Abd-ru-shin, the author of the work “In the Light of Truth, The Grail Message”, pointed to the uniform wisdom that runs through the original, unadulterated teachings of all the Truth-bringers. He wrote:
“If in the course of thousands of years men had not always acted as they still do today, if they had not time and again distorted everything that was intended to help them, in order to adapt it to their human way of thinking and their earthly desires, there would now be only one uniform teaching here on earth, issuing from the Will of God. There would not be so many kinds of denominations.
All the teachings that have come to earth in the past would, united, form a single flight of steps to the pedestal on which the Truth is to stand, as it has so often been proclaimed to mankind in various promises.
There would be no differences in the interpretations, much less differences in the teachings themselves!
For all teachings were at one time willed by God, precisely adapted to the individual peoples and countries, and formed in complete accord with their actual spiritual maturity and receptivity.
Originally they all led in a straight line to the Truth, which you find in the Message. Even then everything was leading up to the time of the Final Judgment. The Bringers of all the individual teachings were Forerunners of the Word of Truth Itself.
And these Forerunners have made great efforts, very often amid intense inner struggles, loyally to fulfill their tasks, despite all the obstructions that men sought again and again to put in their way.”
In the light of historical and contemporary problems posed by religions, the following statement by Abd-ru-shin is especially significant:
“ …For what comes from God, or what is carried out in purity at His behest, knows neither hate nor enmity, nor any contradictions.
Take this truth as the touchstone for all things!
Wherever you find intolerance and malice, or even enmity and stirring up strife against others who are not of the same faith, wherever men seek to harm those of different belief, either the teaching is not from God or it has been falsified! And such people serve only the Darkness, never the Light!
The teaching that permits this must be distorted, whatever it is called; for a teaching that has not yet been distorted will also swing in purity in the Laws of God. It does not produce human beings who wish to harm their fellow-men!”
by Stephen Lampe