How do I achieve enlightenment?

It’s a familiar story line: the wandering soul climbing to the top of a mountain in search of a bearded guru. The searcher has traveled the world seeking enlightenment and is just about to meet the wise old man with the flowing white beard, sitting serenely on the mountain peak. The long expensive trip has been worth it because, it is said, the wizened teacher knows the meaning of life. What will he say? 
 
Have you been searching, too?  Maybe you haven’t climbed to the top of a mountain, but who of us hasn’t wondered about the meaning of life?  “Is that all there is?” the plaintive song asks. 
 
Who of us hasn’t longed for enlightenment? 
 
Over 1500 years ago, there was a great Christian theologian by the name of Augustine of Hippo (a city in N. Africa). He was a Bishop -- a kind of “guru” for people who sought enlightenment, as in fact he himself had done earlier in his life. He summed up such human longing in a prayer to God: “Lord, you have created us for yourself, and our hearts will never be at rest until they rest in you.”
 
Augustine did not consider himself to have all the answers. In fact, he told searchers: “You may be looking for the right thing, but aren’t you looking in the wrong place?”
 
He did, however, know the right place to look for enlightenment from God. He went to the Bible.
 
The late Johnny Hart wrote a popular and provocative cartoon strip called “B.C.”  In one scene a searcher climbs a mountain to visit a bearded guru at the summit. He asks, “Tell me, O great guru, what does the future hold?" 
 
The old man answers: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.”
 
Shocked and appalled, the seeker asks, “How do you know such things?”
 
The guru held up a Bible and answered, “No one escapes the Gideons.” (You know, those people who place Bibles in hotel rooms.)
 
His point: instead of looking to a guru on a mountaintop, you can go to the Bible and find life’s answers. There you can find enlightenment.
 
Perhaps you are climbing a mountain—a mountain of information on the internet to see if there may be some truth to be found in the gazillion terabytes of information floating around out here in cyberspace? 
 
Somehow, your climb has brought you to our site, “What About Jesus?” And as St. Augustine would do, we direct you to the best place to find real enlightenment: to the Bible, God’s Word. 
 
Here you will find Jesus, who also climbed a mountain. He climbed the mountain called “Calvary” where he offered his life as the atoning sacrifice for everyone in the world, including you and me. 
 
Here is where your true enlightenment will begin—at the Lord’s cross of salvation. As you read and learn more, your knowledge will grow and you will find comfort and peace. Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, then you are indeed my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  Is not this wonderful enlightenment?
 
Of course, you will have many more questions as you search the Scriptures (i.e. the Bible). Please contact us to receive a free Bible in your language, plus we can provide you with many other Bible study helps to lead you on the path of enlightenment. Also, throughout these web pages, we are glad and privileged to help you find the truth. 
 
Our prayer for you is taken right from the Bible, a prayer written by St. Paul, another great teacher (“guru”) who pointed seekers to Jesus:
 

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