Empress, thanks again for the nice saying. I've felt that one, but never heard it in such nice words before. So that is a blessing now.
Ark, it seems that there is much similarity in our views, but I feel that there is something missing.
I want to ask you this question:
Do you know that you are the glory of God in Christ?
You see, beneath your words I am sensing (it may be just a communication problem so I am trying to clear this up) that you don't feel good about your present state. It seems that you experience some form of guilt about the ways in which you fail to live up to the standards of righteousness to which you aspire. According to the Christian teaching this should not be. You should understand that any shortcomings are not a reason to put yourself down at all. I mean, it is not correct to feel accountable or responsible for any failure on your part to meet up to any expectation or goal you may have set for yourself.
I can agree with all the words of your last post, but in the background I seem to hear that you are displeased with yourself and feel morally responsible and in some way less than perfect.
You see, on the one hand I have said that we are sinners, but that statement was made in a specific context, which I have described in an earlier post. The context in which we are sinners is the context of Zion, in terms of what is ideal. But because of our state we are not capable of doing the ideal, so we should not feel bad, on a personal or moral level about our shortcomings.
It's funny, but the fact that we fall short (that's what sin means) is actually evidence that we are not personally accountable. When I talk about personally, I mean, the I that is not flesh, but is eternal, or the soul, or the real person. Our flesh is our vehicle, and it is not in the perfect state compared to Zion, but for where it is now, it IS in the perfect state (morally speaking).
Anyone can see I'm having difficulty expressing myself. It is a paradox but not a contradiction.
I just feel like you put yourself down or feel like you have failed as a person when you sin, but I want you to know that is not the case. Your sin and your personal value or success as a person operate in different paradigms. Sin is a temporal thing, but you are eternal and spiritual. Sin and the law belong to the material realm, but you and I are spiritual. So as far as we are concerned sin is gone as fast as it happens and becomes just an object lesson. For us there is no condemnation or guilt.
We are pure, and perfect. We are the glory of God, in christ.
Just to put this in perspective, let me say this:
For me personally, I do feel guilt and condemnation. The difference is that although I sense these feelings I do not count them as true, but as illusion. So knowing that it is illusion, I can easily keep on keeping on, and quickly overcome these feelings and the spiral of doubt and fear that they engender.
You see, this gospel, or this doctrine, is all about hope. It is saying that you don't have to worry about your present state. You don't have to worry at all, because all the negative things you see and feel about yourself do not really pertain to the person you really are - to the real you, or to you. You are pure and free from condemnation of any sort.
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