Spiritual journey, Part I
Mar. 6th, 2006 08:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greybetaI've decided to write about my spiritual journey at least once a week. After all, if I'm going to try to resolve my heresies, then I actually need to think about it. And I'm someone who likes to put their thoughts down in writing.
I'm just insane enough to let other people read it, even strangers whom I have never met. I don't have anything to hide in this case.
A good friend of mine, concerned for my soul, wrote a response to me about what it is that allows us to know that we are playing the correct notes on the piano. The sound of the music informs us if we are playing correctly. Dissonance on the piano is quite an easy thing to pick up on even for the least musically inclined people.
So, the only thing outside of our circular arguments is the world. We must use the world itself and our senses to judge what is right and wrong.
Let's take a look at Matthew 7:14-16:
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which
come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits."
Ah, we shall know them by their fruits. Good trees bear good fruit, while bad trees bad fruit.
This leads us to Matthew 7:21-23:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
I look out into the world and I see that people like Jerry Falwell and Fred Phelps are calling on the good Lord's name to drive out demons. I can't judge them, but somehow I feel that with God as my judge that their fruits are bad.
There are definitely evil people who claim to be Christians.
But what about me? I...don't know.
That's because the good Lord has not granted me the ability to use my power of discernment on myself. It's frustrating because I want to know who I am, and yet all I can see is who others are.
Sure, I sound arrogant when I say I can read people like an open book, but it's true. But I don't think it's something to marvel at. We're all given different abilities, and it's only natural for us to use them.
Whatever the case may be, I must bear "good fruit" if I am to be a true disciple of Christ. Yet, it seems like I am bearing no fruit at all.
I must be a city hidden on a hill.
I'm just insane enough to let other people read it, even strangers whom I have never met. I don't have anything to hide in this case.
A good friend of mine, concerned for my soul, wrote a response to me about what it is that allows us to know that we are playing the correct notes on the piano. The sound of the music informs us if we are playing correctly. Dissonance on the piano is quite an easy thing to pick up on even for the least musically inclined people.
So, the only thing outside of our circular arguments is the world. We must use the world itself and our senses to judge what is right and wrong.
Let's take a look at Matthew 7:14-16:
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which
come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits."
Ah, we shall know them by their fruits. Good trees bear good fruit, while bad trees bad fruit.
This leads us to Matthew 7:21-23:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
I look out into the world and I see that people like Jerry Falwell and Fred Phelps are calling on the good Lord's name to drive out demons. I can't judge them, but somehow I feel that with God as my judge that their fruits are bad.
There are definitely evil people who claim to be Christians.
But what about me? I...don't know.
That's because the good Lord has not granted me the ability to use my power of discernment on myself. It's frustrating because I want to know who I am, and yet all I can see is who others are.
Sure, I sound arrogant when I say I can read people like an open book, but it's true. But I don't think it's something to marvel at. We're all given different abilities, and it's only natural for us to use them.
Whatever the case may be, I must bear "good fruit" if I am to be a true disciple of Christ. Yet, it seems like I am bearing no fruit at all.
I must be a city hidden on a hill.
