God's Perspective:
1 Cor. 13:9-11
; Isa. 40:3-8
; 1 Pet. 1:7
, 14
: That which is
perfect is a Being, Christ. He is the substance of all things.
He is unchangeable, immovable, and without Whom and beside Whom
there is no true substance, and in Whom all things have their
substance. The fallen self, the creature, the I, the self,
the me, the mine, must all be lost, and done away . As long as
we think of the interest of the self, so long remains the Perfect
unknown to us. That which is Perfect is come, by the pure word
of God, and through the word may be known, felt and tasted by
the soul as we are nurtured and grown into complete salvation
which is the substance of Christ Himself. All of Him, none of
the self.
Hope:
2 Pet. 1:4
; 2 Cor. 5:17
, 21
; Jn. 3:3-6
; 2 Pet. 1:2-4
; 1 Cor. 1:30
, 3:11
; Gal. 2:20
; Col. 2:10
: God took human nature or manhood
upon Himself and was made man, and man was made divine; thus,
healing was brought to pass. As I accepts this, I die to the
self, the I, the me, the mine, and move from the flesh to the
spirit. A new creature emerges entirely, cleansed and washed
clean, made righteous. The center of my being replaced by God
Himself from Whom I live and breathe and have my being, all that
I need to live the righteous life, giving glory to His Holy Name.
John 15:5 ; 2 Cor. 12:9-10 ; John 8:31-32 : Man should acknowledge that in himself, he neither has nor can he do any good thing. None of his knowledge, wisdom, his will, love and good works come from himself, but the righteous acts are of the eternal God, from Whom all good things proceed. When we recognize this and refrain from claiming anything for our own, we shall have the best, fullest, clearest and noblest knowledge that a man can have as well as the purest love, will and desire. When the vain imagination and ignorance are turned into an understanding and knowledge of the truth, the claiming of anything for our own will cease of itself: all goodness is of God.
Change:
1 Cor. 13:9-11
; 2 Tim. 3:16-17
; 1 Cor. 2:7
, 4:4
: Accordingly,
we are to make judgments, discriminate, and discern all outward
things on the basis of inward truths. It is of sin that we do
not love the best. As the inward man holds to the truth of God's
word, he will see that the Perfect is without measure, better
and nobler than all which is imperfect. Thus, that which is imperfect
and in part would become tasteless and be as nothing to us.
Matt. 19:17 ; 1 Cor. 2:9-16 : All manner of virtue and goodness and even the Eternal Good which is God Himself can never make a man virtuous, good or happy, so long as it is outside the soul, so long as man is holding conversation with outward things by his senses and his reasons. The like is true of sin and evil. Sin and wickedness, can never make us evil , so long as it is outside of us, so long as we do not commit it, or give consent to it.
The Goodness of God resides within and as we live in pure submission
to the Eternal Goodness, we will live in the perfect freedom of
fervent love. To partake of the Goodness, we must cease always
seeking ourselves and our things. Let God draw us up to something
higher, that is, to an utter loss and forsaking of our own things,
spiritual and natural, and even to withdraw His Presence from
us in order for us to learn to seek alone the Honor of God.