The more one is engrossed in the "self", in its prides, vanities, lusts and desires, the deeper he is in the darkness and the further he is from the TRUTH. And the further a man is from the TRUTH, the less light he has to guide and direct and glorify his life, consequently the greater are his errors and mistakes and weaknesses though he may actually believe he has his feet emplanted in Celestial realms and his hands upon the very throne of God. Thus his own conceit deceives him and robs him of eternal light as the powers of the Almighty are retarded in his life.
It must be here understood that every individual is either ruled by his own little, mortal, ego-filled "self" as it pounds and pushes him along into its dark, erroneous ways of floundering, deadly mistakes, or he begins to reach upward toward God in a searching humility that must fulfill the promise, "Seek me diligently, and ye shall find me", if one will only continue his seeking.
As one even begins to BELIEVE in that "Light of Christ that is given to abide in every man who cometh into the world", and starts the inward search to contact that divine Light, he is on his way into exalted realms. And no man can truly seek for this Light without finding It. For "He who seeks finds." And, "Unto him who knocks it shall be opened." As one searches, his faith turns into knowing and knowing turns into power. The knowing is that divine contact with the Light. As one continues his search he automatically becomes "Purified and cleansed from all sin." And sin is the "self". It is every thought, feeling and vibration that is out of tune with the great symphony of the universe.
It is as one progresses into the Light, continuing in his search for the Kingdom of God and the right use of its divine laws of perfection, that the little mortal "self" is outgrown and left behind. As it is overcome it will be transformed into Light. Even as all negative forces can be transmuted into power, so can the little mortal "self" be translated into "ONE" with the great, divine Light.
It is not possible to enter this divine Kingdom of Heaven, which is the kingdom of awakened understanding and infinite power, by just weakly desiring it. One must first comprehend just what issues are involved, and by his own awakened choice decide whether he will serve the darkness or advance into the Light. He must continue to use his free agency, as he always has, if he has not already forfeited it to sin. And if it has been thus relinquished, he must begin the battle of his life to recapture this priceless possession, for he is completely impotent without it. He must use this free-agency henceforth with the knowledge of just what is involved. With his understanding opened he becomes completely and fully accountable. He also becomes endowed with the power to fulfill speedily the laws of either realm.
In man's very searching, reaching and desiring to leave the darkness the ability to believe is developed -- and is perfected.
It is when one is smugly satisfied with the darkness and with his own little meager, mortal "self" that he remains in the darkness, unenlightened, unprogressive and devoid of power.
With awakened vision each man will be able to see clearly the road into the light as he recognizes the subtle by-roads of "self". Each trait of "self" is recognized as an enticing guide-post to the lower levels of life. They are also indicators to the higher realms of exalted existence as they are by-passed in that upward climb into the eternal light of glory and divine achievement.
As one believes in and then begins to comprehend that inner Christ Light, which holds within it all the redemptive powers Christ came to give, he is no longer "under condemnation". The great, holy Christ-powers of redemption enfold such a one in their exalting, purifying, forgiving, redeeming glory.
It is impossible to attain fully unto the Christ Light without loving God with one's entire being, his heart, his soul, his mind and strength. And "The nearer one approaches perfection the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at the point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station at which no man ever arrived in a moment; he must have been instructed in the laws and government of that kingdom by proper degrees, until his mind is capable in some measure of comprehending the propriety, justice, equality and consistency of the same."
With man's growing comprehension, as he reaches upward his eyes become single to the glory of God instead of to his own glory, and in that singleness of love and dedication "he becomes like the thing he gazes upon" -- even the Light. He beholds Christ as one who gazes in a mirror! And he himself begins to take on that reflection. The very mirror is the lighted brilliance of his own soul as it becomes purified. That mirror is the gold of himself that has been tried in the fire.
This gold, or mirror of a man's own soul becomes a glorified reality as it is completely purified. This purification is accomplished as the gold is separated from the dross -- or sin, which is the trait of "self" with its greedy lusts for pomp and show, its vain hopes and desires for the highest seats, its evils and discords and its animal appetites. This little "self" has contained all the evils of each man's life. It is the dross that has defiled the gold and made it unusable and kept it in an unglorified condition of unworthiness.
We have now reached the time the ancient prophets told about -- the time when all men would be able to "discern between the righteous and the wicked".
The righteous are all those, who through their developed power to believe, contact that Christ Light within and begin to bring it forth in their own lives until they become filled with It, and Its power. "For My Kingdom is not in word, but in power," saith God. It is the time when all those who only profess such divine contact with the powers of God, yet preach their empty sermons of words or live their mediocre, unexalted lives devoid of His Light and His power, will be instantly recognized. Often the shame of such, with their empty hands and their vacant souls, will be greater than the shame of those who realize they are lacking and sinners. The sinners make no such false claim upon righteousness, hence there is no hypocrisy in them. But whether a man is a professed sinner or a falsely professed saint, he will be recognized for what he is. His light and his darkness will both be plainly discernible.
The wicked are all those who are still lost in the darkness of the little mortal, physical, ego-filled "self" with its prides and prejudices, its fleshly desires and intense likes and violent dislikes. Wickedness can be either a degree of rebellious defiance or its opposite, the inflated idea of self-righteousness. Both are conditions caused by the great ignorance of not comprehending or contacting that Divine Christ Light.
From the higher realms it is surprising to note that the sinner and the over-inflated minister on the exalted pinnacle of the church may be equally engulfed in the darkness of "self". In fact, the minister, or he who professes to be the most enlightened, may be even more engulfed in that darkness than the other. The weakness of hypocrisy, the inflated, deceptive works of the religious acclaimants may be as great as or even greater than the transgression of the sinners. Both are a lack of understanding of that divine, holy Light of Christ. The difference is that one professes to have all knowledge, though he has it not and is without power, while the other may inwardly realize he is only a failure, a sinner, or however else he may feel about himself.
Many who profess to hold the very keys of heaven in their hands will, in their moment of great revelation, be completely overwhelmed in an almost overpowering, crushing, devastating humiliation. If they can, in that moment of severest trial, not seek to cover their shame by self-justification, they might still have the ability to be delivered and redeemed from the tyranny of that little ego-filled "self" as they let go of all pride, all self-adulation, self-importance and instinctive self-justification, even while they are being invited down from the highest seat to take a lower one. And may God's special love enfold them in its healing mercy at that time.
Criminals have often been reclaimed in an instant when they have reached the bottom and drunk of the bitter dregs of life. Locked in solitary confinement, criminals have sometimes been given the power to behold the loving rays of Christ's enfolding light and have changed. Others have picked themselves up from some filthy gutter and walked right out of their unholy environment and its impossible evils. And there are also those who have suddenly found themselves in some vile dive with manhood, funds and life completely spent, who in an agony of engulfing remorse found their lost souls. There are thousands more of those who have been classed as sinners who are but awaiting the gentle touch of Christ's Light to submerge the little evil "self" in a complete letting go of utter surrender as the Light takes over with its healing.
"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself; 'God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all I possess'.
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner'.
"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 18:10-14.
He that humbleth himself will never need to be humiliated. Only the proud, self-righteous man can or will be humiliated as he is invited down from his exalted position to take some lower seat.
Sin is only the little mortal "self" in complete expression. The "self" contains the darkness, the evils and the powers of transgression. It contains the prides and selfishness that separate a man from God. It is the separation from God that is the great sin. It is the separation from that divine Light of Christ within that holds all the powers of sin and error. And it is the acceptance of the Light of Christ that holds the power to overcome sin and the power to redeem one from its effects and influences.
It is not just the little faults and failings in a man's character, not his erroneous actions and mistakes or even his great sins which will bring his judgment. Neither will any man be condemned or judged for his weaknesses, nor by what the world has termed as "sin". Man is only condemned by his rejection of that Light of Christ that has been given to abide in him. Each individual's failures, mistakes and transgressions are in themselves only the effects of the great cause. Each man's own rejection of that divine Light of power and eternal glory has been the great cause of all sin. Sin is but the result of the engulfing darkness that takes over when that divine Light is not accepted. There is only the one great sin which is the cause of all the evils, weaknesses, mistakes and errors. This one great sin is the rejection of the Christ-Light. This rejection alone holds the power of condemnation. This rejection is the one great cause. The weaknesses, failings and all consequent evils are but the results of the one great sin, the rejection of His Light, which is given to abide in every man who comes into this world. In this great rejection the "self" has been permitted to take over and to rule in its blindness and selfishness and physical lusts. This has been the cause of man's separation from God. It has been the little mortal "self" that has not only refused to acknowledge this glorious, redeeming Light of Christ, but has determinedly fought against It. And it is His Light that holds all power and glory and fulfillment in its scope of purified exaltation.
Often those in high places are even more engulfed in this great sin than the recognized sinner. But regardless of who is involved it is only the great ignorance of His Light that has caused all sin. It is only the separation from God, in consciousness, that condemns into outer darkness. It is only the little mortal "self" that can possibly separate man from God and keep him in the great vortex of evil, for all darkness is only a lack of the Christ Light which man himself has rejected, whether he be a sinner or a professed prophet. It is only the mortal "self" that fulfills the great hypocrisy of self-righteousness as it usurps the power and authority of God in its pride and arrogance. And it is the mortal "self" which contains the ability to wallow in the realms of either hidden or open sin. The "self", in every individual, is but the complete expression of everyone who remains under condemnation for having rejected the Light of Christ. These have consequently remained unenlightened, hence unredeemed. Those who have not rejected that divine Christ Light will have It plainly manifested in their works of power. When this Light is comprehended and brought forth, "all will be able to discern between the righteous and the wicked." There can be no possible mistake. When that Light is fully brought forth even the blind will be able to behold It in those they meet -- and that Light will heal their blindness, so they too will comprehend It and glorify God by bringing It forth within themselves.
All of mankind's errors and mistakes, its weaknesses and transgressions have been bred and fostered in the little mortal "self" as it has blundered through life without the Light.
All negative traits and conditions are but the results of the one great sin -- the sin of Separation from God -- the sin of "self" as the Light has been rejected. "But your iniquities have separated between your God, and your sins have hid his face from you." (Isa. 59:2).
As one comprehends the great truth behind weaknesses and sins he will never again judge nor condemn another for any fault, failing or transgression. He will view the cause of such conditions with divine understanding. He will realize fully it is only a lack of knowledge which has caused that erring individual to travel his lost road, alone and desolate, bereft of the Light. That one has been blind and has not known it. The one who understands will become aware of God's goodness and realize that but for His grace he too would have remained blind.
Those who are lost in the sins and weaknesses of the flesh have never even comprehended that there is such a Light given to abide right within themselves, hence they have never contacted It nor brought It forth. It is because man has refused the invitation to "ask, seek and knock" that he has remained in blindness, consequently has not been aware he was being led by those who were also blind. As one's understanding is expanded by the Light, the one great sin remains visible in all its heartbreaking simplicity, the rejection of the Christ Light as each individual has in his ignorance permitted the darkness.
With this higher vision no man could possibly criticize or condemn his brother. Instead he will realize that except for the divine mercy of God he himself would have remained blind and not been given a view of the Great Light and the issue involved. Humble and love filled, he will reach out to enfold his still erring brother in Christ's forgiving love, for as he comprehended the Light and brought It forth the power of divine love was bestowed. And it is such love, sent out to one's erring brother, that that brother can be healed.
The most surprising TRUTH of all will be revealed fully when one begins to use the developed, glorified Light of Christ, brought forth and perfected right within himself, in this manner. It will be noted then that often a humble, broken "sinner" may be more easily reclaimed than one who has seated himself upon the lofty pinnacle of the temple to be seen of men.
As each man begins to believe in and to comprehend the great Light of Christ that has been given to abide right within himself and to bring it forth, he will be purified and cleansed from all sin. He will also "Be filled with Light and comprehend all things". And in this clear vision and purified love he will be healed. Then with his own expanding love he will help to heal his brother. Thus the great healing of mankind, and of the nations will commence and be carried to full fruition.
Every individual who accepts the Light of Christ, which is given to abide right within himself, will automatically leave the little mortal "self" behind with its weaknesses and errors and blundering, heartbreaking mistakes. This is how the redemptive powers of Christ work in a man's life. This is how one goes beyond the great condemnation and becomes one with the Light as he is enfolded in Its exalting, purifying glory of divine healing.
It is as simple and beautiful and as powerful and as eternal as that. The truths of God hold no great mystery. And a knowledge of the Great Christ Light, given to abide right within man, is the great TRUTH that will make man free. It is not impossible to KNOW THE TRUTH, that one might be free. The great TRUTH is the knowledge and contact with "The Light of Christ that has been given to abide right within oneself . . . . . . . "KNOW this TRUTH and you will be free indeed."