I went to bed at 9:00 last night and awakened this New Year’s morning at 1:30, hearing the still small voice inside speaking words of life. I understood that I can never justifiably judge, condemn or criticize another because we are all on the same spiritual journey from the darkness of personality into the light of our true identity which is the Christ,
John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth EVERY man that cometh into the world.
That is the only reason any of us (individualized expressions of that Christ) come into this world: to become enlightened to our true identity. Each of us is working out our own salvation
Philippians 2:12. Understanding that, we can be kind, gentle and loving toward those who don’t see things as we do or act as we would act in the same circumstance. We have no idea where they are on this spiritual journey, but we do know that they can be only where they are in consciousness. They are thinking and acting according to what they believe to be the truth, and we cannot expect them to think or act differently until they are in possession of more truth.
Jesus said that he came into this world to bear witness to truth:
John 18:37 … To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Of course Jesus was the truth:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Not the man Jesus (who readily admitted that in His humanity He was neither good Mark 10:18 nor could He of Himself do anything John 5:30, but the Christ of Jesus who took upon Itself the form of Jesus and came into this world to bear witness to truth.
And each of us came for the same reason—to bear witness to the truth that we are in possession of by reason of hearing the voice of the Christ inside each of us.
But though that voice is constantly speaking, we cannot hear it unless we are of the truth,
unless our desire to know truth (or the Christ, which is the truth) is our strongest desire, no matter what the cost (see The Cost of Knowing Truth).
As Jesus tells us, that cost is great:
Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Paul tells us (as does Jesus) that it will cost us everything:
Philippians 3:8-9 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Jesus said:
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Everyone doesn’t understand that we cannot DO anything to attain righteousness, that we must accept it as a free gift. To the extent that we have not this understanding, to that extent do we still walk in darkness and cannot hear that still small voice inside which is guiding us into all truth:
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth
But we can be assured that the Christ in every man, the true Light, which lighteth EVERY man that cometh into the world, is at work in that person
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
and will eventually bring that person to the light:
Hebrews 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for ALL shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
We must therefore be very patient with everyone, ceasing from all judgment, condemnation and criticism, speaking the truth that we do know, but always in love, knowing that each of us is an integral member of the body of Christ:
Ephesians 4:13-16 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Having seen this truth, when I am tempted to act not in accordance with this truth, I must immediately do what Jesus showed us by doing it Himself—pray, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing
(Luke 23:34). I will also pray this for myself because I, too, have not attained to that truth which has been revealed to me. We are all members of the same body:
1Corinthians 12:12-20,27 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. … Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Let us all act in accordance with this profound truth in this the year 2016 as we make this spiritual journey together.