The denial of self: For loving purpose

I have spent the last week away from my ministry online. It has been a week filled with frustration, bitterness, confusion, hurt, and a profound sense of loneliness. I dont believe in sharing weaknesses as testimony. Because it only recognizes understanding founded in the knowledge of good and evil, instead of the faith that is in all of us.

Consequences are founded in sin, while, grace is the foundation of faith, a grace founded in a love greater than each of us. So instead of testifying to common weakness, I want to instead acknowledge how faith faces no consequence. To repent is to acknowledge what has been standing between us and the Father. As nothing can approach the Father except through His Truth, we then are aware that what we repent brings us closer to him, as that repent is an act of faith.

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Galatians 6:7-9
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Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
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Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
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Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

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Self is very much defined by the flesh. It is not however based on our desires. Instead, it is based on how we react to those desires. The cost our actions bring upon others. Sin is not what we desire, our desires are a part of this flesh, not the soul within it. No, sin is the cost we create for others by reacting to those desires. And what we reap in judgement correlates with what cost we sowed.

Self is a balance of give and take, but is meaningless. As the knowledge that supplies our choice's understanding; lacks purpose beyond this perishing state. That is why Paul says to the Galatians, ' ..whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.'.  The Spirit of Truth can only bear fruit through this perishing form, if the desires of this flesh are denied action. Yes, desires happen, yes reactions come to mind and sprout from the heart. But if we instead deny ourselves, because our faith is in something greater than us, that loving obedience bears fruit that is holy and eternal. 

Bringing me back to my current state and the challenges of the last week. Although I became and am currently overcome with selfish emotions, I in my love for the Father, can put myself aside in a moment. Because faith is holy, and greater than my self and the desires of this flesh. And instead of trying to make sense of my flesh-based struggles, I allow my faith to act through me, to serve a purpose known only through spiritual Truth.

So what can we say? Condemnation is not for the faithful. Consequences are simply a reaction of the flesh and the world in a balance. Condemnation is for those who create consequence for others; to enable themselves. So what is sin? An abuse of the knowledge of good and evil to satisfy the desires of the flesh. 

Faithfulness is spiritual holiness. We live in our trepasses, none are righteous, instead we now know righteousness in of the Father alone. So the faith Abraham showed, the Father recognized because it was of Him, a holiness that came through Abraham.

None are perfect, all sin. I spent a week buried in my inadequate understanding, when all I had to do was sincerely believe in the faith that comes through me in moments based in truth that are of loving purpose. It was not always this way. Ritual cleansings were necessary to have holiness come through those who were considered on the righteous path. But the Blood of the son of God bares the cost of the sins of mankind. And it is by that Grace that the rest of the world can have holiness act through them in moments of faith that are based in loving purpose.

If we go into moments in fear because we lack adequate understanding of self, the moment is lost. But if we carry on in faithfulness, aware that grace is what allows us to put our selves aside; the fruits of holiness find loving purpose in our sincerity. So like Paul suggests; we persevere.