While, we are in a good, and, righteous position, with FAITH, the necessity of RIGHTEOUS character, and, behaviours, enhance this state, AND, they bear witness to HIM, WHILE, attracting others! The spirit is IN LOVE, at all times, and, intrinsically, has the desire to BE as CHRIST, or, CHRIST-like, to PLEASE *GOD*!!!
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS CONDUCT IN CONFORMITY, TO *GOD'S* WILL! It is point blank, DESIRE to PLEASE HIM, and, to LIVE IN HIS WAYS!!!
BEING ONE WITH CHRIST/*GOD*, involves diligence, dedication, AND, release of carnality! We are now, ONE with THE BODY/THE CHURCH, which, means being as HOLY as we can be, because it is written, "Be HOLY, because I am HOLY!" This reflects a classic view of education and discipleship, whereby the teacher instructs, not just through words, but also through deeds. Jesus, for example, chose his most intimate disciples to be with him so that they might hear his teaching and so that they might observe his behavior in order to imitate it.
Sure, we are going to trip, stumble, and, fall, but, we don't have to stay in that state; instead, we are to ARISE from ANYTHING which is carnal, or, fleshy! While it is expected that one will have trying times, and, battles with what is not *GODLY*, it is NOT alright to step over the edge, because in this state, there are dangers introduced, such as the 7 Deadly Sins, in which case, it is assessed, that 1 sin, usually, leads to another! We ALL have battles with the 7 Deadly Sins, yet, IF we are IN CHRIST/*GOD*, we are expected to work through them, correct them, and, abandon them, AS THESE TAKE US AWAY from WHO WE REALLY ARE, the spirit, which, is empowered BY *GOD*, NOT anything of this world! OK, so, while sin is present, we are to diminish them, and, LEARN HOW to REMOVE them from infiltrating our beings, and, DEFINITELY, we should NOT cling to them, nor, allow them to linger, within!!!
Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and, pride, are the 7 things *GOD* detests in Mankind, and, for good reason! It isn't like HE did not have firsthand experience with the effects, such had on HIS people; HIS wrath was brought to a head, more than once, because they just didn't 'get' it, or worse yet, refused to!!!
Let's take a look at sloth, because, it has some interesting, and, imperative information:
SLOTH:
Over time, the "acedia" in Pope Gregory's order has come to be closer in meaning to sloth (Latin, Socordia). The focus came to be on the consequences of acedia rather than the cause, and so, by the 17th century, the exact deadly sin referred to was believed to be the failure to utilize one's talents and gifts. Even in Dante's time there were signs of this change; in his Purgatorio he had portrayed the penance for acedia as running continuously at top speed.
The modern view goes further, regarding laziness and indifference as the sin at the heart of the matter. Since this contrasts with a more willful failure to, for example, love God and his works, sloth is often seen as being considerably less serious than the other sins, more a sin of omission than of commission.
ACEDIA:
(from Greek ακηδία) is the neglect to take care of something that one should do. It is translated to apathetic listlessness; depression without joy. It is similar to melancholy, although acedia describes the behaviour, while melancholy suggests the emotion producing it. In early Christian thought, the lack of joy was regarded as a willful refusal to enjoy the goodness of God and the world God created; by contrast, apathy was considered a refusal to help others in time of need.
When Thomas Aquinas described acedia in his interpretation of the list, he described it as an uneasiness of the mind, being a progenitor for lesser sins such as restlessness and instability. Dante refined this definition further, describing acedia as the failure to love God with all one's heart, all one's mind and all one's soul; to him it was the middle sin, the only one characterised by an absence or insufficiency of love. Some scholars have said that the ultimate form of acedia was despair which leads to suicide.
SO much lies IN the development of character, and, behaviour FOR the devout, FOR the Christian, FOR a TRUE relationship with CHRIST/*GOD*, BECAUSE IT IS SAFETY FOR us! *GOD* IS GENIUS, and, brilliantly, has HE set forth the standards, and, principles of HIS people, NOT to burden them, INSTEAD, to FREE them, from what this world, the deceiver, has intentions of doing, stealing as many souls/spirits, from *GOD* as is feasible! So, you see, there is SOUND reason, and, GREAT purpose IN becoming the BEST you can be, IN HIS name, TO, and, FOR HIS GLORY! And, the rewards, are beyond our imagining!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2012
BIBLICAL, and/or, other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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