Article October 9, 1989 Issue

Lifting up our concept of who we are

The more we understand God, the better we'll understand our own true selfhood.

Douglas Paul

In the Bible, the book of John records Christ Jesus' healing of a man born blind. See John, chap. 9 . After the man received his sight he was questioned by the Pharisees, a chief Jewish sect that carefully observed a literal interpretation of Hebrew law. They pressed him to give full credit to God and denounced Jesus as a sinner. But the healed man knew differently and defended Jesus. Later, alone with the now seeing man, Jesus asked him, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" Apparently he felt it was important that his role in the healing be recognized and acknowledged. But why? Wasn't it enough to be grateful for God's healing power, as the Pharisees professed?

The pride and ritualism of the Jewish leaders caused them to be enraged at the deep spirituality of Jesus' words and works. It also made them unable to discern and understand the Christ-man which Jesus presented. But the man whom Jesus healed perceived Jesus' Godlikeness, and this enabled him to respond to the Pharisees, "If this man were not of God, he could do nothing."

Many individuals have been taught to believe in God as a loving, forgiving Parent and to seek His help in time of need. But they have also been taught to think of man as a sinner, as fundamentally separate from God and needing to earn His love. Do we accept this pharisaical view of man as under a law of sin or separation? Or do we think of man as Jesus did? He reconciled man to God by seeing man in his true spiritual (Godlike) substance and significance. He understood man's true being as spiritual, and Jesus' teachings and healings urged mankind, then and today, to see past the material, mortal, mistaken concepts of themselves to understand the spiritual reality of God and man.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
POSITIVE PRESS
October 9, 1989
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit