Accept Christ and Unfallen Man Benefits!

[Accept Christ and Unfallen Man — and your universal Health Benefits coming w/ that I.D.!]
Cedars Metaphysical Application Ideas on the Christian Science Bible Lesson:
“Adam and Fallen Man” for May 9, 2010
by Dan Carnesciali, [unlisted]CS, of St. Louis, MO [bracketed italics by Warren Huff]

[Editor's Note: The following application ideas for this week and the Possible Sunday School Topics that follow are offered primarily to help CEDARS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study and application of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp! You can sign up to have them emailed to you free — in English by Monday each week, or by each Wednesday you can get a FREE TRANSLATION in French thanks to Pascal, in Spanish thanks to Ana or in German thanks to Helga. YOU CAN SIGN UP at www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters]

Our prayers are effective because they bring us into alignment with God's grace. It's God's grace that heals us. His grace is the healing power. When you feel low, like you have been stepped on, you have a choice. If you don't feel like you have a choice, alarms should be going off reminding of your right and dominion to choose. As God's reflection, you can't fall from grace. [and the universal Health Benefits coming from carding your I.D. card as reflection!]

 

Golden Text:

Paul warns of the subtle nature of sneaky snake talk (animal magnetism). Christ is your true self. Christ is the activity of good, the active, perpetual influence of good. A few weeks ago, I suddenly felt very engaged by certain political views. These feelings came very strongly and urgently and made me feel very cynical and upset about politics, and our future. But something didn't feel right. I asked God if these thoughts were really my thoughts (His thoughts). Then I listened.  I was quickly released from these impulses and felt grateful that the subtlety of evil was exposed.

 

Responsive Reading:

The serpent in the Adam and Eve story had no power. He couldn't make Eve eat the fruit. Instead he made her believe that she wanted to eat the fruit. The serpent used suggestion to make her believe that the desire to do wrong was her own desire. In theological terms, the result of this bad choice is called the “Fall of Man”. Adam and Fallen Man is important Christian theology. It says that God's children were originally innocent, but we are sufferers because of Eve's mistake long ago.  This ancient mistake is known as “original sin.” Was man's fall from grace inevitable?

 

Section 1 – Grace [Headline from The Upright Observer (Observer): “SERPENT SCAM!”-MyBibleLesson (MBL)]

The passage from Habakkuk, “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil” is cited twice in Science and Health (on pages 243 and 357) (B-1).  This passage is a fundamental statement of reality. If God doesn't know evil, and God is Mind and God is all, then it is impossible for God's idea to be aware of evil.  There are different states of mind/Mind described in Science and Health. There is the carnal mind full of evil, the human mind striving to demonstrate the Mind of Christ, trying to become spiritual and perfect, and there is Mind's Mind, which is our Mind, the only Mind expressing itself. When heavy suggestions come to you that bad things happen, patiently replace those thoughts with what God knows. This reversal is the unlabored activity of Christ in human consciousness, which goes on naturally. Christ casts out mental darkness.

Continuing the story of Adam and Eve, the serpent promised Adam and Eve that they would be happy and all-knowing like God. Let's see how things turned out. Eating the forbidden fruit did not turn out to be a good thing as advertised. Knowing both good and evil got them into big time trouble. They were tossed out of the garden and were sentenced to a life of struggle. That's how evil suggestion works. It promises that evil will make you feel good (B-3).

St. Paul went through a lot of troubles, more than most of us would go through in ten lifetimes. Perhaps he learned the importance of guarding one's thought effectively. He said, “Be not deceived: Awake to righteousness [right acting], and sin not.” (B-4 KJV) “Awake [from your drunken stupor and return] to sober sense and your right minds, and sin no more” (B-4 Amplified Bible).

God's grace is here to help us at all times, even if we get into things that are immoral (B-5).  If that sounds too good to be true, recall that Eddy says, “The miracle of grace is no miracle to Love” (S-1).  However, God doesn't excuse evil, He uncovers and destroys it. Christ comes to the sick and sinning as the full activity of divine being and destroys the power of evil and death. “Christ (is) the true idea of God” (S-2).  It is the true understanding of God, the reality of God come into full manifestation. Truly, Christ is not out there – it is your being.

 

Section 2 – Counterfeit [Observer: “SERPENT SCAM and ADAM-DREAM EXPOSED!”-MBL]

“Surely you can't be so stupid as to think that you begin your spiritual life in the Spirit and then complete it by reverting to physical observances?” (B-7 JB Phillips)  “Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it” (B-8 Living Bible – LB).

When the Bible and Science and Health talk about man, it's a good idea to be clear which man is being talked about, material or spiritual. You don't want to confuse the two. Look at how man is regarded in these two passages. “Puny man!  Frail as his breath!  Don't ever put your trust in him!”  (B-6 LB) “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (B-9).  When we talk about the child of God, we're not talking about mortal man. Your heavenly Father-Mother only knows one man. That is, He knows only the real, original, spiritual, man. God gave and gives that man and woman complete dominion, putting all things under their feet. He crowns that man and woman with glory (B-10). “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give thee light” (B-11).  Remember, you are that Christly light. Jesus said so.

The “puny man”, full of problems and drama, is the counterfeit. It is the counterfeit that gets sick. The original is perfect, always well, always fulfilled and happy.   He does not need healing. “The great truth in the Science of being, that the real man was, is, and ever shall be perfect, is incontrovertible; for if man is the image, reflection, of God, he is neither inverted nor subverted, but upright and Godlike” (S&H 200:16-19). “God's man, spiritually created, is not material or mortal” (S-7).  Spiritual man is upright and Godlike; he never fell from grace.

Mankind wants to know where evil originated from. “The parent of all human discord was the Adam-dream, the deep sleep, in which originated the delusion that life and intelligence proceeded from and passed into matter” (S-7).  Mankind scoffs at the idea that evil is not real. It “knows” evil is as real as or greater than Truth. Man is not both material and spiritual; God made only spiritual man. Daily discern which man is the counterfeit and which is the genuine (S-9).  “When speaking of God's children, not the children of men, Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of God is within you;' that is, Truth and Love reign in the real man, showing that man in God's image is unfallen and eternal” (S&H 476:28-32).  [Don't forget to use your D.I.A.L. i.d. – Divine Image And Likeness identity!  “Aren't you glad you use D.I.A.L.? Don't you wish everyone did?” It will keep away the stink (B.O.) of personal sense.]

 

Section 3 – Cursed [Observer: “TRUTH DESTROYS SIN”-MBL]

For deceiving Adam and Eve, the serpent is sentenced by God to slither along the ground for eternity. God cursed the serpent and Eve's offspring to be enemies.  They will constantly attack each other. Let's identify the false beliefs represented in this story. How about cursing, animal hatred, and heredity? (B-12)  What is a false belief? Well, belief can be thought of as a widely accepted superstition. However, to the human mind, a belief is logical and based on evidence. An example of a false belief is that playing sports, especially certain sports, is dangerous. To God, that's utter nonsense!  We are here to express God. God wouldn't curse His creation. That would be like cursing Himself. As stated earlier, He doesn't tolerate evil. He destroys it (B-13).  “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (B-16).

Sometimes life feels tough, like you are under attack. Perhaps you are sick or depressed.  These are examples of the supposed warfare between error and Truth (S-11). There is a remedy – Christ.  Christ is God's power and presence manifested. Christian Science doesn't aim to merely improve the human situation, but to annihilate evil, which is the belief in other creators or other creations. To do that, requires forsaking mortal selfhood and embracing your true Christly selfhood. Spiritual man's heritage is God-given. His true nature and destiny is Christ (S-12).  You are not cursed.

 

Section 4 – Law [Observer: “CHRIST JESUS HEALS BLIND MAN”-MBL]

In the book of John, Jesus' disciples wondered whether a man who was born blind was blind because he sinned or because his parents sinned. They asked Jesus what he thought (B-18).
[“John 9:2– ‘Who did sin? (A) This fellow over here? Or, (B) his parents?' John 9:3– “Jesus had that paper before him as in the examination room on that point many times before. He says, ‘(C) None of the above. Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents.'  What's that saying about origin? Where is that man? Where can you find that man? Where is Jesus seeing that man? His roots are not in his parents or in some reincarnated existence.” B. Cobbey Crisler's Commentary on Book of John: A Walk with the Beloved Disciple. Page 52, CD available from http://www.daycroftschool.org/downloads/order-form.pdf]
  
Such theories [and blame games] are present today. Recently, I listened to a panelist at an interfaith discussion. This individual believes in reincarnation. He believes that the quality of life you enjoy depends on how you behaved in a past life. Mortal mind tries to get you to play the blame game. Maybe I did something wrong. Maybe “they” did something wrong. Maybe God doesn't care. Maybe Truth isn't true, etc. All this blaming and analyzing misses the mark and makes the problem seem more real. At times like this, it's helpful to be still and commune with God. This doesn't necessarily take very long. Think of it as going into your closet like Jesus talked about.

Jesus changed the blind man's life by opening his eyes. He awoke him from believing that he was a suffering mortal. That's what the law of Spirit does for us. “The power of the life-giving Spirit – and this power is mine through Christ Jesus – has freed me from the vicious circle of sin and death”  (B-19 LB).

“When speaking of God's children, not the children of men, Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of God is within you;' that is, Truth and Love reign in the real man, showing that man in God's image is unfallen and eternal” (S-15). The law of God destroys sin and death through the law of exclusion. Since God is all and includes all that is real, He is a law of exclusion to everything unlike Him. Jesus' “correct view of man  healed the sick.”  Jesus continually exercised the correct view, the consciousness of Grace, to heal the sick and sinner (S-15).  You and I can have that correct view today.

 

Section 5 – In Christ All Shall be Made Alive [Observer: “RED DRAGON GETS THE BOOT”-MBL]
Adam brought us into sin and Christ Jesus redeemed us from sin and death. Thus Paul saw Jesus as an answer to Adam's fall. Do you realize what authority you have in Christ? Christ's dominion is your dominion. Therefore this dominion is already complete and present (B-20).

What started as a serpent belief grows in its hostility until it is a dragon belief, which intends to devour the innocent child of the woman “clothed with the sun.” God has defeated that old serpent and cast him out. “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom [empire] of our God.” Note the tense that John used. The serpent lost the battle. The serpent belief has been entirely defeated. We have strength and freedom right now (B-21).  [“We are fighting a defeated foe” as Cobbey Crisler points out when Jesus says: “be of good cheer…  I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.]

It is a false belief that there is intelligence in matter either to help or harm man (S-20). The scientific statement of being, on page 468 in Science and Health, rebukes animal magnetism.  Error is self-destructive. If it were eternal and good, it would be true (S-21).

 

Section 6 – Genuine Law of Love [Observer: “LOVE OF GOD REDEEMS”-MBL]

“Let no one be under any illusion over this.  If any man among you thinks himself one of the world's clever ones, let him discard his cleverness that he may learn to be truly wise. For you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” (B-22 JB Phillips)  To understand reality, we must surrender the mortal self or person. We're not transitioning to perfect reflections. We are God's perfect reflections [–God's “Divine Image And Likeness”. That handles stress, because there is nothing more stress-free (or humble) than a reflection – than YOU!]

“Keep yourselves in the love of God.” That means, this week, make right choices. Know that you are safe in God. God is able to keep you from falling and to make you well (B-24). God loves you as He loves Himself. He loves you no more, no less.

Jesus sacrificed much to bring us this truer sense of Love and this truer sense of Love has redeemed us and is redeeming us from the law of matter. This is divine law in action (S-25).  By making right choices you will find your Christly self. You will find your present state of self and being is “unfallen, upright, pure, and free” (S-26).  “Man's genuine selfhood is recognizable only in what is good and true” (S-28).  Let's reject the counterfeit and rejoice in our present dominion.  Remember, as God's reflection, you can't fall from grace.

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[This weekly Metaphysical Newsletter is provided at no charge to the 1,200 campers and staff who were blessed last summer at CEDARS–as well as to thousands of CEDARS alumni, families and friends who request it, or who find it weekly on our website or through CS Directory.  But, current and planned gifts are much-needed to cover the costs of running this “free” service and of providing camperships for ongoing inspirational opportunities.  Your support is always tax-deductible and welcomed–but during the economic downturn, your help has been and continues to be especially needed and appreciated!

 
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[Camp Director's Note: This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, 10-year series of CedarS Bible Lesson “Mets” (Metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians. (To keep the flow of the practitioner's ideas intact and to allow for more selective printing “Possible Sunday School Topics” come in a subsequent email.) These weekly offerings are intended to encourage further study and application of ideas in the lesson and to invigorate Sunday School participation by students and by the budding teachers on our staff. Originally sent JUST to my Sunday School students and to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue at home and in their home Sunday Schools the same type of focused Lesson study, application and inspiration they had felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets” are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily study of the lesson. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension and background as well as new angles (and angels) on the daily applicability of some of the ideas and passages being studied. The weekly Bible Lessons are copyrighted by the Christian Science Publishing Society and are printed in the Christian Science Quarterly as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms or online at eBibleLesson.com or myBibleLesson.com. The citations referenced (i.e. B-1 and S-28) from this week's Bible Lesson in the “Met” (Metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the Bible (B-1 thru B-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (S-1 thru S-30). The Bible and Science and Health are the ordained pastor of the Churches of Christ, Scientist. The Bible Lesson is the sermon read in Christian Science church services throughout the world.  The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone, providing unique insights and tailor-made applications for each one.  We are glad you requested this metaphysical sharing and hope that you find some of the ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor.]
Enjoy!
Warren Huff, Executive Director   director@cedarscamps.org    (636) 394-6162

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