Many have heard the critical importance of an accurate self definition.
The purpose of this article is to assist the reader in securing that definition.
Another idea must be presented with this knowledge.
Knowledge and philosophizing can sometimes be interesting.
Yet, knowing self also has practical use.
This writing will suggest that through correct application of the knowledge of self, one can bring incredible benefits to that form.
First it is necessary to use a Bible phrase and support that phrase.
"Man is made in the image and likeness of God.
" Now we all know that God is a spirit.
Since that is true, it must be true that each of us is also a spirit.
Now many have accepted this idea of a spiritual nature, however this writing seeks to take it a little further.
Mankind is only spirit.
God's children do not have bodies.
One who looks at their hand and places that hand on an object might immediately say that they feel the touch of an object which proves they are a body.
Well, it is not my place to argue with what you are experiencing.
Yet, this writing is suggesting that each of us do not live in bodies.
We are spirits made by a perfect creator.
Each of us is eternal life itself.
While the body is an interesting and sometimes thought to be an incredible instrument, its life is too short and there are too many flawed ones in existence (including the one the writer appears to live in) for me to believe that God made the body.
Actually, I am one of millions who practice a spiritual teaching that has a full understanding of the body and who made it.
However, this writing was not created to further my teaching.
This writing is to assist the reader in understanding who he/she is in truth.
The Earth Plane Let's digress first to look at the earth plane that we seem to live on.
The newspapers tell us that there are wars going on.
It also tells us that there are babies in places that are starving.
If we take a moment and look at the history of mankind on this planet with our incredible mistreatments of one another, a question must come to mind.
That question is as follows: Would God create a world like the one that we live in? Actually one could seek to be positive and try to keep their attention on the positive things of the world.
There was a time when the author sought to live this way.
Think only on the good.
Actually, there is a place in the Bible (Phillipians) where the apostle Paul suggest keeping the mind on good things only.
Yet that question about God remains unanswered.
Would God allow this? My answer is no.
God would not create such a world that we see.
Many years ago I came across a writing that suggested that the world we live in is an illusion.
This writing further suggested that God doesn't even know that this world exist.
Now, as humans we have come a long way.
For example, there was a time when we thought the world was flat.
Surely few believe that now.
Additionally, we also know that the earth is spinning on its axis and is speeding through space at an incredible speed.
However, somehow we are able to exist on this speeding spaceship without being affected by its movements.
Now given this set of facts, is it possible to believe that you exist somewhere other than within a shell called the human body? This writer says that you are a perfect spirit made by a wonderful God.
A View of God and Scripture While the concept of religion did not hit this writer until later in life, the view held of God must be understood.
God is a being of infinite intelligence and unconditional love.
God is perfect beyond description.
God does not have human feelings where God is happy at one time and angry the next moment.
One should also understand that this writer is not bound by what is stated in the Christian Bible.
The Bible is a wonderful book and is also an incredible instrument.
Yet, many read the book too literally.
It is a book of parables and allegories and readers must learn to read it that way.
A quote of an intelligent gentleman is added for your analysis: "When I first started reading the Bible I fell in love with Jesus, but I couldn't stand God.
" If you are knowledgeable about the Bible, you may understand that quote.
If you are not knowledgeable about the Bible, just understand that God does some awful things according to many places in the Old Testament.
Who You Are As a spirit you have no equivalent in the physical world.
From my accounting days, I simply say that spirit has no tangible definition in worldly terms.
Yet it is necessary that we attempt to explain what a spirit is.
As a spirit you are perfect peace, perfect joy, and perfect love.
Sounds like heaven doesn't it? Well, imagine that a being of perfection created you.
That being is God.
What would a creator of perfection create? You.
You are God's creation and you are perfect as God created you.
Begin to look at yourself this way.
If you do this, you will begin to unload much of the guilt and shame that comes with believing that you are a body with histories of a body.
It doesn't matter if you have never done a single thing wrong.
Calling yourself a body impedes your spiritual growth.
Accurately describe yourself and watch how you mysteriously begin a new life path.
Begin to operate as if what is described as true and many benefits will result.
This means that you must practice being what you describe.
Yes, practice being a spirit.
Gerald E.
Collins