How can we be honest if we are divided within? What “part” of us would be telling the truth? If what is truth to one part of us is a lie to the other, how can we be honest? In other words, one part of us acknowledges a lie and one part of us lives the lie as if it were truth, as in the case of someone who has stolen some money, and is accused of this wrongdoing.
On a lie detector test, the part of this person that acknowledges the lie (“I did not steal the money”) will cause stress to appear in their voice, indicating the lie, while the other part professes the lie as truth – often with seemingly great outer credibility, that even so does not fool the lie detector because it is detecting inner reactions, not outer appearance. Even with lie detector evidence, some people refuse to admit to the truth. In refusing to admit the truth about their behavior, they are denying the truth of who they are - the truth of their being, because it is the truth of their being that recognizes the lie.
Some people call this part of ourselves that knows the truth, even if we don’t want to admit it or reveal it to others, our conscience. Others call it our Christ Self – the Way, the Truth and the Life. Most of us are, or have been, divided within to some extent, and for the most part we have not even been aware that there exists a divide within us even though it has caused us much unrest.
Another term for this inner divide is inner conflict. Just as a married couple can take opposite positions in an argument, our inner psyche can seem to be in an argument with itself about what is right for our lives. In order for “one thing” to be in conflict within itself, there must either be a split of some kind, or it must be recognized as not being “one thing” after all. Either way, “one thing” cannot to be one if the conflict continues. Conflicts - wars - always destroy unity.
“Then was brought unto Jesus one possessed with a demon, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow does not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?’”(Matthew 12:22-27)
The man brought to Jesus actually had something alien inside himself that was controlling him, which Jesus proved by casting it out. The thing that was controlling him was evil – a demon, and Jesus explained to his detractors that it was not the power of evil that cast out evil; it was the power of the Spirit of God, for how could evil cast out itself, and why would it?
Either something is of God or it is not. Although every creation must use God’s energy, not all creations are in alignment with God’s Will. A creation that uses God's energy for its temporary existence but goes against God's Will is a creation "not of God". Demons are obviously not of God, nor is anything within us or in the world which is harmful, deceitful or limited, as in not the Way, the Truth and the Life - not Christ. So evil cannot cast out evil and Christ cannot cast out Christ, for evil is one and Christ is one. We are divided within when we have both evil and Christ within – not necessarily evil in having a demon within, but evil in the sense that we have a “self” with beliefs and behaviors that are not of God - behaviors that are harmful, deceitful or limited in their scope.
Let’s take a look at this as it relates to the case of someone stealing and then lying about what they have done. The first sin – or departure from the Christ, is the stealing – it is harmful. The second sin is lying about the stealing – it is deceit. The third sin is less obvious, but it is in identifying with being a thief and a liar in the failure to admit to the sins, repent of them and choose Christ; it is choosing self-preservation – the protection and preservation of the ego-self. This is a three-fold denial of the Christ.
continued in part 2
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