The Sermon on the Mount_ The Key to Success in Life - Emmet Fox [49]
Does this mean that any mistake, any stupidity, any heinous sin even, can be expunged from the Book of Life, with all punishment or suffering naturally accruing to it? Yes, it means nothing less than that. There is no evil that the Healing Christ will not destroy. God so loves the world that he manifests His unique Christ Power, that whosoever chooses it shall not perish through his own weakness or frailty, but have everlasting salvation.
It must not, needless to say, be supposed that the consequences of a mistake are to be cheaply evaded by a perfunctory prayer. Not so indeed. No superficial prayer, but sufficient realization of God to alter fundamentally the character of the sinner, is required in order to wipe out the punishment that otherwise must always follow upon sin. When sufficient prayer or treatment has been done so that the sinner becomes a changed man, and will not even desire to repeat his sin, then is he saved; and then are the penalties remitted, for Christ is Lord of Karma.
CHAPTER 7
By Their Fruits
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
(MATTHEW VII)
INTELLIGENCE is just as essential a part of the Christian message as is love. God is love, but God is also infinite intelligence, and unless these two qualities are balanced in our lives, we do not get wisdom; for wisdom is the perfect blending of intelligence and love. Love without intelligence may do much undesigned harm—the spoiled child is a case in point—and intelligence without love may ultimate in clever cruelty. All true Christian activity will express wisdom, for zeal without discretion is proverbially mischievous.
It often happens that when people first become possessed of a knowledge of the Truth, and are perhaps set free from some oppressing difficulty, they are so overjoyed that they go running about pouring out their discovery to others, indiscriminately; and probably urging them to accept the Truth too. It is entirely understandable that this should happen, for love longs to share its good; but, nevertheless, it is very unwise. The fact is that the acceptance of Truth involves, as we have seen, the scrapping of all the old standards; and, after all, this is a tremendous thing to expect from anyone, and it can only happen, in any case, when people are spiritually ready for the change. If one is spiritually ready, he will be glad to accept Truth, if it be put forward in some way that can appeal to him; if he be not ready, no amount of intellectual discussion or argument will make him so.
Never rely upon your own judgment to say who is ready for the Truth and who is not; but rely for guidance upon the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Most of us have had the experience, when we first realized the Spiritual Idea and what it means, of picking out certain of our friends who, we felt sure, would jump at it, only to find that in most cases they refused to take it at all. On the other hand, several people whom we, in our foolishness, chose to regard as being unspiritual (because they did not seem to be spiritual) accepted it gladly and made a great success with it. If you are praying regularly every day for wisdom, intelligence, and fresh opportunities for service, the right people will be brought to you, or you will be brought to them; and a convenient occasion will be provided for the subject to be introduced. If, when in company with anyone, you are doubtful whether or not to broach the subject of Truth, do not; but pray for guidance instead, and leave the matter to the action of God. Sometimes nothing happens, no convenient opportunity presents itself while you are with your friend, and that means that the time is not ripe and that no good would have been done by speaking. Very often,