Re: pearl of great price

i actually used to think, as some have stated here, that my conscience was corrupt and that i could not count on it as a barometer of whether or not i was doing right. i have since found that it depends on who is in charge of ones conscience, kind of like a plugin device on a computer. if you listen to man(or ones own flesh), then you will be swayed by the various winds of doctrine out there or your own lusts. but if you listen only to god, your conscience will conform itself to those things. that is why checking back with the word of god is so important, for it is able to correct any errors that we might let creep in. a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, as the scriptures say.

and, this is why listening to mens interpretaion of the scriptures is so dangerous. if we dont take god at face value, it corrupts our conscience. jesus is our only guide, and he IS the scriptures. i take his word over what anyone else says, no matter what position of authority they maintain in this world. and if i err in understanding, god is more than able to correct me himself - he says so and i count on it. i recognize his voice. i totally ignore all others. still, i have others tell me i have a demon or some such nonsense!

this is where the law comes into play as well. jesus said:

Matthew 5:19
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

i have never understood the condemnation of keeping a law of god. whether it be observing the sabbath on saturday, or not eating unclean meat(notice there are no unclean plants), or being circumsized, it makes every kind of sense to gain knowledge and experience from these things in whatever manner a person might choose, but to condemn and teach others that it is wrong to do those very things is against what jesus taught. if a mans conscience is clear on a matter, that is good. if a man tries to instill guilt in another, that is not good. the truth in ones heart must govern. not everyone is the same. and not everyone needs the same experiences for them to be changed into the glory which is jesus christ. condemning another ultimately results in condemning oneself, this is clear.

that is why things like tv and christmas are so interesting. they are a blight on most peoples souls and they partake to their own hurt. i have been through all of that and now find them to be just things that are. i would not condemn one for participating - i might involve myself in some form or fashion if i thought it would do more good than harm to others and/or myself, but as a rule of thumb, and in the past what worked for me, i would suggest YEARS of abstinence. then and only then would one gain a true perspective of what they do and how. i can now guard against them. i can see how others can not and do not.