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Word Gems
exploring self-realization, sacred personhood, and full humanity
During the "unpardonable sin" teaching,
to those accusing him of using
Satan's power, Jesus provided one
primary test to discern Good from Evil.
return to the main-page article on "Satan"
Preview and Summary: Christian Fundamentalists, in their search for authenticity, often reject New Testament teachings in favor of private, errant church doctrines. These "one true doctrines" are their touchstone for determining truth. But Jesus himself provided a single primary assessment to discern Good from Evil - the "fruit of the tree" test.
We have addressed the episode of the "unpardonable sin," Jesus confronting the religious leaders of his day. Allow me to present the following one more time that we might focus upon a new aspect.
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excerpts from Matthew 12
Authorized Version (KJV)
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake 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 doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 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? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house... All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
The Message translation
Next a poor demon-afflicted wretch, both blind and deaf, was set down before him. Jesus healed him, gave him his sight and hearing. The people who saw it were impressed - “This has to be the Son of David!” But the Pharisees, when they heard the report, were cynical. “Black magic,” they said. “Some devil trick he’s pulled from his sleeve.” Jesus confronted their slander. “A judge who gives opposite verdicts on the same person cancels himself out; a family that’s in a constant squabble disintegrates; if Satan banishes Satan, is there any Satan left? If you’re slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil kicking out devils, doesn’t the same mud stick to your own exorcists? “But if it’s by God’s power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God’s kingdom is here for sure. How in the world do you think it’s possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out. “This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse. “There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against God’s Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, you’re sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives. “If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree. “You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”
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To the religious, Jesus said: "You have minds like a snake-pit!"
Jesus had just rescued a man from great suffering - but his detractors have no kind word of praise, nothing to say except, "Satan did it!" For all of their pious god-talk, all of their religious slogans on business cards, web sites, and bumper stickers, Jesus would now blast them with, "You have minds like a snake pit!"
- It is not possible, Jesus explained, for the demonic mind to go about doing good. The forces of Evil, in both this world and the next, never do anything to actually cancel out their previous handywork. Anytime you see people giving honest thanks to God - I say "honest" because so much overt religiosity is just the Small Ego congratulating itself on how spiritual it is - or becoming a better person, or performing heart-felt good works, then you can know that Goodness has manifested in the world.
Evil smiles and smiles, is such a nice young man
William Shakespeare, Hamlet: "One may smile, and smile, and be a villain!"
The book of Revelation pictures Evil coming dressed as an innocent lamb; approaches us bearing gifts of candy. In this spirit, the bribable among us vote for candidates adorned as Shakespeare's villain, ones who "smile and smile" - a mask they wear, held up with two hands, to hide self-serving policies dripping with poison.
“Smile, because it confuses people. Smile, because it's
easier than explaining what's killing you inside.” -- The Joker
It is stated in Revelation that, amidst the carnival-barker chaos of the world, while The Lying Teacher posing-as-lamb fools the venal multitude, the godly are not deceived by gaudy and meretricious petitions of Evil. How did these few escape the madding crowd of disingenuity? They are internally grounded, in touch with the "authentic self," led by "the Spirit of truth."
Evil is a honey-trap.
It sets you up to lure you in; a lot of flies have met their end with the sticky stuff; a lot of people, too. Jesus is saying that you will never enter wise judgment about the nature of Good and Evil if you rely on surface factors alone.
Evil can do no authentic good; no house divided against itself can stand; and the fruit tells us what kind of tree it is.
See the thrust of Jesus' arguments: Evil might bring candy to fool us for the moment - if at all, if we're shallow - but give it some time and then even the foolish among us will become wise. Tuition is very expensive, as they say.
The fruit tells us about the tree.
Fundamentalists have their own tests of authenticity. They compare what others say and do to their private "one true doctrines, one true church, and one true guru," all of which mandate particular responses. This attempt to fashion reality according to personal and private viewpoint is the essence of cultism. We have spoken of "the family prejudice" but the "local church prejudice" follows closely.
And if a Jesus were to come along today, doing good works, even dramatically healing the sick or raising the dead, they would say it's of Satan, as it violates their private church teachings - and, thereby, Christian Fundamentalists would reject Jesus anew, even as the religious leaders 2000 years ago rejected him.
- Editor's note: Notice the essence of the problem: Fundamentalists elevate the Bible to a stratospheric height of "infallibility" - an idolatry - viewing it as final authority; yet, in this, only with veneer reverence. Despite all of the purported biblical acclaim, they in fact reject wise teachings of Jesus in favor of private, errant church doctrines, which are the real "power behind the throne" for them.
Comparing actions of others to private "one true" church teachings is not the way forward. Instead, Jesus offered a primary test by which we can know Good from Evil:
"The fruit tells you about the tree!" If you see an apple, you can know it came from an apple tree; and you can know that authentic goodness comes from a good source. It will not come from the power-posturing efforts of the Small Ego designed to deceive and win you over.
Jesus is saying,
"Look at my life. Look at what I do more than what I say. Look at the Good that issues from what I am. I live a life of service, helping people wherever I can, even to my own hurt. My actions give glory to God and people are changed for the better by what I do. And if one ascribes all this to Satan, not only is this foolish, wrong and wrong-headed, but, upon transition, such conduct will send one to dark detention - the mandated solitude and introspection."
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