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Posting has been light here lately because I've been dealing with several crises, including the passing of the friend I mentioned a few weeks back, and another death. Thank you for bearing with me!
Today I have a bit of time, so let's take a look at The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 9, Verses 1-8.
As usual, there's a lot contained within these few words.
Healing
Once again we see Jesus healing the body by first healing the soul. For that, of course, is what is meant by the forgiveness of sins.
We've talked about this more than once already, but let's talk about it again.
The soul is intended to be a unity-- the unique expression of a particular Idea of human life. A virtuous soul is held in unity by the active presence of God; a sinful soul has removed itself from the awareness of the presence of God, and become disunited and chaotic. What was called sin or hamartia in ancient times is best understood, not as a series of unrelated "bad acts," but rather as a kind of addiction. In addiction, you see a person making choices that they don't want to make, often while actively telling themselves not to. And you see them making that choice over and over and over-- one drink, one smoke, one click on Facebook leads to the next, and the next, and the next. It spirals and snowballs, and the person loses control, until something intervenes. That something must come from outside the soul-- because it can't heal itself at this point-- and restore it to unity. It must therefore be something outside of the soul, powerful enough to act upon it and change it, and possessing the nature of unity.
Now unity is the hallmark of the divine nature. God is The One, the eternal Unity from which all being is derived. The power to forgive sins, and therefore to heal the soul, is divine. The fact that Jesus has the power to forgive sins is the demonstration of his divine nature.
And this is why we ourselves become divinized by forgiving those who have sinned against us.
Confession
I wrote before that this is the point and the power of confession in the Sacramental churches. Its purpose is not and has nothing to do with shame or guilt, but with the healing of the soul. In Confession, the pentitent unburdens himself before another, who has the power to forgive his sins; he walks out healed.
Sacramental Confession is not the only method of obtaining this healing. The Fifth Step in 12-step programs is very similar-- the recovering addict admits "to God, himself, and one other human being the exact nature of his wrongs." I can keep talking about this, and those who have experienced it will nod their heads, but those who have not may nod or not as they choose, but they can't know directly.
The Misuse of Medicine
The power to heal carries with it the power to harm. When a patient puts himself in a doctor's care, he trusts that the doctor will administer medicines, and not poisons. Sometimes that trust is misplaced. Many people have heard of the case of "Dr. Death," a surgeon who, apparently, deliberately killed and maimed his patients.
In the exact same way, the power of Confession can be misused. We have seen a very great deal of this over the last few years, as the "Woke" movement has spread like a cancer through our society. The pattern is universal-- a public person makes an inoccuous statement. A mob decides they are guilty of some form of thought-crime, and demands an apology. The person, confused and aggrieved, refuses. Their resistance is quickly worn down, and they deliver a shameful, grovelling apology. They are not forgiven. (Here is a list of a few recent examples, if you can stomach this sort of trash.)
This template and paradigm of this appalling procedure was the Communist show-trial of the last century. The show trials took place in Russia under Stalin. During this time, many of the original leaders of the Soviet Union were put on trial for imaginary crimes. They were tortured;, confessed their crimes; and were executed. The confession of Nikolai Bukharin is representative of the type:
Citizen President and Citizens Judges, I fully agree with Citizen the Procurator regarding the significance of the trial, at which were exposed our dastardly crimes, the crimes committed by the "bloc of Rights and Trotskyites," one of whose leaders I was, and for all the activities of which I bear responsibility.
This trial, which is the concluding one of a series of trials, has exposed all the crimes and the treasonable activities, it has expaced the historical significance arid the roots of our struggle against the Party and the Soviet government.
Not a word that Bukharin says is true. There was no "bloc of Rights and Trotskyites," it did not engage in sabotage against the Soviet government and was not planning a coup, and Bukharin was not its leader. After making his Confession, Bukharin was shot.
The false Confession is the demonic mimic of the true Confession, as Communism (and Leftism generally) is the demonic mimic of Christianity. The devil is the ape of God; he cannot create, only imitate. This is how you can tell them apart. In real Confession, the penitent tells the truth, and is forgiven. In false Confession, the penitent lies, and is not forgiven. Truth and Forgiveness are divine. Falsehood and Retribution are demonic.
This is also how you can know that, in the ultimate end of things, all creation will be reunited to God, and all will be forgiven, no matter how far they have fallen. God is all Good, and there is nothing at all in Him that is of the nature of evil.
Today I have a bit of time, so let's take a look at The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 9, Verses 1-8.
1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
7 And he arose, and departed to his house.
8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
As usual, there's a lot contained within these few words.
Healing
Once again we see Jesus healing the body by first healing the soul. For that, of course, is what is meant by the forgiveness of sins.
We've talked about this more than once already, but let's talk about it again.
The soul is intended to be a unity-- the unique expression of a particular Idea of human life. A virtuous soul is held in unity by the active presence of God; a sinful soul has removed itself from the awareness of the presence of God, and become disunited and chaotic. What was called sin or hamartia in ancient times is best understood, not as a series of unrelated "bad acts," but rather as a kind of addiction. In addiction, you see a person making choices that they don't want to make, often while actively telling themselves not to. And you see them making that choice over and over and over-- one drink, one smoke, one click on Facebook leads to the next, and the next, and the next. It spirals and snowballs, and the person loses control, until something intervenes. That something must come from outside the soul-- because it can't heal itself at this point-- and restore it to unity. It must therefore be something outside of the soul, powerful enough to act upon it and change it, and possessing the nature of unity.
Now unity is the hallmark of the divine nature. God is The One, the eternal Unity from which all being is derived. The power to forgive sins, and therefore to heal the soul, is divine. The fact that Jesus has the power to forgive sins is the demonstration of his divine nature.
And this is why we ourselves become divinized by forgiving those who have sinned against us.
Confession
I wrote before that this is the point and the power of confession in the Sacramental churches. Its purpose is not and has nothing to do with shame or guilt, but with the healing of the soul. In Confession, the pentitent unburdens himself before another, who has the power to forgive his sins; he walks out healed.
Sacramental Confession is not the only method of obtaining this healing. The Fifth Step in 12-step programs is very similar-- the recovering addict admits "to God, himself, and one other human being the exact nature of his wrongs." I can keep talking about this, and those who have experienced it will nod their heads, but those who have not may nod or not as they choose, but they can't know directly.
The Misuse of Medicine
The power to heal carries with it the power to harm. When a patient puts himself in a doctor's care, he trusts that the doctor will administer medicines, and not poisons. Sometimes that trust is misplaced. Many people have heard of the case of "Dr. Death," a surgeon who, apparently, deliberately killed and maimed his patients.
In the exact same way, the power of Confession can be misused. We have seen a very great deal of this over the last few years, as the "Woke" movement has spread like a cancer through our society. The pattern is universal-- a public person makes an inoccuous statement. A mob decides they are guilty of some form of thought-crime, and demands an apology. The person, confused and aggrieved, refuses. Their resistance is quickly worn down, and they deliver a shameful, grovelling apology. They are not forgiven. (Here is a list of a few recent examples, if you can stomach this sort of trash.)
This template and paradigm of this appalling procedure was the Communist show-trial of the last century. The show trials took place in Russia under Stalin. During this time, many of the original leaders of the Soviet Union were put on trial for imaginary crimes. They were tortured;, confessed their crimes; and were executed. The confession of Nikolai Bukharin is representative of the type:
Citizen President and Citizens Judges, I fully agree with Citizen the Procurator regarding the significance of the trial, at which were exposed our dastardly crimes, the crimes committed by the "bloc of Rights and Trotskyites," one of whose leaders I was, and for all the activities of which I bear responsibility.
This trial, which is the concluding one of a series of trials, has exposed all the crimes and the treasonable activities, it has expaced the historical significance arid the roots of our struggle against the Party and the Soviet government.
The false Confession is the demonic mimic of the true Confession, as Communism (and Leftism generally) is the demonic mimic of Christianity. The devil is the ape of God; he cannot create, only imitate. This is how you can tell them apart. In real Confession, the penitent tells the truth, and is forgiven. In false Confession, the penitent lies, and is not forgiven. Truth and Forgiveness are divine. Falsehood and Retribution are demonic.
This is also how you can know that, in the ultimate end of things, all creation will be reunited to God, and all will be forgiven, no matter how far they have fallen. God is all Good, and there is nothing at all in Him that is of the nature of evil.
