2.13
Man has a mind and with it he develops his ego. Both are in consequence of the
Adamic spirit when God breathed into him. The mind with the ego are necessary
in man for they bestow self consciousness in man. This self consciousness gives
man his awareness of God in him and is what sets man apart and superior to
other animals. It gives man the sense of his individuality as a distinct
creation of God on earth. Man knows himself physically. Other animals do not
know themselves. But the ego in particular, has its spiritual weakness, and in
combination with free will that man also possesses, man has been choosing the
wrong paths in his activities in life. Man's ego has a detrimental effect on
the spiritual transformation of man if he does not subject his ego under the
control of his spirit. The ego is self centred and desires principally the
mundane things of life. It encourages pride. It makes man to concentrate on
himself and his self glory rather than on God and God's glory. Satan uses man's
ego and mind to block man's spiritual consciousness and lures him into
ungodliness and materialism. Man requires spiritual transformation to free
himself from the dominance of his ego over his spirit. It is for this purpose
that God generally subjects his prophets, faithful messengers, the saints, the
elects of God, the disciples of God to tribulation on earth during their life
and service to God on earth. It can and often is in the form of poverty in
material riches and in the lack of the glory of this world. It can also be in
sickness or any other mode of tribulation. Riches itself is from God, and is
one of the twelve powers given to man by God. Leader Olumba Olumba Obu nick
names it "man power", the other eleven powers being of the spirit and
not mundane as in earthly riches. Earthly riches shall be made available to man
when he is able to handle the riches for the glory of God and without
enthroning the ego and allowing his ego to dominate his spirit and lead him
away from God. The selfish desire for, the acquisition and accumulation for
selfish use of earthly riches and glory nourish and strengthen the ego in man.
The man's mind tends towards materialism, self glory, greed, conceit,
arrogance, carnality, and all types of ungodliness in his daily life. Such man
cannot enter the kingdom of God because he lacks the quality of humility,
selflessness, love, godliness and righteousness necessary for the entry. Our
Lord Jesus Christ knew this truth, so in His encounter with rich young ruler who
wanted to follow him, He recommended that the young man should go and sell all
his earthly possession, give them to the poor and come and follow Him. The
young man rejected this. (Matthew 10:17-25). Tribulation principally subdues
the ego in man and opens his spirit to God. It reveals God to man and opens the
path way for his spirit to be active over his mind, and ego thus allow
humility, love, selflessness, righteousness and other virtues of God to be
planted in him and allowed to manifest in his life. Tribulation is not a
punishment from God. It is rather a spiritual surgery by God to remove the
deadly spiritual disease of materialism and carnality in man. Such man shall
more easily achieve spiritual transformation into righteousness. Leader Olumba
Olumba Obu teaches that we flee from materialism, the inordinate lust for, and
the accumulation of earthly wealth, if we must enter the kingdom of God. He
says that we must accept tribulation (cross) gladly in our life because it is
the key into the kingdom of God. It enables righteousness to be installed in
man. Righteousness is the key into the kingdom God.
Man's Ego and the Function of Tribulation in Our Life.
Tag: Father's Sermon
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