The Path of Life

To give this work its proper launching or christening one needs to ask himself; what ever happened to the awe and wonder that we humans should naturally have toward our Creator? One can wonder whether or not for the most part it has been dissipated by the marvelous achievements of human society? Do we after all worship man, in the final analysis?

Working with couples, families and individuals, as a clinical psychologist, for over thirty years, certain questions kept coming to mind. In doing psychotherapy in private practice to people in all walks of life, some of them at the top of their profession or career, one has to begin to wonder why were so many people who appeared to have everything, so empty and lonely? Included in these ranks were religious people who fell far short of that to which they aspired. What was the answer? Psychology alone couldn't fill in all the gaps in their lives.

First off I found that it was most important to set aside, temporarily, previously accepted premises, conclusions and suppositions. Analyzing the course of over seventy years of living and doing the further research that was necessary, this book was produced. In the process I learned a great deal and really, myself became liberated from self-consciousness and self-centeredness, acquiring a freedom and a zest for living that I had never known before. Depression, anxiety, hostility and even 'paranoia' were no longer a significant part of my life.

I invite you to do as I did, read this with an open, seeking mind. These views represent my opinion or understanding and at the end of the book, if you have gone page by page - thinking and questioning- although you may arrive at different conclusions, your life will never be the same again. The positive gain, and it will be positive, will vary, it may be just a little but there is the possibility is that it will be of major proportions.

Security varies with the closeness of our walk with the Holy Spirit. The elect have eternal salvation. One can have an almost constant and growing sense of being one of the elect of God who were given to Christ but not by resting on his laurels and beginning to relegate the Holy Spirit to something less than an almost constant presence. To do this would almost certainly introduce question of our election.

We need to continue to look to and call upon the Spirit because the 'old nature' or animal part of us dies slowly and Satan lurks behind every shadow. Listen to Paul in his letter to the Romans Chapter 7 verses 15-18. "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." In the next chapter he goes on to say, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." John 8:1. We must continually rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and help. The dogma of 'eternal security' is counterproductive and could encourage some to grieve the Spirit without qualms. Of incomparably more value is the comfort and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

If a person is by and large a 'good' person and has had no baffling tragedies or corrupting influences in his life he is apt to feel that he is acceptable to God without accepting Christ and walking after the Spirit. But the problem of hibernating sin is always present and evil is just waiting for the opportunity to take over and engulf a person. This is an always-present possibility because every human who has not been 'born again' has the potential of committing the grossest, most monstrous sins and thereby to be and do evil. All one has to do is to scratch the skin of our world or even to do some earnest soul searching, if there is any lingering doubt as to the truth of this reality. This realization can stir up a mixture of melancholy and anger! Somewhere within can be found an engulfing comprehension of what evil man has produced amid such opportunity!