"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."
Philippians 4:8, 9
Notice this is Paul, singing the praises of Beauty and Virtue and kind of blowing his own horn as well! "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me..."!
Again, the institutionalized 'churches' seem to instruct that we are entirely unworthy (read worthless) because of our 'fallen nature'. The worst of this instruction would contend that God will send us to Hell if we do not 'believe' as if Faith had anything to do with belief! Yet here, it would seem, Paul disagrees.
There is virtue, if there wasn't, Jesus wouldn't so love the children, Jesus wouldn't tell us that we must become like them.
"Truly I tell you,” He (Jesus) said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven."
Matthew 18:3
In the 1973 film, 'Brother Sun Sister Moon', Pope Innocent III, played by Alec Guiness is quoted to say, "In our obsession of original sin, we too often forget original innocence".
Yet the orthodox interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve paints a very dark, dour and unwarranted picture of the 'nature' of God's first children. As an adult, possibly a parent, would you condemn your child the first time he or she challenges your authority? Of course not! You would take it as a sign that your son or daughter is getting close to taking on the responsibilities of life and assuming the consequences of his or her actions and decisions both favourable and unfavourable! Adam and Eve could not have remained as children forever, and neither of course could we. God did not put the Tree of the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil right smack in the middle of the garden of Eden without purpose. He knew that when they were ready, they would eat of it and in so doing take ownership of their lives and graduate from the 'kindergarten'; literally the 'garden of the children'. And to leave this thought: Is Conscience even possible without the knowledge of Good and Evil?
Isn't it time that we start thinking for ourselves and taking responsibility and authority for our own lives? Isn't it time that we stop acting as children and blindly 'trusting the human authorities' (or whatever entities they are)? God is the one Authority we need to yield to and His instructions are never nonsensical, never intended to oppress, and always for our greater joy and benefit. For those who have invited the risen Jesus into their lives as Lord, you know you take your instructions from Him, from His Holy Spirit who lives within your heart.
Don't buy into any idea that says we have a 'worthless fallen nature'. We are Jesus' precious children, His lambs who are worthy of rescue. It is as much a 'going back' as a 'going forward', a remembrance of who we were as children, a remembrance of innocence before we were tricked by the Thief, the Deceiver, the Wolf, before we turned our back on the Good Shepherd and wandered away from His protection and into the wilderness. But did that stop Jesus from pursuing us? Did He begin loving us less? No, He walked straight into the very gates of Hell to rescue us, to snatch us from the jaws of Satan, even when it would cost Him His life.
Thank you❤️🙏❤️