November 30 ~

... we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of body and mind, and so we were by nature children of wrath ... sons of disobedience ... Put off your old nature ... your old self, which ... ruins you as it follows the desires that deceive you ... and put on the new self, which is created to be like God, righteous and holy in the truth ... the truth is in Jesus ... put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh ... Then Jesus said ... "If anyone wants to be my disciple, he must say 'No' to self, put his cross on his shoulders, and keep on following me" ...
Eph.2:3,2; 4:22 (RSV); 4:22,24 (Beck); 4:21 (KJV); Rom.13:14 (NAS); Matt.16:24 (Wil)

Freedom For - or From - the Self?
(Oxymora - 5: Selfless Self)*

O Glory! Free to be my Self at last!

Responsible, then, to Society!?

Such credos with Self's freedom only clash!
To teach the child responsibility
cruel interferes with Self's inherent right
to do Self's own thing, stunts Self's right sublime
to please one's Self at all times - all! Despite
the claims of common sense, it is a crime
to trammel Self, hold back th'emerging good
of Selfdom. Lo -- innately wise, the child!
Ask any two-year-old! Its parents should
accept the fact that Self becomes defiled
when Self's restrained. Self's selfless born! What say?
Self's self-ish? Nay! How dare thee speak that way!?!

Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God ... "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile" ... For since ... the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men ... He who trusts in his own mind is a fool ... "Abide in Me, and I in you" ... Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! ...
1 Cor.3:18,19,20; 1:21,22-24,25 (RSV); Prov.28:26 (RSV); Jn.15:4 (NAS); Rev.22:20 (Wil).

* See March 20, March 21, March 22, and November 27 for Oxymora 1, 2, 3 and 4.