“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
In the name of religion men have renounced The pleasures of this life, and claimed as a direct result some special vision of God, or some special association with Him. Extremes of this kind were the Egyptian anchorites such as Doratheus, from whom came the monastic order, and at the other end of the scale the Cromwellian Puritan who was often too busy cleansing the life of his neighbour to see the inconsistencies of his own activities. Between these two are all people who have ever professed religion, and have felt that there are some things which they ought to “give up” for the sake of God.
In the case of many, such as “St.” Francis, who have renounced all personal property, and dedicated their whole life to prayer and the service of fellow man, a marked effect has been produced upon their character. Admirers claim that they have purified their heart and drawn near to God, while the Rationalist says that they have become slightly demented by overmuch austerity. The decision as to where the truth lies is difficult to make. Certain miracles of healing, together with supernormal manifestations visible to others are claimed, and an impartial witness examining the evidence is forced to admit that while much owes its presence to imagination and the magnification of rumour, yet there must have been a substratum of fact which is neither owned nor explained by the Rationalist.
To continue reading this Bible article, click here.
Author: R. T. Lovelock
Keywords: hermit, monastery, monastic, monastic order, monastic orders, nun, nunnery, monk, Essenes, eunuch, castration, puritan, puritans, vow of poverty, Mortification, mortification of the flesh, self deception
Bible reference(s): Matthew 19:12, Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:18, Colossians 2:20-21, Colossians 2:23, 1 Timothy 4:3
Source: “Renunciation,” The Testimony, Vol. 20 No. 233, May 1950, pp. 226-30.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.