It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Free from what? Set free from the rulership of Pharaoh, from identification with, and being enslaved to, the Mind.
What else is there to be free from? Apart from the mind there is no sin, there is no suffering. Apart from the Mind there is no good or evil. Without the mind there is no law to keep, and therefore no violation, which brings guilt and other forms of suffering. Neither is there adherence to the law, which brings pride and a false sense of accomplishment.
The only thing that we need to be free of is the mind. This is why Christ has come. The Atma is in our hearts. The Atma (Christ) is Spirit. And spirit transcends the lower mind. We must lose identification with the mind and gain back our identity in Spirit. To the degree that we identify ourselves with the Spirit, we gain that same degree of freedom from the lower Mind (the thoughts, judgments, opinions, biases, accusations, prideful perspectives, and condemnations, which all come from the mind).
The Lord is Spirit. We (our spirits) are One with the Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. Where identification with the Spirit exists, there is freedom. Freedom from judging ourselves or others. Freedom from accusation, condemnation, guilt, and shame. Freedom from needing to perform; freedom from various fears, worry, loss, etc. Only the lower mind interacts with these things. The mind judges between good and evil. The mind labels people, actions, and things. The mind and its limited perspectives about situations and people is an inferior ruler, enslaving our emotions and actions through its inferior laws and pseudo-logic. "Letting your lower nature control your mind (the nature which judges from the premise of the knowledge of good and evil) leads to death (the internal belief, experience, and perspective that we are separate from God and from Love). But letting the Spirit control your mind (with beliefs based on unwavering trust that all things work for good, on unconditional love and forgiveness, and gratitude in all circumstances) leads to life and peace" (Rom. 8:6).
I was Pharaoh. I had fully identified with my mind and I was ruling my life as I saw fit. Then one day I was faced with darkness, drought, and famine. My kingdom was being destroyed. My greatest wisdom, strength, and willpower could not overcome the depression, anxiety, fears and loss. The kingdom had fallen into darkness. But then, like Joseph who had been locked in the underground prison cells, I called out for One with the wisdom and insight to save me from the hell that my internal kingdom had become. This humble and loving Spirit, whom I had locked away in my heart due to His previously contradicting beliefs and advice on living, came to me and began to care for me with unconditional and nonjudgmental love. He led me with words of peace, encouragement, and a heart of humble compassion. I wanted to make him the new leader, the new ruler, but He said he was not interested in ruling my kingdom. But he was very interested in earning my love.
I love this Spirit dearly. He has restored me (the mind) from the lower perspectives and false logic. He is the true logic (the Logos). This Spirit is the true reality, and He still resides in my heart. My mind now follows Him. I follow Him. He does not want to rule my kingdom, but He wants to walk with me daily. He teaches me, and loves me deeply. It's from this relationship of Love that my mind is being renewed. And as I learn to love like Him and think like Him, I am (my mind is) being made into His image. And therefore, vicariously, He is ruling my kingdom through me. He has set me free from the old mind (the old man that I used to be), from old perspectives, judgements, opinions, fears, etc. I have been made new by the Spirit of love that I had once kept prisoner in the cave of my abandoned heart. This cave has now been renovated into a temple. He has earned all of my love.
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