“Life is the constant accumulation of knowledge, the storing up of the result of experiences. The law of cause and effect is in constant operation, and we reap what we sow – not as a matter of punishment, but as the effect following the cause. Theology teaches us that we are punished for our sins, but the higher knowledge shows us that we are punished by our mistakes instead of for them. The child who touches a hot stove is punished by reason of the act itself, not by some higher power for having ‘sinned.’ Sin is largely a matter of ignorance and mistake. Those who have reached a higher plane of spiritual knowledge have borne upon them such a convincing knowledge of the folly and unwisdom of certain acts and thoughts, that it becomes almost impossible for them to commit them. Such persons do not fear there is some superior being waiting to strike them to the earth with a mighty club for doing certain things, simply because that intellighence has laid down an apparently arbitrary law forbidding the commission of the act.

“On the contrary, they know that the higher intelligences are possessed of nothing but intense love for all living creatures, and are willing and ready to help them, so far as possible under the workings of the Law.” ~William Walker Atkinson

Cause and Effect

Cause and Effect is something we learned about in science class in grade school. If great force is shot out of the engines of a rocket (cause), the rocket will be pushed upwards (effect). But many don’t understand that this law also applies to human behavior, in which case it is often called Karma. Most people think of cause and effect as being an immediate thing. The rocket doesn’t wait until weeks after the engine is fired to launch into space. But with karma, the effect may be delayed for days, weeks, or even years. Yet it is still a form of cause and effect.

Reap what we Sow

It is part of this law that we must reap what we sow, or perhaps more accurately, as we sow. The effect may be a very obvious thing, but not always. A person who swindles people out of a great deal of money (cause) may not ever go broke but may suffer from incurable and painful illnesses (effect).

Occasionally we will see an obvious case of instant karma where the effect matches the cause, such as the story a few years back of the guy who loved to fish but didn’t catch fish to eat. He would just throw the fish onto the deck of his boat to die slowly. One day while he was doing that, a shark jumped up and grabbed him, pulling him into the water and killing him. Obvious tit-for-tat.

Not Punishment

Atkinson is correct in saying that the working of this scientific law is not punishment. For centuries, many have said that God punishes us for doing wrong, but that is not the case. It is simply the law of cause and effect at work. God may be disappointed in us at times, but he doesn’t punish us. It is Satan who punishes those who don’t listen to him, not God. Of course, some will argue that since God must have created the law of cause and effect, He is punishing us indirectly. I would disagree with that because God is simply letting the law function to maintain a certain amount of order in the universe, and help us learn from our mistakes. That isn’t punishment.

Higher Intelligences

Atkinson says that the spiritually developed person understands the law of karma, and avoids violating it, even though they know that “higher intelligences” do not punish us, but instead love us despite our faults. That is true, but we must understand that what Mr. Atkinson calls higher intelligences should more accurately be called higher levels of consciousness. Intelligence is associated with the brain and the physical world and is the realm and power of Satan. God, on the other hand, is the Supreme Consciousness.

Advanced spiritual people also understand that if they use spiritual knowledge and abilities for material purposes, they will find their spiritual gifts fading, or disappearing entirely.

Develops Step by Step

“Do not regard lightly the immaterial substance of the Soul, beloved one. The immotal Soul is a precious vessel. See how great the heavens and the earth are, and yet God was not satisfied with them, but only with thee. Consider thy dignity and thy nobility, that to thy succor the Lord came in person, not by the medium of angels, to recall those who were lost, those who were wounded, and to restore to thee the primal fashioning of the pure Adam. For Man was master from the sky above to the things beneath, and capable of discerning the affections, without any connection with devils, pure from sin, the Image and Likeness of God. But by transgression, he was lost, and wounded, and brought to death. Satan has darkened his mind. In one thing this is so, and in another, he lives and discerns, and has a will.

“When the Holy Ghost comes, … sin is eradicated, and man recovers the primal fashioning of the pure Adam. Man, however, by the power of the Spirit and the spiritual regeneration, not only comes to the measure of the first Adam but is made greater than he.” ~St. Macarius the Egyptian

Do not Regard the Soul Lightly

There are many people in this materialistic age who don’t believe they have a soul at all. As sad as those people are, even worse are those who do believe they have a soul, but treat it as something trivial. Some see it as a kind of lifesaver to be used only after physical death. Others think they need to do nothing to develop the soul, it came to them fully developed. Why they would think that I don’t know. We are not born with a fully developed body but have to work to develop it to its full potential. We are not born with the mind of a genius but have to develop our mind along with the body. The same is true of the soul, if not more so. We enter the physical world with our spiritual faculties in a dormant state, somewhat like being in a coma. If they are not awakened and developed, they will be wasted. The first step of spiritual regeneration is awakening the spirit. Then it must be developed in a fully conscious Soul.

Recall Those Who Were Lost

God does call to us to return to Heaven where we belong, but few hear the call. That is because the call is spiritual in nature and can only be heard by our spiritual faculties, but those faculties must first be awakened. If they are not awakened, that call is not heard or is heard very vaguely by the mind. It is why some wealthy people are never satisfied with what they have, but always want more. Deep down they feel something is missing in their lives, but they don’t realize it is something spiritual, so they keep trying to satisfy that need with material wealth.

Man Was Master

Before the Great Fall, Man was master over many things as trusted servants of God. After the fall, many people still think they are the masters, but in fact, they are being led and controlled by the forces of Darkness. Only those who have turned to God and seek spiritual regeneration can escape from the control of darkness. Even for them, it is not easy, but it can be done if one develops love, humility, and trust in God. The power of spirit is that it can give back to Man that mastery.

Wounded and Brought to Death

When humans were pure spirits living in Heaven, we experienced no illness, hunger, or death. But after the Great Fall symbolized in the story of Adam and Eve, we became material beings and now experienced illness, death, and many other negative things. Death does not affect the Soul, so that is another reason to seek its regeneration, or more accurately, awakening and development.

When the Holy Ghost Comes

There may have been various ways that the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit came to people in the past, but we are now in the age of the Sun of Righteousness, so it comes to us through the Light of the Spiritual Sun. We must turn to that Sun with pure hearts and minds to experience the power of the “regenerated” soul.