Who was the first liar??

On record, the first liar was Lucifer.  We don't know what he told the other angels ...we just have record of what he first told Eve.

Of course, Eve told Adam ...and ever since there have been attempts to reconcile all that.

Jesus going to the cross, did reconcile all of that ...yet, we still try so hard to rationalize so many aspects of our lives. And we attempt to redeem ourselves on how we view our relationship with Him ...and convince ourselves that He is not disappointed in us.

Of course, there are those who don't consider this at all ...and His love is abundantly accepted, with not much in the way of accountability on our part for appreciating such depth of love. Accepting Him has a degree of understanding that tends to evidence itself in growth.

This goes along with what I've mentioned before about spiritual growth not just being personal to the degree that it's as if no others exist.

I recall the Monastic Orders that have developed as a result of efforts to become closer to God.  If Jesus said to go out into all the world to share the gospel ...it would seem to me that living within a walled community may be a nice retreat and help someone refresh or refocus, but eventually the need to be out in the community would be like Jesus going among the people after He prayed in communion with the Father.

There seems to be nothing wrong with working to improve ourselves ...yet, this does not mean fully isolating ourselves from those we feel may affect our personal purity.  We may decide not to attend certain events, but not to avoid conversing with the people when outside of those things we may disagree with.

Of course, isolating ourselves would be better than joining a neighborhood uprising, or a gang ...but, there are different ways to approach the difficult challenges in our lives.

And personal purity does not mean we force it upon others ...like the movements towards ethnic cleansing, affecting many others, often in very violent fashion.

We are unable to cleanse ourselves ...so the only way we can make ourselves acceptable to God is through a simple choice, in accepting Jesus.  If we want to help others become cleansed ...tell them about Jesus.