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Mere Christianity - Book 4 - Chapters 7-8 PDF Free Download

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Mere Christianity - Book 4 - Chapters 7-8 PDF Free Download

Mere Christianity - Book 4 - Chapters 7-8 PDF free Download. Think more deeply and widely.

MereChristianityBook4Chapters78
Mere Christianity
by C. S. Lewis
Book4Chapters78
Book4.BeyondPersonality:OrFirstStepsInTheDoctrineOfTheTrinity
Chapter7.Let'sPretend
Chapter8.IsChristianityHardOrEasy?
Book 4. Beyond Personality: Or First Steps In The Doctrine Of The Trinity
Chapter 7. Let's Pretend
MayIonceagainstartbyputtingtwopictures,ortwostoriesrather,intoyourminds?Oneis
thestoryyouhaveallreadcalledBeautyandtheBeast.Thegirl,youremember,hadtomarry
amonsterforsomereason.Andshedid.Shekisseditasifitwereaman.Andthen,muchto
herrelief,itreallyturnedintoamanandallwentwell.Theotherstoryisaboutsomeonewho
hadtowearamask;amaskwhichmadehimlookmuchnicerthanhereallywas.Hehadto
wearitforyear.Andwhenhetookitoffhefoundhisownfacehadgrowntofitit.Hewasnow
reallybeautiful.Whathadbegunasdisguisehadbecomeareality.Ithinkboththesestories
may(inafancifulway,ofcourse)helptoillustratewhatIhavetosayinthischapter.Uptill
now,IhavebeentryingtodescribefactswhatGodisandwhatHehasdone.NowIwantto
talkaboutpracticewhatdowedonext?Whatdifferencedoesallthistheologymake?Itcan
startmakingadifferencetonight.Ifyouareinterestedenoughtohavereadthusfaryouare
probablyinterestedenoughtomakeashotatsayingyourprayers:and,whateverelseyou
say,youwillprobablysaytheLord'sPrayer.
ItsveryfirstwordsareOurFather.Doyounowseewhatthosewordsmean?Theymean
quitefrankly,thatyouareputtingyourselfintheplaceofasonofGod.Toputitbluntly,you
aredressingupasChrist.Ifyoulike,youarepretending.Because,ofcourse,themoment
yourealisewhatthewordsmean,yourealisethatyouarenotasonofGod.Youarenot
beinglikeTheSonofGod,whosewillandinterestsareatonewiththoseoftheFather:you
areabundleofselfcentredfears,hopes,greeds,jealousies,andselfconceit,alldoomedto
death.Sothat,inaway,thisdressingupasChristisapieceofoutrageouscheek.Butthe
oddthingisthatHehasorderedustodoit.
Why?Whatisthegoodofpretendingtobewhatyouarenot?Well,evenonthehumanlevel,
youknow,therearetwokindsofpretending.Thereisabadkind,wherethepretenceisthere
insteadoftherealthing;aswhenamanpretendsheisgoingtohelpyouinsteadofreally
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helpingyou.Butthereisalsoagoodkind,wherethepretenceleadsuptotherealthing.
Whenyouarenotfeelingparticularlyfriendlybutknowyououghttobe,thebestthingyoucan
do,veryoften,istoputonafriendlymannerandbehaveasifyouwereanicerpersonthan
youactuallyare.Andinafewminutes,aswehaveallnoticed,youwillbereallyfeeling
friendlierthanyouwere.Veryoftentheonlywaytogetaqualityinrealityistostartbehaving
asifyouhaditalready.Thatiswhychildren'sgamesaresoimportant.Theyarealways
pretendingtobegrownupsplayingsoldiers,playingshop.Butallthetime,theyare
hardeningtheirmusclesandsharpeningtheirwits,sothatthepretenceofbeinggrownup
helpsthemtogrowupinearnest.
Now,themomentyourealise"HereIam,dressingupasChrist,"itisextremelylikelythatyou
willseeatoncesomewayinwhichatthatverymomentthepretencecouldbemadelessofa
pretenceandmoreofareality.Youwillfindseveralthingsgoingoninyourmindwhichwould
notbegoingonthereifyouwerereallyasonofGod.Well,stopthem.Oryoumayrealise
that,insteadofsayingyourprayers,yououghttobedownstairswritingaletter,orhelping
yourwifetowashup.Well,goanddoit.
Youseewhatishappening.TheChristHimself,theSonofGodwhoisman(justlikeyou)and
God(justlikeHisFather)isactuallyatyoursideandisalreadyatthatmomentbeginningto
turnyourpretenceintoareality.Thisisnotmerelyafancywayofsayingthatyourconscience
istellingyouwhattodo.Ifyousimplyaskyourconscience,yougetoneresult:ifyou
rememberthatyouaredressingupasChrist,yougetadifferentone.Therearelotsofthings
whichyourconsciencemightnotcalldefinitelywrong(speciallythingsinyourmind)butwhich
youwillseeatonceyoucannotgoondoingifyouareseriouslytryingtobelikeChrist.For
youarenolongerthinkingsimplyaboutrightandwrong;youaretryingtocatchthegood
infectionfromaPerson.Itismorelikepaintingaportraitthanlikeobeyingasetofrules.And
theoddthingisthatwhileinonewayitismuchharderthankeepingrules,inanotherwayitis
fareasier.
TherealSonofGodisatyourside.Heisbeginningtoturnyouintothesamekindofthingas
Himself.Heisbeginning,sotospeak,to"inject"Hiskindoflifeandthought,HisZoe,intoyou;
beginningtoturnthetinsoldierintoaliveman.Thepartofyouthatdoesnotlikeitisthepart
thatisstilltin.
Someofyoumayfeelthatthisisveryunlikeyourownexperience.Youmaysay"I'venever
hadthesenseofbeinghelpedbyaninvisibleChrist,butIoftenhavebeenhelpedbyother
humanbeings."Thatisratherlikethewomaninthefirstwarwhosaidthatiftherewerea
breadshortageitwouldnotbotherherhousebecausetheyalwaysatetoast.Ifthereisno
breadtherewillbenotoast.IftherewerenohelpfromChrist,therewouldbenohelpfrom
otherhumanbeings.Heworksonusinallsortsofways:notonlythroughwhatwethinkour
"religiouslife."HeworksthroughNature,throughourownbodies,throughbooks,sometimes
throughexperienceswhichseem(atthetime)antiChristian.Whenayoungmanwhohas
beengoingtochurchinaroutinewayhonestlyrealisesthathedoesnotbelieveinChristianity
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andstopsgoingprovidedhedoesitforhonesty'ssakeandnotjusttoannoyhisparentsthe
spiritofChristisprobablynearertohimthenthaniteverwasbefore.Butaboveall,Heworks
onusthrougheachother.
Menaremirrors,or"carriers"ofChristtoothermen.Sometimesunconsciouscarriers.This
"goodinfection"canbecarriedbythosewhohavenotgotitthemselves.Peoplewhowerenot
ChristiansthemselveshelpedmetoChristianity.ButusuallyitisthosewhoknowHimthat
bringHimtoothers.ThatiswhytheChurch,thewholebodyofChristiansshowingHimtoone
another,issoimportant.YoumightsaythatwhentwoChristiansarefollowingChristtogether
thereisnottwiceasmuchChristianityaswhentheyareapart,butsixteentimesasmuch.
Butdonotforgetthis.Atfirstitisnaturalforababytotakeitsmother'smilkwithoutknowing
itsmother.ItisequallynaturalforustoseethemanwhohelpsuswithoutseeingChrist
behindhim.Butwemustnotremainbabies.WemustgoontorecognisetherealGiver.Itis
madnessnotto.Because,ifwedonot,weshallberelyingonhumanbeings.Andthatis
goingtoletusdown.Thebestofthemwillmakemistakes;allofthemwilldie.Wemustbe
thankfultoallthepeoplewhohavehelpedus,wemusthonourthemandlovethem.But
never,neverpinyourwholefaithonanyhumanbeing:notifheisthebestandwisestinthe
wholeworld.Therearelotsofnicethingsyoucandowithsand;butdonottrybuildinga
houseonit.
AndnowwebegintoseewhatitisthattheNewTestamentisalwaystalkingabout.Ittalks
aboutChristians"beingbornagain";ittalksaboutthem"puttingonChrist";aboutChrist
"beingformedinus";aboutourcomingto"havethemindofChrist."
PutrightoutofyourheadtheideathattheseareonlyfancywaysofsayingthatChristiansare
toreadwhatChristsaidandtrytocarryitoutasamanmayreadwhatPlatoorMarxsaidand
trytocarryitout.Theymeansomethingmuchmorethanthat.TheymeanthatarealPerson,
Christ,hereandnow,inthatveryroomwhereyouaresayingyourprayers,isdoingthingsto
you.Itisnotaquestionofagoodmanwhodiedtwothousandyearsago.ItisalivingMan,
stillasmuchamanasyou,andstillasmuchGodasHewaswhenHecreatedtheworld,
reallycomingandinterferingwithyourveryself;killingtheoldnaturalselfinyouandreplacing
itwiththekindofselfHehas.Atfirst,onlyformoments.Thenforlongerperiods.Finally,ifall
goeswell,turningyoupermanentlyintoadifferentsortofthing;intoanewlittleChrist,abeing
which,initsownsmallway,hasthesamekindoflifeasGod;whichsharesinHispower,joy,
knowledgeandeternity.Andsoonwemaketwootherdiscoveries.
(1)Webegintonotice,besidesourparticularsinfulacts,oursinfulness;begintobealarmed
notonlyaboutwhatwedo,butaboutwhatweare.Thismaysoundratherdifficult,soIwilltry
tomakeitclearfrommyowncase.WhenIcometomyeveningprayersandtrytoreckonup
thesinsoftheday,ninetimesoutoftenthemostobviousoneissomesinagainstcharity;I
havesulkedorsnappedorsneeredorsnubbedorstormed.Andtheexcusethatimmediately
springstomymindisthattheprovocationwassosuddenandunexpected:Iwascaughtoff
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myguard,Ihadnottimetocollectmyself.Nowthatmaybeanextenuatingcircumstanceas
regardsthoseparticularacts:theywouldobviouslybeworseiftheyhadbeendeliberateand
premeditated.Ontheotherhand,surelywhatamandoeswhenheistakenoffhisguardis
thebestevidenceforwhatsortofamanheis?Surelywhatpopsoutbeforethemanhastime
toputonadisguiseisthetruth?Ifthereareratsinacellaryouaremostlikelytoseethemif
yougoinverysuddenly.Butthesuddennessdoesnotcreatetherats:itonlypreventsthem
fromhiding.Inthesamewaythesuddennessoftheprovocationdoesnotmakemean
illtemperedman:itonlyshowsmewhatanilltemperedmanIam.Theratsarealwaysthere
inthecellar,butifyougoinshoutingandnoisilytheywillhavetakencoverbeforeyouswitch
onthelight.Apparentlytheratsofresentmentandvindictivenessarealwaysthereinthe
cellarofmysoul.Nowthatcellarisoutofreachofmyconsciouswill.Icantosomeextent
controlmyacts:Ihavenodirectcontrolovermytemperament.Andif(asIsaidbefore)what
wearemattersevenmorethanwhatwedoif,indeed,whatwedomatterschieflyasevidence
ofwhatwearethenitfollowsthatthechangewhichImostneedtoundergoisachangethat
myowndirect,voluntaryeffortscannotbringaboutAndthisappliestomygoodactionstoo.
Howmanyofthemweredonefortherightmotive?Howmanyforfearofpublicopinion,ora
desiretoshowoff?Howmanyfromasortofobstinacyorsenseofsuperioritywhich,in
differentcircumstances,mightequallyhadledtosomeverybadact?ButIcannot,bydirect
moraleffort,givemyselfnewmotives.AfterthefirstfewstepsintheChristianlifewerealise
thateverythingwhichreallyneedstobedoneinoursoulscanbedoneonlybyGod.Andthat
bringsustosomethingwhichhasbeenverymisleadinginmylanguageuptonow.
(2)Ihavebeentalkingasifitwerewewhodideverything.Inreality,ofcourse,itisGodwho
doeseverything.We,atmost,allowittobedonetous.Inasenseyoumightevensayitis
Godwhodoesthepretending.TheThreePersonalGod,sotospeak,seesbeforeHiminfact
aselfcentred,greedy,grumbling,rebellioushumananimal.ButHesays"Letuspretendthat
thisisnotamerecreature,butourSon.ItislikeChristinsofarasitisaMan,forHebecame
Man.LetuspretendthatitisalsolikeHiminSpirit.Letustreatitasifitwerewhatinfactitis
not.Letuspretendinordertomakethepretenceintoareality."Godlooksatyouasifyou
werealittleChrist:Christstandsbesideyoutoturnyouintoone.Idaresaythisideaofa
divinemakebelievesoundsratherstrangeatfirst.But,isitsostrangereally?Isnotthathow
thehigherthingalwaysraisesthelower?Amotherteachesherbabytotalkbytalkingtoitas
ifitunderstoodlongbeforeitreallydoes.Wetreatourdogsasiftheywere"almosthuman":
thatiswhytheyreallybecome"almosthuman"intheend.
Chapter 8. Is Christianity Hard Or Easy?
InthelastchapterwewereconsideringtheChristianideaof"puttingonChrist,"orfirst
"dressingup"asasonofGodinorderthatyoumayfinallybecomearealson.WhatIwantto
makeclearisthatthisisnotoneamongmanyjobsaChristianhastodo;anditisnotasortof
specialexerciseforthetopclass.ItisthewholeofChristianity.Christianityoffersnothingelse
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atall.AndIshouldliketopointouthowitdiffersfromordinaryideasof"morality"and"being
good."
TheordinaryideawhichweallhavebeforewebecomeChristiansisthis.Wetakeasstarting
pointourordinaryselfwithitsvariousdesiresandinterests.Wethenadmitthatsomething
elsecallit"morality"or"decentbehaviour,"or"thegoodofsociety"hasclaimsonthisself:
claimswhichinterferewithitsowndesires.Whatwemeanby"beinggood"isgivinginto
thoseclaims.Someofthethingstheordinaryselfwantedtodoturnouttobewhatwecall
"wrong":well,wemustgivethemup.Otherthings,whichtheselfdidnotwanttodo,turnout
tobewhatwecall"right":well,weshallhavetodothem.Butwearehopingallthetimethat
whenallthedemandshavebeenmet,thepoornaturalselfwillstillhavesomechance,and
sometime,togetonwithitsownlifeanddowhatitlikes.Infact,weareverylikeanhonest
manpayinghistaxes.Hepaysthemallright,buthedoeshopethattherewillbeenoughleft
overforhimtoliveon.Becausewearestilltakingournaturalselfasthestartingpoint.
Aslongaswearethinkingthatway,oneorotheroftworesultsislikelytofollow.Eitherwe
giveuptryingtobegood,orelsewebecomeveryunhappyindeed.For,makenomistake:if
youarereallygoingtotrytomeetallthedemandsmadeonthenaturalself,itwillnothave
enoughleftovertoliveon.Themoreyouobeyyourconscience,themoreyourconscience
willdemandofyou.Andyournaturalself,whichisthusbeingstarvedandhamperedand
worriedateveryturn,willgetangrierandangrier.Intheend,youwilleithergiveuptryingto
begood,orelsebecomeoneofthosepeoplewho,astheysay,"liveforothers"butalwaysin
adiscontented,grumblingwayalwayswonderingwhytheothersdonotnoticeitmoreand
alwaysmakingamartyrofyourself.Andonceyouhavebecomethatyouwillbeafargreater
pesttoanyonewhohastolivewithyouthanyouwouldhavebeenifyouhadremained
franklyselfish.
TheChristianwayisdifferent:harder,andeasier.Christsays"GivemeAll.Idon'twantso
muchofyourtimeandsomuchofyourmoneyandsomuchofyourwork:IwantYou.Ihave
notcometotormentyournaturalself,buttokillit.Nohalfmeasuresareanygood.Idon't
wanttocutoffabranchhereandabranchthere,Iwanttohavethewholetreedown.Idon't
wanttodrillthetooth,orcrownit,orstopit,buttohaveitout.Handoverthewholenatural
self,allthedesireswhichyouthinkinnocentaswellastheonesyouthinkwickedthewhole
outfit.Iwillgiveyouanewselfinstead.Infact,IwillgiveyouMyself:myownwillshall
becomeyours."
Bothharderandeasierthanwhatwearealltryingtodo.Youhavenoticed,Iexpect,that
ChristHimselfsometimesdescribestheChristianwayasveryhard,sometimesasveryeasy.
Hesays,"TakeupyourCross"inotherwords,itislikegoingtobebeatentodeathina
concentrationcamp.Nextminutehesays,"Myyokeiseasyandmyburdenlight."Hemeans
both.Andonecanjustseewhybotharetrue.
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Teacherswilltellyouthatthelaziestboyintheclassistheonewhoworkshardestintheend.
Theymeanthis.Ifyougivetwoboys,say,apropositioningeometrytodo,theonewhois
preparedtotaketroublewilltrytounderstandit.Thelazyboywilltrytolearnitbyheart
because,forthemoment,thatneedslesseffort.Butsixmonthslater,whentheyarepreparing
foranexam.,thatlazyboyisdoinghoursandhoursofmiserabledrudgeryoverthingsthe
otherboyunderstands,andpositivelyenjoys,inafewminutes.Lazinessmeansmoreworkin
thelongrun.Orlookatitthisway.Inabattle,orinmountainclimbing,thereisoftenonething
whichittakesalotofplucktodo;butitisalso,inthelongrun,thesafestthingtodo.Ifyou
funkit,youwillfindyourself,hourslater,infarworsedanger.Thecowardlythingisalsothe
mostdangerousthing.
Itislikethathere.Theterriblething,thealmostimpossiblething,istohandoveryourwhole
selfallyourwishesandprecautionstoChrist.Butitisfareasierthanwhatwearealltryingto
doinstead.Forwhatwearetryingtodoistoremainwhatwecall"ourselves,"tokeep
personalhappinessasourgreataiminlife,andyetatthesametimebe"good."Weareall
tryingtoletourmindandheartgotheirownwaycentredonmoneyorpleasureor
ambitionandhoping,inspiteofthis,tobehavehonestlyandchastelyandhumbly.Andthatis
exactlywhatChristwarnedusyoucouldnotdo.AsHesaid,athistlecannotproducefigs.IfI
amafieldthatcontainsnothingbutgrassseed,Icannotproducewheat.Cuttingthegrass
maykeepitshort:butIshallstillproducegrassandnowheat.IfIwanttoproducewheat,the
changemustgodeeperthanthesurface.Imustbeploughedupandresown.
ThatiswhytherealproblemoftheChristianlifecomeswherepeopledonotusuallylookfor
it.Itcomestheverymomentyouwakeupeachmorning.Allyourwishesandhopesforthe
dayrushatyoulikewildanimals.Andthefirstjobeachmorningconsistssimplyinshoving
themallback;inlisteningtothatothervoice,takingthatotherpointofview,lettingthatother
larger,stronger,quieterlifecomeflowingin.Andsoon,allday.Standingbackfromallyour
naturalfussingsandfrettings;cominginoutofthewind.
Wecanonlydoitformomentsatfirst.Butfromthosemomentsthenewsortoflifewillbe
spreadingthroughoursystem:becausenowwearelettingHimworkattherightpartofus.It
isthedifferencebetweenpaint,whichismerelylaidonthesurface,andadyeorstainwhich
soaksrightthrough.Henevertalkedvague,idealisticgas.Whenhesaid,"Beperfect,"He
meantit.Hemeantthatwemustgoinforthefulltreatment.Itishard;butthesortof
compromiseweareallhankeringafterisharderinfact,itisimpossible.Itmaybehardforan
eggtoturnintoabird:itwouldbeajollysightharderforittolearntoflywhileremainingan
egg.Wearelikeeggsatpresent.Andyoucannotgoonindefinitelybeingjustanordinary,
decentegg.Wemustbehatchedorgobad.
MayIcomebacktowhatIsaidbefore?ThisisthewholeofChristianity.Thereisnothingelse.
Itissoeasytogetmuddledaboutthat.ItiseasytothinkthattheChurchhasalotofdifferent
objectseducation,building,missions,holdingservices.JustasitiseasytothinktheStatehas
alotofdifferentobjectsmilitary,political,economic,andwhatnot.Butinawaythingsare
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MereChristianityBook4Chapters78
muchsimplerthanthat.TheStateexistssimplytopromoteandtoprotecttheordinary
happinessofhumanbeingsinthislife.Ahusbandandwifechattingoverafire,acoupleof
friendshavingagameofdartsinapub,amanreadingabookinhisownroomordiggingin
hisowngardenthatiswhattheStateistherefor.Andunlesstheyarehelpingtoincreaseand
prolongandprotectsuchmoments,allthelaws,parliaments,armies,courts,police,
economics,etc.,aresimplyawasteoftime.InthesamewaytheChurchexistsfornothing
elsebuttodrawmenintoChrist,tomakethemlittleChrists.Iftheyarenotdoingthat,allthe
cathedrals,clergy,missions,sermons,eventheBibleitself,aresimplyawasteoftime.God
becameManfornootherpurpose.Itisevendoubtful,youknow,whetherthewholeuniverse
wascreatedforanyotherpurpose.ItsaysintheBiblethatthewholeuniversewasmadefor
ChristandthateverythingistobegatheredtogetherinHim.Idonotsupposeanyofuscan
understandhowthiswillhappenasregardsthewholeuniverse.Wedonotknowwhat(if
anything)livesinthepartsofitthataremillionsofmilesawayfromthisEarth.Evenonthis
Earthwedonotknowhowitappliestothingsotherthanmen.Afterall,thatiswhatyouwould
expect.Wehavebeenshowntheplanonlyinsofarasitconcernsourselves.
IsometimesliketoimaginethatIcanjustseehowitmightapplytootherthings.IthinkIcan
seehowthehigheranimalsareinasensedrawnintoManwhenhelovesthemandmakes
them(ashedoes)muchmorenearlyhumanthantheywouldotherwisebe.Icanevenseea
senseinwhichthedeadthingsandplantsaredrawnintoManashestudiesthemanduses
andappreciatesthem.Andiftherewereintelligentcreaturesinotherworldstheymightdothe
samewiththeirworlds.ItmightbethatwhenintelligentcreaturesenteredintoChristthey
would,inthatway,bringalltheotherthingsinalongwiththem.ButIdonotknow:itisonlya
guess.
WhatwehavebeentoldishowwemencanbedrawnintoChristcanbecomepartofthat
wonderfulpresentwhichtheyoungPrinceoftheuniversewantstooffertoHisFatherthat
presentwhichisHimselfandthereforeusinHim.Itistheonlythingweweremadefor.And
therearestrange,excitinghintsintheBiblethatwhenwearedrawnin,agreatmanyother
thingsinNaturewillbegintocomeright.Thebaddreamwillbeover:itwillbemorning.
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