crossing the state lines
"The result is that the last state of the man is worse than the first." —Luke 11:26
The worst and sometimes last state of a human being is to be re-possessed by a devil and newly possessed by several other devils (Lk 11:26). The first state is to be possessed by a devil. Most people think that very few people ever are in the first or last state. However, in the second letter of Peter, the Lord refers to the first state not as the unusual situation of being demon-possessed but as simply our original state, that is, being a human person with our fallen, demonically-influenced nature. We are freed from this first and original state by being baptized and living our Baptisms "by recognizing the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pt 2:20). Because our Baptisms are irreversible, we can never revert to our first state.
However, we can refuse to live our Baptisms. Thereby we enter a third and worst state of being a fallen-away, lukewarm Christian. When we choose to enter this third state, we make void the cross of Jesus for ourselves (see 1 Cor 1:17), nauseate Jesus (Rv 3:16), cause our Baptisms to backfire, and open the door of our lives to old and new demons. Therefore, we must grow and persevere in our love for the Lord. That is the second and best state, and it should be the last state.
Prayer: Father, may I never love You less.
Promise: "All who believe are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith." —Gal 3:9
Praise: Reading the psalms helped Ruth overcome a state of chronic depression.
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, April 24, 2000
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 27, 2000