Acme of Religious Living 

Although the average person cannot hope to attain the high perfection of character which Jesus acquired during his short life in the flesh, we can develop a strong and unified personality that seeks to live the will of God. Jesus' life was a masterpiece of balance, symmetry, and beauty. His many charms and grace developed over years of natural growth and self-mastery. His enthusiasm for people and life was admirable. He was always poised and behaved spontaneously, actively, positively, and appropriately – he truly was the Master in any given situation. The sublime attractiveness of his personality drew all people to him. His sincere interest in them made it impossible not to love him. His genuine approach and generous spirit appealed to people from all walks of life.

What Jesus might teach us most effectively is his devotion to living the will of God. Studying his life, understanding his decisions, modeling our religious practices, serving with sincere love for our fellows, and sharing our life with God through prayer and worship is only a beginning when attempting to achieve the acme of religious living and striving to become perfect in the eyes of God. It was said that Jesus was the perfectly unified human personality. Today, through his Spirit of Truth, he continues to unify life, ennoble character, and transform and transfigure the person. Jesus reveals that we are also children of the Universal Father, and we may presume upon him to develop a loving and eternal personal relationship with God. We can safely grow an ideal religious experience in such a nurturing environment.

The ideal of religious living is to strive to become more like God and to develop and cultivate a deep and personal relationship with him through prayer, meditation, and worship. This allows us to receive guidance, strength, and comfort. It involves finding balance, seeking truth, beauty, and goodness in all aspects of life, and it is important to study and reflect upon living in accordance with the teachings of Jesus. Religious living is not about following rituals or attending church services, but it is about embodying the qualities of love, mercy, and forgiveness in our daily interactions with others.

Some practical ways to live an ideal religious life include: cultivating a daily spiritual practice including prayer, meditation, reflecting on spiritual teachings, and taking time each day to connect with God through worship. Seeking his guidance can help to center and ground our lives. Practicing love and kindness allows our fellows to experience the ways of God. Treating others with love, compassion, and respect is a fundamental aspect of ideal religious living. This can be expressed through acts of service, forgiveness, and empathy.

Seeking truth, wisdom, and engaging in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding is an important part of spiritual growth. Seeking out wise teachers and mentors can be helpful in opening us up to new insights and perspectives. Living with integrity is also essential to align our actions with our beliefs and values. Being honest, trustworthy, and acting with integrity in all areas of life is a worthy foundation for the ideal religious experience. A lifelong journey of cultivating a deep and personal relationship with God isn't about rigid rules or rituals – it is a dynamic, unique, and living experience. God wants us to be our best and our authentic self.

Ideal religious living can certainly happen in modern times. It may not be as difficult as some may imagine. Typically, conflict occurs only when a person is not completely devoted to living the will of God. Establishing good spiritual habits of living enhances the experience and makes success easier. It has been said that the ideal of religious living is to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." This means making God the center of our lives and striving to align our thoughts, words, and actions with his perfect will. It is about living a life of love and service, treating others with kindness and compassion, and seeking to uplift and inspire those around us.

The principles and teachings of true religion are timeless and can be applied in any era. While the world may have changed considerably since Jesus lived on Earth, the core values and practices of living a spiritually fulfilling life remain the same. Living in harmony with divine values is possible even though there are many distractions and challenges that can make it difficult to live an ideal religious life. It is still possible to find spiritual fulfillment amidst the busyness and complexities of the world. It requires making a conscious effort to prioritize spiritual growth and to integrate spiritual practices into daily life.

Living a religious life also involves cultivating spiritual fruits such as faith, patience, and self-control. It is about developing a character that reflects the divine nature and striving to become more like God in our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Yes, it is possible to become perfect, but it is a journey that takes time and effort. Jesus said: "Be you perfect, even as I am perfect" as he challenged his followers to live devoted lives. Perfection is not something that can be achieved instantly, but rather it is a gradual process of growth and spiritual development.

As human beings, we are born imperfect and have the potential to become perfect through our choices and actions. The path to perfection involves aligning our will with the will of God and striving to live according to his guidance. Perfection is a relative term, and as human beings, we grow in grace and perfection to that place in eternity where we will gradually be transformed into glorious creatures through experience and our choices.

We are told that there have been those in our human history that have achieved brilliant spiritual careers and "walked with God in perfection." Legend tells us they disappeared in chariots of fire – an energy burst that results from becoming one with their indwelling spirit of God. By this technique of perfection, the average mortal could potentially avoid death completely and travel directly through space to be in the heavenly worlds.

Moral and ethical living refers to the way we choose to live our lives in accordance with the principles of goodness, fairness, and integrity. It involves making decisions and taking actions that are in line with what is considered to be right and just. Many would disagree as to what a moral and ethical life involves. It is different for everyone because it depends upon the maturity of the individual. Moral and ethical living is really very simple – it is what each of us knows we "ought" to do. We already know what that is – it resides deep in our soul. It is the highest concept each of us understands to be true, beautiful, and good in any given situation, or in solving any problem. The only conflict we might experience is when we do not want to do what we know we should.

We are all at different levels of development, so God's will is inevitably directed toward the individual's understanding of what is right and wrong, and our willingness to do what is right. We are only responsible for acting in accordance with our standard of goodness. As we grow, our understanding takes on more mature responsibility and deeper meanings. We act according to our new higher meanings and values and become more accountable for our own actions. We seek to bring respect, dignity, and honor to ourselves, our family groups and community; and we seek to do no harm. Living morally means treating others with kindness, respect, and compassion. It means being honest and truthful in our words and actions; fair and just in our treatment of others, even when we find them difficult or challenging.

With each level of growth and maturity, we become more aware of the consequences of our actions, and we become interested not only in our own selfish desires, but also in the welfare of others. Without moral and ethical living, the world becomes more dangerous, chaotic and unstable, especially for those who are weak and innocent. In times of moral and ethical instability, powerful individuals may exploit the resources of the oppressed – putting their personal freedoms at risk. We begin to realize the impact of our actions, and that we might contribute to the success and happiness of everyone when we live a moral, just, and ethical life. When this type of dynamic moral and ethical living is combined with wise and selfless long-term perspectives, the entire world benefits. There are many interpretations of a moral and ethical life, but the standard we must live up to is the ideal which has been personally revealed to us by God and being mindful of our impact on others.

The religion of Jesus is the most dynamic influence ever to activate the human race, and by striving to live according to the principles that Jesus taught, and viewing the manner in which he lived, served, and met death, we can contribute to our own progress and spiritual growth as well as the betterment of the world around us. However, it is important to remember that being inspired by Jesus' life does not mean trying to be exactly like him in every aspect. Each person is a unique personality, and we have our own individual paths to follow. Jesus of Nazareth was a Creator Son of God living an incarnated life as a mortal man on earth. He was on a mission to reveal the truth and to terminate the Lucifer Rebellion. These unusual circumstances required Jesus to make decisions that would not apply to normal human beings. For instance, it was part of his bestowal mandate to be careful not to leave children behind. This explains why he chose not to marry, even though we are told that marriage would have been considered an honorable choice for him or any other person living in this world. This guideline for incarnation was established to prevent superhuman children from being born, and especially since their father would only dwell here temporarily.

In many ways, Jesus remains the inspiration for all people living in his universe and for all eternity. There is so much that we can learn from him and apply to our own lives pertaining to the ideal religious life. He perfected his brilliant mind, his devoted spirit, and his purely human personality to the level of the far-off ages of light and life in a very short lifetime. He expanded the boundaries of what a person can be expected to achieve and revealed to God what a glorious masterpiece of artful living a human being can create.

Religious living brings a special satisfaction and personal dignity to each of our lives. We can choose to bring exceptional living to what would otherwise be a dark world in despair. We bring hope and inspiration to others in the same way that Jesus brought hope and inspiration to us. The strength that comes from devoted living can survive any challenges we may face. When we walk with God, we see the world through a new perspective. Comfort and contentment comes to those who choose to live the ideal religious life.

Ultimately, the ideal of religious living is to grow in our understanding and experience of God's love and to share that love with others. It is about living a life of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment, guided by the principles of truth, beauty, and goodness. We seek to know God's will for our lives, and his plan for our eternal destiny. We appreciate the partnership with our heavenly Father as we navigate through each day's challenges, joys, and sorrows with his indwelling spirit as our comfort and guide.

We have a bright future of eternal life ahead, but even more exciting, we possess a unique personality – a gift from God. We have the possibility of becoming more and more perfect each step of the way on our journey to Paradise. On the day we finally stand in the presence of God, there will be no other person like us. Today we are "diamonds in the rough '' and through our eternal life, we become more polished with each faith victory. Along the way, our destiny is to become one with this spirit guide of God and to forever serve with him in perfection and glory.