This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his home on Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 13th day of October, 1940, in accordance with request by those present.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Esther Wynne, Florence Edmonds, Hannah and Noah Miller, Frances Y. Morrow, Ruth LeNoir and Hugh Lynn Cayce.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the Norfolk Group #1, assembled here to study the basic ideas and principles to be expressed in the lesson "Sin Versus Righteousness." You will continue the discourse on this subject, answering the questions that may be asked.
2. EC: Yes, we have the group as gathered here, and their work, their study, on "Sin Versus Righteousness."
3. It was given, "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees, ye shall all likewise perish." Here we find the presentation of righteousness in varying degrees; else it could not have been referred to as even a type or condition of righteousness.
4. What was the righteousness of the Pharisees, and what was their sin? How were the disciples to discern between the righteousness of the Pharisees and the righteousness as presented by the Teacher? Or, was that the type of righteousness referred to as being the righteousness of the Master's hearers at that time?
5. The righteousness of the Pharisee was that as indicated by the prayer offered in the temple; that he thanked God he was not like other people. Here we find, then, self-righteousness; not condemned, and yet "except your righteousness exceed that of the self-righteous, ye shall all likewise perish."
6. Perish here indicates sin. Thus we have the direct manner in which each individual, each hearer, might judge; not as judging another but as an analysis, a judgment, a looking within as to whether there were the promptings of the life, the spoken word, the activities, by self's desires, self's indulgence, self's aggrandizement, self's laudation, self's praise, self's activities, without respect to the fellow man.
7. Then there may be a lesson here gained by each, - that sin versus righteousness is that sin which is separation from God; and righteousness is adhering to, making at-onement with, God's purposes, - even as indicated in the prayer of the publican, "God be merciful to me, a sinner." Or, as He gave in the prayer, "As I ask forgiveness, so I forgive others," or, "With what measure I ask for mercy, for care, for love, for thought, that love and care and consideration I seek to give to others."
8. Thus may we draw a lesson in our daily experience from this attitude, this condition, this experience through which each soul finds itself passing in a material world. The flesh is weak, the spirit is willing.
9. Will you each as individuals be led by the spirit of truth? or will self, the own ego, the own material desire, so outweigh that purpose, that hope, that mission for which each soul is given the opportunity in material expression, that it may be said of you, "except your righteousness exceed the life of the self-righteous, ye shall indeed perish"?
10. In that outline first indicated here, who is to judge as to what is sin and what is righteousness for the individual? As we remember, as has oft been given, "Study to show THYSELF approved unto God, a workman not ashamed."
11. Here we find much that may need analyzing, looking into, in our own individual experiences. Do we, as children of God, as seekers after God, have firsthand knowledge? or do we accept only that others have told us? Do we condemn any? Do we know, or is it only self-righteousness that speaks?
12. Are we living that life that exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisee; who gave his tithes, who attended to the offices of his position, who met regularly in those capacities for activity of guidance, teaching and directing of others? Yet, what lacked he? Did he teach the letter of the law and forget the spirit of same?
13. Let each ask self, "Do I manifest - in speech, in activity - that I sincerely believe? Do I give credit to the spirit where credit is due? Do I adhere to the spirit of brotherly love? Do I sow the seeds of kindness with a kindly feeling, or with merely a sense of duty? Do I have long-suffering because I just can't help myself, or because I am willing that God - through His Son, through the Master of masters, show me the way? Is my life, my speech, my activity among others, in keeping with such righteousness as HE - the righteous Master - taught?"
14. He said, "Be ye PERFECT, even as my Father in heaven is perfect." Would we modify that? Would we say that such is only to be sought, to be tried for, to be desired in the experience, and is not attainable here or now, under the present environs, the present hates, the present fears?
15. Was HE unreasonable? Was He kind to those who despitefully used Him? Did His righteousness come as boastings of what His abilities were, of what He knew within Himself; or rather under those conditions wherein He came unto His own and His own received Him not, yet He condemned none?
16. Ready for questions.
17. (Q) Please comment on the outline, a copy of which I have in my hand.
    (A) This as we find is very well begun. Much filling in is to be done, as the interpreting progresses in the lives and the mental experiences of compilers.
18. (Q) Define sin and original sin, or what was original sin? Please explain.
    (A) It may be defined in one word, - disobedience!
    In the beginning, the perfect man was given all the attributes of the Father-God, in ideal environments prepared by God for man's material manifestation. Let's draw the comparisons of man made perfect through experience, and man WILLFULLY being disobedient:
    In the first we find man listening to those influences which were at variance to God's way. Then in the temple, even at twelve, we find the perfect man seeking, asking, and answering questions as to man's relationship to God.
    Sin, then, is willful disobedience. Draw the comparison within thyself as to those experiences indicated in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of Genesis and those in the 2nd of Luke - where we find our pattern, our lesson, and those illustrations that indicate sin versus righteousness, one willfully seeking to know the relationship to the Creator, or the answer, "Know ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" How different from that other, "The WOMAN thou gavest me, SHE persuaded me, and I did eat"?
19. We are through for the present.

BACKGROUND

1. Subject of Reading - "Study Group #1."

Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation