Will and Action The Gospel of Philip

Will and Action

It is good to leave the world before one sins. Some have neither the will nor the strength to act. Others, even if they have the will, do themselves no good, for they have not acted. And if they do not have the will…. Righteousness is beyond their grasp, in either case. It always comes down to the will, not the action.

For it is good to come forth from the world before one has sinned [against the holy spirit which is really sinning against the Father, the Son and even yourself which is the same as denying the Christ]. There are some who neither [have the] will nor have the power to [attain the resurrection (Christ)]; and others who, if they [have the] will, do not profit; for they did not act [these could “hear the word” yet continued in doing the acts of the “old man”] since [...their lack of faith] makes them sinners [they are still stuck on the “letter” of the law – these say “I see” yet their sins remain with them ]. And if they do not [have the] will [to do Gods will], justice will elude them in both cases: and it is always a matter of the will [we must surrender our will to do according to the Father’s will from the heart “for indeed the spirit is willing…”], not the act [“…but the flesh is week”]. (Philip 51) [“For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” Again – it is not the act itself for then we would have occasion to boast but it is the willingness in our hearts (our good intentions) to do it that counts and these always have a way of correcting themselves when we see the results of those actions whether it be in repentance or thanksgiving]

Some do not desire to do wrong, while some others would like to but cannot. Those who do not commit wrongs because they cannot, are no better off than if they had committed the wrongs. It is what is in our hearts, our desires, that reveal what we are. When we desire to commit a wrong, it is already a spiritual reality. A person is not better for abstaining from what he cannot do.