Credits and Demerits

A credit is an acknowledgment of work done; the deduction of a payment a debtor makes from an amount due; the positive balance or amount remaining in a person’s account.—Oxford English Dictionary
  A study of the various meanings of the term merit gives insight into how your earn heavenly credits and why they are given.
  Credit is belief; faith; a reliance or resting of the mind on the truth of something said or done. We give credit to a mans declaration when the mind rests on the truth of it without doubt or suspicion. We give credit to testimony or to a report when we rely on its truth and certainty. Credit is the reputation derived from the confidence of others; esteem; estimation; good opinion founded on a belief of a mans veracity, integrity, abilities and virtue. Hence, honor; reputation: The credit of a man depends on his virtues. Credit is that which procures or is entitled to belief; authority derived from ones character, or from the confidence of others. We trust to the credit of assertion made by a man of known veracity. Credit is influence derived from the reputation of veracity or integrity, or from the good opinion or confidence of others; interest; power derived from weight of character, from friendship, fidelity or other cause.—Webster’s American Dictionary
  A demerit signifies a quality or characteristic deserving of blame or censure; a fault, a mark made against one’s record for a fault or for misconduct.—Oxford English Dictionary
  A demerit is That which deserves punishment, the opposite of merit; an ill-deserving; that which is blamable or punishable.—Webster’s American Dictionary

“You receive no credits for doing your duty, but only for your struggles in conquering self.”—Edna Lister

  A credit is a symbol of merit and the promise of recompense or reward. Credits and demerits are the results of how your ego and pride affect your choices and actions when you are dealing with others. God’s appointed accountant enters the day’s transactions on your heavenly balance sheet as payables (demerits) and receivables (credits). Self counts only gross income (credits), so is usually shocked by its thousands of niggling expenditures for misuse (demerits) of soul substance for which it must pay. Credits and demerits both bring their own special kinds of initiations

Edna Lister on Credits and Demerits

People may credit you, but you receive your true reward from God.—Edna Lister, Sermon on the Mount, February 1, 1933.

Never credit yourself, low or high.—Edna Lister, August 19, 1938.

Do not forfeit hard-earned credits from the self-centered consciousness of being so good.—Edna Lister, May 18, 1941.

Get your credits on high by loving God.—Edna Lister, Promises Fulfilled, September 24, 1950.

No one should want credits for loving.—Edna Lister, December 4, 1950.

The creator asks for results of projects only, no outer credit.—Edna Lister, To Seek the Light, June 10, 1951.

God advances you credits so that you can release Power for lifting earth. You are always working on advanced credits you have not yet earned.—Edna Lister, The First Days, June 17, 1951.

You receive no credits for doing your duty, but only for your struggles in conquering self.—Edna Lister, A Design for Living, November 2, 1952.

I’ll try shows that little self still wants credit.—Edna Lister, The Great Challenge, November 23, 1952.

God pays no attention to the demerits your family gives you.—Edna Lister, Ye Are Gods, November 30, 1952.

God charges the debt to the one who builds the vibration of darkness. God credits the account of the one who lifts without recreating more darkness.—Edna Lister, Surrender and Transfiguration, July 12, 1953.

If you are tempted and come through only one percent, you get credit for that one percent.—Edna Lister, Jesus, the Man of God, December 5, 1954.

Never look for credit, for self must not taint your service.—Edna Lister, What Is Freedom? July 10, 1955.

The Power does the work and God gets the credit.—Edna Lister, Aspiration, June 17, 1956.

Let others take the credit because God will promote you from the top, into your true mission.—Edna Lister, November 26, 1956.

Three-quarters of all metaphysical statements of truth are demands. When you demand in prayer, you use inner soul credits on the outer.—Edna Lister, The Point of No Return, December 15, 1957.

You earn no inner credits for being a martyr.—Edna Lister, The Point of No Return, December 15, 1957.

God credits you according to your words and works, not others’ words about you. If you resent and criticize others, God gives them your credits in compensation. When you said, I prayed so long but God never answered me, your substance went to those you criticized and blamed between your prayers.—Edna Lister, Brainwashing, Inc., October 19, 1958.

You must use your credits and soul substance to repay unfulfilled commitments unless you pay with active service.—Edna Lister, Constancy in Obedience, October 26, 1958.

A lack of humility is the little self taking credit from God.—Edna Lister, What Is Symbolism? October 6, 1959.

How you live by the pattern of your ideals always determines your credits. Ending an incarnation of good service while holding a grudge can neutralize the credits you earned throughout life.—Edna Lister, The 33 Degrees of Soul Conquering, October 13, 1959.

You cannot have your credits on the outer and on the inner, too.—Edna Lister, Follow Me, November 29, 1959.

You never earn credits for doing your duty, or when you credit yourself. You cannot boast and receive credits from God, too.—Edna Lister, Life Triumphant, May 27, 1962.

Faithfulness to principle counts as ascension credits, though all credits do not deal with ascension. A demerit is lost not only as an ascension credit, but may subtract from your stored credits, according to its spiritual weight.—Edna Lister, July 5, 1963.

When you are climbing in ascension, each demerit is a weight pulling the soul backward.—Edna Lister, July 5, 1963.

God gives credit for service, unless you dilute your credit with pride, negatives, or asking why.—Edna Lister, October 6, 1964.

You may expect no credits for required duties, those you must do.—Edna Lister, June 18, 1965.

Darkness pays no credits or recompense.—Edna Lister, Comprehension and Recompense, November 7, 1965.

You receive credit according to your faithfulness and conquering.—Edna Lister, The Arrow Path of the Master, June 7, 1966.

As you ascend, recording angels note every hurt, every struggle in the Book of Life. They credit you with learning your lessons, even when you are selfish, sorrow-filled or self-pitying. As you conquer, Oversoul replaces the self you lift with new substance and adds Light to your aura. Light is transfiguring you into your original image and likeness of God.—Edna Lister, October 20, 1966.

Someone who promises you money has already drawn visible substance from his inner account to make the promise. When you thank him and deposit it in the universal bank, he receives the credit for his gift. When worldly challenges affect your finances, pray for all those who promised you and declare that a line of credit from universal supply goes to them for abundance and that they will remember to be generous in turn.—Edna Lister, November 16, 1967.

To agree quickly gives the adversary all the credit your little self would like.—Edna Lister, The Heavenly Mysteries Unveiled, October 20, 1968.

Every time you seek God, you receive credits.—Edna Lister, July 1, 1969.

You get no credit for being a martyr or a fool.—Edna Lister, August 7, 1969.

One main cause of failure is the desire for credits for doing the work.—Edna Lister, February 14, 1970.

New Testament on Credits and Demerits

Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.—Matthew 12:36

When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.—Luke 12:58-59

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.—Luke 16:19-25. [You may receive your credits on the inner or the outer, but not in both places at once.]

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.—Luke 21:36

Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.—Romans 14:12

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