Love is the Fulfilling of the Law
ON LOVE; PART CCLIV
ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•Α
GoodWill IS Love in Action
ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•Α
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Ephesians 4:13-18)
We did not get any further along in the last post regarding our sayings above except to restate in slightly different terms our understanding of the first two phrase and to note that they can be viewed as a single thought; that to” come in the unity of the faith” is the cause of having “the knowledge of the Son of God” and it IS the purpose as well. Of course this can only be understood and realized in our interpretation that the Son of God IS the Soul, the Christ Within, as much as it IS the historic Christ of the Christ Principal. This is a difficult reality for the average Christian to recognize but there are signs and sayings that point us here throughout the New Testament. In the Gospel of John the Master goes to great lengths to tell His disciples this great mystery which is couched in parabolic sayings that must be discerned by the man who is awake or awakening to the reality of His own Soul’s prompting. The Master’s sayings that we see below are, ALL of them, showing us this reality of the Inner man, the Soul and the Christ Within as well as the reality that “the Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). We must remember two things here; first that this idea of the Christ Within IS a mystery and the Master is teaching this, even to His apostles, by proverb and by parable and we should look at these two words in a more inclusive way than is generally seen. He tells them this after much of His proverbial and parabolic teachings, according to John, saying “These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father” (John 16:25) and we should note here that He IS NOT saying that this is changing but that “the time cometh“. We should of course understand that His teaching “plainly of the Father” IS also more inclusive that just this thought and that it includes and involves the entirety of the Kingdom and one’s relationship to Him in this Kingdom which “ is within you” (Luke 17:21). Secondly, we should remember that the apostles do eventually ‘get it’ and that they teach this as well albeit in similar clouded sayings because of the mystery of it ALL which the man who IS NOT a disciple should not, in that day especially, rightly understand and we include the apostles teaching as well at the end of our list below. We can get a similar understanding of the nature of the Master’s teachings to His disciples from the Apostle Mark who tells us that “And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples” (Mark 4:33-34). We should note here that this saying comes at the end of a series of parables that Jesus speaks to the gathered disciples and aspirants and this we KNOW from the starting point of this series of parables that begins with the Master’s explanation to them of the Parable of the Sower and we should try to see that even in His explanation of this parable to the disciples, they do not quite understand and this is likely True of those things expounded to them as well and this we can sense in their lack of understanding as presented in other parts of the gospels including that from John above. Some sayings representing the Christ Within include:
- “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live , ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:19-21). Here is the central point of the reality of the Christ Within and the Unity of ALL Life and we should see this manifestation that the Master refers to as the Christ Within prompting the man in form with the intent of supplanting the carnal personality as the primary influence on one’s Life. We should see further on that the apostles and disciples DO NOT understand and this is evidenced by the question and the answer which we read as “Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (J0hn 14:22-24). We should note here that the answer to Judas’ question IS NO clearer that the original statement and that the Master then moves on to yet more mysterious and clouded sayings regarding the Comforter, the Paraclete or the Holy Ghost which is another concept that is still mysterious and clouded today.
- “But when the Comforter is come , whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26). Staying with the idea of the Comforter, we should try to see the intimacy of the relationships here, that the Holy Spirit “proceedeth from the Father“, and reading this in the Light of the way we see above should give us that greater understanding of the Unity of these Three Aspects of God. We should try to see the logical argument of this rather incomprehensible idea which IS that the Christ IS in the Father and the Christ IS in the disciple so that this idea that the Holy Spirit comes from the Father must mean that the Holy Spirit comes from the Christ and the Christ Within as well and hence our understanding that the Holy Spirit IS the activity of the Christ and the Christ Within in the world. This idea is missed by the doctrines and likely because there IS much mystery here.
- “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:21-23). Here in the Master’s prayer we find additional reality regarding the these relationships and the idea of the Christ within and we should take time here to note that in this prayer by the Master there IS NO request for anything for the self in the world but rather ONLY for spiritual things and this is the point that we have been making on prayer and the gospel verses that are misinterpreted to say that one should pray for Earthly things; True prayer as noted in the gospels and in the epistles is always about spiritual things. We should understand that the ideas that the Master is putting forth in His prayer are those of realization; that His words “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” reflect His prayer for the full realization by the apostles of these Truths from a spiritual perspective. He is praying that they will be able to perceive and to understand that they, as a group of Souls expressing their lives in the world of men, can realize their own unity and their unity with the Master and the Father…..that they can realize that from the spiritual perspective ALL are ONE. Understanding these things we should be able to understand as well the Apostle Paul’s words which we have been discussing above as this IS an aspect of the “the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God“.
- Continuing on we come to the words of the Apostle Paul who is not among the twelve as they are learning of the Master and of God by parable and proverb and who had the unique experience of learning directly from Him as we see in our words above from John and Mark telling us of the Master’s teaching to His disciples. Paul, a religious Jew, comes to Christ in a unique way which is perhaps the harbinger our own experience as we are not in Jesus physical presence either. Paul sees the Master in a vision and we should try to understand that the apostle was not picked out of the crowd but rather was destined for this ‘calling’ by past accomplishments as were ALL of the apostles and close disciples of the Master; none were merely picked out. they were among those who came into incarnation with the Master as His ready help in His mission to change the world. Paul has a unique perspective on the Life of the Master and on the True meaning of His words and this even though he was not with Him and we should see in this the reality of revelation and the Truth of the Wisdom from above; we should realize that the apostle’s words are Truly of a divine nature and none more so than the words that we continue to carry as our Quote of the Day below. Paul is very aware of the mysteries that were hidden by the Master from the general public and ofttimes from His own disciples as well and in this saying about the reality of the Christ Within we can see the depth of his understanding, Paul tells us: “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:25-28). Here, in Paul’s words we have the reality of the Christ Within expressed as “the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations“. Now we should try to understand here that the prior teachings, the teachings of the Old Testament were in regard to God Transcendent and here, in the dispensation of Christ, we find God Immanent as well as God Transcendent and we find this Immanence in the words of the Master above as well as the words of the apostle here where we learn that this mystery IS now revealed. And we learn to whom it is revealed and although this world saint is largely misunderstood by the church and its doctrines, as men are pronounced as Saints after death and based upon some archaic criteria and ritual by some parts of the church while the average Christian attendee is called a saint in other parts. The reality of this idea of saint is found in discipleship and this IS the intent of Paul’s understanding of to whom the mysteries will be revealed. We find from the Master’s use of the parable that the understanding of them is reserved for the disciples as He tells us that “it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given” (Matthew 13:11) and this He says to His disciples and, we should KNOW that the idea of them refers to ALL who are not.
Taking these teachings on the Christ and the God Within we should be able to see the way that the apostle handles this mystery in his words to the Ephesians at the top of our essay which we can see in these first two phrases that we have been discussing. Our conclusion here then is that same understanding of this single statement that says in our focus upon the things of God, in our single mindedness, we have that needed knowledge of the Christ and the Christ Within and we should see here that the apostle is speaking of disciples and of aspirants and NOT of the average person who IS yet focused upon the self and the things of the self in the world. And this we KNOW even better by the ensuing words which tell us that when a man is so focused upon the things of God and when a man KNOWS the Christ Within, then he IS among those that are privileged to be or to become “a perfect man” and, as we have said previously, we should see this word perfect in the same context as we hear from the Master who tells us that we should “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48) and as He tells His disciples that being perfect is the hallmark of the True and complete disciple saying “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master” (Luke 6:40). It IS in ONLY this state of perfection that one can achieve the next part which IS as the Master tells us here in Luke and which Paul frames as the disciple can come “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ“.
And so then we have the first verse above telling us that by our ardent focus upon the things of God we come into the KNOWING of the Christ and the Christ Within and it is in this accomplishment that we can and do become the perfect man who IS as the Master in his stature and fullness in the world of men. This IS our objective and our Goal and we KNOW that the ONLY way to achieve these things is by our right focus which IS our keeping His words.
We will continue with out thoughts in the next post.
| Aspect of God |
Potency |
Aspect of Man |
In Relation to the Great Invocation |
In relation to the Christ |
|
GOD, The Father |
Will or Power |
Spirit or Life |
Center where the Will of God IS KNOWN |
Life |
|
Son, The Christ |
Love and Wisdom |
Soul or Christ Within |
Heart of God |
Truth |
|
Holy Spirit |
Light or Activity |
Life Within |
Mind of God |
Way
|
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
Staying on the theme of Love we repeat again the sayings of the Apostle Paul that put this Love into perspective.
But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:1-13 (New King James Version)Regardless of our daily theme, the underlying theme of our posts and of this entire blog is Love. In these words from Paul we should be able to see the overriding importance of Love in the Life of each of us. This is a common theme throughout the gospels and the other writings of the apostles and a theme that is not nearly understood. In our theme today regarding Paul’s writings to the Romans and in the previous discussions on them we seek to impart the better understanding of the reality of Life, the Life of the True man as the Christ Within, the Soul, as it is from this perspective that we can gain that revelation of Truth and, as Paul says above, be free from the condemnation and the vanity of Life in form, free from the illusion and the glamour. We repeat here what we said about these verses in a prior post:
Today’s Quote of the Day from the Apostle Paul is his testimony to the power of Love. After speaking at length about the gifts of the Spirit that one should desire in order to be of service to the Lord, he says plainly that Love is a more excellent way. Love in the context of these verses is not the sentimental or affectionate kind that we ordinarily think of but rather benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men. This defining of Love is covered in some depth in a previous post; In the Words of Jesus part 47.
