IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 711

Love is the Fulfilling of the Law

ON LOVE; PART CCC

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

Of all that the Master told us, He considered this as the Greatest of Commandments. So much of what we are to understand as aspirants or as believers is found in the precept that we must KEEP HIS WORDS:

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).

We ask ourselves WHAT THEN IS LOVE?

In a general sense love is 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.

We add to this THE EVER IMPORTANT AND HIGH IDEAL TAUGHT TO US BY THE CHRIST which can serve to both give us an understanding of what it means to Love oneself and how it is that we can Love our neighbor:

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them“ (Matthew 7:12).

We ended the last post with our observations of how the evolution of spiritual ideas in the world brings us to the New Dispensation inaugurated by the Master and we should be able to see that just as our reading of the Old Testament shows that the actual implementation in the world of the Old Dispensation of Moses DID NOT have the stated effect of the originating scriptures, so the New Dispensation is equally lacking. We should however understand that what we are looking for and at is the physical plane result which IS the most difficult to change and the last and this likely in ALL things. We should note that there is a dynamic change in the hearts of men around the world who have come to accept Love as the way of the New World Order, if we can use this rather derided term, so that men KNOW and understand the importance of this but at the same time CAN NOT, in the needed wholesale way, bring this change about in the world. This IS the continuing result of the illusion and the glamour in which we live as well as the emotional attachment that we have as individuals and as groups to those things we deem important and want to keep if only because we KNOW NO better as societies or CAN NOT find a way out that does not seem meek. We can use this word here in both of its meanings; from the perspective of the world as ‘giving in’ which lays one open to opinions of weakness and, from the perspective of the Master’s use of this translated word which IS to do the right thing always despite any consequences and to not do a thing that can harm even when one has the ability to do so.

The issue here in the world of men is that most ALL want the have the advantage and this IS True in most ALL relationships and the competitive nature that puts us in this place IS the result of that vanity that the Apostle Paul tells us of as he makes us to understand that this IS a way of Life in the world saying: “the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope” (Romans 8:20). It is this vanity that we speak about as illusion and glamour as this word vanity, like meek, has predetermined meanings, especially in modern culture. Here, in this context however the idea of vanity does work well as it is the vain personal view of status that can prohibit reasonableness in the interactions of men or groups of men and here we should try to see the intimate relationship of these two words as often the idea of vanity as commonly understood is mistaken for the refusal of a party to seem meek. We have of course evolved to this point from a place where a more barbaric attitude once prevailed; today we think about the right and the wrong and too often take up the wrong because of vanity or because one does not want to seem meek as the word IS commonly understood. Remembering the current meanings for meek we see: 1. patient, long-suffering, or submissive in disposition or nature; humble 2. spineless or spiritless; compliant ¹⁰; other than the ideas of patient and long-suffering, would any want to be considered in these other terms? We should note here that these ideas of spineless or spiritless are far from the understanding of this word in the 1828 version of Webster’s dictionary which tells us that: 1. Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries. Now the man Moses was very meek, above all men. Num.12. 2. Appropriately humble, in an evangelical sense; submissive to the divine will; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations. Christ says, “Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls.” Matt.11 .¹ Of course it is easy to see the evolution of this word over the nearly 200 years and these 1828 ideas are also far from the original intent offered in the Greek word praos which intent we must judge from the usages in scripture and especially in the use of this word as a quality of the Christ.

While we have recently discussed this idea of meek in a recent post, it is important to understand it in relation to our current topic as the fear of meekness, under the influence of illusion and glamour, does prevent the man in the world, individually and corporately, from doing what IS right in relation to others and expressing the Truth of Love as the Master intended it and as seen in our words at the top of this essay. The reality of meek, when used of the Master, CAN NOT be as it is reported today and is even more upright of character as is reported in 1828; the Truth of meekness is strength and fortitude and likely even more as this word is used to describe the Master. Again, this word is rendered from praos three times in the gospels as:

• “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
• “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls“(Matthew 11:29).
• “Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold , thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass” (Matthew 21:5).

In the first, from the Beatitudes, we find blessing on the meek and here we should understand that there is little blessing as a directive from the Lord for being spineless or spiritless as these are contrary to the the way of the man in the world who would “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24) as the very notion given here by Jesus requires strength and fortitude. The second point above is a description of Himself offered by the Master and here we should see the ideas of strength and fortitude combined with what we see as the essence of the word meek which we have before stated as humble restraint and positive harmlessness, both of which reflect the idea of one who can have his way and do as he will is in meekness when he has the ability but he does not use it. We can see this idea at work in the third saying above which IS the repetition of a prophesy concerning the Master who comes to Jerusalem as a King and at the same time in meekness as we describe above and which is further exemplified in His words saying:

• As the Master is being taken by “a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people” in the Garden at Gethsemane, one of the apostles draws his sword in retaliation and IS told by Jesus: “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:47, 53). Here we can clearly see the restraint and the harmlessness as well as the strength and the fortitude as the Master does KNOW what fate awaits Him at the hands of those who have come to take Him.
• In response to His disciples short tempered attitude regarding those that would not accept the Master as they believe IS right and their suggestion saying: “Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?” to which the Master: “….turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village” (Luke 9:54-55). Here we have not only the meekness of the Master who, in His Power and Might, is shunned by these Samaritans but a lesson for His disciples in this same quality.

There are other examples of this attitude that reflects divinity and in these and the right view of being meek is a great lesson that continues to go unlearned by opposing forces including those in His church who DO NOT give in but stand firm on what they may see as principal but which IS in reality contrary to this idea of being meek as presented by the Master. Here we should try to understand that as important as it may be to keep His words, it is equally important to follow His example. It is for reasons like that the apostles continually tell us, speaking to disciples and aspirants, those whose desire it IS to be close to the Lord:

• John tells us: “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
• James tells us: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves“(James 1:22).
• Paul tells us: “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours” (1 Corinthians 3:18-21).
• Paul tells us further: “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another” (Galatians 6:3-4).

These are but examples of the words of the apostles who tell us ALL that we must be doers; we CAN NOT  just listen and understand the beauty of the words and then go off and continue in our own understanding where we think we are holy and are ‘saved’ or whatsoever words we care to use that say as the apostle above: a man CAN NOT “think himself to be something, when he is nothing” and of course we speak here spiritually as if a man does believe that he is anything, he has lost that ability to “humble himself as this little child” (Matthew 18:4). Here we should understand that it matters not what we appear to be in this world, how we appear to men is of no consequence if our True desire IS to be close to the Lord; our attitude MUST be Truly humble and Truly meek and our role must be as the Master describes for us; to help us in overcoming that tendency to appear great before men; He tells us: “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9:35) and again “And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:44). And His example is the same as He shows us this from the perspective of His own greatness as He says: “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth” (Luke 22.27). To understand these things we must understand the reality of being humble and of being meek as these ARE our tools for looking away from the self, our tools for escaping the illusion and the glamour, the vanity of Life in this world of men.

So it matters not our position in the world of men because if we approach the glory of our position we are yet living a carnal Life in the world and this dynamic IS True in regard to ALL men. We have noted in the past the Master’s harsh words regarding riches yet most men do not heed them and this IS because most men see the words of the Master as words and not as those things that we must accomplish. And it IS not a bad thing that a man is attracted to riches and the pleasures of this world but he should understand that these are the Truth of the reality of sin and in satisfying these attractions to the things of the world, he is forsaking the Kingdom of God and a place therein. This is the deception, that a man can believe that he can have and can do both but this man is not thinking clearly, he is thinking as a man in the world whose focus IS upon mammon instead of on God. The Master’s words ARE clear yet they go unheeded because mankind is yet caught up in the illusion and the glamour of Life in the world. Whether He is telling us the Truth that “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 6:24) or telling us the rules of discipleship which culminate in the reality that “whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath , he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33); most men ARE NOT listening but are hearing in His words only what they want to hear and herein lies much of his deception. The Master’s words regarding this humbleness and meekness and taking the role of the servant is spread throughout the gospels and is hidden even in sayings such as this where a women offers Him praise: “And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it (Luke 11:27-28).

We close today with these thoughts from Paul to Timothy which should be seen as the words of Paul to ALL men who are desirous of the Kingdom and of discipleship: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Timothy 6:6-11). And we should remember that it IS in discipleship that we Truly serve the Lord.

We will continue with our 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.

He who faces the light of His Soul and stands within its radiance is blinded to the issues of the world of men; he passes on the lighted way to the Kingdom of God. But he who feels the urge to pass that way, yet loves his brother on the darkened path, revolves upon the pedestal of light and turns the other way.

He faces towards the dark and then the seven points of light within himself transmit the outward streaming light, and lo! the face of those upon the darkened way receives that light. For them, the way is not so dark. Behind the warriors—twixt the light and dark—blazes the light of the Kingdom itself.**

We previously posted this saying in In the Words of Jesus part 367 and did so in conjunction with the Master’s teaching on the idea that ”But many that are first shall be last; and the last first” (Mark 10:31) and His teaching about the mustard seed where, in Luke’s Gospel, he says: “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do” (Luke 17:5-10)”. In this context we say about the words above: Remembering that the Master is speaking to His disciples in both instances above and both are, in our view, explanatory of the nature of the disciple; that he will accomplish what he has to do, his duty if you will, but will continue on in the service of the Lord and give his ALL in service to his fellowmen. There an ancient aphorism which states this truth in a different way and on which we have taken the liberty of rendering in a more understandable language;

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!

• ¹ Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913
• ¹⁰ Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers