Love is the Fulfilling of the Law
ON LOVE; PART CCCIII
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).
It is our understanding that the whole of the Master’s words are intended to make disciples of ALL men as this IS our goal and our objective, not necessarily from the perceptive of discipleship but rather from the perspective of our expression of the Love and the Power of the Soul through keeping His words; discipleship IS in our reality the result of this action in the Life of the man in this world. We find this sentiment as our own action as well in the closing words from the Gospel of Matthew as we read in the King James Version that “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19); these words however should be rendered differently as both teach and nations have more appropriate renderings for this verse and have the ability to change the Christian view to our view on this subject and, in this change we should not forget the True meaning of this idea of baptizing. We should see here the greater reality and not the convenient one that makes men teachers of the various doctrines concerning these things. First, the idea of teach should be rendered as make disciples of 4 as Vincent tells us and as this is rendered in the Revised Version and others; second is the understanding conveyed by the word rendered as nations which can be as easily seen as: All the nations (πάντα τὰ ἐθνη) The whole human race; though the word is generally employed in the New Testament to denote Gentiles as distinguished from Jews 4 as Vincent identifies this for us in another place (Matthew 25:32). Can we see here how different the understanding IS here when these words are more rightly rendered? Adding to this our understanding of baptism as immersion, and we should be able to discern His Truth in these words as saying to His apostles that they should make disciples of ALL men immersing them into the name of the Trinity. Here again we rely upon Vincent’s Word Studies to gain a better understanding of the words rendered above as in the “in the name” when we see them as “into the name” along with Vincent’s explanation which tells us much from his own doctrinal bent and from which we take this: In the name (εις τὸ ὄνομα) Rev., correctly, “into the name.” Baptizing into the name has a twofold meaning. 1. Unto, denoting object or purpose, as εἰς μετάνοιαν , unto repentance (Matthew 3:11); εις ἄφεσιν αμαρτιων , for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). 2. Into, denoting union or communion with, as Romans 6:3, “baptized into Christ Jesus; into his death;” i.e., we are brought by baptism into fellowship with his death. Baptizing into the name of the Holy Trinity implies a spiritual and mystical union with him. E ἰς , into, is the preposition commonly used with baptize 4. Hence, here we have a part of our understanding of the mission of the apostles and of His disciples that follow them, that they continue in the effort to make disciples of ALL men, immersing them in the Truth of the Trinity of God and this from the perspective of being in union or communion with the Father, the God Within; the Son, the Christ Within; and the Holy Spirit, the activity of the the God and the Christ Within in this world.
Now our understanding here would likely be seen by the doctrinal church as stretching of the words of the Master, but is this really so? So much of Jesus’ other words have the same intent, to make disciples and to support the growth and the intent of His existing disciples; in fact, the whole of the gospels can be seen as a treatise on becoming a disciple by overcoming the ways of the world and the whole of the epistles can be seen in similar fashion as they instruct the disciple and the aspirant in right conduct and right thinking and right attitude. And there IS an intended intensity to discipleship as this High Calling is not to be seen as just a word but a Lifelong vocation that leads by degree to what we have called True discipleship. This IS of course our own term as we see that there are degrees as painted for us by the gospels regarding the Life of the Apostle Peter and the Master’s parabolic teachings on the growth of the Kingdom in the man and in the world. It IS by this growth that one achieves what we call True Discipleship as the Soul’s expression through the Life in form goes from keeping His words and accomplishing that forsaking that we discussed in the last essay, to becoming the perfect man which we see as the pinnacle of discipleship and that place where the man in the world can express, as does the Master, “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9) and where he has come to KNOW and “not doubt in his heart” (Mark 11:23); it IS this man that has that “faith as a grain of mustard seed” and who can “say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove” (Matthew 17:20) or can wither the fig tree or can “say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root , and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you” (Luke 17:6). These are examples of the True Power of the True disciple and are of course but examples that would not be undertaken by the disciple as the man in this position of True KNOWING need not resort to such things that can cause harm to any. As we have said in previous posts, we can see this progression, this growth of the Kingdom, in the Life of Peter who is a disciple of the Lord by way of keeping His words and forsaking ALL but who at the same time retains some links to worldly thoughts and is admonished by the Master several times for this which we see at the Master’s revelation of His fate and Peter’s disapproval and in the time of the crucifixion as is painted for us by the crowing of the cock. In the end however the apostle comes to the fullness of his realization and to that point where he can and does heal merely by his proximity; he IS Truly expressing that Love and that power, fully from our perspective, as we read that: “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one” (Acts 14-16). And we read similar as well regarding the Apostle Paul as the Apostle Luke tells us: “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:11-12). In this is the epitome of faith which we understand as that KNOWING to such degree that one does “not doubt in his heart“; he plainly KNOWS in the revelation and the realizations of that Wisdom from above.
And the Master teaches us as well that whatsoever we can do as aspirants and as disciples IS not ever to be seen as enough and He teaches us this by parable saying: “And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. 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 17:6-10). There IS a clear and distinct message here; in the parable that the servant’s work is not done in completing some portion and that the servant’s work is thankless as well. Now our mentality here in the West may be a different today as we do thank even the one who serves, however the servant today from this Western perspective IS NOT as the servant was in those days or even in more recent times here; the servant of which the parable speaks is indentured and beholden to his master’s service. We should note here before we continue that the Master does not get involved in the politics nor the generalities of the way of Life in His day; he did not weigh in on the rights or wrongs of servitude, neither individually nor as it affected the society under Roman rule and this IS likely so because to do so would inhibit His True mission which is to bring into the world that measure of Love and to leave GoodWill and Right Human Relations as His legacy and we should understand that it IS in these ideals that disciples are formed and it IS in these that Love and discipleship grow.
And the Master’s point here should be clear to ALL; after His parabolic example he addresses the disciples directly and in response to the apostle’s request that Jesus “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5); and we should explore here how these words that follow can be seen to do so. These thoughts are of course ALL tied together from the perspective of the Master. He comes into this discussion with the topic of forgiveness which IS in itself a primary Christian ideal that IS of course tied to the Master’s understanding of Love. Speaking of the brother that may offend, the Master’s last words on this are “And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him” (Luke 17:4). We should understand Repent here in our way and not in the common understanding of sorrow. Here the offender is making claim that he will not offend again and IS likely sincere in his pronouncement but then reneges on his decision and the Master’s point here is that so long as one’s brother IS Repentant, that forgiveness MUST flow and this point Jesus makes yet clearer in His answer to Peter who asks: “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” to which the Master answers “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). In these instructions we can clearly see how the Master is continually teaching His disciples, men who have already made the commitment to Him through keeping His words and forsaking ALL for the Kingdom and here we can get a better glimpse as well of the growth of the disciple in the world. Furthering His instructions, the Master answers the apostles request for increased faith by telling them of the “sycamine tree” and how with the right faith, the “faith as a grain of mustard seed“, that ALL things would be possible and, in our understanding this faith IS KNOWING. The mustard seed ONLY KNOWS that it will be a tree and the disciple of right faith, of right KNOWING, KNOWS that what he desires to see happen WILL; and we must be careful here not to allow worldly thoughts to enter into our understanding of desire. Our target saying IS also tied to this in a way that we will premise IS a sign of this KNOWING as the Life of the disciple MUST be ever moving forward and he MUST ever be doing more and more in an unending service to humanity. and to the Lord. This IS the nature of the disciple and this is the subject of what had been our Quote of the Day for several days and which we have moved up today into the body of our essay.
The Master’s words are clear as He tells us “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“. And what IS this that is commanded but His words; His words of Love and of duty that we are bound to keep if we are intent on discipleship and it is from our perspective as aspirants that we must look at and see clearly as we “counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish” (Luke 14:28). This cost is of course on two sides; the one where we must forsake ALL and come to that point where we can Truly “take no thought” (Luke 12:22) for anything of this world. The second side of this cost is not so easy to see nor understand and involves what we MUST do in the face of whatsoever pressure and even persecution as we discussed in the last essay and, while as aspirants we may tend to shrink at these prospects, the Master does give us comfort here as well as He tells His disciples “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say” (Luke 12;11-12). The point here for us as aspirants is that we WILL KNOW what to say and what to do as the growth of our KNOWING is intimately tied to the growth of the Kingdom Within; we may not have to face synagogues or magistrates or even powers but we KNOW nonetheless that in the Love and the Power of the Soul that we express IS that KNOWING that we will need.
There IS a third consideration and that IS found in the Master’s words above and in the Ancient Aphorism below; that whatsoever we may do there is still too much to be done but this consideration is likely found only in fear and in excuse and, as aspirants, both of these MUST be overcome for the sake of discipleship. This brings us to this Ancient Aphorism on discipleship which IS from a rather esoteric perspective where there IS a degree of the Science of Spirituality in the words which we have modified slightly for better understanding by those not versed in esoteric or arcane studies. In these words we find what we see as the ultimate end for the True disciple of the Lord who having “overcome the world” (John 16:33) as the Master tells us and who IS free from this cycle of birth and death in the Earth, yet remains.
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.**
Here we see that he does achieve the Kingdom of God but at the same time, based in Love, he decides to stay in the cycle of Earth Life KNOWING that he can help his brothers on the darkened path of Life in this world. In previous posts we have made note that in each Earth Life a Soul must find his way again and again and we believe that this may include many who have achieved yet decide to stay as this Aphorism tells us and, based upon our motivation toward the divine, we may find that we are among these Souls, here again to Light the Way.
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.
We repeat here a Quote of the Day that we spent much time with about a year ago. In this affirmation we find the Truth of discipleship as we have been expressing for several days and the message that this imparts for us today IS that it IS the Soul that is at work in the world of men as it expresses to some degree the purpose, power and the will through Life in this world. These words are from a meditation offered to his students by our Tibetan brother and in which we find greater understanding of the message of the Master. This IS Truly the way of the disciple.
My Soul has purpose, power and will; these three are needed on the Way of Liberation.
My Soul must foster love among the sons of men; this is its major purpose.
I, therefore, will to love and tread the Way of Love. All that hinders and obstructs the showing of the Light must disappear before the purposes of the Soul.
My will is one with the great Will of God;. that Holy Will requires that all men serve. And unto the purposes of the Plan I lend my little will.
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
- ** Modified from the Tibetan’s words in Discipleship in the New Age – Volume II by Alice A Bailey; © 1955 by Lucis Trust
