Love is the Fulfilling of the Law
ON LOVE; PART CCCII
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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).
In the last essay we looked again at the idea of meek and at the need to be humble as well. We explored how these are related to the Master’s Great Commandments on Love and we should be able to see that both meek and humble ARE expressions of Love to others when viewed from the Masters Truth of what Love IS and of which we do find some understanding in our defining terms above. When we can see Love as Active GoodWill and understand that the basic working of the Love that the Master teaches us in the world of men IS as GoodWill and Right Human Relations, we can see as well the True meaning of our subheading above that GoodWill IS Love in Action. In this sense of GoodWill we will find meekness and a humble attitude although the degree of this that the Master demands is a more advanced understanding, as well as a personal effort in the Light of one’s own Soul. In a single series of verses from the Sermon on the Mount the Master gives us more than we can likely deal with as men in the world who ARE yet focused on their own little lives in the world; He tells us clearly that:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:38-45).
The Master’s intent here IS clear insofar as how we should treat those who may be opposed to us or seek advantage over us in any way and this IS His view of being meek which IS, in our terms, the idea that even so that a man can retaliate, can defend, and can overcome his brother, he DOES NOT but instead honors the Master’s message of Love. And this IS, as we discussed in the last essay, a prime reason for the lack of understanding of these words of the Master or, rather, the lack of DOING these words: it IS extremely difficult to get the self, the personality in the world, out of the way for the workings of GoodWill, which is that GoodWill which gives ALL to ALL. And there is a tie in here to other words from the Master and His apostles which can be seen in the reality that if one does not have such things as others may want or attitudes that others despise, there is little likelihood that a man can become involved in these things that the Master cautions us against. In the Life of the disciple and the practicing aspirant who gives up or IS giving up ALL for the Kingdom and for the Truth of Life in this world, the only resistance that one is likely to see is animosity against his expression of divinity and this the Master covers for us in these simple but misunderstood words from the Beatitudes: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).
These words are generally seen from a Christian perspective to be where persecution is deemed to be because of one’s Christianity but, in this lead statement of this series of verses on these ideas, we should see the overriding idea of righteousness and understand that his surpasses any ideas of religion. Here we should understand that righteousness, True righteousness, IS a symbol of being accounted worthy, it is a sign that one IS keeping His words and it IS the way of the disciple. Righteousness IS NOT restricted to the Christian and has naught to do with the supposed persecutions of Christians because they are Christians although in the early days of the church, when Christianity was seen as an attack upon Judaism and upon the Roman religions, there was Truly persecution; these days are however largely over except in those instances where the Christian fails to heed our words above: meek and humble. This is a hard thing to say as it can make men angry as this idea of persecution is ballyhooed by some as the yet current plight of Christians in the world and while we do not claim that there IS NO persecution, we DO say that there IS NOT a much organized attack upon the Christian today. We should see here then that the added words that follow this saying are words that had a reality in times past but the reality was not against the casual believer, it was rather against the ardent follower of the Master; the aspirant and the disciple in that time; and likely lasted until the estate of Christianity was an accepted path by other religious and political movements in those days. What the Master says regarding this persecution IS clear and IS related to this idea of righteousness as the words follow directly upon Master’s Beatitude above which IS the last in the series; Jesus follows with these words saying: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12). We should remember that these words follow upon those above and that from this perspective they can be seen as connected to the discipleship idea of righteousness. And we should remember as well that the Master’s understanding of the disciple is quite different that the commonplace understanding of today and this IS True in and out of the churches as few see His Truths as we have discussed them in the past from these words of the Master that tell us who CAN NOT be His disciple:
- “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
- “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
- “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27, 33).
These ideas ARE clear to ALL who would read them with the right intent of becoming His disciple but these words are lost to even the church’s understanding of discipleship save perhaps those denominations where it is customary to take vows of celibacy or poverty. In our view this is likely not the True intent of the Master but rather that a man live in the world expressing the Love and the Power of the Christ Within to the world and not be cloistered away. We should understand here also that these words are intended for the man who IS keeping His words or striving toward the totality of that goal as these ARE the added requirements of having NO OTHER thing in one’s focus but the things of God, the Soul and the Christ Within. In these first two we should see that there IS a cost to discipleship which the Master discusses in two parabolic sayings before His last saying on forsaking ALL and this is a cost that is personal to each man. Jesus parabolic examples are: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace” (Luke 14:28-32). In these examples we should get the picture that there IS a cost to discipleship but it is not in these words of building or going off to war; it IS in the reality that one must leave this ALL behind, the family, those things that one is accustomed to and comfortable with and finally with forsaking ALL that is of the world that has become a part of the focus of one’s Life in the world. This is the reality of discipleship and this IS the state of the twelve and perhaps the seventy as well and we see this in Peter’s words as he speaks for the group saying: “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?“(Matthew 19:27).
Now we CAN NOT pretend to understand the answer that the Master give to Peter but we can assume that the first part IS in regard to some future state that we CAN NOT yet see and that the second part is more a play on words than it is as assumed by many in the church yet today. Jesus replies: “Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first” (Matthew 19:28-30). Now in this second part we should see that this ‘reward’ for forsaking IS NOT intended to be a reward in this world and this idea is basically the same as that from Mark’s Gospel where the words are recorded as: “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first” (Mark 10:29-31). In both of these we should be able to see that “an hundredfold” of these things IS NOT practical nor even desirable yet they do serve to fix the ideas of some in the belief that the reward is here and now. We should say here that the reward IS here and now but that it IS NOT in these physical things; it IS rather what would be equivalent to “an hundredfold” of these physical plane things in spiritual collateral and we CAN NOT see any better way to discern the Master’s meaning.
Our point here however IS NOT the ‘reward’ but that the disciples DO forsake ALL as Peter says as he speaks for the group and that this IS a leading factor, according to the Master’s criteria above, of being His disciple. The other IS that we keep His words and here we have our understanding that this forsaking IS included in His words but that this IS repeated here as His separate criteria because of its importance in the Life of the disciple and the aspirant, that we should have NO attachments nor attractions in this world. And we should understand here that the reality of this criteria IS NOT so much as to give us instruction as it IS to show us the price, the cost of discipleship in common human terms. It IS by His examples of building a tower or going to war that we should see the need to understand the degree of forsaking that we WILL and MUST accomplish if we are earnest in our striving toward the Kingdom and discipleship, lest we suffer the fate the builder and the king in Jesus stories, that they ARE NOT able to finish; we MUST count the cost and here again we should see that a part of this cost IS that we forego any ideas that are contrary to meekness or contrary to a humble attitude; we CAN NOT be assertive and proud from the worldly perspective of a one who cares for the self and the self in the world above others. We should realize here that these attitudinal possessions are as harmful, if not more so, than the actual possessions and attachments that will be surrendered and that these attitudes of self ARE to be found within the ideas of “take no thought” (Luke 12:22) as well as the above admonishment that one “forsaketh … all that he hath” and we should understand as well that these are a natural part of discipleship and a sign thereof.
In the last post we came across a saying from the Apostle Paul regarding a dynamic Truth about discipleship and the way of the disciple. Paul tells the Corinthians that “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:15-16). This first verse is following upon the prior as the apostle speaks of “Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you” ((2 Corinthians 4:14) which we can see as the fact that God, having raised up Jesus, and this not only in resurrection but in discipleship, will raise up the disciples also and that God shall be present with them. Now this is our own take on these words which make little sense in English the way that they are translated and, seeing this in this way makes sense for us as the verses go on to say that ALL this is for the sake of the disciple, that he IS raised up to be a disciple and we of course see this by the action of the God Within, the Soul who prompts the man in the world for his attention. The apostle is telling these disciples that through this ‘grace’ that allows them discipleship, that there will be much good accrued for the glory of God which is like to say that by the actions of the disciples, through their work, that others will see the benefit and the glory.
Our focus is not here however except as the backdrop for the last verse that we cite; the one that shows us discipleship from the perspective that we are discussing. Paul is saying that in the continual focus by the disciple on the Good, the Beautiful and the True, on the things of God, that “the inward man is renewed day by day” and this is the reality that we face and will see as we spend what is necessary for discipleship. Here the apostle is reminding us of the consistency that is required saying that we CAN NOT faint in our efforts and in this is the importance of counting the cost beforehand, that each man “counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish“. And, it is in Paul’s words that we find also what this cost IS as he shows us that we must come to terms with the idea that “our outward man perish“. This IS of course but another way of saying that “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24).
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;
