ON LOVE; PART DCCCXXXII
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GoodWill IS Love in Action
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FIRST IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS: “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 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 12:29-31).
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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. While this IS from an older definition of Charity, which IS rendered in the King James Bible from the same Greek word agape which IS generally rendered as Love, we should amend our own definition here to include the idea that in the reality of Love a man will accord to ALL men ALL things that he would accord to himself and to say that Love IS our thoughts and attitude of the equality of ALL men regardless of their outward nature or appearance…that ALL ARE equally children of Our One God
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PLUS THE EVER IMPORTANT AND HIGH IDEAL TAUGHT TO US BY THE CHRIST: “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 continued our discussion on the dichotomy that exists between the things of the world and the things of God and how that this reality remains unseen and unrealized by men whose focus IS upon the self in the world rather than upon the things of God. In this we include ourselves as well as most ALL men who may presume themselves to be spiritually focused by who spend so much of their time on carnal matters; we ARE ALL focused upon ourselves and our own welfare and this IS contrary to the reality of Jesus words that men should “Take no thought for your life” (Luke 12:22). This IS of course a realization that comes to a man as he changes the focus of his Life as a part of his own slow and steady march toward the fullness of the Presence of God in his Life, a Presence which IS found in the reality of keeping His words. And here IS the rub: the whole of this idea of the necessary separation between things carnal and things spiritual IS part and parcel of His words and any progress that a man can make on this point IS subject to his realization of the Master’s expressed Truths.
In this we have yet another circular reference as we find in so many spiritual matters and the reality of Jesus’ words saying “whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath” (Matthew 13:12) IS hidden in ALL of these ideas. While the context in which these words and the many others like these ARE used by the Master varies much, the basic premise remains the same and when we can view this idea from a spiritual perspective and in regard to one’s realizations of the Truth, they DO make much more sense. In the Apostle Mark’s Gospel we read a similar idea; there the Master says “Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given” (Mark 4:24). In this we can find some greater degree of clarity as we come to understand that this idea of hearing IS NOT what enters the ear only but what a man may perceive, what may be his revelation and his realization. In this understanding we should try to see that if a man can realize a greater measure of Truth by a greater measure of focus upon the things of God, then that man who has such realization will receive yet more.
That this saying is written by the Apostle Luke as “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have” (Luke 8:18) DOES NOT change this dynamic. In this manner of presentation we have a combination of the two previous ideas and if we can see the idea of how as the lexicon shows us saying: how, in what way 2, then we can understand the alternate King James rendering of this idea as: by what means 2. Is our hearing according to the carnal mind or according to the revelations that come from the Soul, the Christ Within? Is our hearing according to the doctrines of men or according to the realized Truths of His words?
In ALL of these ideas and in ALL of the different presentations of this idea in the gospels we have a single reality: that it IS by our measure of revelation and realization that we come to have greater revelation and realization. This IS the very nature of spiritual progress, this IS the reality of the growth of the Kingdom of God within the man….it starts with the seed and grows into the great tree as the Parable of the Mustard Seed shows us. When we apply these ideas to our current topic of the dichotomy between things carnal and the things of God, we can see the greater difficulty that men may have as they interpret the Master’s words according to their carnal thoughts and according to their doctrines which ARE based in such thoughts. It IS here we find the caution of “Take heed therefore how ye hear“; it IS here that we find the Truth behind “Take heed what ye hear“. In both of these we must try to see that a realization by a man may NOT be a revelation from God by way of his own God Within but it may easily be the effect of the doctrines that men have come to believe to be True and the wranglings of the carnal mind that agree with such doctrines. When as the greater Truth IS contrary to a comfortable Life in this world, men choose the more comfortable and what IS presumed to be the easier. And it IS here that we should try to see the deeper Truths that the Master offers us in the whole of the parabolic idea that He presents us saying:
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down , and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:15-20).
In these ideas from the Master we should see the broader range of teachers and understand that learning IS a Truly personal matter….one may teach another by giving information but the learning IS based in the acceptance of what IS taught and not in the words of the teacher. To this we should add that when we view learning in this way we can see the idea that men teach themselves and form their own beliefs based upon such acceptance….and that the teaching need NOT come from the outside but can be the developed ideas that a man may hold as those that suit him and his needs. In this we should try to see how that a man can be prompted by his own Soul to some realization of Truth which he can accept and heed or that he can conclude that this Truth interferes with the more carnal things that he has chosen to do and dismiss it. Can we see here how that the carnal mind itself, the consciousness of the man that IS focused in the things of the world, can be that ravening wolf? Here then the man IS faced with his own choice of “God or mammon” if you will and while he may see the fruits of the higher realization, he chooses the carnal, the more convenient way.
This IS the reality of that vanity which the Apostle Paul shows us we ARE subjected to and this IS the reality of what the Apostle Peter tells us a man must escape from. When we can understand that the promptings DO come from our own Soul, that the revelations ARE offered and that they are rejected by the carnal man, we can begin to see how difficult it IS to Truly Repent and to see the very nature of this dichotomy which, when properly understood, can change the very course of one’s Life away from those things that had heretofore been of such great importance. And we must understand that this IS the Life reality for ALL men and it matters NOT that one IS religious or spiritual or that one’s focus IS purely carnal: ALL ARE “made subject to vanity” (Romans 8:20)….ALL come under the worldly forces of illusion and glamour. It matters NOT what one’s position may be in society or in the church, it DOES NOT matter that one follows a particular doctrine of faith to the prescribed degree and it DOES NOT matter that one believes himself to be ‘saved’ or that he IS under any doctrinal convention. What DOES matter IS that one has a realization of the Truth that can shatter the vanity, a revelation that can dispel the illusion and the glamour….and this sense of realization ONLY comes from one’s own Soul. And, as the Master tells us, we can KNOW the veracity of such revelations and realizations “by their fruits” which we can measure according the the deeper Truths of Paul’s “fruit of the Spirit“.
As we have read in the Master’s words to the Eleven from John’s Gospel, there IS the reality that these Truths and these mysteries ARE unrealized but ARE KNOWN by the Soul, the True man. That doctrines DO NOT see this reality DOES NOT matter as most ALL operate in this same realm of vanity, under these same forces of illusion and glamour. While Jesus tells His apostles that they KNOW, we can see from their questioning words that they DO NOT realize the Truth, that they CAN NOT see the Truth beyond their carnal perceptions. We read this in His words regarding His departure from them saying “whither I go ye know, and the way ye know” (John 14:4). Do we see the point here? Do we see that in His words that they DO KNOW we have the greater understanding of the Inner man versus the outer man? In this we have also the deeper understanding of Jesus words saying “at that day” which reflects upon each apostle’s own realization of the Truth and NOT the doctrinal view of the Pentecost. The Master tells the Eleven this same thing regarding the Holy Spirit, the very Presence of God, as He says of Him “ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:20, 17), and this we should understand as “is in you” as some translations render it.
Again, that doctrine DOES NOT see these ideas in Jesus words in of NO moment for us; the doctrinal view IS fixed in the preconceived beliefs from the early church and from the Jewish traditions and doctrines. In these words regarding the Holy Spirit we should see the whole of the idea apart from these preconceived beliefs that men ARE taught yet today. We should see the Presence of God in these words and in the whole and complete thought from the Master to His apostles, a thought that they DO NOT yet understand but will understand “at that day“. In Jesus’ words we should see the homogeneity of the Godhead; beginning with the idea behind “at that day” and continuing through His words on the Presence of God as the revelation which they will receive “at that day“. We read from the fourteenth chapter again:
“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless:a I will come to you. 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. 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” (John 14:15-24).
While in the parabolic tone that we have here there IS little outward clarity, we should try to see the purpose and the intent of these words as Jesus speaks to His apostles in terms that they can understand regarding ideas that they CAN NOT comprehend. And we should try to see that the Master reveals His thoughts to the Eleven in steps and stages and NOT in individual verses to be analyzed alone. Beginning with His words at the start of the fourteenth chapter on the reality of their place IN the Father and their abode with God through to the end of our words above on the idea of God abiding with them and the singularity that Jesus confirms as He shows them that He speaks the words of the Father, we should see the reality of the Oneness of the Godhead and our own realization of our Oneness with Him.
And we should see through ALL of this that there IS a great KEY to this realization of the Presence of God. This KEY IS that this realization IS the reciprocal effect of our keeping His words. This IS the quid pro quo, this IS the reward and the wages of our Loving Him and keeping His words. This part of keeping His words IS NOT hidden; the Master clearly states this reality and, while His Presence IS couched in the ideas of manifesting and abiding and in His words on the Parakletos which IS rendered as Comforter, we should see the deeper Truths in the whole of His words. We should understand that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, IS the Spirit that IS God and that this IS His Presence in one’s Life that comes to the man who keeps His words. It IS in the realization of the Presence of God that we come to understand the Truths of His words and can see the deeper reality of the separation between the the carnal and the spiritual; and it IS in this realization that we can see yet greater realizations of Truth in His words.
It IS in this great circle of Truth that men grow and progress spiritually; it IS by measure that we keep His words and it IS by keeping His words that we gain a greater measure of that Truth; and it IS through this cycle of growth that we come to be His “disciples indeed“. And the great circle of Truth continues on ad infinitum and encompasses every aspect of our spiritual reality: the more revelation and realization that we have the more revelation and realization we can have and this IS the Truth behind the Master’s words that we cite above. Of course we must place the method of this revelation and realization into play here as well as it IS in such revelation and realization that men grow in their several ability to keep His words which IS the great KEY to ALL things. This IS the KEY to the Presence of God in one’s Life from whence the revelations and realizations ARE made KNOWN to the consciousness of the man in the world and in this there IS a rather constant sense of the Master’s words saying “at that day“. And keeping His words in the continual fashion that comes to the man whose focus IS upon the things of God IS also the reality of discipleship, first by measure and then, in this continual fashion, the fullness of being His “disciples indeed“. We close today with His words on this continuation of DOING and the resultant effect of the fullness of discipleship:
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:31-34).
We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.
| Aspect |
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.
Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate.
Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted.
Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled.
Live in joy, without possessions.
Like the shining ones.
The winner sows hatred because the loser suffers.
Let go of winning and losing and find joy.
There is no fire like passion, no crime like hatred,
No sorrow like separation, no sickness like hunger,
And no joy like the joy of freedom.
Today’s Quote of the Day is from the Dhammapada (on JOY)5; a collection of the sayings of the Buddha. These words and ideas ARE much the same as those we discuss in our In the Words of Jesus essays. And what is this freedom but the release of our hearts and minds from loving this life in this world and attaining the Presence of God. This word Joy has many meanings as DOES the idea of Love, but in the context that it IS used here we should see the idea that Joy IS Love, Joy IS health, Joy IS peace and that Joy IS without the burdens placed on a man by the illusion and the glamour of the ways of the world. We should try to see that it IS the antithesis of these ideas in hate, in affliction and in troubles that ARE among the possessions of the carnal man, that ARE among the “evil treasure of his heart” (Luke 6:45) according to the Master.
And it IS in the second stanza above that we see the basic psychic ideas that can eliminate the harm caused by such “evil treasure” as a man looks past himself and at the welfare of others which IS the greater reality of Love as the Master teaches us. It IS in losing such possessions, losing such carnal thoughts and attitudes, that one can truly find the “joy of freedom“….this IS the Truth of deliverance.
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts
- 2 from New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
- 5 The Dhammapada Translated by Thomas Byrom
