Monthly Archives: September 2017

ON LOVE; PART MCLXXXI

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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).

We ended the last essay with some thoughts about the Apostle Paul’s ideas leading up to our selection from Romans where we he tells us that to Love as the Master teaches us IS equivalent to keeping His words. While this IS the gist of his message, both the ideas that precede this and those that follow should be taken into account. The preceding ideas ARE in regard to rulers and others of higher social standing as men in this world and we should understand here that Paul IS NOT writing to us as men but as spiritual men who can understand the reality of Love, of agape, apart from the social norms of his day and ours. While we should pay tribute when that IS due, or custom, or fear, or honor to those whose position IS one of authority, we should at the same time understand that this IS NOT the same as Love.

The overriding idea here IS that men should respect the position of others with such tribute, custom, fear or honor but, at the same time, they must also express Love….both to these and to ALL men. In Love there should be NO “respect to persons” as the Apostle James shows us; this he tells us IS equivalent to ALL sin as he says “if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors“. From James we learn that “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:9-10) and in this idea we have two important points. The first IS intertwined in the True definition of agape which Paul shows us from a different perspective saying:

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed”  (Romans 13:8-11).

Paul shows us how that to Love as the Master teaches, to Love as this IS defined in the idea that “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself“, IS to keep His words and “any other commandment“, while James shows us that to have “respect to persons” IS to be “guilty of all“. In this combination of ideas we should be able to see and to understand that to Love, to Truly Love, one must have NO “respect to persons” and in this we should see the equivalence of these ideas as well a the social reason why Paul so carefully spells this out for us.

One should respect those to whom he should pay tribute when that IS due, or custom, or fear, or honor, but that these have naught to DO with one’s expression of agape which extends to ALL. Such respect IS carnal while the Truth of agape IS spiritual. The second point IS found in James’ view and in the way that such carnal respect cuts both ways. He shows us the example of the “man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel” and here we should try to see that these ARE NOT necessarily those same persons of authority that Paul shows us; that these might overlap IS inconsequential to the idea of Love to be expressed to both. Contrary to the rich and powerful ARE those on the other side of James’ example, the “poor man in vile raiment” (James 2:2); this man IS being disrespected and here we should see the two sides of the same idea.

So then to respect and to disrespect ARE the same idea and we should understand both of these in terms of agape and the defining idea that agape has NO “respect to persons“. Whensoever one has such respect as to see another as better or worse in any context and in any comparison IS contrary to the Truth of Love. And it matters NOT to whom the comparison IS….to oneself or to another; the Truth of agape sees ALL in the same way. While this may seem an impossible view of others, it IS NOT when the reality of man IS considered. This IS NOT to say that we DO NOT notice carnal differences in appearance or in attitude, this says that these ARE but superficial observations that have NO force in True agape. Let us take these ideas back now to our discussion of Paul’s words to the Corinthians which we repeat here again saying:

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

We have discussed the first part here and we should be able to see the idea that whatsoever one may think of himself and his position spiritually IS of NO moment if one DOES NOT express agape as Jesus shows us and as James’ defines this for us in terms of respect or, better as having NO “respect to persons“. And this idea goes beyond the presumed spiritual ‘gifts‘; it goes to ALL that one may believe of himself in His own relationship to the Lord. The apostle says it for us ALL as he tells us that without agape “I am nothing“. It is this that IS the crux of his conversation here and in the twelfth chapter, it IS agape and NOT the presumption of ‘gifts‘.

The reality of Paul’s words should strike deep into the hearts of men whose desire it IS to be spiritually minded but historically this has NOT been the case as men have allowed their carnal interpretations of scripture to endure. Our picture can be painted in just a few strokes as we look at the ideas of slavery, of meaningless conflicts and wars, and at the mistreatment of indigenous peoples by men whose basic premise was Christianity. There IS NO Love in these things, NO expression of agape by the corporate body, and while there ARE those that did resist and try to steer the right course, these were drowned out by the majority.

Yet today these ideas still afflict the nations of the world which proclaim themselves as Christian while denying the most basic rights of others; too many groups that call themselves Christians partake in the alienation of others of different color, religion, customs and background and much of this occurs without the perpetrator relinquishing his ‘Christian’ mantle. And this sense of discrimination IS NOT limited to the average Joe but ofttimes finds its roots in the leadership and in the public statements of those who have taken authority over the moral and religious lives of others.

ALL of this IS contrary to agape and to the most basic idea that in agape there IS NO “respect to persons“. Much of the fault here lies historically in the church where the sense of corporate self, enlarged by glamour, has overcome the reality of the words of the Master and His apostles and it IS this that IS the True religiosity yet today. The most basic failure of the church IS in its lack of vision; most see ONLY their own doctrinal ideas as the Truth without ever Truly seeking out what the Lord has told us in His most clear and simple words. And none of His words ARE more poignant nor clear than those that we have adopted as our trifecta, as the Way to the Truth, and to the Life, the True Life of the spiritual man expressing agape in this world. Repeating our trifecta we read:

• “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“ (John 8:31-32).
• “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
• “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 14:21-24).

Far too many Christians DO NOT see these words as important to their Christian ‘walk’ and much of this IS because of the doctrinal ideas of atonement, ideas which lay at the feet of Jesus on the cross ALL of the sins of humanity based in the misunderstood and misapplied words of his apostles. And the construct of these doctrines betrays the entire Christian movement which IS NOT built upon the ideas of Love and of keeping His commandments that ARE the deep vein that runs throughout His words. Men DO NOT understand the reality of agape nor DO they see the foundation of this idea that IS the ONLY cure for the problems of humanity and this both individually and corporately.

The Master tells us that Love, agape, IS for ALL as He shows us that one must “love thy neighbour as thyself“; an idea in which men should see the reality of plesion, the Greek word that IS rendered as neighbor. Jesus defines this for us in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, unfortunately a definition that has NOT taken hold on many. Thayer defines this for us saying that plesion IS: any other person, and where two are concerned, the other (thy fellow man, thy neighbour), according to the Jews, any member of the Hebrew nation and commonwealth ⁹; again unfortunately, it IS the latter idea here, the idea according to the Jews, that has become the more relevant Christian thought so that many see the idea of plesion in terms of other Christians.

Strong’s picks up on this latter idea and defines plesion saying: as noun, a neighbor, i.e. fellow (as man, countryman, Christian or friend):—near, neighbour ^9a even though this and the Jewish view IS contrary to the reality of Christ’s most specific teaching in His parable. Thayer’s view of this without the commentary on the Jews IS the more valid and he continues to say that: according to the teaching of Christ, any other man irrespective of race or religion with whom we live or whom we chance to meet ⁹. These words ARE the reality of first, the original intent of “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” from the beginning where it IS the words of Jehovah spoken through Moses, and second the defining ideas of the Master’s parable which explains the original intent and offers the ONLY meaning going forward.

That the master DOES NOT leave us to wonder what plesion means IS apparent through his own words of the parable but He goes further than this as He offers us the Golden Rule which the Apostle Luke frames for us as “as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31). The Apostle Matthew gives us this same saying in different way telling us “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them“. Here in these words the Master speaks of men, ALL men, eliminating the need for interpretation but this DOES NOT suffice as doctrinal thinkers have ever manipulated this idea that defines agape so that it DOES NOT say what the Master intended.

The whole of this idea IS become a cliche as has the idea of “love thy neighbour“; neither have maintained their True meaning even in the most Christian of circles and while many DO equate these ideas, and the idea of agape in general, with ‘universal’ Love, even this IS sorely misunderstood. And much of this misuse and misunderstanding of the Master’s intent which IS, of course, the basic intent of the Lord from the beginning, IS found in the way that this word IS translated….in terms of Love as that emotional and mental attachment and attraction to others and to the things of this world.

Since early on, each of our essays begins with the words on Love which cite the Great Commandments and these ARE of course from the words of Jehovah through Moses some 1500 years before the Master graced this Earth. These ideas were intended as the guiding Light for the Jews, a Light that few saw through their own illusion and glamour which IS presented through their barbarism and their superstition. Jesus repeats these ideas for us and calls them the Great Commandments and together these ARE intended to be the guiding Light for the new Christian world. Again however there ARE few that have seen this Light through the illusion and the glamour that IS both inherited from the Jews and donated through the barbarous and superstitious tone of Christian doctrines; and these have NOT sufficiently changed over the last 2000 years.

For the 3500 years that the ideas of Love have been the guiding Light from the Godhead, they have been largely ignored and we can say here that these ARE as much ignored by the supposed Christian as by any other group in the world. And here we should try to see that in the minds of many Christians over the last 2000 years such ignorance of the Truth of Love has been allowed based upon the ‘moral’ pronouncements of those who had and have taken authority over the spiritual lives of the masses. ALL have failed, and continue to fail, to see their own shortcomings and to see themselves in the negative ideas presented by the Master and His apostles. Few see the most basic Truth of Paul’s words to the Corinthians that tells us of the True spiritual Life saying:

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).

It IS in their illusion and their glamour that millions upon millions of Christians believe that they ARE saved by the dictates of their doctrines which paint for them a picture that IS NOT anywhere found in the words of the Master. These dictates of doctrine more closely follow the doctrines of the Jews than those that the Master painted for us in clear language and which ARE relatively ignored in favor of the doctrines of men. While doctrines wrangle about such things as sexual interaction, abortion, homosexuality and other ideas that they pronounce as immoral, and while they allow for such other offenses as divorce and adultery and covetousness as well as prejudices of every stripe, they consistently look past the True teachings of the Master and His apostles….Love.

Most DO NOT understand that the ideas of morality that they hold so high ARE but factors of Love as this idea IS understood by men; this emotional and mental attachment and attraction to others and to the things of this world; and most DO NOT understand that this carnal sense of Love IS NOT agape. Most DO NOT understand the very basics of agape as a spiritual force in this world as they continue to “war after the flesh” and  find their unity in their fights against the carnal DOING of others which they see as morally wrong. For the Truly spiritual man, the man who keeps His words, the “weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God“.

And what ARE these weapons? They ARE simply His words and His Love which ideas ARE ever intertwined. We should understand here that these weapons can ONLY be wielded by the man who uses them….the man who lives by His words and the man who expresses Love as agape. It IS the man who uses these weapons that can pull down his own strongholds, strongholds which ARE ALL things that can prevent the proper uses of these weapons. It IS the man who lives by His words and who expresses agape that can cast down his own imaginations which pose as the Truth; it IS this man who can eliminate from his own Life “every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God“.

And what IS this “every high thing” but the doctrines of men, religious, social and otherwise, that obscure and cover His Truths….every version of “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6) which ARE every version of men’s “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9). And this IS the meaning of “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ“: to take every carnal thought and every doctrinal thought that poses as Truth and measure it against the Truth of His words thereby eliminating ALL that ARE contrary. Paul then seems to caution us to beware of the tendency to judge others according to any code, be it one’s own moral code or the words of the Master, before one IS himself  living by His words and expressing Love as his way of Life.

We should note in the last idea of Paul’s words, that one should be “having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience“, IS an idea that IS contrary to the words of the Master and to the very idea of agape when these ARE applied to others. If however one can turn this idea inward, he can then see how that the intent IS NOT to avenge another’s disobedience but rather one’s own. The idea here IS diligence and NOT judgement of others; this idea that concludes these words from the apostle ARE in regard to one’s own personal journey upon the Path of Life as IS this entire segment.

That these ideas ARE NOT seen in the personal way which Paul intends IS unfortunate. John Gill tells us of this revenge that it IS: Not with the temporal sword, as the civil magistrate, but with the spiritual one; meaning either censures and excommunication, which a faithful minister of the Gospel, with the suffrage of the church, has at hand, and a power to make use of, for the reclaiming of disobedient persons; or rather that extraordinary power which was peculiar to the apostles, of inflicting punishments on delinquents, such as what was exercised by Peter upon Ananias and Sapphira, by the Apostle Paul on Elymas the sorcerer ⁸.

What happens with the Apostle Peter in regard to Ananias and Sapphira IS NOT how this IS painted by doctrines nor IS the story to be understood as it IS presented; again this IS contrary to agape and to the words of the Master. We will address these ideas as well as the story of Paul and Elymas in a future post but we should understand here that neither of these ARE expressions of Love by men whose expression IS Love; these ARE rather self inflicted. In the expression of agape one KNOWS and understands the plight of others; one KNOWS and understands the role of vanity, of illusion and glamour, and the effects of this “bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:21) on the lives of men in this world.

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 change our Quote of the Day today to the words from Solomon on Wisdom along with our thoughts on them from the original postings of them in In the Words of Jesus parts 46 and 556.  These words ARE a testament to those things that we should be asking of the Lord and which are representative of the Holy Ghost. Wisdom, understanding and knowledge which will lead us  to understanding the fear (reverence and respect and awe) of the Lord and the knowledge of God so that in this world we can understand righteousness and judgement and equity and be preserved by discretion and understanding. Thus are we in a position to treat everyone as we would want to be treated ourselves.

Since we are centered on the ideas of Wisdom today we offer the following from Proverbs as our Quote of the Day. Solomon, who is KNOWN for his Wisdom, which we read in the story of his Life was His gift from God, a gift that he receives because he does not want for the things of the world. But Solomon gains as well the things of the world in plenty and as his Life story proceeds we can see clearly that it is his Life in the world that is to his detriment. The wisdom however produces for us the writings of the Book of Proverbs and it is this that he is remembered for. His Life is interesting reading and is well documented in the Books of Kings and Chronicles.

….incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee (Proverbs 2:2-11).

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts

• ⁸ Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
• ⁹ Thayer’s Greek Lexicon on blueletterbible.org
• ^9a The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible on blueletterbible.org