Monthly Archives: March 2020

ON LOVE; PART MCCCXXXIII

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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).

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We ended the last essay with the final idea from Jesus’ teaching on focus, a teaching that, while NOT using the word or the specific idea of focus, IS about that dynamic tool nonetheless. Our purpose for citing the Master’s words here IS to lend some reality to the Apostle Paul’s admonition regarding his words saying “if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live“. Here we should understand that this idea of Life IS the reality of the salvation for which Christians search, a salvation that doctrines place into some future state of heaven after the death of “the body“. The Truth of our salvation and our ability to live IS found in the many words from the New Testament that tell us that it IS ONLY in letting the mortal body die that we can Truly live but the understanding of these sayings by the Master and His apostles is severely lacking. The idea to be taken from such sayings IS NOT that the body must die but that “the deeds of the body” must give way to the spiritual impulses that flow from the Soul; impulses of Love and Truth. This should be apparent in Paul’s words from our selection from his Epistle to the Romans which ARE also given us for a test. The apostle’s complete thought IS that “if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” and these words ARE a reflection of the Master’s who tells us that “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (John 12:25). While these more parabolic words ARE framed for us in terms of Loving and hating, the reality IS ever the same as we should see in the other ways that this idea IS framed by the gospel writers; we also read this idea as “whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 16:25). The point of ALL of this IS focus, a word idea that may NOT have existed in Jesus’ time but which IS nonetheless the intent of ALL such sayings that separate the carnal from the spiritual in the Life of everyman. In the last essay we discussed Jesus’ words on treasure, on the single eye and on mammon and we ended with the idea that Jesus summarizes these criteria for spiritual Life, for salvation if you will, with His words that follow saying “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matthew 6:25).

We should understand that the doctrinal view of these ideas IS tainted by the refusal of men to see the reality of the separation between the carnal and the spiritual and this despite the fact that this theme IS repeated throughout the bible; always in conjunction with the idea of keeping His words which demand such a separation in the Life of everyman who Truly seeks the Lord. It IS in this separation that we can understand what it means to “mortify the deeds of the body” and the True meaning of Repentance. We should remember that the idea of Repentance IS a beginning theme in the teachings of Jesus as He begins His ‘ministry’; Matthew tells us that from the time that John the Baptist “was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee” and, after some words regarding the prophecy of Isaiah, he writes that: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:12, 17). The Apostle Mark shows us the Master’s words as “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” and here we should try to understand that the gospel, the ‘good news’, IS that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” and that it IS the Truth of Repentance that shows men the Way. We should note as well that Jesus’ words on mercy that we discussed in the last post also bring out the reality of Repentance as the very nature of the call of the Christ; He says to the Pharisees that ARE ‘condemning’ the “many publicans and sinners” that they should “go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:10, 13). This opening theme of Repentance continues throughout the Master’s words but the reality of its meaning has been lost to the church for many centuries as has the Truth of mercy as the expression of Love in this world. The Greek word metanoia which IS rendered ONLY as Repentance means: (subjectively) compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication, reversal (of (another’s) decision):—repentance ^9a by Strong’s but this definition IS wholly inadequate according to the usage of the word by Jesus. Thayer’s defining ideas ARE closer to the reality of the the intent; he says that metanoia IS: a change of mind: as it appears in one who repents of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done….especially the change of mind of those who have begun to abhor their errors and misdeeds, and have determined to enter upon a better course of life, so that it embraces both a recognition of sin and sorrow for it and hearty amendment ⁹. Perhaps the watering down of the True idea in these definitions IS based in the doctrinal view which DOES NOT indicate a permanent change but merely sorrow for what one has DONE; there ARE perhaps New Testament instances where the word IS used in this context but these too can be seen according to the more permanent idea. Vincent shows us the greater reality of the idea in his commentary on metanoeo which IS rendered as Repent; Mr. Vincent says: Repentance, then, has been rightly defined as “Such a virtuous alteration of the mind and purpose as begets a like virtuous change in the life and practice.” Sorrow is not, as is popularly conceived, the primary nor the prominent notion of the word. Paul distinguishes between sorrow (λύπη) and repentance (μετάνοια) and puts the one as the outcome of the other. “Godly sorrow worketh repentance” (2 Corinthians 7:10)⁴. While the common idea of Repentance IS sorrow and remorse, this IS NOT what the Master intended in His words. Today’s dictionary defines Repentance as Mr. Vincent tells us that the idea IS NOT; we read that Repentance IS: deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like; regret for any past action*. It IS this defining idea that IS taught in the churches and this likely flows from the nineteenth century view of the idea which Webster’s 1828 Dictionary shows us as: Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct. In theology, the pain, regret or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct, because it exposes him to punishment. This sorrow proceeding merely from the fear of punishment, is called legal repentance, as being excited by the terrors of legal penalties, and it may exist without an amendment of life ¹.

We should remember that Noah Webster was a deeply religious Christian whose sense of Christian doctrine permeated his writings and many of his definitions of words. While he shows us the common view in his words above, he DOES continue on to say that: Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of his holy law, and the basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. This is called evangelical repentance, and is accompanied and followed by amendment of life ¹. This idea of evangelical repentance, while closer to the intended reality of Jesus’ intent, IS yet doctrinally inclined; Webster’s continues then to show the clearer idea saying that Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God while citing Paul’s words that “Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10). This goes on to a yet clearer idea of the Master’s intent saying that: Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice, from conviction that it has offended God ¹. We should understand that the reality of Repentance IS germane to the reality of focus and that Repentance IS the necessary tool that allows a man to change that focus off of the self and the things of the self and onto the things of God. While this IS generally a slow and plodding Life event, it can be greatly accelerated as we read about in the Apostle Paul’s revelation of the Truth on the road to Damascus, a revelation that what he had heretofore was firmly convicted of was NOT the Truth and that the Truth was actually in what he, as a Pharisee, had fought against. While there may be some sorrow in Paul’s heart for the way that he had acted and the harm that he had DONE, this plays ONLY a small part in the apostle’s story and he begins anew. This IS shown us in the way that even his name changes from Saul to Paul as be begins a Life in the fullness of the Revelation of Truth and much of his writings ARE concerning his own struggle to make these revelations his expression to the world. We CAN NOT presume to be able to have such an instant conversion, we should understand that in the Life of Paul there IS a ‘preordained’ purpose that led him to his Repentance, a purpose for which he was, as a Soul, born to accomplish based in his own previous accomplishments at expressing Truth through form. It IS this same sense of purpose that we should see in the lives of ALL the apostles and ALL who came as a part of Jesus’ mission….NONE ARE the product of happenstance. To accept this we must try to understand the idea of reincarnation or rebirth from the perspective that it IS the Soul that lives on in ‘heavenly places’ awaiting the next opportunity to express whatsoever ability of expression he had cumulatively reaped from Earthly Life. While the doctrinal church fights mightily against this concept, the reason IS NOT that there IS NO Truth but rather that men see themselves ONLY as the man in the world and NOT as the spiritual man, the Soul, and this error IS based in the vanity into which he IS born. At the same time, the doctrinal ideas from cultures and religions that DO accept the concept of rebirth, ARE wholly inadequate to convince the Christian of the Truth which IS hidden behind their individual doctrinal approaches to that Truth. While the subject of reincarnation IS NOT our point, it DOES lead us into the next part of the Master’s words which should show the church that it IS NOT the little lives of people in this world that matter.

Jesus tells us that we should “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matthew 6:25). Just as the Master’s words on treasure, the single eye and mammon ARE misconstrued in the doctrinal teachings of the church, so IS this idea of “take no thought“. The Greek word merimnao IS rendered by the King James translators as thought here and as care, be careful and have care in its other uses in the New Testament. This IS our first clue to the True meaning of this word as these ideas ARE contrary to the posted defining ideas; Strong’s tells us that merimnao means to be anxious about ^9a while Thayer’s tells us that this word should be understood as: to be anxious; to be troubled with cares; to care for, look out for (a thing); to seek to promote one’s interests ⁹ which ideas ARE tied to the presumed usage according to doctrine. Through these defining ideas the common understanding of the Master’s words has become worry and the phrase has come to mean “don’t worry” about the things that Jesus lists and, for many, these things ONLY. Other translations render merimnao accordingly using such ideas as “be not anxious for“, “don’t worry about“, “Do not be careful about” and Wycliffe’s rendering of “be not busy to your life” which for us seems the most accurate after the simplicity of “take no thought“. We should try to see and to understand that Jesus’ point here IS a summation of the foregoing ideas on treasure, the single eye and mammon from the perspective of focus. Jesus tells us in each case to focus upon the spiritual rather than the carnal which He summarizes in saying “take no thought” for those things carnal and this from Life itself to the eating, drinking and wearing ideas that were perhaps most important in those days. He tells us then of the reality of Life that “life more than meat, and the body than raiment” and ends His words in telling us again where our focus should be saying “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you“. In these words IS the primary reality of pistis, faith, which says that in focusing upon the things of God a man will NOT see any need to focus upon the mundane things of the world. This man will pistis, KNOW, the state of his carnal existence will NOT suffer while, at the same time, understanding that this existence IS NOT any longer the carnal striving that he once had. Can we understand the point here which culminates with another summation of those things stated as one’s Life? That the carnal ideas of the eating, drinking and wearing fade into His final summation that shows us the here and now Presence of Truth which comes in one’s focus upon the things of God. He tells us to “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:33, 34).

Vincent offers us a perspective on the idea of “take no thought” which IS closer to the reality of Jesus’ intent and which shows us at the same time a view of the doctrinal disdain for such interpretations of the idea as to actually “take no thought“. Mr. Vincent begins with his analysis of the idea of merimnao saying that: The cognate noun is μέριμνα, care, which was formerly derived from μερίς , a part; μερίζω, to divide; and was explained accordingly as a dividing care, distracting the heart from the true object of life ⁴. We should note here the way that this idea goes to the very heart of Jesus words saying that “Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Mr. Vincent continues by informing us that that the foregoing idea: has been abandoned, however, and the word is placed in a group which carries the common notion of earnest thoughtfulness. It may include the ideas of worry and anxiety, and may emphasize these, but not necessarily ⁴. Mr. Vincent goes on to show us some New Testament examples that take this word away from the ideas of worry saying that: In all these the sense of worry would be entirely out of place ⁴. He then cites the idea of “He also that received seed among the thorns” from the Master’s Parable of the Sower saying that, that for him “the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). Here the rendering of merimnao IS care and if we can see the idea of focus here we can then better understand Jesus’ point in saying that we should “take no thought“. Finally Mr. Vincent points to us an idea that feeds the doctrinal disdain as he relates that: Bishop Lightfoot (On a Fresh Revision of the New Testament) says: “I have heard of a political economist alleging this passage as an objection to the moral teaching of the sermon on the mount, on the ground that it encouraged, nay, commanded, a reckless neglect of the future.”⁴. From ALL of these explanatory ideas on merimnao, Mr. Vincent then devolves into his own doctrinal views saying that: It is uneasiness and worry about the future which our Lord condemns here, and therefore Rev. rightly translates be not anxious ⁴ and here we wholly disagree.

Contrary to the overall ideas presented in Jesus’ word about treasure, the single eye, mammon and the summarizing idea of “take no thought“, much of the church encourages men to focus upon their lives in this world and some, the so called prosperity gospel teachers especially, have made the carnal lives of men to be of supreme importance. And, while many religious teachers Truly believe what it IS that they ARE teaching, most ALL still fall squarely into Jesus’ words saying that the hearer should “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. 18 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). The idea of “false prophets” here should NOT be confused with the idea of the Old Testament prophets who spoke on behalf of the Lord; these “false prophets” ARE those who have taken upon themselves the authority to teach spiritual matters that ARE NOT in accord with the Master’s words and here we can see the vast majority of religious teachers today. And we should NOT be fooled by the way that the Master frames these as “ravening wolves“; ALL wolves ARE ravenous by their very nature and, if we could see that the reference here IS to the carnal nature of wolves, we could likely understand that the reality of Jesus’ words IS what the Apostle Paul references as he speaks about “another gospel: that is not another” (Galatians 1:6, 7). The larger point here however IS that of fruit and the idea that it IS the individual person, the hearer if you will, that must be able to discern the ‘value’ of the fruit that IS being offered. Here we should try to remember that the idea of evil IS NOT what IS shown us in the common understanding but IS rather ALL thoughts, attitudes and actions that ARE NOT in accord with the things of God; our ready reference here should be the Great Commandments. Again, we should understand that there ARE many who Truly believe what it IS that they ARE teaching and that such beliefs that ARE contrary to Jesus’ words ARE firmly rooted in the vanity of Life in this world, the illusion and glamour which IS compounded by the nurturing and indoctrination that such men receive. It IS remaining in one’s vanity that IS the evil that ALL men encounter and perhaps we can see this more clearly through the Master’s words that precede and that follow upon His words on the idea of the “false prophets” and the value of his fruit. Before these words on the “false prophets” Jesus shows us that it IS the few that Truly achieve the Truth as He shows us the two paths available to men; one, “the strait gate” IS shown us as a narrow opening and if we look at this idea in the context of Jesus’ overall teaching, we will see that this IS the Path of those who Truly strive to keep His words. Luke shows us this same idea saying that we should “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); here we see the idea of our striving which Strong’s defines for us as to struggle ^9a. Thayer’s expands upon this idea saying that agonizomai IS: to contend with adversaries, fight; to endeavor with strenuous zeal, strife ^9a along with the idea of competitions which both offer. It should be clear that the idea of athletic contests IS NOT the Master’s point here while to contend with adversaries and to endeavor with strenuous zeal ARE the very nature of men’s struggle to overcome the vanity in which they DO live. The other path then IS the path of vanity, the path of living according to the ways of the world, being a “friend of the world” (James 4:4). if you will, and this dynamic DOES include ALL who DO NOT seek the Truth by living in accord with the Master’s words. This IS the idea that precedes the idea of “false prophets” that should NOT be listened to and in combining these ideas we should be able to see that the few ARE those that ARE NOT false. The Master tells us to “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). That the doctrinal thinker IS indoctrinated into the idea that by it IS by his doctrinal precepts that he IS among the few IS unfortunate and it IS this that shuts many out of striving toward the Truth and the Kingdom of God toward which men should ever strive.

The words that follow upon Jesus’ teaching on the “false prophet” ARE equally important in understanding the completeness of this message. These next words frame for us the nature of the religious man, the doctrinal thinker who believes that by his doctrinal precepts that he KNOWS the Lord. Here we should see both the teacher and the hearer, the purveyor of doctrinal assertions and those who listen and believe, according to the ideas presented regarding the “false prophet“. The Master tells us that “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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23). Can we see the point here as Jesus tells us that to merely practice such things in a doctrinal sense DOES NOT move one closer to God but rather moves him further away? Can we see that it IS ONLY the man “that doeth the will of my Father” that will find the “strait gate” which IS opened by the Truth that comes in one’s keeping His words? While the message here IS seemingly directed toward the false teacher, the teacher of doctrines rather that the Truth of His words, Jesus also gives us guidance in the role of the hearer saying “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). While there ARE many like sayings in Jesus’ words, these from Mark use the idea of hearing. Luke also show us Jesus words in terms of hearing and we should note that both Mark and Luke give us this at the close of the Master’s revelation of the deeper meanings of the Parable of the Sower. Luke gives us Jesus’ words 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). What we should try to see in these words IS the that the onus of discernment IS squarely upon the hearer; much enters into the mind through hearing but ALL IS NOT Truth and it in this that we can see the role of the hearer against the pronouncements and the teachings of the psuedoprophetes, the “false prophets“, and doctrinal teachers of the world. In the Parable of the Sower it IS the one who hears and accepts the Truth and makes such a part of his Life and his expression that can “also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty“. The others fail to “heareth the word, and understandeth“, “hear the word, and receive it” and “having heard the word, keep it” (Matthew 13:23, Mark 4:20, Luke 8:15) as this IS presented to us by the three synoptic gospel writers. We must remember that such “false prophets” and doctrinal teachers ARE, for the most part, sincere in their pronouncements and teachings which they themselves have come to believe and this ofttimes with extreme ferventness.

This brings us back to the idea with which we began this essay: focus. In the focus that we should learn from the Master’s words on treasure, on the single eye, on mammon and on the reality of “take no thought” we should be able to glimpse the Truth that those that follow in the Master’s words here ARE those whose focus IS on the things of God. It IS in this focus that we ARE enabled to strive to keep His words and to develop the wherewithal to bear such fruit as we see in the three renditions of the Parable of the Sower. Here again we should look to our trifecta to see the basic reality that ALL things that the Christian seeks after ARE based in this reality of keeping His words; it IS this that unlocks for us the Truth, the Kingdom and the Presence of God; it IS this that enables us to discern the Truth from the pronouncements and teachings of the psuedoprophetes; and it IS this that provides for our own expression of the Truth in an environment where one IS so easily called a heretic. Repeating the Master’s words that ARE 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).

This then brings us back to our selection from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. These words from the apostle ARE in full accord with the reality of Jesus’ words on treasure, on the single eye, on mammon and on the reality of “take no thought“. These ALL show us that the focus of a man IS to be upon the things of God and NOT the things of the world. We see this in the idea of what men mind, “the things of the flesh” or “the things of the Spirit“; here the former ARE they that live “after the flesh” which IS ALL men whose focus IS upon their little lives in this world and this regardless of their belief that their adherence to their various doctrinal approaches to the Lord indicates that they live “after the Spirit“. We should understand this according to Paul’s words that so clearly tell us that if one IS Truly “in the Spirit” that he will have “the Spirit of Christ” and that one who has this “Spirit of Christ” IS the man who has Truly been able to “mortify the deeds of the body” or, a the very least, the man who IS Truly striving toward this goal. We should remember that this mortification IS the reality of Repentance which IS the Way to our realization of the One Truth and the reality of Life that the Truth will bring. We should remember as well that to “mortify the deeds of the body” IS NOT merely according to the ideas of doctrine; it IS rather a full death of ALL that IS contrary to the teachings of the Lord, a full death to ALL prejudices, hatred, favoritism; a full death to ALL thoughts, attitudes and actions that separate and divide or that serve to build up one’s ego in any way. This IS the reality of having “the Spirit of Christ” and this IS the reality of our selection which ends in the fullness of our realization of the True “adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body“. Repeating our selection we read:

“they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because expectation that the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:5:23).

We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.

• ¹ Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913 from https://1828.mshaffer.com/
• ⁴ Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition
• ⁹ Thayer’s Greek Lexicon on blueletterbible.org
• ^9a The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible on blueletterbible.org
• * Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road.

Voltaire, Writer and Philosopher