ON LOVE; PART MDXL
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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 some thoughts on our Repentance and Transformation. We should remember that Repentance IS the decision to change and that Transformation IS the change itself, a change that DOES NOT happen in an instant but rather as the result of our striving toward that goal. While we define Repentance as: Such a virtuous alteration of the mind and purpose as begets a like virtuous change in the life and practice 4, the idea of our Transformation IS NOT defined. We can however understand Transformation through to the Greek word metamorphoo from which we get the English word metamorphosis. From metamorphosis we can take the example of the butterfly to show the dynamic change that comes on the man who can “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). The butterfly IS of course the result of the metamorphosis which begins with a caterpillar. How this works out in the Life of the caterpillar/butterfly IS NOT important here as the point IS simply to notice the extreme change in the very nature of the creature. While NOT a physical change the metamorphosis of men from carnal to spiritual IS the dynamic change that affects humanity. Beginning with a carnal mind and orientation we ARE changed into a spiritual being and we need ONLY to review the lives of Peter and Paul along with Stephen and Phillip in the Book of Acts to see the dynamic result of their Transformations.
We begin with the Apostle Paul because there IS much detailed writing regarding him from the Apostle Luke in the Book of Acts and because we have his own testimony as well. Paul’s first appearance in the Book of Acts IS as a Jew, as a religious Jew and a Pharisee, and this we KNOW because of his own testimony in his Epistle to the Philippians and in the Book of Acts. In Philippians Paul writes that: “we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:3-6). This IS Paul’s admission not ONLY of being a Pharisee but also of his way of “persecuting the church“. In the Book of Acts we read Luke’s report of Paul’s words saying “when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question” (Acts 23:6). This IS the apostle’s starting point and for a flavor of his conduct we read that “Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2). We can also see the harshness of Paul’s conduct in his own words, as reported by Luke, saying “when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him” (Acts 22:20). For an overall view of Paul’s way we read his words, again according to Luke, saying “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished” (Acts 22:3-5).
Through such writings as these we should have a good sense of who Paul was before his ‘conversion‘ on the road to Damascus. What we should try to see here IS that regardless of the apostle’s presentation of his encounter with the Lord on “the road to Damascus”, this was for Paul his Repentance. The story IS painted for us in great detail which cites a “great light” that caused Paul to fall to the ground and before hearing the voice of the Lord saying “why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 22:7, 6). Setting aside the accuracy of the written words here, we should try to see Paul’s Repentance; through this encounter he changes his conduct and steadfastly begins his period of Transformation. While we believe that Repentance starts from a conscious encounter with one’s own Soul, there may have been some kind extraordinary occurrence which helped motivate Paul’s Repentance this however IS NOT pertinent to our discussion today. Nor IS the ensuing journey, Paul’s blindness and his healing at the hands of Ananias. There ARE seemingly different stories of what happens to Paul next but in his own words we read that “when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem” (Galatians 1:15-18). What we should try to see here IS Paul’s Transformation, his virtuous change in the life and practice, which goes on for “three years” and of which we KNOW very little. Most ALL else we KNOW from Paul’s writings which clearly show us that he IS Transformed. However, based on his words from the Book of Romans which we have been discussing, his Transformation IS NOT yet complete. This we should try to see in his words saying “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 8:22-23).
The point here IS that from our perspective one’s Transformation IS complete when we can enter into the next stage of spiritual Life which IS “the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body“. However, prior to this final stage in the Life of a man in this world, our Transformation DOES enable us to DO much spiritually and the measure of this IS proportionate to the measure of our Transformation, the completeness of our ability to keep His words and the fulness of our expression of agape to ALL. While there IS little written along these lines in the New Testament, we should be able to sense Paul’s changes through his writings and those of Luke in the Book of Acts. A picture of the measure of Paul’s Transformation IS shown us by Luke who tells us that “God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:11-12). This idea of even remote healing by Paul should bring to mind the ability of the Master to heal people merely by being near them or by their touching of Jesus’ garments. We read that “the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all” (Luke 6:19). In Matthew’s Gospel we read of a similar event where there IS NO idea of touching Jesus; we read that “the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all” (Matthew 12:14-15). Can we sense the complexity of this idea of Transformation?
Next IS the Apostle Peter. Peter IS portrayed as a crass individual as he begins his association with the Master. There IS little consistency in the gospel stories where Peter IS introduced to Jesus but it IS likely in the combination of them that we can get a True picture of Peter’s state of mind. In John’s Gospel we read that “One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone” (John 1:40-42). Luke IS much more elaborate in his telling of the first meeting between Jesus and Peter; here we read that:
“it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him” (Luke 5:1-11).
While this IS a rather lengthy story, it DOES show us a point that we made above and in the last post about Repentance and what can cause a man to Truly Repent. For Paul his Repentance ensued from his encounter on the road to Damascus and here Peter’s Repentance IS sparked by the ‘miracle’ and his proximity to the Master. For both we should try to see that they ARE among those that were predisposed to a greater spiritual Life based upon their positive karma, their achievements toward the goal in previous lives. It IS NOT a requirement that we believe in reincarnation to understand our point however as the Repentance of both apostles IS on clear display without such reasoning. As a general ‘rule’ men DO NOT Repent for NO reason and in Luke’s story we should be able to understand the impact that the Master has on His disciples’ lives as “they forsook all, and followed him“. This IS NOT the attitude of a man who has NO spiritual background as Peter claims in saying that “I am a sinful man“, it IS the attitude of a Repentant man who IS beginning his Transformation. There IS much in the New Testament about the Apostle Peter and his interactions with the Master and through these stories it IS easy to see Peter’s Transformation from “a sinful man” to a spiritual state where “they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one” (Acts 5:15-16). Peter Transformed himself despite the Master’s highlighting of the apostle’s yet earthly challenges saying to him at one point “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matthew 16:23).
Peter IS also an example of the idea of measure. Peter’s Transformation was one of measure. It begins as Luke shows us above and he moves from being a “a sinful man” to becoming the leader of the twelve of whom we read the Master’s words saying “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31-32). This happens after Peter IS already acknowledged as one of the three disciples closest to Jesus having been at the Transfiguration and having attended the raising of Jairus daughter. While Peter IS at the forefront of the disciples, he is yet subject to carnal concerns as we read above where Jesus says “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me“. We should note Peter’s carnal leanings in the apostle’s actions in the garden at Gethsemane as well, there Peter “smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear” (John 18:10). These things happen despite the measure of discipleship held by Peter and perhaps the culmination of his carnal association comes as Peter denies the Master three times. We read this from Matthew’s Gospel saying:
“Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee*. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:69-75).
Can we see the point here? Can we see how that measure plays a role in the Life of an aspirant to discipleship and a disciple. It IS from this uncertainty that the Master, after his resurrection, calls upon Peter to “feed my sheep“. This we read in John’s Gospel as: “when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). At what point the fullness of measure comes upon Peter we DO NOT KNOW; what we DO KNOW that that in the end the apostle IS able to heal by his presence as we read above.
To clarify our point regarding past spiritual advancement as men in the lives of Paul and Peter, we should add an idea that we have covered in past essays but NOT for some time. Jesus DID NOT come to Earth alone; His arrival was an orchestrated event that entailed a support group with various roles. From those that were instrumental in His birth and childhood to His apostles, there were many who incarnated for the specific purpose of supporting the success of the Master’s mission. Beginning with John the Baptist and his parents as well as Mary and Joseph, there were those whose mission it was to pave the way for the birth of the Master. We should try to see that NONE but the most advanced spiritual beings such as Jesus the Christ, can adequately control His own setting and there were many in Jesus’ childhood who helped to ensure that He would reach that point. Others like the Baptist, Simeon, and Anna the prophetess also played a role in support of the Master and Jesus’ Earthly parents. Our point here IS simply that nothing was left to chance but that the whole of the Master’s Life was an orchestrated reality; this IS NOT to say that there were NO chance happenings but rather that the whole was a part of the Plan of God.
Our point in ALL this IS simply that Repentance and Transformation ARE the stepping stones for ALL who ARE born into vanity in this world and while we may exclude the Master from this, we should try to see a bit of Repentance in those ideas that ARE called the temptation of Jesus. Luke tells us of Jesus “Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing*: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered” (Luke 4:2) and we should try to see that in each of the three temptations lay a decision. We should remember that our Repentance IS our decision to change and here, in the case of the Master, we can see either an actual decision or just an example of the decisions that we ALL must make for our spiritual freedom. ALL True spiritual pursuits begin with Repentance, with our decision to change as Vincent defines the idea saying that Repentance IS: Such a virtuous alteration of the mind and purpose as begets a like virtuous change in the life and practice 4. We should understand here that our decision to change can be met with much resistance from the carnal mind and it IS this, perhaps on a higher level, that Paul writes about saying:
“we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:15-25).
If we view these words from Paul as a part of his struggles with his own Transformation, we can perhaps understand that the Path IS NOT as easy as it seems, it IS NOT as easy as merely affirming faith in the Christ and believing that He died for our sins. Here our point IS that we can Repent and then fail at our attempts to Transform our lives, fail in our effort to have our decision to change beget a like virtuous change in the life and practice. In the above we should understand that the apostles ideas of sin and evil ARE NOT as they ARE commonly understood; the reference to both ARE a reference to the carnal Life and the carnal forces that ARE the predisposition of the carnal mind. These carnal forces ARE the result of our birth into vanity and our ensuing nurturing and indoctrination into the ways of the world. Our minds ARE carnal because it IS the ways of the world and our conformance to those ways that have developed our thinking. Paul asks himself a question saying “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?“; his answer however IS but a temporary stop on the Path; his answer reflects the idea of continuing duality. This duality must also be overcome however, we CAN NOT continue as a “double minded man” into True discipleship. Being double minded IS a step along the Path as we DO NOT become a disciple in an instant, we must strive toward that goal as IS apparent in the words of Paul above. While the Apostle James tells us that “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways“, he IS NOT tellings us of our error but that we must “ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:8, 6). Here of course we should see pistis which IS rendered as faith as that KNOWING that comes from the Soul which, as we Transform, enables our single mindedness.
While Paul paints our Transformation as a struggle, it IS ONLY so when we view ourselves as carnal creatures; when we can understand the nature of our Repentance and Transformation we can also understand that such struggles ARE a natural part of our striving “to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke 13:24). From the perspective of the Soul, the True man, the Christ Within, our birth into vanity IS NOT the single most important issue to overcome. It IS the Soul that Truly realizes that this vanity IS our: perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends 4 as Vincent defines the idea of mataiotes which IS rendered as vanity in the King James Bible. Until our vanity IS overcome, the Soul IS rather lost in this perishable and decaying condition which, while it DOES NOT directly affect the Soul per se, inhibits the Soul’s ability to influence the carnal mind and bring about Repentance. While overcoming this vanity IS a main part of the Way that the Soul finds Repentance and Transformation of the Life in form, our vanity IS exacerbated by our years of nurturing and indoctrination. It IS through our nurturing and indoctrination that the carnal mind becomes a barrier to the Truths that lie beyond our lives in this world. It IS our nurturing and indoctrination that make us Truly carnal creatures and this IS True despite any doctrinal religious ways that ARE a part of it. It IS because many people born into vanity and nurtured and indoctrinated into the ways of the world and perhaps a religion ARE NOT enthralled by their experience, that they seek different religious experiences. However, remaining in a doctrinal setting, even a different one in a different religion, may NOT be enough to force Repentance upon a man. We should understand here that Repentance IS the first step that we must take before we find ourselves in the types of struggles that Paul admits to in Romans and, from the perspective of the Soul, we look forward to such struggles. To get there however we must first Repent, we must experience Such a virtuous alteration of the mind and purpose as begets a like virtuous change in the life and practice 4. Again, the virtuous alteration of the mind and purpose IS our Repentance, it IS our decision to change the carnal mind and the purpose of our lives.
This idea of Repentance IS ONLY successful however if we allow it to beget a like virtuous change in the life and practice and we may have to undergo this idea of Repentance more that once before our carnal minds allow the changes to take place. And there ARE many obstacles left in place by our nurturing and indoctrination which may teach us that what we ARE seeking to DO, allow the Soul direct the carnal mind and our life and practice, IS but a foolish endeavor. Among these obstacles is the way that family and friends will look askance at our newfound Path and this may be exacerbated in religious settings. Although what we ARE DOING in our Repentance many be virtuous it IS generally going to be contrary to the doctrinal thinking of those around us and this may cause us to doubt what it IS that we decided to DO. There IS also fear and for some this may be the biggest obstacle to overcome; this fear IS in essence a competition between the Soul and the carnal mind. If we have Repented, if we have decided to change our life and practice, by stepping onto the Path where we intend to Truly “Strive to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke 13:24), we become the subject of the Master’s Parable of the Sower. As we read Jesus’ interpretation of the parable for His disciples we should try to see two things; first that the word IS the Truth that comes from our own Souls, our motivation to Repent if you will, and second IS that the levels of acceptance of the word ARE the levels of acceptance of our own Repentance. The Master tells His disciples:
“Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:18-23).
Can we see the relationship between this parable and our individual journey? When first we ARE motivated to Repent we can be understood as being “the way side“; we hear the Truth from our own Souls and we “understandeth it not” because the prompting of the Soul shows us a Life that IS contrary to our nurturing, indoctrination and experience. The idea of “the wicked one” IS rendered here from the Greek word poneros which IS generally rendered as evil so that rather than trying to see another individual, the devil or Satan in this case, we can perhaps see that it IS our own carnality that “catcheth away that which was sown in his heart“. In most ALL translations the idea of a personality IS used despite the reality that the idea of the one, “the wicked one“, or “the evil one” as others render the idea, IS NOT in the text but it IS added according to doctrinal beliefs. While this may NOT happen to ALL, it IS likely the natural way that men grow into their spiritual pursuits; we should try to see that we “understandeth it not” because we DO NOT understand that the source of our newfound ideas IS our Souls; without such understanding we may perceive that our spiritual ideas ARE merely the ramblings of our carnal minds.
However, if we entertain our newfound ideas which ARE creeping into our consciousness over the din of our daily lives, we can then perhaps see ourselves at the next stage that the Master paints for us. This next stage of our inability to further Transform and extend our Repentance IS that we ARE likened to “stony places” where we can “dureth for a while“. Jesus tells us here that we DO NOT endure because as men we have “not root in himself“; this idea we can try to see as that we have NO foundation for the changes that Repentance and Transformation bring into our lives. In this condition we ARE prey to our own carnal minds protesting against our newfound ideas much like Paul shows us above saying “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do“. This uncertainty IS our tribulation and if we add to this persecution we have our failure as “stony places“. Now we should note here that this idea of persecution may have been a factor for converting Jews but that era IS over; today we perhaps have only negative comments from family and friends regarding our choice to Transform. The Greek word skandalizo which IS rendered here as the phrase “he is offended” IS poorly translated from our perspective; others render the idea as that the man stumbles or “falls away“; either of these IS better than rendering as “he is offended“.
In both of these scenarios the man Repents and begins his Transformation ONLY to stop for the reasons cited above by the Master. If we see this as failed attempts at making our Repentance grow into the fullness of Transformation, we can likely understand the struggles we have in overcoming our vanity. In the Master’s words telling us to “Strive to enter in at the strait gate” we should have the message that we must persist. If we are stopped in our effort to Repent and Transform, we must strive to DO so again. Continuing on through the Parable of the Sower we come to a third attempt as we ARE viewing the parable as our own state of being as we “Strive to enter in at the strait gate“. The next failure IS in regard to our having “received seed among the thorns“. Here our carnal enemy IS again ourselves as we look as our progress and note that we ARE NO longer able to live as we did, we ARE NO longer able to live as men in this world. We often point to this idea as the way of most ALL of the doctrinal churches built doctrines specifically to allow men to live as men and how that such doctrinal approaches to the Lord ARE contrary to His words. Here the Master shows us that “the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful“. Can we see the point here? Can we see that even after our failure based upon the mild tribulation and ‘persecution‘ cited above we ARE again stopped by our own carnal thinking as we fail in our desire to give up what we have in this world. We DO NOT realize that as we proceed in our spiritual pursuits our cares in this world and our pursuit of worldly riches and ALL that that entails will naturally fade over time and that it IS for a brief moment that we fear forsaking our worldly existance. However, in this brief moment we fail at our attempt to Repent and Transform.
These three scenarios painted by the Master show us the failures of men to Repent and Transform after they have been motivated to DO so. They appear in escalating importance from the perspective of the effort put in by a man. In the first there IS little understanding of what IS happening and the carnal mind easily retakes whatever control over the Life that it had lost thus leaving the man much as he was. For some this IS the end of their spiritual pursuits but for the Truly sincere, they will try again. In the second picture painted for us by the Master we have a bit more success. This man hears the prompting from his own Soul “and anon with joy receiveth it“; here the idea of anon IS better understood as straightway, immediately, forthwith 2 as the lexicon defines the Greek word euthus. In this context the idea of joy seems to be a bit misplaced as this IS more a carnal emotion; perhaps satisfaction would be the better idea. Despite the immediate joy or satisfaction, the carnal mind revolts and the tribulations and persecutions cause one’s Repentance to fail. In the third scenario we have a man who perhaps more successfully overcomes the tribulations and the persecutions as well as his lack of understanding and proceeds in his Transformation for a time. In time however the man comes to miss his carnal life; his carnal mind IS revolting against his attitude of forsaking and, heeding the carnal mind again, the man rejects the progress he had made and goes back to the Life that he was originally dissatisfied with. These ARE the three failures cited in the Parable of the Sower. Next IS the fourth attempt to Repent and Transform which IS in the parable a success; we will address this in the next essay. We close today with our trifecta which we DID NOT work into today’s essay; 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).
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 |
- 1 Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913 from https://1828.mshaffer.com/
- 2 New Testament Greek lexicon on biblestudytools.com
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition
- 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
- 9b Vine’s Expository Dictionary on blueletterbible.org
- * Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
- ** Google AI on the Christian doctrines of adoption
- 12 Expositions of Holy Scripture–Project Gutenberg’s and Baker Book House’ Expositions of Holy Scripture, by Alexander Maclaren–(1826-1910)
Those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road
Voltaire, Writer and Philosopher
