{"id":12623,"date":"2016-07-23T18:22:48","date_gmt":"2016-07-24T00:22:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newagedevelopments.org\/blog\/?p=12623"},"modified":"2016-07-23T18:22:48","modified_gmt":"2016-07-24T00:22:48","slug":"in-the-words-of-jesus-part-1401","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newagedevelopments.org\/blog\/2016\/07\/23\/in-the-words-of-jesus-part-1401\/","title":{"rendered":"IN THE WORDS OF JESUS\u2013Part 1401"},"content":{"rendered":"

ON LOVE; PART MXL<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391<\/span><\/h6>\n

GoodWill\u00a0IS Love in Action<\/span><\/h2>\n
\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391<\/span><\/h6>\n
\n

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<\/em>” (Mark 12:29-31).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/em> which IS generally rendered as Love,\u00a0we 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\u00a0of the equality of ALL men regardless of their outward nature or appearance…that ALL ARE equally children of Our\u00a0One God<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/em>” (Matthew 7:12).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In the last essay we went from a\u00a0review of sorts and an expansion of our ideas on the\u00a0“the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” into a deeper look at the idea of discipleship and how that it IS\u00a0the Master’s view of this idea that IS important to the man who Truly seeks God. We arrived here through the Apostle Paul’s use of the Greek words methe and komos which ARE rendered in our selection as drunkenness<\/em> and revelling<\/em> and which, while they DO have this connotation, ARE NOT intended to show the man who imbibes strong drink nor the man who can be seen as riotous. We should remember that these ideas ARE to be seen in a spiritual way:\u00a0“the works of the flesh<\/em>” as against the spiritual progress of a man and\u00a0“the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” as the result in the Life of the man who DOES progress. <\/span><\/p>\n

These\u00a0works<\/em> and fruits<\/em>\u00a0ARE Paul’s defining ideas of how to “Walk in the Spirit<\/em>” and how to be “be led of the Spirit<\/em>” as these ARE opposed to fulfilling “the lust of the flesh<\/em>” which we should understand as every thought, attitude and action “that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God<\/em>” (2 Corinthians 10:5). And it IS this exaltation<\/em> that IS the reality of the ideas of methe<\/em> and komos<\/em>\u00a0and NOT the gross carnal acts of men which those to whom the apostle writes have largely overcome. The point again IS that the man who has overcome the human condition which keeps him focused<\/em> upon his Life in this world over the single-minded focus<\/em> upon the Godhead CAN NOT become drunk<\/em> in this accomplishment nor revel<\/em> in it or any measure thereof; he\u00a0must rather just “continue in my word<\/em>” as Jesus tells us in our trifecta<\/em><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul’s message IS that this sense of being drunk<\/em>\u00a0and of revelling<\/em> IS in the same group of ‘sin’ as one’s failure to keep the first of the Great Commandments as IS any of the other ideas in the first part of his list; and the same ideas can be extended to the second part of his list as well. In this we should see how that even the most well meaning man who Truly seeks God can have the tendency to gloat and glory in himself and his accomplishments in regard to his own Way\u00a0without realizing that such drunkenness<\/em> and revelling<\/em> in one’s own accomplishments ARE contrary to the very intent of “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself<\/em>“. These ARE hard lessons to learn and perhaps these can be seen as a final step in becoming the True disciple who has forsaken ALL thoughts and attitudes of the self.<\/span><\/p>\n

And this IS the reality of Paul’s words to the Romans saying that the man who seeks God should NOT\u00a0“think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith<\/em>” (Romans 12:3). It IS in this “measure of faith<\/em>“, which IS one’s measure of KNOWING the Truth, that these Truths ARE seen and it IS against the tide of vanity<\/em> and the fog of illusion<\/em><\/strong> that the aspirant and the disciple will ever struggle and strive<\/em> until such time as he can say with the Master “I have overcome the world<\/em>” (John 16:33). Repeating our expanded version of our selection from Paul’s words we read:<\/span><\/p>\n

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.\u00a0For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.\u00a0But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.\u00a0This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.<\/em>\u00a0For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.\u00a0But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.\u00a0Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,\u00a0Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,\u00a0Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.\u00a0But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,\u00a0Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.\u00a0And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts<\/em>” (Galatians \u00a05:17-24).<\/span><\/p>\n

Continuing with our review we come upon our next word in Paul’s list of “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>“,\u00a0makrothumia,\u00a0<\/em>which IS rendered as longsuffering<\/em>. While this IS understood as patience<\/em> and rendered that way by many\u00a0translations, there IS a deeper spiritual idea that IS missed. Other renderings of makrothumia<\/em>\u00a0ARE forbearance<\/em> and tolerance<\/em> but these also DO NOT reach the True meaning of this word. And there ARE several sayings in Paul’s epistles that are rendered in varying ways and which confuse these ideas: in Paul Epistle to the Colossians we find\u00a0makrothumia<\/em>\u00a0rendered again as longsuffering<\/em> by the King James translators along with the Greek word hupomone<\/em> rendered as patience<\/em>; here we read the apostle’s words as “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness<\/em>” (Colossians 1:11). While some agree with the King James rendering, others render\u00a0hupomone\u00a0<\/em>as endurance<\/em> and\u00a0makrothumia<\/em>\u00a0as patience<\/em> and still others use\u00a0other words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vincent points us to his commentary on the use of the\u00a0kindred word\u00a0makrothumeo<\/em>\u00a0which IS generally rendered as to be patient\u00a0<\/em>as it IS in James Epistle where we find Vincent’s ideas.\u00a0Here he\u00a0shows us the spiritual force of the word although this IS NOT likely his intent; we read: be patient<\/strong>;\u00a0From \u03bc\u03b1\u03ba\u03c1\u03bf\u0301\u03c2 , long, and \u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u03bf\u0301\u03c2 , soul or spirit, but with the sense of strong passion, stronger even than \u03bf\u0313\u03c1\u03b3\u03b7\u0301 , anger, as is maintained by Schmidt (\u201cSynonymik\u201d), who describes \u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u03bf\u0301\u03c2 as a tumultuous welling up of the whole spirit; a mighty emotion which seizes and moves the whole inner man. Hence the restraint implied in \u03bc\u03b1\u03ba\u03c1\u03bf\u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u03b9\u0301\u03b1 is most correctly expressed by long-suffering, which is its usual rendering in the New Testament. It is a patient holding out under trial; a long-protracted restraint of the soul from yielding to passion, especially the passion of anger. In the New Testament the word and its cognates are sometimes rendered by patient or patience, which conceals the distinction from \u03c5\u0314\u03c0\u03bf\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd\u03b7\u0301 , uniformly rendered patience, and signifying persistent endurance, whether in action or suffering\u00a0<\/em>4<\/span><\/sup>.<\/span><\/p>\n

We should see that these words, makrothumia<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0makrothumeo\u00a0<\/em>ARE seen in a rather personal view and not as an outward expression<\/em><\/strong> that IS the reality of one’s fruit<\/em>. But the idea of intensity offers us a keen clue to what the apostle IS saying. In the very idea of fruit<\/em> we should be able to see how that this expression<\/em><\/strong> IS one that can be seen by others; it IS NOT a hidden inner sense but an outward reality that enables others to “know them by their fruits<\/em>” (Matthew 6:17). How then is this intense sense of patience<\/em>, this longsuffering<\/em>, work out in the Life of the man who can express<\/em> this fruit<\/em>? In the very simplicity of of the Master’s words which\u00a0tell us to “judge not<\/em>” (Matthew 7:1)\u00a0and\u00a0in the expanded view that the Apostle John gives us saying “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment<\/em>” (John 7:24) which IS of course God’s sense of judgement<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The deeper idea here IS that the man who can express<\/em><\/strong> this fruit<\/em> will be able to look past whatsoever another appears to be or appears to DO while understanding the essential unity that IS ALL men as Souls. In this understanding\u00a0IS the reality of Love, the Truth of having NO “respect to persons”<\/em>\u00a0(James 2:9) plus one’s own sense of self-admittance\u00a0which IS found in\u00a0remembering that we ourselves were once in a similar place as the apostle tells Titus saying: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another<\/em>” (Titus 3:3). In this we should see also the idea presented by the lexicon regarding\u00a0makrothumia<\/em>\u00a0which includes constancy<\/em> and steadfastness<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In these ideas we have the ability to stand<\/em> among men and see them\u00a0as they Truly ARE….as Souls on the very same journey as we. We have as well the ability to\u00a0“judge not<\/em>“, neither in thought nor in outward action, and we have as well the sense of equanimity that IS\u00a0at the heart of having\u00a0NO “respect to persons”.\u00a0<\/em>So while being patient<\/em> may be a good thing,\u00a0makrothumia<\/em>\u00a0IS so much more. Makrothumia<\/em>\u00a0IS an\u00a0outward expression<\/em><\/strong> that IS a reflection of agape<\/em>, of Love, for ALL men with NO sense of division based upon physical, NO sense of division based upon religion or customs, NO sense of division based upon the politics of Life….simply NO sense of division at whatsoever.<\/span><\/p>\n

We should try to see here the flow of the apostle’s words as he takes us from Love, from agape,<\/em> to chara<\/em> which IS for us that outward flow of grace<\/em> received, to that expression<\/strong><\/em> of Peace which IS the very nature of the man who KNOWS and who IS freed<\/em> from the wiles of Earthly Life; and then to makrothumia.<\/em>\u00a0This idea of longsuffering<\/em> IS\u00a0an extension of Love\u00a0and\u00a0an\u00a0expression<\/em><\/strong> of the KNOWING grace<\/em> that enables one’s\u00a0expression<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of Peace and, from a spiritual perspective, to have one of these IS to have them ALL. We should remember here that the very title of this list as\u00a0“the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” shows us that these ideas ARE spiritual ideas yet most of the\u00a0doctrines of men have interpreted them in strictly carnal terms. We should remember as well that joy<\/em>, Peace and patience<\/em>\u00a0ARE likely the demeanor of the man who keeps His words<\/em> but that this sense of demeanor IS NOT one’s expression<\/em><\/strong> and, according to the Master’s own words, such fruit<\/em> IS an expression<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

And Jesus tells us that this idea of fruit<\/em> IS both a noticeable thing and that it IS a measurable thing. He tells us as well that it IS in this expression<\/em><\/strong> of fruit<\/em> that we will find the Truth of the disciple. The Master shows us how that this IS a noticeable thing as He tells us that “Ye shall know them by their fruits<\/em>” and while doctrines may center on the negative use of this idea from its context, the deeper Truth IS found in its universal application. As one can see the false teacher by his fruits<\/em> which IS the context of Jesus’ words, it IS readily apparent through His other words that the reality that “by their fruits ye shall know them<\/em>” (Matthew 7:16, 20) extends to ALL men and that this idea of fruit<\/em>\u00a0can be\u00a0either carnal or it can be\u00a0spiritual.<\/span><\/p>\n

The spiritual view of this IS easily seen in\u00a0Jesus’ words which show us that this fruit<\/em> IS indeed measurable; as He tells us of the man who IS the “good ground<\/em>“, the man who DOES keep His words<\/em>. To understand this idea we must link together the three versions of His words from the gospel writers which we have done in previous essays and here we summarize this; Luke tells us that\u00a0keeping His words<\/em> brings men the expression<\/em><\/strong> of fruit<\/em> while Matthew and Mark tell us of the measure by which one will have such fruit<\/em> if they can receive<\/em> it and understand<\/em>\u00a0His words. Perhaps if we can see receiving<\/em>\u00a0the word and understanding<\/em>\u00a0the word as the reality\u00a0of striving<\/em> to keep His words<\/em>\u00a0and see this as being short of keeping His words<\/em>, we can then better understand the idea of measure which we read as “some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty<\/em>” (Matthew 13:23).<\/span><\/p>\n

While there should be NO doubt that this idea of fruit<\/em> IS the noticeable\u00a0expression<\/em><\/strong> of the man in this world and while there IS a clarity to Jesus’ words on the measurement of such fruit,\u00a0<\/em>the doctrines of men still DO NOT view this as the spiritual idea that it IS. And when we apply this to the Truth of the disciple, we should be able to see the True nature of the fruit<\/em> which the Master tells us that we should bear. Jesus tells us “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples<\/em>” (John 15:8) and when we look at this idea together with the first part of our trifecta,<\/em><\/strong> the True spiritual reality clearly comes across. Again we rely upon the simple logic that if to “bear much fruit<\/em>” makes one a disciple and if keeping His words<\/em> makes one a disciple, then being a True disciple brings also the Presence of God and the Kingdom of God as well as the Truth that “shall make you free<\/em>” as we read again in our trifecta<\/em><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n