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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<\/em>” (Mark 12:29-31). <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\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, 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9\u2022\u0391\u03a9<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\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). <\/p>\n\n\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<\/p>\n\n\n\n We ended the last essay with some thoughts about the doctrinal view of heaven, a view that IS NOT stated in the New Testament nor in the Old. Most ALL of the various doctrinal perspectives come from the writings of the church fathers who ARE considered by many the authorities on spiritual subjects and this perhaps because of their proximity in time to the days of the Master and His apostles. We should remember however that the early church fathers were born into the same vanity <\/em>as ARE ALL men and that in their barbarous and superstitious times they sought out reasons for their own continuation after death. Their teaching spawned many theories which ARE with us yet today, theories that vary between denominations and sects. These theories range from a belief that the believer goes to heaven immediately after death where he will meet Jesus and be reunited with loved ones, to beliefs that involve the idea of a spiritual sleep that lasts until a final resurrection which IS understood to be at the end of the world, at the Second Coming of the Christ, or some other doctrinal idea that is related to prophecies from the Books of Daniel and Revelation. In the end we should understand that ALL are but theories based solely in the search for an answer to the phenomenon of death, an answer that IS generally based in hope <\/em>and a desire <\/em>tho believe that one’s spiritual self carries on in ways that replicate our existance in this Earth. The stark reality however IS that we DO NOT KNOW what happens when people die. It IS to this end, to try to see a hopeful resolution to the phenomenon of death, that the evolution of the teachings of the church fathers has resulted in the many theories on death, on heaven and hell, and on the nature of a final resurrection. The theories on the latter idea here ARE drawn by men whose focus <\/em>IS fixated on the ideas of prophecy; from Daniel to Revelation, from the prophets to the writings of Paul, as end times discussions and sermons take the place of discussions and sermons on the Truth of the Master’s message. End times theories however ARE a muddled mass of opinions that ARE loosely based in interpretations of commingled prophecies from the Old and New Testaments, many of which should be attributed to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Theories on death and heaven have their roots in such ideas as this from a Catholic website where we read that “It is such a consolation to know that we are spiritually united, even now, with those who have died, and that we have the hope of seeing them again in heaven when we die ourselves<\/em>“**. Here we see that sense of hope <\/em>interjected into men’s psyches so as to encourage faith <\/em>and believing <\/em>in some method whose intended result IS in nullifying any fear of death as the unknown end which it IS. While we see a greater reality and a better way of assuaging our inherent fear of the unknown in teaching the True nature of man as a Spirit, manifest as Soul, and using an animal body as his means of expression<\/strong><\/em>; this until such time as as the death of that body releases the spiritual man from the vanity<\/em>, the “bondage of corruption<\/em>“, in this world and into a state of being that, while as unknown as any other view, prepares the spiritual man for a future that incorporates ALL that he has been in his Life in this Earth. In this sense of unknown we can be relatively sure of ONLY one thing and that IS that the fruit <\/em>of one’s Life here will be translated into both one’s ongoing Life in this world and whatsoever IS the Truth of an afterlife. Paul tells us that “whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons<\/em>” (Colossians 3:24-25). We should remember that these words ARE written to men and that the idea of the Lord here should be seen in reference to one’s own Spirit which IS ever part and parcel of the Godhead and one’s ‘personal’ intercessor with the Lord in this Life….this again IS what the Apostle John tells us saying “ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things<\/em>” (1 John 2:20). Understanding this relationship between the Soul and the mortal body IS an important part of that KNOWING that the Master tells us comes to the man who will “continue in my word<\/em>” (John 8:31). What Paul shows us IS first contrary to much of the doctrinal teachings on grace <\/em>and faith<\/em> which denies the idea of any reward <\/em>or a spiritual result from ‘works<\/em>‘, positive or negative for some versions of doctrine. We should understand here that Paul’s words DO NOT reference that this IS after death, they should be seen in real time, as having that “reward of the inheritance<\/em>” here and now and continuing into whatsoever IS one’s view of the afterlife. Second, Paul shows us the reality of the judgement <\/em>that ALL men face, judgement <\/em>that DOES NOT involve thrones and kings but ONLY a spiritual self-assessment of one’s Life and this regardless of any religion, creed, race, etc.. Peter shows us a similar idea saying that “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear<\/em>“. The context here IS important, a context that revolves around the singular idea of keeping His words<\/em>; Peter begins with this idea saying “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ<\/em>” (1 Peter 1:13). The clear message here IS seen in the fullness of the idea that we should “gird up the loins of your mind<\/em>” which idea can be see also in Paul’s words saying that we should “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind<\/em>” (Romans 12:2); most ALL sin begins in the mind and we should NOT forget that the idea of emotions IS an integral part of the thought process and the supplier of those lusts <\/em>and desires <\/em>to the attitudes of a man. Together it IS the mind and the emotions that become one’s attitudes and it IS this that should be understood as the personality and what the Master calls for us the heart <\/em>as He says of man that it IS “of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh<\/em>” (Luke 6:45). We should see here that in the idea of speaking <\/em>we have the totality of human action as ALL should be understood as one’s expression<\/strong><\/em>, as one’sspeaking<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should note as well that the idea of “the revelation of Jesus Christ<\/em>” IS NOT in reference to His person as many describe this idea; this revelation <\/strong><\/em>IS what He has revealed to the world in His teaching, His commandments and by His example; it IS in following these that we find the True grace <\/em>which IS the flow of spiritual Power into the Life of everyman who will live by His revealed Truth. Peter goes on to tell us that this grace <\/em>through keeping His words<\/em> comes to us “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance<\/em>” and here we should understand the same idea again as we receive from Paul who tells us to “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind<\/em>“. In Peter’s words the idea of non-conformance <\/em>IS founded in obedience <\/em>which IS the Way to refrain from such conformity<\/em> that IS ever promoted by one’s own lusts <\/em>and desires<\/em>. Again we should try to see that such obedience <\/em>comes in one’s focus <\/em>upon the Truth of God and NOT upon the doctrinal ideas that make the idea of obedience <\/em>moot. Peter goes on to show us the intended result of this obedience <\/em>through focus <\/em>upon the Lord as he tells us that “as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation<\/em>” and here this King James idea of conversation <\/em>IS our manner of life, behavior, conduct<\/em> 9<\/sup> as Thayer’s defines anastrophe <\/em>for us. Peter goes on to remind us that this idea of holiness<\/em>, this idea of being so in “all manner of conversation<\/em>“, IS NOT a new spiritual invention as he says “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy<\/em>” which idea IS NO different than the Master’s charge according to Matthew saying “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect<\/em>” (Matthew 5:48). While most of the church discounts this idea of being perfect <\/em>and changes the meaning of the Greek word teleios <\/em>to reflect a maturity<\/em>, we should understand that this idea DOES NOT work in this context. Here we should understand that God IS perfect <\/em>and that “his Spirit that dwelleth in you<\/em>“, the Spirit of everyman, IS also perfect <\/em>so that it IS the flow of the Power of this spiritual self that makes a man perfect <\/em>through his realization <\/strong><\/em>of the Presence of God in his mortal Life according to the Master’s words. But doctrines DO NOT conflate these ideas from Jesus and Peter nor DO they correlated them to other similar expressions by the apostles; instead they also discount the idea of being holy <\/em>into yet another pseudo benefit of their doctrinal tenets of grace <\/em>and faith <\/em>under the banner of atonement<\/strong><\/em>. We have discussed the idea of holiness <\/em>as it IS rendered from the Greek word hagios <\/em>in regard to the doctrinal ideas on being a saint <\/em>and we should try to see here that unless one DOES “mortify the deeds of the body<\/em>” in ALL its facets, thought, attitude and action, one IS NOT Truly “led by the Spirit of God<\/em>“, a mantel that far too many persons hypocritically wear. Here, aside from the dictionary meanings of hagios <\/em>which ARE likely met by a very few over the course of the last 2000 years, we should understand by the context that to be holy<\/em>, to be the saint<\/em>, to be perfect<\/em>, IS to have one’s thoughts, attitudes and actions in conformance <\/em>with those of the Godhead and NOT with this incompatible world. This IS the context of Peter’s words saying “if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear<\/em>” (1 Peter 1:14-17) which reflects both the idea that “there is no respect of persons with God<\/em>” (Romans 2:11), that ALL are treated equally regardless of any differences as men and that such judgement <\/em>IS “according to every man’s work<\/em>” and NOT according to the doctrinal ideas of faith <\/em>and believing<\/em>. The Apostle James takes up the idea of faith <\/em>and works <\/em>in words that seem contrary to Paul’s words but the apparent contradiction IS ONLY in Paul’s view of the idea which should be seen in tandem with his view of the law. While doctrines twist the apostle’s words to show that he IS saying that the law and works <\/em>DOES NOT matter, that “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves<\/em>” (Ephesians 2:8), they DO NOT see the reality of either idea, that Paul IS speaking against the Jews’ application of the law and the Jews’ idea of what works <\/em>IS. And Peter tells us the same thing as he continues saying “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers<\/em>“. Here we should see the reality of the Jew’s ways of tradition which IS compounded by an Old Testament fixation on riches, on those “corruptible things<\/em>“, which ARE accumulated and boasted on by many prominent figures from Abraham to Solomon to the luxurious accouterments of the priests in Jesus’ day. While such fixation on “corruptible things<\/em>” IS contrary to the heart <\/strong><\/em>of the law, it was perhaps a necessary cultural idea that kept the promise of wealth as a reward <\/em>for keeping the law<\/em>. We should understand here however that those ideas that ARE the True heart <\/strong><\/em>of the law were lost to the carnal ideas as the Prophet Hosea tells us saying “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings<\/em>” (Hosea 6:6); and we should remember that part of this IS repeated by Jesus against the religious leaders. Considering that the role of sacrifice <\/em>IS a part of the “works of the law<\/em>” (Romans 9:32) that Paul decries can enable us to understand the way of the Jews whose Repentance <\/strong><\/em>was incorporated into the various forms of sacrifice <\/em>which ARE evolved into new ways after the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. While our point here IS judgement <\/em>and rewards <\/em>based upon the ‘conversations<\/em>‘ of men, we should understand that this whole concept IS wholly discounted by the doctrinal church which ignores such ideas in favor of their interpretations of Peter’s final words here saying “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot<\/em>” 1 Peter 1:18-19). Interpretations that make “the precious blood of Christ<\/em>” into a singular sacrifice <\/em>that IS limited to the believing <\/em>Christian in total disregard of the very nature of God in whom “there is no respect of persons<\/em>” (Colossians 3:25).<\/p>\n\n\n\n James takes this nature of God into the ways of men whose objective IS to be holy <\/em>and to be the saint<\/em>, to express <\/em>the spiritual nature of Universal Truth and Love according to the Master’s words saying “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect<\/em>” which IS the same as the words of the Lord through Moses saying “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy<\/em>” (Leviticus 19:2). While the Apostle Luke frames Jesus words in terms of mercy<\/em>, we should be able to see the idea of perfection <\/em>in the Truth of mercy <\/em>which IS agape expressed<\/strong><\/em>; Luke tells us Jesus words as “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful<\/em>” (Luke 6:36). To be holy<\/em>, to be perfect <\/em>and to be merciful <\/em>should be understood as synonymous ideas that fold into the nature of God: “that God is no respecter of persons<\/em>” (Acts 10:34). To be holy<\/em>, to be perfect <\/em>and to be merciful<\/em> ARE the True expression <\/strong><\/em>of Godliness which James shows us saying “if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors<\/em>” (James 2:11). It IS this theme of “respect to persons<\/em>” that James evolves into his discussion on faith <\/em>and works<\/em>, a discussion that on the surface appears to contradict Paul’s but which in reality ONLY contradicts the doctrinal interpretation of Paul’s intent. James summarizes his comments with the simple statement that “as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also<\/em>” (James 2:26) and this after his words on Abraham and Rahab, words that have the same intent as DO Paul’s but from the perspective of the result rather than the cause. Again, if we could see that Paul’s words that ARE seemingly against the ideas of the law and of works ARE really against the way that these ideas were applied by the Jews rather that the law and works as they were intended, we could then see through the doctrinal argument that a man CAN NOT save <\/em>himself. The reality IS ever that the ONLY Way to True salvation <\/em>IS found in the effort of everyman to shift his focus <\/em>off of himself and the things of the self that have become the “the abundance of the heart<\/em>” and move that focus<\/em> onto the things of God which IS as the Master and His apostles show us the reality of agape<\/em>. It IS in the flow of agape <\/em>from the spiritual man, the Soul, that one can begin the process of being “transformed by the renewing of your mind<\/em>” and be able to Truly discern “what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God<\/em>“. In the Old Testament we ARE told that it IS in keeping His commandments<\/em> that one can reap the rewards<\/em>, the spiritual rewards<\/em>, that ARE presented by Moses in carnal ideas that could be readily understood by the barbarous and superstitious men of that day. The crux of the idea IS NOT founded in personal wealth which in many ways became the interpretation to Moses words but in a survival of the nation through its peoples’ ‘blessings<\/em>‘ as these ARE enumerated in Moses’ Book of Deuteronomy. The Christian perspective on this has become however personal wealth and well-being for many doctrinal thinkers who use the words of Moses and the stories of Abraham and the patriarchs to fuel their doctrinal perspective, and this contrary to the way that Jesus’ and His apostles’ words should change our yet carnal focus <\/em>onto the singular Way which IS agape<\/em>. And while the doctrinal churches have built a theology based in atonement <\/strong><\/em>and the “free gift<\/em>” of grace <\/em>through their nebulous ideas of faith<\/em> and the role of rites and rituals, they have discounted the role of the law and the commandments contrary to most ALL of the New Testament message. This IS despite the clear words of the Master who tells us the spiritual role of keeping His words<\/em> in such sayings as ARE our trifecta <\/strong><\/em>which we repeat saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Jesus words here ARE rather clearly stated and the quid pro quo IS adequately given, the church has ever substituted its own will in place of “the will of my Father which is in heaven<\/em>“. Most ALL have discounted the Truth of the Master’s words regarding the need to become “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance<\/em>” as Peter frames this; most ALL have substituted their reasoning which IS itself formulated<\/em> through the same fashioning <\/em>that the apostle tells us IS ignorance<\/em>. We should note that such ignorance <\/em>IS NOT in the ways of the world at which the doctrinal thinker and the secular man ARE likely equally astute, this ignorance <\/em>is a spiritual one that restricts a man’s ability to “know the truth<\/em>“, a Truth that “shall make you free<\/em>” of the ignorance <\/em>inherent in the vanity <\/em>into which everyman IS born. Here, contrary to the doctrinal view of works based in Paul’s writings we cite his letter to Titus where he says “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate<\/em>” (Titus 1:16). While it IS considered that this addresses the Jews, many of whom acted contrary to the teachings of the Christ, this IS ONLY because of that contrary way of the religious Jews in those days. DO we think that these words ARE stagnant and that they DO NOT extend to ALL who make such professions <\/em>while in their activities in this world they deny <\/em>Him, NOT as a person but as what He represents in His teaching and His example. We should remember that ‘Jesus’s greatest opponent was not the greatest sinners of His day but the religious establishment’ <\/em>which words come from a website called Thorncrown Journal*** and which speaks about the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Perhaps one of the most unfortunate doctrinal ideas to come from Jesus’ words IS the idea that His words were directed ONLY at these Jews and their religious establishment<\/em>. In Paul’s words to Titus we find the idea of works <\/em>clearly shown in a way that IS contrary to the doctrinal perceptions taken from the apostle’s other writings, perceptions that ARE based in the same self-centered doctrinal attitudes of which he writes to Titus and which ARE a carryover, under a new guise, of the same type of religious establishment<\/em> that the Master opposed. This brings us back again to James’ views on the idea of works <\/em>and faith<\/em>, ideas that ARE NOT contrary to Paul’s view but ARE contrary to the doctrinal interpretations of that view, interpretations that allow for men to continue in their disobedient attitudes. James tells us that “faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works<\/em>” (James 2:17-18). In these words we should try to see how that pistis<\/em>, when understood in terms of KNOWING, will perforce create works <\/em>in the Life of everyman who Truly has this spiritual certainty flowing through their “mortal bodies<\/em>“as a result proportionate to the degree by which they have been able to “mortify the deeds of the body<\/em>” as Paul tells us in our selection which we repeat saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “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 Again we should remember that this KNOWING that IS the essence of pistis <\/em>and the related word pisteuo <\/em>IS NOT a carnal idea, it IS a spiritual reality that flows as the Master tells us: to everyman who will “continue in my word<\/em>“. This IS the obedience <\/em>of which Peter writes and which we should see in the idea of <\/em>“not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance<\/em>” but rather focusing <\/em>upon the Good, the Beautiful and the True….the things of God. And this IS the same sense of obedience<\/em>, of keeping His words<\/em>, that Paul warns of in the hearts<\/strong><\/em> and minds of those who merely “profess that they know God<\/em>” but DO NOT have the ‘works<\/em>‘ by which such KNOWING IS confirmed, works <\/em>which ARE and which produce that fruit <\/em>of which the Master says “Ye shall know them by their fruits<\/em>” and then repeats the charge saying “by their fruits ye shall know them<\/em>” (Matthew 7:16, 20). While Jesus IS using this idea in a negative sense regarding those who falsely teach<\/em>, those who ARE “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men<\/em>” (Mark 7:7), the same IS True in the positive sense. From the spiritual perspective both the works <\/em>and the fruit <\/em>ARE the expression <\/strong><\/em>of agape <\/em>which IS ever the cornerstone of the One Truth and which IS the basis of the New Covenant. This covenant IS shown to the Jews by the prophets and IS clearly stated by Jeremiah who says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD<\/em>” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Here IS the prediction that when the law IS so written in the heart <\/strong><\/em>of a man that he will KNOW the Lord and it IS this same idea that IS promoted by the writer of the Book of Hebrews where we read his repetition of the prophet’s words as he established a Christian reality of the idea saying again that “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them<\/em>” (Hebrews 10:16). This KNOWING IS again the result of hope, Because<\/del> expectation that<\/strong> 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<\/em>” (Romans 8:5:23). <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n