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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 on the idea of being perfect <\/em><\/strong>which IS rendered from the Greek word teleios<\/em>. While the idea behind teleios <\/em>IS seen by much of doctrine in terms of maturity<\/em>, this IS NOT the gist of the word that we should take from its uses in the New Testament. This IS apparent in Jesus’ use of the idea as He says “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect<\/em>” (Matthew 5:8) where the idea of “your Father which is in heaven is perfect<\/em>” CAN NOT imply that God IS mature <\/em>but rather that He IS perfect <\/strong><\/em>under the classical idea of perfection<\/strong><\/em>. There ARE some translations that render teleios<\/em> in terms of completion <\/em>but this idea falls also far short of the Master’s intent which IS shown us in terms of the Lord’s expression <\/em><\/strong>of agape<\/em>. While there may be elements of the idea of perfection<\/em><\/strong> that can include the idea of maturity<\/em>, this IS NOT the idea that we should apply to our Lord and, to be sure, the Master’s intent here IS to tell us that we should be as the Lord. Similarly Paul’s use of the word in his Epistle to the Ephesians should be seen in the same way; the apostle says “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ<\/em>” and here we should understand that the measurement <\/em>of the perfection <\/strong><\/em>of a man IS against “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ<\/em>“. This IS our goal and our objective in this Life which should be ever oriented toward this goal of perfection <\/strong><\/em>if our intent IS to progress spiritually. And while the possibility here seems to be a remote impossibility, there IS yet a reality to our striving <\/em>toward that goal without focusing <\/em>solely upon our own benefit which IS shown us clearly in Jesus’ words saying “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<\/em>”\u00a0(Matthew 7:21). Here we must equate the ideas of “the will of my Father<\/em>” with the very nature of God which IS Love and in this context we should see “<\/strong>perfect love<\/em>“<\/strong>. The Apostle John tells us, regarding “perfect love<\/em>“, that “There is no fear in love; but\u00a0perfect love\u00a0casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love<\/em>” (1 John 4:18) and in this we should note that our focus <\/em>upon ‘attaining heaven<\/em>‘ IS the product of a sense of fear <\/em>that permeates the lives of many millions. And this fear <\/em>IS the result of indoctrination; this fear <\/em>IS founded in the church ideas of heaven and hell as a continuation of Life after death here in this Earth. There IS NO direct scripture that points to the doctrinal ideas, even the words used DO NOT mean heaven and hell as we understand them. The whole idea IS originated in largely superstitious and barbarous times as a church method of authoritative control similar to the way that Moses used the ancillary laws which he attributed to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n John IS telling us that it IS “perfect love<\/em>” that can eliminate the fear <\/em>in our lives and this should be understood in the context of agape <\/em>which IS the subject of John’s words. We should understand that this “perfect love<\/em>” IS the state of the man who has overcome the vanity <\/em>into which he was born through keeping His words<\/em>, through expressing <\/em><\/strong>agape<\/em>. It IS our expression <\/em><\/strong>of “perfect love<\/em>” that will bring us “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ<\/em>” and it IS in this context that we should understand his words from our selection saying “when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away<\/em>“. Can we see the point here? Can we see how that the idea of being perfect <\/em><\/strong>IS the gateway to spiritual reality and that striving <\/em>toward this goal can bring everyman the reality of his “measure of faith<\/em>“, the reality of a “measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ<\/em>” of whom we read that “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily<\/em>” (Colossians 2:9). This IS the reality of the teachings of the Master and the amplifying and clarifying teachings of His apostles and we should understand that achieving this IS the same as achieving the ability to “enter into the kingdom of heaven<\/em>” here and now in this Life, and Jesus’ tells us how this IS possible. We should note as well that there ARE other ‘promises<\/em>‘ that Jesus made to His disciples, True disciples to be sure and NOT those who claim such a status without the expression <\/strong><\/em>of agape<\/em>. It IS these that ARE the foundation of the Apostle Peter’s saying that “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust<\/em>” (2 Peter 1:3-4). But we must KNOW God and Christ as it IS in “knowledge of him<\/em>” that such spiritual Truths can flow into the everyday lives of men. It IS this KNOWING that IS the foundational reality of the Greek words pistis <\/em>and pisteuo<\/em>; these words, rendered as those nebulous ideas of faith<\/em> and believing<\/em>, ARE the reality of “knowledge of him<\/em>” and this IS shown to us in Jesus’ words that contain some of the promises <\/em>which together comprise the idea of being “partakers of the divine nature<\/em>“. What then ARE these promises? They ARE NOT what men generally pray for; they ARE NOT related to our lives in this world; they ARE NOT personal advantages based in the ways of this world. They ARE, as the Master tells us, spiritual Truths that ARE NOT understood nor ‘believed<\/em>‘ by the doctrinal thinker nor the average carnally oriented person; they ARE that “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do<\/em>” (John 14:12) and ALL such works ARE shown to us in the Life of Jesus the Christ. This sense of pistis<\/em> and pisteuo <\/em>ARE the reality, the KEY if you will, to moving the mountain and casting the sycamine tree <\/em>into the sea. This sense of pistis <\/em>and pisteuo <\/em>ARE found in our KNOWING God with a foundation that contains NO doubt <\/em>regarding the Lord and our relationship to Him; it IS in this KNOWING that we can have realization <\/strong><\/em>that Truly “as he is, so are we in this world<\/em>“. Can we see the point here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n It IS in this KNOWING without a doubt <\/em>that we come to be “partakers of the divine nature<\/em>“; it IS through this KNOWING, this pistis <\/em>and pisteuo<\/em>, that we can “dwelleth in love<\/em>” and understand the fullness of the apostle’s words saying “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world<\/em>” (1 John 4:16-17). Can we see here how that the apostle’s words amplify and clarify the promise that Jesus offers us regarding those “greater works<\/em>“? Can we see how that John shows us how that we, as Repented <\/strong><\/em>and Transformed <\/em><\/strong>persons ARE “as he is<\/em>” and how that ALL of this works together through our ability to Truly “love thy neighbour as thyself<\/em>“? That the church denies that we ARE essentially Christlike in our nature having been created “in the image of God<\/em>” (Genesis 1:27) as spiritual beings made subject to the vanity <\/em>that IS Life here in this Earth DOES NOT change the reality of man. That the church proclaims that it IS ONLY in their doctrinal approach to the Lord that men can have realization <\/strong><\/em>of this Truth IS but their folly which IS based in the same vanity<\/em>, the same illusions <\/strong>and glamour <\/strong>that we must free <\/em>ourselves from through our own Repentance <\/em><\/strong>and Transformation<\/strong><\/em>. ALL of the promises ARE ever ours but they go unrealized by the masses who DO NOT look in the right direction despite the way that both the Old and the New Testaments point out the Way. And this IS True in most ALL religions where doctrinal precepts, the “commandments of men<\/em>” if you will, hold the masses at bay and ‘prevent’ men from following the Truth; most doctrinal thinkers see their religions’ doctrinal precepts as authoritative interpretations of the Truth of the ages. But this IS NOT so and it IS this allegiance to authoritative interpretations that make the Master’s words applicable to ALL men, ALL religions, ALL who accept such interpretations, as He says “Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men<\/em>” (Mark 7:6-7). Again, most ALL will deny that this IS so; and most ALL Christians will proclaim that these words ARE ONLY intended for the Jews; few will see that their doctrines ARE NO different than the doctrinal approach of the Jews; few will see that they ARE “this people<\/em>“. This IS a most basic error of the churches that see ‘salvation<\/em>‘ through their doctrines rather than through the words of the Master who they acknowledge as “the author and finisher of our faith<\/em>” while at the same time ignoring those Life ‘saving<\/em>‘ things that He says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In these ideas we should try to see that it IS the preconceived doctrinal ideas of men that fail to teach the Truths that the Master brought to us regarding the reality of our True salvation<\/em>. As the churches have clung to so much of the ideas of their founders, they have lost the ability to see past their doctrines. Most, from the beginning, have chosen to organize religions according to the ways of men and NOT according to the Ways of God. Here we should understand that it IS according to the latter that the ideas of perfection <\/em><\/strong>and of “perfect love<\/em>” ARE to be seen as the final reality of the Truly spiritual man who can help to lift his brothers out of the darkness of their vanity<\/em>. Paul tells us in our selection that “when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away<\/em>” and here we should see that the separation IS between the Ways of God and the accepted ways of men. We must remember that this reality IS a part of the apostle’s teaching on agape <\/em>and on how agape<\/em> IS the True measure <\/em>of what is True versus what IS NOT. Paul tells us that whatsoever we believe to have or to be in this world IS but foolishness <\/em>in the absence of our expression <\/strong><\/em>of agape <\/strong>and while he DOES NOT use this word here, it IS easily seen in the context of his words which we repeat saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not Paul IS showing us the value of agape <\/em>as well as the failure of the so called “spiritual gifts<\/em>” in the absence of agape. <\/em>This message however has NOT been received by the doctrinal thinker who sees such ‘gifts<\/em>‘ as an end rather than a means. Paul tells us of this failure <\/em>of ALL such ‘gifts<\/em>‘ as he shows us that they “shall fail<\/em>“, they “shall cease<\/em>” and they “shall vanish away<\/em>” and that it IS ONLY agape <\/em>the will endure<\/em>. In these words we should understand that Paul IS classifying such ‘gifts<\/em>‘ as carnal tokens regardless of the measure <\/em>of spiritual Power one has placed upon them or the spiritual Power that they may have in the Presence of agape<\/em>….ALL such carnal tokens “shall fail<\/em>“. In this we should see that dichotomy between the carnal and the spiritual and understand that it IS ONLY agape <\/em>that IS spiritual and that in True agape <\/em>resides ALL aspects of the Godhead; remember here that “God is Here again we should see and understand that it IS in keeping His words<\/em> that the Presence of the Lord comes into the realization <\/strong><\/em>of a man and it IS in this realization <\/em><\/strong>that we KNOW that Christ DOES “dwell in your hearts<\/em>“. We should try to see that Paul’s words connect these ideas; we should understand that when Christ DOES “dwell in your hearts<\/em>” we ARE perforce “rooted and grounded in We should try to see that Paul IS equating agape<\/em>, our expression <\/strong><\/em>of it, with perfection<\/strong><\/em> as he IS relating the man who has some measure <\/em>of this expression <\/em><\/strong>of agape <\/em>with the idea of “when I became a man<\/em>“. We should also try to see how that this IS a portrait of the apostle’s own journey from being a Pharisee embroiled in the ways of the Jews, to being a True Christian “in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ<\/em>“. While the church DOES NOT see the reality of this sense of perfection<\/strong><\/em>, the reality of it IS spread across ALL of Judaeo-Christian scriptures as the goal for humanity both individually and corporately. Paul’s ‘prayerful’ instruction in Ephesians IS a call for ALL and his words ARE clear in saying this as “Till we all come in the unity of the faith<\/em>“. Again we must see this idea of pistis <\/em>as more than that nebulous faith <\/em>that IS the teaching of the church and carry the idea to Paul’s next thought which can be parsed to say “Till we all come in the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God<\/em>“. We should note here that other translations treat this idea of perfection <\/strong><\/em>in terms of maturity <\/em>but here, in this particular saying, the idea of charity<\/s> agape, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity<\/s> agape, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity<\/s> agape, it profiteth me nothing. Charity<\/s> Agape suffereth long, and is kind; charity<\/s> agape envieth not; charity<\/s> agape vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity<\/s> Agape never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity<\/em>” (1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:1-13).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nlove<\/s> agape<\/em>” (1 John 4:8, 16). Paul shows us this dichotomy as he tells us to “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed<\/em>” (Romans 12:2) and while this saying IS NOT generally seen in this context, Paul IS separating for us our conformance <\/em>to the ways of the world <\/em>from the KNOWING reality of the Transformed<\/em><\/strong>. We should also see this dichotomy in the apostle’s words saying that “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<\/em>” (Romans 8:5-7). If we can see that on the one side, being “spiritually minded<\/em>“, resides the reality of agape <\/em>and that the other side, being “carnally minded<\/em>“, IS ALL else, we can than begin to understand the message of the New Testament. ALL Truth IS “rooted and grounded in love<\/s> agape<\/em>” which IS the result of the reality “That Christ….dwell in your hearts by faith<\/em>” (Ephesians 3:17) and here we should understand that pistis<\/em>, which IS rendered here as faith<\/em>, IS the reality of KNOWING that the Christ DOES “dwell in your hearts<\/em>“; and this based in the Master’s words from the third part of our trifecta <\/em><\/strong>which we repeat saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\nlove<\/s> agape<\/em>“. We should try to see and to understand that agape <\/em>and Truth ARE synonymous ideas when viewed spiritually and that KNOWING the Truth IS KNOWING agape <\/em>and that both of these ARE foundational ideas in KNOWING God. Jesus shows us the idea of KNOWING the Truth in the first part of our trifecta <\/em><\/strong>above, that this IS the privilege of those who “continue in my word<\/em>“. The Apostle John amplifies this for us saying that “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him<\/em>” (1 John 2:4) and in this IS another view of the falsity of the doctrinal teachings of the church which relies ONLY on their interpretations of Paul’s epistles and NOT the whole body of the New Testament. And even Paul’s words ARE ignored if they DO NOT fit into the doctrinal mold that was created in the early church. It IS Paul who tells us of perfection<\/em><\/strong> and who relates this perfection <\/strong><\/em>to agape <\/em>and it IS Paul that tells us “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ<\/em>” (Ephesians 4:13-15). Can we see the point here? Can we see the reality of the “perfect man<\/em>“, how that such IS the fulfillment of “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ<\/em>” through “knowledge of the Son of God<\/em>” and NOT as “children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine<\/em>“. It IS this reality of the “perfect man<\/em>” that we should see in our selection as the apostle tells us that “when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away<\/em>“. With this we should also see how that Paul uses again the idea of children <\/em>adding “when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things<\/em>“; it IS this that should define for us our perfection<\/em><\/strong>, the perfection <\/em><\/strong>of one who IS NO longer “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine<\/em>“. We should NOT see Paul’s reference to being a child <\/em>strictly in terms of age but rather in terms of spiritual maturity<\/em>. At the same time we should NOT equate spiritual maturity <\/em>to the doctrinal teachings of any denomination or sect but rather see the idea of accepting the reality of the Master’s words and the amplifying and clarifying words of His apostles as our True spiritual maturity<\/em>. Here our guideline should include Jesus’ words saying “in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men<\/em>” (Matthew 15:9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n