\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<\/em><\/p>\n\n\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). <\/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<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We ended the last essay with some thoughts on Repentance <\/strong><\/em>after completing our discussion of the Apostle Paul’s list of “the works of the flesh”<\/em>; in previous essays we discussed Paul’s list of “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>“. It IS our Repentance <\/strong><\/em>and subsequent Transformation <\/em><\/strong>that moves us from living as carnal men exercising the “the works of the flesh”<\/em> rightly understood to living as spiritual men expressing <\/strong><\/em>“the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>“. It IS important to remember that the Greek words that Paul uses have been manipulated by the doctrines of men to mean what such men wanted them to mean and it IS such meanings that generally point ONLY to the gross behaviors of men. This has been the subject of our recent essays as we have looked rather deeply at the words that comprise both “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” and “the works of the flesh”<\/em>. It IS the deeper and more spiritual ideas behind the words that allow us to understand our own individual thoughts, attitudes and actions as we evaluate our progress in moving from the carnal to the spiritual, a progress that IS established as we begin to Repent <\/em><\/strong>and IS finished through our Transformation <\/strong><\/em>into “the glorious liberty of the children of God<\/em>” (Romans 8:21). Repeating Paul’s words on both “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” and “the works of the flesh”<\/em> we read:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For 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. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, 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. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit<\/em>“<\/p>\nGalatians 5:16:25<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Paul begins with the idea that we should “Walk in the Spirit<\/em>” and we should understand that the ability to DO this IS dependent upon our Repentance<\/strong><\/em>; dependent on our change of focus <\/em>from the things of the self to the things of God. It IS this change in the focus <\/em>of our lives that IS defined for us by Vincent’s defining ideas on Repentance<\/strong><\/em>. Mr. Vincent tells us that: Repentance, then, has been rightly defined as “Such a virtuous alteration of the mind and purpose as begets a like virtuous change in the life and practice<\/strong><\/em>4<\/sup>. This IS what we mean by our change in the focus <\/em>of our lives. Paul tells us that IS it when we can “Walk in the Spirit<\/em>” that we “shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh<\/em>” and we should understand here that such fulfillment of our desires <\/em>IS the natural action of men in this world. We should understand that the ideas here ARE NOT evilly <\/em>oriented as doctrines interpret “the works of the flesh”<\/em> and here we use the idea of evil <\/em>as it IS commonly understood. Most references to evil <\/em>and to the idea of sin <\/em>ARE NOT as doctrinally depicted; they ARE rather the mundane carnal activities’ of men according to the ideas presented in our discussion of “the works of the flesh”<\/em>. Most ALL of our carnal activities ARE sin <\/em>and ARE evil <\/em>when we realize the spiritual Truth that our lives ARE enmeshed in matters of self which ARE contrary to the “the\u00a0will\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0Father\u00a0which is\u00a0in\u00a0heaven<\/em>” (Matthew 7:21) as the Master frames this for us. The whole idea that we should “Walk in the Spirit<\/em>” requires our Repentance <\/strong><\/em>as the idea of such a walk <\/em>should be understood as our: habitual conduct<\/em>. This Vincent shows us saying: Walk [\u03c0\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5\u03b9\u03c4\u03b5]. Frequent in a metaphorical sense for habitual conduct<\/em> and never by Paul in the literal sense<\/em>4<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul tells us of “the works of the flesh”<\/em> that “they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God<\/em>” and here we should remember that the word ideas most often represent the normal carnal activities of men. From the idea of fornication <\/em>to the idea that IS rendered as sedition<\/em>, the ideas ARE NOT as depicted in the doctrines of men but rather represent the carnal thoughts and ideas of men in this world. This IS understandably a difficult idea to embrace but it DOES remain a Truth; fornication <\/em>IS NOT ONLY the sexual encounter one may have, it IS also our looking away from the Lord to whom we ARE eternally bound and focusing <\/em>on the self and the things of the self instead. Similarly the essence of the idea of sedition <\/em>IS NOT ONLY our activities against the established rule in religion or politics; it IS, from a spiritual perspective, our disunion <\/em>and our divisions <\/em>as we each stake out our chosen positions without regard to the One Truth. Here we should see that the Truth IS God’s words and that men ofttimes choose another path which IS then disrupted by yet another. So then, they that DO cause disunion <\/em>and division<\/em>, despite their motivation, ARE embracing “the works of the flesh”<\/em> and those that follow them into disunion <\/em>and division <\/em>ARE similarly committing the same offense. Similarly ALL who place the carnal and the mundane above the words of the Lord, above honoring His precepts ARE those that ARE fornicating <\/em>and we should understand that this covers ALL men including those that believe that they ARE saved <\/em>by their doctrinal allegiances. It IS to our understanding of this that we read again 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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them*, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity<\/em>” (Matthew 7:21-23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Master’s words here we should clearly see that the Way to the Kingdom IS through keeping His words<\/em> and the framing of this to say “he that doeth the will of my Father<\/em>” can be seen as a way to invite ALL men in and out of Christianity. And such IS the reality of “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>“: those that have this fruit <\/em>will express <\/strong><\/em>it and it IS in one’s expression <\/em><\/strong>of “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” that we ARE DOING “the will of my Father which is in heaven<\/em>“. Many focus <\/em>upon the ideas of “the works of the flesh”<\/em> according to their carnal understanding of the words that Paul uses and the varying translations of his words but this IS NOT the way that these ideas should be seen. As we have discussed most ALL of the words that lend to sexual ideas ARE understood that way doctrinally while the deeper ideas of those same words IS missed. It IS these deeper ideas that lead us to the reality that “the works of the flesh”<\/em> ARE NOT ONLY the gross behaviors of men. The words ARE the reality of sin <\/em>and of evil <\/em>rightly understood as ALL that IS contrary to “the will of my Father which is in heaven<\/em>“. Similarly the ideas embodied in Paul’s list of “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” ARE understood ONLY according to the carnal translations and interpretations that have been established by the church and there IS NO more egregious error that that which IS placed upon the highest human ideal which IS agape<\/em>. The clarification of this idea that the “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” IS indeed comprised of spiritual values communicated to the personality by the Soul, the Christ Within, comes from Paul’s words that follow, words that ARE entirely ignored by most ALL of the church. The apostle tells us “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts<\/em>“. Here we should see that it IS ONLY those the keep His words<\/em> or by measure strive <\/em>to DO so that can consider themselves as Christ’s but this has NOT stopped the doctrinal thinker from making that claim without Truly striving <\/em>toward that goal. Perhaps the problem IS again the interpretation of the words that Paul uses to express his spiritual ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The idea of lust <\/em>has been discussed in our blogposts from the beginning; the Greek word IS epithymia <\/em>which IS defined by the lexicon as: desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust<\/em>1<\/sup> but the ONLY doctrinal ideas that come from this ARE desire for what is forbidden, lust<\/em>. The ideas of desire<\/em>, craving <\/em>and longing <\/em>ARE NOT used in terms of lust <\/em>as this word has been given specific definitions by much of the church. These specific definitions have trickled down into the common understanding of the word which our dictionary defines as: intense sexual desire or appetite; uncontrolled or illicit sexual desire or appetite; lecherousness<\/em>*. Strong’s defines epithymia <\/em>saying it IS: a longing (especially for what is forbidden):\u2014concupiscence, desire, lust (after)<\/em>9a<\/sup> but the understanding of the word has been without the idea of especially for<\/em> as the word IS seen ONLY in terms of the forbidden<\/em>. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines lust <\/em>in much the same way; while including some of the ideas of desire <\/em>they also focus <\/em>upon the sexual. They tell us that lust <\/em>IS: Longing desire; eagerness to possess or enjoy; as the lust of gain; Concupiscence; carnal appetite; unlawful desire of carnal pleasure. Romans 1. 2Peter 2; Evil propensity; depraved affections and desires. James 1. Ps. 81<\/em>1<\/sup>. The inclusion of bible references in Webster’s 1828 Dictionary IS a common practice and, of course such references ARE based upon the author’s own doctrinal ideas. Webster’s cites James in his definition of Evil propensity; depraved affections and desires<\/em> but IS this the real idea behind James’ words? James IS telling us of sin <\/em>saying “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death<\/em>” (James 1:14-15) and it IS the very misconception of sin <\/em>that brings them to their conclusion of depravity<\/em>. So long as men see sin <\/em>and evil <\/em>as ONLY the grossest of human behaviors, the ideas of desire <\/em>and lust<\/em> will be lost to them. It IS our desires <\/em>that tempt <\/em>us to DO ALL sorts of things and so many things DO draw men away from the True pursuit of the things of God; this IS the apostle’s subject. The whole idea of death <\/em>as James presents it here IS in regard to our spiritual death <\/em>or, better, the death <\/em>of our spiritual goals. To follow in the Path of sin <\/em>IS to remain “conformed to this world<\/em>” (Romans 12:2) to remain in the vanity <\/em>to which ALL ARE subjected <\/em>(Romans 8:20) by their birth into this world. Our point here IS to show the depth of misconception regarding the simplest of words; words like desire <\/em>and lust <\/em>and words like sin <\/em>and evil<\/em>. The world has been made to see these ideas through the doctrinal ideas of men of which the Master tells us “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men<\/em>” (Mark 7:7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contrary to Paul’s words on the “the works of the flesh”<\/em>, that those the live by these “shall not inherit the kingdom of God<\/em>“, ARE his words that follow his list of “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>“. It IS in our expression <\/strong><\/em>of “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” that we ARE able to “inherit the kingdom of God<\/em>“. Paul tells us that to “inherit the kingdom of God<\/em>“, to be Christ’s as He frames this, one must “have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts<\/em>“. We should understand here that this IS DONE by our expression<\/strong><\/em> of “the fruit of the Spirit<\/em>” as our innate spiritual impulses overwhelm our carnal nature. Peter shows us a similar idea saying “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 1:4). If we can see that these “exceeding great and precious promises<\/em>” ARE our innate spiritual impulses emanating from our Souls, our Christ Within, we can then see the Path to becoming “partakers of the divine nature<\/em>” which IS to “inherit the kingdom of God<\/em>“. Paul ends his words here with an admonition saying “if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit<\/em>” and here again we seem to have somewhat of a language problem. These ARE NOT separable, living <\/em>“in the Spirit<\/em>” and walking <\/em>“in the Spirit<\/em>” ARE essentially the same thing and while we ARE unclear as to why Paul’s words ARE phrased this way, we can likely assume that he IS writing to some who proclaim that they DO “live in the Spirit<\/em>” without DOING the corresponding “walk in the Spirit<\/em>“.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Apostles’ words regarding the idea of lust <\/em>have been long lost; they have been misplaced for centuries as men have ever sought to protect their ability to live as men. The idea has been attributed most ONLY to desire for what is forbidden<\/em> as the lexicon shows us above and as Strong’s emphasizes saying that epithymia <\/em>IS desire especially for what is forbidden<\/em>. We should understand here that this idea of forbidden <\/em>IS also regarded most always in terms of the sexual behaviors of men and NOT in the more general idea of ‘strong<\/em>‘ desires. The proper idea IS provided us by the apostles through such sayings that tell us that in order to become “partakers of the divine nature<\/em>” we must have escaped <\/em>from “the corruption that is in the world through lust<\/em>“. Surely “the corruption that is in the world<\/em>” IS NOT centered around sexual matters, such corruption <\/em>has its heart in the totality of men’s selfish nature which DOES ever go against the reality of the Great Commandments of the Lord. There IS a strong link between our lusts<\/em>, our strong desires <\/em>for the things of the self, sexual desires <\/em>included, and idolatry <\/em>as listed by Paul among “the works of the flesh”<\/em>, an idolatry <\/em>that puts such things that we strongly desire <\/em>at the forefront of our consciousness. Two things we should remember here: first Paul tells us elsewhere that we must “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry<\/em>” (Colossians 3:5). In these words we should see the same idea as above where the apostle tells us that to be Christ’s one must have “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts<\/em>“. Can we see here the relationships between covetousness <\/em>and idolatry <\/em>and our strong desires <\/em>or lusts<\/em>? Secondly we go to the Master who tells us clearly that “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also<\/em>” (Matthew 6:21); these words sum up Paul’s ideas under that banner of treasure<\/em>. This treasure <\/em>IS NOT only worldly riches but whatsoever has become the object of our idolatry<\/em>, whatsoever we lust <\/em>after and whatsoever we covet<\/em>; these ARE the links to epithymia <\/em>that should be seen through the message of the gospels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally we go to James words on lust<\/em>. James IS the most blunt New Testament writer whose words ofttimes carry the conviction that men need in order to see their True plight. While this IS so, most seem to ignore his words and this likely because of the way that the apostle’s words DO cut to the heart of our spiritual status in this world. James reflects strongly on the way that men may believe that they ARE spiritual, that they DO “Walk in the Spirit<\/em>” when the reality for most IS that they ARE yet living in their vanity<\/em>. Paul also reflects on this idea saying of himself that “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<\/em>” (Romans 7:14-15). What Paul IS showing us IS the struggle of everyman who IS striving <\/em>to crucify <\/em>“the flesh with the affections and lusts<\/em>“; to be sure, Paul’s problem IS NOT a sexual one. James tells us two things of importance regarding our desires <\/em>and our lusts<\/em>; first he shows us the way that our desires <\/em>lead us according to our emotional state saying: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him….but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death<\/em>” (James 1:12, 14-15). Later in his epistle James shows us the futility of our desires <\/em>for worldly things be they riches, status or any other human attraction. The apostle tells us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God<\/em>“<\/p>\nJames 1:1-4<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n While James includes in his words the idea polemos <\/em>which IS rendered as wars<\/em>, wars <\/em>IS NOT his primary idea; Thayer’s confirms this by telling us that the idea of polemos <\/em>in this verse IS: a dispute, strife, quarrel<\/em>9<\/sup> and NOT warfare <\/em>as this IS generally understood. And while the causes of actual warfare <\/em>can be seen in the idea of “lusts that war in your members<\/em>“, the message to the reader IS more in regard to one’s interpersonal relationships as an individual in this world. John Gill has an interesting take on James’ idea saying that such wars: are to be understood, not of public and national wars, such as might be between the Jews and other nations at this time<\/em>8<\/sup> as he offers us several reasons for his view. He then goes into a rant on the ways of men in a rather odd way saying the idea IS: lawsuits, commenced before Heathen magistrates, by the rich, to the oppression of the poor; see ( James 2:6 ) though it seems best of all to interpret them of those stirs and bustlings, strifes, contentions, and quarrels, about honours and riches; endeavouring to get them by unlawful methods, at least at the expense of their own peace, and that of others<\/em>8<\/sup>. Indeed there may be instances of this in the world but this IS NOT James’ general ideas as he speaks to the idea of “wars and fightings among you<\/em>“; James’ point IS more to the idea of the causation of strife <\/em>being the desires <\/em>which drive men whose focus <\/em>IS on the self and the things of the self in this world. Mr. Gill DOES get to this against the next part of the apostle’s words as he tells us the hence <\/em>saying that the cause IS: pride, envy, covetousness, ambition which, like so many soldiers, are stationed and quartered in the members of the body, and war against the soul<\/em>8<\/sup>. Others render James’ ideas without reference to wars <\/em>which idea can mislead the readers forming of their own ideas regarding the apostle’s message. The gist of James’ message here IS simply that it IS our \n
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