{"id":7017,"date":"2013-06-10T20:25:27","date_gmt":"2013-06-11T00:25:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newagedevelopments.org\/blog\/?p=7017"},"modified":"2013-06-10T20:33:22","modified_gmt":"2013-06-11T00:33:22","slug":"in-the-words-of-jesus-part-701","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newagedevelopments.org\/blog\/2013\/06\/10\/in-the-words-of-jesus-part-701\/","title":{"rendered":"IN THE WORDS OF JESUS\u2013Part 701"},"content":{"rendered":"

Love is the Fulfilling of the Law<\/span><\/h2>\n

ON LOVE; PART\u00a0CCXC<\/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

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

Of all that the Master told us, He considered this as the Greatest of Commandments. So much of what we are to understand as aspirants or as believers is found in the precept that we must KEEP HIS WORDS:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAnd 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>\u201d (Mark 12:30-31).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We ask ourselves WHAT THEN IS LOVE?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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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.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We add to this THE EVER IMPORTANT AND HIGH IDEAL TAUGHT TO US BY THE CHRIST which can serve to both give us an understanding of what it means to Love oneself and how it is that we can Love our neighbor:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cTherefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them\u201c\u00a0(Matthew 7:12).<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We looked again at the concept of predestination<\/strong><\/em> as we understand it and compared it to some of the many views on this subject from the doctrines of some of the denominations that see this as an\u00a0individual\u00a0concern as expounded by John Calvin who simply states that \u00a0All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.\u00a0\u2021\u2021<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>This\u00a0understanding\u00a0is a part of the core beliefs of some and was also a part of Martin Luther’s teaching as he says that: \u00a0All things whatever arise from, and depend on, the divine appointment; whereby it was foreordained who should receive the word of life, and who should disbelieve it; who should be delivered from their sins, and who should be hardened in them; and who should be justified and who should be condemned<\/em>. These words from Luther come from his commentary on the Apostle Paul’s\u00a0Epistle\u00a0to the Romans, from that same Chapter Eight that we discuss so often and, while Luther puts the apostle’s words into this context, we see this in a totally\u00a0different\u00a0way as we relate it to those words that the apostle gives us on the nature of Life in this Earth and our deliverance from it. For us this IS predestination<\/strong><\/em> as it effects the totality of Life on this Earth and there IS NO individual context for this except, as we have discussed, the\u00a0ability\u00a0of the Soul who has accomplished some degree of discipleship in a prior incarnation to take part in a planned incarnation that has at its heart some goal, some accomplishment by the man. We have posited that this IS the way that this worked out over 2000 years ago as the Master came among us with His apostles and his disciples and those others that were necessary to the\u00a0fulfillment\u00a0of His mission against the odds presented by the free-will of man. Of course, this IS how we see this and for us this also makes sense from a carnal perspective and we should add here that the apostle with the greatest responsibility in this from the perspective of the Soul is the Apostle Judas who had a most difficult thing to accomplish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course doctrine does not agree but at the same time there is little agreement in doctrine among the denominations as regards this concept of predestination<\/strong><\/em> and here Vincent helps us to understand the nature of the debate as he tells us in a footnote to the words of Meyer:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  • Meyer’s words as quoted by Vincent say:\u00a0\u201cIt is God’s being aware in His plan, by means of which, before the subjects are destined by Him to salvation, He knows whom He has to destine thereto\u201d (Meyer).<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Vincent’s footnote regading Meyer’s words tells us: This is a simple, common-sense meaning. The attempt to attach to it the\u00a0sense\u00a0of preelection, to make it include the divine decree, has grown out of dogmatic\u00a0considerations\u00a0in the interest of rigid predestinarianism. The scope of this work does not admit a discussion of the\u00a0infinitesimal\u00a0hair-splitting which has been applied to the passage, and which is as\u00a0profitless\u00a0as it is unsatisfactory.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Vincent, while offering better understanding of the translation\u00a0of the Greek words in this chapter, does not offer any commentary regarding the meaning of our verses that we interpret as an\u00a0encapsulation\u00a0of the plight of the incarnating Soul and the ‘promise’<\/em><\/strong> of his deliverance<\/em> from this Life in form. Repeating this again we read:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.\u00a0<\/em>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 8:20-23).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    <\/em>In doctrine this idea of being “made subject to vanity<\/em>” is generally attributed to the ‘fall of man<\/em>‘ as this concept is made a part of Christian beliefs while we\u00a0attribute\u00a0this clearly to the Plan of God which has for its purpose that deliverance<\/em> from “from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God<\/em>“. And, it has for its\u00a0purpose\u00a0the “the redemption of our body<\/em>” for reasons largely unknown but for which we premise that it IS our solemn duty as the Souls of men, in itself a\u00a0position\u00a0of some status in the Kingdom of God, to lift this entire world and ALL its component parts another step toward their own realization of what we ARE. These mysteries are deep, very deep, and the answers, like our premise, are largely incomprehensible from our perspective as men in form and, at the same time, this IS ALL the motivation behind our steady progress toward True divinity and the instructions of the Master to do so. And, while is appears that we bemoan doctrine, we do understand that there is likely a need for it in the lives of the greater population that IS grounded in Life in the world so as to keep men’s interest until they can reach that point where they can see past the illusion<\/strong> and the glamour<\/strong> and hear the promptings of the Soul; we should note as well that it IS because of doctrine that even the secular world is filled with ideas and references to God. The unfortunate part here is the disagreement among denominations and sects which only serves to confuse and befuddle and which creates among them a bit of strife as each sees their own view as the right view; to this we should add that there is a degree of delusion<\/strong> on ALL sides as teachings are still largely based upon the teaching of the Church Fathers and the authors of the Reformation, two of which we cite above. Further to this is the near universal Christian interpretation of scripture that is responsible for the separative attitudes toward other religions as well as other denominations and sects; ALL based upon the way that the leaders are still taught to believe and which they still teach and evangelize. We closed our last post with a question:\u00a0<\/strong>The Master’s message is Love; is anyone Truly listening?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    This message is of course the purpose of this blog as we use the Words of Jesus<\/strong><\/em> and His apostles to show how that\u00a0Love is the Fulfilling of the Law<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>and to which we add our own special twist which IS the revelation<\/strong><\/em> that\u00a0GoodWill IS Love in Action<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>and that by acting in Love, in expressing GoodWill, we can come to that point where we can\u00a0Let the peace of God rule in our<\/strong><\/em> hearts!<\/strong>; a Peace that IS more than just amicable relations between men…..it IS that sense of ease and of KNOWING that we are Truly striving<\/em> toward that strait gate<\/em> that opens into His Kingdom and that we are becoming FREE from the cares of the world. Here in these words we have ALL of our titles and subtitles which state for us our purpose in these writings. And here again we can come to a discussion on personal predestination,<\/strong><\/em> that writing has always been in our view and this from rather early in Life, around the mid to late twenties. Without ever seeing a plan, there was always that idea in mind that writing was to be the way and this today we can understand as the prompting of the Soul which was answered in rather lackluster and intermittent fashion; perhaps because there was no one to help to show the way nor to explain the prompting in a way that could be readily understood. Unsatisfied by doctrine and\u00a0befuddled\u00a0by the confusion within the church, esoteric reading and participation became the better way and this led to Theosophy,\u00a0Rosicrucian Philosophy and to the Tibetan whose teaching seemed to encompass them ALL. After years of study came the realization<\/strong><\/em> that this too was not the way, not because of the teaching which IS solid and beneficial, but because it did not seem the right thing. From here came Christianity again and this time from a most personal perspective and as if driven by some force; the bible became the new and better field of study. After reading (or listening) to the New Testament over and over and day after day, the words of the Master and His apostles took on new<\/strong><\/em> Life and, away from doctrinal presentations, a firm understanding of the True message came which understanding became the basis for this blog nearly forty years after the first hint of awakening.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    This then is our understanding of predestination<\/strong><\/em> as seen from the perspective of the man in the world but it must be remembered that none of this would have happened without heeding the call of the Soul, even when there was no clarity that this is what was being responded to. And we ARE NOT alone, there are likely millions of men in the world today that are dissatisfied by the wranglings of doctrine in most all world religions and who are seeking a clearer and a better way but KNOW NOT where to look as the religions and the churches have taken<\/em> the positions of authority and note here that we use taken<\/em> in a very worldly way. This IS NOT unlike the gospel stories of the Pharisee and the Sadducee and the other religious rulers of the Jews who, as men in the world, took it upon themselves to take the higher seats and the power that came with them and, in their position of power, DID NOT do the work of the Lord except as it was interpreted by men and by doctrine. Here, if we follow the stories, there was a similar dissatisfaction among the Jews which resulted in the popularity of John the Baptist, ever a thorn in the way of the Pharisee, and the success of the Master and His message and we KNOW how the established religion treated Him. Around the world the Truth of the Spiritual Messages of the Master and the Avatars of the world’s religions have been diluted by doctrine and by those who have taken<\/em> authority according to their own doctrine and have built complex and rather unmovable religious rules based in the commandments of men, commandments that are not found in the original scriptures, at least not in the way that they are presented to the people.<\/span><\/p>\n

    And there is NO better example of this than our current topic of predestination<\/strong><\/em> as the religious scholars, beginning with Augustine and carrying forward to the Reformation and the words of Calvin and Luther that we review above and in the last essay. Here, the rather simple pronouncements of Paul are taken into doctrine that completely eradicates the word of the apostles regarding the Truth that “God is no respecter of persons<\/em>” (Acts 10:34) and paints a picture of a God who favors one man above another. While there are some who do follow in this concept of predestination<\/strong>, most denominations have moved on and this IS again the rub, that there are so many interpretations of the ONE teaching by the Master and little agreement can be reached by those who have entrenched themselves in their doctrines. And this phenomenon IS NOT restricted to Christianity as most ALL religions suffer similarly; the theories of rebirth and reincarnation in the Buddhist and the Hindu traditions are examples of this and while we do not understand these religions as we do the Christian traditions, we can say with\u00a0clarity that there IS NO transmigration of souls backward to the animal kingdom as IS believed by some, except of course for the human animal. The clearer point here is that in this world of men and competing religions and\u00a0philosophies\u00a0there is more emphasis put upon the doctrinal concepts than is put upon the actual teachings. Whether it IS the expression of Love for the\u00a0Christian\u00a0that will lead to ALL of the other precepts or the denial of the self and desire as preached by the Buddha, the doctrines of ALL tend to bypass the important for the more trivial and the easier to accomplish while spending inordinate amounts of energy debating over who IS right and again we have example of this in the gospels as the Master and His apostles tell us about the differing understanding of the Pharisee and the Sadducee and the apparent competitive nature of their followers.<\/span><\/p>\n

    And so here we are in this world of illusion<\/strong> and of glamour<\/strong> and we are trapped by these forces until we can recognize<\/strong><\/em> the prompting of our own Souls, our own God and Christ Within; in this prompting to the Good, the Beautiful and the True we have the opportunity to Repentance,<\/strong><\/em> to decide<\/strong><\/em> to change from the self-centered ways of the man in the world to the non-selective Love for ALL as taught by the Master. As we have discussed before, this choice<\/strong><\/em> IS the beginning of our long journey in this Life in the world, long not from the\u00a0perspective\u00a0of time but of accomplishment as once we can Truly sense the duality, the goal appears, and it appears afar off. This is a journey that may bring us to that place where we can again<\/em><\/strong> begin our Transformation<\/strong><\/em> and this is assuming that we have made some progress in a previous Life. This IS the Life of the aspirant who sees discipleship before him and yet so much of the world to work out.<\/span><\/p>\n

    While searching for a saying by the Tibetan regarding the need for the aspirant and the disciple to make progress in the place that he IS, we came across these pearls of Wisdom that we repeat as we close this essay; All are about discipleship and, as aspirants these are very important to us:<\/span><\/p>\n