LIVING IN THE LIGHT (continued)
Moving on today, let us try to get a greater understanding of the title ‘Living in the Light’ which may seem to have little to do with the subject matter that we have been addressing. We should understand first that all things spiritual are connected one to another and in totality to the Christ and to the Father and we are speaking here of things spiritual as they affect our daily lives. The Oneness of the Father and the Son should be clear and it needs to be understood that they are, both of them, Universal in their effect on humanity. Further testimony on the unity of the Father and the Son comes in Jesus’ words on this “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30) which is a straightforward statement of fact.
Now the effect of Christ on the world is, in part, to bring Light and this is the testimony of the gospels. There is the prophet who says of the baby Jesus “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:32). John, speaking of Christ Jesus, tell us that “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4) and this right after showing how the Father and the Son are one. John also tells us, speaking of Jesus the Christ “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9). And Jesus tells us Himself that He is the Light when He says to us “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12 and 9:5). We should not forget of course that He also calls us, as His disciples, the light of the world (see Matthew 5:14).
So living in the Light is to live in the teachings of the Master who brought us that light that we not be in darkness and also that we spread that Light throughout the world. To bring light is to bring the life of Jesus to life in the hearts and minds of men. It is not to bring the doctrines and the dogma and the ritual and the religion of our group. It is all of this which Jesus railed against when He was with us. One may say that He was against the Jewish doctrines and dogma and ritual and religion but how many can truely say that today we are not doing much the same type of things? Only we do them in Jesus name. The Jews did what they did in the name of God as they saw and understood Him and the Light that Jesus brought was intended to change their thinking to the new and better dispensation of Love.
We should know that we have the Light of Love in the teachings of the Master; there is not doctrine nor dogma nor ritual nor religion in anything that He gave to us save that we remember Him in breaking bread as stated in the Gospel of Luke and by Paul. Where then do all the doctrines come from? and the rituals? and the dogma? and the religion? if they are not from the words of the Master? And why do the churches differ and disparage each other over these things that the Master did not teach us? He taught us Love and Peace and Tolerance and Forgiveness and Righteousness and Faith so it would seem that any denomination or sect that possesses these is doing His work; albeit each in its own way.
I need to say here, so that you can understand my perspective on the interrelationships of the different approaches to Christ, that I was set about on this subject after listening to a sermon by a well know and respected minister. In listening and reading over the years I have always seen the differences and even the animosity between some groups of Christians but this day brought me to a new realization of how wrong it is. On this day, in addition to telling his listeners that many preachers ‘lie’ from the pulpit in that their doctrines are that much wrong, he also equated a Catholic praying his rosary to one praying in vain repetitions. Though the word Catholic was never uses the words conveyed this image clearly and his point was that they are wasting their prayer time because God won’t hear them. This he said in his message on this day and to a rather large congregation plus internet and available video and audio and perhaps even TV. What message is he sending except one on disparagement of Catholics and of any preacher that he disagrees with? His own message is good and should stand on its own merit; why go about defaming others.
Paul, in his epistle to the Corinthians, talks about the tendency then for believers to separate themselves into groups according to whose teaching they heard or believed or who attracted them. We read his disapproval of this in: “For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren….that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:11-13) He poses the questions here and then after much speaking on other matters he comes back to answer them: “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted , Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11-13).
What Paul is saying to these people regarding their contentions and attitudes he would most surely be saying to us today and for the past several hundred years. Are Paul and Apollos and Cephas any different than Protestant and Lutheran and Catholic or any of the the other myriad parts of the great Christian whole? So, Living in the Light, we should be able to put aside our petty differences and, realizing what the Christ says, we should hold our criticism, stop teaching our young people this prejudice and go forth in harmony holding our criticisms except to where there is real potential for harm. And what did Jesus say on this? Simply, “by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20).
No one church has the keys to the Kingdom for the Kingdom is here now and the Kingdom is within us. We find our own way through right living, through following in the words of Jesus and by striving to enter always. And the churches should, in unity of some fashion, serve to bring many people to know and follow the Christ, and not the dogma of any church, and to pave the way for His coming in harmony and love and peace. We may be all very surprised to see when He does return who He will return to as the focal point of His Love.
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them (Matthew 7:12). Thought it good to leave this as Today’s quote of the day as well. It does fall well into the theme we have undertaken as well as all of life. If this simple and golden rule were followed there would be no war, no strife, no starvation….just the Peace of God and the Harmony of His Love.
