Monthly Archives: February 2012

• Those who follow the Master and keep His words will realize their eternal Life as a Soul.
• Because “God is Love” (1 John 4:8), it is a natural understanding also that “God so loved the world“.
• That the Master truly is the “only begotten Son“; not because He is the only Son but because He is the only Son that is begotten in this world as an incarnation of the full potency of a Son of God from birth. All other Sons, us and all before and after us, must develop into Sons of God in form.
• We again came upon the idea that we were able to dismiss in the first verse regarding perish and have concluded that the best understanding we can have here and now is that the reference is to losing an opportunity to progress spiritually if we do not “believeth in him“, that is of course to say follow Him and keep His words.
• Finally we came to the point of judgment, that He did not come to judge the world “but that the world through him might be saved” and we have substituted for the ambiguity of the word saved the words rescued, delivered and healed³. We here noted the important points that we should carry through in most all of the appearances of this word saved saying that: this is, as men in form, we are rescued from the world of illusion and glamour by the Christ Within; delivered from the clutches of the attractions of the flesh; and healed of the separation of the personality consciousness from the Soul, the Christ Within, the True Self. Of course we will build upon this idea as we come across this word in future posts. On the idea of judgement we need to understand that it is each man’s own Soul, His Christ Within, that judges the personality Life of each of us and relates the proceeds of each Life to the benefit or the detriment of the Soul’s progress toward an incarnated Life in which the Soul’s potency can be expressed.

In the next verse of this saying, which appears below in the Quote of the Day section, we get the effect of the perception that these verses are from the mind of the Apostle John. As Vincent explains, this is the same word usage that is generally used by John in both his gospel and in his epistles⁴ (ON GOD part XX). Assuming as we do that these are John’s words we can look at them from that perspective which carries forth the same understanding of the words condemned being understood as judged, believeth on understood as to follow Him and keep His words and to this we now add a new twist in the word that is rendered as name. The lexicon tells us that the Greek word onoma means: name: univ. of proper names; the name is used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one’s rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc.; persons reckoned up by name; the cause or reason named: on this account, because he suffers as a Christian, for this reason². Remember that the lexicon generally defines words according to the Christian doctrine and understanding, we should look here at the second defining idea regarding everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name² as this understanding is much more realistic than thinking that John is referring to the name Jesus. It is commonly perceived that this is Jesus speaking of Himself and referring to His name as Jesus and again, this is a source for much of the separatist mentality of the Christian churches. Strong’s tells us of onoma, in much simpler terms, that it means name; title; reputation³. Webster’s tells us that name is defined as The title by which any person or thing is known or designated; a distinctive specific appellation, whether of an individual or a class; A descriptive or qualifying appellation given to a person or thing, on account of a character or acts; Reputed character; reputation, good or bad; estimation; fame; especially, illustrious character or fame; honorable estimation; distinction; Those of a certain name; a race; a family; A person, an individual. [Poetic]¹.

We should see here that the Greek word can refer to what is thought of when hearing a name and in a word this is called as reputation by Strong’s; we should also see that the Webster’s definition of name also includes same idea. With all of this is seems apparent that the idea of reputation can, especially in this case, be used in understanding this verse in a way that does not promote a separatist attitude and this is likely the way it should be as we believe that the Master had no views such as these. Vincent tells us on this idea of onoma, as it is used by John in another place, that: Expressing the sum of the qualities which mark the nature or character of a person. To believe in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, is to accept as true the revelation contained in that title⁴.

Now all this for us should be enough to understand the intent of the writings from a perspective that is well grounded in our research and this is that: if one does follow the Master and keep His words, he is not judged, but one who does not is already judged because he does not follow Him and keep His words as the incarnation of the Love of God. We see here no thoughts on who it is that judges and here we can place our understanding from above in this regard to the effect that one who knows the nature of the Christ, by knowing, should follow Him and that in not doing so one is choosing to remain in the world; that is, to not be saved as we have outlined this above. This saying can refer equally to the Christ and the Christ within which is ever present and prompting for the Good, the Beautiful and the True in any life regardless of religion or beliefs. We will continue with our interpretation in the next post.

Here today we follow up upon the understanding from yesterday regarding judgment and will try to expand this into a realization of the potential effectiveness of His words in today’s society. The idea of judge is, as we have seen, very broad and, as the same time, the intent of the Master in our subject verses is very clear in that in the verses from Matthew and Luke there is direct reference to our interrelationships with others and, in the sayings from John, He is speaking of much the same thing although on the higher level of perceiving things first as He does and second as the Soul, the source of righteousness in one’s carnal Life. Let us repeat these here for clarity:

• “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).
• “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again“. (Matthew 7:1-2)
• “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).
• “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

In today’s fast paced world, especially in the more modern of societies, there is little understanding of “judge not” as it is commonly understood but little practiced and it is quite normal for this idea to get crushed in the everyday drum beat of decisions regarding nearly everything. We see a person and form an opinion about them; we see a group and we do the same. We hear or we read about a thing or a person or group or even a nation and we change or form opinions regarding them and what they do and how they should be treated. Everyone has a stake in the doings of the whole but for each their opinions are mostly based on the outer needs and desires of the lower personality conscious Self. As men in form we have developed and continue to develop so many prejudices for or against so many things and much of this is based on little real knowledge but rather on the opinions or sparse facts taken form our family, friends, church or political party. There are also prejudices that may have come from childhood, from past experience, from education or from ancient national or racial ideas that are ever so hard to break. Each of these opinions and each of these prejudices is a judgment against or for a person, group or thing and each is contrary to the message of the Master in His Sermon on the Mount. This is however a different world than it was when He was with us over 2000 years ago and the simplicity of Life is gone and so we go on from day to day making judgments about all that comes our way. Realize here that the Master made an allowance for us in this matter in the synoptic gospels in telling us first to “judge not“and then to tell us that when we do, that we shall be judged alike and the reality in this is that what we are doing in this area regarding others, they are doing regarding us.  We are being judged by the same prejudices that we use to form our opinions of others. We should see here some corporate responsibility and understanding for all in this interaction with others and we should know that if we stop doing this judging and carrying these prejudices that there is not an automatic stop of this toward us. However, we should also realize that the one that stops has likely seen the Light and now understands the reality of it all and the nature of his brother’s behavior is seen as it is and as it was in himself. This is a great and a difficult step.

In John’s Gospel we have the last part here above working out in our lives. We realize the error and we feel the Light of the Soul and the Love and the Wisdom that pour forth from the Christ Within and we now react to the Master’s words in a different way. We still have to live in the world and we likely will still make judgments regarding those things that come our way but we will now do it in line with His saying and our judgment will be “righteous judgment“. From the Master’s other saying above from John’s Gospel we see the reality of “righteous judgment“, that is is found in “the will of the Father” and so, between these two, we have the right understanding of judgment as it comes from above and not from the lower personality with its array of selfish and self serving attitudes. There is another word that can help us here; not only to understand the ideas behind the Master’s words but also to help us in our effort to practice this as part of that Love that we must show to all our brothers, a Love that is free from any prejudices and free from any thoughts that make one’s brother to be lower that himself…….HARMLESSNESS.

Harmlessness is not to be seen as a form of weakness or of inability but it should be seen as a form of strength that gives the one who expresses it a Quality that we find in the Master and this is the Quality of being MEEK. The word meek appears three times in our King James Version and is rendered as gentle in other versions. These are our gospel references for this:

• “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
• “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
• “Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold , thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass” (Matthew 21:5).

The first two here are from the Master’s lips and the last is the reminding by Matthew of the saying of the prophet. We should be able to see in this the idea of gentle but this is not all that it means. Like harmlessness, we need to take this word to a positive place based on the idea that gentleness alone will not give one the inheritance cited above and gentleness alone is not how the Master would describe himself at the same time as He is going about challenging the rulers of the land. Early on in our posts we offered a definition of meek while discussing the Beatitudes; we said then that: Meek is for our purpose here defined as Positive Harmlessness. A quality by which we know that we are capable of doing and saying and believing whatever we want to but as we strive toward the Kingdom we think and know better than to follow the ways of the world; we attend to the ways of the Spirit. We can say things that offend but we do not. We can put things in motion that hurt others but we do not. We can believe we are better or more able that the next person but we do not. We live our lives in accordance with the Word and we resist passions and desires; we resist anger and hate and we resist lusts and greed. This is being meek. Let us go forward here using this same idea as both meek and harmless as we try to expand upon our ideas.

Our definition above precludes weakness and inability and it precludes also fear as we are saying that we are fully able to do a certain thing or to think in a certain way but we do not because we know to do better and this knowing we get from the Soul, the Christ Within and this is what the Master tells us is “righteous judgment“. We have at times given here in our posts quotations from the Tibetan who we describe as a Disciple of the Christ who has made it to that spiritual place wherein he has become a teacher and who is called by some a master. These are some of the Tibetan’s words on harmlessness which we can also ascribe to the word meek in the sense that we need to understand it; he says:

We should understand by the term Hierarchy that assembly of Souls that are headed by the Christ and constitute His real church and as men that are diligently working behind the scenes toward the success of the Plan of God on Earth. We should see in this saying the strength of the real idea of meek and of harmlessness and that this is the way to conform oneself to the words of the Master regarding judgment. Let us add here in closing one more quotation from the Tibetan regarding harmlessness and hope that we can all understand the relationship between this idea and the overall commandments of the Master regarding Love. He says:

We add one more quote here because of its relevance and its beauty:

We will continue with our thoughts ON GOD in the next post.

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.

Our thoughts on the Quote of the Day are above in the main section; we will continue with these thoughts in the next post.

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest , that they are wrought in God (John 3:15-21).

Today’s Quote of the Day contains several points that we have covered in our essays and contains some of the more difficult sayings of the Master as regards our perspective on spiritual Life. John 3:16 is much spoken of in the Christian Church and upon it much of church doctrines are established and built. Over the next several days we will continue to post this as our Quote and we will take in parts daily as to try to ascertain the Truth of the Master’s teaching. We should remember that this is spoken to Nicodemus as part of the Masters dissertation on being born again.

• ¹ Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913
• ² New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
• ³ Strongest Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible – 2001
• ⁴ Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
• ** A Treatise on White Magic or The Way of the Disciple by Alice Bailey ©1951 by Lucis trust
• *** A Treatise on the Seven Rays, Vol IV; Esoteric Healing by Alice Bailey ©1953 by Lucis trust