IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 506

Love is the Fulfilling of the Law

ON LOVE; PART XCVIII

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GoodWill IS Love in Action

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While it was our intent to move on to other ideas through our list of words that we posted several posts back, we stayed on the ideas of illusion and glamour although from a different perspective from what we had been using. Going back again to the Apostle Paul’s words that tell us that mankind was put into this illusion and glamour, which the apostle calls vanity, by the Plan of God and with the expectation of the end result which is that ALL will be delivered from the fog and mist of the world and into our natural place which the apostle tells us is “the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). Now Paul’s words are written to the man, the disciple of the Christ, who lived and understood Life as a man of his era, more than 2000 years ago and they are written in such a way that ONLY a disciple or an aspirant could discern his ideas. Away from the doctrinal approaches that began with the Church Fathers many centuries back and are with us in much the same tenor yet today, there is a rational and a logical reality in most all of the apostle’s words as there is in the words of the the Master and in the writings of the other apostles as well. Most every word in the New Testament has been translated and interpreted and re-translated and reinterpreted according to the needs of the particular sects and denomination doing the work and there are countless commentaries on virtually every verse and phrase used by all. We say this because what we have to say in this blog is contrary to so much that is written and believed in the doctrines of the churches as we have a different approach to the reality of what the Master and His disciples have said; we are discerning it as we see it and read it, we are discerning it as we KNOW it.

This being said and recognizing that we speak much about these words from the apostle regarding mankind in the Earth, we feel obligated to say that there is a reality in these words that is not captured by doctrine and we are likely at keen odds with the popular interpretations and commentaries. A primary motivation for our differences here is from our understanding and our beliefs about Life, what we KNOW about the reality of the Soul and the temporal nature of our time on Earth in a body and a personality that we create for the occasion. This plus our acceptance and understanding of the words of the Master, even those that make our existence here on this Earth work out in a way that is contrary to the ways of men, including the ways of the various churches, in the world in which we live. We see the Master’s words and thoughts like as we KNOW that they were intended; as practical teachings on how to attain the Kingdom and be accounted worthy to be called His disciple. Some examples of our understanding are:

• “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand“(Matthew 4:17). We see here the Master’s opening salvo, His starting point for ALL that follows; here He is telling us not of Himself but of the reality that the Kingdom IS at hand and the the cost of entry is repentance. There is no mystery here although the word repent has lost the reality of its meaning which is simply change. As He goes about teaching, the Master gives us instruction and hints as to what these changes are, what we have to do to be accounted worthy, and He does so in parable and in plain words; the understanding of His primary idea of change however is missed. The new dispensation that begins with the Advent of the Master has begun and in this, His inauguration of this new era, He tells us that the old way of just following the law because it is the law must give way to doing so because it is the right thing to do; He is moving us from our cattle like response to God to a response that is from the heart, from a consciousness that is imbued with the Good, the Beautiful and the True as we focus upon these ideals in Love. We recognize that in His teachings the Master condemns much of the way that the Jews approach their religion and what they had let it become and while we KNOW this, our doctrines have not been organized to correct what was wrong but have rather focused upon the worship and the praise of the man Jesus; worship and praise that He never requested or even hinted at. Commentary on this verse and the others like it from the Baptist and the other writers are focused upon the ‘wickedness’ of the Jewish leaders and this is likely a part of it as the Master is speaking to them. But this IS NOT ALL because if we believe that He is speaking to the generations that follow in any part of His teaching, then we must believe that this saying is to us as well; that He is telling us ALL throughout history that we must repent. Paul says something for us in his speech to the Epicureans and Stoics that we should relate to this idea of repentance and understand the inflow of the Power though the Christ of this new dispensation; the apostle tells us that: “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:29-30). We should see here that the statues and the alters that these men built are not the only subject of ignorance and the reference to these things is for these people to understand as it was directly applicable to them; we should KNOW it applies as well to ALL things that are contrary to the True Will of God; ALL things that represent the ignorance of a man in relation to God. So for us, we see that the repentance that the Master speaks about is the change that is required to square one’s Life with the commandments of God and the further teachings of the Master.
• “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Among the first of the changes that the Master teaches is that the Jew become more righteous than their leaders and their teachers about whom the Master has much to say that is intended to be corrective in their action. Can we see here the greater reality that the Master is saying that regardless of the presumed righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, that the disciple must be more righteous? We have spoken about the Pharisee in previous posts and it is our contention that these men Truly believe that they are doing the work of the Lord according to the commandments of the Lord as brought down to them by tradition; we have also said that their approach to God had become old and outdated and that the new dispensation was to correct this. Unfortunately, in the reality of Life in form, men and groups of men do not take kindly to another who comes as a superior and who is telling them of their faults and what must be done correctively; there is rebellion against change but we should understand here that in the time of this saying that these things had not yet developed. This brings us to the understanding that the teaching on greater righteousness is much simpler and says to ALL; see these holy men and their righteous ways, your ways must be more righteous if you desire to be accounted worthy of the Kingdom. This is a part of the repentance that He calls for from ALL.
• “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Again, from the beginning thoughts of His ministry, that we should repent “saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15), we have this further expansion on His teaching which is that the Kingdom must be first. Of the ideas of repentance, of change, this is of paramount importance; this is the new dispensation. No longer can a man live his life in accordance with the law alone and doing as he is compelled to do to attain the promise of the Kingdom but here and now a man must seek the Kingdom and do this first and, not for the sake of those things that one may require for living but rather for the sake of the Kingdom itself. We should not be fooled by His words saying “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”   for there are requirements attached to this promise. First is in the seeking as we see above as the entirety of the verses tell us that: “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is , there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:31-34). While it is the “Father’s good pleasure“, it is at the same time each man’s responsibility to repent, to change, to be more righteous than those that one may consider as righteous and to seek the Kingdom first and, we must add here as well that he must seek also the righteousness of God. This idea of righteousness should be understood as we should seek to possess this for our selves and we can KNOW this by the strength of another of the Master’s teachings that puts the idea of repentance into the proper perspective; He tells us to “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
• “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” (Matthew 7:21). There are two important ideas at play here in this saying by the Master. The first is that it is those who “doeth the will of my Father” and only those who shall gain entry; there are no exceptions built into His words. In these words is the ultimate definition of repentance as given us by the Master….this is perfectly clear. Now there are those that will parry the effect of these words but clearly there is no justification for any other understanding and while the Master may tell us elsewhere that His Father’s will is this or it is that, this should not detract from the True understanding that He does mean for us to keep His words and the commandments of God. In its entirety there is the built in understanding that our ideas of believing in and relying on Jesus in a devotional way and calling Him as Lord are not a substitute for doing “the will of my Father“. He qualifies this elsewhere saying “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” which is the same thought framed another way. The purpose of the Master’s telling us this thing is explained by the Apostle James for us in rather straightforward terms as well; James tells us “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). In this ALL we should see the reality of True repentance; that it is keeping His words.

While we moved beyond directly discussing the ideas of illusion and glamour we did nonetheless circle back to them in our last saying or group of sayings above. Here the Master tells us that merely calling Him Lord is not sufficient and in His idea of calling we should try to see the full gamut of what happens from the perspective of the ‘faithful’ in the churches today. Many call on His name, many spend endless hours in praise and in worship and many have become preachers, pastors and leaders in their churches and these are, ALL of them, good things to do but if a man does these things and does not keep the Master’s words and the commandments in their entirety, then he has not sufficiently repented and changed his Life. If a man has not achieved that reality of righteousness that he can KNOW matches that of God and which is beyond anything that he may consider as righteousness in the world, then he has not sufficiently repented and changed his Life. And, if a man is not seeking the Kingdom of God as the first, the primary motivation of his Life here on Earth which is ahead of ALL other endeavors, then he has not sufficiently repented and changed his Life.

We end here with two thoughts, first that if we Truly desire the Kingdom now then we must do as the Master says as we have outlined above and second is that if a man believes that he has earned the Kingdom and has not done these things, then he is guilty of what James tells us; he is deceiving himself. It is this deception that is at the heart of the illusion and the glamour of which we speak and from which we must free ourselves if we Truly desire the Kingdom.

We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.

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.:

Today we post a World Prayer that is also included in the Prayers and Meditation section with some explanation of its source and its use. We are entering a time of the year which we can consider more sacred by way of the newness of Spring which should reflect in our newness of Life. This is the Festival of Easter and a time of rejoicing; not only for the Resurrection of the Lord from the Christian perspective but also for the teaching that is incorporated in the Master’s sacrifice 2000 years ago and in His continued sacrifice. We should remember His parting words: “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20)

From the point of Light within the Mind of God
Let light stream forth into the minds of men.
Let Light descend on Earth.

From the point of Love within the Heart of God
Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.
May Christ return to Earth.

From the centre where the Will of God is known
Let purpose guide the little wills of men
The purpose which the Masters know and serve.

From the centre which we call the race of men
Let the Plan of Love and Light work out
And may it seal the door where evil dwells.

Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth.

• ⁴ Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888