Love is the Fulfilling of the Law

ON LOVE; PART CCLXXVIII

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GoodWill IS Love in Action

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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:

“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” (Mark 12:30-31).

We ask ourselves 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.

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:

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them“ (Matthew 7:12).

As we look around the world at the religious and the sectarian strife we can only think that IF the children were not brought up in an atmosphere of hatred and distrust, IF they were nurtured in Love as the Apostle Paul presents it below, there would be much less of the problems that humanity faces. It seems that even the surge of Energies of the New Age that are destined to bring a greater measure of Love and brotherhood and harmony to the world, are not enough to stop the daily news of sectarian violence around the world. The process of change is indeed long and hard and it IS ONLY through our efforts, the efforts of those who see more clearly, that we can perhaps hasten this by the dialogue that we can offer and the example that we can set. More than 2000 years have elapsed since the Master brought His message of Love to the world, a message that is repeated day after day and week after week in the churches but misunderstood from the perspective of the universality of this Love and its application in the world today. And the crux of the problem IS yet the illusion and the glamour, the vanity as Paul teaches us, as these forces of the world keep mankind imprisoned by the desires and the emotional attachments that the personality in the world continually chases and which never satisfy; and we should not be fooled as many are by any seeming satisfaction for it IS fleeting and temporary; our desires CAN NOT be filled by the things of the world…no matter how much we may want this to be true. There is a saying from the Star Trek television series that I always remember and which plays to our understanding of satisfaction above; here Spock says to the Vulcan who would have his intended mate: ‘After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.’ And here there really IS NO logic but there IS a reality that afflicts most ALL men as in the mode of desire there is a rush to get and to have and in the mode of having we find that we ARE NOT fulfilled.

Of course this human desire syndrome is covered by the Master is three simple words which are that we “take no thought” for the things of the world; not only the simple things as He instructs saying “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed” (Matthew 6:31) but also the most complex as He lists Life and for us things yet unknown in His time saying: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life” (Luke 12:22). In this is another area where the interpretations of the Master’s message limit and narrow what He says to include those actual things listed and fail to understand the meaning of your Life and, even further that we “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34). It is in the ideas painted as one’s Life and the morrow that we will find ALL those worldly things that we can desire and want and for those of us who are seeking to move forward in spiritual Life, we must find the place to practice what these ideas Truly mean which IS clearly that we “take no thought” for any thing of the world….that we do not let these things be or become our focus; that we do not allow these things of the world to become what we pay attention to. The Master addresses this desire syndrome for us in a parabolic way as well saying: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). When we can Truly understand that our treasures are ALL that we hold important in Life, what we focus our attention on, and that our heart IS our very consciousness in the world, we will have crossed into the reality of this message as it relates to our Life here in the Earth. But there are but few who Truly understand His words or better, few that are willing to admit such, as men prefer the ease and the convenience of the illusion more than the Truth or, as this is expressed by the Master or the Apostle John in his gospel “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Of course in this we should understand condemnation as judgement and evil deeds as the things done according to the world. 

We should add here the words of Paul that tell us that to reach our goal of discipleship that we as aspirants must comply with his words to the Galatians saying: “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24) and this IS a most difficult challenge but one that is the same as complying with the words of the Master above. It IS in the worldly nature that the affections and the lusts exist and in many ways these ARE the worldly nature; this IS what the man in the world KNOWS and this regardless of how much he may be a believer from a religious perspective. Man KNOWS the ways of the world and teaches his children the ways of the world and in this situation little changes except in the hearts and minds of the next generation who MAY be more inclined to see the reality of desire and the fruitlessness of putting one’s faith in the things of the world and this IS the likely product of the spiritual collateral gained in previous lives. But, there is still the matter of the world and the things of the world that afflict men in the illusion and the glamour and colors their lives so that this IS ALL that they see and it IS only the pangs of conscience that CAN and WILL change this dynamic for a man in the world and this in itself may take much time as the pull of the world is seemingly so much more real. Of course this seeming reality IS the illusion and the glamour at work and hence our use of these words and the ideas behind them in our essays; these most powerful forces will be the bane of our existence here in this Life for as long as we let them….until we ARE Transformed. 

And this IS where we started, in the world where the strife and the hatreds of men are promoted by the instructions and the examples we give our children who, even if they may have the necessary spiritual collateral to move on, are nurtured in these worldly factors that are so driven by the desires and the lusts of Life in the world that the young man who emerges is grounded in them and in his Life in the world thus making the way out ever more difficult. However, once one finds his own Soul, or better once the Soul finds an attentive personality, ALL this nurture can be forgotten in the bliss of one’s realizations of the Truth and while this may seem a fanciful saying, there is a thread of Truth in this which, if we look back at our own lives we can likely find. In varying degree we were ALL most likely living as men in the world, striving for more and more of the world and for emotional and mental satisfaction with Life but when we get that glimpse of reality, that notion of a greater Truth, we tend toward it and even if there is not a successful tendency, we come back again and again as we realize that what we believe is True in the world provides little or no satisfaction. Yet IT IS what we KNOW, it IS how we were nurtured and we say here again that it matters little if one is indoctrinated into Life in the world with or without religion if that religion IS not one that teaches the Truth of Love as we have been discussing and as we see in the apostles words that we are still carrying below. And it matters not what society we are born into as this desire syndrome is at work in ALL and while in one place the dream may be for riches and material possessions, in another it may be just to do better than our parents and have enough food to feed our own children; riches are in the eyes of the beholder.

This IS  a most difficult dynamic to change and one that likely CAN NOT be addressed directly as without proper foundation who would listen and forgo the pleasures of the world as they may relate to any individual or society. The answer is of course found in the Master’s idea of Love and in the presentation of this Love that we have from Paul and which we repeat here again as there is no better way that we KNOW to show the power and the potency of this Love in the world:

But earnestly desire the best gifts. 

And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,

I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy,

and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,

and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,

but have not love, I am nothing. 

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,

and though I give my body to be burned,

but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease;

whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child;

but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.

Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three;

but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:1-13

Here we have the understanding of the importance of Love as regards the religion of religious gifts and their supposed meaning which the apostle tells us IS NAUGHT without Love; here we also have an understanding of what this Love IS and it IS in its universal use and in the teaching of these precepts over the worldly ways of men that we can find the eventual end to the strife and the hatreds that seem to engulf the world. And the secret IS found in our understanding of the intent of the Master and of His apostles regarding this Love that IS sorely misunderstood today; the secret is found in the application of this Love in our dealings with ALL men; the secret IS that this Love IS Active GoodWill and in our living Life IN the Golden Rule which is the simplest expression of Love and GoodWill and yet at the same time a most difficult accomplishment owing to the same glamour and illusion that we discuss above. In our paraphrase of the apostles words above we say that this Love IS: patience, kindness, and a humble attitude that is not overly boastful nor envious nor selfish and is an attitude of trust. Can we imagine a world in which man interacted with man with these ‘virtues’ in mind? It IS here we must begin then to fix the ills us the human family on the Earth and this requires little of a religious nature, it only requires instruction and example as ALL will find that it IS in expressions of Active GoodWill that the desired changes can come about and perhaps the single most difficult part of this is the idea that we get from Emmet Fox regarding the Golden Rule which IS the center point of expressed GoodWill; Mr. Fox tells us:

I PRACTICE, the Golden Rule of Jesus instead of merely admiring it. He said, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” The important point about the Golden Rule is that I am to practice it whether the other fellow does so or not**

In looking through our archived essays for the saying above, we came across this as well which fits with our theme, This is from the same source as our Quote of the Day on Values to Live By, and upon which we can further build our case for change; speaking of the Values to Live By as expressed below we read: Translated into national terms, these realisations take the conflict and competition out of the many facets of society. While each group fights for itself and its own self-interest there can be no “social harmony,” no tranquility, no security or unity, no freedom or wellbeing. The fundamental human value needed today as the basis for a better life in the society in which we live is the simple, practical use of the energy of goodwill. Goodwill is an inclusive, cooperative attitude of mind; it is “love in action”; it encourages justice and integrity in those with influence and authority. It is truly the cornerstone of a human society responding to the values of the new age. Let us support in thought and action those who act with goodwill on behalf of “the general welfare of all the people.”***

A great part of the problems of humanity are tied to a religious view of these words above and we should here try to finish what we began yesterday from Paul’s speech to the Greeks at Athens which can, if we were to rightly understand his words, eliminate religion, and the glamour through which we express it, as a cause for much of the strife and the hatreds in the world today. Looking around the world today we can find many places where it is religion that is causing havoc and this includes many of today’s presumed political struggles as well and it IS in this arena that glamour plays its role as the people and the religious parties dig in against each other with each claiming some sort of superiority based upon their own doctrinal reading of scripture. Few if any have ever taken the time to intelligently look at the opposition views and hence they KNOW little if anything at all about the other parties beliefs nor do they look at their own beliefs and see the extreme degree of self and selfishness that has become a major part of their thinking. And any who read their own scriptures without reliance of the doctrinal presentations of zealots and the like will find that there is naught but Love in them ALL and this Love is most likely colored in the way that we have paraphrased Paul’s thoughts saying that the relationship between men, ALL men, should be founded in: patience, kindness, and a humble attitude that is not overly boastful nor envious nor selfish and is an attitude of trust. We will go so far as to say that any interpretation of scripture that promotes the opposite of these ideal is a LIE and is founded in the illusion and the glamour that allows one man or group to place himself above another and this of course begins in the minds and the emotions of men.

There is a saying from the Constitution of UNESCO that is of use here in our discussion which clearly states the nature of conflicts; it says: “That since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.” And this IS our point; the minds of men are conditioned by what it is that we learn and what we learn begins with our nurturing and our early instruction which must be overcome if we are as men to overcome any part of our ties the the world and the things of the world. And, for those who do not see the spiritual Life as we do, this same must be overcome for the sake of Peace. And it ALL begins and ends in this Love that we have been discussing and its practical application as Active GoodWill; when these ideals are taught as the normal way of Life for the man in the world, much that will lead us to Peace CAN and WILL be accomplished.

In the last post we began listing points from the words of Paul’s speech at Athens, a speech that we believe can lead at least the Christian world into a better understanding of others’ approach to the idea of God. Yesterday we discussed these verses and commented on them in segments: “Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell , or to hear some new thing.) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said , Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.  For as I passed by , and beheld your devotions , I found an altar with this inscription , TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship , him declare I unto you” (Acts 17:18-23). Too often these words are looked at from a strictly Christian perspective where Paul is imagined to be disputing with the Greeks the reality of the Christ and this is likely so but there IS another factor, and a most important factor, that goes ignored in this exchange. This is covered in the simple words “him declare I unto you” and in the words that follow:

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring” (Acts 17:24-28)

It is here in these words that Paul gives mankind the tools to overcome the divisions and the strife and the conflicts that are produced in the minds of men based upon the illusion and glamour that IS fed by their religion. It is here that we can see from Paul’s Christian perspective that there IS but ONE God and that we ALL are His and while we may worship Him in different ways there should be no need for concern as the reality and the Truth IS found in the simple understanding that He, as the ONE God, needs naught from us in worship.

We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.

Aspect of God	Potency	Aspect of Man	In Relation to the Great Invocation	In relation to the Christ
GOD, The Father	Will or Power	Spirit or Life	Center where the Will of God IS KNOWN	Life
Son, The Christ	Love and Wisdom	Soul or Christ Within	Heart of God	Truth
Holy Spirit	Light or Activity	Life Within	Mind of God	Way

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.

We should ever understand that the purpose of our aspiration and of our discipleship is to bring into the world our expression of the Love and the Power of the Soul both as an example of the righteous Life and as a ready aid to our brothers, our neighbors and the stranger who qualifies as both. Our intent should be to serve and in our service to instill in others that same sense that we have; from a spiritual perspective to the spiritual man, and from a worldly perspective to the man who is yet grounded in the world. The Apostle Paul puts it this way for us from his own Life and personal experience:

“for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and wo is to me if I may not proclaim good news; for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly — with a stewardship I have been entrusted! What, then, is my reward? — that proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news; for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain; and I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain; to those without law, as without law — (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) — that I might gain those without law; I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some. And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;  have ye not known that those running in a race — all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain” (1 Corinthians 9:16-24).

With this in mind we redo a past Quote of the Day and one that we have been using from very early on in this blog. The sentiment here is the fulfillment of our duty as aspirants and disciples and our duty it to instill these ideas in the hearts and minds of others.

Values to Live By

A Love of Truth—essential
for a just, inclusive and progressive society;

A Sense of Justice—recognition
of the rights and needs, of all.

Spirit of Cooperation—based
on active goodwill and the principle of right human
relationships;

A Sense of Personal Responsibility—for
group, community and national affairs;

Serving the Common Good— through
the sacrifice of selfishness. Only what is good for all
is good for each one.

The world of the future depends on what each one of us chooses to do today.

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!

• ⁴ Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
• ** From The Fifteen Points by Emmet Fox; © 1932 HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• *** From the pamphlet Values to Live By published by World Goodwill and Lucis Trust