ON LOVE; PART DCLXVI
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GoodWill IS Love in Action
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FIRST IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS: “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 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 12:29-31).
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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.
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PLUS THE EVER IMPORTANT AND HIGH IDEAL TAUGHT TO US BY THE CHRIST: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12).
In the last essay we continued our discussion on Love as the Master teaches us and we centered our thoughts around the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians and particularly his words about the importance of this Love in the Life of the aspirant and the disciple. The apostle’s point here IS that this Love IS of greater value in His own Life and in the lives of his audience than ALL of the supposed gifts of the Spirit which we ARE seeing as individual points of grace which we defined as the tools that are bestowed upon a man for his expression of Love in the world. The whole idea of grace IS a nebulous one in Christian scripture and it comes with a variety of meanings which we have discussed in previous essays. As in our previous discussions, we see a strong link between grace and mercy and we see mercy as the expression of Love in the world and NOT that sense of compassion offered to the poor and the downtrodden as many DO believe. So then if we can see grace as the tool of mercy for the man in the world, tools that are imparted by the Soul, the Christ Within for the expression of Love in the world, we can see deeper into the various sayings which use these Greek words charis and charisma.
In the view that grace as we see this IS the result of one’s focus upon the things of God, the idea of free yet applies as grace IS often understood in doctrine; however, at the same time there IS a cost and that cost IS the focus of the Life of the man on the things of God. We noted yesterday that this word charisma is rendered as gift in Paul’s words that lead up to his message on Love and that the idea pertains to the “spiritual gifts” which one can receive and use; we should be able to see here that the sense of gift gives us the allusion that this IS given by another party rather than the reality that this IS bestowed upon the Life in the world by the True Man as he seeks to express the Love of God in the world of form. In Paul’s words we see this idea working out in individual fashion as he cites the different graces or “spiritual gifts” and we should see here that there IS NO limitation imposed by the apostle as to how many one man can have….there is only the apparent admonition that a man should NOT envy whatsoever another may have. As we continue here we should try to see this idea of “spiritual gifts“, words that ARE NOT found in the scripture but ARE used in many translations and interpretations, as this IS presented to us by Vincent who says: Spiritual gifts; The charismata or special endowments of supernatural energy, such as prophecy and speaking with tongues 4. In this view of these gifts which we are calling graces, we should be able to see the reality of the supernatural energy and understand that ALL that IS NOT of this world IS supernatural. Repeating our words from the Apostle Paul again with the addition of the first words of the fourteen chapter, we read:
“Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned , and have not charity (love), it profiteth me nothing. Charity (love) suffereth long , and is kind ; charity (love) envieth not; charity (love) vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity (love) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:29-31, 13:1-8, 14:1).
It IS for the clarification of this idea of “spiritual gifts” that the apostle offers these ideas to the aspirants and disciples at Corinth who he addresses as “to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2) and in these ideas of sanctified and saints we should see the deeper ideas associated with being holy; that these ARE those who ARE committed to the Lord and to keeping His words. These English words ARE from similar the Greek words hagiazo and hagios and in this relationship we should understand the idea of holy as this IS used in regard to the Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost. Our point here IS that these ideas from Paul ARE addressed to those who can somewhat understand them in the Light of their own Souls as this IS their focus or where they strive to place their focus. ALL of these English words have lost their spiritual emphasis and are carnally understood by most but this IS NOT the intent of the Greek words that are reserved for those whose Life IS in God, and perhaps extended to those who Truly strive toward that goal. It IS to these men that Paul explains the finer points of the spiritual relationship which he sees more clearly than most ALL and it IS in this teaching that the reader IS brought to greater realizations of Truth which come ONLY in his True focus upon the things of God.
And we should understand that many of these to whom the apostle speaks ARE aspirants and disciples who ARE yet in the clutches of duality and who perhaps see some sense preference in these gifts or graces as this IS related to us by Paul’s words in the twelfth chapter which seems to be speaking against such sense. In the end, the apostle equates the importance of ALL such graces and then shows the reader to desire, to “covet earnestly“, which we should see in the ideas presented by the lexicon saying: to be zealous in the pursuit of good 2. In this idea of pursuit we should see our understanding of focus and of striving and we should try to understand the apostle’s point: that the reader should pursue these graces AND that there IS yet a better way….the Way of Love. In this idea we take the Truth that Love surpasses ALL of this grace or rather that in the direct application of Love, expressed as mercy in the world of men, that there IS NO need for the individual tools called grace. Most importantly however we should note the tone of the apostle’s next words that show us that the possession and the use of these tools IS meaningless unless they are founded in and directed by Love….that without Love these are but carnal attempts to approach the spiritual realm and God.
Now these ideas ARE NOT meant to be the end of our understanding of grace and mercy as they relate to Love but merely an approach that we see as consistent with their use and the deeper meanings that we glean from the Master’s words and those of His apostles. As part of our discussion of the Epistle of James we came upon this idea of grace in his words saying: “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” and we should see this in regard to the spiritual versus the carnal as this comes after the apostle’s words saying that “a friend of the world is the enemy of God“. Pride IS of course a carnal attitude and can be seen in regard to Paul’s ideas above, while humble IS a spiritual attitude that IS founded in the Truth of His words. Here in James’ ideas we can see the reality of grace as it comes from the Soul, the Christ Within, to the man whose focus IS on the Good, the Beautiful and the True, on the things of God. It IS in this grace that we are then able to see the greater ideas of spiritual Life; that it IS by grace that we can “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:6, 4, 10) and that this “lifting up” IS yet more grace.
This IS the formula that the Master speaks of saying “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath” (Matthew 13:12) and which results in the eventual Transformation of the man into the True disciple who IS the expression of the Love of God…the Love that IS God. If we can insert the concept of focus here in this saying by Jesus as that thing that one should have, we can see yet deeper into the Truth of our spiritual reality. And from this perspective we can extend the Master’s words into ALL things; as a tool, grace received and used results in more grace and, in the absence of this use whatsoever one may have will be lost. Similarly we should see the result of this use of grace in mercy as the expression of Love; in this expression comes more ability to express and in this we should try to see the Master’s teaching on the growth of the Kingdom of God from the Parable of the Mustard Seed and the Parable of the Leaven. Both of these of the essence of the reality of the saying above.
We should understand here that the Master Himself came into this world with the fullness of this idea of grace, with ALL of the needed tools with which to express the fullness of the Love and the Power of the Soul, of the God Within Him and we should clearly see this fullness in His own words saying: “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake” (John 01:10-11). We should try to see the reality of grace as this IS woven into these words as Jesus ability to DO the works and speak the words of the Father. And we should understand this in the Light of the Truth that the Apostle John reveals saying “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” and then again that “the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:14, 17). There IS a much unappreciated depth in the idea of grace in these sayings. Vincent tells us that this idea of grace can be seen in four ways:
- I. Primarily that which gives joy or pleasure; and hence outward beauty, loveliness, something which delights the beholder 4. In this we can try to see our reality from the perspective that the man whose focus IS on the Lord IS the beholder and it IS he that IS delighted by grace; not necessarily in a carnal context of joy or pleasure but in the satisfaction of the man’s ability to use this grace as it flows from the Soul.
- II. As a beautiful or agreeable sentiment felt and expressed toward another; kindness, favor, good-will 4. In our view this idea IS a bit misplaced but this can be understood in the same context of the first point; that from the perspective of the man in the world whose focus IS God, this kindness, favor and good-will come from God and from the God Within.
- III. The substantial expression of good-will; a boon, a favor, a gift; but not in New Testament. See Romans 5:15, where the distinction is made between χάρις , grace, and δωρεὰ ἐν χάριτι , a gift in grace. So a gratification or delight, in classical Greek only; as the delight in battle, in sleep, etc.4. While ALL of Vincent’s ideas here on grace are according to his doctrine and his doctrinal perception of the usage, this one IS exceedingly so; the idea of the gift should be seen as we present this above and again we can try to see that this expression of grace IS from above to below, from the Soul to the Life of the man in the world whose focus IS the Soul.
- IV. The higher Christian signification, based on the emphasis offreeness in the gift or favor, and, as commonly in New Testament, denoting the free, spontaneous, absolute loving-kindness of God toward men, and so contrasted with debt, law, works, sin 4. Here again is the doctrinal interpretation which agrees in principal with our ideas above; aside from the emphasis that this grace IS free, we should see that it imparts, by degree and by type, the spontaneous, absolute loving-kindness of God toward men which IS then to be expressed by men to the world as the mercy which IS the expression of Love. The idea of type here is offered to accommodate Paul’s ideas of the various spiritual gifts or graces; each of which brings some degree of Love.
There IS NO True definition of grace in these ideas from Vincent though perhaps there IS a better view of the nebulous nature of the doctrinal presentation and understanding of this idea. From the Prologue to John’s Gospel however we DO KNOW that this grace IS possessed by the Master, it IS part of his possession of “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9) and in this we can try to see His own wherewithal to express this fullness in the world of men. In John’s words above we should see this same fullness as regards grace and Truth and we should try to see the greater reality of the apostle’s combined words that say:
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:14-17).
The words regarding the Baptist are not necessarily related to these other ideas where we see the grace and that of His fullness we have a share. We should try to understand the reality of this in that the Soul, the Christ Within, IS possessed of grace and Truth as IS the Master and, while the Master has this in His Life as Jesus in this world, we must acquire this same realization as the man in the world. Perhaps this IS the meaning of the most obscure words that are rendered as “grace for grace” and we close today with Vincent’s ideas on this saying which we will elaborate on in the next post:
Grace for grace (χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος); The preposition ἀντί originally means over against; opposite; before (in a local sense). Through the idea of placing one thing over against another is developed that of exchange. Thus Herodotus (iii., 59), “They bought the island, ἀντὶ χρημάτων , for money.” So Matthew 5:38, “An eye for ( ἀντὶ ) an eye,” etc. This idea is at the root of the peculiar sense in which the preposition is used here. We received, not New Testament grace instead of Old Testament grace; nor simply, grace added to grace; but new grace imparted as the former measure of grace has been received and improved. “To have realized and used one measure of grace, was to have gained a larger measure (as it were) in exchange for it.” Consequently, continuous, unintermitted grace. The idea of the development of one grace from another is elaborated by Peter (2 Peter 1:5), on which see notes. Winer cites a most interesting parallel from Philo. “Wherefore, having provided and dispensed the first graces ( χάριτας ), before their recipients have waxed wanton through satiety, he subsequently bestows different graces in exchange for ( ἀντὶ ) those, and a third supply for the second, and ever new ones in exchange for the older.” 4.
We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.
| Aspect |
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.
This Quote of the Day is the antithesis of glamour and illusion. In this mantram are the thoughts about ourselves and our brothers in the world that can diffuse those forces that hold a man in the world of things and prevent his spiritual progress.
Mantram of Unification
The sons of men are one and I am one with them.
I seek to love, not hate;
I seek to serve and not exact due service;
I seek to heal, not hurt.
Let pain bring due reward of light and love.
Let the Soul control the outer form, and life and all events,
And bring to light the love that underlies the happenings of the time.
Let vision come and insight.
Let the future stand revealed.
Let inner union demonstrate and outer cleavages be gone.
Let love prevail.
Let all men love.
The Mantram of Unification is a meditation and a prayer that at first affirms the unity of all men and the Brotherhood of Man based on the Fatherhood of God. The first stanza sets forth several truly Christian ideals in Unity, Love, Service and Healing. The second stanza is a invocation to the Lord and to our own Souls asking that from the pain (if there can truly be any) incurred in focusing on the Spirit and not the world will come Light and Love into our lives and that we begin to function as Souls through our conscious personalities. We ask that the spiritual control of our lives will bring to light for us the Love that underlies world events; a Love that the world oriented man will not see working out behind the scenes and also that the Love that we bring forth, individually and as a world group, can be seen by all and ultimately in all. Finally, in the last stanza we ask for those things that are needed for Love to abound. Vision and insight so that we can direct our attention properly; revelation of the future in the sense that all can see the Power of Love in the world; inner union so that we do not fall back into the world’s ways, that we faint not; and that a sense of separation, the antithesis of brotherhood, ends as we know it today. Let Love Prevail, Let All Men Love.spiritual control of our lives will bring to light for us the Love that underlies world events; a Love that the world oriented man will not see working out behind the scenes.
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!
- 2 New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
