ON LOVE; PART DCCCVII
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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. While this IS from an older definition of Charity, which IS rendered in the King James Bible from the same Greek word agape which IS generally rendered as Love, we should amend our own definition here to include the idea that in the reality of Love a man will accord to ALL men ALL things that he would accord to himself and to say that Love IS our thoughts and attitude of the equality of ALL men regardless of their outward nature or appearance…that ALL ARE equally children of Our One God
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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)
We ended the last essay with a view of the apostles’ words on the dichotomy that must be realized between the things of the world and the things of God. We ARE brought here again by the words of the Master that we spent much time on in the last post and over the many posts in our blog: the reality of “God and mammon” and His ancillary teaching on treasure as the plight of “treasures upon earth” as these ARE opposed to the “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:24 ,19-20). It IS the realization that this idea of treasure IS NOT the riches and the wealth of the world ONLY that IS the spiritually discernible message of the Master here in these words, a message that IS NOT seen by the carnal man whose natural thoughts ever bring to mind the strictly carnal interpretations of worldly living. Much the same is the common view of the idea of mammon which, while it IS framed as that which IS opposed to God, IS also seen in the context of riches and wealth and it IS both of these views of the “natural man” that detract from the deeper Truths found in Jesus closing words on the subject which tell us: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matthew 6:25).
That this saying IS NOT seen in the proper light is attested to by the way that it IS seen in the doctrines of men as they see the subject as food and as clothing based in the examples offered by the Master. The reality here IS captured in the first words which clearly show us that our very Life here in this Earth should NOT be the focus of men….the focus should ever be upon the Truth of Life and the things of God. The Truth of Jesus’ message here cuts against the ways of men who view their Life here in this Earth as of primary importance and most never see to measure the Master’s words on the greater Truths of Life against the trials, the tribulations and the desires of carnal living. But there is yet greater irony to be found in men’s understanding of these ideas and the working of the carnal mind which Paul shows us saying: “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). While so many believe that they may have such spiritual discernment, few really do; most believe that there can be spiritual discernment that comes in the form of carnal thoughts rather than in the realizations of spiritual things in their consciousness; most ALL men easily confuse the ideas of their own personality with its desires and needs with the prompting of their own Souls which would show NO such carnal inclinations. Here, in the reality of worldly living even the carnally apportioned interpretations of the Master’s words and the words of His apostles ARE NOT seen in the Light that they should be seen; here even if men see treasure and mammon as riches and wealth, they ARE NOT dissuaded from pursuing them and many make place for them in their own doctrines.
It IS against the human tendency to living Life as a man in the world according to his own desires and perceived needs that the Master’s words above should be seen and this too IS the purpose of the apostles’ words that show us the stark division between the carnal and the spiritual….between the things of God and the things of the world. We read the apostle’s words again saying:
- The Apostle John tells us: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:5).
- The Apostle James tells us: “know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).
- The Apostle Paul tells us: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).
- The Apostle Paul also tells us: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness” (1 Corinthians 3:19).
- The Apostle Peter tells us: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4).
In these ideas we should again see the tendency of men to view themselves as spiritual based in their own sense of doctrine where many are taught that they ARE “partakers of the divine nature” by some affirmation or ritual that they performed or that may have been performed on them; millions upon millions of men fail to see the reality of the Master’s words that clearly show us that His Presence IS ONLY afforded to the man who will keep His words. Here, while the doctrinal views may be far more comforting, they ARE nonetheless a deception as the Apostle James shows us saying: “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves“. While these ideas ARE also seen in a most carnal way, this IS NOT the apostle’s intent which we should read in the words that lead up to this saying and which further delineate the carnal and the Godly; we read:
“every man is tempted , when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:14-22),
The overall topic here IS clearly that men should stay away from temptations and lusts which ARE concerned with the things of the flesh and that they see the reality of “Every good gift and every perfect gift” which ARE the things of God. It IS in the translation of the obscure words rendered as “filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness” that the apostle’s intent is lost, an intent that shows us to “receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls“. Vincent tells us that this word that IS rendered as engrafted should be seen as: more literally, as Rev., implanted. It marks a characteristic of the word of truth (James 1:18). It is implanted; divinely given, in contrast with something acquired by study 4. In this we should get the greater sense of the Truth of spiritual discernment as that which we should hear and that which we should heed so as to NOT be deceived. It IS in this deception that men see themselves as NOT being deceived; it IS in the clutches of illusion and glamour that one fails to see that he IS deluded. This is human nature if we can use that idea here; this is the tendency of men to see themselves in the painted light of their own personalities rather than in the Light of the Soul which deflects ALL worldly and carnal ideas. And this IS the message of those many sayings above, that the world offers the worldly things to the worldly man where the things of God CAN NOT play any part. It IS when men can see that the things of God ARE His grace, that the things of God ARE the individual man’s realization of the Presence of God in one’s Life and the flow of divine Truth that comes in such revelation, that the deeper reality revealed in these words from the Master will open up the door of True spiritual discernment; we read again:
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (John 14:21-24).
To understand these words from the Master the reality of spiritual discernment IS still a prime requirement and while one’s ability to discern begins in this act of Loving and keeping His words, there ARE yet men who see themselves as “partakers of the divine nature” who DO NOT yet see the Truth of His words; men who count their doctrines as above the reality of Jesus’ intent. We should try to understand that this IS the way that these things were working in Judaism and likely every other world religion as the words spoken against the worldly tendencies of men clearly show. And while the Christian may believe that Jesus words against the Pharisee, the Sadducee and the scribe of Judaism are spoken against them only in their place and time, the greater reality IS that He speaks against the tendencies of religious men to see themselves as so and to believe that their doctrines ARE in accord with the Truth of God’s word. The reality expressed above in Jesus words on Love and on keeping His words IS the ONLY Truth and the ONLY way to attain the Presence of God in one’s Life…..a Presence that IS our True spiritual reality and that IS the greater Truth of the Kingdom of God.
As we have been discussing, the Master continues in His dialogue and He relates the ideas of Love and keeping His words to the expression of such in the Life of the disciple as the fruit of his Life. It IS the reality of this fruit that comes from one’s relationship with God as His Presence that IS the very same “fruit of the spirit” that we read about in the words of the Apostle Paul who tells us the very nature of this expression of the Truths of Life. Paul tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance” and it IS the working of these values and ideals in one’s Life that a man can be seen as an example of the Christ Life in the world of men. Paul shows us the antithesis of these ideas in previous verses and among His words we find many very human traits and NOT ONLY the idea of murders, fornication and adultery; we see many things that ARE but the tendencies of men in the world of men. The summation of the apostle’s message is found in his expression of the dichotomy of the things of the self as opposed to the things of God; we read “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:22-23, 19-21, 24). We should see that the Master’s words have the same intent as He tells His disciples that “that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” and we should understand that it IS the disciple that IS Truly Christ’s in the intended meaning of the idea. We read Jesus’ words again saying:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:1-12).
In these ideas there IS one part that we have NOT yet discussed but which IS, at the same time, a part of our discussion in every essay: Love. Here again we can find the tendencies of men and the working of their carnal minds in doctrines that dilute the intent of the Master’s message. First that we keep His words which he frames here as that “ye keep my commandments“. It IS this idea that we must see in the reality of our fruit: that the fruit of the Spirit IS our keeping His words in Love. And that we ARE NOT perplexed by His meaning the Master goes further as He tells us that “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you“. But these words and ideas have no Power in the minds of men whose focus IS on the self and the self in the world; these words have NO Power over the ways of the “natural man” who sees the deeper ideas presented as foolishness or else he interprets them according to his own benefit in Life. Our next selection from the fifteenth chapter includes parts of His words above; we read:
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain : that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another” (John 15:10-17).
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.
Repeating a Quote of the Day from the past that has some significance in relation to what we are discussing here, that the Kingdom of God and therefore God is within us ALL and that it IS His Presence which a man realizes by measure as he begins his journey to the Kingdom of God. Here Lord Tennyson poetically tells us just how close God Truly IS and how it is that we touch Him
Speak to Him, thou, for He hears,
and Spirit with Spirit can meet
Closer is He than breathing,
and nearer than hands and feet.
(Alfred, Lord Tennyson 1809–1892)
From the poem The Higher Pantheism which puts forth the authors spiritual belief. Whether we agree with him or not, the quote if spiritually perfect for all of Christianity as well as any other world religion.
The thought behind the idea above IS NOT unlike that which we have been carrying as our Quote of the Day for many essays; It IS in the closeness that Lord Tennyson shows us that we should see the idea that “God dwells in the inner part of every man” which we read in the previous Quote of the Day. For us this saying and the previous one show us the closeness of the spiritual self to the Father and then too the closeness of the spiritual self with the personality of man. Men may like to think of God as something outside and above but the reality, as we have seen in so many of the sayings of the Master, is that God is with us and in us and we need only to let ourselves be drawn and to focus upon Him. And, if we can use these words from the Gospel of Thomas here we can perhaps see much: “When you come to know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will realize that you are the children of the living Father“
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
