ON LOVE; PART CMLV

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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).

As we continue our discussion of “the works of the flesh” and “the fruit of the Spirit ” as the Apostle Paul lists these for us, we should remember that these Greek words carry meanings that ARE NOT represented by the translations and the interpretations that have become the tenets of most ALL Christian denominations. The deeper reality IS that Paul’s ideas ARE in regard to the relationship of a man with God, according to the first part of the Great Commandments, and his living according to the Truth of his own spiritual nature on the one side and to the relationship of a man to his fellowman and his living according to the second part on another. That doctrines choose to see Paul’s first segment as sexual deviation along with a rather archaic idea of idolatry and a focus upon their dislike of the occult rather than a man’s infidelity toward the Godhead and the Truth IS apparent in most ALL doctrinal teaching. Similarly, the tendency to see the second segment as the carnal ideas of hatred and strife along with the confusion of ideas that IS easily seen in the varied translations of the apostle’s words, causes men to miss the point that ALL such things of division ARE an affront against one’s neighbor, one’s brother or the stranger who qualifies as both.

While doctrinal thought has ever sought to build upon their carnal interpretations of the apostle’s words, it IS the product of this thought that has developed into the varied doctrines which ARE become the foundation for the factions, the sects and the divisions that part men from the essential spiritual Truths. And it IS here that we find the impact of the illusion and the glamour that ARE an integral part of the factions that pose doctrine for Truth. Each faction has their own set of doctrines and beliefs which they interpret from the One Truth of the Master’s words and the clarifying and amplifying words of His apostles and each attests that their view IS right. This IS a part of the illusions of men and in this dynamic there IS the tendency to that glamour which IS to see others’ beliefs and doctrines as error and therefore heresy according to the common understanding of this word.

However, when we can see that the idea behind the Greek word hairesis as Paul lists it IS in regard to the One Truth and NOT to the interpretations of men, then the whole of the idea of the interpretations of the One Truth by the various sects or denominations and heresy can be better understood. The reality of such heresy IS then found in the establishment of sects, of factions and of divisions that follow their own tenets and doctrines over the Truths revealed by the Master and, while many denominations regard others as heretical, the reality IS that they too ARE so. And here we can see the relationship between the real heresy and that glamour that IS inherent in factions, in sects and in ALL divisions of the Truth that form the denominations of Christianity. We should understand here that this IS a rather normal and understandable aspect of human nature as ARE most ALL of what the apostle shows us in his list of these “works of the flesh“, a list that IS the product of Life in this world that has been “made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same” (Romans 8:20); we repeat Paul’s words again saying:

“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:17-24).

When we can view Paul’s message in his intended Light we should be able to see how that his words ARE spiritual and NOT carnal and that he IS trying to show us the spiritual way which IS the way of “the fruit of the Spirit “. And while men ARE stuck upon the translations and the interpretations of the Greek words, they miss the gist of His argument which IS much as the Master shows us in what we have come to call our trifecta of spiritual reality. The apostle’s words have ever been misunderstood and misused to the convenience of men but when we look beneath the clever interpretations that protect men’s carnal psyche we DO see the deeper reality of spiritual living, of spiritual thoughts, attitudes and actions, as the Way to “the kingdom of God“. In this we can more clearly see Paul’s showing us how that it IS these human failings of infidelity toward the Godhead and of men’s failure to see the reality of Love as agape that ARE the True subject matter of these “works of the flesh“. And we can more clearly see the reality of the trifecta as Jesus presents this to us and better understand the Way to the Kingdom of God, the Presence of God and the freedom of KNOWING the One Truth….that we keep His words.

• “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free“ (John 8:31-32).
• “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).
• “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).

The next words from the apostle, as they are segmented by the normal chapter verse divisions of his words, may be better kept with what we are seeing as the second segment which IS thoughts and attitudes that ARE against one’s fellowman; those which ARE contrary to that sense of Love that must be expressed and which IS the outward sign that one IS keeping His words. Again the Weymouth New Testament agrees with our view of these segments and while we cannot tell if this IS for the same reasons, we should try to see how that these words that ARE rendered as envyings and murders ARE, with the sense of hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, and heresies, acts that ARE contrary to Love for one’s fellowman when these ARE rightly understood. We should add here that Vincent tells us that the word rendered as murders should be omitted from the text ⁴. While we DO NOT KNOW the reason for this omission, whether it be that most original manuscripts DO NOT contain this word (it IS not included in our interlinear versions) or whether it IS the addition of the King James Translators, the reason IS moot when we relate Vincent’s commentary on the word rendered as envyings, phthonos.

Vincent tells of this regarding phthonos as this IS used by Paul in his Epistle to the Romans: Envy, murder (φθόνου , φόνου); Phthonou phonou A paronomasia or combination of like-sounding words. Compare Galatians 5:21. Murder is conceived as a thought which has filled the man. See 1 John 3:15 ⁴. If we can see that this idea of envying IS rather far removed from the common understanding of envy and relate it, as DOES Vincent, to the thoughts and attitudes that conceive harm to another, we can better understand how that this idea IS among those that keep a man from “the kingdom of God“. Envy IS of itself an attitude that IS contrary to True spiritual endeavor as it IS centered in the self and the things of the self and, while this may engender bad feelings toward another, this DOES NOT generally reach the level of murder or harm to one’s fellowman. If however we can see phthonos as one’s thoughts and attitudes of harm toward another based in the divisions of men, in the factions and the sects that men construct, then we can better see Paul’s intent and understand why this should be related to the second segment and NOT to the next which reflects problems that men DO have of their own accord….problems that lead to self harm.

Vincent refers us to the Apostle John’s words saying “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15) and it this we should clearly see the Master’s own words on the relationship between hate and murder. John IS speaking to us regarding Love as agape and how that this MUST be expressed to everyman and if we can join this to Paul’s words above where the second segment IS in regard to this sense of Love or, rather, the failure of it, we can see the common ideas that ARE presented by Jesus saying that “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22) and then amplified and clarified by His apostles. Perhaps the joining of envy and murder here in Galatians where the idea DOES NOT appear in the interlinear manuscript IS the result of the way that Paul uses this idea in Romans where we read:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:28-32).

While some may attribute this list to Paul’s apparent disdain for the homosexual lifestyle and while others may see in this list ONLY those gross offences as ARE offered in the common understanding of the rendered words, the greater reality IS that this list IS also a list of the failings of human nature and the ideas here show us that dichotomy between the the thoughts and attitudes of men upon the Godhead against the list which IS men’s thoughts and attitudes upon the self and the things of the self. That the purpose of this list IS different than that which we have in Galatians should be seen in the way that Paul IS speaking: in Romans about and against the carnally driven man and in Galatians as a way to show that “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24). Nonetheless the words ARE similarly misunderstood by doctrines as these ideas reflect the reality of the human experience for the man whose focus IS NOT upon the things of God.

In the end, it IS up to men as individuals to come to see that these ideas that ARE listed by the apostle as those things that DO keep a man from the “Kingdom of God” ARE the everyday activities of the man whose focus IS NOT upon God and upon the things of God but ARE rather upon the self and the ways and the things of the self in the world. It IS in this seeing that one can realize that ALL that IS on this list of the “works of the flesh” IS psychic in nature and better understand the deeper Truth that we find in the apostle’s telling us that we must “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). It IS in the mind that the “works of the flesh” abound and this IS a carnal mind until the Light of the Soul, the Truth if you will, IS allowed to permeate it and transform it. And it IS in the beginning of this transformation that a man will Truly “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) and begin to understand and to KNOW that he must overcome the illusion in which he has lived.

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.

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 these 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