ON LOVE; PART CMLXVI

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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 some words on Repentance; on how this word, like so many others, IS NOT seen in its True intent but has been given meanings that ARE to the convenience of men and their doctrines. We cited the 1828 Webster’s definition of repent in the last essay as in this defining idea the reality of the Greek word metanoeo IS rather easily seen. We should note here that some of the confusion that exists regarding this word can be linked to the King James translators also rendering metamellomai as this same English word while others render it more properly as regret. That the ideas of regret sorrow have become the defining ideas for the English word repent IS most likely a function of the way that these words ARE thought to intersect in the Greek and here we can gain some clarity from Vincent’s commentary on metanoeo; we read:

A word compounded of the preposition μετά , after, with; and the verb νοέω , to perceive, and to think, as the result of perceiving or observing. In this compound the preposition combines the two meanings of time and change, which may be denoted by after and different; so that the whole compound means to think differently after. Μετάνοια (repentance ) is therefore, primarily, an after-thought, different from the former thought; then, a change of mind which issues in regret and in change of conduct. These latter ideas, however, have been imported into the word by scriptural usage, and do not lie in it etymologically nor by primary usage. Repentance, then, has been rightly defined as “Such a virtuous alteration of the mind and purpose as begets a like virtuous change in the life and practice.” Sorrow is not, as is popularly conceived, the primary nor the prominent notion of the word. Paul distinguishes between sorrow ( λύπη ) and repentance ( μετάνοια )and puts the one as the outcome of the other. “Godly sorrow worketh repentance ” (2 Corinthians 7:10) ⁴.

In his commentary on metamellomai, Vincent offers us additional insight and while this IS a bit wordy, it DOES give us a clearer picture of the Truth of Repentance which Webster’s showed us as: Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God. ‘Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. 2Cor. 7. Matt. 3.’ Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice, from conviction that it has offended God ¹. Vincent tells us on metamellomai, as this IS used in Matthew 21:29, that:

This is a different word from that in Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; μετανοεῖτε , Repent ye. Though it is fairly claimed that the word here implies all that is implied in the other word, the New Testament writers evidently recognize a distinction, since the noun which corresponds to the verb in this passage ( μεταμέλεια ) is not used at all in the New Testament, and the verb itself only five times; and, in every case except the two in this passage (see Matthew 21:32), with a meaning quite foreign to repentance in the ordinary gospel sense. Thus it is used of Judas, when he brought back the thirty pieces (Matthew 27:3); of Paul’s not regretting his letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 7:8); and of God (Hebrews 7:21). On the other hand, μετανοέω , repent, used by John and Jesus in their summons to repentance (Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17), occurs thirty-four times, and the noun μετάνοια , repentance (Matthew 3:8, Matthew 3:11), twenty-four times, and in every case with reference to that change of heart and life wrought by the Spirit of God, to which remission of sins and salvation are promised. It is not impossible, therefore, that the word in this passage may have been intended to carry a different shade of meaning, now lost to us. Μεταμέλομαι, as its etymology indicates ( μετά , after, and μέλω , to be an object of care), implies an after-care, as contrasted with the change of mind denoted by μετάνοια . Not sorrow for moral obliquity and sin against God, but annoyance at the consequences of an act or course of acts, and chagrin at not having known better. “It may be simply what our fathers were wont to call hadiwist (had-I-wist, or known better, I should have acted otherwise)” (Trench). Μεταμέλεια refers chiefly to single acts; μετάνοια denotes the repentance which affects the whole life. Hence the latter is often found in the imperative: Repent ye (Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19); the former never. Paul’s recognition of the distinction (2 Corinthians 7:10) is noteworthy. “Godly sorrow worketh repentance ( μετάνοιαν ) unto salvation,” a salvation or repentance “which bringeth no regret on thinking of it afterwards” ( ἀμεταμέλητον )There is no occasion for one ever to think better of either his repentance or the salvation in which it issued ⁴.

In the combination of these ideas from Vincent plus the definition from Webster’s 1828 edition we should be able to understand the intent of the Baptist and of the Master as they tell men to Repent. How and why this True meaning IS lost IS found in the way that men have diluted and changed the Master’s words into doctrines that DO NOT require such Repentance, such change of heart and life, nor do they require the idea of relinquishment of any practice. which, in its deeper aspects, IS to change ones focus away from the ways and the things of the world and onto the Way and the things of God. Repentance IS the change of heart and life that that puts one’s focus upon God and it IS through this change that a man strives to keep His words. And this idea of keeping His words IS missing from the doctrinal approach to God as well; it IS replaced by the doctrinal view and the ease in which their view of doctrinal salvation IS accomplished and this IS despite the rather clear message from Jesus who gives us these words that we call our trifecta:

• “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).

This IS the clear Truth of Repentance and it IS this change of heart and life that puts a man upon the Path of Truth which leads him to the reality of his Transformation and Redemption that ARE found in KNOWING the Truth and in having the Presence of God in his Life. And, according to the Master’s words, this IS ONLY possible through keeping His words as we read in our trifecta again. It IS in the reality of Repentance that one begins to strive toward the Kingdom of God and we should remember and understand how that the Kingdom IS, as ARE His Presence and one’s KNOWING the Truth, the result of keeping His words. We should see in this idea of striving, as presented by Jesus’ saying “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in , and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24), that this IS in one’s decision to fight and labor fervently, as agonizomai IS defined by the lexicon ², for the Truth of the Kingdom and that it IS by this striving that one gains this goal by measure. It IS this sense of measure that Jesus shows us in the preceding verses of the Apostle Luke’s Gospel, in the parables that show the Kingdom as the mustard seed and as the leaven, and it IS unfortunate that these ideas ARE wholly misunderstood.

The greater reality of Jesus’ message to men 2000 years ago has been largely lost to the doctrines that have supplanted His Truths and it IS in this idea of striving that we should try to see the purposefulness of His birth and understand that His message IS that men should strive and allow the Kingdom of God to grow within their lives. He shows us the Way as Love which IS the greater Truth of keeping His words. This IS the same sense of Love, of agape, and of commandment that was taught to the Jews in the Laws of Moses but which ARE largely ignored except in their doctrinal machinations. Jesus came among them, and among us, to show the better way; to show that the law had failed to kindle the hearts of men. He came among them to teach Love and to show their doctrinal errors, and to show men through His words and actions, and the words and actions of His apostles, that it IS NOT enough to follow the dictates of the law as wrote and as they ARE presented by doctrine but that it IS the heart that must change and that one’s focus must come off of the worldly and onto the Godly. He came to tell men that they should Repent and, as the Apostle Mark tells us, He sent forth His apostles with this same message which we read as “And they went out, and preached that men should repent” (Mark 6:12).

This reality of Repentance IS the same reality that we should take from the Apostle Paul’s words that we have been studying. It IS in the reality of Repentance that we should understand the apostle’s words that tell men that it IS the spiritual Life that must flow through one’s heart and that “ye cannot do the things that ye would“. And it IS in the context of striving toward the Truth and the Kingdom of God that we should understand the reality of being “led of the Spirit” and the relationship of this idea to the law: that when one IS “led of the Spirit” that his expression IS Love and that in this Love one IS, by measure, keeping His words. As we have discussed, the deeper ideas of Paul’s words ARE NOT the sexual deviation but rather the failure of men to Repent and change the focus of their lives from the carnal to the spiritual; nor ARE they the common understanding attached to those ideas which ARE the divisions of men that ARE created by men and their doctrinal approach to Life. These ARE but the failure of men to Love. Repeating the apostle’s words again we read:

“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).

Paul’s larger point here IS NOT merely a listing of those dastardly things that men DO but it IS rather the idea that when a man IS “led of the Spirit” that he will NOT DO such things, he will NOT have such infidelity toward the Godhead as IS the reality of the Greek words that ARE rendered as Adultery, fornication, uncleanness and lasciviousness. He will NOT look to the world and the things of the world as his greater sense of god which IS the deeper idea of that idolatry which IS in the heart of everyman who IS NOT focused upon the things of God; and he will not look toward nor rely upon his own psychic powers, which ARE the powers of the mind and the emotions, that ARE apparent in the idea of witchcraft and sorcery and NOT so apparent in those things that men can DO or try to DO in a religious setting. This IS the deeper reality of the first segment of Paul’s words which we should see in the Light of the first of the Great Commandments that we have again at the top of our essay.

In the second segment there IS the failure of Love, the failure of having “no respect to persons” (James 2:9) as the Apostle James frames this for us, and while these words ARE confused and confounded by the translations that intersect their meanings, the reality can be seen in the totality of the English renderings: that it IS the factions, the divisions of men according to any measure, that ARE that failure and it IS these factions and divisions that result in those ideas that ARE contrary to Love which we read as hatred, variance, emulations and wrath. Here, while these ideas ARE strongly spoken against by the apostle in clear terms regardless of how that they ARE translated, men DO NOT see his intent even as he tells us “that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God“. In this we should see that it IS the failure of men to Love as Jesus shows us that DOES keep a man from “the kingdom of God“.

It IS in Repentance that we find the wherewithal to step onto the Path and to strive towards an ever increasing measure of Truth which IS a measure of the Presence of God and of His Kingdom Within. In this we should see that as God IS present in the Life of a man, so must be His Kingdom of which Jesus tells us saying that “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).

It IS this message of Repentance that should be taken as we celebrate another Christmas and we should come to understand here that this IS a purpose of His Advent, a purpose of His birth in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. It IS in this idea of Repentance that we find the Love, and it IS in this that we also find the reality of keeping His words as our Way of escape from “the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4); as our way to be freed, to be “delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21).

MERRY CHRISTMAS

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

• ¹ Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913
• ² New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
• ⁴ Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888