ON LOVE; PART CMLXXVI

ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•Α

GoodWill IS Love in Action

ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•Α

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).

ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ

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

ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ

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 discussed how that the Apostle Paul uses the same words and language concerning the factions and divisions of men which we have been discussing as he writes to the Corinthians regarding such divisions in the fledgling church at Corinth. He shows us how that it IS these factions that result in the zelos and in the eris that ARE rendered as envying and strife in this selection from 1 Corinthians and as emulations and variance in  Paul’s “works of the flesh” in our selection from Galatians. In eris we should see strife and contention which IS the way that this IS rendered as well as variance as ALL of these ideas ARE the pitting of one man against another. We should see here that Paul IS speaking against these factious behaviors that ARE based upon the sense of religion that each man has and that he admonishes them to “all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment“.

It IS this reality of religion that IS the apostle’s foremost example of the way that such divisions ARE against the Truth of the Master’s teaching and this idea IS as True in our selection from Galatians where he shows us that these divisions ARE “the works of the flesh“. As we remember that the apostle IS speaking to men who ARE beyond the gross carnal afflictions that doctrines see in Paul’s words, we should be able to understand how that his words were NOT heeded in the early church and that this allowed for the formation of the beginnings of doctrinal denominations resulting in the many thousands that exist today. While each of the divisions of the early church considered themselves valid, the authority was taken by what would become the Roman Church. And while these Catholics determined that they were upholding the teachings of the Master and His apostles, history will show that they were NOT but rather that they were formulating doctrines for the convenience of men rather than for the Truth of God. There ARE many divisions that overtook the early church and it IS these divisions that became the predictive Truth from Paul’s words as the carnal nature of men overtook the basic Truths which Jesus teaches; Truths which go unrealized by so many whose lives ARE focused in their own sense of religion. We read Paul’s words to the Corinthians again saying:

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

“ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:3-6).

That the church DID NOT “all speak the same thing” IS apparent and that there ARE “divisions among you” IS easily seen in the vast number of denominations and sects. Those who perpetrated these divisions likely never saw themselves as carnal even though the apostle clearly calls those who hold to such divisions as such. It IS in the illusion and the glamour of Life in this world that men formulated their separatist positions which they uphold yet today as they shut their eyes to the possibility that they ARE, or have been, wrong. This IS a human failing and it IS this that the apostle argues against in our selection which shows us “the works of the flesh” as those thoughts and attitudes and actions that ARE the result of the factious behavior of men. And while the apostle’s words to the Corinthians may be attributed solely to religious differences, his words to the Galatians ARE NOT so restricted; these words reflect the more general factious thoughts and attitudes of men which ARE against the Truth of Love and, as we have been discussing, against the Truth of the Great Commandments which we have again at the top of our essay. Repeating the apostle’s words to the Galatians again:

“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).

In the first segment of Paul’s words that ARE “the works of the flesh” we have those ideas that ARE contrary to the first part of the Great Commandments, ideas that show men’s infidelity toward the Godhead. That these ARE interpreted with a sexual tone by most ALL men from the early church on IS a product of their failure to see the carnal component of their own approach to God. They DID NOT and DO NOT see themselves as being in opposition to the ancient command that men “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” nor DO they see that it IS this precept that IS incorporated into the Master’s own definition of the disciple as He says: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple…..So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27, 33).

It IS toward discipleship that Paul’s words ARE intended as he admonishes the reader to refrain from the fornication that men have with the things of the world. Here, while ‘illicit sex’ IS among those things of the world, this IS NOT the primary factor which should be seen as ALL that takes the heart of the man away from the Truth of God. This idea IS furthered by the apostle’s use of the following words which, while they ARE rendered and seen by doctrine in sexual tones, ARE intended to convey men’s attraction to worldly goods and worldly thoughts and attitudes. It IS these ideas that should come from akatharsia and from aselgeia; these words ARE better rendered as expressing a: spirit of selfish desire which is the spirit of covetousness ⁴ as Vincent tells us and as wantonness. These ideas and Paul’s other words have been discussed in several previous posts and our point here IS simply to show again how that doctrines ARE captive to the renderings and thoughts of the early church; renderings and thoughts which ARE ofttimes in error. It IS toward discipleship that men must progress and it IS in discipleship that men can express that sense of Love toward God that IS “with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength“.

This IS the apostles point in the first segment and, as we have been discussing, his point in the second segment IS in regard to the second of the Great Commandments: that “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself“. It IS against this high ideal that the factions and the divisions of men stand; one CAN NOT see others as he sees himself in the midst of the divisions that ARE founded in the carnal behavior of men. And as we can see in our words from the apostle above, these factions and divisions ARE along religious lines to a large degree and we should try to see how that it IS religion that has allowed many of the other divisions of men to prosper over the centuries. From the holy wars to the enslavement of men of different color or custom to the slaughter of those whose color or custom or religion differ from the conqueror, the doctrines of the church that bears Christ’s name have allowed to these to proceed and has even partaken in many factious atrocities over the centuries. This IS ALL contrary to the law of Love and this IS firmly rooted in the factions that have become a part of the church and in the glamour of those men who have taken authority for things spiritual while NOT keeping His words nor understanding the import of the trifecta which we repeat here again:

• “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).

From the very foundation of the church these ideas have NOT been held in the regard that they must be while so many have seen themselves as having His Presence, of KNOWING the Truth and of be accounted worthy of the Kingdom of God. This trifecta IS His words and the Apostle James tells of this illusion of seeing oneself in the Will of God as he says “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). It IS in this regard that we should see Jesus’ words on the confusion of the Truth with the doctrines of men and, as we have discussed, the Master DOES show us that this confusion has ever existed as He repeats the words of the prophet. Here we should understand that as this historic behavior carried forward into the days of Christ, so they carry forward to today unabated and unseen by those who CAN NOT put themselves into the shoes of those to whom the Master says: “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying , This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:7-9).

The Prophet Isaiah told the Jews these things as rather current events as he told them of things to come in the near term; and it IS this that Jesus calls a prophecy to the Jews in His day. It IS in like manner that we should see His words to the Jews then as prophecy as well and see how that this vanity will happen NOT ONLY to the Jew but to ALL. And one need ONLY look at the church with an open heart and mind to see the relevancy of the Master’s words yet today. Few teach the Truth of the Master’s words while many teach their own doctrines; their own “commandments of men” in their stead. James tells us of the deception of doctrines that DO NOT show men to keep His words and to be a DOER of them and, as we discussed in the last essay, Paul offers us the same warning as he tells us that it IS  “not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified” (Romans 2:5:13). Yet men think and believe that they ARE DOING His Will while the reality IS that they ARE but performing the various edicts of their several doctrines; and the Truth of this can most easily be seen in men’s execution of what they have come to call the Great Commission.

Again, if we look with an open heart and mind at what IS being done around the world, we will see again how that men ARE “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men“. Against this we read Jesus’ words saying: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20). Much like the words of Paul that we ARE discussing these words from the Master ARE confounded and misinterpreted according to the doctrines of men.

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 n

o 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

⁴  Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888