IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 1367

ON LOVE; PART MVI

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).

Throughout the Master’s words and indeed throughout the New Testament the admonition that men keep His words IS the paramount injunction and it IS this that can be found in Jesus’ eternal message of Love. While much of doctrine DOES NOT see this reality through their own view of Jesus’ atoning death on the Cross, the Truth DOES remain and there IS naught in the apostles’ words that detracts from His injunction. It IS this message that Jesus gives us in His words to the woman that we ended with in the last essay as He says “blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28). The idea of blessed, rendered from the Greek word makarios, IS, in doctrinal terms, accorded the idea of happiness by many and it IS rendered as such by some. Blessed IS yet another nebulous idea that has NO apparent concrete meaning in the way that it IS used and the idea of makarios IS used in a similar way as grace.

In the way that this IS used in scripture however we should see something deeper and understand the idea as it IS presented to us in Jesus words above. We KNOW from the trifecta that to keep His words brings to men the Presence of God, that KNOWING that “shall make you free” and the realization through this KNOWING of the Kingdom of God. Can we see here that these ARE the blessings that come to “they that hear the word of God, and keep it“? And can we see here how that this very idea IS linked to the grace that IS these same things. We should note here that the word charis that IS rendered as grace IS NOT used by Jesus except as it IS wrongly rendered as thanks in the Apostle Luke’s Gospel and there too as a reward for acts of Love. Both grace then and blessings ARE the reward of the man who keeps His words and, as we have discussed in previous essays, the ideas of grace from Luke ARE written as misthos by the Apostle Matthew and rendered as reward by most.

Blessings, like grace, come to men by measure, in proportion to each man’s focus upon the things of God and, of course, inherent in this focus IS that striving to keep His words. We should note as well that most ALL doctrinal ideas regarding these ARE equally nebulous and cover a wide range denominational meaning. For us grace IS ALL things that come from God and it IS in this view that we should see blessings as this idea IS used above by Jesus. We should see here as well that neither grace nor blessings involve ANY thing carnal, that there IS NO thing in this world that can be seen in these terms. Both of these ideas ARE the revelations and the realizations that come to a man by measure as he strives to keep His words, as his focus continually moves toward the things of God. We should remember here also that these revelations and realizations, this grace and blessing, come into one’s consciousness from the Godhead through one’s own Soul and this as the consciousness focuses upon the reality and the Truth of Life as the Soul who IS ever One with God.

Vincent gives us much to consider in regard to this Greek word makarios which IS rendered as blessing in Jesus words above and throughout the Beatitudes and by its usage alone we should be able to see how that the meaning and intent ARE much more that what IS understood in happy. This IS much more too than the nebulous ideas that we find in the common view of blessing. Taking parts of Vincent’s words on the use of makarios we read these ideas regarding the Greek philosophers: With the philosophers a moral element comes definitely into the word. The conception rises from outward propriety to inward correctness as the essence of happiness. But in all of them, from Socrates onward, virtue depends primarily upon knowledge; so that to be happy is, first of all, to know. It is thus apparent that the Greek philosophy had no conception of sin in the Bible sense. As virtue depended on knowledge, sin was the outcome of ignorance, and virtue and its consequent happiness were therefore the prerogative of the few and the learned ⁴.

If we can see here how that Vincent’s ideas agree with our ideas here on such blessing, such makarios, which comes as the reward for keeping His words just as that KNOWING which we see in the first part of the trifecta below. Here KNOWING and blessing ARE linked in Greek usage and whether the philosophers saw this in their ideas or NOT IS of NO moment as the synergy of these ideas can be clearly seen in Jesus words above where keeping His words brings blessing and, at the same time, this IS founded in that KNOWING that comes from the same source. This idea is furthered as Vincent’s commentary continues; we read: The biblical use of the word lifted it into the region of the spiritual, as distinguished from the merely intellectual, and besides, intrusted to it alone the task of representing this higher conception ⁴.

Vincent goes on to contrast the Old Testament use of this idea of makarios with that of the New Testament; we read that:  In the Old Testament the idea involves more of outward prosperity than in the New Testament, yet it almost universally occurs in connections which emphasize, as its principal element, a sense of God’s approval founded in righteousness which rests ultimately on love to God ⁴. He then goes on to say that: Thus the word passed up into the higher region of Christian thought, and was stamped with the gospel signet, and laden with all the rich significance of gospel blessedness ⁴ and it IS in these ideas and those that follow that the nebulous ideas of blessed ARE discussed. Vincent’s full text can be found online in Mr. Vincent’s commentary on Chapter 5 of Matthew’s Gospel  which can be found at http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/matthew-5.html .

This brings us back to our work on the ideas behind pistis and pisteuo which ARE rendered as faith and believing and when we can understand these ideas as that same KNOWING which produces, or IS, blessing and grace, we can better put together these scriptural ideas. To discover the reality of pistis and pisteuo we need only go back to Jesus’ words that we cited two posts back and expand upon His thoughts with the interpretations of His words according to the other gospel writers. Matthew, Mark and Luke ARE ALL speaking about the same events and while the timing may seem to change and while the wording appears to be different the reality IS that these ARE ALL saying the same thing: that the impossible IS possible to the man who Truly KNOWS as we read in our trifecta. In the combination of the following ideas there IS the reality of faith and of believing as that KNOWING which comes to the man who will “continue in my word“.

Matthew presents Jesus’ idea twice and while doctrines tend to lean toward carnal reward as being that “whatsoever ye shall ask” we should remember and understand that there IS naught of “treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal” that will come from God; there IS ONLY “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19, 20) which ARE the revelations and the realizations of Truth….the blessings and the grace from God. This IS a most difficult idea for men to understand; this IS based for us in that dichotomy and opposition of the carnal and the spiritual as we read throughout the New Testament and which IS highlighted in Paul’s words from our selection below.

Jesus tells us that “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20) and it IS this idea that we should see Jesus words from the Apostle John’s Gospel where we read “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do” (John 14:12). Believing in or believing on the Master IS that “faith as a grain of mustard seed” but NOT in ordinary terms; it IS such faith when a man will accept and adopt His precepts and example as binding upon the life ⁴ as Vincent shows us. Can we see here how that keeping His words IS having such faith and such believing so as to enable the man in this world who IS Truly “led of the Spirit” to DO what IS normally impossible for men to DO.

Our point here IS however the link between believing and faith and that sense of KNOWING that overcomes the carnal mind and emotions, that overcomes ALL carnal impediments of doubt and concern. Jesus rephrases his words when speaking about the fig tree and here the idea of being free from doubt IS introduced; to “have faith, and doubt not” IS the “faith as a grain of mustard seed“. The “grain of mustard seed” has NO doubts…..it simply KNOWS, albeit in a non-sentient way, that it IS a tree; this IS the reality that IS built into the very makeup of the seed. The Master says: “Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:21-22).

In these words we have the same thought as the previous words from Matthew’s Gospel and in the idea of “nothing shall be impossible” we should see the same as “whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” but in both we must understand the caveat. Though unspoken, there IS the reality that these things whatsoever, and these impossible things ARE spiritual….the ARE NOT carnal as so many teach and believe. In this random world of carnal happenstance men may ‘believe for’ this or that and get it but, at the same time, millions who DO NOT believe as such also get the same or better and millions who DO believe fail in their effort. While this latter effect IS explained as that one’s faith was NOT right for whatever reason, that one’s prayer IS wrong, that the object of prayer IS NOT ‘in God’s will’ or that one DOES NOT tithe properly, the reality IS that there IS NO carnal thing that will come from God.

Much of doctrine has devolved into this type of thinking, thinking in carnal terms, regarding prayer and the most referenced of the apostles’ words on this comes from the Apostle Mark whose words we read saying: “Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed , and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:22-24). What Matthew shows us as that we should “have faith, and doubt not“, Mark shows us in terms of believing and how that this idea IS NOT a mental nor emotional one by that it IS that one “shall not doubt in his heart“, the very core of consciousness that IS the Soul in form.

We should understand that both of these ideas which ARE presented as that a man should “have faith, and doubt not” and that he “shall not doubt in his heart“, ARE the True nature of the man who keeps His words and, by measure, the man who strives to DO so as we read again in our trifecta of spiritual reality:

• “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).

Here, in the trifecta, we have the reality of KNOWING and it IS in Jesus’s words that “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” we have the epitome of faith and believing. It IS in the panoply of Life, in the diversity of men who come among us in a rather infinite range of spiritual capability, that we find those of whom we read in the New Testament and in the Old and it IS ONLY in breaking away from the doctrinal assertion of one Life here in this Earth that the True complexity of ALL men IS more easily seen. It IS in the reality that the Soul IS the spiritual man, the True man, that we can see through the common view and grasp the True nature of so many of Paul’s sayings and we end here with this from the apostle who says: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

While we have used these words for other purposes, for the idea of measure that it presents, we use it now to show the more innate idea of measure….that IS the measure of KNOWING that a man comes into this world with; a measure that IS based in his own spiritual collateral built up over previous incursions into the illusion and glamour of Life here in this world. It IS in this light that we should see the realities that ARE offered us in Jesus’ words and in the gospel stories of the men and women who have such faith as the Master remarks about and who ARE able to use it in example for us. Repeating our current selection from Galatians 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).

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 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.

We repeat here a Quote of the Day that we spent much time with over the course of our essays. In this affirmation we find the Truth of discipleship as we have been ever been expressing and here we can relate our themes of the last few days; “take no thought” for the things of the world and that we approach the Kingdom and discipleship in the nature of the little child, in humbleness, meekness, unashamed in any way and unassuming. The message that this imparts for us today IS that it IS the Soul that is at work in the world of men as it expresses to some degree the purpose, power and the will through Life in this world. These words are from a meditation offered to his students by our Tibetan brother and in which we find greater understanding of the message of the Master. This IS Truly the way of the disciple.

My Soul has purpose, power and will; these three are needed on the Way of Liberation.

My Soul must foster love among the sons of men; this is its major purpose.

I, therefore, will to love and tread the Way of Love. All that hinders and obstructs the showing of the Light must disappear before the purposes of the Soul.

My will is one with the great Will of God;. that Holy Will requires that all men serve. And unto the purposes of the Plan I lend my little will.

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts

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