ON LOVE; PART MXXVIII
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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).
In the last essay we furthered our discussion on Wisdom through which we should see how that James’ “wisdom that is from above” (James 3:17) IS what the Apostle Paul calls “the wisdom of God” and what the Apostle John shows us as that “unction from the Holy One” (1 John 2:20) which IS the anointing that IS “the Holy Ghost“. We must of course tie ALL these ideas together, stitch them if you will, and it IS the understanding that comes from this stitching that IS a part of this very idea of Wisdom; a Wisdom that IS the result of that KNOWING which IS the deeper Truth of the idea of faith as Jesus teaches us to understand this. This faith IS that certainty, that KNOWING without ANY doubt, that His words ARE Truth and that it IS in following His words and His example that men ARE Truly “delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21).
John tells us that “the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth” (1 John 2:27) and in this we should see the very same Presence of God that we see in Paul’s words on Wisdom as that “which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual“. We MUST understand however that this anointing, this “wisdom of God“, IS NOT the providence of the “the natural man” as this man “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God” and here again we come to the intersection of Truth and doctrine. To the doctrinal man whose faith IS based in that nebulous idea that comes in his doctrines, these things that we discern regarding the Presence of God, as this IS based in our trifecta, “are foolishness unto him“. This man DOES NOT realize that unless he can tear himself away from his own indoctrination that he will continue to miss “the things of the Spirit of God” and will remain trapped in that deception which the Apostle James shows us saying “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).
This deception IS of course the result of the illusion, the vanity according to the rendering of Paul’s word mataiotes, and here we should try to see how that the glamour that comes in the mataiotes IS the deception itself. Part of the lexicon’s definition of the Greek word mataiotes IS that this IS: what is devoid of truth and appropriateness 2 but we should try to see this in the deeper view that we take from Vincent. Vincent tells us of mataiotes as Paul uses this word that: the reference is to a perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends 4, and here we should see ALL things, ALL thoughts, attitudes and actions, that ARE contrary to His words….it IS these that make men separate from God. It IS the doctrines of men which confirm so much of the ways of the world that ARE the false ends which men ARE ever pursuing and which provide for their deception and their failure which Paul shows us saying “your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God“. As Jesus told the Jews about their reliance on doctrine He also tells us, but His message IS kept out of the ears of many by those who interpret and teach, those who have assumed authority over the spiritual lives of the masses.
While the doctrines of men DO have many good qualities of which the paramount idea IS that the keep some measure of men’s focus upon God, they DO at the same time mislead many who might otherwise strive toward the Truth of His words. When we can see how that the Truth IS left for us in a most clear manner that IS only obnubilated by men’s own desire for the easier way, we can then better understand the whole idea that James clearly presents and see how that the doctrines of men have forged ways to realize this desire while believing that one IS ‘saved‘. Paul’s words on Wisdom, on the duality of wisdom versus Wisdom, ARE but another example of how men can deceive themselves as they come to believe that through their doctrines that they have such spiritual discernment to KNOW “the wisdom of God” and to glimpse even “the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world“.
This doctrinal belief misses the Master’s own words that tell us that it IS the providence of the disciple to KNOW such mysteries. Jesus tells His disciples that “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables” (Mark 4:11) and while this IS a great Truth it DOES NOT account for the failure of men to see and to understand the many clearly painted Truths that ARE spread throughout His words and the words of His apostles. And this doctrinal belief misses also the reality of discipleship as this IS defined in our trifecta and in many of Jesus’ words. Nonetheless men and their doctrines still maintain that they ARE privy to “the wisdom of God” while they ARE yet living contrary to the precepts of the Master’s words; all the while believing that they ARE living on the God side of these words on Wisdom from Paul:
“my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But 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 2:4-14).
The apostle offers us many hints in these words; hints that should be seen in a spiritual context. First there IS faith, that one’s KNOWING should stand “in the power of God” and in this we should see naught that IS carnal, that IS we should see naught that IS “earthly, sensual, devilish“. Here IS also the understanding that the whole concept of doctrinal faith ‘for’ carnal things IS an aberration of the spiritual Truths. Paul then tells us that “we speak wisdom among them that are perfect” and here we should see the True intent of this idea of perfect, that this IS NOT maturity as some doctrines explain but this IS the reality of the Truth presented by Jesus as He tells us to “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Can we see here who it IS that IS speaking of Wisdom? Can we see that those who can be part of this speaking ARE disciples and by measure aspirants who DO strive toward the Truth.
Next we should try to understand Paul’s reference to princes, to “the princes of this world“, as the powers and the rulers in that day and in this. Here we should remember that we ARE speaking about spiritual things and that these rulers would be spiritual rulers as in the Pharisee, the scribe, the Sadducee and the Sanhedrin in those days; and they would be ALL who take similar authority throughout the centuries. Here we should see how that the “wisdom of this world” and the wisdom”of the princes of this world” ARE ALL “come to nought” when measured against the Truth of His words and while so many believe that they have such “wisdom of God” then and now, the reality IS that NONE Truly KNOW save those who keep His words and, by measure, those who strive to DO so.
We should see the next points in relation to the trifecta; we should see how that in the idea that “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit“, the apostle IS speaking about that Wisdom which IS “the deep things of God” and in this we should understand the reality of the revelation and the realization that comes to the man who will keep His words. It IS this man that DOES “love him” according to Jesus own words which we also read in our trifecta where we should try to see that Union that IS the realization of His Presence: “the spirit which is of God” in communion with his expression which IS the Life of the disciple in this world. Repeating again our trifecta we read:
- “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).
It IS in the logical assembly of the Master’s words, a logic that IS surely based in that “wisdom that is from above“, that we can come to Truly see the overall intent of His words and the words of his apostles. We have ofttimes shown how that when there ARE two results from the same cause, that these results can be seen as equal and as occurring together, that one DOES NOT happen without the other. Here in the trifecta we have such effect and one that reaches beyond Jesus’ words here. And this IS the reality of keeping His words or of striving to DO so. The first result that we should see IS how that “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free“; next there IS also the effect that the man who DOES keep His words or strives towards that goal “shall enter into the kingdom of heaven” and, if we can tear away from the unfounded doctrinal assertions that this Kingdom IS ONLY where men go when they die physically, we can then understand the role of measure as it relates to His Kingdom.
In the next part or our trifecta we have the very Presence of God in Life, a Presence that Jesus tells us comes to the man who “will keep my words“; here we should see that there IS an another idea which should be added to ALL aspects of the trifecta….Love for Christ and God through His words saying “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me“. We could go on here to show how that this idea of Love works simply by referencing the Great Commandments as part of keeping His words and see that to Love God IS also to “love thy neighbour as thyself” which IS intimately tied to that Love. Our point here IS that these ideas ARE inseparable and that while we use the trifecta to show the simplicity of the Master’s message, the Truth of the result of keeping His words IS spread throughout the gospels and the epistles.
To “know the truth” and the freedom that this brings, to “enter into the kingdom of heaven“, and to have the Presence of God which IS the reality of Jesus’ words saying that “we will come unto him, and make our abode with him“, ALL come from keeping His words which IS equivalent to Loving Him…to Loving God. This should show us, from the perspective of simple logic, that these ARE ALL the same thing in effect in one’s Life and that to have one IS to have them ALL. And when we can tie to these ideas Jesus words on being “born again” we will see how that to be so requires that one keep His words as well. Again we have simple logic which IS based in “the wisdom that is from above“; the Master tells us that “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3) and in this rendering we should note that the Greek word eido which IS rendered as see IS most always rendered in terms of KNOWING and of perception which idea should bring the reality of the Kingdom into clearer view.
Jesus also tells Nicodemus, and us through His words, that “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5) and in this we can see how that this rather cryptic idea of being “born of water and of the Spirit” IS the same as being “born again“. This sameness IS apparent in the context of Jesus’ words as well as in the logic that the result IS the same; this idea however IS left off of most ALL doctrinal presentations of what it means to be “born again“. We have offered our ideas on this cryptic saying in a previous post and repeat our interpretation here again saying:
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” A companion statement to the one above we should see that the added reality that “born of water” has naught to do with baptism but is merely the reality of the way that the man is born in the flesh as he comes into this world from that watery existence in the womb. On the other side, to be born of Spirit is as we portray above. When the Light of the Soul flows through the personality, when the Love and the Power of the Soul are used by the man in the world in place of the instincts and appetites of the body nature and in place of the emotional desires and the mental reasoning of the personality….in place of the considerations of the self in form, then the man can be seen as born of the Spirit or, born again. (In the Words of Jesus part 564).
If we could but see how that the ONLY completion of men’s work IS founded in the reality of expressing the fullness of the Truth and the Love as a man in this world, we could better understand the relevance of this idea that one MUST be “born of water and of the Spirit” to “enter into the kingdom of God“. In this IS a glimpse of the very purpose of Life here in this vanity; it IS in being “born again” that we ARE “delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” which IS the same result as to “enter into the kingdom of God“. It IS in the achievement of expressing the fullness of Truth and Love that comes ONLY through Life here in this Earth, that the Soul, which IS the True man, IS freed from this existence and this freedom IS the greater Truth of the idea of eternal Life. We close today with our selection from Galatians and should try to see how that this idea of Wisdom is linked to that expression of faith which Paul shows us IS a “fruit of the Spirit“.
“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 |
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
- 2 New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
- ord Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
