ON LOVE; PART MXXX
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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 closed the last essay with some words on sin, on the equality of sin that the Apostle James shows us saying that “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all“, and on the rather mysterious tones of the Master who tells us about what IS called the ‘unpardonable sin’….the sin against the Holy Ghost. James points us to the reality of sin as he tells us that ALL sin IS equal but the greater lesson from the apostle’s writing IS found in the context of his words which speak about Love and the Truest meaning of this idea of agape which says that to Truly Love IS to have NO “respect to persons“. This Truth from James’ words IS missed by many who see his words ONLY in regard to the rich and the poor as he paints his example. And few there ARE who realize that James’ words Truly paint for us the whole idea of Love as Jesus teaches this and how that to live contrary to this, to “have respect to persons” IS to “commit sin” (James 2:10, 9).
And this sin IS equal to ALL other sins insofar as the reality of sin IS concerned. When we can see the Truth of sin as that this encompasses ALL that IS NOT focused upon the things of God, we can then understand the deeper meanings of Jesus’ teachings apart from the doctrinal view that sin IS those gross offences of men. In this idea we come back to the words of the Apostle Peter who sums up for us the whole nature of Truly being a Christian and a True follower of Christ; we read again: “as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Peter 1:15). Regarding what IS called the ‘unpardonable sin’ we must continue in uncertainty and hold to the ideas that we took from the Book of Hebrews and the Apostle Peter in the last post.
To this we can ONLY add a sense that in Jesus’ words to the scribes and the Pharisees that He is revealing a Truth regarding the state into which they have put themselves as they put their doctrines above the evident Truths that the Master espoused; in so DOING they blot out the Light of the Spirit and see ONLY their own carnal intentions and in the hardness of their view this IS sore difficult to overcome. When we can see how that this idea of forgiveness IS intimately tied to Repentance, we can then also see the True intent of this idea and, although its usage leads to the belief that God forgives as an outside Force, the greater understanding IS found in one’s own realization of Truth. We should try to see how that from man to man the idea of forgiveness IS an important part of Love and this idea IS easily seen in the Lord’s Prayer and in Jesus words on faith and believing which IS that KNOWING that we find in Paul’s list of “fruit of the Spirit” which we read 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).
We should note that the idea of forgiveness IS NOT a direct part of any of the apostle’s list here but that, at the same time, it IS inherent in every virtue that IS listed….every idea here requires forgiveness if one IS to Truly have such fruit as his expression. As we cite above, the Master’s ideas on forgiveness can be better understood from the perspective of man to man and self forgiveness rather than the doctrinal idea of forgiveness by God. In this perspective of man to man there IS yet another sense of duality; first forgiveness requires that one can overlook or look past his own sense of sin which IS based in his own moral code and manner of Life. Second, one must be able to overlook or look past the ‘offenses’ of others and it IS in this that we can find the link to Love. We should try to understand how that this forgiveness of others IS an expression of Love that IS tied to the Master’s words that show us to “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
And more, there ARE also His words saying that “unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also” (Luke 6:29); these too ARE the reality of forgiveness which IS a concept that has its very roots in the Jesus’ words that we call the Golden Rule. In His words that tell us “as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31) we should see the deepest idea of forgiveness which says that regardless of what another may DO to us, we DO overlook it and look past it. As Love IS tied to forgiveness of another, Repentance IS tied to forgiveness of oneself; in this idea we should see that if there IS a thing DONE that Truly bothers the DOER, the ONLY recourse IS to Repent.
We should understand here that this idea of Repentance IS NOT merely remorse as there IS NO sense of self forgiveness in being sorry; we should see here that this Repentance IS the same as what IS men’s motivation to change their focus from the self to the things of God….the difference IS ONLY by degree. If a man has something in his Life that Truly troublesome or burdensome, his ONLY recourse IS to Repent, to change his Life so that this something IS eliminated while at the same time looking past what IS past. And, if this something also effects others, there must come an understanding that one CAN NOT make another forgive or look past what was DONE. In this we should see another reality of Jesus’ words above; here one must be able to offer the other cheek and give the “thy coat also” as he understands that receiving forgiveness from another may be difficult.
And forgiveness IS a required discipline of Love as we read in the Lord’s Prayer that shows us that we must ask forgiveness as we give it. The Apostle Matthew frames this as “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12) and in this idea of debt we should see the whole panoply of human interactions. The Apostle Luke frames this differently but the reality IS ever the same; we read “forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us” (Luke 11:4). While these words, as part of that prayer that begins with the words “Our Father“, help to bring us to the doctrinal idea of forgiveness by God, we should try to understand the deeper idea of the God and the Christ Within as the forgiver and as the motivator to Repentance. It IS the prompting of one’s own Soul as a man’s conscience that makes a thing troublesome or burdensome to him and it IS this that brings him to that self forgiveness which IS found in his Repentance.
This whole idea of forgiveness IS founded in faith and if we can see how that to KNOW requires that one forgive as his outward expression of Love, we can then understand the relevance of the Apostle Mark’s version of the Truth of KNOWING as faith and believing. Mark shows us the Master’s words as:
“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. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:23-26).
We should see here the intimate relationship of these ideas of faith and believing, praying and forgiveness; we should try to understand that this prayer IS one’s asking for the grace which IS an adjunct to KNOWING and, in so many ways, IS that KNOWING which IS faith. We should try to see also how that this idea of prayer IS an automatic and a rather circular idea in this context as this sense of desire, in spiritual terms, IS for greater grace which IS greater KNOWING….greater revelation and realization of Truth which ARE the sum-total of ALL that comes from God. In these words from Jesus we should be able to understand that this greater grace IS NOT possible when men ARE afflicted with troublesome or burdensome things in their own Life which may have been done to them or that they may have done to others.
Here, as part of the cost for this grace there IS the need to look past ALL that may have been done by others which IS in essence an expression of Love according to Jesus’ words and here IS also the flow of that grace in one’s self forgiveness which IS Repentance. ALL these ideas work seamlessly with the reality of the trifecta which shows us that it IS in keeping His words, here His words on Love and forgiveness, that brings men that grace which IS that faith that “shall make you free“; we read the Master’s words again saying:
- “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).
In these ideas we can perhaps find a clue to the Master’s intent as He shows us the ‘unpardonable sin’. In the context of forgiveness, with its ties to Repentance as we have discussed it here, we should be able to get a glimpse of Jesus’ intent as He says that “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men” (Matthew 12:31). We should note here that ONLY Matthew gives us Jesus’ thoughts in terms of “sin and blasphemy“; both Mark and Luke present this idea in terms of speaking and blasphemy ONLY. We should note also that the idea of blasphemy, or any type of speaking, IS more that the words; it IS the thoughts and the attitudes that a man will express in his Life. Here we should see Jesus’ own words that show us this as He tells us that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34).
If we can see how that one’s thoughts and attitudes can become against the Truth of Life that IS the Soul, the spiritual man that IS the Christ and the God Within, we can then see the position that the scribes and the Pharisees had put themselves in. It IS against this that the Master speaks and if we can see how that their continuance in this focus of their lives, we can then see how that they had allowed the illusions and the glamours that ARE fed by their doctrinal view of Life to overwhelm the presentation of Truth. In this perhaps we can come to understand what it IS to sin “against the Holy Ghost“. It IS these thoughts and attitudes that becloud the Truth and obnubilate any sense of the Presence of God to such degree that the man CAN NOT even sense the unction and that “anointing which ye have received” (1 John 2:20, 27) remains unrealized as it IS for most ALL men.
And this IS the sin of most ALL men: that their focus IS upon their carnal lives and, for most, this IS rather inconsequential as the Master tells us that this “shall be forgiven unto men“. Here again the idea of forgiveness IS as we have discussed; it IS founded in Repentance and easily experienced by ALL who Truly strive. For the scribe and the Pharisee however this IS NOT so simple as they have NOT ONLY looked away from the Truth but they have put their own versions of it, their own doctrines, in its place whilst believing that they ARE DOING “the will of my Father“. For these men there IS NO Repentance and therefore NO forgiveness; NOT that they CAN NOT Repent but rather that in their state of thought and attitude they WILL NOT.
We should understand here that the thoughts and the attitudes of men ARE NOT frozen in time and that these words on sin and Repentance that the Master offers us ARE timeless; that IS that the change that IS Repentance can come at ANY time. This IS of course according to Jesus’ words saying that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26) and we should understand here that this reflects upon the God Within as the instigator of Repentance in one’s Life. And we should try to see that Jesus’ words ARE also timeless and that these ideas of sin and blasphemy have afflicted men down the centuries and DO so yet today.
We should try to see here how that ALL men who put their own doctrinal sense in place of the clear Truths of His words as we read in the trifecta and throughout the New Testament ARE in the same danger and CAN easily carry this with them according to His words saying that this “shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come“. But there IS ever hope, there IS ever the opportunity to awaken out of the illusion and the glamour as we find in the story of the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus.
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.
