ON LOVE; PART MLXIV
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).
As we ended the last essay we tied together the several ideas that we had been discussing over the last several posts. We discussed further the Master’s words from the end of His Sermon on the Mount regarding the reality of the teaching by those who have taken authority over the spiritual lives of others. In this we should see the failure men to both keep His words and to teach others according to His words saying that men should be “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20) rather than to be “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). In this we have the teaching of Truth and we have false teachings and it IS this that we should see in Jesus idea of the “false prophets“. While His parabolic description of the “false prophets” leads many to see these men as cruel, vicious, ferocious and ravaging as the the Greek word harpax IS rendered by some, the reality of the “ravening wolves” can more clearly be seen as men being men.
ALL wolves ARE ravenous and rapacious, as harpax IS rendered by some in its other uses, and here we should try to see Jesus’ intent: that the “false prophets” ARE men being men in this world just as the “ravening wolves” ARE wolves being wolves. Jesus tells us that it IS up to every individual to “Beware of false prophets” which IS to be aware of the veracity of the teachings of men and to discern that they ARE in accord with His own words of Truth. It IS in the perceived authority of the teachers however that men ARE led away from the Truth and into the convenience of doctrines; it IS in this we have the narrow and difficult Path of the strait gate versus the easier road of the wide gate and the broad way.
There IS a clarity to His words that doctrines obnubilate with their out of context views of His Truths and this despite the harsh conviction of the man who chooses the wide gate and the broad way…..that he will NOT “enter into the kingdom of heaven“. Their carnal works, (and ALL ARE carnal save those that ARE in accord with His words), will ONLY result in that spiritual reply which Jesus shows us as “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity“. Doctrines paint a different picture and it IS in this picture that the false teachings of men overwhelm the Truth as men take hold of doctrines and base their choice in the authority of the teacher. This IS the illusion and it IS in the glamour of men who continue to hold on to those thoughts and those attitudes that they have developed through their nurturing and their indoctrination.
And again, this IS the Apostle Paul’s caution and warning with which we ended the last essay. The apostle shows us the dichotomy between the carnal and the spiritual as he cautions us to use the liberty, the measure of freedom that one’s measure of Truth brings, NOT “for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” and warns us that it IS ONLY when one DOES Truly “Walk in the Spirit” that he “shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh“. We should try to see here how that to “Walk in the Spirit“, to “be led of the Spirit“, renders one’s heart to God and one’s focus to the things of God; and the simple message here IS that it IS in this condition that one IS “not under the law“….and this because “all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself“. In these words from Paul we have the reality of the Great Commandments; to “Walk in the Spirit” and to “be led of the Spirit” IS the reality of the first of the Great Commandments and to “love thy neighbour as thyself” IS the second. Repeating the apostle’s words:
“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 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).
As we discussed Paul’s lists of “the works of the flesh” and “the fruit of the Spirit” we noted how that these ARE in relation to the Great Commandments and if we can see how that the apostle’s prior words here set that stage for us, we can then better understand his points. We can better understand how that the first part of this list of “the works of the flesh” IS NOT a list of the carnal interpretations of men but IS rather a list of the spiritual implications that show how that one’s infidelity toward the Godhead and one’s focus upon the carnal things and powers of men ARE contrary to the first of the Great commandments. And we can better understand how that the second part of this list of “the works of the flesh” shows us the reality of the factions and the divisions that men create and how that it IS these that ARE contrary to the second of the Great Commandments and ARE the cause of the hatreds and the wrath.
This IS the greater reality of Paul’s list of “the works of the flesh” which he closes with his ideas on methe and komos; while these ARE rendered as drunkenness and reveling, the deeper implications ARE founded in the apostle’s words that the man who chooses to focus upon God should NOT “think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3). Then there IS Paul’s list of “the fruit of the Spirit” which, aside from the carnal interpretations as several virtues, IS a picture of the Life of a man, his thoughts, his attitudes and his actions, who IS or IS striving to keep His words of which the Great Commandments show us the totality of them ALL. It IS when we can see how that these words from Paul that have been our selection ARE fully in support of the Master’s words that close His Sermon, that we can better understand both. Reading Jesus’ words again:
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:12-23).
We have covered our thoughts on the Master’s words over the last several posts and while these may NOT have been spoken by Jesus in the same arrangement that we have here, we should remember that the Apostle Matthew saw the dynamic link between these ideas and placed them in this order. It IS in this order that we find the reality of Love, of agape, as the Golden Rule and can see how that it IS this that IS the essence of the strait gate and the fullness of His Truth. It IS in this order that we can see how that to teach anything that IS NOT this Truth of agape IS the teaching of the “false prophets“, the “ravening wolves” who feed their own carnal instincts rather than offer the deeper Truths which they likely DO NOT even see because of the teaching that they themselves have received. We should see here as well the reality that “Ye shall know them by their fruits” and understand that this fruit will be either “the works of the flesh” or “the fruit of the Spirit“; that this fruit IS either in accord with the Great Commandments or it IS NOT.
And we should see as well how that it IS the teacher and the learner who IS in accord with His words that will “enter into the kingdom of heaven” and that ALL others, regardless of how they perceive themselves as righteous or holy, will NOT but will have in their own lives the reality that “I never knew you“. And this despite whatsoever accomplishments a man may have, regardless that he had “prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works“. And it IS in this order given us by Matthew that we have the summation of ALL thoughts and ideas that show the man who keeps His words, to show the man whose expression IS “the fruit of the Spirit“….to show the man who Truly has NO “respect to persons“; this IS the man who lives by the Golden Rule that “whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them“. This summation IS Jesus parabolic presentation of Truth that says:
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matthew 7:24-27).
Despite the clarity of Jesus’ words here there IS a fundamental failure throughout Christianity to see the importance of this parabolic statement. As we have said there ARE many doctrinally oriented Christians who DO believe that they have this Wisdom, that they ARE to be likened “unto a wise man” while they DO NOT “heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them“. They instead rely upon their doctrinal view that puts the writings of the apostles, the misunderstood, misinterpreted, misapplied and out of context writings of the apostles, in place of Jesus’ sayings. And while there ARE some that tell us that His words that ARE spoken before His death ARE spoken to the Jews and they DO NOT apply after His resurrection, that the apostles words ARE more True to the Christian, this IS pure folly and IS the way of “a foolish man” according to His sayings above. The clear message IS that “whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them” IS the man who has the Truth, has His Presence and has His Kingdom according to 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).
While Matthew’s version of this parabolic idea centers around the idea of “a wise man” as opposed to “a foolish man“, the Apostle Luke’s version DOES NOT include these ideas; they ARE rather just left to the reality of the rest of the story where we can see for ourselves who IS the “wise man” and who IS the fool. Both versions of Jesus words however ARE amplified and clarified by the apostle James who tells us, just as clearly, “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). In this idea of deception we find the Life of the fool according to Jesus words and it IS here that we should try to see that to be deceived and to be the “foolish man” IS to remain in that sense of vanity to which ALL men ARE subjected as Paul tells us. It IS this vanity that IS the illusion which leads to the deception and which IS that perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends 4 as Vincent tells us.
Perhaps it IS in Vincent’s point that in this vanity men ARE pursuing false ends that we can see the ways of men in this world, and this includes ALL men. The religious who pursue their several doctrines rather than the One Truth, the irreligious who hold NO religious impulses or emotions and the many millions who are some combination of these ideas, ARE ALL “made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same“. This IS ALL according to the Great and Awesome Plan of God and, from the beginning, the way out of this, the way to “be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:20-21), has been given to men in scripture.
For us today that scripture IS the Master’s words and the clarifying and amplifying words of His apostles. However, so long as men rely upon their own sense of doctrine, so long as men DO NOT see the clarifying and amplifying nature of the apostle’s words but rather use them to create doctrines that ARE ofttimes opposed to Jesus’ words, there will be NO deliverance. And this IS the very point of our selection from the Sermon on the Mount. It IS in Love shown here as the Golden Rule that men find the strait gate and ARE able to navigate the narrow and difficult way that IS contrary to the very proclivities of men. It IS in Love that men DO “Strive to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke 13:24) where Truth abounds and it IS in the absence of this expression of agape that the “false prophets” teach whatsoever comes from their own nurturing and indoctrination into the ways of men and of the world.
It IS in this teaching and learning of doctrine over Truth that the whole of humanity is at the wide gate and the broad path; unbeknownst to them they ARE yet trapped in the vanity, in the illusion and the glamour of Life. And here again is the rub: while doctrines teach men that they ARE among the ‘saved‘, while their doctrines teach that they ARE near to God and while their doctrines teach that their supposed gifts and powers ARE spiritual, ALL is essentially vanity. This IS made most clear by our Master who says “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” as He continues to show the plight of the man who believes that he DOES based in his own view of doctrines.
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
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
