ON LOVE; PART MLXXII
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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 ended the last essay with some thoughts on the ideas that ARE presented in the Apostle Paul’s epistles which ARE most confusingly rendered into English by the variety of different translations of the original transcripts. We should remember here that most ALL of these translations embody the doctrinal ideas of the translators or teams of translators and while some of these latter DO use a consensus opinion, this IS still based in the varied doctrines that have been passed down and modified through the centuries. Our point here IS simply that many of the words that ARE used by the apostle and intended to be seen in a spiritual way ARE see in a most carnal fashion with some used to define and support ONLY the gross behaviors of men as the reality of sin.
While it IS True that these gross behaviors ARE sinful, they ARE NOT so based in the moral conclusions of men ONLY; they ARE so based in the way that they ARE against the reality of True spiritual Life….the way that they ARE against the Truth of the Great Commandments which we have again at the top of our essay. And the hypocrisy of the doctrinal view can be most easily seen in the way that the translated gross offences ARE treated, a way which causes men to rail against the sexual offences but to accept the non-sexual. This IS also seen in the way that such men will place a higher sin value upon the ideas of witchcraft and idolatry as they see these ideas than they DO upon variance, emulations or wrath.
They forget that sin IS sin and that there IS an equality in the ideas presented by the apostle regardless of how these ARE viewed. There IS an equality when viewed in a carnal way and there IS an equality when these ARE viewed in a spiritual way and this sense of equality should be understood according to the Apostle James saying that “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). This point IS long forgotten in the doctrinal church which continues to divide both men and their sins into categories that suit their need; categories upon which they lay the foundation of their individual denominational view.
This tendency IS easily seen in today’s church movements against the homosexual community, a community that has ever been with us, as well as the way that most treat the issue of abortion….an idea that is NOT mentioned in the bible save for a few oblique references that ARE interpreted to be about that subject. While much of the predominant views on abortion can be found in the doctrinal ideas on Life itself which sees the body as the man, there IS still NO direct scriptural approach to the whole concept of abortion. Neither IS there any understanding of the reality of the Soul as the eternal being that takes possession of a body in this Earth; and there IS certainly NO understanding of the idea of when this should happen….when the fetus becomes the Soul infused man.
Some place an even grater weight upon this idea by ascribing that the fetus IS a Life from the time of conception while others ARE so staunchly opposed that they DO NOT see how that the Life of the mother and any danger to it through a pregnancy should be weighed in a decision to abort. Our point here IS NOT about abortion nor the doctrinal views on it; our point IS about the way that men view the ideas of sin and how that they separate sin into classes that have NO basis in the scriptures that they rely upon….nor DO they have any basis according to James’ most clear saying that “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all“. As a last point here we should understand that there ARE several scriptures that DO seem to speak of abortion and that these ARE largely ignored by those whose doctrines have taken a stand against it.
The greater point in our ideas here IS that the doctrinal churches expend much time and energy speaking about what they have come to be against and so little time teaching what it IS that they should be for. Our point was succinctly offered by the Reverend William Barber II at the recent Democratic Convention and while there ARE likely some that DO engage in Rev. Barber’s accusations at the end, most ARE committed to their position based in their own indoctrination and sense of Truth. Rev. Barber says: “I’ve had the privilege of traveling the country with the Reverend Dr. James Forbes, and Reverend Dr. Traci Blackmon and Sister Simone Campbell as we are working together in the revival and calling for a revolution of values. And as we travel the country, we see things. That is why I’m so concerned, about those that say so much—about what God says so little, while saying so little—about what God says so much. And so in my heart, I’m troubled. And I’m worried about the way faith is cynically used by some to serve hate, fear, racism and greed“
And this IS Paul’s point as well as that of the Master who tells us that we must “Beware of false prophets” which ARE the false teachers that “say so much—about what God says so little, while saying so little—about what God says so much“. And while we may be able to see the idea of “ravening wolves” in Rev Barber’s words regarding “the way faith is cynically used by some to serve hate, fear, racism and greed“, we should ever remember that the deeper idea here is that these “ravening wolves” ARE merely men being men just as ravening IS the natural way of the wolf. That doctrines have hijacked the meaning of this Greek word hapax and understand this in terms of cruel and vicious as some translations render this DOES NOT change the reality of the word which means rapacious which in turn means: subsisting by the capture of living prey; predacious 7 in regard to animals according to the dictionary.
And it IS this natural way of men that Paul cautions us about as he tells those who have some measure of Truth to NOT fall into the ways of the “natural man” who “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him” (1 Corinthians 2:14). It IS this caution that IS the apostle’s list of “the works of the flesh” and we should try to see here how that the factious and divisive ideas in his list ARE the foundation for the “hate, fear, racism and greed” which Rev. Barber cites above. We should understand here that while Rev. Barber’s ideas ARE, the apostle’s reference IS NOT to the gross behaviors that the Greek words are interpreted to be by doctrine; they ARE rather the deeper spiritual ideas that go against the Truth of the Great Commandments. Repeating Paul’s words we read:
“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).
Here we have another point that should ever be kept in mind: while there ARE those whose motives ARE “to serve hate, fear, racism and greed” this IS the exception and NOT the rule. The general tenor of doctrine has created many who live and teach according to their doctrines and while some may be hypocritical in their private lives, they DO generally try to DO as they believe; they DO stay away from the gross ideas that ARE rendered from Paul’s words. While these may believe that they ARE keeping His words by DOING so, the greater Truth and “the fruit of the Spirit” ARE ONLY found in actually keeping His words as we read again in our trifecta of spiritual reality:
- “If ye continue in bmy 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).
And this IS the dilemma of men: to follow in one’s doctrinal approach to the Lord and to teach those doctrines which may lead one to “say so much—about what God says so little” to others, or, to step out and teach the Truth of His words….a Truth that IS remarkably clear to any who will look past their own doctrinal bent. There IS nary a word about the ‘high point’s’ that some place into the words of the Lord: there IS naught about abortion and there IS naught about homosexuality, yet it IS these themes have overwhelmed the teaching and the perspective of many parts of today’s church. And while many cover their teaching and perspective with ideas like ‘hate the sin and love the sinner’ the Truth IS found in the right understanding of agape and ALL of Jesus’ teachings on Love which ARE encapsulated in His sayings that “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” and “as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31) which IS Luke’s version of Jesus’ Golden Rule.
That most men DO NOT yet see the reality of this Love against their own understanding of it as the mental and emotional attachment and attraction to others IS Truly unfortunate; and we should understand here that this view of Love IS intimately bound to men’s ideas of me and my. Men Love those things that satisfy the me and they especially Love those things that ARE a part of the my. It IS in the reality of True discipleship that we must see how that this sense of Love IS Love for the things of the self and NOT Love for the things of God in which IS the reality of “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” and “as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise“. And here again we should see the value of measure; it IS in one’s measured Love toward ALL men which IS founded in having NO “respect to persons” (James 2:9) and one’s understanding of the Unity of ALL that IS the great precursor to Truly keeping His words.
Without this sense of agape men continue to be lost in the illusion and the glamour that IS the vanity to which ALL ARE subjected, and from which ALL must escape. Again we should try to see and to understand that as Souls ALL are subjected to this vanity in the normal operation of Life in this world; ALL ARE born, ALL are nurtured and ALL are indoctrinated into the the ways of men rather than the ways of God. And this IS True even in the seemingly religious Life of many whose doctrines ARE but a higher turn upon the normal for some but become the addition of a yet greater sense of vanity for others. In this IS the reality of Jesus’ words to the Jews as we have discussed in previous essays; in this IS the meaning of Jesus words to the religious men of that day saying “the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you” (Matthew 21:31).
This saying comes at the end of the Parable of the Good Samaritan and if we can see Jesus’ words there in a more universal way, we could get the deeper message that it IS those who should KNOW the greater Truth, it IS the priest, the scribe and the Pharisee then and the priest, the minister and the pastor today, that should have NO “respect to persons” (James 2:9) and should have an understanding of the Unity of ALL as children of the One God. This reality IS however obnubilated by the doctrines of men which pay so little attention to those thoughts and attitudes about which “God says so much” while preaching and teaching “so much—about what God says so little“.
So much of this dilemma of men IS founded in the illusion and it IS in the glamour of Life that men DO NOT see what it IS that they ARE DOING while believing that they ARE DOING as the Lord has commanded them. It IS this illusion and glamour that keep men bound to the corruption that IS Life in this world and that keeps men in: a perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends 4. For us these words from Vincent ARE the True definition of the vanity of which Paul speaks and when we can see that this vanity IS the illusions of Life and that this vanity IS the causal factor in the glamour of men from which they staunchly defend their own illusions, we can then see a greater vision of the Truth that IS Jesus’ words.
This sense of vanity afflicts ALL men and it IS this that we should see in the way that Paul writes to the men of Galatia, men to whom he says “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:7). Here perhaps we can see the beginning of the ways that the doctrines of men began to overcome the Truth of His words and understand the intent of his message on “the works of the flesh” and “the fruit of the Spirit“. Here perhaps we can see how that the apostle seeks to correct their thoughts and their attitudes that leaned away from the Truth of the Great Commandments and toward a greater sense of serving the me and the my both individually and corporately.
As he cautioned them against the tendency of even spiritual men to fall into “the works of the flesh“, NOT the gross ideas by the more spiritual ones, he IS instructing them to NOT show any infidelity toward the Godhead nor to show any factious and divisive attitudes toward men. He tells them, and us, to dismiss the thoughts and the attitudes that ARE for the self – even those that one may convince himself ARE for God – and to “Walk in the Spirit” which IS to conduct oneself according to “the fruit of the Spirit“. We close today with these words from Paul to the Ephesians regarding this same vanity; we will discuss these further in the next essay:
“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:17-24)
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
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
- 7 Dictionary.com Unabridged based on Random House Dictionary – 2011
