ON LOVE; PART MLXXXV
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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 our last essay with some thoughts on awakening and we should try to see here how that this idea IS a primary part of the whole process that IS rendered as Repentance in the New Testament words of the Master Jesus. We noted the Apostle Paul’s use of this idea in his Epistle to the Romans where he says “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Romans 13:11). Here he tells them and us to “awake out of sleep” a sleep that IS founded in the illusion and the glamour of Life which keep men centered on themselves. It IS this focus upon the self in the world, upon the desires and the cares of the self which ARE always based in carnal thoughts and attitudes, that ARE his sleep.
The apostle IS showing us how that men ARE sleeping to the greater Truths of spiritual Life but his message IS muddied by the carnal interpretations that focus upon His use of those same and similar Greek words which ARE rendered in terms of the grosser behaviours of men. As we have in Galatians, in “the works of the flesh“, and as we have in our selection from Ephesians, we have similar ideas expressed in Romans, ideas that ARE wholly seen in terms of sexual deviation and crudeness rather than his teaching on spiritual ideals.
We should try to understand that men DO NOT go from the grossest behaviors to the Truth of spirituality but by measure and in this we should see another sign that the apostle IS NOT speaking to the crude everyday man but that he IS speaking to those who have found some measure of Truth upon which to build. Again we should look at the opening to Paul’s Epistle to see the nature of those to whom he writes this letter of instruction, wisdom and reinforcement regarding those things which he IS teaching. The intro here is lengthy but we can see his point in a few words; he says to his audience “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8).
Paul goes on to contrast the Truth of the Gospel with the acts of those who DO NOT see, those who ARE surely asleep, while telling us that even these who ARE asleep should have KNOWN God if ONLY by “his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). This view of the Godhead IS beyond religion, this view IS the inherent perhaps in the Roman culture and surely it IS to be seen in everyman. Paul goes on to reflect upon the surely gross behaviors of men in those days and here he IS speaking in sexual terms and adding in all sorts of other behaviors; it IS the doctrinal emphasis on sex however that IS carried forth as his message here and it IS this that has spread to his other epistles and places where sex IS NOT his intent. The apostle IS offering his indictment of the Romans of whom he IS speaking and shows his intended audience that they should NOT fall into, or back into, the ways of men nor should they judge those who have NOT yet awakened.
Our point here IS ONLY to show that the intended audience of this epistle IS NOT those who ARE yet conducting themselves in purely carnal ways of living but those who have found some measure of the Truth through his teaching; it IS to these that he writes “to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). We should remember here that to have some measure of the Truth, to have some measure of that KNOWING which IS fatih, and to be “called to be saints” IS the privilege of those who strive to keep His words according to the trifecta which we repeat 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).
We should try to see this rather nebulous idea of being called as the result of one’s awakening, as one’s realization of some measure of Truth which brings him closer to God. This idea of being called should be added to those other nebulous ideas of Christian doctrine, faith, believing and grace; there ARE others to be sure. The idea of one’s calling IS used to emphasize one’s personal choice regarding religion according to one’s specific doctrinal bent; to be called to be a minister for example IS one’s believing that this IS what the Lord has intended for his Life and this idea of intention IS itself based in yet another nebulous idea: that ‘God has a plan for your Life’.
And this IS the apostle’s greater message on awakening: that one should come out of that sleep which IS Life in this world and according to the ways of this world; ways that DO include one’s doctrinal leanings. This IS a point that IS nearly impossible to show to any man who sees his own doctrinal ideas over the Truth of the Master’s words; anyone who sees the pronouncement of doctrines over the Truth of Jesus’ words and the clarifying and amplifying words of His apostles. It IS these doctrinal teachings and the doctrinal insistence that one follow the dictates of this or that doctrine that ARE at the heart of Paul’s idea of “another gospel” yet today and it IS the illusion and the glamour of men, the “the vanity of their mind” (Ephesians 4:17) that inhibits the Truth. We read the apostle’s words again saying:
“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. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:6-12).
“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).
We should try to see here how that Paul IS showing us the beginnings of the doctrinal thought that has overwhelmed the Truth of Jesus’ words. He IS showing us that it IS “another gospel” that holds men back from “the revelation of Jesus Christ” which IS his own source of Truth. And he IS showing us as well the reality of “the works of the flesh“, that these ARE the normal ways of men whose focus IS yet upon themselves to some degree which prevents them from expressing the fullness of “the fruit of the Spirit“. And we should understand that it IS in the fullness of one’s expression of “the fruit of the Spirit” that one has Truly “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts“; it IS in this that one can be One with the Christ. It IS his speaking to those who have some measure of the Truth and of His Presence that we should read then these ideas written to the Romans:
“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:10-14).
As we discussed in the last essay this selection from Romans begins again with the apostle’s words on Love of which we show here the last line. This IS the lead in to the whole idea of awakening as this IS the lead in to the whole reality of keeping His words. When we can break away from our common understanding of the translated words and see how that the change of focus from the things of the self and the self in this world to one’s focus upon the things of God IS the reality of Repentance, we can then understand Paul’s point that “it is high time to awake out of sleep“.
It IS in the wake of the apostle’s strong words on the law and on Love, how that agape fulfills ALL the law, as he also tells the Galatians in the selection that we have been studying, that he introduces the idea that “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light“. Here we should be able to relate the apostle’s terms and see that to cease “the works of the flesh” IS to “cast off the works of darkness” and to express “the fruit of the Spirit” IS the same reality of putting “on the armour of light“. It IS ONLY the way of expressing the Truth that changes….the Truth remains constant.
In our introducing this idea of awakening, an idea that we have covered before from a different perspective, we will leave off from centering our discussions around Paul’s words to the Galatians and focus our thoughts on His words here to the Romans. While we will never be done with our thoughts on “the works of the flesh” and “the fruit of the Spirit“, they will NOT remain our central point of focus as they have been for many many essays. We should here again begin with Paul’s words that ARE seen by doctrines in sexual terms of and in terms of gross sin; here in Romans we find the same ideas that we have previously discussed from the apostle’s writings to the Galatians and the Ephesians, words that ARE here rendered as rioting and drunkenness, as chambering and wantonness, and as strife and envying (Romans 13:13).
It IS generally thought that Paul’s Epistle to the Romans was written in the time between his letters to the Galatians and then the Ephesians and while this DOES NOT really matter, it can perhaps help us to see Paul’s singular train of thought. We should understand that ALL of these epistles ARE written for further instruction, for enhanced wisdom and for correction and reinforcement regarding those things which he had been teaching. We should note here that this Epistle to the Romans IS by far the longest and the most detailed of his writings and that while he may NOT have taught them directly, the teaching that they received was from his hand and from his gospel of the words and the acts of Jesus. There ARE many versions of Paul’s journeys and, like in so many doctrinal ideas, there is little agreement regarding the timeline which for us DOES NOT matter.
What DOES matter IS what the apostle writes and the right interpretation of his words according to the reality that they ARE intended to amplify and clarify the words of the Master; this IS True with few exceptions which Paul DOES acknowledge as his own thoughts. We begin here with Paul’s version of “the works of the flesh” which he presents to the Romans as those things that the aspirant and the disciple will NOT DO as he has some measure of “the armour of light” and of walking in the day rather than the darkness; repeating what the apostle says:
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:11-14).
These words ARE NOT unlike those that he offers to the Galatians before and the Ephesians after. There IS NO difference between “the lust of the flesh” which IS given to us as “the works of the flesh” and that sleep in which one lives in “works of darkness“. And there IS NO difference, except perhaps in degree, between these ideas and walking “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” (Ephesians 4:17, 18). ALL of these show the man whose Life IS yet focused upon the things of the self and NOT necessarily the gross ideas that ARE presumed to be depicted in the apostle’s words.
And the positive results of ceasing to walk as men ARE the same as well. There IS NO difference between his saying to the Galatians that “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” and his words to the Romans to “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof“. And there IS NO difference between these ideas and his words to the Ephesians saying “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 4:22-24).
ALL of these ARE expressions of Repentance….that change of focus that makes of men aspirants and disciples; men who ARE “awake out of sleep” or who by measure ARE awakening. Paul tells us to “Let us walk honestly” according to the King James version but this idea IS rendered as decently by others who more clearly desire to show the sexual aspect that they presume IS Paul’s intent. Vincent tells us that this Greek word, euschemonos: refers more particularly to the outward life, and thus accords with walk, and in the day the time of observation . Here we should see the converse of walking “as other Gentiles men walk, in the vanity of their mind” as we read in Ephesians; here we should see the idea that men should “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” as we read in Galatians.
This idea of darkness and Light ARE intended to be synonymous with evil and good and with the deeper ideas of focus upon oneself as a carnal man in this world or focus upon the Godhead and the things of God. These ideas of darkness and Light are an expansion of Jesus’ own words which ARE a reality of discipleship saying: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
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
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4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
