IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 1468

ON LOVE; PART MCVII

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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 relationship between the idea that the Apostle Paul presents to us as prophecy, the gift of prophecy, and True revelation. Revelation, and the realization of what IS revealed by the mind ARE the grace that comes into the Life of a man whose focus IS upon God and this IS the man who IS striving to keep His words. Such revelation and realization ARE of the Truth and we should try to see here how that to realize some measure of the Truth and to KNOW that Truth ARE essentially the same and ARE covered under the Master’s words that tell us that “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“.

It IS this same realization of Truth that IS the reality of prophecy which IS defined for us as: a divinely inspired utterance or revelation ⁷ and here we should try to see the relationship. Realization comes from revelation and prophecy IS the active expression of one’s realization. We should also try to understand that it IS revelation that comes from the Soul and that both realization and prophecy are of the mind in this world; we could say that realization is to have the thought of Truth in the mind and prophecy IS the action upon that thought by the brain and the other physical apparatus. The point here IS that prophecy requires both revelation and realization and both of these come in the reality of the trifecta and ARE the reward, the grace, that comes in keeping His words and, by measure, in striving to DO so.

The greater point however IS found in the context of Paul’s words to the Romans: these gifts, this grace, which a man can use in this world come by “the renewing of your mind” which happens in the Transformation which IS in turn the product of Repentance. It IS that change of focus which IS Repentance that begins the process of the Transformation of the Life of a man off of the carnal and onto the Truly spiritual aspects of Life. And it IS in this process of Transformation that one can Truly renew the mind as the carnal thoughts and ideas and attitudes ARE replaced by the spiritual Truths; it IS in this renewal that the man can then express these Truths in his Life. Paul’s message here IS NOT in regard to these gifts but a picture of how to achieve them and then how to use them according to the measure that ONE Truly has. Repeating the apostle’s words again we read:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith (Romans 12:1-3).

In steps then we should see that when a man can DO as the apostle says and “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service“, he has then overcome the grosser aspects of Life in this world–not in terms of sex and violence only but in terms of ALL things that ARE contrary to the Ten Commandments which ARE yet men’s guide to such overcoming. In this we should see the moral ideas as well as the social, ALL ideas which result in some degree of harmony among men.

Next we should see something that can ONLY be accomplished by the man who has DONE the first step; it IS this man who will “be not conformed to this world” and here we should see the more subtle thoughts and attitudes regarding the self and the things of the self. It IS in changing this that one begins the process of Repentance and it IS in this that one can “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God“. The first step happens as a totality; a man NO longer steals nor seeks adulterous relationships; he NO longer covets the things of others and we should understand this word in its broader sense of lust for what another may have. This second step happen by measure.

It IS easier to overcome the gross aspects of Life in this world than it IS to overcome the more subtle ideas that ARE founded in the nurturing, the indoctrination and the experience of men. It IS difficult to change one’s own long held thoughts and attitudes especially when these ARE a part of the fabric of one’s Life; in this we should see such things as religion and politics as well as the cultural norms that one has accepted as his own. And so we accomplish this Transformation and this renewal by measure and the apostle’s admonition IS that men DO NOT allow the carnal mind to have input into spiritual revelation.

In so DOING, in allowing the carnal mind to interpret the spiritual, one will have the tendency to “think of himself more highly than he ought to think“. It IS in allowing this that one feeds carnal thoughts and desires into the spiritual flow and causes men to see their gifts of grace in a much exaggerated way. We should note here that in the absence of Repentance led Transformation there IS little or NO True spiritual flow and ALL sense of grace IS greatly exaggerated and almost totally a product of the carnal mind. Of course men DO NOT see this; they DO NOT see their own deception as their carnal mind IS interpreted by them as being spiritual; this IS illusion and this IS glamour; this IS the reality of that vanity to which ALL ARE subjected. And this IS the Truth of the Apostle James’ words saying “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).

But Paul IS NOT speaking directly to the man who ONLY thinks that he has some measure of Truth….he IS speaking to the man who DOES. He IS speaking to men who have presented their “bodies a living sacrifice“; he IS speaking to men who have begun the Transformation “by the renewing of your mind“. It IS these men who understand what IS “acceptable unto God“; that such things ARE in accord with the Master’s words which ARE words of Love and His admonition to keep His words as we find in our trifecta which we repeat here 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).

And so there ARE many who ARE NOT in accord with these words and who DO NOT strive toward the reality of keeping His words who yet believe that they have a “measure of faith“; this assumption of KNOWING some measure of the Truth IS soundly based in their doctrines and IS in part or even wholly the reality of the deception that James presents. While Paul’s caution here IS to those who exaggerate their measure of Truth based in an admixture of carnal thoughts and attitudes with True revelation KNOWLEDGE, we should also see that his words ARE appropriate for the man who has little or NO True revelation save for what the carnal mind can glean from his doctrinal approach.

Paul warns the man who strives to ONLY express the measure of grace that he has and to be aware of the human tendency to inject carnal thoughts into his spiritual realizations. Within this admonition we should try to see that without spiritual realization ALL that IS presumed to be spiritual IS but carnal and, in this, one’s prophecy IS NOT prophecy as this IS defined but rather the expression of carnal thoughts clothed in a spiritual facade. Here we should reflect back again at the apostle’s words on “another gospel” and try to see in this context how that to follow any Path but the Truth of His words IS just that, “another gospel“, and that ALL of the perceived gifts ARE just that….perceived.

While these ideas from Paul that tells us that we should “think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” and NOT to exceed the reality of our own realizations of Truth by a pattern of thinking in which we perceive ourselves to be standing further along on our spiritual journey than we ARE, these same words should be used by the man who ONLY has the perception of being among the spiritual based in his doctrine. And it should be more so for this man who IS any man that purports to be spiritual and yet DOES NOT see the message of Love and of Unity that the Master presents and His apostles clarify and magnify. It IS because it IS the same mind that sees and acts upon the carnal and the spiritual that makes it difficult to discern from where one’s thoughts come and it IS likely ONLY the man whose focus IS Truly spiritual that realizes this Truth.

We should understand here that one DOES NOT have to intentionally focus upon the carnal as this IS the way of men in this world who believe that this IS their Life; the intentional focus IS ever upon the spiritual where one must effort to move his focus off of the things of the self and onto the things of God. It IS within this effort that confusion lies and perhaps doubt can creep in as to the source of one’s vision of Truth; and this doubt IS fed by the reality that the seer IS among the very few and that he IS taking a stand against the millions who see their various doctrines as their Truth.

Paul’s caution IS that the man who strives to be the saint should stand in the Truth and NOT allow the carnal ideas of men and their doctrines to subvert his effort and from the volume of the apostles warnings and cautions we should be able to see that this IS both a common and an easy failure. So then we ARE admonished to “think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” and it IS this admonition that carries through into his words below on the various gifts on which can be perverted by an attitude of drunkenness. We read the rest of the apostle’s words on this saying:

“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:4-21).

We have discussed the idea of prophecy and what should be our understanding of this Greek word propheteia: that this IS: divinely inspired utterance or revelation ⁷. If we can understand that this idea of prophecy concerns ALL revealed Truth, we can then see how that this relates to the other gifts which Paul shows us that require one to be aware of his own realized measure. The next words are rendered as ministering, teaching and exhorting and, as we DO with ALL such renderings, we will take these individually from the Greek.

First we have the Greek word diakonia which IS always rendered in terms of ministry by the King James translators. We should note that the phrase “let us wait” IS added here by the translators. Youngs Literal Translation renders this as “or ministration — `In the ministration!‘” while Vincent shows us that this IS literally: or ministry in our ministry ⁴. We can have better understanding of the apostle’s point in both these literal approaches as we apply the previous standard which IS to minister “according to the proportion of faith“. Vincent also tells us that: The word appears in the New Testament always in connection with the service of the Christian Church, except Luke 10:40, of Martha’s serving; Hebrews 1:14, of the ministry of angels, and 2 Corinthians 3:7, of the ministry of Moses ⁴.

Many of the other translations render this word in terms of service and we should understand that the idea of ministry IS a wholly doctrinal view in which the idea of service has been deemphasized. The link between this idea IS made clear in the gospels where the verb form of this Greek word, diakoneo, IS rendered as both minister and serve in the same saying by Jesus; in terms of serving in Matthew’s Gospel and in terms of ministering in Luke’s. The whole idea of ministry IS a part of the churchology of the gospels, how that the ideas have become specific to the ways of the church based in the assumptions of doctrine.

What then IS Paul’s point here in regard to service and how that one should DO so in accord with his “proportion of faith“. Here the question to be asked IS what IS the service of the disciple and the aspirant? The apostle DOES show us his meaning in a previous verse where we read “that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service“. On a higher turn we can look to Jesus’ own words to disciples and aspirants saying “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do” (Luke 17:10).

Can we see how that the idea of service works in these sayings? Can we see how that service IS DOING what IS one’s spiritual duty if we can use that word here? And can we see that to serve in ways that one DOES NOT have a measure of KNOWING IS but folly? It IS folly for the man who DOES NOT have the wherewithal to teach to DO so and it IS folly for the man who has NO capacity for healing to offer healing. One’s service should be offered within the confines of one’s grace, one’s measure of revealed Truth. Perhaps the point here is better seen as that to offer more than one Truly has relies upon the carnal mind to then furnish what IS missing which IS the apostle’s first caution.

Doctrinal interpretations however place the ideas here squarely into the operation of the church and this before the church was ever established. The establishment of the church IS an idea of men, the words and ideas that the church IS founded upon come from the minds of men and while we CAN NOT say how many of these founders Truly had the vision of the apostles, we can see the result. And NOT only the results in today’s terms but in historic terms as the writings of the church fathers IS available to ALL. While we have NOT read much of these writings we have used some in our own research where we see little evidence of their following the words of the Master.

And we DO KNOW what happened historically; we DO KNOW about the politicization, the holy wars, the reformation wars and the like; NONE of these show any sign of the Master’s True legacy. These ONLY show men’s interest in their carnal self and the promotion of carnal values over the Truth of Jesus’ message. We ONLY see “another gospel“.

We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.

Aspect of  God	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