IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 1477

ON LOVE; PART MCXVI

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).

While we intended to continue through the Apostle Paul’s list of the spiritual ‘gifts’ that each True follower may be expressing in this world in the last essay, we were taken back to the opening line of this twelfth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans. As we were trying to understand how that the nebulous idea that Paul presents, that a man IS “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“, IS one that can ONLY be discerned by oneself, we noted also that the other part of this, that one should prophecy, serve, teach and exhort ONLY “according to the proportion of faith” IS become tangled in the realities of “another gospel” which have become for so many their source of Truth.

It IS these doctrines of men that seem to dictate the Truth rather than the Truth that Jesus shows us “shall make you free” and this IS the unfortunate dilemma that men have created for themselves in Life. Doctrines have much to say in regard to the idea that Paul presents saying that we should “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” and here we noted that the Greek word paristemi which can also be rendered as yield has a much greater meaning with that definition than the view that this admonition has some relationship to the: presenting of Levitical victims  as Vincent tells us.

In yielding we have the clearer intent of the writer but the yielding IS NOT of the body proper; it IS the yielding of the thoughts and the attitudes that hold men in the “bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:21) which IS Life according to the carnal ways of men in this world….Life in the illusion and the glamour, the vanity, which Paul tells us IS their walking “in the vanity of their mind“. Here we should note the idea to which we often allude: that the rendering of the Greek word ethnos as gentiles IS a misleading and unfortunate thing and the understanding of  the idea of vanity IS most always seen as that human frailty through which one may see himself.

We often discuss vanity as the illusion and the glamour in which we live and in this IS the force of the Greek word mataiotes, a force that Vincent expands upon in spiritual terms saying: the reference is to a perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends ⁴. This is the illusion: that one sees this perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends as the reality of Life while believing that he IS actually seeking God through it. And then there IS glamour; that certainty that one IS right in his illusion and that it IS the others that ARE wrong.

These ARE of course overly simplified ideas and we shoud try to see that it IS the doctrinal ideas of ethnos that have perpetuated the vanity in the lives of men who WILL NOT see their own delusion which IS, again, the role of glamour. The Christian, especially the ‘born again‘ Christian, sees the gentile as the man who IS NOT a Christian but this IS a wholly doctrinal idea based in the doctrinal view of its uses. The reality here IS that ethnos IS the reality of men, men whose lives and whose focus IS upon the things of the world and on their several doctrinal views that fail to see that they ARE themselves pursuing false ends. ALL men ARE ethnos as a group and this idea can likely be subdivided into smaller gentile groups within that group but the idea we should see here IS that the gentiles ARE men.

In the Christian view where the doctrinal thinker sees himself as one of those who IS with the Apostle Paul, following his instructions and the words of the Master, ethnos IS seen as the man who DOES NOT have this view. The reality however IS that until one Truly strives, until one understands and lives according to the trifecta, he IS yet just among the ethnos….the men of the world who ARE NOT focused upon the things of God or Truly striving toward that goal. In illusion this reality IS unseen by the doctrinal thinker and in his glamour he continues to see himself as saved by his doctrine while still but the “natural man“. Of this man the Apostle James paints us the picture saying “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).

James’ straightforward and blunt words here ARE NOT heeded by the doctrinal thinker who sees his doctrines as above the apostle’s admonition and this IS the essence of glamour, the essence of the way of the man yet caught in that vanity; yet caught in that perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends. Neither DOES this doctrinal thinker see himself in Paul’s words on the “natural man” as he DOES “think of himself more highly than he ought to think“. In his glamour the doctrinal thinker believes that he has “the things of the Spirit of God” despite Paul’s many words and the words of the Master in our trifecta; words that show us how that “the things of the Spirit of God” come into the Life of a man. Repeating again our trifecta:

• “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).

The Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines gentile saying that: In the scriptures, a pagan; a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a christian; a heathen. The Hebrews included in the term goim or nations, all the tribes of men who had not received the true faith,and were not circumcised. The christians translated goim by the L. gentes, and imitated the Jews in giving the name gentiles to all nations who were not Jews nor christians. In civil affairs, the denomination was given to all nations who were not Romans ¹. We should see here two things; first that the idea IS men and second that the idea IS rather self defined. It IS defined by the Jew to be everyone else, by the Christian to be everyone but themselves and the Jew and so on.

The point here that IS lost IS that the Jew and the Christian miss the idea of what IS Truly a Jew or a Christian; Paul DOES NOT miss this idea but those who translate and interpret scripture most certainly DO. For the Jew it IS a matter of birth….one IS born a Jew and here the melting pot of Christianity tries to use this same idea. The reality of this word IS meaningless in today’s world but the right understanding IS still necessary to see the True intent of the words of the New Testament. The reality of ethnos IS men; it IS groups of men and then ALL men and when the apostle uses this idea to say “that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind” (Ephesians 4:17), this IS his reference.

The dividing line IS NOT between the man born a Christian or the proselyte and the rest of the world; the dividing line IS between the man who IS living the True Christian Life, focused upon the things of God, and the man who IS NOT. We should try to see here that ethnos IS ALL men who ARE NOT Truly striving toward the Kingdom of God according to the trifecta and NOT that idea of doctrines that say that by birth or by some doctrinal affirmation and confession, or by some ceremony, one IS made a part of that group called Christians and IS then free from the moniker of the meaningless word gentile. Paul IS NOT speaking about the man NOT born a Christian nor the man who IS NOT converted by his doctrinal view; Paul IS speaking about ALL men who have NOT “put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Ephesians 4:22).

We must understand this idea of conversation DOES NOT carry the apostle’s idea according to the common understanding; the Greek word anastrophe means: manner of life, conduct, behaviour, deportment  ² according to the lexicon. In this we should see the same idea that we have been studying in our selection from Romans as well as the apostle’s many other ways of saying this same thing. In Romans Paul tells us to “present yield your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” and we should see little or NO difference between this and his saying to the Ephesians to “put off concerning the former conversation manner of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts“.

We should see here how that the result IS the same and, as we have been discussing over the course of our essays, when the results of two seemingly different activities ARE the same, then the activities ARE also the same. To the Romans we read of yielding, that in DOING so one IS NO longer “conformed to this world” but IS “transformed by the renewing of your mind“. To the Ephesians the apostle says that in putting off the “manner of life….the old man” one will “be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:23). And the point here IS that same one that comes from our trifecta. The reality here IS that there ARE but two ways of men. There IS the carnal which includes ALL that ARE NOT in accord with Jesus’ words and there ARE the spiritual….those who ARE in accord.

Within the carnal class that there IS much diversity while there IS NONE within the spiritual. In the spiritual class there ARE True disciples of the Lord. In the carnal class however there IS that same range of men, that same range of their individual manner of life, conduct, behaviour and deportment, that Jesus noted among the Jews. ALL ARE men until they cross that line of expression, that line where their manner of life, conduct, behaviour and deportment becomes an expression of the Life of the Soul, the Christ Within. It IS here that the idea of measure becomes the watchword of Truth.

It IS by measure that one’s own manner of life, conduct, behaviour and deportment mirrors the reality of one’s focus. It IS by measure that one IS able to have the revelations and the realizations of the trifecta which ARE his measure of Truth, of the Presence of God and of His Kingdom in one’s Life in this world. We must understand here however that this measure IS NOT according to doctrines; it IS NOT measure in the wherewithal of the pastor or the teacher to teach in doctrinal terms. This measure IS according to one’s expression of Love….of agape as the Master teaches us this principal. This measure IS according to the reality of the Great commandments which ARE again at the top of our essay. And it IS this measure that IS Paul’s point to the Romans in our selection that IS the twelfth chapter of his epistle which we repeat here again:

“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).

“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).

If we can understand that ALL ARE in this carnal class and that in the True meaning of ethnos most ALL men ARE gentiles which Paul defines for us the “natural man“; and here too we should see the idea of measure. Just AS one gains more revelation and realization by his change of focus onto the things of God, he also becomes increasingly less of a “natural man“. In this state of flux we can see the Apostle Peter as he struggles to find the fullness of Truth and for us to think ourselves any different IS against Paul’s words that tell the man who seeks God “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“.

And for one to see himself in a more spiritual place than Peter who had already taken the greater steps to discipleship IS foolishness based in glamour. Paul tells us that “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14) and if we can see this in terms of measure, we can then perhaps see our own state of being as a man in this world. While it IS True that the fullness of being “delivered freed from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21) IS the privilege of the man whose expression IS fully according to His words, this reality comes upon the man who Truly strives by measure.

Jesus tells us this same thing in His words saying 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” but this point appears lost in the doctrines of men. Here too, as in the Life of Peter, there IS measure; there IS a measure of discipleship which begins as Jesus defines this; there IS a measure of Truth as the revelations and realizations that come in the measure of the True Presence of God in one’s Life; and there IS a measure of being made free or delivered from the constraints of living as a man in this world.

It IS in measure that men progress into that new reality of His Kingdom and this idea of measure IS one’s own process of Transformation; one’s own Way to “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). If we can understand this “new man” as the Soul, as the Christ Within, and that to “put on” this IS to make this one’s expression to the world evermore spiritual “in righteousness and true holiness“, then we can perhaps glimpse some small piece of the reality of scripture and the reality of Life “made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same” (Romans 8:20).

If we can see this idea that Paul shows us as to “put on” against ALL such sayings in his epistles, we can then have a better view of the Truth of his words from the spiritual perspective which IS ever his intent. And if we can relate the apostle’s ideas that we recently discussed on being clothed, we can then see more clearly Paul’s way of teaching to the different groups to whom he writes and understand that ALL IS very much the same. In the end his words saying “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked” (2 Corinthians 5:2-3) ARE NO different from his admonition to “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness“….except perhaps for the perspective.

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