ON LOVE; PART MCDXCIV
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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).
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We ended the last essay with our thoughts on the Master’s words that tell us of “false prophets” which idea we should see in the broadest sense of the word and NOT the classical defining idea from the Old Testament. Vincent showed us that: The popular conception of a prophet is limited to his foretelling future events. This is indeed included in the term, but does not cover its meaning entirely4. While this merely tells us that the idea IS more than the Old Testament ideas we should be able to see the greater reality against the ways that the prophets were also teachers of sorts whose mission was to rectify the warped doctrinal ideas that the Jews adopted. These teachings ARE NOT seen as such by many and here we continue Vincent’s analysis of the idea as he tells us that: The prophet is, therefore, primarily, one who speaks standing before another, and thus forming a medium between him and the hearer. This sense runs naturally into that of instead of. Hence it is the technical term for the interpreter of a divine message4. This IS essentially teaching the reality of one’s revelations and realizations to others. We went on into the ways that we can discern the “false prophet” and, using James’ words saying “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (James 2:12-13), we came upon the idea of hypocrisy. The Master often refers to the hypocrisy of the scribes and the Pharisees; He sees their hypocrisy in the way that they give alms, the way that they pray and the way that they fast )Mathew 6:2, 5, 16) and includes the word in most ALL of the woes (Matthew 23) that He cites against them. Jesus also uses the term in His condemnation of the way of the Jews as they allowed their doctrines to supplant the Truth. In words that we often use the Master says: “Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:6-7).
Today then we begin with the idea of hypocrisy as we better define what we must be able to discern when judging the Truth in the lives of our teachers and instructors, our masters and our prophets. Today’s dictionary defines hypocrisy as: a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess and then, more succinctly, that hypocrisy is: a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude*. It IS this that we must endeavor to see. James’ words saying “So speak ye, and so do” reflect on the Master’s words as He says “to the multitude, and to his disciples” that “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments” (Matthew 23:1-5). From here Jesus goes into His list of woes and we should try to see here that NOT ALL ARE explicitly in regard to the idea that “they say, and do not” but they ARE nonetheless hypocritical.
The greater reality of the idea of hypocrisy IS found in the way that the Master calls out the Jews for such things as we cite above. In almsgiving for example there IS NO connection to one’s saying one thing and DOING another although this idea IS a definite component of hypocrisy. In almsgiving the Master’s complaint IS in the way that they ‘make a show’ of it rather than it being a private affair where “thine alms may be in secret“. The hypocrisy here IS in the way that their almsgiving IS intended to ‘make a show’ that “that they may have glory of men” (Matthew 6:4, 2). The point of hypocrisy should be understood in its broadest possible meaning from the idea of saying one thing and doing another to the idea of feigning to be one way and actually being another. Our discernment of hypocrisy IS the major tool that men can use to understand who IS the “false prophet” and the false teacher. The Apostle Peter shows us this in his Second Epistle where we read:
“there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not“
2 Peter 2:1-3
Who then DO we follow? Much of today’s Christian doctrines ARE contrary to the Truth of Jesus’ words and much more simply ignores the Master’s words as the churches place their various doctrines above His words. What we should try to see here IS that it IS the Master’s words that ARE of importance and it IS in comparing His words to the doctrines of men that we can begin to clearly see how that “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8-9). As we have often said, these words ARE timeless and ARE NOT spoken to the Jews alone; they have little to DO with the people who ARE addressed and much to DO with the religious attitudes of the people, learned attitudes to be sure. While we ARE sure to irk most ALL doctrinal proponents with our words, we must put forth the reality which IS simply that the churches, perhaps unknowingly today, teach doctrines that ARE effectively heresies. NOT heresies as the idea IS commonly understood which understanding would cast our words here as heresy; but heresy against the Truth of the Lord’s words. Today’s definitions of heresy ARE in regard to established doctrine. Today’s dictionary tells us that heresy IS: any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs, customs, etc.* but DOES NOT get at all into the veracity of the doctrines themselves. Another entry tells us that heresy IS: belief in or adherence to unorthodox opinion* and here without regard to the veracity of that opinion. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary IS much clearer in the impact of the idea of heresy which they define as: A fundamental error in religion, or an error of opinion respecting some fundamental doctrine of religion. But in countries where there is an established church, an opinion is deemed heresy, when it differs from that of the church. The Scriptures being the standard of faith, any opinion that is repugnant to its doctrines, is heresy; but as men differ in the interpretation of Scripture, an opinion deemed heretical by one body of christians, may be deemed orthodox by another. In Scripture and primitive usage, heresy meant merely sect, party, or the doctrines of a sect, as we now use denomination or persuasion, implying no reproach1.
For us then the whole idea of heresy becomes meaningless and while we would be accused of being heretics through our approach to the Lord, the reality IS that we see the New Testament as being the standard of faith. Webster’s tells us that men differ in the interpretation of Scripture but this IS essentially a misnomer. There ARE NO interpretations of scripture available to men in the clarity of the words of the Master and the amplifying and clarifying words of His apostles. As we ofttimes state, the very clear ideas that Jesus presents to us need NO interpretation and there ARE many that, while sometimes offered parabolically, give us a clear Truth. Among those clear Truths ARE the Master’s words that ARE our trifecta of spiritual reality which we repeat here 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).
The clarity of these words IS clear and concise and these ARE but our selection from the many clear statements from the Master. What we see however IS NOT what the doctrinal churches see. We see clear and succinct Life instructions for ALL who ARE Truly seeking the Lord and, while these ideas DO seem burdensome, this IS ONLY so because men value their carnal lives more. And this IS the purpose of doctrines: to deflect the burdensome ideas in the Truth of the Master’s words and replace them with the ideas of men which they themselves purport to be as effective in achieving spiritual goals. We must remember here that this began long, long ago as IS reflected in the doctrines, the mitzvah if you will, of the Jews. We must remember also that despite the Master’s railing against their ‘traditions’, much was carried forward into the Christian era. Indeed it IS difficult to look away from the our carnal existences in order to follow the Lord but this IS what IS Truly necessary if we Truly want the Truth that “shall make you free” and here we should endeavor to see that this freedom IS from our carnal selves. Paul tells us that this freedom IS from our “bondage of corruption” and it IS this description that we should attach to the ways of men in this world. Paul shows us that to be “made free” from our “bondage of corruption” IS to elevate our lives “into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). This freedom however has its costs which ARE also clearly elucidated by Jesus saying that one must “continue in my word“; it IS against this that many Christian doctrines teach, enforcing if you will their carnal ideas based solely in their ‘interpretation’ of Paul’s words against works. There ARE however NO interpretations of scripture available to men in the clarity of the words of the Master and the amplifying and clarifying words of His apostles. Despite this reality, the doctrinal churches have devised clever ideas to convince themselves and the masses that there IS naught that must be done except to believe and to accept but the Master Himself shows us that this IS NOT True saying such things as “why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Matthew gives us a much broader view than Luke saying in words that seem most applicable to the Christian world that “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 7:21-23).
We should note two things here; first that so many of the ideas that the Christian world believes make them followers of the Lord, from prophesizing to “wonderful works“, ARE meaningless in the absence of one’s DOING “the will of my Father which is in heaven“. Secondly, that these words ARE a part of our trifecta of clear statements from the Lord who tells us clearly that if we seek the Kingdom, regardless of how we view that Kingdom, we can ONLY “enter into” it if we keep His words. There IS NO difference between keeping His words and DOING “the will of my Father which is in heaven“. Yet despite the clarity in these word ideas, the church at large sees ONLYT their various doctrines, sans the reality of keeping His words, as the way to attaining the Kingdom of God. We should NOT forget here that the common ideas of heaven and hell ARE but the creations of men that fail to see that the reality IS that “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). Even this however IS disputed in the church that sees the idea as that the Kingdom IS “among you” or IS “in your midst“. This despite the Strong’s definition of the Greek word entos as: inside (adverb or noun)9a; Thayer’s definitions ARE similar saying that the idea IS within, inside while showing in the midst of you as a synonym9. Why this idea of “the kingdom of God is within you” IS so objectionable as stated IS based ONLY in the doctrinal perceptions of the Kingdom, perceptions that have their roots in superstition and Old Testament ideas. Vincent shows us another form of reasoning saying that: Meyer acutely remarks that “you refers to the Pharisees, in whose hearts nothing certainly found a place less than did the ethical kingdom of God.” Moreover, Jesus is not speaking of the inwardness of the kingdom, but of its presence. “The whole language of the kingdom of heaven being within men, rather than men being within the kingdom, is modern” (Trench, after Meyer). These ARE of course men’s interpretations of scripture that ARE NOT derived from the intent of the Master’s words. The above covers the first two parts of the clearly worded trifecta and, from our perspective it IS the third part that IS the most important to the man who Truly seeks the Lord.
In the third part the Master IS answering the questions presented to Him from His saying that “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“. We should note here that the question IS NOT in regard to the idea of keeping His words but rather in regard to the way that the Lord will manifest himself. We should remember here as well that this occurs after the original questions from Thomas and Philip. Thomas asks to see the Father to which the answer IS clearly “I and my the Father are one” (John 10:30) while Philip asks regarding the way that seeing Jesus IS tantamount to seeing the Father. Here Jesus’ answer tells us of the reality of the relationship between the Christ Within and the Father through the great Truth that “I am in the Father, and the Father in me” (John 14:8, 10), a Truth that applies to ALL through the apostle’s words saying “as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). These questions however ARE NOT the point of the Master’s words which ARE the third part of our trifecta. The greater point of these words IS in regard to the Presence of the Lord in one’s Life. This Presence IS found in His manifestation to the man who “hath my commandments, and keepeth them” and we should be careful here to understand the idea of manifestation. The Greek word emphanizo which IS rendered as manifest IS defined by Strong’s as: to exhibit (in person) or disclose (by words)9a. While this definition may suffice from a carnal perspective, it IS lacking from a spiritual one. Jesus in NO way means that he will exhibit Himself in person in this statement of Truth nor does He mean that He will disclose Himself by words. These ARE carnal ideas of manifestation. Spiritually the idea IS that in keeping His words we can have His Presence in our lives and this through the Christ Within being revealed to the heretofore carnal mind. The idea here IS deeply spiritual and perhaps the greater point IS that we must keep His words to Truly understand His Presence which ever comes from within. What IS the mechanism that allows this Presence to become our realization? It IS found in the simplicity of keeping His words and here we must understand that this IS NOT a ritualistic idea nor a religious one as such would be generally considered. Keeping His words focuses us upon the Truth and agape Love and it IS this that ‘forces’ us to NO longer be “conformed to this world“; it IS this focus that allows for “the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2) that in turn allows ever more of the Light of the Soul to enter in. The reality is simply that by following in the Way of the Soul, the Ways of the spiritual man, we can overcome our vanity and our preoccupation with the self and the things of the self. Again, we must understand that this works by measure and under the Master’s adage that “with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given” (Mark 4:24).
The Master then repeats His call to keep His words after the question from His apostles and tells us that “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“. In these words from our trifecta we should try to see that His abiding in us IS simply the awakening of the heretofore carnal mind to the inflow of the Light and Power of the Christ Within. Jesus IS so sure that His admonition IS the Way that He repeats from a negative perspective saying “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings” as He reminds us that there IS but One True source of His Words. He tells us that “the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me“. The perspective offered to us in these words that ARE our trifecta ARE NOT understood as they ARE presented however as the doctrines of men have interpreted them according to their own carnal thinking, a thinking that has for centuries produced the church’s own versions of “false prophets“. This brings us to our next point: What DOES it mean to keep His words?
We should note from the above statement from the Master that the idea of His words IS intimately related to the law of Moses and that both His words and those commandments ARE from the same source. Jesus shows us this in His words above and such statements as “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17). We should add to this the way that Jesus’ frames the idea of the Great Commandments, telling us that “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40), an epithet that He also ascribes to the Golden Rule saying “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” (Matthew 7:12). While many doctrines teach that the “law and the prophets” ideas ARE restricted to the Jews, there IS NO real evidence that this IS so and this IS clear when we properly understand the idea of “the will of my Father which is in heaven“; surely His law IS His will. We should try to understand that there IS but one continuous teaching through the Old and the New Testaments, a teaching that IS woven together with the story of the Jews. While we agree that much of the Old Testament IS but a compilation of stories and dictums, the crux of the book IS the law. Jesus tells us that “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled“. While some believe that the Master’s Life fulfilled the law, this IS but a convenient way to deflect the words of the Law despite the way that Jesus expands upon many of its precepts; “heaven and earth” have NOT yet passed away. What then DOES it mean to keep the law and to keep His words as a unified construct? It IS to this end that the Apostle Paul tells us that “all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Galatians 5:14). This IS the single change that brings us from the Old to the New.
Few in the church accept the premise of Paul’s words here, and also his words to the Romans, as pertinent to the Christian era or, they simply DO NOT understand the Power of agape in this world….perhaps it IS both. Much of the problem IS that the whole idea of agape IS misunderstood as the word IS aligned with the common understanding of Love which for many IS become a non-starter. Because of this the whole idea of the Great Commandments IS downplayed by much of the church whose ONLY other idea regarding agape IS that it IS the ‘God kind of Love’; an idea that IS both nebulous and undefined. It IS True that agape IS the ‘God kind of Love’ and this sense IS depicted for us in the words and examples of the Master. While some of His expression of agape can be loosely linked to the common understanding of Love, His expression goes much further and deeper. The ‘God kind of Love’ begins with its equanimity, its equal expression to ALL, which IS summed up in Jesus’ words that encourage men to have that same expression. The Master tells us “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust“. Here we ARE told that we should match the Lord’s expression of agape, an expression that offers the same to the evil and the good and to the just and the unjust. It IS with this equanimity that we must “Love your enemies” and Jesus goes on to explain how that the common ideas of Love ARE insufficient as the expression of any who seek the grace of God. He tells us “if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?” (Matthew 5:44-45, 46-47). While Matthew gives us the Master’s words as a reward, we should understand this Greek word misthos as it IS defined; the lexicon tells us that the idea IS: dues paid for work and reward: used of the fruit naturally resulting from toils and endeavours2. This IS NOT a reward as the idea IS commonly understood but rather what we may receive as the result of our equanimous expression of agape to ALL.
The Apostle Luke offers us a different view of Jesus’ words but here a KEY word IS mistranslated in some Bible versions. Luke tells us that the Master says “as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Luke 6:31-35). Luke begins here with the Golden Rule which IS perhaps the best way to measure our expression of equanimity in our expression of agape. That the words Love and agape ARE missing from this statement as well as from Matthew’s version saying “all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12), the idea IS implied for us in simple terms. The mistranslation IS of course the rendering of the Greek word charis as thank; when considering the idea spiritually, charis should always be understood as grace and grace should always understood as ALL that comes from the Godhead.
The point of all this IS to show how that this idea of equanimity IS perhaps the first thing that we must try to understand about agape. That the ‘God kind of Love’ IS to be equally expressed to ALL IS a fundamental New Testament tenet. It IS an inherent part of the idea that “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” and the reality behind the Golden Rule; both of these relate our agape toward others in terms of seeing ALL as one sees oneself. These statements from the Master show us the underlying reality of agape which, when combined with Jesus’ statements on the equanimity of the Lord, should leave us NO doubt regarding their meaning. In the fullness of our understanding of agape we must try to also see how that this IS more that just a mental or emotional link. Both Matthew and Luke show us that there IS a dynamic link to our giving and perhaps this IS the more difficult idea to accept. In the end of both versions of the equanimity that we ARE shown by the hand of God there IS the call for each of us to DO the same. Matthew frames this as “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48) and we should note here that the Apostle John links our perfection to agape saying “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:16-18). Through John’s words we should understand that our perfection IS found in our expression of agape Love; we should also understand here that agape IS the very nature of the Godhead. Luke shows us the same idea using different words; the apostle tell us to “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36). While there IS NO direct biblical link between our expression of mercy and our perfection, the link IS True based upon the combination of ALL the words that explain each. It IS through the fullness of the scriptural ideas that we should both see the link and understand that our expression of mercy, rightly understood, IS our expression of agape Love. As we often discuss, the idea of mercy IS NOT as the word is generally understood; it IS NOT the way that the lexicon, the commentators and the dictionaries present the meaning. Mercy IS simply our expression of agape here in this world. This mercy, as an aspect of agape Love, must also be dispensed equally to ALL and, as we have said, this IS a difficult idea to follow in the absence of our focus upon God. While the ideas of our expression of agape and mercy equally may NOT be clearly stated in the gospels, James DOES show us the effect of this equanimity saying “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors” James 2:8-9).
James’ words personalize the Way of the Lord who IS “kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” and who “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust“. We should try to see that our having NO “respect to persons” IS the prima facie aspect of agape that we must come to understand; ALL other components of this ‘God kind of Love’ require that we follow this most basic premise of True spiritual Love. While this may seem to be a difficult idea to accept, it IS NOT. It IS simply the product of recognizing the reality of Life in this world where we ARE ALL of the One Humanity despite whatsoever glaring differences there may be between us. We ARE ALL Souls in form, and should one NOT accept this religious idea as Truth, we ARE also a singular part of the One Human Family; both of these ideas DO tie us ALL together. In the concept of One God, One World and One Humanity we have the foundation of our Oneness and our sameness. This Oneness IS however disrupted by the vanity into which we ARE born and the nurturing and indoctrination to which we ARE exposed. It IS through these factors that we develop realized differences between persons which ofttimes result in prejudices based in a wide variety of perceived differences. Be it racial, cultural, religious or any other seemingly separating differences that tend to separate men, this ALL disappears when we see ourselves as spiritual beings bound to an earthly existence for a period of time. In order to fulfill our duty to have NO “respect to persons” we must learn to look past our learned prejudicial attitudes and past whatever religious indoctrination we have endured. It IS ONLY in this way that we can begin to break down the barriers and stand with our brothers as One. Here we should remember that it IS up to us individually to DO this, to have NO “respect to persons“, and it must NOT matter that the attitude is reciprocated.
The whole idea of our expression of agape IS that it IS an individual accomplishment; it requires NO outside help save for the prompting of our own Souls and, to be sure, our Souls ARE continuously prompting us to the Good, the Beautiful and the True. In closing today we offer a short treatise on the Way to our expression of agape which, while NOT intended to be complete, IS the foundation for our beginning to make the Golden Rule and the Great Commandment an integral part of our conscious lives. First we must accept that the Great Commandment that says “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” IS a valid spiritual Way to accomplish ALL things spiritual. Second we must understand that our neighbor IS everyman and that to Love him as thyself is the reality of what has become an unfulfilled adage that IS commonly expressed as ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you‘. Thirdly, the combination of these ideas sets forth the God like idea that we must have NO “respect to persons“; both of these first two must be understood to include every man as both the others and “thy neighbour“. Finally we should look intently at the written quotation that IS included as the end of our posts; this ‘prayer’ or mantra IS our personal acceptance of the above facts. Let Love prevail, let ALL men Love IS the call and seeing ALL with NO “respect to persons” IS the Way.
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 |
- 1 Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913 from https://1828.mshaffer.com/
- 2 New Testament Greek lexicon on biblestudytools.com
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition
- 9 Thayer’s Greek Lexicon on blueletterbible.org
- 9a The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible on blueletterbible.org
- * Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road.
Voltaire, Writer and Philosopher
