ON LOVE; PART MDXVIII
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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 a word study on the biblical ideas that play into the overall idea of vanity from the words of Peter and Paul. Paul tells us of our vanity saying “the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because expectation that the creature itself also shall be delivered made free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:20-21). While these words DO NOT tell us what that vanity IS, they DO tell us that ALL are subjected to it by being born into this world. We ARE born into this world as infants incapable of any form of KNOWING what and who we ARE and this IS the basis for our vanity which IS then exacerbated by our nurturing and our indoctrination into ALL sorts of ideas, secular and religious ideas to be sure. In this state we should be able to see and to understand the defining idea offered us by Vincent regarding our vanity but we should try to see that his words apply to the post nurtured and post indoctrinated person and NOT the innocent that IS born as an infant. Vincent tells us that this vanity IS: a perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends4; from a spiritual perspective this IS the state of men save for any that ARE indoctrinated into the Truth and Love, agape Love to be sure. Such indoctrination can cancel our vanity as the opposite ideas to Mr. Vincent’s definitions of vanity would then apply. This would indeed be a rarity for there ARE so few that can teach this Truth and Love in this world at any one time. Most ALL follow the more common path in Life as they ARE nurtured and indoctrinated into the ways of men according to the times and places in which they ARE born; it IS from this position that men must then correct their own course and “Strive to enter in at the strait gate“. We must try to understand that this striving IS NOT a Christian ONLY endeavor and neither IS the “strait gate” which we should try to understand as the Path to Truth and agape Love as our expression in Life. The Master tells us clearly of the difficulty in such striving saying that “many….will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24).
The central problem that makes the many unable to enter in at the “strait gate” IS NOT their unwillingness although this too IS a great hinderance; the central problem IS that so few KNOW that there IS a “strait gate” and how to find it amid the multiplicity of religious philosophies that pretend to show the way. While pretend may not be an accurate idea here because there IS most often NO intent to deceive, this idea DOES show the falsity of the many supposed ways to God that clutter the religious landscape yet today. Matthew shows us this same idea of difficulty without the admonition to strive; he shows us the Master’s words as “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Of course the idea of striving IS embedded in the admonition that we should “Enter ye in at the strait gate” and we should note here that Matthew follows this with Jesus’ words on the “false prophets“. In words that we have discussed in detail in previous posts, the Master tells us to:
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them“
Matthew 7:15-20)
These words lay bare the idea that we developed above regarding the central problem that makes the many unable to enter in at the “strait gate” and DOES so regarding both the criteria cited above. The central problem IS twofold; first that so few KNOW that there IS a “strait gate” and this IS the fault of the church that DOES NOT see the reality of the Master’s words and ofttimes see them as spoken ONLY to the benefit of the Jews. Most ALL discount the idea that the Master IS speaking about His vision of the reality of doctrinal teachings and in this respect we can see such teaching as the work of “false prophets“. With NO disrespect to the honest clergy around the world, we should try to see that the clergy CAN NOT teach what they DO NOT KNOW. This brings us to the second part of the twofold central problem and that IS that for the most part there IS NO intent to deceive. To be sure there ARE, as there have always been, charlatans in the church that teach what the Master would consider nonsense and DO so with reckless abandon and self serving interests. In telling us to “Beware of false prophets” Jesus IS NOT speaking ONLY to the Jews in those days but rather in anticipation, if we can use that word here, regarding the ways that men will dilute and change the Truth to suit their own desires and needs. This idea IS for us confirmed by the next words which in reality have little to DO with the Jews or their doctrinal views that ARE based in the teachings of Moses but which, at the same time, dilute and change that Truth. From the Gospel stories and the Old Testament we have a picture of the religious lives of the Jews from Moses to Jesus. The stories tell us of the way that ONLY a few of the kings of Israel and of Judah were governing in accord with the law and historically these were kings of Judah. The ones that DID NOT govern rightly DID so blatantly; none seemed to KNOW the Truth and then follow their own doctrines instead; from the text they appear to NOT care at ALL about the law ignoring the pleadings of the prophets throughout their reigns. Even in the end when they were under the rule of others culminating in their rule by the Romans, the Jews in authority, religious authority to be sure, framed their religion according to their doctrinal ways. Where IS the idea of “false prophets” in the gospel stories of Jesus’ time? Were they NOT ALL “false prophets“? Were they NOT ALL “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark7:7). While this could be the Master’s point, the ideas that He cites as examples ARE NOT a part of the stories of the Jews in the Old Testament or the gospels; Jesus tells His disciples and us through them:
“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
While the common doctrinal idea of “in that day” IS that the Master IS speaking of the end times, the last day, the day of judgment8 according to John Gill, there IS NO real evidence that this IS Jesus’ intent. We should note here that there ARE several references to this idea of “in that day” and some DO indicate some type of end times albeit NOT one in accord with the doctrines of men. These however ALL contain a reference to time in their context while the Master’s words to His disciples in Matthew DO NOT; and, most ALL references can be better understood from a personal perspective rather than the end times which perspective IS NOT a part of the dialogue here. This IS our first point regarding Jesus’ words; the second IS that the examples that He gives us, prophecy, healing and DOING “wonderful works” ARE NOT ideas that were practiced by the Jews in those days according to the historic record. Neither IS the idea that men addressed Him as “Lord, Lord” in those days. That these ideas pertain to more appropriately to the Master’s anticipation of the future, a future much like we have yet today, may seem to be a stretch but try to see His words against the backdrop of the church over the last 2000 years and this will make infinitely more sense. For more clarification we need ONLY look at this idea of “in that day” as it IS used elsewhere in the Gospels.
- In Luke’s Gospel we read the Master’s words saying: “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets” (Luke 6:22-23). Despite the idea of heaven being used here, this IS certainly to be understood as a current idea. Whensoever “men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil” IS when one shall have his reward in the Kingdom of heaven which IS forever here and now.
- In John’s Gospel we read that “At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you” (John 16:26). It IS easy to see in these words that “that day” refers to everyday that the disciple “shall ask in my name” and NOT some arbitrary future date.
- In John’s Gospel we have another similar idea as the Master tells His disciples “And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you” (John 16:22-23). While these words ARE easier to construe to meet doctrinal ideas, such ideas fail against Jesus previous words regarding His manifestation to them. The Master says “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” (John 14:21).
The point IS simply that the references to “in that day” ARE NOT some far off day of reckoning, they ARE NOT references to some future scene of the last day, the day of judgment8 as much of the church popularly holds. This however IS the minor point of our discussion of Jesus’ words that derail the tendency of men to DO such things as prophesize, heal and DO “wonderful works” in the absence of an expression of agape. As we pointed out in our discussion on Paul’s words to the Corinthians in the last post such ‘religious’ ideas ARE worthless in the absence of agape and here the Master IS pointing out that same dynamic. That the idea of agape and its expression ARE NOT specifically cited IS meaningless; it IS the meaninglessness of the cited ideas that is clearly found in Jesus’ final words saying “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity“. We should try to understand here the idea of this iniquity which IS rendered from the Greek word anomia. Strong’s tells us that anomia means: illegality, i.e. violation of law or (genitive case) wickedness9a but there IS NO foundation for such ideas being such in those days according to the Master’s words in this saying. The rendered word iniquity has evolved in meaning perhaps to meet these ideas from biblical times; the meaning today IS eerily the same as IS the Strong’s idea saying that iniquity IS: gross injustice or wickedness; Synonyms: evildoing, knavery, depravity, infamy; and then a violation of right or duty; wicked act; sin*. Surely neither of these ideas from Strong’s or today’s dictionary ARE the Master’s intent. Webster’s Dictionary from 1844 offers a more moderate understanding of the idea saying that the primary idea of iniquity IS: Injustice; unrighteousness; a deviation from rectitude; as the iniquity of war; the iniquity of the slave trade1. Rectitude is understood to mean: rightness of principle or conduct; moral virtue and correctness*.
The Master’s point in His words on calling Him Lord, Lord ARE thoroughly misunderstood and the inclination to frame them as words directed at the Jews in His day ARE but a self-serving excuse, albeit one that may NOT be consciously made. The simplicity of His statement here IS clarified for us in the short and concise words that Luke presents us on this same idea where Jesus’ words ARE simply “why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?“. It IS these two seemingly different sayings that must be conflated to understand the Master’s point and we should understand their relationship simply by each’s appearance right before the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders. Luke’s framing of this DOES NOT include any specific ideas of iniquity perhaps because this IS covered by the ensuing parable. That Matthew’s version DOES include the specifics of iniquity should be seen as Matthew’s desire to fully expose the idea that to claim such things in the absence of keeping His words IS a deviation from rectitude which cause the Master to “profess unto them, I never knew you“. This of course IS a difficult pill to swallow for members of the churches as most ALL who profess such things in the absence of an expression of agape ARE among those of whom the Master speaks. Perhaps in these ideas we can find the deeper meaning of His words saying “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Can we see the point here?
It IS in the simplicity of Luke’s framing of the Master’s words that the entirety of the Christian religion falls flat. That millions upon millions of doctrinal believing Christians call Jesus Lord IS a factual statement and so IS the reality that so few of these actually DO “the things which I say” as the Master frames this. It IS this that causes them to be in such iniquity, rightly understood, and it IS this failure that the Apostle James highlights saying “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). This sense of deception IS so widespread in the Christian world that it has become invisible, we should note here however that this invisibility IS ONLY to “your own selves“. This deception remains as it has for many centuries; this deception remains as but a talking point aimed at the non-Christian despite how close to the Truth of the Master’s words a non-Christian may be. As we ofttimes say, the secular world has a greater acceptance of agape as a vital moral attribute than DOES the Christian world and while we may NOT have painted it just this way, this IS the gist of our words. Today expressions of agape ARE deemed too woke for much of the church as the common people embrace the diversity of humanity and seek to pull ALL into the singular idea of One Humanity. Today expressions of agape ARE ignored by a church that largely supports anti-immigrant sentiments while declaring many asylum seekers as less than human and treating them as such. Today expressions of agape ARE ignored by those who seek to condemn social differences and cast gay and like communities of our neighbors as pariah as they seek to claw back the rights that they have been given under law. Today expressions of agape ARE ignored by those who seek to restrict women’s rights as equal citizens, to restrict abortion as some even seek to restrict contraception, as they cling to and cite illusory biblical teachings on such subjects; teachings that simply DO NOT exist. Today expressions of agape ARE ignored by those that use their religious authority as a cudgel as they instruct their followers to support their ignoring of expressions of agape toward ALL that they have formulated opinions against, in most ALL social and political arenas of Life. While this IS NOT a politically oriented blog, it IS important to cite the reality of the way that the words of Jesus ARE ignored by so much of the church while at the same time being misrepresented as it suits the need.
The failure of the masses to comprehend these words from Jesus, even the simpler form that asks the rhetorical question “why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?“, must be placed at the feet of those that have taken upon themselves the authority to spiritually guide men. And the failure IS multifold. First there IS the teaching that to obey, even somewhat, the edicts of the doctrinal teachings of the denominations of Christianity IS enough to qualify men as DOING “the things which I say” as the Master frames this. This IS a wholly untrue presumption based in the doctrinal dilution and changing of the Truth of the Master’s words and here we should remember that Jesus Himself clarifies the Truth in the next verses that ARE the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders. In this parable the idea IS simply to address those that “heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them” and set them against those that “heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not” and to show in carnal terms the end result for each group. The full parable according to Matthew reads:
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it“
Matthew 7:24-27
Luke’s version of this parable DOES NOT mention the ideas of being Wise or foolish but the intent and the meaning ARE the same; we use Matthew for ease in demonstrating the Master’s intent. The Greek word phronimos which IS rendered as Wise IS self explanatory; it IS in its usage by the Master that we find the deeper meanings. Jesus tells His disciples to “be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16) which IS the Way of the disciple. The word IS used again in another parable where we read of “a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household” (Matthew 24:45); while these words ARE understood according to the workings of the church where the ‘wise’ lead, that concept remains an empty one. The ideas of both the Wise and the foolish ARE then a part of the Master’s Parable of the Ten Virgins where it IS the Wise that get their reward. It IS the Wise “that were ready“; it IS the Wise that “went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut“. It IS the Wise of whom the Master then speaks to His disciples saying “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 25:10, 13). It IS the Wise that ARE ready. Can we see the point of our readiness in the idea of Truly following the Lord? The ready ARE those that choose to keep His words over the dictates of their doctrines. The Wise and the ready ARE those that understand the Master’s words saying “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7) which show us as well the way of the foolish.
Returning to the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders we should try to see that being Wise IS NOT merely an accolade offered to the man that “heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them“; we should see that the Wise ARE those that keep His words. ALL others ARE counted among the foolish; ALL others, regardless of their doctrinal adherence, ARE the foolish because they “heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not“. It matters NOT that one may have convinced himself of his spirituality based in his doctrines if those doctrines DO NOT follow in His words. This IS the way that the Master ends His discourse with His disciples, the way that He ends His primary teaching on how the disciple IS to live His Life. It IS here that we again place the emphasis upon the actions of men in this world, actions that ARE spurred on by their thoughts and attitudes, actions that ofttimes ARE one’s thoughts and attitudes. Jesus tells us to “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate” and it IS here that we see the separation of the Wise from the foolish who choose rather the wide gate and the broad way of the masses as they seek to maintain their way of Life in this world. Again, Luke shows us this with the addition of the idea of striving which IS an ever important caveat to aid in our entering, taking away the black and white nature of simply saying “Enter ye in“. Luke tells us that we should “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24). We should understand that it IS the Wise that will seek to enter and be able through their striving and it IS the foolish that “shall not be able“. Again, we must try to understand that this striving IS NOT a ONLY a Christian endeavor and neither IS the “strait gate” a Christian ONLY goal; we should try to understand these in their relationship to the Path to Truth and agape Love as our expression in Life.
Our expression of agape IS the Universal goal of ALL humankind and while it may be difficult to see this through the miasma of self-centered ideas and ideals that humankind shows us, agape IS nonetheless the goal and one that would be admitted to by most. Agape IS the most basic force of Life in this world albeit one that IS NOT understood by many. While it IS unfortunate that the idea of agape has been translated into Love and while it IS even more unfortunate that this idea of Love IS based in our carnal view, there IS yet hope that ever more people in the world will come to understand its dynamics. As we continually say, agape IS NOT the sense of Love that IS based in men’s emotional and mental attachment and attraction to others. Agape sees ALL men the same and whether we consider this sameness in terms of the Soul or in the simpler terms of our One Humanity, the reality IS the same. While agape springs from the Soul, from the Christ Within, it functions in this world as the singular force against the vanity into which ALL ARE born, nurtured, and indoctrinated; the vanity that causes us to see ourselves as unique and to live Life as carnal creatures in this world. The falsity in this of course IS that we ARE NOT carnal creatures, we ARE Souls living for a time in a body of flesh and, from birth, succumbing to the wiles of the flesh. To understand this IS to understand the reality of being “born again” and to understand the duality of Life that we discussed in the last essay. As persons in this world we ARE born, we ARE nurtured and we ARE indoctrinated into our cultures, religions and castes. It IS this that forms and informs our personalities as children which grows in time through additional indoctrination into adulthood. For most ALL there IS also the added but often unrealized inflow of the Light of the Soul and we call it this for lack of a better term to use. This Light IS the accumulated reality of our True being which shines itself into the hearts and minds of the carnal creature offering change to the nurtured and indoctrinated personality. This IS what we often refer to as the prompting of the Soul and we should understand here that for most ALL this prompting goes largely unnoticed save for occasional pangs of conscience. It IS in conscience that the ‘war’ between the Soul and the flesh will eventually be fought and it IS in regard to this struggle that the whole idea of being “born again” becomes a most important part of our individual evolution. Not much IS said biblically regarding being “born again” and what IS said IS rather cryptic; it IS found ONLY in the Master’s dialogue with Nicodemus who was a high ranking religious Jew, a Jew of the Sanhedrin. We again read their exchange:
“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life“
John 3:1-15
The Master’s use of this idea of being “born again” ARE spoken to Nicodemus who, as a religious Jew and a member of the Sanhedrin, IS mired in the doctrinal philosophies of the Jews, philosophies that Jesus continually rails against. This IS our starting point in understanding the deeper meanings of Jesus’ words; He IS telling Nicodemus that he CAN NOT continue on his current path if he Truly DOES seek “the kingdom of God“. That Nicodemus affirms that the Master IS “a teacher come from God” and that he believes that “God be with him” IS based in Nicodemus own sense of Truth, a sense that IS the product of his own Soul’s message to his fully indoctrinated mind. Whatever the dynamic, the reality IS that Nicodemus has come to somewhat believe in the divinity of the Master. So the Master tells Nicodemus that he must change in order to “see the kingdom of God” but this change IS wholly undefined. While we can understand that it has its basis in the duality of Life in this world, the carnal versus the spiritual, this idea was NOT developed in the minds of the Jews in those days. Nicodemus immediately relates this idea of being “born again” to the carnal world and to one’s birth into this world completely mistaking the Master’s intent asking can a man “enter the second time into his mother’s womb“. While Nicodemus questioning may seem to be mocking the Master’s words saying “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God“, the Master simply goes on to try to get Nicodemus to understand His point. Jesus’ answer however ONLY adds to the confusion of Nicodemus and begins the church’s interpretations of the Master’s words saying “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God“.
While there ARE a myriad of different interpretations of the idea of being “born of water and of the Spirit“, none actually touch upon the reality that Jesus presents in His words regarding the duality of Life. Such sayings as “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it” (Luke 9:24) show us this duality. We can see this in Nicodemus clinging to his own Life as a religious Jew and a member of the Sanhedrin which ARE a function of his carnal Life in this world and while many will dispute this, we should be able to see the greater Truth if ONLY through Jesus words against such Jews. Here we interpret the idea of being “born of water” simply as being born into this Earth and into a body that IS predominantly water; the human body itself IS essentially an aqueous solution. Many seek to link the idea of water to the baptism which arrived in the area under the work of John the Baptist as we read in the prologue to John’s Gospel. Others seek to link the idea of water to the amniotic fluid in which the human body gets its start. Still others contend that the idea of being “born of water and of the Spirit” IS a singular restatement of the Master’s first words saying “Except a man be born again” and explains that statement. Much has been written on these ideas over the centuries but little if any has be shown to link the idea of being “born of water and of the Spirit” to first the simple idea of being born into this world and this body and then ‘allowing’ oneself to be “led by the Spirit of God” through the action of heeding the prompting of one’s own Soul. This IS being “born again” as Paul shows us saying, “if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Romans 8:14, 13). In this a man IS born into this world and then, “through the Spirit” allows the Inner Man, the Christ Within, the Soul, to overcome the carnal and mortal man and thereby live. This IS the reality of our Repentance and Transformation. We again close this essay with our trifecta of Spiritual Reality 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).
| 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
- 8 Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
- 9 Thayer’s Greek Lexicon on blueletterbible.org
- 9a The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible on blueletterbible.or
- * 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
