IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 1269

ON LOVE; PART CMVIII

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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).

In the last essay we continued our Easter discussion and the related idea given to His message by the doctrinal church….the idea of atonement. In this, as in much of the doctrinal theories that have been developed by men over the centuries since Jesus death, there ARE several different approaches offered and each IS accepted as the truth by some segment of the church and, it IS here again that we draw that line. There IS but one Truth and in every part of accepted doctrine where there ARE multiple truths offered and assumed, there illusion and glamour at work as men adopt some specific idea and reject the rest. For us, ALL of the basic ideas of the atoning quality of the death and resurrection of the Master ARE borrowed from the Jewish doctrines and traditions which, while based in the law of Moses, ARE not seen in the proper light; and there ARE some twists to the developed theories based in this sense of law which go far into the illogical and unreasonable as they dictate the ways of God from the perspective of men.

It IS not our purpose here to go into the dynamics of the many theories regrading the atoning quality of the death of the Master save to say that much of the developed theology IS based upon the out of context and misunderstood words of the apostles. It IS in the example of His death and His resurrection that Jesus solidifies His teaching to the world and it IS in the sense of following His example and keeping His words that the reality of salvation IS found, a salvation which IS the deeper reality of at-one-ment….the Union of the divine man, the Soul, the Christ Within, and his expression to the world of men. This IS the overriding theme throughout His words as we discussed in the last essay; it IS in keeping His words that we ARE accounted worthy of the Kingdom of God, it IS by keeping His words that we are called among His disciples and it IS in keeping His words that we have the Presence of God in our Life here in this world; and ALL of these rewards ARE the same….to accomplish one IS to accomplish ALL.

This however IS NOT how men choose to view the Master’s sacrifice as they have ever sought to attain these rewards through NO effort of their own and while the individuals who designed many of the Christian doctrinal concepts may understand the reality of DOING, this part of their design DOES NOT critically appear in the resultant doctrinal pronouncements, especially those that we see and know today. While the idea of the atoning quality of Jesus death and resurrection have become such that there IS little or NO individual responsibility for one’s own salvation, this IS NOT likely how these ideas began and we can glean this from of the very sense of religion that some of the authors have. We should note here as well however that there IS a sense of competition in much of the early writings as the body of doctrines was being developed and it IS in this sense of glamour that much of the confusion comes. We should try to see how that the words of the apostles ARE interpreted into the doctrines rather than the doctrines being founded in the words of the apostles and this happens as the originators of much of what has become doctrine pick and choose whatsoever fits with their own sense of truth.

As we have often said, the reality of Christianity, of the Truth of Christianity, IS found in the words of Jesus and NOT in the words of the apostles. When we can see the apostles’ words as they ARE intended, as clarifying and amplifying the Master’s own words, then we can better see the Truth and understand the idea of reward as this IS presented in the New Testament. While this view IS wholly rejected by most doctrines, we should understand that there CAN NOT be more than one Truth and that this Truth IS in His words. This Truth most clearly shows us the quid pro quo, the reciprocal action, and it IS in this sense that we find the idea of reward. This IS however but an English word and, in the reality of the gospels, the Greek word misthos which IS rendered as reward can also be understood as wages and the resultant understanding IS the same: that one receives for DOING. This IS the reality of the Master’s words which we repeat again from His teaching to His Eleven regarding the Presence of God and the Holy Spirit in their lives; we read:

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).

From our perspective Jesus’ words here ARE rather clear. In these ideas there IS the reality of the Presence of God as the manifestation of the Christ to the man who keeps His words  and as the idea of the Father and the Son abiding in the Life of such a man in the world. This IS the Presence of God and there IS little room for any other interpretation of these ideas and while this word Presence IS not used in the New Testament as we use it, the reality IS there nonetheless. And there IS a cost to this Presence of God which IS that a man keep His words as it IS in this sense that we find the idea of reward or of wages….both of which ARE the grace of God. As we have discussed in previous essays, the idea of grace in the context of reward IS diminished by the translations that follow according to the doctrines of men which interpret the idea of grace according to their own ideas as they interpret them from the apostles’ writings rather that the reality found in the Master’s words. It IS in the words of Luke and of Matthew that we find the reality of grace and its relationship to one’s reward or wages.

Our example IS the same as we have used in the past: in the Master’s words on Love from the Sermon on the Mount Luke shows us this idea of grace in exchange for Love and while this IS rendered as thank, credit, commendation and benefit by the various translations, the Young’s Literal Translation more properly renders as “if ye love those loving you, what grace have ye? for also the sinful love those loving them” (Luke 6:32). It IS when we see the Master’s same thought as it IS given by Matthew that we can understand the relationship and can see and KNOW the Master’s intent; we read: “For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?” (Matthew 5:46). This IS the relationship between grace and reward and this IS the foundation for our understanding that the reward of His Presence that IS offered in our verses above IS the very grace of God. And it IS in this view that we should see that ALL grace, ALL things that come from God, ARE spiritual….there IS no thing carnal that IS His grace. While our views here ARE contrary to most ALL doctrine, the reality of our ideas should be rather clear from Jesus’ words.

It IS in these ideas that we should also be able to see and to understand the deeper ideas of at-one-ment and understand that atonement IS not a word that IS translated as such in the New Testament except in one place by the King James Translators. There IS another word however that IS rendered as propitiation which carries the Truer weight of the idea that should be conveyed; this comes as the Greek word hilasterion, which is rendered as propitiation and as mercyseat, and the kindred words hilasmos which IS used by the Apostle John and rendered as propitiation, and hilaskomai which IS rendered as “make reconciliation” by the writer of Hebrews and as “be merciful” in Luke’s Gospel. In these ideas we should see some relationship between the rendering as propitiation which has biblical undertones in its definitions that ARE based in doctrine and mercy which IS effectively the grace of God….His Love as expressed toward the world of men. Let us look here at some of the uses of hilasterion and its kindred words:

• Paul uses hilasterion in his saying that: “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past , through the forbearance of God” (Romans 3:25). It IS in the fullness of the context in which these words ARE offered that the apostle’s intent can be found; we read: “For all have sinned , and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past , through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:23-25). These ideas ARE NOT clear by any means and Vincent ⁴, whose works we rely upon to better understand the Greek, devotes many words to this use here as well as the use of the kindred words and the overall meaning of these ideas from Romans. The doctrinal ideas regarding these words IS just that, the doctrinal interpretations that ARE based in the preconceived ideas of atonement and, when we can look past this, we can take some greater value from Paul’s words as we interpret this according to our own view that ALL grace comes in keeping His words. If we can see Paul’s idea here as saying through hilasterion that Christ Jesus IS God’s reconciling mercy, His grace, that comes to man through faith, we can see much and this especially when we understand faith as that sense of KNOWING without doubt, faith as the mustard seed, as this IS depicted for us in Jesus own words and by which men DO keep His words. In this we can then see that Christ declared, that IS showed by His example, the righteousness of God by which past sins ARE remitted, that IS that they ARE disregarded, when the man IS “justified freely by his grace” which justification should be understood as to be rendered righteous, the state of the man who will keep His words. ALL of the alternate meanings here ARE according to the lexicon ² and here again we should understand that it IS the doctrinal view of the translators that results in the particular renderings that we find above. In the end of these ideas the apostle IS showing us the reality of the justification: that this comes to the man through the example and the words of the Master who IS righteous, to the man who “believeth in Jesus” which IS to keep His words.
• This same word hilasterion IS used by the writer of Hebrews in quite a different context which we read as: “And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly” (Hebrews 9:5). The context here is a description of the Tabernacle where the Ark of the Covenant was laid. This IS taken from the Old Testament descriptions and while the idea here IS NOT clearly defined, it IS, again, defined by doctrines in the idea of atonement. In the Old Testament lexicon ^2* definition of kapporeth we get the King James’ rendering as the mercy seat and from the root word  kaphar we find the definition of a covering and specifically a covering for sin. While this word IS most often rendered as atonement, it IS also used to show reconciliation. In the convergence of ALL these ideas we should be able to see the link between propitiation, reconciliation and mercy as we note above and have some better idea of how the idea of atonement IS derived from the Old Testament where there were rites and rituals and sacrifices which were intended to atone for the sins of men.
• John uses the Greek word hilasmos in two places which give fuel to the doctrinal idea of atonement when viewed out of their context but which follow along with our own thoughts when seen in the context in which they ARE offered. John says “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” and it IS this idea of propitiation that IS rendered as atonement in such renderings as “he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (New International Version), “He is the payment for our sins” (God’s Word Translation) and “he it is that obteyneth grace for oure synnes” (Tyndale). In the latter idea from Tyndale we should try to see the more complete understanding which, while according to doctrines, keeps in mind the complete context which we read as: “And if any man sin , we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1 John 2:1-5). In the complete idea we have the Master as an advocate, as the Comforter and the Holy Spirit which IS the way that this word IS used by Jesus in John’s Gospel, and we should see here how that in the overall idea of atonement, there IS NO need for an advocate. And in the idea of the Holy Spirit we can see the greater Truth which IS the Presence of God as we read above in the Master’s words. Can we see the point here? It IS as the Presence of God that comes to the man who keeps His words that there IS propitiation, reconciliation if you will, for one’s sins and for the sins of ALL men who will DO so. It IS this idea that the apostle carries on in the balance of his words that we cite here.
• John also uses this idea of hilasmos in these words on Love which are also seen as the atonement of doctrines when viewed out of context; John says: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins“. This idea IS rendered by others as IS the one above, as an offering, a sacrifice and an atonement by most translations. Again however this idea takes on a different tone when viewed in its intended context which we read as: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:7-12). The topic here IS Love and one’s expression of Love which IS the fruit of one’s expression; it IS in Love that one “is born of God, and knoweth God” and here again we have the Master’s own reality of keeping His words as the way to His Presence. It IS in this idea that “God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him” that we should see the next idea of propitiation and understand that it IS in this sense of reconciliation that we DO so.

Our point in ALL this is that the whole idea of atonement IS a doctrinal creation that has its foundation in the Old Testament and which IS so ordered by the translators, the commentators and the interpreters, to accommodate their preconceived ideas. We should sense here that the way that these Greek words ARE used IS intended to show us that it IS in Christ, that it IS in keeping His words and in Love that we ARE reconciled to God which IS the reality of our objective and our goal and which IS the Truer idea of at-one-ment….that state where the God and the Christ Within become the expression of the man in the world. This IS reconciliation.

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.

Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate.
Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted.
Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled.
Live in joy, without possessions.
Like the shining ones.

The winner sows hatred because the loser suffers.
Let go of winning and losing and find joy.
There is no fire like passion, no crime like hatred,
No sorrow like separation, no sickness like hunger,
And no joy like the joy of freedom.

Today’s Quote of the Day is from the Dhammapada (on JOY)⁵; a collection of the sayings of the Buddha. These words and ideas ARE much the same as those we discuss in our In the Words of Jesus essays. And what is this freedom but the release of our hearts and minds from loving this life in this world and attaining the Presence of God. This word Joy has many meanings as DOES the idea of Love, but in the context that it IS used here we should see the idea that Joy IS Love, Joy IS health, Joy IS peace and that Joy IS without the burdens placed on a man by the illusion and the glamour of the ways of the world. We should try to see that it IS the antithesis of these ideas in hate, in affliction and in troubles that ARE among the possessions of the carnal man, that ARE among the “evil treasure of his heart” (Luke 6:45) according to the Master.

And it IS in the second stanza above that we see the basic psychic ideas that can eliminate the harm caused by such “evil treasure” as a man looks past himself and at the welfare of others which IS the greater reality of Love as the Master teaches us. It IS in losing such possessions, losing such carnal thoughts and attitudes, that one can truly find the “joy of freedom“….this IS the Truth of deliverance.

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts

• ² New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
• ²* Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
• ⁴  Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
• ⁵ The Dhammapada Translated by Thomas Byrom