IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 1475

ON LOVE; PART MCXIV

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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 discussed again the way that the words of the New Testament, the Greek words, ARE rendered and interpreted according to the doctrinal leanings of the translators and the interpreters and it IS this way of reading the words of the Master and His apostles that has created the multiplicity of doctrines that exist today. It IS doctrines and the assumed authority of those who promulgate and perpetuate them that have blinded men to the real Truths of Jesus’ words and have caused the nebulous ideas of grace, of faith and of believing to be the keywords of salvation. And this in place of the True KEY word which IS Love….which IS agape.

In True faith and in True believing as these ideas ARE shown us by the Master there IS Love and it IS the reality of grace that enables the man in this world his expression of agape. It IS one’s measure of faith and believing, one’s measure of KNOWING the Truth, that IS one’s measure of grace which IS the revelations and the realizations of those Truths, “the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25). And it IS NOT words only that ARE blinding; it IS ALSO the sometimes arbitrary separation of the writer’s thoughts into verses and sentences that bring the doctrinal ideas to the ears of men rather than the writer’s True intent and meaning.

And such it IS with the ideas that we discussed in the last post….in the words of the Apostle James. James IS blunt and seemingly harsh in his assessment of the ways of men and in this we should see men who have some measure of KNOWING the Truth which IS some measure of faith, of believing and of grace. It IS to these that James IS showing the perils of being double-minded and it IS to these that he IS showing the need to maintain one’s focus upon the Good, the Beautiful and the True….the things of God. It IS in this context that we discover the Truth of the Apostle Paul’s words, his rather simple words, that tells us that “he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity“. It IS ONLY in breaking down this saying into its component parts and relating Paul’s words here to his other words that we can get a clearer sense of his meaning.

It IS easy to understand this phrase as doctrine’s paint it but it IS also quite meaningless. What IS giving with simplicity? IS this better understood as others render it as “with liberality“? Or DOES Vincent’s telling us that this idea of: liberality is, at best, very doubtful ⁴ and that: simplicity or singleness is defensible in all the passages ⁴ show us the apostle’s intent more clearly.  In the idea of single we have the greater idea of the apostle’s intent and here James leads us to this reality as he continues in his words. We should of course tie ALL of James’ seemingly individual ideas here together; from his explanation of temptation and the patience necessary to overcome the things of the world to the result of this in perfection; we should try to see the whole process of Transformation “by the renewing of your mind” as Paul shows us in our selection from Romans.

And James continues into the idea of Wisdom and here we should try to see just what Wisdom IS. This IS NOT worldly wisdom but that Wisdom that can “prove discern what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God“. James tells us that we should ask and in this Greek word alteo there ARE a variety of ways to understand the intent. This IS NOT the same as erotaIo which IS also rendered as ask and as pray; alteo IS a seemingly more fervent asking and IS defined as: to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require ^2 9   by the lexicon and by Strong’s.

To see the idea of asking in these terms we should look at the Master’s own words where the apostles use this idea of asking for those things that God DOES provide….spiritual things. Jesus tells us “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7); and, that many may believe that this refers to or even includes carnal things IS one of the great fallacies of doctrine. Jesus DOES use this same type of asking in a carnal way but in regard to asking of men; he uses it in regard to the man in need who “asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away” (Matthew 5:42) and in this there IS a defining quality of Love, of agape.

The idea IS also used in regard to Herodias daughter’s asking Herod for the head of the Baptist; and it IS used to show how that they who supported Barabbas asked that his Life be spared over the Master’s. These ARE negative ideas that show the force of this asking and we should NOT forget that this IS also used to reference how that the Apostles John and James, or their mother according to Matthew, asked the Master for a preference which was denied. We should try to see that NONE of these types of asking IS for carnal things, for items, and this same idea DOES carry forward into asking of God.

And this asking IS also defined for us by the Apostle John who shows us the Master’s use of the idea in regard to the Samaritan woman to whom he says “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water” (John 4:10). Even clearer IS the Master’s charge to His disciples saying “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7) but here again we have the unfortunate doctrinal view that one can ask for anything based upon his nebulous perception of faith.

ALL of these ideas should be read into James’ words that tell us about asking for Wisdom and perhaps here we can try to see how that the idea of requiring such Wisdom can show the level of intent and the force of the word in the Life of the man who DOES strive to DO as the Master says; to: “abide in me, and my words abide in you“. And this IS definitely NOT worldly wisdom which IS NOT Wisdom at ALL as Paul shows us saying “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness” (1 Corinthians 3:19).

We should understand here that the Wisdom that comes from God, the Wisdom for which we ask, IS the grace of God revealed and realized in the Life of a man as he Transforms by measure by the “renewing of your mind“. This grace, this gift, this Wisdom, ARE ALL the same revelation of Truth through which one “may prove discern what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God“. We read the apostle’s words again saying:

“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).

It IS then the imparting of some spiritual Truth that Paul IS referencing in these words of giving and in the idea of simplicity we should see the deeper idea of singleness. Jesus shows us haplous which IS rendered as single as the converse to evil. James shows us haplos which should be rendered in terms of singleness as the product of asking God from the perspective of Jesus words saying “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” where NO words ARE required.

In these ideas where we see focus there IS a simple reality that says in this sense of focus upon God and the things of God there IS the reciprocal revelation of Truth, and naught else, to be realized by the singly focused mind of man. James goes on to tells us that this singleness of focus IS required, that he must “ask in faith, nothing wavering” (James 1:6) which IS much the same as Jesus own defining ideas on pistis and pisteuo which ARE rendered as  faith and believing. In wavering there IS NO focus and the result then IS to “let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:7).

Here the idea of any thing IS overstated as the Greek word tis has a wide variety of meanings and first among them IS certain. In the following words James shows us that this wavering IS the nature of “A double minded man” (James 1:8) and we should try to see here how that this man whose focus IS NOT single will NOT receive from the Lord that Wisdom that comes to the man who has such focus; the Wisdom that IS the revelation of the Truth that comes in the trifecta. Here we should see also how that James and Paul ARE saying the same things and how that both ARE clarifying and amplifying the Master’s own words which we repeat here:

• “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).

So Paul IS admonishing men to NOT exhort others to things that one CAN NOT accomplish himself and to NOT exhort others beyond a reasonable view of their own “proportion of faith” and then, in accord with this idea and the preceding ideas, we ARE told to NOT impart Wisdom which we DO NOT have but ONLY that measure of it that our own sense of focus has gained. Here, more importantly, we should take care to NOT impart to any such idea that the recipient has NOT the wherewithal to understand or, better, IS likely to misunderstand.

Scripture itself IS filled with thoughts and ideas that ARE beyond the comprehension of the man who IS NOT focused and perhaps here in these ideas from Paul IS his caution to NOT add to this dilemma of men through prophecy or service or teaching or exhorting or giving. Perhaps the whole of these ideas IS to NOT offer any more than IS the Truth of scripture and to take care in how one imparts this Truth. And while is may seem that we ARE stretching to find meaning in the apostle’s words as we align them with the word of the Master and the other writers, there IS for us a steady stream of ideas in the various uses of these words that IS NOT captured by the more carnal views of doctrines.

Against this we have “another gospel” which ARE the doctrines and teachings that DO NOT see the Truth of Jesus words and which DO prophecy and minister and teach and exhort and give according to their manifold variations of His words and the clarifying and amplifying words of His apostles. The next words seem the more mundane ideas of men in interaction with others; the man with the higher office, no special ecclesiastical office is meant ⁴ according to Vincent, should be diligent and here we have a most confusing word which IS rendered in a range from haste and frowardness to carefulness and earnest care. The idea of ruling IS perhaps a bit stronger than Paul intends and the idea of diligence IS perhaps a little more pale than the idea of earnestness, as this IS rendered by others, will accomplish.

Much of doctrine sees ecclesiastical office in this Greek word proistemi but others see this as any office including the home. The point to be taken IS that wheresoever one may have such higher office he should fulfill it earnestly. The next idea IS rendered in terms of showing mercy and here the translators use their own ideas which ARE presented as showing, having or DOING while the verb IS also used in terms of compassion and kindness. Mercy, compassion and kindness ARE also the various renderings of eleos for this verse and there IS another Greek word that IS rendered in terms of compassion as well; splanchnízomai.

Perhaps we can draw a line here between these two ideas and see that eleos IS mercy which comes in the flow of Love that IS revealed to the man who Truly strives while splanchnízomai IS the expression of that mercy to world of men. The various uses of these words in the New Testament DO lead us this way. Again, Paul IS speaking to men who ARE striving and who DO receive some measure of the flow of Truth into their lives and a part of this flow IS perforce Love. The expression of this Love in mercy then IS the expression of compassion and here could say that without mercy there can be NO compassion.

How then can we explain the expression of compassion by those who DO NOT follow the teachings of Christ or those who ARE NOT seeking for the Truth? Simply in the reality that many men DO express some degree of the spiritual collateral that they have amassed over time….ofttimes without realizing this to be so. This can be True with compassion or with the KNOWLEDGE and understanding that IS required to invent or create as great Souls have shown us over the centuries. It IS spiritual collateral that separates the likes of an Einstein or a Mother Theresa from the rest of humanity and it IS likely spiritual collateral that brings us to the search for the deeper Truths of the Master’s words.

Again we should remember there that the idea of showing mercy as this IS rendered IS a translator’s opinion and here we should see how that having mercy would be the better understanding. Vincent tells us that the Greek word hilarótēs, which IS used only this once, should be seen as: The joyful eagerness, the amiable grace, the affability going the length of gayety, which make the visitor a sunbeam penetrating into the sick-chamber, and to the heart of the afflicted ⁴. While this IS a nice thought, we DO NOT see its relevance in regard to our context but, when combined with the ideas from the lexicon and Strong’s where we read that hilarótēs IS: readiness of mind ^2 9, we can perhaps get the clearer picture of the apostle’s intent.

Mercy that penetrates the Life of the recipient IS good but it says little of the one who has such mercy. To dispense it with readiness of mind, to turn one’s measured ability to Love outwardly in compassion, however DOES. And Jesus tells us that those who have such mercy ARE blessed in the idea that having such and offering it as one’s expression of Love brings yet more mercy into one’s Life which IS a very different way of reading Jesus’ words saying “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

We should note here that this idea of obtaining mercy IS NO different that that of showing mercy in Paul’s words above; both the obtaining and the showing are the Translator’s words to show the man who has mercy. Nonetheless, there IS a Truth here that works with the idea of measure as there IS in ALL things spiritual. The apostle’s message here IS simply that if one has a measure of mercy, which he surely DOES if he IS a True follower, that he should express this through his renewed mind, with forethought and care, according to the Master’s words on Love.

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