IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 1529

ON LOVE; PART MCLXVIII

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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).

We ended the last essay with some thoughts on the corruption that the Apostle Paul shows us in his words about the “bondage of corruption” which must be associated with the vanity that he tells us ALL ARE subjected to. In the apostle’s words we find much of the Truth of the dilemma of creation: a choice between the doctrinal ideas taken literally from Genesis or the less archaic ideas that can actually somewhat blend with the world of science. We should remember that the words of Genesis ARE written for the understanding of the barbarous and superstitious man who lived in the days of Moses to whom the writing IS attributed.

As we assume that Moses IS the writer of this Book of Genesis we should understand that more than 2500 years separate the man from the story. Here, even if we believe that scripture IS from divine inspiration, we should understand that it comes through men and takes up the personality of the writer as well as his thoughts and attitudes regarding his subject. Our point here IS simply that this story IS written for the man of that time which IS more that 3500 years ago and it IS written in a tone and style that could be understood by him. While the writer’s words may be divinely inspired, they ARE at the same time offered for the singular purpose of offering the man in those days an understandable picture of his history, his origins and his God.

Even in these days where men believed that the Earth, their planet and home, was the center of the universe and that it was flat, the creation story DOES NOT provide any type of accuracy save in the interpretations of men who have devised clever arguments to resolve the incongruous elements of the creation story. A prime example is found in the idea of light. On the first day we read that “God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day“. (Genesis 1:3-5).

This would seem clear save for the later events of the fourth day where we read that “God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth” (Genesis 1:17-17).

These ideas ARE incompatible with today’s Truth; first we should KNOW that the Sun IS the source of Light for this planet and while there may be various religious theories regarding the inconsistency noted here, none ARE universally accepted. And this goes to our point; the ideas here ARE NOT intended to be a concrete picture of creation but rather a picture of a world and a universe created by the One God and whether these ideas ARE intentionally out of order or NOT DOES NOT matter to the man in those days. Alexander Maclaren, a 19th century expositor, tells us this Truth but his words ARE NOT generally accepted against the doctrinal push to see ALL of the bible in strictly literal terms. On the story of the seven days of creation from Genesis we read:

We are not to look to Genesis for a scientific cosmogony, and are not to be disturbed by physicists’ criticisms on it as such. Its purpose is quite another, and far more important; namely, to imprint deep and ineffaceable the conviction that the one God created all things. Nor must it be forgotten that this vision of creation was given to people ignorant of natural science, and prone to fall back into surrounding idolatry. The comparison of the creation narratives in Genesis with the cuneiform tablets, with which they evdently are most closely connected, has for its most important result the demonstration of the infinite elevation above their monstrosities and puerilities, of this solemn, steadfast attribution of the creative act to the one God ¹².

More on and from Mr. Maclaren can be found in In the Words of Jesus part 1339 and a more complete account of his writing on Genesis in part 171. Too much time and energy ARE spent yet today trying to foster men’s belief in the literal ideas of creation as presented in Genesis and in trying to foster as well the doctrinal view of the end times as depicted in the Book of Revelation. Neither of these serves any real purpose in the lives of men and perhaps it IS to counter the former that Paul offers us his Truth which, while it DOES NOT outline the creative process of the world, DOES give us a view of the reality of man’s interaction with that world. We read the apostle’s words again saying:

“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.  For 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 from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:19-23).

The Truth here can ONLY be seen by the man who sees himself as a spiritual being that IS living for a time in a form in this world; this IS the ONLY way that Paul’s words make any real sense. And this IS why his words ARE most often seen in terms of the Genesis story and the ‘fall of man’: few DO KNOW that they ARE spiritual beings living for a time through a form in this world. In seeing this most basic reality which should be confirmed by the apostle’s words saying that “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). Jesus tells us that “God is a Spirit” and here one should ask if this IS so ARE NOT  “the children of God” Spirit also?

John tells us that the Master continues this thought which we read as “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) and in this we should understand worship as reverence and understand that the relationship IS spirit to Spirit. We can ask here many questions and one in particular that takes us back to Genesis: if “God is a Spirit” and if ‘man’ IS created “in the image of God“, IS NOT a ‘man’ Spirit also? Here again doctrines have many clever answers and too many erroneously leave open the idea that God also IS a man. These answers however most ALL fail to see that the reality of everyman IS Spirit and it IS this that Paul addresses in his words above.

Where then DO we find the Truth of creation and the reality of our own being? The Apostle John shows us the Way to the Truth and he shows us this in a tone that must be understood as he intended it. John writes in clear and succinct language but we must understand here who he IS writing to. He addresses his words to “little children” and if we can properly understand this idea we can then see that he IS writing NOT to men bound by their doctrinal views but to men who ARE openly accepting the words of the Master which IS ever the apostle’s reference. John IS clear about who it IS that he IS writing as he tells us:

“I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one” (1 John 2:12-14)

Of course we DO KNOW that the apostle IS NOT writing to “little children” and while the common idea IS that he IS writing to fledgling Christians, these ARE NOT fledglings in the sense of the “born again” doctrinal ideas of the church. These ARE perhaps fledglings from the perspective of their newness to their own revelations and realizations of Truth based in their own striving and to these some encouragement IS likely necessary, especially that found in the idea of forgiveness which IS better understood in the clearer definitions of aphiemi: that the sins ARE forgotten and left behind by the man who Truly Repents and comes to KNOW some measure of Truth. It was then and it IS difficult now to stand apart from the masses and, as aspirants, follow the course of Truth.

If “little children” ARE fledglings then what about fathers? ARE these True fathers from the perspective fatherhood or ARE these simply the more accomplished aspirants to the Truth or perhaps disciples in their own right. It IS the latter idea of course and this we should see in the way that John breaks down the levels of KNOWING which serve as the understanding of the man who must measure his own place. These fathers ARE those who “have known him“, the Lord, and here we must look to the apostle’s earlier words that define this KNOWING; he tells us “hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3). This should be abundantly clear and shows us the idea that everyman must measure his own place.

Seeing then that “little children” ARE fledglings and fathers ARE those who “keep his commandments“, who then can be the “young men” except those that fall between these other groups that the apostle IS defining for us. John DOES define these as those who “have overcome the wicked one” and here we should understand that the fledgling has NOT yet reached this point and that the father IS past it.  Here the Greek word poneros IS rendered as “the wicked one” and while this IS considered to be Satan or the devil, John’s intent goes deeper. Repeating our thoughts on poneros form In the Words of Jesus part 1502 we can perhaps see John’s point apart from the doctrinal ideas:

darkness IS poneros; this word, rightly rendered, IS hurtful, calamitous, which IS causing, involving, or resulting in a calamity; disastrous according to today’s dictionary ⁷. The idea of diseased IS added by the lexicon ² while Thayer’s defines poneros as: full of labours, annoyances, hardships ⁹ and like ideas and in ALL of this there IS naught that equals the common idea of ‘evil’. And if we can see this idea of poneros from a spiritual perspective we can then see that the eye whose focus IS upon the world IS focused then upon thoughts and attitudes that ARE hurtful and calamitous to one’s realization of Truth and its expression then IS full of labours, annoyances, hardships from the perspective of the Soul whose intended expression IS Love.

Can we see in this the “bondage of corruption“? Can we see the idea here of vanity as Vincent defines this for us? As a perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends ⁴. From a spiritual perspective it IS this vanity that keeps men from ALL things spiritual and this regardless of one’s devotion to doctrines; the True measure IS found in what John IS showing us. First there is the “little children” who, through their own Repentance, have changed the focus of Life from the things of the world and onto the things of God.

Next there ARE the “young men” who have overcome the poneros, who have overcome those carnal thoughts and attitudes to which they were bound….thoughts and attitudes which ARE the foundation for “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life“. Finally there ARE the fathers, those who ARE living in accord with His words, those whose expression IS become Love and Truth. Here we should see how that the apostle IS showing us the measure of Truth that flows into the Life of everyman who will strive toward that goal of keeping His words.

While many in the doctrinal world see poneros as the evil of bad men, of wicked men as the lexicon shows us ², we should try to see this idea in John’s terms which we can see more clearly as he continues saying “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15:17).

In ALL of these ideas from John we should try to see the way of the aspirant and the disciple and if we can align John’s thoughts with Paul’s words regarding the vanity, the “bondage of corruption” that IS Life in this world, perhaps we can better see our journey from this bondage to our deliverance into the freedom of “the glorious liberty of the children of God“. And here we should remember that this idea of being delivered IS the same as the idea that the Master shows us saying that “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free“.

And in the view that John IS showing the advancing measure of one’s spiritual expression, we should be able to see that the fulfillment of this measure IS to KNOW God which the apostle shows us as “ye have known him“. As we note above, the apostle also tells us rather clearly how that one can KNOW him and here we should understand that this IS a personal view of oneself and one that IS NO different that the Master’s words of our trifecta. In the combined view we should be able to understand how that to KNOW God IS to keep His words and that the father that John references has the True Presence of God in his Life. Repeating our trifecta again we read:

• “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).

We should note also that John somewhat repeats his words to “little children“, “young men” and fathers with some differences and with a different Greek word that IS rendered as “little children“.  While the reasoning for his repetition and his change IS unclear, we can take away some points that can help us to see some idea of his teaching here. If we can contrast the ideas presented perhaps we can understand his point to ALL as “little children” as well as the relationship of his words in his second mention to the ideas he presented to the fathers.

First IS the difference between teknion and paidion which ARE both rendered as “little children“; Vincent tells us that the former: emphasizes the idea of kinship while the latter: emphasizes the idea of subordination and consequent discipline. Here perhaps we can see that the latter address IS to ALL, to the former “little children“, to the “young men” and to the fathers, and shows us that he addresses the teknion, those who ARE Repented and beginning their journey, but once. Again, we should understand that the idea of forgiveness from the Greek word aphiemi IS a doctrinal concept more than a factual reality, a reality that IS covered in one’s Repentance where one’s way of sin IS laid aside“for his name’s sake” in favor of one’s change of focus.

We can try to see here that John’s second mention of “little children” under the Greek word paidion IS a more universal idea that shows ALL men as subservient to the Lord; that lets ALL men see that the man in the world IS ever under the control of the Spirit if he IS Truly on the path to “the glorious liberty of the children of God“. Here in this second mention the apostle shows these paidion as those that “have known the Father” and if we can separate the apostle’s choice of ideas, perhaps we can see the difference between KNOWING the Father and KNOWING the fullness of the Godhead. Perhaps this difference IS between God Transcendent and God Immanent.

The apostle then repeats his words to the fathers without change and here again we must try to see these fathers as those who have completed their journey and understand that these may NOT even exist in the apostle’s audience at that time although it IS possible that they DO. Again, John IS showing the idea of measure here and the stages of the Way of the aspirant to the True disciple of the Lord. Finally the apostle comes back to the “young men” and here he adds two ideas and repeats the one regarding poneros….that these have overcome this strictly human trait.

John adds the idea of strength to the virtues of the “young men” and if we can see this idea that “ye are strong” in spiritual terms we can likely better understand Jesus’ words saying “from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). Here in Jesus’ words the Greek words biazo and biastes ARE used and are rendered in terms of violence while the former word IS defined as to use force and the latter IS defined as strong and forceful ⁹ by Thayer.  Can we see the point here?

The Apostle Luke shows us the same idea with Jesus saying that “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it” (Luke 16:16). Here the same word biazo IS rendered as “presseth into” but in either account we should see the Way of the “young men” who ARE consciously pressing forward, in strength,  into the Kingdom of God. John adds one more part to the Way of the “young men” and that IS that “the word of God abideth in you“. We should try to see here how that while these may NOT have come to the completion of their journey, that the words of the Lord ARE in them and IS become their motivating principle….they ARE past Repentance and ARE striving toward the fullness of the Truth.

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.

We change our Quote of the Day today to the words from Solomon on Wisdom along with our thoughts on them from the original postings of them in In the Words of Jesus parts 46 and 556.  These words ARE a testament to those things that we should be asking of the Lord and which are representative of the Holy Ghost. Wisdom, understanding and knowledge which will lead us  to understanding the fear (reverence and respect and awe) of the Lord and the knowledge of God so that in this world we can understand righteousness and judgement and equity and be preserved by discretion and understanding. Thus are we in a position to treat everyone as we would want to be treated ourselves.

Since we are centered on the ideas of Wisdom today we offer the following from Proverbs as our Quote of the Day. Solomon, who is KNOWN for his Wisdom, which we read in the story of his Life was His gift from God, a gift that he receives because he does not want for the things of the world. But Solomon gains as well the things of the world in plenty and as his Life story proceeds we can see clearly that it is his Life in the world that is to his detriment. The wisdom however produces for us the writings of the Book of Proverbs and it is this that he is remembered for. His Life is interesting reading and is well documented in the Books of Kings and Chronicles.

….incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee (Proverbs 2:2-11).

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts

• 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
• ¹² Expositions of Holy Scripture–Project Gutenberg’s and Baker Book House’ Expositions of Holy Scripture, by Alexander Maclaren–(1826-1910)