ON LOVE; PART DCXLVI
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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.
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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 left off in the last essay with an emphasis again on the role of the duality faced by the aspirant and the disciple. Here we should understand that this idea of duality in the way that we present it, as well as our use of the concept of focus, ARE our own conventions. These are for us an integral part of our right understanding and our right action as we strive toward the Kingdom of God; these words ARE NOT used in scripture but they ARE alluded to in so many of the sayings of the Master and His apostles that it IS rather easy to make their impact KNOWN. We have of course been using these words from the beginning of our work on this blog and here, in our work on the Epistle of James, their reality IS ever so apparent as we see the effective way that James speaks to us about the role of temptation in the Life of man and especially in the Life of the aspirant and the disciple. It IS important to understand that James’ words are directed to an audience who IS Truly striving toward the Kingdom and it IS these whom we call the aspirant and the disciple. The first, the aspirant, can be seen as the man who has Repented and has begun that stage of Transformation by which one becomes the disciple and, while he has NOT yet accomplished those things that the Master tells us about discipleship, he has commuted to do so and this commitment IS of course his Repentance. The disciple IS this same man further along on the Path, he IS keeping the words of the Master and he has taken up the work of forsaking ALL things for the Kingdom. The aspirant strives to do these things and the disciple has accomplished them.
We have discussed these ideas before and we should remember that in forsaking there IS a mysterious aspect of this that IS tied to focus and to the Master’s words on treasure, on God and mammon, and on the ALL important reality of “take no thought” (Mathew 6:24). An example here IS important and I offer this from a personal perspective based in my own understanding of the dilemma that IS faced and which results in yet more ideas based in our other word: duality. I have a computer, two to be exact, and a car as well as an apartment that is furnished with some things that can be considered as luxuries and, at the same time I see myself as the aspirant and NOT as the disciple and this leaves a question: what IS there in this that must be given up in order to be considered as a disciple under the Master’s saying that: “whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33)? We should note here that for many there IS the added burden of dealing with one’s attachments to other things such as family and friends which ARE also covered by the Master but I personally DO NOT have these issues as I have come to the needed understanding of Universal Love which has freed me from these attachments in the world.
I DO NOT live in the lap of luxury and while I may have striven for these things in the past, I NO longer focus upon anything in the nature of worldly gain except in passing thoughts and some of these may come in the form of temptation as we have been discussing. And this IS our point; were it not for the duality that I see, a duality that IS based in my own understanding of forsaking ALL, I might not recognize these passing thoughts or temptations as such. Were it not for this duality I would see a passing idea about a new car as ‘normal’ but with this sense of discipleship and the Path to the Kingdom, I see this passing idea as a temptation that can take my focus off of the Truth. In this we should see the reality of how that James words can be a guiding Light for the aspirant and, at the same time, they can be warning signs to the man who IS carnally focused to refrain from the gross offenses of sin. The carnally focused man will consider the idea about the car as a ‘normal’ human desire and a good one. And what of the computers; are these a luxury that should be dispensed with as one moves to forsake as the Master instructs? It IS here in this type of situation that this becomes a personal effort for each man; for me the computer IS my link to the world and my way of publishing this blog; in this light these ARE a necessity. But, at the same time I could go to the local library and spend the publishing time there; Do I forsake the computer and do I see the need for a new one at some future point as a temptation or do I view this as a tool? Similarly with the car; in this modern American society, it is difficult NOT to have one and may force one to rely or even impose upon others.
These questions would NOT be questions in the absence of the duality and the understanding of focus; without these, the idea of temptation would NOT be a factor in these more ‘normal’ things of Life. It IS in this sense that one must see James words and the the tools that he offers for our consideration in a very personal way and we should perhaps see this as the reason that he poses these questions:
- “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray“. Can we see here how that one may be afflicted by desires for some of the ‘normal’ things of the world while others may not be and can we see here how that in communion with one’s own God Within, with the anointing that IS the Soul, that one would rely upon the Wisdom from above and the Soul’s ability to discern what IS for the man in the world and what IS for the progression of the Soul? What IS for the self and the interests of the self in the world and what IS steadily focused upon the things of God. We must remember here that this IS NOT things ONLY, this includes ALL thoughts, attitudes and actions as well.
- “Is any merry? let him sing psalms” Here IS an opposite view; here the man has this or that or has just gained this or that by convincing himself that these ARE NOT for the self, perhaps he has succumbed to some temptation. Here the question to this man IS ‘do these things make him happy and joyous’? IS he boasting about those things he has? and does he understand that boasting can be as much an internal satisfaction as an outward display? To this man the apostle previously says “But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil” (James 4:16) and here we should see the carnal nature of such joy. From the perspective of the carnally focused this joy IS a ‘normal’ thing but in the Life of the aspirant this IS NOT and the disciple will fare even worse under the weight of his own sense of duality. And so the apostle tells us to sing and in this we can substitute any thing that will serve this same purpose: to turn one’s attention back to the things of God.
- “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church” Here we must remember that this word rendered as sick should be seen in its Truer sense which IS weakness and we should understand this as “Is any weak among you?“. IS any looking at the strength of the temptation that has been presented and finding it difficult to stand against? IS any in such a state that he will choose the carnal over what he may KNOW IS the right way because the temptation will NOT leave and has overwhelmed his focus? To this man James says to seek help; to seek out the elders. This idea may have been useful in James’ day when the church was the church, an affiliation of like minded men, and NOT as today where it has been broken up into thousands of denominations and sects. In James’ day there was NO contrary doctrine developed yet that could cloud the Truth of the Master’s words. Today however, from the perspective of the aspirant and the disciple, it is difficult to find such help; the church IS on a different page or better on many pages and these DO NOT see the reality of the Life of the man who strives away from their own doctrines. With this in mind there IS no help to call on and the man who sees his weakness must stand alone unless he has found a way to associate with persons of like mind; a difficult task as these are few and far between and difficult to identify.
This last point above is a difficult one to discern from any other perspective than the way that the apostle frames this and the effects of this we have been discussing in the last two essays. The idea IS that one should consult and take advice from those who are more experienced but this would not include taking advice from others who are NOT as versed in the reality of the subject than the seeker. In this view then there IS none who can “pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” and there IS NO “prayer of faith” that can save the man in his time of weakness. There IS NONE save his own Soul and in this the modern aspirant and disciple must then rely upon the first point above, on prayer, on his own communion with his own Soul for strength. Here we should try to see that even when there IS an elder upon which one can call in his time of need, it IS still in his own communion with his own Soul that the Truth IS seen and realized….the elder can serve ONLY to help a man to re-focus. In the idea of “the Lord shall raise him up” we should see that this IS the Lord Within, it IS the re-focused communion with one’s own Soul that sets the man back onto the Path and away from the temptations that he had found troubling.
And it IS in this same light, with or without the aid of the elders, that the man must ever work as even when he may be in a crowd of like minded people, he IS essentially alone with his own thoughts and attitudes which NO ONE can quite grasp like he can. We repeat our verses again as we prepare to discuss the last part on sin:
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold , the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:7-15).
The apostle’s words here on sin should be viewed as we understand this; that sin IS from the perspective of the aspirant and the disciple is his reversion back to a focus upon the things of the world. In regard to the temptation which we are speaking about, this can be a single thought or desire that is difficult to overcome and here, in this part of the apostle’s words where the idea of sin is prefixed by if, we should understand that this man’s calling upon the elders was too late to prevent whatever from taking place or that perhaps there ARE NO elders. We should likely see this final idea as that it IS related to the previous idea of “the Lord shall raise him up” as this connection IS easier to understand and to see. The question then IS in regard to whether this man has succumbed to his temptation and found himself partaking in a thing in the world which has taken him away from the Truth of God and, again, this need NOT be a gross offence to be a sin. We should understand here that the word that is rendered a committed IS generally rendered as do and as make 2 and in this we have a much broader understanding than the more doctrinal idea of committed which IS likely used because of the inclusion of the word sin in this saying. The rendering here and in most places of the word hamartia as sin IS also a doctrinal one as this word has many ideas attached that show error.
From our perspective then we can read this as saying “if he has erred” and take the understanding here of taking one’s focus off of the goal and the things of God and placing it back onto the carnal things of the world. In the final idea here that tells us of forgiveness we should ALSO see the work of doctrine; first we should see that the words “they shall be” ARE NOT in the Greek text but are added in translation to make the sentence say what it does. In the idea of forgiven we should also see the reality that this IS NOT what it appears to be from a doctrinal bent which IS that this forgiveness IS from the Lord. In the idea of forgiveness we have the idea that whatever IS the sin IS set aside, it counts for naught once it IS corrected; this IS difficult to understand in a doctrinal sense and the tendency to translate in the way that we see here offers us only confusion. We can try to view this whole idea from our perspective of the Soul, the God Within, who IS the Lord of the individual Life of a man and this IS True whether this is realized or NOT. In this view we can read that the Soul, having reimposed his will upon the man thus overcoming the temptation, will lift or raise the thoughts and the attitudes of the man back to his right focus and whatsoever he may have done in his moment of weakness IS forgotten, it IS discharged and set aside; it counts for naught save the experience it may have brought.
In the end of course it would be better that the man DOES NOT succumb, that the help that he needs and receives IS sufficient for the Soul to raise the man over the harm of the temptation; and in this we can then see the reality of James earlier words saying: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12). If however the man CAN NOT resist, this IS NOT the end; and we should try to see here how that the temptations spoken of here are to individual things and not to a total reversion of one’s Life back into the ways of the world.
We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.
| Aspect |
Potency |
Aspect of Man |
In Relation to the Great Invocation |
In relation to the Christ |
|
GOD, The Father |
Will or Power |
Spirit or Life |
Center where the Will of God IS KNOWN |
Life |
|
Son, The Chris.t |
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 Quote of the Day is the antithesis of glamour and illusion. In this mantram are the thoughts about ourselves and our brothers in the world that can diffuse those forces that hold a man in the world of things and prevent his spiritual progress.
Mantram of Unification
The sons of men are one and I am one with them.
I seek to love, not hate;
I seek to serve and not exact due service;
I seek to heal, not hurt.
Let pain bring due reward of light and love.
Let the Soul control the outer form, and life and all events,
And bring to light the love that underlies the happenings of the time.
Let vision come and insight.
Let the future stand revealed.
Let inner union demonstrate and outer cleavages be gone.
Let love prevail.
Let all men love.
The Mantram of Unification is a meditation and a prayer that at first affirms the unity of all men and the Brotherhood of Man based on the Fatherhood of God. The first stanza sets forth several truly Christian ideals in Unity, Love, Service and Healing. The second stanza is a invocation to the Lord and to our own Souls asking that from the pain (if there can truly be any) incurred in focusing on the Spirit and not the world will come Light and Love into our lives and that we begin to function as Souls through our conscious personalities. We ask that the spiritual control of our lives will bring to light for us the Love that underlies world events; a Love that the world oriented man will not see working out behind the scenes and also that the Love that we bring forth, individually and as a world group, can be seen by all and ultimately in all. Finally, in the last stanza we ask for those things that are needed for Love to abound. Vision and insight so that we can direct our attention properly; revelation of the future in the sense that all can see the Power of Love in the world; inner union so that we do not fall back into the world’s ways, that we faint not; and that a sense of separation, the antithesis of brotherhood, ends as we know it today. Let Love Prevail, Let All Men Love.spiritual control of our lives will bring to light for us the Love that underlies world events; a Love that the world oriented man will not see working out behind the scenes.
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!
- 2 New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
