ON LOVE; PART DCLXIX
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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).
In the last essay we continued our discussion on the idea of grace, what it means and how this works out in the lives of men in this world. We took our discussion deeper into the reality “that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34) which shows us that there IS NO free ‘gift’ of grace to some that IS NOT based in some form of DOING and that the doctrinal idea of grace, in combination with the theories of predestination, ARE not workable unless Our God DOES favor some over others both in this world and in His Kingdom. To understand these ideas in this world where the stark differences in the lives and welfare of billions of people show us what appears to be a basic unfairness of Life, we must try to see the greater realities that ARE a part of the fabric of Life and of Life’s mysteries. It IS ONLY when we can see that the True man, the man who IS “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27), IS the Soul that gives Life to this form in the world, that we can begin to understand the complexities of Life in form and it IS in the our glimpse of these Truths that ALL doors can be opened. Doctrines paint many pictures of the reality of grace but the one that IS foremost is in the approach that there IS some link between the ‘gift’ of grace and a man’s believing in Jesus, in the Christ, and this even at a very carnal level. The reality of this believing IS in keeping His words and the reality of striving to keep His words IS the dispenser of grace in the lives of men in this world; in this sense this grace IS NOT free, there IS a cost but one that IS not seen from the perspective of the True man. And this is the hidden idea in the Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy, a man who understands the reality of discipleship and of keeping His words; we read:
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:9-10).
Here in these words that we posted at the end of the last essay we find the apostle speaking to Timothy and exhorting him to greater realization of his communion with God that Paul earlier says that he had facilitated. We should see here that whatever transpired between the apostle and his disciple Timothy resulted in the beginning or the renewal of Timothy’s Transformation out of the ways to the world and into the ways of God. This IS the salvation of the Life of a man in the world and this IS the calling by the Soul, the Christ Within, to this greater glory. It IS the Love and the Power of God expressed through his own Soul that brings about the changes and it IS NOT any thing that Timothy has done as a man in the world. And this IS the point of Paul’s reference to works, that these works ARE the carnal things that a man DOES which are either for the self in the world or for the sake of God….either way these are things of and in the world. It IS the inner Life, the motivation to DO the things of God that matters and NOT the things themselves. From the perspective of the spiritually focused man, the fruit of his Life IS his focus; but from the perspective of the man in the world who IS doing this and that, the fruit IS in whatsoever he may DO and this is especially True for the man who lives in that state of duality. Both of these are important as we KNOW from the Master’s words, what IS in the heart and what is shown to men, and we should see Paul’s words in the context that he offers; that Timothy seems to be wavering under the stress of the dual nature of the aspirant and the disciple.
To Timothy the message is that it IS the inner Life that must be expressed and that whatsoever he is sensing physically, emotionally and mentally, his works in the world if you will, must not detract form the Truth of his salvation and his calling which ARE imparted to him by the “purpose and grace” of God as this exists in the True and Inner man, the Soul. It IS this grace that IS ever with us as an untapped reservoir of Love and which comes forth as the wherewithal to express this Love in the world by the man whose focus IS upon these things of God. We should understand that this letter from Paul to Timothy IS a personal communication and much of the True intent of the apostle is tied to their personal relationship of which we KNOW little except what IS written in the context of that relationship. In this we can NOT Truly KNOW Paul’s thoughts and motivation as we should KNOW these from his more general teachings. From our perspective this letter IS an exhortation to Timothy to stand strong in his faith and in his focus on the things of God.
There IS a great unrealized reality in the last part of this saying that we have above and this IS a Truth that IS hidden in the Master’s teachings and left undiscovered in the doctrinal approach to the Lord. In the deeper meanings of the words used there IS a key to the Truth of the Christ and the God Within as these eternally dwell within that state of being that IS the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells us that: “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) and it IS in the doctrinal inability to understand the True meaning of this saying that the words from Paul to Timothy are not seen today in the way that Paul intended and which Timothy likely did. In the Greek word phaneroo which IS rendered as manifest, we should try to see the idea of realization, that by the appearing of the Master in the world, His Advent and His Life, one can realize the Truth of this “purpose and grace“. This IS NOT of course an automatic event, that by His Presence ALL will KNOW and realize the Truths; this IS reserved for those who seek, who strive and who focus upon the things of God, and it IS these things that we should see in Timothy. It IS by the Life in this world of Christ Jesus that the Truth of death IS KNOWN and this is expressed by Paul as that He “abolished death“; this IS the reality of Jesus’ death and the resurrection of the Lord; it IS in this that the greater reality of death as the demise of the body should be seen. Here we should see as well the Truth of Life that IS brought to light through the gospel, the gospel of Repentance and of the Kingdom of God. This IS the teaching of the Master as we read in Mark’s Gospel His words saying: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” and this IS the teaching of his disciples as we read again in Mark’s words that as Jesus sent them “they went out, and preached that men should repent” (Mark 1:15, 6:12).
Repentance IS the way of one’s realization of Truth. It IS ONLY those who have made this decision to change their focus from the self and the self in the world to the things of God who can see the Truth behind the words of the Master and His apostles; and this realization IS the grace that flows through from the Soul, the Christ and God Within, into the Life of the man in the world. This realization IS the tool for the expression of Love and in the way that this IS ALL designed by the Great and Awesome Plan of God, True Repentance IS the key and the first payment on the costs of discipleship. That there IS a cost of discipleship IS a concept that IS missed by many and misunderstood by most; from the perspective of the Soul, the True man, there IS NO real cost as the Soul IS ever divine and ever the Son of God. The Truth of discipleship and the reality of grace are tied together with this idea of the cost of discipleship in a strange and profound way which IS made visible in the understanding that discipleship IS the ability by degree to bring the Love and the Power of the Soul to bear in the Life of the man in the world; and this ability IS found in grace. This flow of grace begins however in the reality of Repentance, in the decision by the man to step onto the Path and to take that long journey to the strait gate which opens into the Kingdom of God.
In paying this first part of the cost, this decision to change the focus of Life, we find the hardest part which we can see as the idea of a man’s bearing his cross and this from the Master’s words on the cost of discipleship below and in this from Mark’s Gospel: “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). This IS the reality of that change of focus and against this the carnal mind and emotions will likely revolt for a time as the Life of the man IS plunged into the world of duality where we find the way of the double minded man of whom the Apostle James speaks, the man who sees both the goal of the Kingdom and the temptations of the world. It IS from here, from this Repentance, that the reality of grace grows in the Life of a man and this growth IS directly related to the growth of the Kingdom Within which IS in turn a function of the focus of the man upon the things of God. It IS the revolting personality that feels the cost and this sense IS a real one; it IS against this carnal desire to remain in the world that the aspirant and the disciple must stand. It IS this sense of temptation that IS the “wiles of the devil” that Paul speaks of and in this sense we should try to see that this “armor of God” IS the grace that flows through the Repentant man; we read:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:10-16).
It IS the multiplicity of temptations that ARE the principalities and the powers and “the rulers of the darkness of this world“….these ARE psychic forces and afflict the minds and emotions of every man who has not yet overcome them. The idea of “spiritual wickedness in high places” can be a difficult idea to understand and while we have seen this in past essays as the working of carnal ways by those who have taken spiritual authority, we should try here to see a deeper idea. “High places” IS more literally heavenly and we should KNOW that there IS no real “spiritual wickedness” as Spirit IS pure and beyond the corruption offered by the world. Perhaps the best way to see this IS in relation to the illusion and the glamour that can delude even the aspirant and the disciple into believing that what he deems IS from God IS in reality from the world and his own personality in the world. This IS the very nature of James’ teaching on the Wisdom from above and in this we can see Paul’s caution that we stand against such delusion, such personal temptations that can masquerade as Truth, and understand the yet deeper meaning of Jame’s words on overcoming this and ALL temptations 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. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:12-17).
Here we should see the reality of ALL temptations and, in the sense of that idea of being “tempted of God“, there IS a greater sense of Paul’s meaning of “spiritual wickedness in high places“. Overall then we should try to see that it IS the struggle to stand and to “endureth temptation” which IS the reality of the cost of discipleship and here we should remember that ALL attraction and ALL attachment to the things of the world IS the source, the cause and the result of such temptation. And it IS in this sense that we must understand the Master’s words on the cost of discipleship which he gives us by example and then in the real terms at the end of these sayings that:
“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build , and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27-33).
Repentance again IS the first price that one must pay and the most difficult as it plunges a man into the world of duality from which there IS seemingly NO escape from the constant view of both sides of the Life of a man in the world. On the one side is the revolt of the personality that strives to keep the man in the world and the ways of the world and on the other side IS the greater Truth toward which he has decided to strive and which IS found in the ways of God. It IS in this struggle that one stands and the ability to stand IS the grace of God that flows from the Soul and brings with it those tools, that armor of Paul: “the breastplate of righteousness; the firm foundation 4 of “the gospel of peace“;”the shield of faith“, “the helmet of salvation“, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God“. This IS the grace of God.
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 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 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!
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
