ON LOVE; PART DCLXXVIII
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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 grace and the practical application of this word in the Life of the aspirant and the disciple as well as our view on what this IS and how that one receives grace and then more grace in their lives. While the doctrinal view IS a rather nebulous one, we see that grace IS what comes from God and from the God Within and we should understand that the word itself, grace, IS but a word that IS rendered from the Greek word charis, and that the doctrinal meanings of this word are based in the understanding that comes from the perceived biblical uses of the word. Strong’s tells us that charis means: grace; the state of kindness or favor toward someone, often with a focus on benefit; credit; words of kindness and benefit; thanks; blessing 3. These ideas are derived from the meaning of the Greek word and the perceived uses that are determined by those who compiled the definitions; and this IS our point, that the perceptions are based in the doctrinal interpretations of the authors much in the same way as, and likely in conjunction with, the translators. It IS in this tone that the word charis IS rendered as thank in the four uses of this idea by the Master in Luke’s Gospel. In each of these the understanding of something given for something done would have been the better idea to render but this IS NOT seen in the doctrinal view that sees charis as the free ‘gift’ of God as based in interpretations of the Apostle Paul’s usage.
We are concerned here with the Master’s usage however and how that this idea of grace can be seen in the greater picture of the Life of the aspirant and the disciple who ARE the recipients of this grace based in their Life’ focus on the things of God and, over the last several essays, we have shown how that this rendering works in the words of the Master and His apostles. It IS in the relationship between the way that Luke uses this word charis and the different choice of the Greek word misthos by Matthew that we ARE able to draw out our conclusions that this grace IS the reward, or rather the payment given, in the ideas that are submitted by the Master; ideas that center on the Truth of Love. Strong’s tells us that the Greek word misthos means: wage; reward; what is paid back 3; and it IS in these defining terms that we can develop our ideas on Luke’s use of charis. Here, if we render charis as grace and see grace as the potential reward or the wage of acting in Love, we can see much clearer then in the idea of thanks as this IS presented in most ALL translations. If we can see charis as Young’s Literal Translation presents it saying: “Hath he favour to that servant” (Luke 17:9) as charis is rendered in another place in the Master’s words, we can see the relationship to the idea of reward and wage as the clear intent of the Master and here we should understand the idea that there IS NO additional reward for just doing his own duty. We repeat the Parable to the Master and the Servant again:
“But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do” (Luke 17:7-10).
Can we see the point here in the Master’s question; can we see that the inference IS to greater reward for merely doing what IS his to do? And can we see how that the right understanding of the word grace would make this idea the same as we see in the use of favor or even reward. The lesson here IS to His disciples and it IS that they can expect NO greater grace, no greater reward, for DOING what had become their normal duty…that greater grace demands greater DOING. In the other uses of this word charis in Luke’s Gospel which we cite above and have discussed in previous posts on this topic, the rendering of most translations IS a combination of the ideas presented by Strong’s except that it IS only Young’s that renders this as grace. We read again:
“Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Luke 6:30-35).
While Young’s renders favor in the parable above, they render grace in every place that thank IS rendered in these sayings on Love but it IS only in the right understanding of this word, as that this IS the result of the right actions in Love, that this word grace can make proper sense and this IS NOT the doctrinal idea of grace. Similarly, if the English word thank were not seen as it is merely an expression of gratitude, the same Truth of obtaining something for right action could be found. If we could just use the Greek word charis here and define it as this same result of right thoughts, attitudes and actions that come from God and from the God Within, we will have more correctly discerned the intent and understand that this IS more than reward and wage…..this IS the inevitable result of one’s focus on the Love and the Power and the Truth of God. In the various bible translations we find this first entry rendered as credit, as being commended, as thanks, as benefit, and as blessing but NONE imply the reality that what one would get IS the result of the right action in Love. We should note here that Luke DOES call this a reward in the positive note at the end where Jesus admonishes us to Love and to lend which we should see as an act of Love and, in the context offered we should see this lending as giving. And this reward IS NOT unlike the idea presented by Matthew which we read as:
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?” (Matthew 5:44-47).
In the combination of ALL these ideas from the Master’s words as given to us by Luke and Matthew we should see the greater idea of reward and wage but from a psychic perspective and NOT from the carnal ideas of things or money and here for us, the psychic idea of reward and wages IS simply the result of our actions in Love. And this IS grace as well and the intent of the use of charis by Luke; an intent that has lost its force in the interpretation of it as thanks and to a lesser degree as favor. Here again we should understand that grace, as a spiritual term, is the something given for something done and that this idea, like ALL spiritual ideas, IS psychic in nature….there IS NO carnal thing intended. We should see here that the revelations and the realizations of Truth and of Love ARE the only things that Truly come from God; these ARE the “good things” and the “Every good gift and every perfect gift“; it IS in these that we have the wherewithal, the tools and the ability, to express the Love and the Power of the Godhead in this world. We must remember and understand here that this IS ever by degree and that these “good things” will be found in direct proportion to the degree of focus on the Good, the Beautiful and the True, on the things of God.
By way of the Master address to His disciple and those who would follow Him and keep His words, the Sermon on the Mount according to Matthew, we were able to tie together some additional ideas in the last post. Ideas like that the savor in Jesus comparison of the disciple to to salt IS grace and, as without savor the salt IS worthless, so without grace the disciple IS worthless and this IS of course from a spiritual perspective. We found this same idea of worthless in our look at the ideas behind the Master’s use of the idea of corrupt regarding treasures of one’s heart; here we found that the things of the world, the “treasures upon earth” have a spiritual worthlessness while the “treasures in heaven” are these same “good things” and the “Every good gift and every perfect gift” which James tells us “cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Can we see here how that this idea of grace IS the same as these “treasures in heaven“, that these ARE the flow of the revelations and the realizations of the Truth and the Love of God in the heart of a man, in his conscious awareness in this world.
ALL of these ideas of what grace IS that come into the Life of the aspirant and the disciple ARE linked and ARE essentially the same albeit perhaps from different perspectives. And so with the idea of Light which we found in the same sayings from the Sermon as those regarding salt. Here the disciple IS “the light of the world“, he IS possessed of the revelations and the realizations of Truth and Love by degree; it IS these things that are in his heart and it IS these things that are his expression to the world of men. And this IS grace, expressed as mercy which IS the expression of the Love of God to the world of men. It IS in this idea of Light and its relationship to the idea of grace that we find that this IS also the reality of the Holy Spirit, the activity and the Light of the Soul in the man in the world; this too becomes the expression of the aspirant and the disciple in the world of men. Can we see this point? that the activity of the Holy Spirit in the Life of a man IS dependent upon his own realization of this sense of divinity; this sense which IS the Holy Spirit expressed in Love and Truth by the man in the world. Can we see that this sense of divinity as well as the realization of its presence IS grace?
We noted in the last post how that the idea of the Holy Spirit is confounded by some doctrines and that there is a nebulous understanding of who and what this Spirit IS, and this IS an understanding that can vary by denomination and by sect. In reality there should be NO differences and there IS ONLY one True understanding of just what the idea of the Holy Spirit means and this we see as that it IS the Spirit that IS God and IS the God Within each man. Much of this idea can be seen in Jesus words from John’s Gospel where we find His comments to the disciples which are tied together with the idea of the God and the Christ Within from the perspective of the Master’s teaching and we should note here that there IS a certain parabolic nature to Jesus words. Perhaps we can come to a better understanding of how that ALL of these ideas can work together by discussing some of the Master’s words from the Gospel of John; we begin with these:
“Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake” (John 14:1-11).
While this may seem to be an odd place to start this dialogue on the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the idea of grace, this IS where the Master Himself sets up many of the ideas that we need to understand as we proceed. Beginning with His words on the Kingdom, on “my Father’s house“, continuing through His words on the Way and onto His words that reveal the Oneness of the Father and the Son, we will try to unlock and see the reality of the Jesus intent and His meanings. These ideas and words must however be viewed in the right context, that these ARE spiritual ideas and NOT carnal ones and the relationships that we draw must be spiritual as well.
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.
We repeat here again a saying that is from the Bhagavad Gita, which goes well with our theme of the God Within, the Soul, which we see as the Christ Within and while this is good in the Christian world and is True based upon our understanding of the Christ as the manifestation of God, we should also see in these words below that it does not matter what these divine ideas are called; that it matters not what we call this Inner Man, that he is the same in ALL, he is the Soul.
Thou carriest within thee a sublime Friend whom thou knowest not. For God dwells in the inner part of every man, but few know how to find Him. The man who sacrifices his desires and his works to the Beings from whom the principles of everything stem, and by whom the Universe was formed, through this sacrifice attains perfection. For one who finds his happiness and joy within himself, and also his wisdom within himself is one with God. And, mark well, the soul which has found God is freed from rebirth and death, from old age and pain, and drinks the water of Immortality.—Bhagavad-Gita
It is difficult to tell just what verses of the Bhagavad Gita the above is from; whether it is a paraphrase or a combination. It is from the book “The Great Initiates” by Édouard Schuré which was originally published in French in 1889 and perhaps it is in the translation of the verses that they become hard to recognize. However, the sheer beauty of the presentation caught my attention and so I share it with you. The Path to the Kingdom is the same no matter what religion one professes.
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!
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3 Strongest Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible – 2001
