ON LOVE; PART DCLVIII
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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 took a short break in the last essay to post some thoughts about the Festival of the Christ, of GoodWill and of Humanity with some thoughts from the John Lennon song Imagine. What we see as a song of GoodWill and Brotherhood, many Christians see as a song that IS against religion and while this IS True, it IS NOT in the way that most see his intent. The song IS against the organized idea of religion and NOT religion from the personal perspective of one’s own relationship with God. Many parts of the Christian Church also speak against religion and for many different reasons and a large part of this IS likely found in the views of each denomination and sect as regards the way of conducting religion by others. None of this IS scriptural, not from any side, and that humanity has carved up the Lord into many different pieces IS in our view the antithesis of True religion which James defines for us in a very personal way saying:
“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:26-27).
Here we should see the context first, that this follows upon the idea of being a DOER of the word and that this IS followed by the apostle’s words on the “royal law” which IS the same sense of GoodWill and Brotherhood through Love that can be seen in Lennon’s song. To properly understand James’ words we must be able to see that the word rendered as tongue IS intended to show the full expression of the man in the world as well as his thoughts and his attitudes from which his expressions originate. To see the idea of the tongue as just what comes off of it IS a shortsighted approach to a great reality, the reality of ones expression of the content of his heart. And this the Master speaks on as well as He tells us that “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45).
It is in this light that James defines religion, that “If any man among you seem to be religious“, that IS if any believe himself to be such, he must control his expression to the world in ALL things and his own thoughts and attitudes with which he can “deceiveth his own heart“. We should see here that the sense of religion IS not intended to reflect upon religion as it IS understood in the world today but rather in that personal place where one’s religion IS one’s own approach to God. We should see that the idea of one’s expression being Truly religious depends upon one’s degree of focus upon the things of God, on one’s abilities in keeping His word, and that in the absence of these “this man’s religion is vain“. It is interesting to see the way that John Gill presents this idea concerning the tongue as he says: and bridleth not his tongue; but boasts of his works, and speaks ill of his brethren; backbites them, and hurts their names and characters, by private insinuations, and public charges without any foundation; who takes no care of what he says, but gives his tongue a liberty of speaking anything, to the injury of others, and the dishonour of God, and his ways 8. These ideas are purely Mr. Gills as these ideas ARE NOT seen in James’ text to this point except perhaps in his misunderstood reference to being “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 119) which ARE also the product of the thoughts and the attitudes that generate a man’s expression. Here, if we can try to see this word that IS rendered as wrath in a broader way, that this IS to do with a man’s being mired in the carnal ways of the world rather than its being a word of anger, we can make better sense of James’s words as well as to see its other uses in the New Testament more clearly.
Similarly, when we take James’ use of this word rendered as tongue to be the fullness of the expression of the man and NOT only his uttered words, we can see more clearly what it IS that can make a man religious or not; that the reality of controlling one’s expression is the opposite of the idea that a man “bridleth not his tongue“. We should of course understand that to control one’s expression IS found in the reality of being a DOER of the word and especially in James’ next thought which IS Love; in the expression of this Love as we see at the top of our essay, ALL other things ARE considered as we KNOW from James words and from the Apostle Paul’s words to the Galatians saying: ”For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Galatians 5:14). We can see here in James’ words then how that one’s expression is the result of a man’s thoughts and attitudes and these are at the same time a part of that expression to his own self; and we can see also that if one CAN NOT control his expression and still believes himself religious, that “this man’s religion is vain“. We can understand the idea of vain as false and can see James’ intent also in Vincent’s terms which further define this idea saying: the reference is to a perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends 4. While Vincent’s remarks here are from a different usage, it IS the kindred word to what James uses here and we can easily see his ideas as they would apply to the man who may believe his IS religious but who IS NOT a DOER or, as we say, IS NOT striving to keep His words. In this idea of bridleth that we should see the idea that the tongue, the expression, IS guided by one’s focus as a Doer of the word; Vincent tells us that this Greek word rendered as bridleth IS: Used by James only. Lit., to guide with a bridle. So Plato, “Laws,” 701: “I think that the argument ought to be pulled up from time to time, and not to be allowed to run away, but held with bit and bridle.” 4 W.
We have discussed the idea of “pure religion” earlier, In the Words of Jesus parts 988-990, and while the overall idea IS rather clear and IS found in the ending words, many choose to get stuck on the idea of “To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” rather that the ultimate reality that this IS “to keep himself unspotted from the world“; this IS likely because this latter part DOES require a total commitment to the Truth of God. We DO KNOW that the Master speaks against the ways of the Pharisees who He sees as that they “devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer” and there is likely some connection here; we KNOW as well that there ARE Old Testament commandments that protect “the fatherless and widows” which ARE NOT kept and it IS in this failure that we see the Master’s words to the rulers of the Jews. What we should see here IS NOT the specifics of this visiting which is better understood as caring for or looking after, this IS how this is rendered in other translations, but rather the idea behind this; that this IS yet another unkept commandment by men who proclaim their own religion as True. The greater idea IS as we say above, that one should “keep himself unspotted from the world“
This IS then the essence of “pure religion“; a combination of being a DOER of the word as shown by James in the idea of caring for those in need and in the reality of remaining untainted from the ways of the world. In the idea of pure we DO get the understanding of being untainted or unspotted and here the apostle IS defining what the one who IS Truly religious is pure from: he IS pure from the effects and the captivity of a man by the ways of the world which James goes on to further clarify in his later words that say most clearly that “know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). For us these ideas ARE NOT difficult to see nor are they difficult to connect within the totality of James writing; they are however difficult to accept for the man who IS focused in the world and the man who escaping its clutches but who IS still tempted to this or that.
This IS the reality of the one’s personal view of religion and this IS how this IS defined for us by the modern dictionary where we read that to be religious IS to be: imbued with or exhibiting religion; pious; devout; godly; scrupulously faithful; conscientious 7. And this sense of religion IS NOT John Lennon’s reference in the song Imagine; here he speaks of the common understanding of belief systems and philosophies that pervade our world and cause the separation of men into opposing camps where each professes that he has the Truth and that his way IS THE way. It IS the attitudes that are held in these religious beliefs that the writer speaks against; it IS these attitudes that lead men to strife and war, activities which ALL True religions speak against. Despite this reality that the very acts of war and strife and the killing and the dying that are inherent in this are spoken against by the very words of Love offered to us by the Master, men are blinded to the Truth and men who believe themselves religious are ofttimes at the heart of these conflicts and are the instigators of the strife.
Our point here IS to show the divide between the reality of religion and the Truly religious man whose Life IS found in striving toward the Kingdom as opposed to the common ideas which are wrapped in doctrines and traditions and which are spoken against by Lennon and many who are in the church as well. And this IS NOT a Christian matter ONLY as this divide afflicts ALL religions and this both within each and between them. And we should remember here the idea of one’s expression, that in the sense of religion even the thoughts and the attitudes that one holds against another for religious reasons ARE a part of James’ intent in saying that for the man who “bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain“.
When we can see the steady stream of ideas that come from James in his epistle, we can begin to better understand the importance of his words to the aspirant and the disciple who struggle in their world of duality and who are seeing both the things of God and the things of the world. This man is struggling to find that sense of “pure religion” through his focus upon the things of God while he IS being tempted by the forces of the personality in the world. It IS to this man and to the man who would join his ranks that the words of the song Imagine have a special meaning as this man sees or IS trying to see the reality of ‘a brotherhood of man’. It IS with this in mind that we view the attitudes of many in the church that DO NOT seem to see these realities and who speak against Lennon’s ideas, as an unfortunate obstacle to the better understanding of many.
There IS a True message for ALL humanity in the teachings of the Avatars of every religion and this IS especially True today where the world is smaller and smaller and more and more people have access to the Great Truths of the Ages. But in most every religion, many of the doctrines that are created to profess the Truths enunciated by these Avatars obnubilate the Truth and instead substitute diluted and changed versions that better suit the sensibilities of the man in the world. And the Master speaks against this doctrinal practice to the Jews in a most clear and blunt way which even includes prediction and history from the perspective of the prophets; we read:
“Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition” (Mark 7:5-9).
We should try to see here the reality of the Master’s teaching; it serves but a small purpose to merely call out the scribes and the Pharisees regarding these things that they do in the above sayings and in the ideas that follow regarding the commandment to “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Mark 7:10). The greater reality IS that this IS His teaching to those who are listening, to the apostles and the disciples in His company, that they should NOT fall into this same peril and it IS unfortunate that few can see Jesus words in this way. And this IS the divide between True and “pure religion“, religion that shows the Truth of the Master’s words and His intent, and the doctrines of men which show how that these are interpreted to the benefit of the man in the world.
In these ideas we can get yet another view of the purpose of James writing and of his intent as he clarifies and amplifies many of the points of the Master’s teaching which ARE hidden by doctrines’ perhaps even in these earliest days of the Christian movement, and about which the apostle speaks. In this we should see the ideas that James presents on the “royal law” and on the intersection of faith and works as but two examples. Examples that yet today are not Truly grasped by many who profess to be religious and we can see this failure as a part of the expression of which James speaks above.
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!
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
- 7 Dictionary.com Unabridged based on Random House Dictionary – 2011
- 8 Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
