JOY IN HEAVEN!

By

John Roberts

Being thoughts on the “Parable of the Lost Sheep”, as recorded in Luke’s Gospel, Ch. 15.

There is, no doubt, satisfaction in the Spirit-world, in the realization that there are people, living the life of the flesh, who recognise the importance of leading a useful, constructive life, untainted by the consciousness of wrongs committed against other persons. There must be very few people, in fact, who go through life here “in the body”, without carrying with them, into old-age, the awareness of crimes committed against the innocent: offences of commission and omission. This is, certainly, true in my own case, although I do not propose to confess my offences, in a public manner. Suffice it to say, that I am still ashamed and regretful of many actions which, at the time, I knew to be wrong and, yet, which I committed: to my own lasting chagrin.

Paul the Apostle affirmed, “All have sinned and come short of the Kingdom of God…” (Romans Ch. 3,v23) This statement is, no doubt, true to some extent, albeit, the sins of men vary greatly in degree. What “religious” people call “Sin” is simply conduct which is acknowledged to be contrary to law: either the Moral or the Criminal Law. The moral law extends “Sin” to include mental activity which we acknowledge to be “mischievous” or tending to lead men into improper behaviour. For the tribal Jews, the Law commenced with the Ten Commandments, which we all learnt as children, in earlier times. Then were added other and more complex formal laws, to which must be further added additional customary or social sanctions.

Jesus of Nazareth went further, indeed, than any other teacher, either before or after him, in setting strict moral standards regarding conduct, which could be considered to be “Selfish Behaviour”: “Let a man deny himself and follow me.” He understood that all wrong-doing originates in preoccupation with the gratification of personal needs and wishes, to the exclusion of one’s duties to one’s family members and also to “the neighbour”. His concept of the latter is of the utmost importance, as it underlines the principle that we all have a responsibility towards our fellow men and women. This duty transcends all racial and tribal loyalties. The latter statement would be disputed by many folk, who consider that the physical ties of blood and Race take paramount priority, in the consideration of a man’s duty towards his fellows. The parable of the “Man who fell among thieves” illustrates how wide the application of the principle of “Love to the Neighbour” was regarded by Jesus and his followers.

Paul the Apostle enjoyed a deep insight into the Spiritual Law, when he affirmed that, “Eye hath not seen nor hath entered into the heart of man, the things the Father has prepared for those that love Him”.

This raises the question of how a man can come to “Love God!” The Swedish Seer, Emanuel Swedenborg, taught that love to God can only be fulfilled via the principle of Service to Humanity. In other words, one must fulfil one’s Earthly duties of service to others: primarily, one’s dependents and, secondly, those with whom we come into daily contact. Many of the Parables of Jesus illustrate the principle of “Repentance and Reformation”, including the “Parable of the Prodigal Son”: “for this thy brother was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found!”

The essential principle behind the doctrine of “Repentance” is the fact that for a person, inured to criminal or selfish conduct, to change the course of his life and endeavour to observe hitherto neglected duties, is to take a step forward along the pathway of personal progress. Such a transformation, if sincere, is an acknowledgement of the fact that he has been misled in his former judgement. It represents a mark of progressive human-evolution. This is the important point: that it is possible for all people to understand the “Call to perfection” in the Sermon on the Mount and to endeavour to lead useful lives of “Service”, whilst in the body. Whilst we are, “in the body” we have an opportunity to transform our lives and those of our dependents.

Of course, the main point of accepting the validity of the doctrine of “Cause and Effect” is that we understand that everything we do, in life, affects the course of our later experience. It is not a case of us being “Judged”, in due course, by an irate or disappointed Deity. We must understand that all our conduct, of whatsoever kind, during our lives, will result in the development of each individual character. In other words, “We make our own Heaven or Hell, for ourselves!” Now, this statement is, probably, as old as the hills, but the fact is, that it is, quite literally, true. We are the arbiters of our own spiritual condition after the death of the body. During our earthly lives, we are contributing steadily to the development of our own identity. The principle of “Free Will” confirms the truth of this statement. The Apostle, Paul, made, possibly, the most profound statement in the whole of the Bible, when he said, “Do you not know that you are God’s Temple and that the Spirit of God dwells in you…” (1 Corinth, Ch 3, v 16 ). He also added “If anyone destroys God’s Temple, God will destroy him, for God’s Temple is Sacred and that Temple you are!” (This was an unfortunate observation, possibly the result of confusion in Paul’s understanding of the “Nature” of “God”. A God who is “Infinite Love and Compassion” is incapable of “destroying” the work of his hand. This misconception is as old as religion itself, as Judgement and Condemnation was part of the doctrine in Ancient Egypt: from which the Jews derived their ideas, as to the “nature” of the Cosmos. ) The idea of a “Vengeful God” is a wholly erroneous concept and has, for too long, been an integral part of perceived “Christian Doctrine”..

If there is a vestige of truth in the statement that the human body is the “Temple” or “Habitation” of God’s Spirit, then it is also true that Man is Immortal, for the Spirit of God (The Infinite Spirit) cannot die.

My own view is that we are given unconditional freedom to choose the manner of our lives, and, in so doing, we direct the whole course of that life. If we make a mistake in youth and fail to recognise the need for us to devote our lives to the service of our fellows, then the outlook is grim for us. There is no question of Divine Punishment, we are, indeed, what we make of ourselves. When Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in Heaven:” (Matthew Ch 5, v 16) he was illustrating the fact that loving people reveal themselves, as they present to the world as caring and sensitive individuals.

There is a great and pressing need for us all, regardless of Racial or Religious background, to grasp the concept of the “Immortality” of all living beings, in this physical world of ours. Even the physical world of “Matter” has to be regarded as, essentially, a part and parcel of the “Creation”: forming the foundation upon which the fascinating world of living things is erected. All things are the product of the Divine Mind, or Supreme Intelligence, even though this Source is beyond our powers of comprehension. Our Scientific friends demonstrate the extent to which human intelligence has advanced, at its highest levels and devote much time to the task of determining the source of our Universe. They are, understandably, unable to perceive such an entity as a Supreme Intelligence and although often close to unlocking the keys to the Universe, have, so far, been unable to reach the ultimate goal of understanding exactly what it was that actually started it all. This, in spite of the expenditure of billions of worldly dollars, in research into this intriguing subject. We are assured that it started with a “Big Bang”, although doubt has been thrown on this theory in recent months. Even so, the laws of Mathematics and Physics must have been evolved, primarily, in order for the necessary elements (also pre-existing) to commence a logical and progressive evolutionary process. There must always be a pre-existing factor to be determined, prior to the fitting-together of the puzzle .

Thus Science will always be one step away from arriving at an explanation of the formation of our Universe and the subsequent development of the Solar System, our Planet Earth, and its subsequent evolutionary growth to the stage (over countless billions of earth years) to the world as we know it, today. There has to be an argument for the “existence” of a Supreme Intelligence: underlying the whole complex affair.

As a person of little erudition but much human experience of life and, some perception of spiritual things, I must state that none of the evidence for the Scientific evolutionary process is in conflict with the idea of a greater world of Spirit: underlying and forming the foundation of the Physical Universe. That there is, indeed, a “Divine Scientist” a wonderful intelligence, beyond our ability to conceive, is a reality that the Churches need to consider, hand-in-hand with the Scientific thesis of evolutionary growth.

When reflecting upon the wider aspects of the development of life-forms upon this tiny globe of ours, it hardly seems appropriate to reduce the scope of our vision to consideration of the minute “life of Man” himself. However, we all view our world from a strictly personal viewpoint and must attempt to place our personal and individual experiences, into perspective, with our limited understanding of the Scientific basis of the origin of all things in our Planet.

In common with other non-scientific members of Society, I am placed in the position wherein I am obliged to formulate my ideas from my own observation of life, as I find it in the body. I am satisfied of the fact that I, personally, exist and that I have been able to experience life for a long time, here in the flesh.

I am, therefore, in a position to express my views, in an honest and direct way. Whether there is a “Heaven”, exactly as envisaged by Jesus of Nazareth, must remain uncertain. Of what I am assured, is that there is a Divine Scheme, underlying every facet of human experience and that each individual, who is born into this world, has been endowed with the gift of absolute freedom of choice, as to the manner of his life, whilst in the body. That there is such a thing as “Divine-Guidance”, open to everyone, on request, without discrimination, is certain.

THE END

Austinmer, NSW. (2020)

(Commenced some years ago but never concluded)