805 lines
49 KiB
Plaintext
805 lines
49 KiB
Plaintext
Urantia Book Paper 132 The Sojourn At Rome
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SPIRITWEB ORG, PROMOTING SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE INTERNET.
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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
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of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
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Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
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Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
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Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
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Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
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The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
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Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
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The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
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In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
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Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
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Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
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Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
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Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
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Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
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Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
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Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
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Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
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Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
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To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem ...
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Paper 132 The Sojourn At Rome
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Introduction
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SINCE Gonod carried greetings from the princes of India to Tiberius, the Roman
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ruler, on the third day after their arrival in Rome the two Indians and Jesus
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appeared before him. The morose emperor was unusually cheerful on this day and
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chatted long with the trio. And when they had gone from his presence, the
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emperor, referring to Jesus, remarked to the aide standing on his right, "If I
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had that fellow's kingly bearing and gracious manner, I would be a real
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emperor, eh?"
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While at Rome, Ganid had regular hours for study and for visiting places of
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interest about the city. His father had much business to transact, and desiring
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that his son grow up to become a worthy successor in the management of his vast
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commercial interests, he thought the time had come to introduce the boy to the
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business world. There were many citizens of India in Rome, and often one of
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Gonod's own employees would accompany him as interpreter so that Jesus would
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have whole days to himself; this gave him time in which to become thoroughly
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acquainted with this city of two million inhabitants. He was frequently to be
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found in the forum, the center of political, legal, and business life. He often
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went up to the Capitolium and pondered the bondage of ignorance in which these
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Romans were held as he beheld this magnificent temple dedicated to Jupiter,
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Juno, and Minerva. He also spent much time on Palatine hill, where were located
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the emperor's residence, the temple of Apollo, and the Greek and Latin
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libraries.
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At this time the Roman Empire included all of southern Europe, Asia Minor,
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Syria, Egypt, and northwest Africa; and its inhabitants embraced the citizens
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of every country of the Eastern Hemisphere. His desire to study and mingle with
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this cosmopolitan aggregation of Urantia mortals was the chief reason why Jesus
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consented to make this journey.
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Jesus learned much about men while in Rome, but the most valuable of all the
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manifold experiences of his six months' sojourn in that city was his contact
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with, and influence upon, the religious leaders of the empire's capital. Before
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the end of the first week in Rome Jesus had sought out, and had made the
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acquaintance of, the worth-while leaders of the Cynics, the Stoics, and the
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mystery cults, in particular the Mithraic group. Whether or not it was apparent
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to Jesus that the Jews were going to reject his mission, he most certainly
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foresaw that his messengers were presently coming to Rome to proclaim the
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kingdom of heaven; and he therefore set about, in the most amazing manner, to
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prepare the way for the better and more certain reception of their message. He
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selected five of the leading Stoics, eleven of the Cynics, and sixteen of the
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mystery-cult leaders and
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top of page - 1456
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spent much of his spare time for almost six months in intimate association with
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these religious teachers. And this was his method of instruction: Never once
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did he attack their errors or even mention the flaws in their teachings. In
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each case he would select the truth in what they taught and then proceed so to
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embellish and illuminate this truth in their minds that in a very short time
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this enhancement of the truth effectively crowded out the associated error; and
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thus were these Jesus-taught men and women prepared for the subsequent
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recognition of additional and similar truths in the teachings of the early
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Christian missionaries. It was this early acceptance of the teachings of the
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gospel preachers which gave that powerful impetus to the rapid spread of
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Christianity in Rome and from there throughout the empire.
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The significance of this remarkable doing can the better be understood when we
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record the fact that, out of this group of thirty-two Jesus-taught religious
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leaders in Rome, only two were unfruitful; the thirty became pivotal
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individuals in the establishment of Christianity in Rome, and certain of them
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also aided in turning the chief Mithraic temple into the first Christian church
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of that city. We who view human activities from behind the scenes and in the
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light of nineteen centuries of time recognize just three factors of paramount
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value in the early setting of the stage for the rapid spread of Christianity
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throughout Europe, and they are:
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1. The choosing and holding of Simon Peter as an apostle.
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2. The talk in Jerusalem with Stephen, whose death led to the winning of Saul
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of Tarsus.
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3. The preliminary preparation of these thirty Romans for the subsequent
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leadership of the new religion in Rome and throughout the empire.
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Through all their experiences, neither Stephen nor the thirty chosen ones ever
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realized that they had once talked with the man whose name became the subject
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of their religious teaching. Jesus' work in behalf of the original thirty-two
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was entirely personal. In his labors for these individuals the scribe of
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Damascus never met more than three of them at one time, seldom more than two,
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while most often he taught them singly. And he could do this great work of
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religious training because these men and women were not tradition bound; they
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were not victims of a settled preconception as to all future religious
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developments.
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Many were the times in the years so soon to follow that Peter, Paul, and the
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other Christian teachers in Rome heard about this scribe of Damascus who had
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preceded them, and who had so obviously (and as they supposed unwittingly)
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prepared the way for their coming with the new gospel. Though Paul never really
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surmised the identity of this scribe of Damascus, he did, a short time before
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his death, because of the similarity of personal descriptions, reach the
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conclusion that the "tentmaker of Antioch" was also the "scribe of Damascus."
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On one occasion, while preaching in Rome, Simon Peter, on listening to a
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description of the Damascus scribe, surmised that this individual might have
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been Jesus but quickly dismissed the idea, knowing full well (so he thought)
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that the Master had never been in Rome.
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1. TRUE VALUES
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It was with Angamon, the leader of the Stoics, that Jesus had an all-night talk
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early during his sojourn in Rome. This man subsequently became a great
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top of page - 1457
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friend of Paul and proved to be one of the strong supporters of the Christian
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church at Rome. In substance, and restated in modern phraseology, Jesus taught
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Angamon:
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The standard of true values must be looked for in the spiritual world and on
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divine levels of eternal reality. To an ascending mortal all lower and material
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standards must be recognized as transient, partial, and inferior. The
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scientist, as such, is limited to the discovery of the relatedness of material
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facts. Technically, he has no right to assert that he is either materialist or
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idealist, for in so doing he has assumed to forsake the attitude of a true
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scientist since any and all such assertions of attitude are the very essence of
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philosophy.
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Unless the moral insight and the spiritual attainment of mankind are
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proportionately augmented, the unlimited advancement of a purely materialistic
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culture may eventually become a menace to civilization. A purely materialistic
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science harbors within itself the potential seed of the destruction of all
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scientific striving, for this very attitude presages the ultimate collapse of a
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civilization which has abandoned its sense of moral values and has repudiated
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its spiritual goal of attainment.
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The materialistic scientist and the extreme idealist are destined always to be
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at loggerheads. This is not true of those scientists and idealists who are in
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possession of a common standard of high moral values and spiritual test levels.
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In every age scientists and religionists must recognize that they are on trial
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before the bar of human need. They must eschew all warfare between themselves
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while they strive valiantly to justify their continued survival by enhanced
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devotion to the service of human progress. If the so-called science or religion
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of any age is false, then must it either purify its activities or pass away
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before the emergence of a material science or spiritual religion of a truer and
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more worthy order.
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2. GOOD AND EVIL
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Mardus was the acknowledged leader of the Cynics of Rome, and he became a great
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friend of the scribe of Damascus. Day after day he conversed with Jesus, and
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night upon night he listened to his supernal teaching. Among the more important
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discussions with Mardus was the one designed to answer this sincere Cynic's
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question about good and evil. In substance, and in twentieth-century
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phraseology, Jesus said:
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My brother, good and evil are merely words symbolizing relative levels of human
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comprehension of the observable universe. If you are ethically lazy and
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socially indifferent, you can take as your standard of good the current social
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usages. If you are spiritually indolent and morally unprogressive, you may take
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as your standards of good the religious practices and traditions of your
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contemporaries. But the soul that survives time and emerges into eternity must
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make a living and personal choice between good and evil as they are determined
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by the true values of the spiritual standards established by the divine spirit
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which the Father in heaven has sent to dwell within the heart of man. This
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indwelling spirit is the standard of personality survival.
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Goodness, like truth, is always relative and unfailingly evil-contrasted. It is
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the perception of these qualities of goodness and truth that enables the evolv-
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top of page - 1458
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ing souls of men to make those personal decisions of choice which are essential
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to eternal survival.
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The spiritually blind individual who logically follows scientific dictation,
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social usage, and religious dogma stands in grave danger of sacrificing his
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moral freedom and losing his spiritual liberty. Such a soul is destined to
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become an intellectual parrot, a social automaton, and a slave to religious
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authority.
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Goodness is always growing toward new levels of the increasing liberty of moral
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self-realization and spiritual personality attainment--the discovery of, and
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identification with, the indwelling Adjuster. An experience is good when it
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heightens the appreciation of beauty, augments the moral will, enhances the
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discernment of truth, enlarges the capacity to love and serve one's fellows,
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exalts the spiritual ideals, and unifies the supreme human motives of time with
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the eternal plans of the indwelling Adjuster, all of which lead directly to an
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increased desire to do the Father's will, thereby fostering the divine passion
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to find God and to be more like him.
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As you ascend the universe scale of creature development, you will find
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increasing goodness and diminishing evil in perfect accordance with your
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capacity for goodness-experience and truth-discernment. The ability to
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entertain error or experience evil will not be fully lost until the ascending
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human soul achieves final spirit levels.
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Goodness is living, relative, always progressing, invariably a personal
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experience, and everlastingly correlated with the discernment of truth and
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beauty. Goodness is found in the recognition of the positive truth-values of
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the spiritual level, which must, in human experience, be contrasted with the
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negative counterpart--the shadows of potential evil.
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Until you attain Paradise levels, goodness will always be more of a quest than
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a possession, more of a goal than an experience of attainment. But even as you
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hunger and thirst for righteousness, you experience increasing satisfaction in
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the partial attainment of goodness. The presence of goodness and evil in the
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world is in itself positive proof of the existence and reality of man's moral
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will, the personality, which thus identifies these values and is also able to
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choose between them.
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By the time of the attainment of Paradise the ascending mortal's capacity for
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identifying the self with true spirit values has become so enlarged as to
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result in the attainment of the perfection of the possession of the light of
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life. Such a perfected spirit personality becomes so wholly, divinely, and
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spiritually unified with the positive and supreme qualities of goodness,
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beauty, and truth that there remains no possibility that such a righteous
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spirit would cast any negative shadow of potential evil when exposed to the
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searching luminosity of the divine light of the infinite Rulers of Paradise. In
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all such spirit personalities, goodness is no longer partial, contrastive, and
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comparative; it has become divinely complete and spiritually replete; it
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approaches the purity and perfection of the Supreme.
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The possibility of evil is necessary to moral choosing, but not the actuality
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thereof. A shadow is only relatively real. Actual evil is not necessary as a
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personal experience. Potential evil acts equally well as a decision stimulus in
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the realms of moral progress on the lower levels of spiritual development. Evil
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becomes a reality of personal experience only when a moral mind makes evil its
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choice.
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top of page - 1459
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3. TRUTH AND FAITH
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Nabon was a Greek Jew and foremost among the leaders of the chief mystery cult
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in Rome, the Mithraic. While this high priest of Mithraism held many
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conferences with the Damascus scribe, he was most permanently influenced by
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their discussion of truth and faith one evening. Nabon had thought to make a
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convert of Jesus and had even suggested that he return to Palestine as a
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Mithraic teacher. He little realized that Jesus was preparing him to become one
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of the early converts to the gospel of the kingdom. Restated in modern
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phraseology, the substance of Jesus' teaching was:
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Truth cannot be defined with words, only by living. Truth is always more than
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knowledge. Knowledge pertains to things observed, but truth transcends such
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purely material levels in that it consorts with wisdom and embraces such
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imponderables as human experience, even spiritual and living realities.
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Knowledge originates in science; wisdom, in true philosophy; truth, in the
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religious experience of spiritual living. Knowledge deals with facts; wisdom,
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with relationships; truth, with reality values.
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Man tends to crystallize science, formulate philosophy, and dogmatize truth
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because he is mentally lazy in adjusting to the progressive struggles of
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living, while he is also terribly afraid of the unknown. Natural man is slow to
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initiate changes in his habits of thinking and in his techniques of living.
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Revealed truth, personally discovered truth, is the supreme delight of the
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human soul; it is the joint creation of the material mind and the indwelling
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spirit. The eternal salvation of this truth-discerning and beauty-loving soul
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is assured by that hunger and thirst for goodness which leads this mortal to
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develop a singleness of purpose to do the Father's will, to find God and to
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become like him. There is never conflict between true knowledge and truth.
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There may be conflict between knowledge and human beliefs, beliefs colored with
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prejudice, distorted by fear, and dominated by the dread of facing new facts of
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material discovery or spiritual progress.
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But truth can never become man's possession without the exercise of faith. This
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is true because man's thoughts, wisdom, ethics, and ideals will never rise
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higher than his faith, his sublime hope. And all such true faith is predicated
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on profound reflection, sincere self-criticism, and uncompromising moral
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consciousness. Faith is the inspiration of the spiritized creative imagination.
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Faith acts to release the superhuman activities of the divine spark, the
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immortal germ, that lives within the mind of man, and which is the potential of
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eternal survival. Plants and animals survive in time by the technique of
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passing on from one generation to another identical particles of themselves.
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The human soul (personality) of man survives mortal death by identity
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association with this indwelling spark of divinity, which is immortal, and
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which functions to perpetuate the human personality upon a continuing and
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higher level of progressive universe existence. The concealed seed of the human
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soul is an immortal spirit. The second generation of the soul is the first of a
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succession of personality manifestations of spiritual and progressing
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existences, terminating only when this divine entity attains the source of its
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existence, the personal source of all existence, God, the Universal Father.
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Human life continues--survives--because it has a universe function, the task of
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finding God. The faith-activated soul of man cannot stop short of the
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top of page - 1460
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attainment of this goal of destiny; and when it does once achieve this divine
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goal, it can never end because it has become like God--eternal.
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Spiritual evolution is an experience of the increasing and voluntary choice of
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goodness attended by an equal and progressive diminution of the possibility of
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evil. With the attainment of finality of choice for goodness and of completed
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capacity for truth appreciation, there comes into existence a perfection of
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beauty and holiness whose righteousness eternally inhibits the possibility of
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the emergence of even the concept of potential evil. Such a God-knowing soul
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casts no shadow of doubting evil when functioning on such a high spirit level
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of divine goodness.
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The presence of the Paradise spirit in the mind of man constitutes the
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revelation promise and the faith pledge of an eternal existence of divine
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progression for every soul seeking to achieve identity with this immortal and
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indwelling spirit fragment of the Universal Father.
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Universe progress is characterized by increasing personality freedom because it
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is associated with the progressive attainment of higher and higher levels of
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self-understanding and consequent voluntary self-restraint. The attainment of
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perfection of spiritual self-restraint equals completeness of universe freedom
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and personal liberty. Faith fosters and maintains man's soul in the midst of
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the confusion of his early orientation in such a vast universe, whereas prayer
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becomes the great unifier of the various inspirations of the creative
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imagination and the faith urges of a soul trying to identify itself with the
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spirit ideals of the indwelling and associated divine presence.
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Nabon was greatly impressed by these words, as he was by each of his talks with
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Jesus. These truths continued to burn within his heart, and he was
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top of page - 1461
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of great assistance to the later arriving preachers of Jesus' gospel.
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top of page - 1462
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4. PERSONAL MINISTRY
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Jesus did not devote all his leisure while in Rome to this work of preparing
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men and women to become future disciples in the oncoming kingdom. He spent much
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time gaining an intimate knowledge of all races and classes of men who lived in
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this, the largest and most cosmopolitan city of the world. In each of these
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numerous human contacts Jesus had a double purpose: He desired to learn their
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reactions to the life they were living in the flesh, and he was also minded to
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say or do something to make that life richer and more worth while. His
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religious teachings during these weeks were no different than those which
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characterized his later life as teacher of the twelve and preacher to the
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multitudes.
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Always the burden of his message was: the fact of the heavenly Father's love
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and the truth of his mercy, coupled with the good news that man is a faith-son
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of this same God of love. Jesus' usual technique of social contact was to draw
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people out and into talking with him by asking them questions. The interview
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would usually begin by his asking them questions and end by their asking him
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questions. He was equally adept in teaching by either asking or answering
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questions. As a rule, to those he taught the most, he said the least. Those who
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derived most benefit from his personal ministry were overburdened, anxious, and
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dejected mortals who gained much relief because of the opportunity to unburden
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their souls to a sympathetic and understanding listener, and he was all that
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and more. And when these maladjusted human beings had told Jesus about their
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troubles, always was he able to offer practical and immediately helpful
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suggestions looking toward the correction of their real difficulties, albeit he
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did not neglect to speak words of present comfort and immediate consolation.
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And invariably would he tell these distressed mortals about the love of God and
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impart the information, by various and sundry methods, that they were the
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children of this loving Father in heaven.
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In this manner, during the sojourn in Rome, Jesus personally came into
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affectionate and uplifting contact with upward of five hundred mortals of the
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realm. He thus gained a knowledge of the different races of mankind which he
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could never have acquired in Jerusalem and hardly even in Alexandria. He always
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regarded this six months as one of the richest and most informative of any like
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period of his earth life.
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As might have been expected, such a versatile and aggressive man could not thus
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function for six months in the world's metropolis without being approached by
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numerous persons who desired to secure his services in connection with some
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business or, more often, for some project of teaching, social reform, or
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religious movement. More than a dozen such proffers were made, and he utilized
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each one as an opportunity for imparting some thought of spiritual ennoblement
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by well-chosen words or by some obliging service. Jesus was very fond of doing
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things--even little things--for all sorts of people.
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He talked with a Roman senator on politics and statesmanship, and this one
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contact with Jesus made such an impression on this legislator that he spent the
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rest of his life vainly trying to induce his colleagues to change the course of
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the ruling policy from the idea of the government supporting and feeding the
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people to that of the people supporting the government. Jesus spent one evening
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with a wealthy slaveholder, talked about man as a son of God, and the next day
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this man, Claudius, gave freedom to one hundred and seventeen slaves. He
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visited at dinner with a Greek physician, telling him that his patients had
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minds and souls as well as bodies, and thus led this able doctor to attempt a
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more far-reaching ministry to his fellow men. He talked with all sorts of
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people in every walk of life. The only place in Rome he did not visit was the
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public baths. He refused to accompany his friends to the baths because of the
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sex promiscuity which there prevailed.
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To a Roman soldier, as they walked along the Tiber, he said: "Be brave of heart
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as well as of hand. Dare to do justice and be big enough to show mercy. Compel
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your lower nature to obey your higher nature as you obey your superiors. Revere
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goodness and exalt truth. Choose the beautiful in place of the ugly. Love your
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fellows and reach out for God with a whole heart, for God is your Father in
|
||
heaven."
|
||
|
||
To the speaker at the forum he said: "Your eloquence is pleasing, your logic is
|
||
admirable, your voice is pleasant, but your teaching is hardly true. If you
|
||
could only enjoy the inspiring satisfaction of knowing God as your spiritual
|
||
Father, then you might employ your powers of speech to liberate your fellows
|
||
from the bondage of darkness and from the slavery of ignorance." This was the
|
||
Marcus who heard Peter preach in Rome and became his successor. When they
|
||
crucified Simon Peter, it was this man who defied the Roman persecutors and
|
||
boldly continued to preach the new gospel.
|
||
|
||
Meeting a poor man who had been falsely accused, Jesus went with him before the
|
||
magistrate and, having been granted special permission to appear in his behalf,
|
||
made that superb address in the course of which he said: "Justice makes a
|
||
nation great, and the greater a nation the more solicitous will it be to see
|
||
that injustice shall not befall even its most humble citizen. Woe upon any
|
||
nation when only those who possess money and influence can secure ready justice
|
||
before its courts! It is the sacred duty of a magistrate to acquit the innocent
|
||
as well as to punish the guilty. Upon the impartiality, fairness, and integrity
|
||
of its courts the endurance of a nation depends. Civil government is founded on
|
||
justice, even as true religion is founded on mercy." The judge reopened the
|
||
case, and when the evidence had been sifted, he discharged the prisoner. Of all
|
||
Jesus' activities during these days of personal ministry, this came the nearest
|
||
to being a public appearance.
|
||
|
||
5. COUNSELING THE RICH MAN
|
||
|
||
A certain rich man, a Roman citizen and a Stoic, became greatly interested in
|
||
Jesus' teaching, having been introduced by Angamon. After many intimate
|
||
conferences this wealthy citizen asked Jesus what he would do with wealth if he
|
||
had it, and Jesus answered him: "I would bestow material wealth for the
|
||
enhancement of material life, even as I would minister knowledge, wisdom, and
|
||
spiritual service for the enrichment of the intellectual life, the ennoblement
|
||
of the social life, and the advancement of the spiritual life. I would
|
||
administer material wealth as a wise and effective trustee of the resources of
|
||
one generation for the benefit and ennoblement of the next and succeeding
|
||
generations."
|
||
|
||
But the rich man was not fully satisfied with Jesus' answer. He made bold to
|
||
ask again: "But what do you think a man in my position should do with his
|
||
wealth? Should I keep it, or should I give it away?" And when Jesus perceived
|
||
that he really desired to know more of the truth about his loyalty to God and
|
||
his duty to men, he further answered: "My good friend, I discern that you are a
|
||
sincere seeker after wisdom and an honest lover of truth; therefore am I minded
|
||
to lay before you my view of the solution of your problems having to do with
|
||
the responsibilities of wealth. I do this because you have asked for my
|
||
counsel, and in giving you this advice, I am not concerned with the wealth of
|
||
any other rich man; I am offering advice only to you and for your personal
|
||
guidance. If you honestly desire to regard your wealth as a trust, if you
|
||
really wish to become a wise and efficient steward of your accumulated wealth,
|
||
then would I counsel you to make the following analysis of the sources of your
|
||
riches: Ask yourself, and do your best to find the honest answer, whence came
|
||
this wealth? And as a help in the study of the sources of your great fortune, I
|
||
would suggest that you bear in mind the following ten different methods of
|
||
amassing material wealth:
|
||
|
||
"1. Inherited wealth--riches derived from parents and other ancestors.
|
||
|
||
"2. Discovered wealth--riches derived from the uncultivated resources of mother
|
||
earth.
|
||
|
||
"3. Trade wealth--riches obtained as a fair profit in the exchange and barter
|
||
of material goods.
|
||
|
||
"4. Unfair wealth--riches derived from the unfair exploitation or the
|
||
enslavement of one's fellows.
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1463
|
||
|
||
"5. Interest wealth--income derived from the fair and just earning
|
||
possibilities of invested capital.
|
||
|
||
"6. Genius wealth--riches accruing from the rewards of the creative and
|
||
inventive endowments of the human mind.
|
||
|
||
"7. Accidental wealth--riches derived from the generosity of one's fellows or
|
||
taking origin in the circumstances of life.
|
||
|
||
"8. Stolen wealth--riches secured by unfairness, dishonesty, theft, or fraud.
|
||
|
||
"9. Trust funds--wealth lodged in your hands by your fellows for some specific
|
||
use, now or in the future.
|
||
|
||
"10. Earned wealth--riches derived directly from your own personal labor, the
|
||
fair and just reward of your own daily efforts of mind and body.
|
||
|
||
"And so, my friend, if you would be a faithful and just steward of your large
|
||
fortune, before God and in service to men, you must approximately divide your
|
||
wealth into these ten grand divisions, and then proceed to administer each
|
||
portion in accordance with the wise and honest interpretation of the laws of
|
||
justice, equity, fairness, and true efficiency; albeit, the God of heaven would
|
||
not condemn you if sometimes you erred, in doubtful situations, on the side of
|
||
merciful and unselfish regard for the distress of the suffering victims of the
|
||
unfortunate circumstances of mortal life. When in honest doubt about the equity
|
||
and justice of material situations, let your decisions favor those who are in
|
||
need, favor those who suffer the misfortune of undeserved hardships."
|
||
|
||
After discussing these matters for several hours and in response to the rich
|
||
man's request for further and more detailed instruction, Jesus went on to
|
||
amplify his advice, in substance saying: "While I offer further suggestions
|
||
concerning your attitude toward wealth, I would admonish you to receive my
|
||
counsel as given only to you and for your personal guidance. I speak only for
|
||
myself and to you as an inquiring friend. I adjure you not to become a dictator
|
||
as to how other rich men shall regard their wealth. I would advise you:
|
||
|
||
"1. As steward of inherited wealth you should consider its sources. You are
|
||
under moral obligation to represent the past generation in the honest
|
||
transmittal of legitimate wealth to succeeding generations after subtracting a
|
||
fair toll for the benefit of the present generation. But you are not obligated
|
||
to perpetuate any dishonesty or injustice involved in the unfair accumulation
|
||
of wealth by your ancestors. Any portion of your inherited wealth which turns
|
||
out to have been derived through fraud or unfairness, you may disburse in
|
||
accordance with your convictions of justice, generosity, and restitution. The
|
||
remainder of your legitimate inherited wealth you may use in equity and
|
||
transmit in security as the trustee of one generation for another. Wise
|
||
discrimination and sound judgment should dictate your decisions regarding the
|
||
bequest of riches to your successors.
|
||
|
||
"2. Everyone who enjoys wealth as a result of discovery should remember that
|
||
one individual can live on earth but a short season and should, therefore, make
|
||
adequate provision for the sharing of these discoveries in helpful ways by the
|
||
largest possible number of his fellow men. While the discoverer should not be
|
||
denied all reward for efforts of discovery, neither should he selfishly presume
|
||
to lay claim to all of the advantages and blessings to be derived from the
|
||
uncovering of nature's hoarded resources.
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1464
|
||
|
||
"3. As long as men choose to conduct the world's business by trade and barter,
|
||
they are entitled to a fair and legitimate profit. Every tradesman deserves
|
||
wages for his services; the merchant is entitled to his hire. The fairness of
|
||
trade and the honest treatment accorded one's fellows in the organized business
|
||
of the world create many different sorts of profit wealth, and all these
|
||
sources of wealth must be judged by the highest principles of justice, honesty,
|
||
and fairness. The honest trader should not hesitate to take the same profit
|
||
which he would gladly accord his fellow trader in a similar transaction. While
|
||
this sort of wealth is not identical with individually earned income when
|
||
business dealings are conducted on a large scale, at the same time, such
|
||
honestly accumulated wealth endows its possessor with a considerable equity as
|
||
regards a voice in its subsequent distribution.
|
||
|
||
"4. No mortal who knows God and seeks to do the divine will can stoop to engage
|
||
in the oppressions of wealth. No noble man will strive to accumulate riches and
|
||
amass wealth-power by the enslavement or unfair exploitation of his brothers in
|
||
the flesh. Riches are a moral curse and a spiritual stigma when they are
|
||
derived from the sweat of oppressed mortal man. All such wealth should be
|
||
restored to those who have thus been robbed or to their children and their
|
||
children's children. An enduring civilization cannot be built upon the practice
|
||
of defrauding the laborer of his hire.
|
||
|
||
"5. Honest wealth is entitled to interest. As long as men borrow and lend, that
|
||
which is fair interest may be collected provided the capital lent was
|
||
legitimate wealth. First cleanse your capital before you lay claim to the
|
||
interest. Do not become so small and grasping that you would stoop to the
|
||
practice of usury. Never permit yourself to be so selfish as to employ
|
||
money-power to gain unfair advantage over your struggling fellows. Yield not to
|
||
the temptation to take usury from your brother in financial distress.
|
||
|
||
"6. If you chance to secure wealth by flights of genius, if your riches are
|
||
derived from the rewards of inventive endowment, do not lay claim to an unfair
|
||
portion of such rewards. The genius owes something to both his ancestors and
|
||
his progeny; likewise is he under obligation to the race, nation, and
|
||
circumstances of his inventive discoveries; he should also remember that it was
|
||
as man among men that he labored and wrought out his inventions. It would be
|
||
equally unjust to deprive the genius of all his increment of wealth. And it
|
||
will ever be impossible for men to establish rules and regulations applicable
|
||
equally to all these problems of the equitable distribution of wealth. You must
|
||
first recognize man as your brother, and if you honestly desire to do by him as
|
||
you would have him do by you, the commonplace dictates of justice, honesty, and
|
||
fairness will guide you in the just and impartial settlement of every recurring
|
||
problem of economic rewards and social justice.
|
||
|
||
"7. Except for the just and legitimate fees earned in administration, no man
|
||
should lay personal claim to that wealth which time and chance may cause to
|
||
fall into his hands. Accidental riches should be regarded somewhat in the light
|
||
of a trust to be expended for the benefit of one's social or economic group.
|
||
The possessors of such wealth should be accorded the major voice in the
|
||
determination of the wise and effective distribution of such unearned
|
||
resources. Civilized man will not always look upon all that he controls as his
|
||
personal and private possession.
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1465
|
||
|
||
"8. If any portion of your fortune has been knowingly derived from fraud; if
|
||
aught of your wealth has been accumulated by dishonest practices or unfair
|
||
methods; if your riches are the product of unjust dealings with your fellows,
|
||
make haste to restore all these ill-gotten gains to the rightful owners. Make
|
||
full amends and thus cleanse your fortune of all dishonest riches.
|
||
|
||
"9. The trusteeship of the wealth of one person for the benefit of others is a
|
||
solemn and sacred responsibility. Do not hazard or jeopardize such a trust.
|
||
Take for yourself of any trust only that which all honest men would allow.
|
||
|
||
"10. That part of your fortune which represents the earnings of your own mental
|
||
and physical efforts--if your work has been done in fairness and equity--is
|
||
truly your own. No man can gainsay your right to hold and use such wealth as
|
||
you may see fit provided your exercise of this right does not work harm upon
|
||
your fellows."
|
||
|
||
When Jesus had finished counseling him, this wealthy Roman arose from his couch
|
||
and, in saying farewell for the night, delivered himself of this promise: "My
|
||
good friend, I perceive you are a man of great wisdom and goodness, and
|
||
tomorrow I will begin the administration of all my wealth in accordance with
|
||
your counsel."
|
||
|
||
6. SOCIAL MINISTRY
|
||
|
||
Here in Rome also occurred that touching incident in which the Creator of a
|
||
universe spent several hours restoring a lost child to his anxious mother. This
|
||
little boy had wandered away from his home, and Jesus found him crying in
|
||
distress. He and Ganid were on their way to the libraries, but they devoted
|
||
themselves to getting the child back home. Ganid never forgot Jesus' comment:
|
||
"You know, Ganid, most human beings are like the lost child. They spend much of
|
||
their time crying in fear and suffering in sorrow when, in very truth, they are
|
||
but a short distance from safety and security, even as this child was only a
|
||
little way from home. And all those who know the way of truth and enjoy the
|
||
assurance of knowing God should esteem it a privilege, not a duty, to offer
|
||
guidance to their fellows in their efforts to find the satisfactions of living.
|
||
Did we not supremely enjoy this ministry of restoring the child to his mother?
|
||
So do those who lead men to God experience the supreme satisfaction of human
|
||
service." And from that day forward, for the remainder of his natural life,
|
||
Ganid was continually on the lookout for lost children whom he might restore to
|
||
their homes.
|
||
|
||
There was the widow with five children whose husband had been accidentally
|
||
killed. Jesus told Ganid about the loss of his own father by an accident, and
|
||
they went repeatedly to comfort this mother and her children, while Ganid
|
||
sought money from his father to provide food and clothing. They did not cease
|
||
their efforts until they had found a position for the eldest boy so that he
|
||
could help in the care of the family.
|
||
|
||
That night, as Gonod listened to the recital of these experiences, he said to
|
||
Jesus, good-naturedly: "I propose to make a scholar or a businessman of my son,
|
||
and now you start out to make a philosopher or philanthropist of him." And
|
||
Jesus smilingly replied: "Perhaps we will make him all four; then can he enjoy
|
||
a fourfold satisfaction in life as his ear for the recognition of human melody
|
||
will be able to recognize four tones instead of one." Then said Gonod: "I
|
||
perceive
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1466
|
||
|
||
that you really are a philosopher. You must write a book for future
|
||
generations." And Jesus replied: "Not a book--my mission is to live a life in
|
||
this generation and for all generations. I--" but he stopped, saying to Ganid,
|
||
"My son, it is time to retire."
|
||
|
||
7. TRIPS ABOUT ROME
|
||
|
||
Jesus, Gonod, and Ganid made five trips away from Rome to points of interest in
|
||
the surrounding territory. On their visit to the northern Italian lakes Jesus
|
||
had the long talk with Ganid concerning the impossibility of teaching a man
|
||
about God if the man does not desire to know God. They had casually met a
|
||
thoughtless pagan while on their journey up to the lakes, and Ganid was
|
||
surprised that Jesus did not follow out his usual practice of enlisting the man
|
||
in conversation which would naturally lead up to the discussion of spiritual
|
||
questions. When Ganid asked his teacher why he evinced so little interest in
|
||
this pagan, Jesus answered:
|
||
|
||
"Ganid, the man was not hungry for truth. He was not dissatisfied with himself.
|
||
He was not ready to ask for help, and the eyes of his mind were not open to
|
||
receive light for the soul. That man was not ripe for the harvest of salvation;
|
||
he must be allowed more time for the trials and difficulties of life to prepare
|
||
him for the reception of wisdom and higher learning. Or, if we could have him
|
||
live with us, we might by our lives show him the Father in heaven, and thus
|
||
would he become so attracted by our lives as sons of God that he would be
|
||
constrained to inquire about our Father. You cannot reveal God to those who do
|
||
not seek for him; you cannot lead unwilling souls into the joys of salvation.
|
||
Man must become hungry for truth as a result of the experiences of living, or
|
||
he must desire to know God as the result of contact with the lives of those who
|
||
are acquainted with the divine Father before another human being can act as the
|
||
means of leading such a fellow mortal to the Father in heaven. If we know God,
|
||
our real business on earth is so to live as to permit the Father to reveal
|
||
himself in our lives, and thus will all God-seeking persons see the Father and
|
||
ask for our help in finding out more about the God who in this manner finds
|
||
expression in our lives."
|
||
|
||
It was on the visit to Switzerland, up in the mountains, that Jesus had an
|
||
all-day talk with both father and son about Buddhism. Many times Ganid had
|
||
asked Jesus direct questions about Buddha, but he had always received more or
|
||
less evasive replies. Now, in the presence of the son, the father asked Jesus a
|
||
direct question about Buddha, and he received a direct reply. Said Gonod: "I
|
||
would really like to know what you think of Buddha." And Jesus answered:
|
||
|
||
"Your Buddha was much better than your Buddhism. Buddha was a great man, even a
|
||
prophet to his people, but he was an orphan prophet; by that I mean that he
|
||
early lost sight of his spiritual Father, the Father in heaven. His experience
|
||
was tragic. He tried to live and teach as a messenger of God, but without God.
|
||
Buddha guided his ship of salvation right up to the safe harbor, right up to
|
||
the entrance to the haven of mortal salvation, and there, because of faulty
|
||
charts of navigation, the good ship ran aground. There it has rested these many
|
||
generations, motionless and almost hopelessly stranded. And thereon have many
|
||
of your people remained all these years. They live within hailing distance of
|
||
the safe waters of rest, but they refuse to enter because the noble craft of
|
||
the good Buddha met the misfortune of grounding just outside the harbor. And
|
||
the Bud-
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1467
|
||
|
||
dhist peoples never will enter this harbor unless they abandon the philosophic
|
||
craft of their prophet and seize upon his noble spirit. Had your people
|
||
remained true to the spirit of Buddha, you would have long since entered your
|
||
haven of spirit tranquillity, soul rest, and assurance of salvation.
|
||
|
||
"You see, Gonod, Buddha knew God in spirit but failed clearly to discover him
|
||
in mind; the Jews discovered God in mind but largely failed to know him in
|
||
spirit. Today, the Buddhists flounder about in a philosophy without God, while
|
||
my people are piteously enslaved to the fear of a God without a saving
|
||
philosophy of life and liberty. You have a philosophy without a God; the Jews
|
||
have a God but are largely without a philosophy of living as related thereto.
|
||
Buddha, failing to envision God as a spirit and as a Father, failed to provide
|
||
in his teaching the moral energy and the spiritual driving power which a
|
||
religion must possess if it is to change a race and exalt a nation."
|
||
|
||
Then exclaimed Ganid: "Teacher, let's you and I make a new religion, one good
|
||
enough for India and big enough for Rome, and maybe we can trade it to the Jews
|
||
for Yahweh." And Jesus replied: "Ganid, religions are not made. The religions
|
||
of men grow up over long periods of time, while the revelations of God flash
|
||
upon earth in the lives of the men who reveal God to their fellows." But they
|
||
did not comprehend the meaning of these prophetic words.
|
||
|
||
That night after they had retired, Ganid could not sleep. He talked a long time
|
||
with his father and finally said, "You know, father, I sometimes think Joshua
|
||
is a prophet." And his father only sleepily replied, "My son, there are
|
||
others--"
|
||
|
||
From this day, for the remainder of his natural life, Ganid continued to evolve
|
||
a religion of his own. He was mightily moved in his own mind by Jesus'
|
||
broadmindedness, fairness, and tolerance. In all their discussions of
|
||
philosophy and religion this youth never experienced feelings of resentment or
|
||
reactions of antagonism.
|
||
|
||
What a scene for the celestial intelligences to behold, this spectacle of the
|
||
Indian lad proposing to the Creator of a universe that they make a new
|
||
religion! And though the young man did not know it, they were making a new and
|
||
everlasting religion right then and there--this new way of salvation, the
|
||
revelation of God to man through, and in, Jesus. That which the lad wanted most
|
||
to do he was unconsciously actually doing. And it was, and is, ever thus. That
|
||
which the enlightened and reflective human imagination of spiritual teaching
|
||
and leading wholeheartedly and unselfishly wants to do and be, becomes
|
||
measurably creative in accordance with the degree of mortal dedication to the
|
||
divine doing of the Father's will. When man goes in partnership with God, great
|
||
things may, and do, happen.
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1468
|
||
|
||
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
|
||
of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
|
||
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
|
||
Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
|
||
Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
|
||
Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
|
||
The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
|
||
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
|
||
The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
|
||
In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
|
||
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
|
||
Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
|
||
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
|
||
Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
|
||
Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
|
||
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
|
||
Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
|
||
Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
|
||
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
|
||
To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem Tuesday Morning In The
|
||
Temple The Last Temple Discourse Tuesday Evening On Mount Olivet Wednesday, The
|
||
Rest Day Last Day At The Camp The Last Supper The Farewell Discourse Final
|
||
Admonitions And Warnings In Gethsemane The Betrayal And Arrest Of Jesus Before
|
||
The Sanhedrin Court The Trial Before Pilate Just Before The Crucifixion The
|
||
Crucifixion The Time Of The Tomb The Resurrection Morontia Appearances Of Jesus
|
||
Appearances To The Apostles And Other Leaders Appearances In Galilee Final
|
||
Appearances And Ascension Bestowal Of The Spirit Of Truth After Pentecost The
|
||
Faith Of Jesus
|
||
|
||
<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
|
||
<EFBFBD> // <20> <20> <20> <20> <20>
|
||
<EFBFBD> The World's <20> The Return <20> Urantia Book <20> Search <20> SiteMap! <20>
|
||
<EFBFBD> Rel... <20> From... <20> PA... <20> <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> SPIRITWEB ORG (info@spiritweb.org), <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> http://www.spiritweb.org <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> Webmaster <webmaster@spiritweb.org> <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> ONLINE SINCE 1993. MAINTAINED IN SWITZERLAND. <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> DISTRIBUTED TO CALIFORNIA, SPAIN, ITALY, SOUTH AFRICA, <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> AUSTRALIA <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20>
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