IQ What is the Truth?

The Book of John, Chapter 18

36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? 

At the time, Jesus did not answer Pontius Pilate because he would not have understood, anyway.

The promise of Jesus

Since ages past, many predictions have foretold of a coming Age of Enlightenment. Christ, himself, referred to this Age when he told us, “Today, I speak to you in parable, but the time is coming when I will be speaking to you plainly.” And again he said 2,000 years ago, “Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you cannot understand it now, Albeit, when the Spirits of Truth and Holiness come, they will guide to all the Truth. ”

True to his word, the Spirits of Truth are here with us, today. Today, the mysteries of the Universe are slowly being unfolded in our midst. Now all things are being made plain. For this is the beginning of a New Era in the life of our planet. And, today, the answer to every question is being made available.

The Message made plain

In our day, the mysteries are to unfold.

Since time immemorial, man has sought for answers to the mysteries of life. Who am I? What is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of life on Earth? Is there really life after death? What are the conditions of that life? And how do we secure it for ourselves?

Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why poverty, injustice, famine, war, disease and death? Why me? Where is the love of God? Every thinking man comes to ask himself these questions.

In answer, Jesus Christ spoke to the men of his time. He revealed the answers to all these questions and more; but because the people were not ready, he was largely misunderstood and misinterpreted. And much of the resulting confusion still exists even into our day and age.

However, we don’t have to remain ignorant and confused. We need only to go back to first principles, to the original answers given by Christ and then, work forward from there, in order to transcend all the conflicting interpretations and see things as they really are. But this time, instead of embracing half-truths and blind teachings, we should be discriminating and wise, guided more by the dictates of reason in the light of our vastly superior wealth of personal experiences.

‘The Message Made Plain’ is a study course that precisely brings back into focus the actual words and teachings of Jesus Christ to enable the student to start afresh without having to contend too much with the misguided and confusing interpretations of mere followers.

As you go through the course, many things will clarify themselves to you. You should be able to realize the answers to all your important questions about life and death.

In Lesson 1, you will come to realize your urgent need to further your spiritual studies and prepare for eternal life. In Lesson 2, you will learn all about the person of Jesus and come to know him, intimately. He refutes many of the old beliefs and teachings which still persist even today in Lesson 3. In Lesson 4, he explains why we need to live right in the sight of God.

The reasons for suffering and the way whereby Heaven can be attained are taken up in Lesson 5. Lesson 6 puts forward for our consideration, a more practical approach to life and includes a discussion of the underlying rational bases behind his spiritual teachings. And finally, all you need to know about life hereafter are discussed in Lesson 7.

You really can’t afford to pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s like having a private audience with the Lord where he reveals to you the secrets of his kingdom.

The question is: Are you now ready for him?

If you think that you are ready and you want to learn more or simply want to be updated, click on https://www.facebook.com/angel.luz.948/ and follow us or send us a friend request. 

 

25 Lesson 3 - The things of men and the things of God

WITH THE PASSAGE of the years, individual nations or races of people develop their own brand of beliefs and practices which are peculiar to them. These have come about as a result of the many and varied racial experiences of our forebears. We have adopted almost automatically and without further forethought those beliefs and customs handed down to us from generation to generation, it being the presumption that what were right for the ancients in times past must also be right for us in the present. But are they, really?

02 There are many such beliefs and practices. Some people refrain from drinking wine and eating meat. Some wash their hands before eating while others bathe first before praying. Some kneel all the way to the altar while others nail themselves to the cross. Some do not shave their beards while others have their ears and noses pierced. These are what men require of other men. And many people slavishly adhere to such abstinences, observances, rituals and ceremonies in the belief that the performance of these age-old traditions is all that is required of them. But quite the contrary, God does not even require our observance of such traditions; rather, He has other things in mind and these others are the things that we should strive to learn (1). 

03 Many people believe in offering sacrifices to God in exchange for favors. These sacrifices take the form of slain animals or other burnt offerings, even humans in certain cases — even Jesus Christ, who, many still insist, gave up his life on the cross in payment for our sins — while others choose self-inflicted pain or torture as penance for the remission of their sins. But one thing is far more acceptable to God than all these senseless offerings and sacrifices. Love — love of God and love for our fellowmen — this is much preferred (2, 3).

04 Man in his youthful exuberance decrees all kinds of laws; laws on taxation, laws against crime, laws to govern religious worship, laws on what to eat and what not to eat and when, just laws and unjust laws, significant and useless laws, wise and foolish laws. Nevertheless, these Earthly laws should be followed lest we be sent to jail or worse. All things whatsoever we are required to do, we should do. But far too many consider only the letter of the law when the spirit behind the law is what should concern us more (4). 

05 We should constantly review our position relating to our present beliefs and practices. We should always question the relevance and propriety of our every action. We should realize also that what is good for one person is not necessarily good for another. One man’s medicine is sometimes another man’s poison. We may follow the dictates of tradition, but we must not be remiss in the more important things in life. In all matters, therefore, we should learn to think for ourselves (5).

06 Men believe in what other men believe. Because others believe, then, it must be true, so they suppose. But the people of the world espouse so many foolish thoughts and superstitions. They so easily believe in the lies and promises of false prophets and blind leaders (6, 7). They believe in foolish doctrines premised on blind faith (8). They prefer to rely on the interpretation of others concerning God’s words when they should strive to find out the real meaning of those words for themselves. They fail to realize that they are directly accountable for all their actions such that they need to decide matters on their own. 

07 We must learn to discriminate. Life provides many important lessons. All that we see that is right, we should do and what we observe to be wrong, we should not do. Though our elders and teachers may err, we should, nevertheless, do as they say we should, provided, that what they say is for the good. But we should not follow after their works if their works are evil (9). 

08 In any case, these false prophets and blind leaders will themselves be judged. The greater their accountability, the harsher the judgment. Although they may laugh now, they will weep later. God is just and no one can escape His judgment (10). So will all men be judged according to their deeds. 

09 The world thinks in terms of I, me and mine: what is good for me or for us only, without any thought for the sake of others. But God considers what is just, what is needful and what is best. He provides what is best for all, and not just for a few. He attends to the needs of the whole, and not to just a part of the whole. God is love and all men are His children. All, therefore, who gather in the name of love and work for the good of all are sent from God (11, 12, 13). And we shall know them by their works. 

10 Many people feel mistakenly that they know almost everything, including the truth. But if this were so, then they would no longer be here on Earth. In fact, they are here precisely because they really don’t know (14). They don’t know the simplest things. They don’t know about life. How can they know about death? They prefer the things of this world when they should prefer the things of heaven. They secure their places on Earth by accumulating worldly treasures and waste their time in pursuit of temporary pleasures but they neglect the needs of their eternal soul (15). They do not want to die when it is only in dying that we can gain eternal life. No, these people are not wise; rather, they are foolish! 

11 Because there are still many things we may not be able to understand even now, first, we must have faith. But faith alone is not enough. Rather, we should live our life according to our faith and according to God’s words. It won’t do for us to simply think good thoughts. It won’t do for us to simply speak good words. But we must think good thoughts, speak good words and do good deeds before we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven (16). 

12 In the world, there is both good and evil. And if it were possible, man would eradicate all evil from the face of the Earth. But the evil in the world is vital to the development of spirit. Evil teaches us what not to do and what should not be. And unless we are able to experience the effects of evil deeds, we won’t learn to prefer the good. Therefore, despite man’s vehement protests, God sends us the bad along with the good in order that we may learn from these situations and continue to progress. 

13 People in the world are all too quick to judge, easy to condemn and slow to forgive. They have some strange desire to inflict suffering on others, but they don’t want to experience the same. However, what we sow is what we will reap. If we judge, so will we be judged. If we condemn others, so will we be condemned. If we forgive others their trespasses, so will God also forgive us. But God cannot forgive us if we ourselves will not forgive. Violence begets violence. And evil begets evil (17, 18). 

14 Some believe that their black deeds can be kept forever hidden. They believe that they won’t have to pay for their transgressions. They insist that it is not a crime unless one gets caught and only fools get caught but the wise always manage to get away. Perhaps so, but this can only be true on Earth. 

15 In God’s domain, nothing is secret. There is no hiding the evil in the hearts of men. The ugliness in us will be there for all to see. There it will remain until we mend our ways and we repay in full. To God, all things are known (19). And God’s justice will not be denied. 

16 First, we must change ourselves before we can see clearly to help others change themselves (20). People find it so hard to be honest with themselves. When they look at themselves, they gloss over the ugliness and prefer to tell themselves lies. They find it easier to simply look the other way rather than to institute the needed reforms because to do so would entail so much hard work. But no one can progress unless he himself exerts the necessary efforts. 

17 Some people like to think that they alone know what is best, not only for themselves but also for everyone else. In order to impose their will on others, they aspire to positions of power. These people want to rule the world and everything in it. All things must be according to what they think is true, according to what they think is best and according to what they think is expedient. No one else knows more than they do. They are always right and everyone else is wrong. 

18 But God has decreed that everyone have free will. Each one is given the right to live according to his own vision. No one should impose his will over another. Each one, even on his own and in spite of his mistakes, will be able to progress. Everyone is entitled to his own freedoms. 

19 Many people lust for the things of this world. They love to possess things. They work themselves to death over money, power and fame. To attain these ends, they will stop at nothing, even murder. They fail to realize that the quality of life depends not in the things a man possesses, which are all extraneous to him, but in what he is or what he has made of himself. For life is in being and not in having (21).

20 As we continue in our studies, we have one great enemy we must guard against. As we look around us, we find that others are not as aware as we are regarding spiritual truths. We begin to look at others as less than we are. After a while, we, too, begin to feel that we alone know what is right and what is best. But we should never regard others as inferior because all of us are destined to become perfect. And everyone will also come to know all there is to know. Therefore, we must not fall into this trap. At all times, we should guard against spiritual pride and self-righteousness. 

21 We want to share with others what we have learned in order that they, too, may be able to move forward, but they don’t want to listen. They even get mad and insist that they know just as much as anyone else. We should look back at our own past in order to see more clearly what is happening in the present. There is a time for all things. And all men will come to their own realization of truth, but in their own way and in their own time.

22 Real success can only be through patience and love. The way of the world is not the way of God. The things of men pertain only to the world. The things of God reign forever supreme in heaven.

41 Lesson 5 - Solutions to the review exercises

Set A: TRUE or FALSE (2 points per item)

1. The way is through prayer and devotion to God. FALSE. To the enlightened, the only Way is through righteousness and service to our fellowmen. Also review Sol 3.C.4.

2. God never punishes; instead, God teaches. TRUE. God never intended to punish us for our mistakes. He understands that we will be committing many mistakes because of our ignorance and inexperience. However, in order to teach us, He allows us to suffer the consequences of our every thought and deed. Eventually, we will much prefer not to commit mistakes in order not to experience their consequences.

3. Despite our persistent and best efforts, we will still continue to commit mistakes. TRUE. On the road to perfection, there are many mistakes to be made.

4. The way is through the development of psychic powers. FALSE. Review Sol 3.C.10.

5. As we sow, so shall we reap. TRUE. See Par 5:04. In the Eastern religions, this corresponds to the Law of Karma.

6. We are not supposed to undergo suffering in this life. FALSE. See Par 5:04, Par 5:06.07, Sol 5:C.2.3 and Sol 5:C.7. There will be more on this in Lesson 6.

7. No matter the gravity of our sins, we can be forgiven. TRUE. See Par 5:10. No one will be committed to suffer forever in hell.

8. Our material wealth will be a credit in our favor even in heaven. FALSE. Beyond Earth, material wealth has no value, whatsoever. Instead, what will matter is how we made use of all that were entrusted to us, whether we used them for good or for bad.

9. We can clear up our liabilities only by paying back the full amount. TRUE. This is how God is just, through the application of the law of sowing and reaping or the Law of Karma. We must repay to the last penny. See Par 5:06.07 and Par 5:10.

10. Our tomorrow depends entirely on what we do today. TRUE. Our fate is in our hands. We can only reap what we have sown. See Par 5:04.

11. Regardless of what religion we may espouse, the Path remains essentially the same. TRUE. There is no other Way to God but love and service to our fellowmen. This is what Christ symbolizes.

12. We can best help ourselves by helping others. TRUE. Not being the one in distress and free from emotional involvement, we are able to see things more clearly and think and act dispassionately. Consequently, we are able to learn the most that we can from the experience. Further, we are parts of a whole. What benefits any part also benefits all the other parts by extension. See also Par 5:16.20.

13. Some physical needs are very essential and should be attended to first even before some of our spiritual needs. TRUE. We have to be practical in all matters. See Par 5:13 and Sol 5:C.1.

14. The way is through love and service to our fellowmen. TRUE. There is no other Way to God. This is what Jesus Christ is teaching. See Par 5:37.

15. Those in God’s service are doomed to a life of abject misery and poverty. FALSE. While this may be possible depending on our karma, it is not always necessarily true. See Par 5:33.35.

16. We can ask someone else to carry our cross for us. FALSE. This is against the principles of personal responsibility and divine justice. See Par 5:06.08.

17. The way to God is easy when you know how. FALSE. The contrary is expressly stated in Par 5:11.

18. The way can be easier when you know what to do. TRUE. Because you are clear as to your direction in life, the way can be less difficult although certainly not easy. Especially to those on the Higher Path of learning, the lessons are particularly hard.

19. Every little contribution helps in the total effort. TRUE. Of course.

20. Apart from life and our innate capabilities, we must work to gain for ourselves almost everything else. TRUE. God endowed us with eternal life and the potential to become perfect, as He, our Father, is perfect. However, we are required to exert our own efforts in order to develop all of these potentialities and work to gain all that we want in life.

Set B: (2 points per item)

1. “There was once a man who had two sons. He went to the older one and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ ‘I won’t,’ he answered; but later, he changed his mind and he did go. Unaware of his change of mind, the father told the younger, ‘You go.’ And he said, ‘All right, I will.’ But he didn’t. Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first, of course.” So Jesus told them, “I tell you plainly that evil men and prostitutes will get into the kingdom before you do” (MT 21).

2. “For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world if, in exchange, he loses his eternal soul?” (MK 8).

3. “As you know, the kings and great men of the Earth lord it over the people. But in your case, it is different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be the greatest of all must be the servant of all” (MK 10).

4. To another man, he said, “Follow me.” But the man said, “Lord, first let me go back and bury my father.” Jesus replied, “Let those who are dead in spirit bury their own dead. Your duty is to go and preach the coming of the Kingdom of God” (LK 9). 

5. Still, it doesn’t really matter that we have sinned or that we have transgressed divine laws because everyone sins and continues to sin, no one being perfect (Par 5:03).

6. “Settle disputes with your adversary, amicably, before it is too late; otherwise, he might drag you into court and the court would hand you over to the authorities to be thrown in jail. I tell you, you won’t be released from there until you have paid the last penny” (MT 5).

7. “No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other; or else, he will support one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (MT 61).

8. “The harvest is so great but the workers are so few” (MT 9).

9. “Don’t take any money with you. Don’t even carry a duffel bag with extra clothes and shoes or even a walking stick, for those you help should feed and care for you” (MT 10).

10. The Way to God is never easy. The road is strewn with thorns. The journey, extremely difficult. The path, narrow and hard to traverse. And very few are able to find it (Par 5:11).

11. “I have food to eat that you know nothing about. My food is to do the will of the One Who sent me and to finish the work He gave me to do” (JN 4).

12. “If anyone wants to come after me, he must put aside all his selfish desires, take up his cross and follow me” (MK 8).

13. “Don’t waste your time accumulating the fleeting treasures of this Earth which can last only for a time and can be stolen, besides. But strive for the true treasures of heaven which cannot be destroyed and which cannot be stolen” (MT 6).

14. “If you adhere to my teaching, you will really be my disciples; and you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free” (JN 8).

15. The Way to the true life is clear. It is through love and service to our fellowmen (Par 5:37).

Set C: (3 points per item)

1. In this life, we should divide our time equally between our material and spiritual pursuits. DISAGREE. “Equally” here is an inappropriate word. Here, our objective is the effective and efficient use of our time. Necessarily, we will be devoting more of our time to one rather than the other depending on specific circumstances. The physical body is only a vehicle which is utilized by the spirit entity in like manner that we, as physical beings, make use of a car. A car would need gas, oil and other necessities, but we certainly can do without many of the accessories. Similarly, our physical needs should be attended to, but we can and we should forego all other activities and things which are not really necessary so that we can have more time to devote to our spiritual pursuits.

2. Love implies a ready willingness on our part to suffer in the place of another. DISAGREE. We cannot pay for someone else’s debts. Each one of us must pay his own. Moreover, experiences, especially those that are painful, provide learning. And when we deny someone the opportunity to undergo important learning experiences, we are actually stunting his growth such that he will not be able to develop as much or as fast as he should. Therefore, everyone should be allowed to live his own life and undergo his own painful experiences.

3. Our material or physical desires very often run counter to our spiritual needs. AGREE. Man on Earth desires wealth, comfort, luxury, good health and he certainly doesn’t want to die. But these conditions breed and abet weakness, complacency and stagnation. On the other hand, poverty, suffering and ill health provide the best opportunities for learning very valuable lessons needed by the spirit self — while death frees us from the bonds of Earth, enabling us to return home to God.

4. Each person needs to do his own share in God’s work. AGREE. We are as members and parts of the one body of God. To use the physical body as an illustrative example, the eye does not hear or the ear, speak, but each organ or part of the body has its own particular function. So do we as individual members of God’s body have our own specific and distinct work to do that contributes to the success of the total effort.

5. In striving to be good, we shouldn’t push ourselves to our limits. AGREE. It is not advisable to go to either extreme. We should be balanced in all things. The practical way is to take the middle way in all matters. Provided we are pointed in the right direction, we don’t have to be straight arrows or try so very hard to be good, just as long as we aren’t so bad, either, or too lax. This is also the central teaching of Buddhism.

6. Far better than to give a man fish is to teach him how to fish. AGREE. Everyone must learn to do things for himself. We should strive to be independent and self-reliant. We are supposed to grow perfect in every aspect of being.

7. In this life, hardships cannot be avoided. AGREE. All experiences, even hardships, provide learning and will eventually bring us forward in our development. In fact, in a sense, without hardships, many things cannot be learned. Hence, hardships will always be a part of our lives no matter how hard we may try to avoid them.

8. Since we cannot avoid misfortunes, our life being mostly predestined, we may as well conserve our efforts at preventing such occurrences. DISAGREE. It is true that the major circumstances and situations we will encounter in our present Earth life have been largely predetermined based on our actual spiritual needs. These are the lessons we need to learn. However, we don’t know that such imminent circumstances and situations are, in fact, the ones planned for us; therefore, we still must do everything that we can do to avoid needless harm. We should exert every effort. But we should accept as God’s will whatever the outcome may be.

9. So long as we are able to render the greater services, we may dispense with the lesser ones. DISAGREE. There are no greater or lesser in the eyes of God but all have equal value. Little things are big things. We should attend to all, equally, and to the best of our abilities.

10. What we owe one, we can repay to another. AGREE. We are, all of us, parts of the One God. What we owe to a part, we owe to the whole. When we pay to any other part, we repay the whole, and we discharge the debt. The principle of offset can be applied here. However, the original creditor will himself be repaid in full but, in this instance, no longer by the same debtor.

 

63 - Lesson 7 - Solutions to the review exercises

 

Set A: TRUE or FALSE (2 points per item)

1. Life is forever. TRUE. Even the Lesson title declares this. 

2. The lower worlds are poor images of the higher worlds. TRUE. All things on Earth and anywhere in the physical Universe are as mere shadows of their spiritual counterparts in the higher worlds.

3. Truth comes only gradually as a result of continuous study and application of divine principles. TRUE. The Truth must be applied daily, repeatedly and consistently, before it can be learned.

4. What money is to this world, character is to the heaven-worlds. TRUE. See Par 7:15.

5. Man is both body and soul together. FALSE. See Par 7:07.09.

6. At the Day of Judgment, our bodies shall be resurrected from their grave. FALSE. See Par 7:08 and Par 7:15.

7. In heaven, everyone sits all day long, singing praises to God. FALSE. You will find that there are far better things that you can do.

8. Our worldly successes will count favorably in the determination of whether or not we can already enter heaven. FALSE. See Par 7:15.

9. In heaven, our eligibility for entrance will depend on who will intercede in our behalf. FALSE. See Par 7:17.18.

10. In the Kingdom of God, there are many mansions or graded levels of heaven. TRUE. See Par 7:14.

11. Sooner or later, everyone will eventually be able to merit heaven. TRUE. See Par 7:17.18 and Par7:21.22. No one will be allowed to enter heaven unless he is truly deserving. We will need to fully satisfy every requirement relating to divine righteousness and spiritual perfection. Therefore, no one can save us, not even Christ himself. Instead, we must save ourselves through our own individual efforts and strivings (by personal merit). However, in the fullness of eternal time and through countless incarnations, our eventual success is assured. This is our destiny.

12. All spirits are holy spirits. FALSE. Of course not. There are all classes of spirits from the evil and the developing spirits to those who have attained to a high standard of perfection or holiness, even a Holy Spirit.

13. Only those who live the truth can ever know the Truth. TRUE. The Truth must be consistently applied in daily life before it can be realized.

14. Nothing imperfect can enter heaven. TRUE. See Par 7:17.

15. Our physical body is just a vehicle for learning lessons in the physical plane. TRUE. Without the physical body, the spirit cannot be restrained enough. Without restraint and limitation, there are fewer opportunities for learning difficult spiritual lessons. Therefore, we choose to become temporarily imprisoned in a body of flesh and be born on Earth in order that these hard lessons may be learned in much the same way that a student wears a suitable uniform when he comes to class.

16. If we have studied diligently and attained to a high level of spiritual knowledge, we certainly will be allowed into heaven. FALSE. The proof of learning is in the doing. It is not enough to know. We are required to consistently practice what we know. We shall be judged according to our deeds.

17. Through constant meditation and contemplation, we can attain to Nirvana or its equivalent heaven. FALSE. Through meditation and contemplation, we would be more able to receive divine inspirations and we can also access much of what we have already learned and experienced in our past lives, especially those that are relevant to us in the present. We would then be in a much better position to assess our progress and determine what else we need to do, next. However, Nirvana is the absence of all the negative, worldly attitudes and tendencies that characterize imperfect man. And the only way to Nirvana is through our observance of the ethical teachings — righteousness, love and service — as equally embodied in Buddhism’s Noble Eight-fold Path.

18. Provided we do no harm to anyone, we’re sure to go to heaven. FALSE. See Par 7:17.18. If we do no harm but don’t do good, either, then we stay just where we are. To get to heaven, we need to do more good than harm.

19. The prayers of our friends will lift us up to heaven. FALSE. We will be able to get to heaven only through our own efforts. We may be provided the necessary guidance and instruction, but we, ourselves, need to complete and pass all the requirements.

20. The more we learn, the more there is to learn. TRUE. Another basic principle is the principle of infinite progression. There is no end to learning.

Set B: (2 points per item)

1. “What is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of the Spirit is spirit” (JN 3).

2. “In the kingdom of my Father, there are many mansions” (JN 14).

3. “Marriage is only for people here on Earth; but when those who are declared worthy are raised from the dead and enter the kingdom, they do not marry. And they never die again. Instead, they will be as the angels who are sons of God because they have earned for themselves a new and better kind of life” (LK 20).

4. “‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison and you visited me’” (MT 25).

5. Love and goodness, peace and well-being are present everywhere. The pain and the miseries that all men have suffered while upon the Earth just cannot be in heaven. And in heaven, in the realm of the angels, the promised rewards to the just can be enjoyed to the fullest (Par 7:16).

6. “He is the God of the living, not of the dead; for to Him, all are alive” (LK 20).

7. Then he said, “Lord, remember me when you enter into your kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you that this very day, you shall be with me in Paradise” (LK 23).

8. “Abraham said, ‘The Scriptures have warned them time and again. Your brothers can read them anytime they want to.’ The rich man replied, ‘No Father, they won’t care to read them. But if someone who is dead were to come and talk to them, then they would surely turn from their sins.’ But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen, either, even though someone rises from the dead!’” (LK 16).

9. “I have used proverbs to tell you these things, but the time is coming when the truth shall not be so veiled and I will speak to you plainly about the Father” (JN 16).

10. In the World of Perfection, there can be nothing imperfect (Par 7:17).

11. “I am telling you the truth: I speak of what I know and testify of what I have seen and yet, you won’t believe me. But if you cannot even understand what I am telling you concerning the things of this world, how can you possibly believe me if I told you about the things of heaven? And no man has ever gone up to heaven, except the Son of God who came down to Earth from heaven” (JN 3).

12. Jesus answered, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants him to do is my brother, my sister and my mother” (MT 12).

13. “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders, you will never be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (MT 5).

14. “Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you cannot understand it now. When the Spirit of Holiness and Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth” (JN 16).

15. It never was meant for us to remain here on this miserable planet. Earth life is merely an intermediate phase, a take-off point to a better life (Par 7:22).

Set C: (3 points per item)

1. We can make a heaven on Earth. DISAGREE. Ignorant and unaware of the higher planes of existence, man contents himself with such a thought. But there is a heaven, the abode of the Holy Sons of God.

2. Man is the greatest in all creation. DISAGREE. Not quite yet. But he does have the capacity to become so.

3. In heaven, we will have authority over the angels. DISAGREE. Instead, we will become angels.

4. In heaven, we will be able to fully satisfy all our unfulfilled physical desires. DISAGREE. Physical things can only be experienced in the physical worlds. Therefore, every physical desire must have to be fully satisfied in these lower worlds. As we advance in our development, however, we will come to realize that these worldly things are only mere shadows of their genuine spiritual counterparts. And as we are able to become more aware of this truth, we will cease to crave for satisfaction of such gross desires and lean more towards the attainment of spiritual treasures. Nevertheless, if there should be a further need, we could ask to come back to Earth as if on a vacation or visit the worlds most like Earth in the astral planes just to attend to the full satisfaction of these gross physical cravings.

5. There is much less pain and suffering in heaven. DISAGREE. In fact, there is none at all. There cannot be. The word that can best describe the heaven life, which, in any case, we cannot even begin to fully appreciate, would be bliss — pure and utter bliss.

6. The Truth can be realized by simply studying God’s word. DISAGREE. Before anyone can learn, he must experience. Mere reading, listening and even studying are not experiencing the fact. In order to really know, theoretical studies must be supported by practical applications and allied experiences.

7. Truth is relative. AGREE. There are different aspects to truth. Everyone can only understand those particular sides or aspects that he uncovered and learned while undergoing his own personal experiences, but not all, not yet. In addition, our conception of truth is related to the level of our spiritual attainment. In effect, each person has his own level and conception of truth, which are only fragments or parts of the whole truth. However, as we continue in our development, we will be able to attain to a more perfect knowledge of God’s absolute truth.

8. After Jesus had returned home to heaven, God no longer spoke to men. DISAGREE. God, through the Spirits of Truth and Holiness (known to Christians as the Holy Spirit), has been unceasingly providing guidance to men in the world before and even after the time of Jesus. Through oracles, prophets and various kinds of mediums, divine guidance has always been available. However, God can be received only by those who have made themselves ready to receive Him. Study ‘All who seek the truth shall find it’ and ‘Aquarian conspiracy.’

9. The Holy Spirit must be obeyed. DISAGREE. God gave us free will. God Himself does not prevail upon us against our will. Everything must be as a consequence of our own decisions. Rather, God is teaching us everything so that, eventually, we will come to understand God and willingly desire all that God desires as a consequence of our having attained to more perfect knowledge.

10. The Holy Spirit will simply tell us the truth. DISAGREE. No amount of telling can make anyone realize the truth. The truth must be personally experienced in order to be learned. Enlightenment must be earned through our daily application of the divine principles. Instead of being told, we will be guided towards the successful completion of all we need to do and the full realization of all we need to know.

 

62 Lesson 7 - Review exercises

  

Set A: TRUE or FALSE (2 points per item)

1. Life is forever. 

2. The lower worlds are poor images of the higher worlds.

3. Truth comes only gradually as a result of continuous study and application of divine principles.

4. What money is to this world, character is to the heaven-worlds.

5. Man is both body and soul together.

6. At the Day of Judgment, our bodies shall be resurrected from their grave.

7. In heaven, everyone sits all day long, singing praises to God.

8. Our worldly successes will count favorably in the determination of whether or not we can already enter heaven.

9. In heaven, our eligibility for entrance will depend on who will intercede in our behalf.

10. In the Kingdom of God, there are many mansions or graded levels of heaven.

11. Sooner or later, everyone will eventually be able to merit heaven.

12. All spirits are holy spirits.

13. Only those who live the truth can ever know the truth.

14. Nothing imperfect can enter heaven.

15. Our physical body is just a vehicle for learning lessons in the physical plane.

16. If we have studied diligently and attained to a high level of spiritual knowledge, we certainly will be allowed into heaven.

17. Through constant meditation and contemplation, we can attain to Nirvana or its equivalent heaven.

18. Provided we do no harm to anyone, we’re sure to go to heaven.

19. The prayers of our friends will lift us up to heaven.

20. The more we learn, the more there is to learn.

Set B: (2 points per item)

1. “What is born of the flesh is _______ and what is born of the Spirit is ________” (JN 3).

2. “In the kingdom of my Father, there are ______ mansions” (JN 14).

3. “Marriage is ______ for people here on Earth; but when those who are declared worthy are raised from the dead and enter the kingdom, they do not _______. And they never _____ again. Instead, they will be ____ _____ ________ who are sons of God because they have earned for themselves a _____ _____ ________ kind of life” (LK 20).

4. “‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you _____ me; I was thirsty and you ______ me a drink; I was a stranger and you ______ me ____; naked and you _________ me; sick and in prison and you _________ me’” (MT 25).

5. Love and goodness, peace and well-being are present everywhere. _____ ______ and _____ __________ that all men have suffered while upon the Earth just cannot be in heaven. And in heaven, in the realm of the angels, the __________ _________ ____ _____ ______ can be enjoyed to the fullest (Text).

6. “He is the God of _____ ________, not of _____ ______; for to Him, all are _______” (LK 20).

7. Then he said, “Lord, remember me when you enter into your kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you that this very day, you shall be with me in __________” (LK 23).

8. “Abraham said, ‘The ____________ have warned them time and again. Your brothers can ______ ______ anytime they want to.’ The rich man replied, ‘No Father, they won’t care to ______ ______. But if someone who is dead were to come and talk to them, then they would surely turn from their sins.’ But Abraham said, ‘If ______ _______ ________ to Moses and the prophets, ______ _______ ________, either, even though someone rises from the dead!’” (LK 16).

9. “I have used __________ to tell you these things, but the time is coming when the truth shall _____ ____ ____ ________ and I will speak to you _________ about the Father” (JN 16).

10. In the World of Perfection, there can be _________ ___________ (Text).

11. “I am telling you the truth: I speak of ______ ___ ______ and testify of ______ ___ ______ ______ and yet, you won’t believe me. But if you cannot even understand what I am telling you concerning the things of this world, how can you possibly believe me if I told you _______ _____ ________ ____ ________? And no man has ever gone up to heaven, except the Son of God who came down to Earth ______ ________” (JN 3).

12. Jesus answered, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look! ______ are my mother and my brothers! Whoever ______ what my Father in heaven _______ _____ ____ ____ is my brother, my sister and my mother” (MT 12).

13. “Unless your righteousness ___________ that of the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders, you will _______ be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (MT 5).

14. “Oh, there is ____ ______ ______ I want to tell you, but you cannot understand it now. When the ________ ____ __________ _____ _______ comes, he will _______ you into _____ _______” (JN 16).

15. It never was meant for us to remain here on this ___________ planet. Earth life is merely an intermediate phase, a take-off point to ___ ________ ______ (Text).

Set C: (3 points per item)

1. We can make a heaven on Earth.

2. Man is the greatest in all creation.

3. In heaven, we will have authority over the angels.

4. In heaven, we will be able to fully satisfy all our unfulfilled physical desires.

5. There is much less pain and suffering in heaven.

6. The truth can be realized by simply studying God’s word.

7. Truth is relative.

8. After Jesus had returned home to heaven, God no longer spoke to men.

9. The Holy Spirit must be obeyed.

10. The Holy Spirit will simply tell us the truth.

61 Lesson 7 - Bible passages

  

01 JN 3:06

“What is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.” 

02 LK 9:28.31

Jesus took Peter, John and James with him and went up a hill to pray. While he was praying, his face changed in appearance and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly, two men were there, talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah. They were splendid in appearance, glorious to see; and they were discussing how Jesus would soon fulfill God’s purpose by dying in Jerusalem.

03 LK 20:37.38

“And Moses clearly proves that the dead are raised to life. In the passage about the burning bush, he speaks of the Lord as the ‘God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ He is the God of the living, not of the dead; for to Him, all are alive.”

04 LK 12:04.05

“Don’t be afraid of those who can do nothing worse than to kill the body; but fear God, Who, after killing the body, has the power to cast you into hell. Yes, I tell you — fear Him.”

05 JN 8:23

“You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”

06 JN 18:36

“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight so that I should not be handed over to the Jews. But no, my kingdom is not from here.”

07 MT 13:44.46

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man discovers and then conceals. Afterwards, he gladly goes and sells everything he has just so he can buy that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant in search of choice pearls. He discovers a pearl of exceptional value and promptly sells all he owns in order to purchase it.”

08 JN 20:11.20

Mary stood crying outside the tomb. While she was still crying, she bent over and looked inside the tomb and saw two angels there dressed in white, sitting where the body of Jesus should have been.

“Woman, why are you crying?” they asked her.

She answered, “They have taken my Lord away and I do not know where they have put him!” She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus but she didn’t recognize him.

“Why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”

Thinking him to be the caretaker, she said to him, “If you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will go and get him.”

“Mary!” Jesus said.

She turned towards him and exclaimed in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” which means Teacher.

“Don’t touch me,” he cautioned, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.”

So Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and related to them what he had told her.

That evening, the disciples were meeting behind closed doors in fear of the Jewish authorities, when suddenly, Jesus was there standing among them. After greeting them, he showed them his hands and side. And how wonderful was their joy as they saw their Lord!

09 JN 20:24.31

One of the disciples, Thomas, was not with them when Jesus came. When they kept on insisting that they had seen the Lord, he told them, “I won’t believe it unless I see the wounds in his hands and touch them, and place my hand into his side.”

Eight days later, the disciples were together again and this time, Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, like before, Jesus was standing among them and greeting them. Then he said to Thomas, “Touch the open wounds in my hands. Place your hand on my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas said.

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. But blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe, just the same.”

The Lord’s disciples saw him do many other miracles besides the ones mentioned in this book; but these are recorded so that you may believe that he is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing in him, you may have life.

10 JN 21:01.14

Again Jesus appeared to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee and two other disciples of Jesus were all together. Peter said to the others, “I am going fishing.”

“We will come with you,” they told him. So they went out in a boat, but all that night, they did not catch a single fish.

As the sun was rising, Jesus stood at the water’s edge, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then he asked them, “Young men, did you catch any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

“Throw out your net on the right side of the boat and you will catch some.” So they did; but because they caught so many fish, they couldn’t draw in the net.

Then John said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” On hearing this, Peter put on his tunic, jumped into the water and swam ashore. The others came to shore in the boat, pulling the net that was so full of fish. When they stepped ashore, they saw a ready fire with fish on it and some bread.

“Bring some of the fish you have just caught,” Jesus said. So Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. By his count, there were one hundred and fifty-three large fish; and yet the net hadn’t torn.

Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” Jesus took the bread and gave it to them; then he did the same with the fish. This, then, was the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

11 JN 14:19

“In a little while, the world will see me no more, but you will see me; and because I live, you also will live.”

12 JN 11:25.26

“I am the resurrection and the life: he who believes in me, even if he dies, shall go on living and whoever lives, believing in me, shall never die.”

13 JN 3:11.13

“I am telling you the truth: I speak of what I know and testify of what I have seen and yet, you won’t believe me. But if you cannot even understand what I am telling you concerning the things of this world, how can you possibly believe me if I told you about the things of heaven? And no man has ever gone up to heaven, except the Son of God who came down to Earth from heaven.”

14 JN 14:01.03

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. You trust in God, now trust also in me. In the kingdom of my Father, there are many mansions. I am going to prepare a place for you. And when everything is ready, then I will come and get you so that you, too, may be with me where I am.”

15 LK 23:39.43

One of the criminals hanging next to him scoffed at him and said, “If you really are the Messiah, save yourself and us, too!”

But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you even fear God when you are about to die? We deserve to die because we are guilty, but this man is completely innocent.” Then he said, “Lord, remember me when you enter into your kingdom.”

And Jesus replied, “I assure you that this very day, you shall be with me in Paradise.”

16 MT 12:46.50

Jesus was still talking to the people when his mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside, asking to speak with him. So one of the people there said to him, “Teacher, your mother and brothers are waiting outside and they want to speak with you.”

Jesus answered, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants him to do is my brother, my sister and my mother.”

17 LK 20:27.36

Then some Sadducees, who say that people will not rise from death, approached Jesus and said, “The laws of Moses state that if a man dies without children, the man’s brother shall marry the widow and their children will legally belong to the dead man, to carry on his name. We know of a family of seven brothers. The oldest married and then died without having any children. His brother married the widow and he, too, died. Still no children. And so it went, one after the other, until each of the seven had married her and died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died also. Our question is this: Whose wife will she be at the resurrection? For all of them were married to her?”

Jesus replied, “Marriage is only for people here on Earth, but when those who are declared worthy are raised from the dead and enter the kingdom, they do not marry. And they never die again. Instead, they will be as the angels who are sons of God because they have earned for themselves a new and better kind of life.”

18 MK 10:28.30

“Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything — home, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children or property — for me and for the gospel, who won’t be given back, a hundred times over, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land, here and in the world to come, including eternal life.”

19 MT 13:47.49

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by a fisherman. He casts a net into the water and gathers in fish of every kind, valuable and worthless. When the net is full, he drags it to shore, sits down, and sorts out the edible ones into crates and throws the others away. That is the way it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the just.”

20 LK 16:19.31

“There was a certain rich man,” Jesus said, “who was always well dressed and lived each day in merriment and luxury. There was also a poor and sick beggar named Lazarus who used to be brought to the rich man’s door. As he lay there longing for the leftover scraps from the man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. Finally, the beggar died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham in the place of the righteous dead. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to hell. There, in anguish, he saw Lazarus in the distance with Abraham.

“‘Father Abraham,’ he shouted, ‘pity me! Send Lazarus over here if only to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for these flames are scorching me.’

“But Abraham said to him. ‘My son, remember when you were still on Earth, you had everything you wanted and Lazarus had nothing. So now, he is here being comforted and you are tormented. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us and anyone who would want to come to you from here won’t be able to do so; nor can anyone from your place cross over to us.’

“Then the rich man said, ‘I beg you, then, Father Abraham, please send him to my father’s home, to my five brothers, to warn them about this place of torment lest they come here when they die!’

“But Abraham said, ‘The Scriptures have warned them time and again. Your brothers can read them anytime they want to.’

“The rich man replied, ‘No, Father, they won’t care to read them. But if someone who is dead were to come and talk to them, then, they would surely turn from their sins.’

“But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen, either, even though someone rises from the dead!’”

21 MT 5:20

“Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders, you will never be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

22 JN 12:48

“Whoever rejects me and does not accept my teachings will, nevertheless, be judged according to the truths I have spoken.”

23 MT 25:31.46

“When the Son of God with all his holy angels comes, he shall sit upon his throne of glory, and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say to those on his right, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison and you visited me.’

“Then, the righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you anything to drink? Or a stranger and help you? Or naked and clothe you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will tell them, ‘When you did this for the least of my brothers, you were doing it for me!’ Then shall he turn to those on his left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry and you wouldn’t feed me; thirsty, and you wouldn’t give me anything to drink; a stranger, and you refused me hospitality; naked, and you wouldn’t clothe me; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.’

“Then, they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison and not help you?’

“And the King will answer, ‘When you refused to help the least of my brothers, you were refusing to help me.’ And they will go away to eternal punishment; but the righteous shall enter into everlasting life.”

24 JN 5:28.29

“Don’t be so surprised. Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall rise again — those who have done well, to eternal life and those who have continued in evil, to condemnation.”

25 JN 16:25

“I have used proverbs to tell you these things, but the time is coming when the truth shall not be so veiled and I will speak to you plainly about the Father.”

26 JN 8:31.32

“If you adhere to my teaching, you will really be my disciples; and you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.”

27 JN 16:12-13

“Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you cannot understand it now. When the Spirit of Holiness and Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth...”