© 2006 Demetrio Gómez
© 2006 Urantia Association of Spain
Introduction by Demetrio Gomez
“Faith is a gift from God” [UB 143:2.7]. That’s what JESUS OF NAZARETH said, as one of the multiple teachings recorded in The Urantia Book according to the fifth epochal revelation.
To receive this gift, you must want to receive it. Do you want to get this gift?
Having faith comes after belief, one must believe in something or someone, then find out if what is said is true, and then contrast this truth with facts and events. Reflect on the sources of origin, visualize the information and assess. If what they tell us coincides with the reality of the facts or the evidence is such that there are no doubts, then we can trust that we are seeing the way.
It is worth it, not only the gift of faith, but what can be achieved precisely by having accepted the gift of a living and active faith, motivating the fervent desire to love God, to recognize him as our Father, to do his will, loving to our fellow men; accepting the Universal Plan that is offered to those who decide to continue living throughout eternity, until the Goal is reached, even if it costs us “a billion years, or more” to acquire enough experience to reach it to be spiritually similar to Him as final children of God, and to become close to HIM in Paradise.
Astronomers, to see the distant stars of the cosmos, use powerful and expensive telescopes, such as the one on Mount Palomar or the modern HUBBLE. Without this valuable instrument they could only see the stars as luminous points floating in the sky. This, of course, is due to the limited vision of the material eyes of finite human beings. So if you want to see more, you need to expand your visual capacity.
But beings endowed with finite personality, that is, people, can visualize realities that are not contemplated with mechanical instruments, because they are endowed with spiritual eyes: the eyes of faith, and to expand their capacity for spiritual vision they need instruments of spiritual revelation. The sacred books of the previous times gave a gradual revelation according to the evolution of the time.
The search for spiritual solutions is a feeling of need that is born within the human soul that worries about doing what is right in the eyes of God.
The Urantia Book is the instrument that broadens and elevates our capacity for spiritual comprehension, provides solutions to many enigmas of time and space, gives us guides, rules for life, that is, reveals knowledge that has never been given before, and it clarifies elevated concepts in a way that expands our capacity for understanding and sublimates it.
The Urantia Book speaks extensively about JESUS CHRIST, the Son of Man and the Son of God. We learn that his spirit, the Spirit of Truth, has been poured out on humanity and that he lives with us, if we accept him as our Savior.
But doing the right thing is not always easy, due to the multitude of situations we are faced with on a daily basis. For this reason we need help, unless we believe ourselves so self-sufficient that we think we don’t need it.
Given that we are finite beings, I would say participants in the ascension race that awaits us, and that we also live on a primitive and spiritually backward planet, we cannot do without the help that the Gods make available to us.
The Elohim (Gods), during the evolution of humanity, have sent teachers throughout the different eras of life so that humans do not find ourselves alone. The greatest of the instructors was a divine being who granted himself to the humanity of the Earth as the Son of Man, being as he was the Son of God. He was one of us. He lived his experience of life in the likeness of mortals, revealing the love, the fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of all men.
Jesus of Nazareth lived doing the will of his Father and our Heavenly Father, teaching that the more one knows his neighbor, the easier it will be to help him, forgive him and even love him.
To help his disciples more, he not only gave them advice, parables, rules; gave them THE GOLDEN RULE (the rule of life), which says:
“DO TO OTHERS WHAT YOU WISH THEM TO DO FOR YOU”.
He explained and expanded the different levels of meaning referring to the interpretation that could be given to an apparently simple rule. That is what happens at first sight with his multiple teachings. They are simple, but let’s not fool ourselves, just like in the GOLDEN RULE, there is always a deeper and more extensive spiritual background hidden.
When the GOLDEN RULE is interpreted lightly, without sufficient insight and without the support of the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, it is only a rule of ethical behavior.
And, when interpreted literally without further ado, it can become a very offensive tool for our fellow human beings. Without spiritual discernment, without applying the rules of wisdom, one can reach erroneous or exaggerated conclusions, let’s say not very accurate.
As in the case of Nathanael, when in a meeting with Jesus and the other apostles, taking the floor, he asked: Master, you have taught us the positive vision of the old rule of life, indicating that we should * Do to others what we want them to do to us*, I do not fully discern how we can always act in accordance with this mandate. (UB 147:4.1) Nathanael mischievously made an observation that was far from having been interpreted acceptably the true meaning of the GOLDEN RULE.
Nathanael made the following observation: If a man leers at his future partner in sin, how could we teach that malicious man the application of the rule ‘do to others what he would like them to do to him’?
The MASTER, standing up, pointing his finger at him, said: “Natanael, Nathanael, what kind of thoughts do you keep in your heart? Don’t you receive my teaching as someone born of the spirit? Do you not listen to the truth as men of wisdom and spiritual understanding? When I recommended you do to others what you wanted them to do for you I was speaking to men with lofty ideals, and not to those who were tempted to misrepresent my teaching by turning it into a license to encourage evil actions” .
Imagine Nathanael and the others before the scolding… Nathanael immediately replied: “But Master, you will not think that I approve such an interpretation of your teaching… I hoped that you would give us additional teaching on these issues”.
“Nathanael, I know well that your mind does not approve any evil of this type”, Jesus said once Nathanael had sat down.
Jesus explained that when the GOLDEN RULE is devoid of the supremacy of the Spirit of Truth, it is nothing more than a routine rule of ethical conduct, and when applied literally, to the letter, it can become very offensive to people. our fellow men.
So this interpretation, responding to Nathanael’s observation, would be purely selfish, lascivious and offensive. This would be the meat level.
Because, if we expect all men to tell us everything they think about us, then we should answer everything we think about our fellow men, defects included… and we already have it organized.
One level above meat is the feeling level. This level implies that compassion and pity enhance our understanding of this rule of life.
Others interpret these human relationships as an emotional satisfaction of the tender affectionate feelings of the person.
At the ** level of the mind ** the reason of the mind and the intelligence of experience come into action. This rule should be interpreted in accordance with the highest ideals, embodied in the nobility of deep self-respect.
Some see this GOLDEN RULE as a yardstick to measure all relationships of social conduct. Others, as a positive commandment from a GREAT TEACHER who included this commandment in a high concept of moral obligation. For these types of people, the rule of life becomes the center of their entire philosophy.
At the ** level of brotherly love **, a higher level, the level of sacred and selfless dedication to the well-being of our fellow men is discovered. On this higher plane of enthusiastic social service, which is born from the awareness of the fatherhood of God and the recognition of the brotherhood of human beings, we discover a new interpretation of this fundamental rule of life.
The fifth level is the moral level. When true philosophical levels of interpretation are reached, when one has a clear understanding of what it means to do good or to practice evil, and one knows how to correctly define the concepts of how a third person of high thoughts, idealistic, wise and impartial would interpret this GOLDEN RULE, but applied to our personal problems, it is then when we can say that we are applying the rule of life on its moral level.
«The spiritual level. And then last, but greatest of all, we attain the level of spirit insight and spiritual interpretation which impels us to recognize in this rule of life the divine command to treat all men as we conceive God would treat them. That is the universe ideal of human relationships. And this is your attitude toward all such problems when your supreme desire is ever to do the Father’s will. I would, therefore, that you should do to all men that which you know I would do to them in like circumstances.» [UB 147:4.9]
It is not always easy to apply the GOLDEN RULE. Some will say that it is easier said than done because, stripped of the lofty application of the Spirit of Truth, it is nothing more than a rule of ethical behavior. Something to look good before others, “so they don’t say”.
In addition, it could even be an instrument of deception when misinterpreted, since we live in a society marked by confusion, deceit, and corruption.
The practitioners of the GOLDEN RULE could be exploited or manipulated by those who interpret this precious rule of life with the level of selfishness or with lower levels than what the Great Teacher recommended. Therefore, practitioners of the GOLDEN RULE must learn to defend our ideals and apply the rule creatively, so that we achieve the best good for our fellow men.
When people who sincerely seek God grasp the high meaning of the teaching given by Jesus of Nazareth, perceiving its value, they feel truly satisfied, joyful, and happy.
Now they have an amplified vision of how to walk through life “doing good without looking at whom” in the way that Jesus the Messiah approves, now they have the certainty of belonging to a friendly universe and their spiritual reality is satisfied when they love their fellow men as the Master taught.
When John asked Jesus to attend to the crowd of sick people at the Bethesda spring in Jerusalem, despite the fact that it was not planned during the intermission of this trip, the Master, setting an example, applied the rule of life according to his custom. , but without the intention of doing prodigious miracles. He simply addressed a few words of comfort to those people so in need of someone to console them in their afflictions, saying:
“Many of you are here, sick and afflicted, because of your many years of wrong living. Some suffer from the accidents of time, others as a result of the mistakes of their forebears, while some of you struggle under the handicaps of the imperfect conditions of your temporal existence. But my Father works, and I would work, to improve your earthly state . . . Verily, verily, I say to you: He who hears the gospel of the kingdom and believes in this teaching of sonship with God, has eternal life; already are such believers passing from judgment and death to light and life.” (UB 147:3.3)
Many of those who listened felt so spiritually revitalized that they came out proclaiming that they had been healed of their physical ailments. One of them, who had been bedridden for more than thirty-eight years due to severe depression, got up, took the bed in his hand and left cured. The poor man for many years had waited for someone to help him.
I think that, like the rule of life, faith can be interpreted according to the level or amount of faith acquired. Faith can be little, from the level of simple belief, or great, according to the faith of Jesus. From one to the other there are many degrees; the apostles on a certain occasion showed little faith, the teacher told them that they were men of little faith.
The Roman centurion Mangús, captain of the Roman guard stationed in Capernaum, showed such faith in believing in the power of the Son of Man that his presence was unnecessary. It was enough for Jesus to give the order to heal the sick and he would be cured. So much so, that the Divine Master was surprised to see so much confidence, so much faith. Jesus exclaimed: “I marvel at the belief of the gentile. Verily, verily, I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” (UB 147:1.3)
Later, when the centurion’s friends came to tell him what Jesus had said, the centurion’s servant began to improve and soon returned to normal health and utility.
Later, when Jesus was invited to eat by Simon, an influential Pharisee from Jerusalem, while they were eating a disreputable woman, who had become a believer, entered the room where they were eating and, with a bottle of perfume, wet Jesus’ feet. Jesus and anointed them while weeping and wetting the Master’s feet, drying them with her hair. The Pharisee criticized the fact saying: “If this man were a prophet, he would have perceived who is touching him like this and what kind of woman it is; of a notorious sinner.” (UB 147:5.4)
Jesus gave a lesson on how to properly apply the rule of life. First, he does not violently rebuke Simon’s attitude. He asks you a question with an example for you to reflect on. He tells him: “A rich lender had two debtors. One owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Then, since none of them had the means to pay him, he forgave both of their debts. According to you, Simon, which of them will love him more?" Simon replied: «I suppose that the one to whom he forgave the most.”. In this way, once Simon is prepared for the correction, Jesus reminds him that he has not treated him properly as was the custom with honorable guests. He did not wash his feet or receive him with a friendly kiss, he did not anoint him with oil. Instead the sinful woman anointed Jesu s’ feet with expensive perfumes. “What is the meaning of all this? Simply that his numerous sins have been forgiven him”. The Master said to the woman: “You have truly repented of your sins, and they are forgiven… Woman, go in peace; your faith has saved you.” (UB 147:5.4)
To Simon, who whispered with his friends saying: “Who is this man who even dares to forgive sins?”, the Master said: “I know your heart, Simon, how you are torn betwixt faith and doubts, how you are distraught by fear and troubled by pride; but I pray for you that…you may experience…those powerful transformations of mind and spirit comparable to the enormous changes that the gospel of the kingdom has already wrought in the heart of your uninvited visitor… I declare to all of you that the Father has opened the doors of the heavenly kingdom to all who have the faith to enter, and no man or association of men can close those doors”. After this Jesus, Peter, James and John said goodbye to Simon and went to the camp in the Garden of Gethsemane. (UB 147:5.6)
That same night, Jesus gave the apostles the unforgettable speech on the relative value of personal status before God and progress in the eternal ascent to Paradise.
Jesus saw normal that at first some progress slowly. There may be many reasons for this, since not everyone has the same abilities nor are the circumstances the same for everyone. The important thing is not speed but the certainty that progress is being made. As the Master said: “Your current achievements are not as important as the fact that the direction of your progress is toward God.” (UB 147:5.7)
The woman who anointed the feet of the Messiah seriously and unreservedly began the long and extraordinary search for God; his firm and determined walk was not blocked by spiritual pride, as was the case with the traditionalist Pharisees, more occupied by the formalism of rituals and meaningless appearances.
The Master said to his apostles and disciples: “Some of you may not stand high in actual levels of soul and spirit, but you are making daily progress on the living way opened up, through faith, to God. There are tremendous possibilities in each of you for the future. Better by far to have a small but living and growing faith than to be possessed of a great intellect with its dead stores of worldly wisdom and spiritual unbelief.” (UB 147:5.8)
Jesus attended many meetings and banquets with the great and the lowly, with the rich and with the poor of Jerusalem, before returning to Capernaum. And as was his custom: teaching, comforting, caring for the sick, forgiving sinners. In short, applying the golden rule wherever he went. Distributing joy, with the sweetness that characterized him. No hurry. Because “sweetness is the aroma of friendship, which springs from a soul saturated with love”. (UB 171:7.1) Doing good wherever he went because it was full of beauty and goodness. He was, is and will be forever ** the way to the Father in heaven, the true truth and the bread of eternal life **. “LET’S FOLLOW HIM!”
¶ Comments from attendees
The golden rule has a deeper interpretation than the one usually considered: that of treating others as a father/mother, not as siblings. For this reason it is so essential to live the experience of being a father / mother.
When we are born we carry with us genetic and cultural information. According to the means at our disposal, we have a responsibility regarding our intellectual, material and spiritual progress: we have a certain number of talents. What we share will grow. What we do not share remains stagnant.
As for genetics, it is likely that it is responsible for many of the physical and psychological ballasts. That is why it is important to take care of it. In any case, we are not completely determined by it: it is possible to prevent and sublimate faulty tendencies. Through consciousness many things can be transmuted, even the genetics of our offspring can be corrected.
A favorable environment in childhood is decisive for learning to live according to the golden rule. Children must be taught patterns of behavior.
It is possible that we find the culprits for our defects and our shortcomings in genetics, which is so fashionable today. Since the demon is already out of the night, we look for another culprit in the genome. Once again, due to our indolence and laziness, which make us look for excuses not to undertake our spiritual improvement.
There are many human beings who spend their lives convinced that what they are doing is right, when it is not. We, as readers of the Book, have much greater responsibilities than those who do not know it, since we cannot plead ignorance about what is correct, what we must do to grow spiritually. We also know that we have everything necessary to begin this task.
In the spiritual rebirth, there are those who have less difficulties than others. There are those who do well naturally and those who need more effort to do so.
Today religiousness is not in fashion, and neither is self-control and discipline, because it is considered self-repression. But we must not forget that religiosity is the only firm foundation for morality; It is the only basis that prevents morale from collapsing at the slightest setback.
The change must start in us to spread to society. We must not fall into despair, but try to be positive, act positively, leave everything in the hands of the Father, try to rise above problems, as Jesus taught his disciples.
¶ References
- Light and Life Magazine (all old issues): https://aue.urantia-association.org/numeros-antiguos-del-lyv/