© 2013 Jesús Rodríguez
© 2013 Urantia Association of Spain
¶ Foreword
THE FAITH OF JESUS: In the life of the Master on Urantia, all mortals who inhabit the evolutionary worlds of the universe of Nebadon, discover through Jesus a new type of “living faith”, the which is born from his personal spiritual experience and the guidance of his resident adjuster. His faith was not dogmatic or intellectual but totally spiritual.
He experienced the good and bad moods typical of mortal existence, but through his unwavering faith, he never doubted the unerring vigilance of his thought adjuster.
Jesus did not turn to his faith for comfort when he was in trouble, nor for relief when hopelessness threatened, for when faced with all the natural difficulties and temporary contradictions of mortal existence, he experienced supreme trust in GOD and felt at each moment of his existence the tremendous emotion of living by his faith in the very presence of the Universal Father. This “triumphant faith” that Jesus displayed was a living experience of real spiritual scope.
Theology can fix, formulate, define and dogmatize faith, but in this new type of mortal life that Jesus showed humanity, faith must be personal, original, spontaneous and entirely spiritual. Their faith was not a reverence for tradition, nor a mere intellectual belief that it was a sacred creed. His faith was a real spiritual experience and convictions, which held him firmly in the face of the demands of mortal life. His “living faith” was so complete that it absolutely eliminated all spiritual doubt; nothing could tear him from the anchor of his fervent faith. Jesus always enjoyed the invigorating certainty of having a faith without uncertainty, which allowed him to remain calm even in the face of the cruel and overwhelming threat of an infamous death.
Jesus’ passionate faith envisioned all spiritual values as found in the kingdom of GOD. His faith was never dogmatic nor did it border on fanaticism, and it never affected his balanced intellectual judgment, since throughout his extensive mission and throughout his extraordinary life, the fury of the fanatic and the frivolity of the self-centered religious never showed. .
His entire life was constantly conditioned by his living faith and by his sublime religious experience. This spiritual attitude of Jesus totally dominated his thoughts and feelings, his belief and prayer, his teaching and preaching. He always interpreted religion only in terms of fulfilling “the will of the Father”, as the very heart of the prayer he taught his apostles says: the Our Father, “your kingdom come, your will be done”. . Therefore, when we study the Master’s teachings regarding prayer or any other characteristic of his religious life, look not so much for what he taught (his public ministry), but for what he did_ (his personal ministry).
Jesus never prayed because it was a religious duty to do so. For him, prayer was a sincere expression of spiritual attitude, a declaration of loyalty of the soul, a recital of personal devotion, an expression of gratitude, an avoidance of emotional tensions, a prevention against conflicts, an exaltation of the intellect, an ennoblement of desires, a vindication of moral decision, an enrichment of thought, an invigoration of the highest inclinations, a consecration of impulse, a clarification of a point of view, a sublime affirmation of confidence and a confession of supreme devotion.
The faith of Jesus was a mighty mobilization of the combined powers of the soul to withstand human tendencies to selfishness, evil, and sin. Such was the authentic and genuine spiritual faith developed by an ascending evolutionary mortal who lived on Urantia as a true SON OF GOD BY FAITH, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus does not require his followers to believe in him, but rather that they believe as he believed in the reality of the love of GOD, and accept with full confidence the certainty of the security of filiation with the Heavenly Father, since the main desire of the Master is that all his followers fully share his “spiritual faith”.
The same type of faith that we all must develop to achieve recognition as true CHILDREN OF GOD BY FAITH by the “Universal Father”.
This is why Jesus always poignantly challenged his followers not only to “believe what he believed” but also to “believe as he believed.” This is the true meaning of the supreme requirement that Jesus demands of all believers in Christianity through his maxim “FOLLOW ME.” UB 196:0.10 UB 196:0.13.
Who among us dares to follow Jesus?
¶ Children of God by faith
All of us mortals who inhabit the evolutionary worlds of time and space represent “the last link” in the chain of intelligent beings that make up the great universal family of Sons of God. We are the personal and original touch of the “eternal son” who through the “creator son” reach from above (descending sons of God) downwards (ascending sons of God), in a series of personalizations that are less and less divine and increasingly more and more human, until they produce a material being that can see, hear and touch; an evolutionary mortal creature who can be spiritually aware of a great truth: “his filiation with the Eternal God” and who, knowing his status as a “son of God”, will be permanently developing a genuine “spiritual faith”, the same as Jesus developed throughout the course of his earthly life.
The mortal races are the representatives of the lowest order of personal and intelligent creation, but they are divinely loved and each may choose to accept the certain fate of a glorious experience as potential “ascending children of God” when resident Adjuster fusion occurs. after death. But, meanwhile, the state that the mortals of time and space keep, will be CHILDREN OF GOD BY FAITH, who in order to earn that right will have to carry out authentic spiritual work during their lives in the flesh. The same spiritual work that “the son of man” developed, Jesus of Nazareth, during his mortal life.
All the evolutionary material worlds are inhabited by these “sons of God by faith”, children of grace and mercy, human beings who belong to the divine family and are therefore called “sons of God”. Urantia mortals are entitled to consider themselves “children of God” because:
- You are children of spiritual promise, “children by faith” who have accepted eternal filiation with the Universal Father.
- A “Creator Son” has become one of you; he is your older brother in fact, and if in spirit you truly become brothers, related to the victorious Christ Jesus (Christ Michael), then in spirit you must also be “spiritual children” of that Father whom you have in common; the “Universal Father of all.”
- You are sons because the spirit of a “divine Son” (the spirit of truth) has been poured out upon all the mortal races of Urantia and this spirit will forever draw you to the “Creator Son” who is the source that will carry you towards Heavenly Father.
- By his divine “free will”, the Universal Father has given you your creaturely personality, you have been endowed with a measure of that divine spontaneity of “free will” that the Heavenly Father shares with all those who can be his true “ ”spiritual children" with the potential for ascension, who will be able to reach the highest heights of glory and divinity.
These are the mortals to whom the Universal Father has commanded: “Be perfect, even as I am perfect.” The Father has bestowed himself upon you, placed within you a fragment of his divine spirit (the thought adjuster), therefore he demands ultimate perfection from all of you. UB 40:6.3, UB 40:6.4-7, UB 40:7.4.
We mortals on Urantia enjoy the privilege of being SONS OF GOD BY FAITH from the very moment that “the morontia Jesus” (after his death) poured out his spirit on humanity: “the spirit of truth”, that spiritual endowment which was given to all normal-minded mortals, that new Teacher who will help honest-hearted men to understand and correctly discern his incomparable teachings of spiritual truth.
Jesus taught a gospel that redeemed man from the superstition that he was a child of sin and that, through his teachings of spiritual truth, elevated him to the dignity of being a “son of God by Faith.”
The spiritual truths that Jesus lived and preached in his time were an effective solution to the spiritual difficulties of the men of that time and since as a person he has left this world, he has left us the “spirit of truth” in his place. , which is destined to live in the mind of man, so that each new group or generation of mortals that appears in the future on the face of the earth, have a new and updated vision of his gospel, personal enlightenment and guidance that it be the effective solution to the ever-changing and varied spiritual difficulties of man in all ages.
Thus, “the Spirit of Truth” endowed man with the most powerful spiritual force that can exist in this world. And it also serves so that the minds of mortals remember and understand the life of “human perfection” that Jesus developed during the course of his earthly life. UB 194:2.1, UB 194:3.4
Now, although the common mortal of Urantia cannot reach the high “human perfection” that Jesus developed through his genuine “spiritual faith”, each sincere believer will be able to develop, through authentic faith, a personality strong and unified that is in keeping with the perfected personality of Jesus. And just as true “children of God by Faith” they can recognize their place within that great family of divine affiliation. A son freed by his faith who will no longer be a slave to a materialistic world; He will no longer fight alone against the adversities of life nor against the inexorable destiny of the termination of temporary existence, and he will join with all “the children of the kingdom of GOD” in the triumph of his spiritual reality, where finally the creatures become aware of the fact that they have never been alone and that GOD and the heavenly hosts of his vast universe will always be by their side during their mortal evolutionary race to reach their true state as SONS OF GOD BY THEIR FAITH.
It should not be the main objective of followers of Jesus to literally imitate his life, but rather to develop his same brand of faith. As well as trusting in GOD above all things, as Jesus trusted, and also believing in all men as Jesus believed in them.
And just as Jesus ascended from the nature of man to the consciousness of the nature of GOD through the joint action of his faith and the spiritual guidance of his thought adjuster, so also men must progress from the consciousness of the human. to the realization of the divine, through your faith and through the guidance of your resident adjuster. Since the task of the thought adjuster is to strengthen the soul of the evolutionary man, so that through his faith he reaches a higher consciousness of the eternal spiritual realities.
The reason of science is based on the observable facts in time, the faith of religion is based on the spiritual program of eternity. And what knowledge and reason cannot do for us, “true faith” achieves through religious vision and personal spiritual transformation. UB 102:1.2
Belief reaches the level of faith when it motivates life and shapes the way of living; acceptance of a teaching as true is not faith, it is merely belief. A mental state reaches the levels of faith only when it effectively dominates the way of living. Faith is a living attribute of personal religious experience, belief is limiting and restricting. Faith is expansive and liberating. Belief is fixed, faith is alive.
Rather than an association of noble beliefs, faith is an exalted system that encompasses spiritual meanings, divine ideals, and supreme values. Faith is aware of GOD and servant of men.
Beliefs can become group possessions, but faith has to be personal. Theological beliefs can be suggested to a group, but faith can only arise in the heart of the individual religious person. Faith never escapes the duty to solve the problems of mortal life, since authentic spiritual faith is going to move mountains, but mountains of material problems that overwhelm men.
Faith revitalizes religion and compels man to live heroically in accordance with religious knowledge; for which his spiritual impulses are the prelude to enjoy a sublime peace. UB 101:8.2 UB 101:8.4
Through faith, the soul of man reveals itself and demonstrates its eternal and divine potential.
“A true spiritual faith” induces the mortal personality to react to certain difficult and testing situations that arise in our daily life, and it will be revealed through the following situations:
- It causes the progress of ethics and morality despite the animalistic tendencies inherent in the human being.
- It produces a sublime confidence in the goodness of GOD despite bitter disappointment or total defeat.
- Generates deep courage and confidence despite natural adversities and physical calamities.
- Exhibits an inexplicable poise and great calm despite the presence of serious illnesses and acute physical suffering.
- It maintains a supreme confidence in the final victory despite the cruelties and quality that it contemplates within the natural environment in which it operates.
- He maintains a mysterious poise and balance of personality in the face of abuse and the most flagrant injustices
- Persists in the indestructible belief of his affiliation with GOD despite all logical demonstrations to the contrary, and successfully resists all intellectual falsehoods.
- Unwaveringly adheres to the sublime belief in universal unity and divine guidance, despite the disconcerting presence of evil and sin.
- Live and succeed despite the crushing weight of the complex civilizations of modern times.
- Continue to exhibit unerring faith in the survival of the soul, despite the misleading teachings of the sciences and the persuasive delusions of a faulty philosophy.
- Contributes to the continued survival of altruism despite human selfishness, social antagonism, industrial ambitions, and political maladjustments.
- Will continue to worship GOD above all things and over any adverse situation.
Thus, an “authentic child of God by faith” will manifest such an exhibition of such extraordinary and unusual reactions in the presence of conflictive and difficult situations of human existence.
On one occasion, when speaking before his apostles about the faith that “kingdom believers” should exhibit, Jesus expressed the following: Have I not taught you all this time that your relationship with the Kingdom must be spiritual and individual and that it is entirely a matter of personal experience in the spirit, through the understanding by faith that you are children of GOD.
What else do I have to tell you? The fall of nations, the defeat of an empire, the destruction of unbelieving Jews, the end of an era, even the end of the world should not worry those who truly believe in the gospel and who have sheltered their lives under the protection of the eternal kingdom.
And since you are already aware of GOD and have already received the certainty of eternal life, nothing can be a serious concern, since you are the builders of the kingdom, the accredited citizens of the heavenly worlds, who will never bother by temporal ups and downs nor will they be disturbed by earthly cataclysms.
What importance does it have for you who believe in the gospel of the kingdom that nations fall, that an era ends, that all material things be destroyed, in view of the fact that you know that your lives are the “Gift of the Creator Son” and that his existence is eternally secure in the Father.
And having lived “earthly life by faith” and having borne the fruits of the spirit righteously through loving service to your fellow men, you can confidently contemplate the next step in the eternal career with the same “Faith of Survival.” » that has taken you through your first and earthly adventure as a SON OF GOD BY FAITH. UB 176:3.2 UB 176:3.2.
Such was the faith that Jesus lived during his “personal ministry” and preached during his “public ministry.”
Thus, “the children of GOD by faith” who achieve such a spiritual attainment are able to calmly witness the sight of the ruination of their dearest ambitions, the collapse of their longings and the destruction of their deepest hopes, for they know categorically that such catastrophes are nothing more than redirection cataclysms that mar the believer’s temporary creations of the kingdom, prior to the beginning of the possession of nobler and more enduring realities of a more sublime spiritual level of universal achievement. UB 100:2.8
And precisely what the religion of Jesus needs today; it is that type of “spiritual men and women” who dare to depend solely on the indwelling spirit of Jesus (the spirit of truth), who through a renewed “spiritual faith” will be able to correctly discern all that constitutes the sum and substance of the mission of the bestowal son “Christ Michael” here on Urantia. UB 34:5.5-6
What spiritual awakening would humanity experience if only they could see how Jesus really lived his “earthly life” depending always on his invincible “spiritual faith”!
All sincere believers can experience first-hand the true “spiritual teachings” of Jesus, so that there is in their hearts that “hunger for perfection” and they are able to appropriate the same faith that Jesus exhibited and achieve their own personal religious experience. , which will allow them to understand the spiritual meanings, the divine ideals and the supreme values knowing God.
Thus, by the time they experience such a “transformation of faith”, they will really understand the existence of “the kingdom of the Father” within their hearts and the need will arise in them to direct their thoughts and feelings, their belief and prayer towards a more conscious attitude of being willing to comply with the will of the Father to be “PERFECT AS HE IS PERFECT”.
The men and women of today have the right to enjoy physical pleasures and to satisfy human effects, as well as to benefit from their loyalty to human associations and temporal institutions, but without losing sight of the fact that these do not constitute the eternal foundations on which the immortal personality is built, since the objective of human realization must be spiritual and not material. Said spiritual realization must conquer time and transcend space to be in a position to fulfill the “supreme mandate of perfection” that GOD demands of all his mortal creatures and thus achieve the eternal destination of divine perfection and the finalist service of reaching before the presence of the Universal Father who dwells in Paradise. p.1095, 1096
The most sublime and supreme achievement that keeps THE TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD BY FAITH.
THANKS BROTHERS.
¶ References
- Light and Life Magazine (all old issues): https://aue.urantia-association.org/numeros-antiguos-del-lyv/