© 2000 Ruth Kask
© 2000 Urantia Association International (IUA)
Ruth Kask, Estonia
Although the average mortal of Urantia cannot bope to attain the high perfection of character which Jesus of Nazareth acquired while sojourring in the flesh, it is altogether possible for every mortal believer to develop a strong and unified personality along the perfected lines of the Jesus personality. [UB 100:7.1]
Be you perfect even as your Heavenly Father is perfect! How long will it take to become perfect like him? The question will arise in a beginner’s mind who wishes to start his/her heavenly path. Those who have discovered their path and who believe and trust in their Heavenly Father will not ask a question like that. They know that at every moment of their lives they will become more divinely perfect. A true faith son grows every moment in this wisdom, and our next question is, what is that wisdom?
Intelligence grows out of a material existence which is illuminated by the presence of the cosmic mind. Wisdom comprises the consciousness of knowledge elevated to new levels of meaning and activated by the presence of the universe endowment of the adjutant of wisdom. [UB 180:5.3]
The true child of universe insight looks for the living Spirit of Truth in every wise saying. The God-knowing individual is constantly elevating wisdom to the living-truth levels of divine attainment; the spiritually unprogressive soul is all the while dragging the living truth down to the dead levels of wisdom and to the domain of mere exalted knowledge. [UB 180:5.4]
Christ Michael came to this world in the person of Jesus to do the will of the Heavenly Father, and we face the same task if we wish to be perfect. Yet, a question remains: How to recognize the Father’s will. To recognize the Father’s will is crucial for a truly religious man. In our reading The Urantia Book we most often come across notions like truth, beauty, and goodness, always in a combination. These are the values which are in accordance with the Father’s will. Living truth is always dynamic, and in the human mind it can exist only by virtue of experience. This means that we have to live it. Of Jesus we know that: He was truly sincere; there was nothing of the hypocrite in him. He was free from affectation; be was always so refreshingly genuine. He never stooped to pretense, and be never resorted to shamming. He lived the truth, even as he taught it. He was the truth. He was constrained to proclaim saving truth to his generation, even though such sincerity sometimes caused pain. He was unquestioningly loyal to all truth [UB 100:7.2].
To live in truth means to be sincere at every moment of your life. The first step is to be honest to yourself. Peace in your heart is what bears witness to your being in truth
Divine truth is a spirit-discerned and living reality. Truth exists only on high spiritual levels of the realization of divinity and the consciousness of communion with God. You can know the truth, and you can live the truth; you can experience the growth of truth in the soul and enjoy the liberty of its enlightenment in the mind, but you cannot imprison truth in formulas, codes, creeds, or intellectual patterns of human conduct. When you undertake the human formulation of divine truth, it speedily dies. The post-mortem salvage of imprisoned truth, even at best, can eventuate only in the realization of a peculiar form of intellectualized glorifed wisdom. Static truth is dead truth, and only dead truth can be held as a theory. Divine truth is a spirit-discerned and living reality. [UB 180:5.2]
No doubt, there continue to be people around who, while struggling forward towards spiritual perfection, are forgetful about the physical aspects of life, and vice versa.
The unique feature of the Master’s personality was not so much its perfection as its symmetry, its exquisite and balanced unification. The most effective presentation of Jesus consists in following the example of the one who said, as he gestured toward the Master standing before his accusers, “Behold the man!” [UB 100:7.1]
I have grown fond of the passage in the second section of Paper 181 in The Urantia Book where Jesus gives his personal farewell admonitions to each of his apostles. It is comforting and deeply moving to learn that they were so dissimilar. Though the apostles endeavoured to be perfect, to the best of their judgment, and in compliance with the instructions and teachings of the same teacher, they were, nonetheless, dissimilar. They were undoubtedly sincere, and they tried to live to the best of their understanding and in harmony with their individual levels of development. In spite of their close association with the Master for such a long time, their individual growth and their comprehension of truth, beauty, and goodness were very dissimilar. These farewell admonitions deserve to be taken seriously by each of us; I would be astonished if you did not find yourself like one of the apostles.
In his farewell speech Jesus left us with these simple instructions:
“If you would follow after me when I leave you, put forth your earnest efforts to live in accordance with the spirit, of my teachings and with the ideal of my life the doing of my Father’s will. This do instead of trying to imitate my natural life in the flesh as I have, perforce, been required to live it on this world.” [UB 181:1.3]
But the Master was so reasonable, so approachable. He was so practical in all his ministry, while all his plans were characterized by such sanctified common sense. He was so free from all freakish, erratic, and eccentric tendencies. He was never capricious, whimsical, or hysterical. In all his teaching and in everything he did there was always an exquisite discrimination associated with an extraordinary sense of propriety. [UB 100:7.3]
Let’s examine what it was that Jesus told some of his apostles as his final admonitions and warnings. His words to John included these:
“Once we called you and your brother sons of thunder. You started out with us strong-minded and intolerant, but you have changed much since you wanted me to call fire down upon the beads of ignorant and thougbtless unbelievers. And you must change yet more. You should become the apostle of the new commandment which I have this night given you. Dedicate your life to teaching your brethren how to love one another, even as I have loved you.” [UB 181:2.4]
As John Zebedee stood there in the upper chamber, the tears rolling down his cheeks, he looked into the Master’s jace and said: “And so I will, my Master, but how can I learn to love my brethren more?” And then answered Jesus: “You will learn to love your brethren more when you first learn to love their Father in heaven more, and after you have become truly more interested in their welfare in time and in eternity. And all such human interest is fostered by understanding sympatby, unselfish service, and unstinted forrgiveness.” [UB 181:2.5]
These words are truly beautiful, and they are as dear to us as they were to John; they shake our hearts just as much as they shook John’s, don’t they? Could there ever be a more ardent appeal of love—worded more discerningly—than this? Could anyone ever assert that he or she loves too much? That there is no way of his loving more? That he is beyond his limits? That there is absolutely no chance for his loving more, for his deepening his relationships, for his giving more, for his getting closer to God and his brothers and sisters? No. We can love more every day, in our daily living, in every act and deed, in every relationship, and at every moment.
To Simon Zelotes Jesus said: “You are a true son of Abraham, but what a time I have bad trying to make you a son of this heavenly kingdom. I love you and so do all of your brethren. I knows that you love me, Simon, and that you also love the kingdom, but you are still set on making this kingdom come according to your liking. I know full well that you will eventually grasp the spiritual nature and meaning of my gospel, and that you will do valiant work in its proclamation, but I am distressed about what may happen to you when I depart. I would rejoice to know that you would not falter; I would be made happy if I could know, that, affer I go to the Father, you would not cease to be my apostle, and that you would acceptably deport yourself as an ambassador of the heavenly kingdom.” [UB 181:2.7]
On hearing those words Simon assured Jesus of his loyalty. But Jesus went on and said these beautiful words:
“It is indeed refreshing to hear you talk like that, especially at such a time as this, but, my good friend, you still do not know what you are talking about. Not for one moment would I doubt your loyalty, your devotion; I know you would not hesitate to go forth in battle and die for me, as all these others would. I have repeatedly told you that my kingdom is not of this world, and that my disciples will not fight to effect its establishment. I have told you this many times, Simon, but you refuse to face the truth.” [UB 181:2.9]
Simon made an impatient effort to interrupt Jesus, but Jesus had more words of amiable admonition and discernment to leave with Simon:
“None of my apostles are more sincere and honest at heart than you, but not one of them will be so upset and disheartened as you, after my departure. In all of your discouragement my spirit shall abide with you, and these, your brethren, will not forsake you. Do not forget what I have taught you regarding the relation of citizenship on earth to sonship in the Father’s spiritual kingdom. Ponder well all that I have said to you about rendering to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s. Dedicate your life, Simon, to showing how acceptably mortal man may fulfill my injunction concerning the simultaneous recognition of temporal duty to civil powers and spiritual service in the brotherbood of the kingdom. If you will be taught by the Spirit of Truth, never will there be conflict between the requirements of citizenship on earth and sonship in heaven unless the temporal rulers presume to require of you the homage and worship which belong only to God. [UB 181:2.10]
And how disceming indeed were Jesus’ words to Simon considering that:
After the dispersion because of the Jerusalem persecutions, Simon went into temporary retirement. He was literally crushed. As a nationalist patriot be bad surrendered in deference to Jesus’ teachings; now all was lot. He was in despair, but in a few years be rallied his hopes and went forth to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom. [UB 139:11.10]
The teachings of Jesus were always in harmony with his personality.
The Son of Man was always a well-poised personality. Even his enemies maintained a wholesome respect for him; they even feared his presence. Jesus was unafraid. He was surcharged with divine enthusiasm, but be never became fanatical. He was emotionally active but never flighty. He was imaginative but always practical. He frankly faced the realities of life, but be was never dull or prosaic. He was courageous but never reckless; prudent but never cowardly. He was sympathetic but not sentimental; unique but not eccentric. He was pious but not sanctimonious. And be was so well-poised because be was so perfectly unified. He spoke with undoubted confidence and taught with absolute authority. [UB 100:7.4]
Jesus was very broad in his outlook. He exhorted his followers to preach the gospel to all peoples. He was free from all narrow-mindedness. His sympathetic heart embraced all mankind, even a universe.
It is wonderful to have the opportunity of learning to discern the will of the Heavenly Father through the example given in Jesus’ special personality. His example of living a human life as a son of a carpenter is marvellous. In the words of The Urantia Book, his words of personal teachings, comfort and encouragement to his closest apostles have bearing also on us because we, too, are mutually dissimilar, in spite of our being his followers and apostles.
After all, isn’t it so that each of us is desirous of attaining the acme of religious living during our earthly lives? How will my acme look? Could it be that of attaining the first psychic circle? What does it mean?
The first circle. The Adjuster cannot, ordinarily, speak directly and immediately with you until you attain the first and final circle of progressive mortal achievement. This level represents the highest possible realization of mind-Adjuster relationship in the human experience prior to the liberation of the evolving morontia soul from the habiliments of the material body. [UB 110:6.15]
While the voice of the Adjuster is ever within you, most of you will hear it seldom during a lifetime. Human beings below the third and second circles of attainment rarely bear the Adjuster’s direct voice except in moments of supreme desire, in a supreme situation, and consequent upon a supreme decision. [UB 110:7.9]
We may imagine what the Adjuster would say individually of each of us. It might be something similar to the message that was once transmitted by his Adjuster concerning one who had already reached the status of a finaliter:
Among other things, the Adjuster pleaded that be more faithfully give him his sincere co-operation, more cheerfully endure the tasks of his emplacement, more faithfully carry out the program of his arrangement, more patiently go through the trials of his selection, more persistently and cheerfully tread the path of his choosing, more humbly receive credit that may acrrue as a result of his ceaseless endeavors. [UB 110:7.10]
I guess each of us would benefit from a similar admonition. I have decided to relate to this admonition very personally. I like to think that it represents the wish of my Adjuster too; and it is my desire to be true to it.
Of Jesus it was truly said, “He trusted God.” As a man among men be most sublimely trusted the Father in heaven. He trusted his Father as a little child trusts his eartbly parent. His faith was perfect but never presumptuous. No matter how cruel nature might appear to be or how indifferent to man’s welfare on earth, Jesus never faltered in his faith. He was immune to disappointment and impervious to persecution. He was untouched by apparent failure.
He loved men as brothers, at the same time recogniring bow they differed in innate endowments and acquired qualities. “He went about doing good.”
Jesus was an unusually cheerful person, but be was not a blind and unreasoning optimist. His constant word of exbortation was, “Be of good cheer.” He could maintain this confident attitude because of his unswerving trust in God and his unshakable confidence in man. He was always touchingly considerate of all men because be loved them and believed in them. Still be was always true to his convictions and magnificently firm in his devotion to the doing of his Father’s will. [UB 100:7.7-9]
If your sincere wish is always to do the will of the Heavenly Father, in that case it is very true that you are perfect in your dealing and communicating with your fellow men in the same manner as God himself would deal with them, because the words of Jesus were, “He who has seen me bas seen the Father” [UB 157:6.13; UB 169:4.12; UB 180:3.9; UB 181:2.20]. The golden rule recommendation to us is, “love your neighbour as yourself.” Implementation of this rule will gain a dimension of perfection should we wish to love our neighbour as God loves him or her; the way Jesus did. Yes, He loved men as brothers, at the same time recognizing bows they differed in innate endowments and acquired qualities. “He went about doing good” [UB 100:7.8].
The Master was always generous. He never grew weary of saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Said he, “Freely you have received, freely give.” And yet, with all of his unbounded generosity, he was never wasteful or extravagant. He taught that you must believe to receive salvation. “For every one who seeks shall receive.”
He was candid, but always kind. Said be, “If it were not so, I would have told you.” He was frank, but always friendly. He was outspoken in his love for the sinner and in his hatred for sin. But througbout all this amazing frankesess he was unerringly fair. [UB 100:7.10-11]
I would like to quote one passage from The Urantia Book, which many of us find moving. It concerns Jesus’ words of farewell to the Alpheus twins:
“My little children, you are one of the three groups of brothers who chose to follow after me. All six of you have done well to work in peace with your own flesh and blood, but none have done better than you. Dedicate your lives to the enhancement of commonplace toil. Show all men on earth and the angels of heaven how cheerfully and courageously mortal man can, after having been called to work for a season in the special service of God, return to the labors of former days. If, for the time being, your work in the outward affairs of the kingdom should be completed, you should go back to your former labors with the new enlightenment of the experience of sonship with God and with the exalted realization that, to him who is God-knowing, there is no such thing as common labor or secular toil. To you who have worked with me, all things have become sacred, and all earthly labor has become a service even to God the Father.” [UB 181:2.19]
What a heavenly gift does that message come with! All who have recognized their sonship with God may, and are free to, dedicate every action and even the smallest aspect of their lives to God. To become conscious of this truth is the very acme of religious living; and it is so with each and every one here on this planet. And its manifestations are: perfect peace, joy, and happiness for being constantly with God and for being one with everything that exists in him. This is the way for each of us to be in him—it is as simple as that.
Jesus was the perfectly unified human personality. And today, as in Galilee, he continues to unify mortal experience and to co-ordinate human endeavors. He unifies life, ennobles character, and simplifies experience. He enters the human mind to elevate, transform, and transfigure it. It is literally true: “If any man has Christ Jesus within him, he is a new, creature; old things are passing away; behold, all things are becoming new. ” [UB 100:7.18]