"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and
persecute you, and shall say all manner of
evil against you falsely, for my sake." (Matthew 5:11)
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<1>His disciples were also of those who would be
persecuted for righteousness. The reason humans persecute these
people and "say all manner of
evil against [them] falsely" is because most men are in the
lower nature and do not want to go out of it. <2>That is where they
have been all their lives and also everyone had taught them that
this is the way to live. So they feel more comfortable to conform
than fight against these false teachings and power of
Maya (lower nature).
<3>That is why those who go against this rule
will be outcast, become different, and people will hate them.
<4>The
reason is that intuitively deep inside, each person longs to go to
his
higher self and
break the bondage of this world and lower nature. But it needs a
very brave person to do so. <5>When a person starts to progress in
the spiritual path, he is suddenly confronted with so much
opposition. It seems everyone is begging and trying to stop him.
However, if he refuses to listen to them to stay in his lower
nature, they will hate him.
<6>That is also one of the reasons why after a
period of time the religions become diluted by people. The teachings
of the founder (Prophet) seem very hard to follow. So a simpler
doctrine suited to their own lower natures is adopted and the truth
becomes lost by simplified dogmas. <7>That is when the religion dies
but its followers will not throw away this dead religion and instead
hold on to it until it becomes so distorted that it rots the whole
society, "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great
city [earth], which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt;..." (Rev.
11:8).
"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is
your reward in
heaven: for so
persecuted they the
prophets which were
before you." (Matthew 5:12)
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<8>This process has been repeated time after time
in the past. Yet those who are chosen should keep their "eyes
single" toward the goal and rejoice in their path of struggle,
because "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
into life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14).
"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt
have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is
thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden
under foot of men." (Matthew 5:13)
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<9>This whole universe was created so that man
might reach
Pure
Consciousness. So those who find the way and try to become
Pure
Consciousness are the ones who make this system worthwhile, not
those who stay in their lower natures and refuse to fulfill the
Darma
of this universe. That is why they are the salt of the world which
gives savour to the world.
<10>However, if these people who have reached
some progress fall back, their fall will be great. They will crash
to nothingness and become more unworthy than a man in his lower
nature. That is why they will be "good for nothing, but to be cast
out, and to be trodden under foot of men."
"Ye are the
light of the world. A
city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." (Matthew 5:14)
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<11>But those who continue their struggle and
progress further in the path to become the
light of the world will shine, and they cannot hide it.
"Neither do men
light a candle, and put
it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth
light unto all that are
in the house." (Matthew 5:15)
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<12>These people should accept their
responsibilities as the guidance to humanity and become a guiding
light
for them.
"Let your
light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father which is in
heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
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<13>Shine in the world by your great actions, but
surrender the result to the Lord. Become a
channel
for His
Divine actions and glorify Him. When people praise you for what
you did, let them know that it is He who does these great works
through you. <14>That is the way to be freed from the bondage of
karma.
<15>If a person lets Him do the great actions
through him, then the real doer is not he but He. So there will not
be a
false ego created by
the person, and then he is free from any trace of separateness from
Him and will dissolve his
ego to the Universal Ego.
He will become one with Him.
"Think not that
I am
come to destroy the law, or the
prophets:
I am not come to destroy,
but to fulfil." (Matthew 5:17)
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<16>Each prophet comes to further the
understanding of humanity by his new teachings and to clarify some
points from the old, "to fulfil."
"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till
all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5:18)
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<17>The Universal Laws (Darmas)
cannot be broken. All will understand this truth and become it,
"till all be fulfilled."
"Whoever therefore shall break one of these least
commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least
in the kingdom of
heaven: but whosoever
shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the
kingdom of
heaven." (Matthew 5:19)
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<18>Whoever tries to break these Laws will break
himself against them, and whoever follows them will reach
Pure
Consciousness, "shall be called great in the kingdom of
heaven."
"For I say unto you, That except your
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and
Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of
heaven." (Matthew 5:20)
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<19>The Pharisees and scribes used to teach, but
not follow what they taught. So to become greater than them, a
person not only should teach but also he should follow his
teachings.
<20>Also Pharisees and scribes taught the
Torah and Ten Commandments, but
Esa taught that the goal is not, not to do
sin, but is to reach such a state that no desire is left to do
sin.
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
kill; and whosoever shall kill [murder] shall be in danger of the
judgment:"
"But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with
his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and
whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the
council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of
hell fire." (Matthew 5:21-22)
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<21>The goal is not "not to murder," but to reach
such a state of consciousness that you would have complete control
over your
mind and would not become
angry without a cause, would not curse any person, nor judge ("shall
say, Thou fool").
"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there
rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee;"
"Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go
thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer
thy gift." (Matthew 5:23-24)
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<22>Reaching that state of
purification of
body,
mind, and
spirit
is necessary. So search your Soul and find the impurities within and
overcome them. After you have cleansed yourself then you might be
able to approach the Lord.
<23>You have to approach the Lord with a pure
heart and free of any guilt. With an impure soul you cannot see Him
or know Him -- only the pure in heart can see
God (verse 8). <24>This impurity also was the reason that
Adam and
Eve hid themselves from the
presence of the Lord. An impure person might try to pray or approach
Him, but he will not benefit very much.
<25>However, this should not discourage a person
to go to Him, but at the time of prayer,
sacrifice, and
meditation, a person should remember his actions and try to
correct them, so he progresses more and more toward purity. To turn
around and go to Him is a gradual, but sure, process.
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