"Be watchful, and strengthen the things which
remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works
perfect before
God." (Rev. 3:2)
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<4>"I have not found thy works perfect before
God": The true founder of
the
Baha'i Faith was
Bab (one of the titles Bab gave to himself was
Baha'u'llah), who was martyred. His teachings were not perfect.
<5>That is the reason why later on
Baha'u'llah (one of
Bab's disciples) tried to perfect his teachings and he changed many
things. (We use the name "Baha'i
Faith" for this church because it is better known by this name.)
<6>Also because the followers of Bab went
through much persecution, they lost much of their strength. To make
the movement survive, many things were changed at the time of
Baha'u'llah
so that his followers might be able to survive in their hostile
environment.
<7>Also, because of Bab's disciple,
Baha'u'llah, these teachings spread west so that we might become
familiar with them. Otherwise they would have remained a small group
and never spread abroad as they did. <8>This all happened by
His Will as it was predicted in these verses and shown in history.
<9>What remained and the main purpose of the
coming of the
Baha'i Faith is
its universal view which should be accepted and preserved, "Be
watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to
die."
"Remember therefore how thou hast received and
heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch,
I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I
will come upon thee." (Rev. 3:3)
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<10>The
Baha'i Faith was
revealed in Persia. Islam
was the dominating religion. However, many people embraced the faith
and were slain in doing so. But later on, the followers of the
Baha'i Faith lost
their strength and changed many things in their ideology in order to
be able to live peacefully in that environment. <11>That is
the meaning of "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard,
and hold fast, and repent."
<12>Also, in the individual situation in this
level of spiritual progress, a person might again become an
escapist. That is because he can now see
God (Matthew 5:8) and His Perfect Universe, and so he might feel
His Flow should not be interfered with. But with a little help,
things can be accelerated. <13>These people forget how they
went through a great struggle to reach here. That is why it says,
"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard." So
become active and help others also.
"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have
not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in
white: for they are
worthy." (Rev. 3:4)
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<14>However, in the beginning of the movement
a very few Great Souls supported the faith and were slain in doing
so, who were worthy to walk with the Spirit (Christ)
in
white (Pure
Consciousness,
light, knowledge).
<15>Those who overcome becoming escapists are worthy to reach
Pure
Consciousness ().
"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in
white raiment; and I will
not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess
his name before my
Father, and before his
angels." (Rev. 3:5)
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<16>He who overcomes the pitfalls of this
stage will overcome all attractions of
Maya. He will overcome the material world (the five elements,
the five koshas -- sheaths). He will be spiritually purified. The
white raiment will be given to him as mentioned also in Rev.
6:11, "And
white raiment will be
given unto every one of them." "Them" refers to "the souls of them
that were slain for
The Word of
God, and for the testimony
which they held," who are the people that were slain in the
Baha'i Faith and
those who reach the fifth
chakra
but will not become escapists. They reach the sixth stage (chakra).
<17>So, these are the ones who are blessed
because they are pure in heart and will see
God (Matthew 5:8). They will be given
white garments, their names will be in the book of life, and the
Spirit (Christ) will
confess their names before the
Father and His Angels
(Rev. 3:5). They have been slain for
The Word of
God and for the testimony
(of truth) which they held (Rev. 6:9).
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches." (Rev. 3:6)
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<18>Those who have their eyes open know it is
to be true.
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