Lesson 3 -- The Things of Men and the Things of God

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WITH THE PASSAGE of the years, individual nations or races of people develop their own brand of beliefs and practices which are peculiar to them. These have come about as a result of the many and varied racial experiences of our forebears. We have adopted almost automatically and without further forethought those beliefs and customs handed down to us from generation to generation, it being the presumption that what were right for the ancients in times past must also be right for us in the present. But are they, really?

02 There are many such beliefs and practices. Some people refrain from drinking wine and eating meat. Some wash their hands before eating while others bathe first before praying. Some kneel all the way to the altar while others nail themselves to the cross. Some do not shave their beards while others have their ears and noses pierced. These are what men require of other men. And many people slavishly adhere to such abstinences, observances, rituals and ceremonies in the belief that the performance of these age-old traditions is all that is required of them. But quite the contrary, God does not even require our observance of such traditions; rather, He has other things in mind and these others are the things that we should strive to learn (1).

03 Many people believe in offering sacrifices to God in exchange for favors. These sacrifices take the form of slain animals or other burnt offerings, even humans in certain cases — even Jesus Christ, who, many still insist, gave up his life on the cross in payment for our sins — while others choose self-inflicted pain or torture as penance for the remission of their sins. But one thing is far more acceptable to God than all these senseless offerings and sacrifices. Love — love of God and love for our fellowmen — this is much preferred (2, 3).

04 Man in his youthful exuberance decrees all kinds of laws; laws on taxation, laws against crime, laws to govern religious worship, laws on what to eat and what not to eat and when, just laws and unjust laws, significant and useless laws, wise and foolish laws. Nevertheless, these earthly laws should be followed lest we be sent to jail or worse. All things whatsoever we are required to do, we should do. But far too many consider only the letter of the law when the spirit behind the law is what should concern us more (4).

05 We should constantly review our position relating to our present beliefs and practices. We should always question the relevance and propriety of our every action. We should realize also that what is good for one person is not necessarily good for another. One man’s medicine is sometimes another man’s poison. We may follow the dictates of tradition, but we must not be remiss in the more important things in life. In all matters, therefore, we should learn to think for ourselves (5).

06 Men believe in what other men believe. Because others believe, then, it must be true, so they suppose. But the people of the world espouse so many foolish thoughts and superstitions. They so easily believe in the lies and promises of false prophets and blind leaders (6, 7). They believe in foolish doctrines premised on blind faith (8). They prefer to rely on the interpretation of others concerning God’s words when they should strive to find out the real meaning of these words for themselves. They fail to realize that they are directly accountable for all their actions such that they need to decide matters on their own.

07 We must learn to discriminate. Life provides many important lessons. All that we see that is right, we should do and what we observe to be wrong, we should not do. Though our elders and teachers may err, we should, nevertheless, do as they say we should, provided, that what they say is for the good. But we should not follow after their works if their works are evil (9).

08 In any case, these false prophets and blind leaders will themselves be judged. The greater their accountability, the harsher the judgment. Although they may laugh now, they will weep later. God is just and no one can escape His judgment (10). So will all men be judged according to their deeds.

09 The world thinks in terms of I, me and mine: what is good for me or for us only, without any thought for the sake of others. But God considers what is just, what is needful and what is best. He provides what is best for all, and not just for a few. He attends to the needs of the whole, and not to just a part of the whole. God is love and all men are His children. All, therefore, who gather in the name of love and work for the good of all are sent from God (11, 12, 13). And we shall know them by their works.

10 Many people feel mistakenly that they know almost everything, including the truth. But if this were so, then they would no longer be here on earth. In fact, they are here precisely because they really don’t know (14). They don’t know the simplest things. They don’t know about life. How can they know about death? They prefer the things of this world when they should prefer the things of heaven. They secure their places on earth by accumulating worldly treasures and waste their time in pursuit of temporary pleasures but they neglect the needs of their eternal soul (15). They do not want to die when it is only in dying that we can gain eternal life (16). No, these people are not wise; rather, they are foolish!

11 Because there are still many things we may not be able to understand even now, first, we must have faith. But faith alone is not enough. Rather, we should live our life according to our faith and according to God’s words. It won’t do for us to simply think good thoughts. It won’t do for us to simply speak good words. But we must think good thoughts, speak good words and do good deeds before we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven (17).

12 In the world, there is both good and evil. And if it were possible, man would eradicate all evil from the face of the earth. But the evil in the world is vital to the development of man. Evil teaches us what not to do and what should not be. And unless we are able to experience the effects of evil deeds, we won’t learn to prefer the good. Therefore, despite man’s vehement protests, God sends us the bad along with the good in order that we may learn from these situations and continue to progress.

13 People in the world are all too quick to judge, easy to condemn and slow to forgive. They have some strange desire to inflict suffering on others, but they don’t want to experience the same. However, what we sow is what we will reap. If we judge, so will we be judged. If we condemn others, so will we be condemned. If we forgive others their trespasses, so will God also forgive us. But God cannot forgive us if we ourselves will not forgive. Violence begets violence. And evil begets evil (18, 19).

14 Some believe that their black deeds can be kept forever hidden. They believe that they won’t have to pay for their transgressions. They insist that it is not a crime unless one gets caught and only fools get caught but the wise always manage to get away. Perhaps so, but this can only be true on earth.

15 In God’s domain, nothing is secret. There is no hiding the evil in the hearts of men. The ugliness in us will be there for all to see. There it will remain until we mend our ways and we repay in full. To God, all things are known (20). And God’s justice will not be denied.

16 First, we must change ourselves before we can see clearly to help others change themselves (21). People find it so hard to be honest with themselves. When they look at themselves, they gloss over the ugliness and prefer to tell themselves lies. They find it easier to simply look the other way rather than to institute the needed reforms because to do so would entail so much hard work. But no one can progress unless he himself exerts the necessary efforts.

17 Some people like to think that they alone know what is best, not only for themselves but also for everyone else. In order to impose their will on others, they aspire to positions of power. These people want to rule the world and everything in it. All things must be according to what they think is true, according to what they think is best and according to what they think is expedient. No one else knows more than they do. They are always right and everyone else is wrong.

18 But God has decreed that everyone have free will. Each one is given the right to live according to his own vision. No one should impose his will over another. Each one, even on his own and in spite of his mistakes, will be able to progress. Everyone is entitled to his own freedoms.

19 Many people lust for the things of this world. They love to possess things. They work themselves to death over money, power and fame. To attain these ends, they will stop at nothing, even murder. They fail to realize that the quality of life depends not in the things a man possesses, which are all extraneous to him, but in what he is or what he has made of himself. For life is in being and not in having (22).

20 As we continue in our studies, we have one great enemy we must guard against. As we look around us, we find that others are not as aware as we are regarding spiritual truths. We begin to look at others as less than we are. After a while, we, too, begin to feel that we alone know what is right and what is best. But we should never regard others as inferior because all of us are destined to become perfect. And everyone will also come to know all there is to know. Therefore, we must not fall into this trap. At all times, we should guard against spiritual pride and self-righteousness.

21 We want to share with others what we have learned in order that they, too, may be able to move forward, but they don’t want to listen. They even get mad and insist that they know just as much as anyone else. We should look back at our own past in order to see more clearly what is happening in the present. There is a time for all things. And all men will come to their own realization of truth, but in their own way and in their own time (23).

22 Real success can only be through patience and love. The way of the world is not the way of God. The things of men pertain only to the world. The things of God reign forever supreme in heaven.