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To obey is better than sacrifice…

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Announcements Forums Sacrament – January 12th, 2020 To obey is better than sacrifice…

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  • #9954
    JoanneF
    Participant

    “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…” (I Sam. 15:22)

    The word “obey” is derived from the Greek root word meaning “to hear.” “Obey” or “obedience” is mentioned 22 times in this lesson. This idea of “hearing” ties in beautifully to last week’s lesson and Roundtable where the importance of listening to God (the still small voice) and obeying it, was discussed.
    Webster (1828) defines “obey” as “to comply with commands or instructions of a superior, or with the requirements of law.” In studying this lesson, I was especially moved by Jesus’s command to Simon — “Feed my sheep.” Jesus repeated this command 3 times because Simon just didn’t get it at first. Simon kept affirming a personal love for Jesus. Jesus addressed him as “Simon, son of Jonas” — that is, as one who was in a human or personal sense of self. When I hold a personal or human sense of myself, I am unable to love divinely or express unselfed love. What a tremendous lesson Jesus gave! This is the one command (Feed my sheep) that I need to keep uppermost in thought and obey — to love more, and to love divinely, not humanly. In Watches, Prayers, Arguments, Mrs. Eddy states: “I have time for every manifestation of love and tenderness in the abundant present.” This is the sacrament I will try daily to offer to God.

    #9955
    Florence
    Participant

    Thanks for the post and for the Lessons many reminders about obedience… Unless we are complying or practicing the rule or law we cannot say we are obeying it!

    Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
    OBEY other definitions:
    To submit to: To be submissive; to yield without murmuring.
    To yield to: To surrender
    To comply to: To fulfil; to perfect or carry into effect; to complete; to perform or execute;
    Divine Mind rightly demands man’s entire obedience, affection, and strength. No reservation is made for any lesser loyalty. Obedience to Truth gives man power and strength. Submission to error superinduces loss of power.
    SH vii: 17-20
    Ignorance of God is no longer the steppingstone to faith. The only guarantee of obedience is a right apprehension of Him whom to know aright is Life eternal.
    SH 20: 14-23
    Jesus bore our infirmities; he knew the error of mortal belief, and “with his stripes [the rejection of error] we are healed.”
    How wise to obey (practice) what Christ Jesus did….it was His stripes, the rejection of error that healed...Hence our instruction to persistently and as earnestly as possible reject the errors that tempt us in varying cloaks.We are not to accept the lies as ours and then try to use the truth to “fight” them.

    he swerved not, well knowing that to obey the divine order and trust God, saves retracing and traversing anew the path from sin to holiness.

    #9956
    Michael Pupko
    Participant

    After decades of rejecting the too-prevalent concept of an anthropomorphic god and thankfully, finally being introduced to Christian Science and the REAL GOD; the exchange between Christ Jesus and Peter mentioned from John 21 made no sense to me when I first read it. Thankfully during class instruction we were taught how to use Strong’s Concordance to understand better through the use of the original Hebrew and Greek words the Scriptures were written in (see below). This showed me that Christ Jesus and Peter were speaking on different levels of consciousness. In my arrogance I’d think; “How could Peter being with Jesus so much not understand what he was saying?” Well………. now I humbly discover a different aspect: that after all these years of CS study and participating here at the Plainfield Church, even though I have thought I was having Spiritual understanding, I’ve been very stuck in the world’s material language. So now I get it; I’m like Peter, some of us just have a more difficult time learning the true language of Spirit, regardless of good intentions and no lack of desire!
    Now my focus has become with the patient help of my practitioner and the Plainfield classes, to ‘convert’ to Spiritual receptivity and thus thinking first; because even a little bit of this now gives the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s writings so much more sense to me:)

    S&H Glossary:
    LAMB OF GOD. The spiritual idea of Love; self-im­molation; innocence and purity; sacrifice.
    SHEEP. Innocence; inoffensiveness; those who follow their leader.

    Strong’s Concordance:
    Love, lovest,(original Greek word’s used and their ‘degree’ of love)
    Phileo: to be a friend, to be fond of, having affection(personal attachment)
    Agapao: to love in a moral sense (internet def.; as God Loves)

    John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (agapao) thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love (Phileo) thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
    16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (agapao)thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love (phileo) thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
    17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (phileo) thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest (phileo) thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love (phileo) thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

    (For all the variations of the word love; love, loved, loveth, etc. there are about 13 different levels/nuances thereof.)

    #9965
    chardelle
    Moderator

    Thank you for these posts. “When I hold a personal or human sense of myself, I am unable to love divinely or express unselfed love.” I have been really thinking about this! While praying today I asked myself how am I loving. I have found the directive to Peter ( and to all of us) ….to “Feed my sheep”, to be a wonderful command. Since coming to Plainfield I have come to realize what I had been doing in supporting others was often from a human standpoint. I have much room for improvement. To me this is why the classes and these posts are so important.
    Everything explains, upholds, and guides us when studying the weekly Lessons.

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Love is the liberator.