CHAPTER 86
The Master’s pure love is also in hell [1] Our prior, who have already investigated in this new short time for contemplation all corners of his being, as you shall soon hear from his mouth, fortunately, found an excuse for his problem. We, therefore, want to presently give him the opportunity to present his plea and I, therefore, say to him: best friend and brother, I see that you have spent your time well and found something. Tell us therefore what you have found. [2] The prior says: I truly have found something that could be a valid case for confession in the most favorable situation. But whether the discovery would be accepted in my favor, is another question. I do indeed have to honestly acknowledge that of all things related to this case, this point has been to me personally, especially regarding confession, the most consoling. But whether I am right in regarding this as a consolation, is yet another question. [3] The point itself is the parable of the unrighteous steward who, when one would properly consider it, acts in his position almost like a confession father towards his children. The Master praises the unrighteous steward and even says to His disciples that they also must make friends by means of unrighteous things for it to when the Master would call his steward to account, would take him into his heavenly abode. [4] Look, this is what I can state to my benefit. I also think that many of my confessors have been taken in by the Master and would find themselves in their heavenly homes. I have indeed been an unrighteous steward and have trespassed regarding the unrighteous things of the Godly word. I have acted with the immeasurable things to the disadvantage of the great Master of the house because I have converted it in the literal sense of the word into the shameful Mammon and thus it could be reckoned unto me in a high degree as being unrighteous things.
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29. THE DARK SIDE OF NATURE
RELATIVE TO HUMAN LIFE 21 February 1877 IN My last (preceding) word I defended Myself against the criticism raised by some, or actually by many people, concerning the contradictions they believe to find My visible nature, when they compare them with My everywhere proclaimed words of love, of meekness and of the promised joys. As far as was possible, I have elucidated this dark side for you, explaining also that “it could be otherwise, but it must still be as it really is.” Now I still have to carry out an important scrutiny of your own life, where man-; a person says: “Just look at human life, from birth to grave it is nothing but conflict, suffering, disappointment, with very little love, joy and other promised things, unless man knows how to procure them himself. “What else is life on this earth but a vale of tears where one – not knowing any better – is referred to religious dogmas and other revelations always speaking of another life after death, of reward and recompense for sustained suffering while letting man battle here on earth with every misfortune. Why should I bother about another world beyond, of which I actually know nothing certain and in which I am expected to believe blindly! “Since I see this world surrounding me as so miserable, who guarantees that the future world is not just as contradictory as the real one here where, instead of joys, only physical or spiritual sufferings follow each other and even what is attained with effort does not afford the enjoyment some expected!” Thus, and in a thousand other forms, I am accused of having made promises to mankind, none of which I ever intended to keep! The man who only considers what is there, visible to him, not wanting to acknowledge any spiritual life apart from his rational life, has judged rightly. For he regards in advance only that as existing which he can grasp either with his hands or with his given senses. This is the very theory of all materialists, who say the entire visible world has originated through a chance mixing together of all elements, and who even consider the mental aspirations in their own brain merely as a product of such mixtures. It goes without saying that this theory easily finds many adherents, for it does not restrict man, who can then satisfy his passions as far as criminal laws allow it, for he thinks: “After this earthly life everything comes to an end anyway; so let us “live” (according to his concepts) as well as we can!” Thus he sees the dark side of human life only in so far as material losses, illnesses, discord and disappointment of every kind follow one another. This word shall serve to reduce these accusations to an orderly level and show man, whose fault it actually is, if human life is really thus. For also among you I have often heard such complaints and read even worse ones in your thoughts. There, like lost souls who prefer only a life of pleasure, you are prepared to dedicate only a short hour here and there to the Spiritual when you have nothing else to do. Now to the point. [4] Want, need and all kinds of misery I only let come among the people when they totally have left Me, and have become partly dark and foolish idol worshippers and partly totally selfish and ungodly worldly men. Because need and want will force men to think about the causes of their misery and make them inventive and clever, and in this manner there very soon will appear sensible and wise men among a people who will open the eyes of their fellowmen and will show them the source of the general misery. Then many will leave their paralyzing laziness in order to arm themselves for the battle against the loafers who became powerful, who rule as tyrants among the nations that they have made blind and who are the actual instigators of the general misery on this Earth. Often through hard battle they will be completely conquered and expelled or at least be forced to give the nations such laws that will allow them to live in a decent way. And so happiness and wealth will then always begin among men according to the measure that they have returned to their way to the only true God.
[5] If the people would never turn away from God, they also would never fall into need and misery. [6] So if also down the line of your descendants you will always stay in and with Me in faith and action according to My teaching, you also will never have to experience misery. Also, your souls will not be made fearful and faint-hearted by diseases of the body, because the diseases of the body are always only the bitter consequences of not keeping the commandments that I have always clearly announced to the people. [4] Want, need and all kinds of misery I only let come among the people when they totally have left Me, and have become partly dark and foolish idol worshippers and partly totally selfish and ungodly worldly men. Because need and want will force men to think about the causes of their misery and make them inventive and clever, and in this manner there very soon will appear sensible and wise men among a people who will open the eyes of their fellowmen and will show them the source of the general misery. Then many will leave their paralyzing laziness in order to arm themselves for the battle against the loafers who became powerful, who rule as tyrants among the nations that they have made blind and who are the actual instigators of the general misery on this Earth. Often through hard battle they will be completely conquered and expelled or at least be forced to give the nations such laws that will allow them to live in a decent way. And so happiness and wealth will then always begin among men according to the measure that they have returned to their way to the only true God.
[5] If the people would never turn away from God, they also would never fall into need and misery. [6] So if also down the line of your descendants you will always stay in and with Me in faith and action according to My teaching, you also will never have to experience misery. Also, your souls will not be made fearful and faint-hearted by diseases of the body, because the diseases of the body are always only the bitter consequences of not keeping the commandments that I have always clearly announced to the people. "No one indeed before him (John, the Baptist) had led a life so strict - because he would eat and drink nothing for days if he felt even the slightest carnal desire in his flesh and hence was the earth's greatest penitent - without ever having sinned; I nevertheless say unto you all: a sinner who has never mended his ways, approaching Me with a love-filled heart, rates higher with Me than John! For he who says to Me: Lord, I am a sinner and not worthy of Your entering my house, is preferable to Me than to ninety-nine righteous who need no penance, praising God in their heart for not being sinners and hence better than an ever so great a sinner. I say unto you: theirs shall not be too great a reward in My kingdom!"(GGJ I. 145:9-10) Men are to become children of God, thus gods themselves "[5] For if men of this Earth want to become children of God, they must try in every way to be as perfect as the eternal and holy Father in Heaven who is in Himself the eternal truth, the eternal love and power, and all the endless good, righteous and wonderful that results from it. Therefore, it is also written in the Scripture: ‘God created man after His likeness, He made him after His image and blew His breath into him, so that he would become a living, free soul.’
[6] In this manner, men of this Earth are not simply and solely creatures of Jehovah’s almightiness, but children of His Spirit, and consequently of His love, and thus – as it is also written – gods themselves. [7] And if they are – and their completely free will that is not limited by anything clearly proves this to them – then they also are completely free lords and judges over themselves. But they only become perfect and lords who are completely equal to God, by making God’s will, that is faithfully revealed to them, as their own will by acting according to it, in which they also are completely free. [8] That is why God works only very seldom visibly among the people because already since the very beginning He has given them out of Himself the capability to slowly raise themselves, out of their own power, up to the highest level of life that is equal to God. [9] Thus, the one who, as soon as he uses his mind, begins to search for the truth and its goodness and will also act immediately according to what he has found, is already walking on the right way, and God will lighten that way for him more and more and lead him to his glory. But the one who, also by his own will, becomes lazy and who will attach himself to this world and its enticements – which are only present for the outer and perishable sense organs of the material or physical man for the test of his free will – will judge himself out of his free will and will make himself equal to death and judgment, and is consequently himself also as good as judged and dead." (90. About the destiny of men - THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN Book 20) [3] I alone know since eternity what is necessary to make from a thought out of Me a free being, and this with the fullest godly independence. Therefore, I am also the only One to know what is
necessary to entirely accomplish this supreme work. If it concerns death, judgment, human being or angel: in My eyes, all this is for the accomplishment of the main goal of My love and wisdom one and the same. Because, you know, the Eternal has always enough time for it. Surely, David said that a 1,000 years for God are hardly 1 day, but I say to you, who are now My scribe and friend: a 1,000 times a 1,000 years is for Me hardly 1 single moment. [4] Look, you are existing at this moment, and numerous times of myriads times myriads of creations like these are already finished behind us according to the natural chronology. How could you blame Me that I have allowed that you have come to birth only now during this youngest time? And further, what reproach could those make Me who I will allow to be born after eons times eons long times and eternities? [5] For I am Lord over My eternal thoughts and ideas, and I can bring them to a self-conscious life whenever I want. Because eternally I am under no law, for I am since primordial eternity the law Myself. And so, in moral matters I can issue a law that comes only from Me and which lies in My will, how and whenever I want to do this out of My love and My wisdom. [6] Who else except Me can foresee that? And who can force Me and make Me to act, except I Myself out of My eternal order? 08] Behold, you now fear to sin before Me if it’s My fatherly wish that you give Me some childlike advice, realizing that My divine, eternal wisdom never ever needs any council and I therefore also manage everything in the best way - whatever the situation may be!
09] If this is undeniably true, how is it that you have asked Me for various things and I have always granted and given you what you have asked Me for? What else is such a petition but a devout suggestion by which the petitioner tells Me in a pious manner what I should do?! 10] Does the petitioner not know that I am supremely wise most loving and good? And if he knows that, how can he ask Me for something? He must necessarily assume that I, as supreme Wisdom and Love, will surely do, without his request the very best and wise thing, at the right time 11] Consequently, what a great and evil sinner must be the one who through his request and suggestion wants to move Me to do something for him contrary to My supreme divine wisdom?" […] 20] I, as the Father, do want My loving children to advise Me as if I needed their advice, and I will also let them do things as if I needed their deeds and support. 21] For all these things I do as a Father to my children out of My great love, and I guide their advice and deeds in such a way, that I still reach My goal. 22] Therefore, you, My little daughter, must advise Me now what I should do, and I shall do only what you suggest to Me!" (HHG vol. 3, chap. 1) The necessary struggle of man
"If someone then comes upon too great an obstacle, I shall give him a light and the power to safely conquer such a stumbling-block. But every man must above all do all that is within his power." (GGJ VI, 51:13) Why sometimes the answer to prayers is delayed "[10] Believe Me: our Jehovah is since eternity the only true, good, living God and has never failed to answer the supplications of those who without doubting believed in Him, who have kept His commandments and thus also who loved Him above all and their fellowman as themselves. Even if He sometimes delayed to completely answer their supplications in order to purify their souls all the more, but He still has never failed to answer them completely and has always fulfilled them, often at a moment when those who prayed for it thought about it in the least. [11] You yourselves – I know this very well – have often prayed in your need to God that He would take away your misery, but because you previously lived in great wealth as men who were in high esteem, but have thereby manifested physical and spiritual laziness in every respect, He let you go through a serious and hard school of life for a few years, so that you would not only experience the attractiveness of the earthly life but also that you yourselves would experience its bitterness, so that from then on you would search in yourselves and come to know the real value of life and its purpose. |
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