The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Again in Kis
- Chapter 201 -
The Lord's hints on the twofold nature of tolerance, to test Satan and the faithful. Hints on ministry and conduct.
Say I, 'Friends, I did indeed know that this would soon happen, so that Satan may complete his work. However, the ones who fled to the heathens could also have found refuge here in Galilee, and those who cursed My name in order to save their earthly possessions would have done better to free themselves from all their worldly ties than by cursing My name to safeguard their possessions to which eternal death is attached.
2
How hard it will be for a person with many possessions to part with them one day. And how easy will he depart from the world who did not snatch up any goods from its poisonous bosom and suffered persecution for the sake of My name. The latter scorns the world and will surely not be sorry when, clearly seeing it as it is, he will be leaving this place of darkness to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
3
Behold, as the gold is proved in the fire only thereby gaining its great value, thus it must be with you who truly wish to be My disciples and followers. My Kingdom for which all of us are now working is not of this world, but of that vast, eternal, everlasting one which follows this earthly, material, short trial life.
4
Therefore, I do not give you peace for this world, but the sword, for you have to attain to the freedom of eternal life through the battle with the world and all it offers you.
5
For My Kingdom suffers force, and those who do not seize it forcibly will not enter it.
6
It is of course an easy matter, in a safely walled city and well provided for life, to stand fast as My disciples and teach virtue to the lambs, watering them with clean water. Verily, this does not take much! But quite another thing it is to tame lions, tigers and panthers, transforming them into useful animals. For this of course more cleverness, courage, strength and endurance is required than for taming sheep.
7
Wherefore you need to take this phenomenon in Sychar as you find it and join the fight, whereat I shall support you; but if you immediately allow men's blindness and evil to provoke you hands over heels into rage, straight away calling for consuming fire from heaven over such evildoers, then you can fare no other than you have done.
8
Nor can My angels be of service to you in such cases, for such service would be diametrically opposed to My eternal order.
9
If you intend to be victorious fighters for My kingdom, then prepare yourselves a sharp sword from pure truth; but this is to be fashioned from the purest and most unselfish love. Then fight courageously with such sword, not fearing those who in extreme cases can kill your body but then can harm you no more.
10
If however you must fear, then fear Him Who is a true Lord over life and death and Who can reject or accept man's soul.
11
He who loses his earthly life in a just fight for Me shall regain same to full measure in My kingdom; but he who strives to cling to his earthly life in his fight for My sake is a coward, and the victorious crown of everlasting life shall not be his. What rewards has he who fights gnats and kills flies? Verily, I say unto you, such hero is not worth the pissing on!
12
Ah, it is something quite different to, well-armored and with sword in hand, enter a herd of lions and tigers. After cutting down the herd and returning home victoriously, triumphal arches shall await him, and a great reward shall not be withheld from him for his heroic feat.
13
Return home therefore and fight as I have shown you, and you shall not forego your proper victory.
14
To what state Satan has brought this earth I verily know best, and I lack not the power to finish him off; yet My outsize love and patience will not allow it.
15
Because he who seeks to defeat his enemy only to destroy him is a cowardly fighter, for not his courage but his great fear has prompted him to rid himself of his enemy by killing him.
16
He who wants to be a real hero must not annihilate his enemy, but take the trouble to win his foe with all cleverness, patience, love and wisdom in his heart; only then he can boast of fighting a true victory over his enemy, and his greatest reward shall be the hard-won foe.