The Great Gospel of John
Volume 7
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord on the Mount of Olives. (cont.) Gospel of John, Chapter 8
- Chapter 140 -
The destiny of man. The purpose of the Lord's coming in the flesh.
You should however not imagine that this is very difficult to achieve. It is just the opposite - very easy. Because My yoke, that I put on your shoulders by My commandments is soft, and its burden is easy to carry. But in the days of this dark time, God's Kingdom must suffer violence, and those who want to possess it must therefore pull it to themselves with violence. Which means that it is now difficult to free oneself of all old and rusty habits that are rooted in men through the provocation and temptations of the world, thus putting off the old man completely as an old torn garment, and to put on a completely new man by My teaching.
2
However, when in later times the children are already well educated in My teaching, then they will, as men full of good and strong will, have to carry only a light yoke by My teaching.
3
My teaching as such is very short and easy to understand, because it desires of men only that he believes in one true God and to love Him above all as the good Father and Creator, and his fellowman as himself. That means, to do everything for him as he in a reasonable manner can wish that also his fellowman would do the same for him. Well, that much self-love every man will surely have, so that he will not wish that his fellowman would do something evil to him, and therefore he will also not do that to his fellowman.
4
Do not ever repay evil with evil, but rather do good to your enemies, then you will make great progress in becoming equal to God, who also lets His sun go up and lets it shine in the same way for the good and bad people. Anger and revenge should disappear from your hearts. In its place should come compassion, goodness and humility. Where this is the case, becoming equal to God is then also not far away, and that is the only goal after which all of you should strive for.
5
But, as already mentioned, right now in this time, all this is not so easy as one may think. It will cost a certain and inevitable effort from everyone. But the one who will fight courageously, for him, victory will also be sure and the reward of the conqueror will certainly not lack. However, the one who will prove to be a fainthearted coward will also receive the reward of a coward. Then there also it will sound like this: If you had fought, you would have been victorious, but because you were afraid of the fight you also cannot claim the reward of a conqueror and you only can blame yourself that you must leave the field of life like a coward without reward.
6
I believe however that no one has to fear the fight, for the reward of the conqueror is such a high one.
7
I am the One who tells you this, and I am of the opinion that for you, you need no greater prove if you believe in yourselves that I am the One. The One who you have recognized."
8
The two Romans said: "Lord, there may well be cowards, and we even know some of them, but we, who already so many times have seen death in the eye, have lost all fear for death. The one who goes to war and fears death is a bad soldier. The one however who despises death and its pain, is a true hero, will win most of the time and his reward will not leave him behind. O Lord and Master from eternity, in Your Spirit did we speak correctly or not?"
9
I said: "Completely correct, but there are many in the world who fear the death of the body a lot and therefore prefer to stick to the lie and the deceit of the world, so that only their body would be saved. They are afraid of those who kill their body but after that can do nothing anymore to the soul. But they do not fear the One who can also throw their soul into Hell or into true eternal death.
10
However, let us leave that alone now, because I did not come into this world to carry out judgment but to make everyone who believes in Me and lives according to My teaching, happy and alive. But one time there will still be many who will shout to Me: 'Lord, Lord'. But I will say into their hearts: 'Strangers, why are you shouting? I do not know you. If you knew that I am the Lord and knew My will, then why did you not act accordingly?'
11
That is why I say to all of you: it is not sufficient that one knows Me and believes that I am the Lord, but one should also do what I am teaching you. Only by the deed will men be able to become completely equal to God.
12
Acting according to My teaching will surely not be difficult for the one who has rightly recognized Me and who loves Me more than anything else in the world. Whoever loves Me in such a way, carries Me spiritually already in his heart and by that, also the accomplishment of life, thus the complete equality to God, and eternal life in all happiness.
13
Look, now I have shown you briefly how things are with Me and with you people. Whoever will act accordingly will have eternal life in him. But now for the midday meal let us say nothing more about this."