Episode:Jesus in Galilee—Advancing Ministry (Part 3)
The Father does not purposely afflict his children. The imperfections and handicaps of evil are inherent; the penalties of sin are inevitable; the destroying consequences of iniquity are inexorable. Man should not blame God for those afflictions which are the natural result of the life which he chooses to live; neither should man complain of those experiences which are a part of life as it is lived on this world.
Keywords: Urantia, Jesus, Affliction, Suffering, Discourse on Job
Summary by Kermit
Commentary on the Review
We commented further on strikingly new definitions of the terms evil, sin, and iniquity, noting how in common usage today the word evil connotes a far more severe violation than the unconscious or unintended transgression of divine law as given by the midwayers. Additionally, the word sin today is disappearing from the common lexicon, while the word iniquity is virtually unused and little known among the general population. This spotlights the revelators’ efforts to uphold philosophic consistency throughout the revelation with respect to their use of these words. It is our thoughts that lead us Godward and the precision of our thoughts is conditioned by our use of language. In the revelation these words are to serve as a doorway through the fact of the word to the wholeness of truth. Yet in spite of current day humanity’s general lack of precision of thought and word we have a superconscious connection to God through our encircuitment in the Holy Spirit. But the revelation is here to help spark a more conscious relationship with God.
148:5. The Purpose of Affliction
In another of the Master’s private interviews Nathaniel poses the question, “Why does the loving Father permit so many of his children to suffer so many afflictions.” We began by examining the term affliction in distinction to pain, concluding that in general pain is more episodic and affliction more wholistic.
Noting the general ignorance of many concerning the planetary history of rebellion and default, Jesus reiterates that evil alone presents a sufficient test for man’s ascension; triumphing over sin is not required. Jesus goes on to declare that his mission includes setting in order the disruption caused by the sinful and rebellious traitors to the Father’s will.
As to affliction, Jesus makes abundantly clear that the Father does not purposely visit affliction on his children. The refusal to walk in the divine way occasions much of man’s misery. In addition tribulation and pain are inherent in life on this evolutionary world. Modern man is all too prone to find others to blame for misfortune and hardship, God being a convenient “other.” The consequences of evil, sin, and iniquity are inherent in the manifestations of God’s law and do not represent the arbitrary personal punishment of the wrongdoer by God. As to the rigors of evolutionary life on this world, intelligent application would enable man to overcome much of his earthly misery. Listen to the archive for our discussion of the distinction between suffering and affliction with respect to the upper and lower domains of the hourglass analogy of the human mind.
Jesus went on to teach Nathaniel that their mission in spreading the good news of the kingdom is to help men and women solve their spiritual problems, thereby liberating, quickening, and inspiring their minds to the intelligent application mentioned above in solving their material challenges.
The Master proceeds to instruct Nathaniel in the Hebrew Scriptures wherein are contained lessons for the discerning on the reasons for suffering and affliction, as well as God’s role in supplying spiritual strength and comfort to struggling man.
Two passages in the revelation [3:5] and [86:2.1] illustrate the need for affliction in powering evolutionary progress. In light of all this, well-meaning parents would do well to carefully consider their responses to the hardships that confront their children.
148:6. The Misunderstanding of Suffering—Discourse on Job
John also asked Jesus why so many apparently innocent people experienced so many afflictions, to which Jesus responded with his discourse on Job. In this discourse Jesus challenges two pillars of their Hebrew religious beliefs, first that man’s material prosperity is a measure of his righteousness and God’s favor, and second that human suffering is invariably the punishment for sinful behavior. Notwithstanding the erroneous premise for the story and Job’s erroneous ideas of God, having found no comfort from his friends, he appeals to a God of justice and even takes refuge in a future life where mortal inequities are more justly rectified. He is thus rewarded with the comfort of salvation. Jesus goes on to explain that Job was looking for a personal God who knows man’s mortal estate and understands that the just often suffer in this life. And as with Nathaniel, Jesus declares that his mission in coming from the Father is to live his life in the flesh such that he can comfort those who must endure the sufferings of Job.
As it turns out, John’s entire afterlife was markedly changed as a result of this conversation with the Master, in that he did much in later times to cause the other apostles to change their viewpoints regarding the source, nature, and purpose of commonplace human afflictions.
Notes by Brad
- Concerning precision, the precise mind
- It's impossible to have a relationship to God without a precise mind. Use your language as well as your can.
- You need a sound foundation in the 1st of the three cosmic intuitions (the scientific consciousness) before you can have any hope of using the higher 2 cosmic intuitions properly.
- Scientific consciousness is far more expansive that advanced calculus.
- All of this machinery for precision potential is there.
- The purpose of affliction. Pause to consider the word purpose, purpose is a high word.
- And affliction is more precise than pain.
- It is a holistic word, not so popular in these materialistic "part-wise" times.
- There's affliction even on world not tainted by sin
- So. Why affliction? What is its purpose?
- Consider [3:5], the inevitabilities.
- It's the only way high forms of pleasure (happiness) can exist.
- Happiness derives from having a positive response to a negative stimulus.
- Pain and suffering are essential to progressive evolution. Anxiety is the natural estate of man [86:2.1]
- You should not want "all anxieties tranquilized" to quote an evil character in one of this author's favorite movies.
- And yet, anxiety must be abandoned. Transcend, don't repress.
- Sure, the Father does not purposely afflict. But maybe other Deity does... (mom?)
- We cannot master suffering. Those who promise it are only finding escapism. Drugs do this a lot for us.
- Transcend, don't repress
- People have a negative experience, but then suffer from it for decades.
- How can material problems be handled better? Approach them from the top-down, with spirit. From spiritualized mind.
- The Old Testament quotes here are definitely wheat separated from the chaff.
