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Aspects of the Higher Law – 2

Hoffman's portrait of ChristPart 110 of the Aquarian Gospel for Awakening

Adultery according to the Law

“The law forbids adultery; but in the eyes of law adultery is an overt act, the satisfaction of the sensuous self outside the marriage bonds” (Aquarian Gospel 98:1).

Jesus is going to explain that there is such a thing as adultery in the external state of marriage, because true marriage must be spiritual, not just the product of religious or civil rites. Then he will expound the nature of spiritual adultery. So he begins with the definition of adultery in the Hebrew Law.

Marriage according to the Law

“Now, marriage in the sight of law is but a promise made by man and woman, by the sanction of a priest, to live for aye in harmony and love. No priest nor officer has power from God to bind two souls in wedded love” (Aquarian Gospel 98:2,3).

This is a very serious statement. Even a religious marriage rite is but an agreement between two human beings even if a religious official is present. If we look at the ancient documents of Christianity we will find no marriage ritual. Is this why? History tells us that unmarried converts to Christianity did not marry and that those married before becoming Christians lived together in celibacy. This is the main reason for the persecution of Christianity from the beginning. The civil authorities waged intense persecution because it is true that the family is the basic unit of a society. Abolish marriage and what do you have? “The kingdom of God,” said the early Christians, but “Disintegration and destruction” said the non-Christians.

If it seems strange, and hard to believe this was the attitude of the first Christians, that is because when Christianity became a state religion it was only natural that marriage would be declared a sacrament and the civil authorities placated and assured by this new doctrine. So we view Christianity from that of a fourth-century compromise that was really a capitulation.

What is marriage and love?

“What is the marriage tie? Is it comprised in what a priest or officer may say? Is it the scroll on which the officer or priest has written the permission for the two to live in marriage bonds? Is it the promise of the two that they will love each other until death? Is love a passion that is subject to the will of man? Can man pick up his love, as he would pick up precious gems, and lay it down, or give it out to any one? Can love be bought and sold like sheep?

“Love is the power of God that binds two souls and makes them one; there is no power on earth that can dissolve the bond. The bodies may be forced apart by man or death for just a little time; but they will meet again” (Aquarian Gospel 98:4-11).

This is an extraordinarily high ideal, and unfortunately many, if not all, would pretend that their marriage conforms to these words of Jesus. But it is almost never so. I have observed through the years that men who go on and on to me about how wonderful and special their (always absent) wife is, are really married to hellish, destructive harpies. Interestingly, I have never had a woman lie to me about her husband by making such claims. In fact, they are either completely open about their character or stolidly silent. But if pressured I have no doubt many would reluctantly lie to cover up the truth about their marriage. Having said this much, I might as well go ahead and say that marriage can be the most abusive relationship a human being can enter into. Spiritual aspirants should take this to heart and never form that bond unless they are absolutely sure it will not be to their detriment. Only those who are spiritually advanced should consider marriage, and then they must be positive that their contemplated spouse is their equal in evolution. Otherwise disaster and grief will fill their life.

Marriage versus adultery

“Now, in this bond of God we find the marriage tie; all other unions are but bonds of straw, and they who live in them commit adultery. The same as they who satisfy their lust without the sanction of an officer or priest” (Aquarian Gospel 98:12, 13).

This is an awesomely terrible statement, but ignoring or defying it is an equally awesomely terrible mistake. I well remember meeting a very unbalanced woman and marveling at how she fitted the definition of a classical dingbat–trouble just waiting to happen. But one of the men who was also present married her in less than a month, telling one of the members of our monastery that he did so: “Because God told me to marry her.” Well, God proved to be a bad matchmaker, because he divorced her in six months because she was so crazy. And I expect he went on to make another match, not just made in heaven but ordained by God. Such “bonds of straw” easily catch fire and disfigure lives.

Adultery, spiritual and “legal”

“But more than this; the man or woman who indulges lustful thoughts commits adultery. Whom God has joined together man cannot part; whom man has joined together live in sin” (Aquarian Gospel 98:14, 15).

Sri Ramakrishna frequently said: “Mind is everything.” That being true, negative thoughts are a form of negative action and accrue negative karma–not as much as the external acts, but negative karma, nevertheless.

Divinely-ordained marriage–not merely formal “sacramental” marriage–is indissoluble. All other is adultery. So says Jesus.

Theft–the complete view

“Upon a table of the law, the great lawgiver wrote, Thou shalt not steal. Before the eyes of law a man to steal must take a thing that can be seen with eyes of flesh, without the knowledge or consent of him to whom the thing belongs. But, lo, I say that he who in his heart desires to possess that which is not his own, and would deprive the owner of the thing without his knowledge or consent, is in the sight of God, a thief” (Aquarian Gospel 98:16-18).

Having introduced the fact of mental karma, Jesus applied it to theft.

True value

“The things that men see not with eyes of flesh are of more worth than are the things that man can see” (Aquarian Gospel 98:19).

Anyone with a bit of spiritual awakening knows this is bedrock truth.

Defamation, a form of theft

“A man’s good name is worth a thousand mines of gold, and he who says a word or does a deed that injures or defames that name has taken what is not his own, and is a thief” (Aquarian Gospel 98:20).

This is a very severe matter, indeed, and must be carefully avoided.

Covetousness, another form of theft

“Upon a table of the law we also read: Thou shalt not covet anything. To covet is an all-consuming wish to have what is not right for one to have. And such a wish, within the spirit of the law, is theft” (Aquarian Gospel 98:21-23).

Now Jesus completes what he said just previously about theft.

Tribute is due

We all should give tribute from the depths of our hearts to Levi and Eva Dowling for giving us the real teachings of Jesus in the Aquarian Gospel, including those on these matters. Such spiritual honesty is far more rare than it should be in the field of religion. Levi Dowling proved himself worthy of “the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19).

Read the next section in the Aquarian Gospel for Yogis: Aspects of the Higher – 3

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The Aquarian Gospel—Commentary and Text

The Aquarian Gospel for Awakening—A Commentary on the Aquarian Gospel
by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke)

  1. The Mother of Jesus
  2. Prophecies of the Births of Saint John the Baptist and Jesus
  3. The Birth of Jesus
  4. Revelations in the Temple
  5. Coming of the Wise Men
  6. Herod’s Reaction
  7. Revelations in Egypt
  8. The Two Selfs
  9. Deliverance From Gods and Demons
  10. About God the Tao
  11. From India to Chaldea
  12. The Wisdom of Buddha
  13. God and Prayer
  14. The Mission of Jesus and John the Baptist
  15. Sin and the Forgiveness of Sin
  16. The Universal Law of Man’s Free Will and the Divine Will For Man
  17. Understanding Death
  18. The True Teacher
  19. The Value of Ritual
  20. The Law Behind All Laws
  21. Opening To The Truth
  22. In the Temple at the Age of Ten
  23. Revelation to the Teachers and People in the Temple
  24. Jerusalem to Nazareth
  25. Nazareth to India
  26. What is Truth?
  27. What Is Man?
  28. What is Power?
  29. Understanding
  30. Wisdom
  31. Faith
  32. Healing and Healers
  33. Conflict Over Caste
  34. The Destiny of All Men
  35. God and Man
  36. The Voice in the Heart
  37. Seeing the Unseeable
  38. To God Through Man
  39. Who Is Jesus?
  40. The Real Versus The Apparent
  41. The Brotherhood of Life
  42. God…and Man
  43. Relating To God
  44. The Worthy Host
  45. Come to the Light
  46. The Kingdom Revealed
  47. The King Revealed
  48. Perspective On Death
  49. Fire and Sword
  50. Evolution: The Path of Glory
  51. The Real Heaven
  52. Getting to the Essence
  53. New Perspective on Religion
  54. In Tibet and Ladakh
  55. Words to the Worthy
  56. The Thirty-Eighth Chapter
  57. The Origin of Evil
  58. The Silence
  59. The Source of Healing
  60. The Fivefold Gospel
  61. Homecoming
  62. In Athens
  63. The Oracle of Delphi
  64. The Real God
  65. Return to Egypt
  66. First Steps to Wisdom
  67. Strong in Will and Intent
  68. Here Comes the Ego
  69. Blessed are the Merciful
  70. Claiming Our Freedom
  71. The Great Test
  72. Comprehending Death
  73. The Christ!
  74. The Asembly of the Masters
  75. The Seven Pillars of the Aquarian Age – I
  76. The Seven Pillars of the Aquarian Age – II
  77. The Declaration of Jesus
  78. John the Baptist – I
  79. John the Baptist – II
  80. John the Baptist – III
  81. Baptism – Jesus and John
  82. Self-Examination and Temptation
  83. The First Disciples Follow Jesus
  84. Jesus’ First Sermon
  85. The King and the Kingdom
  86. Dealing With Challengers
  87. The First Miracle of Jesus
  88. Kings and Kingdoms
  89. The Temple of God
  90. What Is A Messiah?
  91. The Laws of Healing
  92. Nicodemus Finds The Kingdom
  93. The Prince of Peace
  94. Dealing With Spiritual Opposition
  95. The Opened Gate
  96. John the Baptist Speaks of the Christ
  97. John Speaks Further About Jesus
  98. The Woman at the Well
  99. The Disciples and Samaritans at the Well
  100. Jesus in Sychar
  101. More Wisdom In Samaria
  102. The Imprisonment of John the Baptist
  103. In Jerusalem
  104. The Insights of Jesus
  105. Sabbath Wisdom
  106. Prayer and Good Deeds
  107. Divine Laws and Principles for Seekers of the Divine
  108. A New Understanding of the Ten Commandments
  109. Aspects of the Higher Law – 1
  110. Aspects of the Higher Law – 2
  111. Aspects of the Higher Law – 3
  112. Aspects of the Higher Law – 4
  113. Chapter One Hundred One
  114. Chapter One Hundred Two
  115. Chapter One Hundred Three
  116. Chapter One Hundred Four
  117. Chapter One Hundred Five
  118. Chapter One Hundred Six
  119. Chapter One Hundred Seven
  120. Chapter One Hundred Eight
  121. Chapter One Hundred Nine
  122. Chapter One Hundred Ten
  123. Chapter One Hundred Eleven
  124. Chapter One Hundred Twelve
  125. Chapter One Hundred Thirteen
  126. Chapter One Hundred Fourteen
  127. Chapter One Hundred Fifteen
  128. Chapter One Hundred Sixteen
  129. Chapter One Hundred Seventeen
  130. Chapter One Hundred Eighteen
  131. Chapter One Hundred Nineteen
  132. Chapter One Hundred Twenty
  133. Chapter One Hundred Twenty One
  134. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Two
  135. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Three
  136. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Four
  137. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Five
  138. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Six
  139. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Seven
  140. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Eight
  141. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Nine
  142. Chapter One Hundred Thirty
  143. Chapter One Hundred Thirty One
  144. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Two
  145. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Three
  146. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Four
  147. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Five
  148. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Six
  149. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Seven
  150. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Eight
  151. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Nine
  152. Chapter One Hundred Forty
  153. Chapter One Hundred Forty One
  154. Chapter One Hundred Forty Two
  155. Chapter One Hundred Forty Three
  156. Chapter One Hundred Forty Four
  157. Chapter One Hundred Forty Five
  158. Chapter One Hundred Forty Six
  159. Chapter One Hundred Forty Seven
  160. Chapter One Hundred Forty Eight
  161. Chapter One Hundred Forty Nine
  162. Chapter One Hundred Fifty
  163. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-One
  164. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Two
  165. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Three
  166. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Four
  167. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Five
  168. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Six
  169. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Seven
  170. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Eight
  171. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Nine
  172. Chapter One Hundred Sixty
  173. Chapter One Hundred Sixty One
  174. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Two
  175. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Three
  176. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Four
  177. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Five
  178. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Six
  179. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Seven
  180. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Eight
  181. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Nine
  182. Chapter One Hundred Seventy
  183. Chapter One Hundred Seventy One
  184. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Two
  185. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Three
  186. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Four
  187. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Five
  188. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Six
  189. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Seven
  190. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Eight
  191. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Nine
  192. Chapter One Hundred Eighty
  193. Chapter One Hundred Eighty One
  194. Chapter One Hundred Eighty Two

The Text of the Aquarian Gospel—by Levi Dowling

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