Symmetry of Soul Tuesdays

Throughout the vicissitudes of life, as followers of Jesus’ gospel, remember always to love one another. Do not strive with men, even with unbelievers. Show mercy even to those who despitefully abuse you. Show yourselves to be loyal citizens, upright artisans, praiseworthy neighbors, devoted kinsmen, understanding parents, and sincere believers in the brotherhood of the Father’s kingdom. The reading encompassed Paper 178:1.14-2.12, p. 1931

The kingdoms of this world, being material, may often find it necessary to employ physical force in the execution of their laws and for the maintenance of order. In the kingdom of heaven true believers should not resort to the employment of physical force. The kingdom of heaven, being a spiritual brotherhood of the spirit-born sons of God, may be promulgated only by the power of the spirit. The reading encompassed Paper 178:0.1-1.13, p. 1929

As a truth-loving soul, you must not allow yourself to be deceived by those who appear to likewise believe. Many may listen to the truth and believe it superficially with their minds, but few will permit the word of truth to strike down into the heart with living roots. Those who know only in the mind, having not experienced truth in the heart, cannot be depended upon for support when real trouble comes. The reading encompassed Paper 177:3-5, p. 1923

Alone with the young man, John Mark, Jesus explained: “Love, John, is the supreme reality of the universe when bestowed by all-wise beings, but it is a dangerous and oftentimes semiselfish trait as it is manifested in the experience of mortal parents. When you get married and have children of your own to rear, make sure that your love is admonished by wisdom and guided by intelligence.” The reading encompassed Paper 177:2, p. 1921

Jesus promised to do two things after he had ascended to the Father, and after all power in heaven and on earth had been placed in his hands. He promised, first, to send into the world, and in his stead, another teacher, the Spirit of Truth; and this he did on the day of Pentecost. Second, he most certainly promised his followers that he would sometime personally return to this world. The reading encompassed Paper 176:4-177:1, p. 1918

Jesus said: “Make no mistake! your survival faith is a living faith, and it increasingly manifests the fruits of that divine spirit which first inspired it in the human heart. That you have once accepted sonship in the heavenly kingdom will not save you in the face of the knowing and persistent rejection of those truths which have to do with the progressive spiritual fruit-bearing of the sons of God in the flesh.” The reading encompassed Paper 176:3, p. 1916

Jesus said: “The times of the reappearing of the Son of Man are known only in the councils of Paradise. However, you should understand that, when this gospel of the kingdom shall have been proclaimed to all the world for the salvation of all peoples, and when the fullness of the age has come to pass, the Father will send you another dispensational bestowal, or else the Son of Man will return to adjudge the age.” The reading encompassed Paper 176:0-2, p. 1912

The fact that the spiritual leaders and the religious teachers of the Jewish nation onetime rejected the teachings of Jesus and conspired to bring about his cruel death, does not in any manner affect the status of any individual Jew in his standing before God. And it should not cause those who profess to be followers of the Christ to be prejudiced against the Jew as a fellow mortal. The reading encompassed Paper 175:2-4, p. 1909

Jesus preached, saying: “In every manner consistent with doing my Father’s will, I and my apostles have persistently sought peace; but the leaders of Israel will not have it. By rejecting the truth of God and the light of heaven, they are aligning themselves on the side of error and darkness. There cannot be peace between light and darkness, between life and death, between truth and error.” The reading encompassed Paper 175:0-1, p. 1905

Said Jesus: “If the Jews choose to reject me and to refuse my teachings, I will not sit in judgment on them, for I came not to judge the world but to offer it salvation. Nevertheless, they who reject me and refuse to receive my teaching shall be brought to judgment in due season by my Father and those whom he has appointed to sit in judgment on such as reject the gift of mercy and the truths of salvation.” The reading encompassed Paper 174:4-5, p. 1901