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==CHAPTER 27==

==CHAPTER 27==

Said the Master:

Said the Master:

*"If a kindhearted man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not immediately leave the ninety and nine and go out in search of the one that has gone astray? And if he is a good shepherd, will he not keep up his quest for the lost sheep until he finds it? And then, when the shepherd has found his lost sheep, he lays it over his shoulder, and going home rejoicing, calls to his friends and neighbors, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' '''I declare that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety and nine righteous persons who need no repentance'''. Even so, it is not the will of my Father in heaven that one of these little ones should go astray, much less that they should perish. In your religion God may receive repentant sinners; in the gospel of the kingdom the Father goes forth to find them even before they have seriously thought of repentance.

*"If a kindhearted man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not immediately leave the ninety and nine and go out in search of the one that has gone astray? And if he is a good shepherd, will he not keep up his quest for the lost sheep until he finds it? And then, when the shepherd has found his lost sheep, he lays it over his shoulder, and going home rejoicing, calls to his friends and neighbors, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' I declare that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety and nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Even so, it is not the will of my Father in heaven that one of these little ones should go astray, much less that they should perish. In your religion God may receive repentant sinners; in the gospel of the kingdom the Father goes forth to find them even before they have seriously thought of repentance.

   

   

*<u>"The Father in heaven loves his children, and therefore should you learn to '''love''' one another. The Father in heaven forgives you your sins; therefore should you learn to '''forgive''' one another.</u> If your brother sins against you, go to him and with tact and patience show him his fault. And do all this between you and him alone. If he will listen to you, then have you won your brother. But if your brother will not hear you, if he persists in the error of his way, go again to him, taking with you one or two mutual friends that you may thus have two or even three witnesses to confirm your testimony and establish the fact that you have dealt justly and mercifully with your offending brother. If he refuses to hear your brethren, you may tell the whole story to the congregation, and if he refuses to hear the brotherhood, let them take such action as they deem wise; let such an unruly member become an outcast from the kingdom. While you cannot pretend to sit in judgment on the souls of your fellows, and while you may not forgive sins or otherwise presume to usurp the prerogatives of the supervisors of the heavenly hosts, at the same time, it has been committed to your hands that you should maintain temporal order in the kingdom on earth. While you may not meddle with the divine decrees concerning eternal life, you shall determine the issues of conduct as they concern the temporal welfare of the brotherhood on earth. And so, in all these matters connected with the discipline of the brotherhood, whatsoever you shall decree on earth, shall be recognized in heaven. Although you cannot determine the eternal fate of the individual, you may legislate regarding the conduct of the group, for, where two or three of you agree concerning any of these things and ask of me, it shall be done for you if your petition is not inconsistent with the will of my Father in heaven. And all this is ever true, for, where two or three believers are gathered together, there am I in the midst of them."

*<u>"The Father in heaven loves his children, and therefore should you learn to '''love''' one another. The Father in heaven forgives you your sins; therefore should you learn to '''forgive''' one another.</u> If your brother sins against you, go to him and with tact and patience show him his fault. And do all this between you and him alone. If he will listen to you, then have you won your brother. But if your brother will not hear you, if he persists in the error of his way, go again to him, taking with you one or two mutual friends that you may thus have two or even three witnesses to confirm your testimony and establish the fact that you have dealt justly and mercifully with your offending brother. If he refuses to hear your brethren, you may tell the whole story to the congregation, and if he refuses to hear the brotherhood, let them take such action as they deem wise; let such an unruly member become an outcast from the kingdom. While you cannot pretend to sit in judgment on the souls of your fellows, and while you may not forgive sins or otherwise presume to usurp the prerogatives of the supervisors of the heavenly hosts, at the same time, it has been committed to your hands that you should maintain temporal order in the kingdom on earth. While you may not meddle with the divine decrees concerning eternal life, you shall determine the issues of conduct as they concern the temporal welfare of the brotherhood on earth. And so, in all these matters connected with the discipline of the brotherhood, whatsoever you shall decree on earth, shall be recognized in heaven. Although you cannot determine the eternal fate of the individual, you may legislate regarding the conduct of the group, for, where two or three of you agree concerning any of these things and ask of me, it shall be done for you if your petition is not inconsistent with the will of my Father in heaven. And all this is ever true, for, where two or three believers are gathered together, there am I in the midst of them."

Then said Jesus:

Then said Jesus:

*"Forbid him not. Do you not perceive that this gospel of the kingdom shall presently be proclaimed in all the world? How can you expect that all who will believe the gospel shall be subject to your direction? Rejoice that already our teaching has begun to manifest itself beyond the bounds of our personal influence. Do you not see, John, that those who profess to do great works in my name must eventually support our cause? They certainly will not be quick to speak evil of me. My son, in matters of this sort it would be better for you to reckon that he who is not against us is for us. In the generations to come many who are not wholly worthy will do many strange things in my name, but I will not forbid them. '''I tell you that, even when a cup of cold water is given to a thirsty soul, the Father's messengers shall ever make record of such a service of love'''."

*"Forbid him not. Do you not perceive that this gospel of the kingdom shall presently be proclaimed in all the world? How can you expect that all who will believe the gospel shall be subject to your direction? Rejoice that already our teaching has begun to manifest itself beyond the bounds of our personal influence. Do you not see, John, that those who profess to do great works in my name must eventually support our cause? They certainly will not be quick to speak evil of me. My son, in matters of this sort it would be better for you to reckon that he who is not against us is for us. In the generations to come many who are not wholly worthy will do many strange things in my name, but I will not forbid them. <u>I tell you that, even when a cup of cold water is given to a thirsty soul, the Father's messengers shall ever make record of such a '''service''' of love."</u>

   

   

   

   

    

    

====[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_159#159:4._THE_TALK_WITH_NATHANIEL The Talk with Nathaniel]====

====[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_159#159:4._THE_TALK_WITH_NATHANIEL The Talk with Nathaniel]====

    

    

Jesus went over to Abila, where Nathaniel and his associates labored.  

Jesus went over to Abila, where Nathaniel and his associates labored.  

On this night, after the usual period of questions and answers, Nathaniel asked Jesus privately:  

On this night, after the usual period of questions and answers, Nathaniel asked Jesus privately:  

*"Master, could you trust me to know the truth about the Scriptures? I observe that you teach us only a portion of the sacred writings -- the best as I view it -- and I infer that you reject the teachings of the rabbis to the effect that the words of the law are the very words of God, having been with God in heaven even before the times of Abraham and Moses. '''What is the truth about the Scriptures?"'''

*<u>"Master, could you trust me to know the truth about the '''Scriptures'''?</u> I observe that you teach us only a portion of the sacred writings -- the best as I view it -- and I infer that you reject the teachings of the rabbis to the effect that the words of the law are the very words of God, having been with God in heaven even before the times of Abraham and Moses. What is the truth about the Scriptures?"  

When Jesus heard the question of his bewildered apostle, he answered:

When Jesus heard the question of his bewildered apostle, he answered:

Nathaniel was enlightened, and shocked, by the Master's pronouncement. He long pondered this talk in the depths of his soul, but he told no man concerning this conference until after Jesus' ascension; and even then he feared to impart the full story of the Master's instruction.

Nathaniel was enlightened, and shocked, by the Master's pronouncement. He long pondered this talk in the depths of his soul, but he told no man concerning this conference until after Jesus' ascension; and even then he feared to impart the full story of the Master's instruction.

====[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_159#159:5._THE_POSITIVE_NATURE_OF_JESUS.27_RELIGION The Positive Nature of Jesus' Religion]====

====[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_159#159:5._THE_POSITIVE_NATURE_OF_JESUS.27_RELIGION The Positive Nature of Jesus' Religion]====

At Philadelphia, where James was working, Jesus taught the disciples about the positive nature of the gospel of the kingdom. When, in the course of his remarks, he intimated that some parts of the Scripture were more truth containing than others and admonished his hearers to feed their souls upon the best of the spiritual food, James interrupted the Master, asking:  

At Philadelphia, where James was working, Jesus taught the disciples about the positive nature of the gospel of the kingdom. When, in the course of his remarks, he intimated that some parts of the Scripture were more truth containing than others and admonished his hearers to feed their souls upon the best of the spiritual food, James interrupted the Master, asking:  

*“Would you be good enough, Master, to suggest to us how we may choose the better passages from the Scriptures for our personal edification?”  

*<u>“Would you be good enough, Master, to suggest to us how we may choose the better passages from the '''Scriptures''' for our personal edification?”</u>

And Jesus replied:

And Jesus replied: