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Instructions from a Higher Authority.
Ken Glasziou
"The religious challenge of this age is to those far-seeing and forward-looking men and women of spiritual insight who will dare to construct a new and appealing philosophy of living out of the enlarged and exquisitely integrated modern concepts of cosmic truth, universe beauty, and divine goodness" (as found in a concentrated form in the text of The Urantia Book, see p. 43).
During his sojourn at Corinth, Jesus told a miller whom he met about "grinding the grains of truth in the mill of living experience so as to render the difficult things of divine life readily receivable by even the weak and feeble among one's fellow mortals."
He also gave this instruction, "Give the milk of truth to those who are babes in spiritual perception. In your living and loving ministry serve spiritual food in attractive form and suited to the capacity of receptivity of each of your inquirers."
Jesus instructions are about what to do rather than on how his word should be disseminated. He left that to the individual. He gave no instruction that his followers should seek to control the spreading of his word nor to dedicate their time and effort to maintaining the integrity of his teaching. That task is impossible for mankind. The teaching of truth requires adaptation to need and circumstances. Aid in achieving a balance the function of the Spirit of Truth.
John Zebedee was the self-appointed disciple who undertook the responsibility of making sure that those without "official authorization" should be prevented from teaching Jesus' word. Referring to an unauthorized teacher, Jesus told John, "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 believe the gospel shall be subject to your direction?...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." (1704)
Is it not transparent to us that sharing his meal with a hungry beggar or speaking a comforting word to a leprous Samaritan would have earned John "praise in heaven" but that his self-appointed action was totally devoid of spiritual value and actually brought a personal and powerful reprimand from Jesus himself, one who is "as God" to the universe of his creation?
And is it not also transparent that this story of John's misdemeanor found its way into the Urantia Book for a very specific purpose not requiring the intellect of an Einstein to discern.
Both the text of The Urantia Book and the instructions of Jesus contained therein make it clear that our earthly task is not simply to read the book's text for our own selfish edification. Nor is it our task defend the integrity of that text. Our given task is in providing "the milk of truth" to those who are "babes in spiritual perception"--something probably in excess of ninety five percent of Urantia's population. And that work does have real spiritual value.
Ken Glasziou
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