We hereby continue the methodical study of "The Gospel According to Spiritism" by Allan Kardec, the third of the works of the Kardecian Pentateuch. The first edition was published in April, 1864. The answers to the questions suggested for discussion are at the end of the text below.
Questions for discussion
A. How do we recognize a true Christian?
B. What are the mountains that faith can carry?
C. Can faith assist in the process of healing?
D. How does Kardec define faith and unwavering faith?
Reading text
261. Virtue is a grace that I wish to all sincere Spiritists. However, I will tell them "Better to have little virtue with modesty than much virtue with pride". Humankind has successively lost itself due to pride; ant it will redeem itself one day through humility. (Chapter XVII, section 8, François-Nicolas-Madeleine)
262. Authority, as well as wealth, is a delegation and the one who was invested with authority or wealth shall have to account for it. Do not imagine that it was given to you just for the pleasure of giving orders nor is it, as most earthy potentates consider, a right or property. (Chapter XVII, section 9, François-Nicolas-Madeleine)
263. Anyone who is a trustee of authority whatever its extension, from the master over his servant, or the king over his people, should not forget that he must care for these souls. He shall answer for the good or bad guidelines he passes to his subordinates. Over him will fall the faults they commit, the vices to which they are drawn to because of those guidelines or bad examples. In the same way, he will reap the fruits of the care he has to lead them to good. (Chapter XVII, section 9, François-Nicolas-Madeleine)
264. The superior, who has in his heart the words of Christ, despises nobody who is submitted to him, because he knows that social differences do not prevail in the sight of God. Spiritism teaches him that, if they obey him today, maybe they have already given him orders, or may later on order him, and then he will be treated as he treated them, when he exercised authority over them. (Chapter XVII, section 9, François-Nicolas-Madeleine). (Chapter XVII, section 9, François-Nicolas-Madeleine)
265. However, if the superior has duties to perform, the subordinate has them as well. If his position will result in suffering, he will then know that with no doubt he deserved it, because previously he most probably abused of his authority and now it is his turn to feel what he made others suffer. If he is forced to support this position because he does not find a better one, Spiritism teaches him to resign, being this a way to proof his humility, necessary for his spiritual advancement. His belief guides his conduct and induces him to behave in the same manner he would like his subordinates to behave towards him, if they had the authority to do so. (Chapter XVII, section 9, François-Nicolas-Madeleine, Cardinal Morlot)
266. "Enter you in at the strait gate - Jesus said - for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because how strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it". (Matthew, Chapter VII, vv. 13:14.) (Chapter XVIII, section 3)
267. "Having someone asked Him this question: Lord, only a few shall be saved? He answered: Strive to enter by the narrow door, because I assure you that many will seek to transpose it and will not do it. Moreover, when the father of the family has entered and closed the door, and ye out, you begin to knock, saying: Father, open to us, He shall say: I do not know where you come from. Ye shall say, we ate and drank in your presence and you taught us in our public squares. He will say, I do not know where you are from, turn away from me, all you that work iniquity. Then there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets are in the Kingdom of God, and ye yourselves are expelled. Many will come from the East and West, from North and Midday, who will attend the feast in the Kingdom of God. Thus, those who are last will be the first and who are first will be the last". (Luke, Chapter XIII, vv. 23-30.) (Chapter XVIII, section 4)
268. Wide is the gate of destruction, because there are numerous evil passions and the majority go the way of evil. The gate for salvation is narrow because the man who wants to trespass it has to overcome his evil tendencies and very few submit to this with resignation. It is the complement of the maxim: "Many are called but few are chosen". (Chapter XVIII, section 5)
269. "Not all who say to me: Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only the one that obeys the will of my Father, who is in Heaven, shall enter. On that day, many will say, Lord! Lord! Have we not prophesied in thy name? Have we not in thy name cast out the demon? Have we not in thy name made many miracles? Then, I will tell them aloud: Depart from me, ye that ye work of iniquity". (Matthew, Chapter VII, vv. 21 to 23.) (Chapter XVIII, section 6)
270. At the end of the known Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "He, who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. When the rain fell, the rivers overflowed, the winds blew over the house it did not collapse, because it was built on a rock. However, the one who hears these words of mine, and doeth not practice them, is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. When the rain fell, the rivers overflowed, the winds blew whipping it, it was thrown down; great was his ruin". (Matthew, Chapter VII, vv. 24-27.) (Chapter XVIII, section 7)
Answers to the proposed questions
A. How do we recognize a true Christian?
It is by their works that we recognize the true Christians. (The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter XVIII, section 16.)
B. What are the mountains that faith can carry?
The mountains that faith carries are the difficulties, the resistances, and unwillingness. The biases of routine, material interest, selfishness, blindness caused by fanaticism, pride passions are other mountains that bar the way to those who work for the progress of humanity. A strong faith grants perseverance, energy, and resources that overcome obstacles, in small and great things. (Ibid, Chapter XIX, sections 1 and 2.)
C. Can faith assist in the process of healing?
Yes, the power of faith is demonstrated, in a direct and particular manner in the magnetic action. Through it, man acts on the fluid, universal agent, modifies its qualities and gives it an irresistible impulse so to speak, being able to cause these natural healing phenomena and others, formerly considered prodigies, but which are only the effect of a natural law. (Ibid, Chapter XIX, section 5.)
D. How does Kardec define faith and unwavering faith?
From a religious point of view, faith is the belief in special dogmas, which constitute different religions. In this respect, it can be a reasoned faith or a blind faith. Blind faith examines nothing, it accepts without checking what is true and false as well, and at each step, it conflicts with evidence and reason. In excess it origins fanaticism. Supported by error, soon or later, it collapses. Only faith that is based on facts ensures the future, because it has nothing to fear from the progress of enlightenment, since what is true in the dark, so it is too at noonday.
Faith needs a base, a base that is the perfect intelligence of what we must believe in. In addition, to believe, is not just to see. It is necessary, above all, to understand. Blind faith is no longer of this century. Not admitting evidence, it leaves something of vague in the spirit, and this gives birth to doubt.
A faith based on reason, being supported on facts and logic, leaves no darkness. Only then do we believe because we are sure, and nobody is sure, if he has not understood first. This is why faith does not bend. Unwavering faith is the only one that can face reason in all times of Humanity. (Ibid, Chapter XIX, sections 6, 7 and 2.)
