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. What was Jesus' opinion about testimony and the courage needed for it?
B. What is the understanding of this teaching: "Whoever wants to save their life will lose it"?
C. What is the meaning of Jesus' maxims: "Seek and you shall find" and "Help yourself, heaven will help you"?
D. Explain the maxim: "Ask and it will be given to you."
Reading text
313. Every new idea inevitably encounters opposition and it is not implanted without struggle. Jesus came to proclaim a doctrine that would undermine by the base, the abuses committed by the Pharisees, scribes, and priests of his time. They immolated him, therefore, certain that by sacrificing the man, the idea would die too. However, it survived because it was true. It was exalted, because it corresponded to the designs of God, and born in a small and obscure town of Judea; it planted its banner in the same capital of the pagan world, before its fiercest enemies. (Chapter XXIII sections 12 and 13.)
314. It is worth noting that Christianity appeared when Paganism was already declining and struggled against the lights of reason. Socrates had taught a doctrine to some extent similar to that of Christ. Why did it not prevail, if it was born within one of the smartest people on Earth? It was not the time yet. Socrates sowed a land not plowed; Paganism had not yet worn out. Christ, on the contrary, received his mission at the right time. (Chapter XXIII, section 14.)
315. Winning from Paganism, the Christians, however, left their position of persecuted and became persecutors. By blood and fire, they began to plant the cross of the Lamb in both worlds. As you know, the religious wars were the cruelest ones and caused more victims in the world. Can the Christian doctrine be blamed for this? No, it cannot, because it formally condemns all violence. The responsibility does not belong, therefore, to the doctrine of Jesus, but to those who falsely interpreted it and transformed it into an instrument itself to satisfy their own passions. (Chapter XXIII, section 15.)
316. Jesus, in his profound wisdom, had the foresight of what would happen. However, these things were unavoidable, because they are intrinsic to the human nature, which does not change all of a sudden. (Chapter XXIII, section 15.)
317. At the expected time, Spiritism shall accomplish Christ's promises. However, it cannot do it without putting and end to the abuses. Like Jesus, Spiritism stumbles upon pride, selfishness, ambition, greed, blind fanaticism, which, taken to its ultimate trenches, try to bar its way, and raise obstacles and cause harassment. (Ibid, Chapter XXIII, sections 16 and 17.)
318. The time of fighting and of bloody persecutions has passed. The ones Spiritism still has to go through are all of moral order and soon they shall end. The first ones lasted for centuries. These will only last a few years, because the light, instead of coming from a single focus, now shines in all directions of this world, and open more readily to the blind.
319. "No one lights a candle to put it under a bushel; it puts it instead on the candlestick, in order to enlighten all who are in the house." (Matthew, Chapter V, v. 15.) "There is no one who, after having lit a candle, covers it with a vase, or puts it under the bed; instead, it is put on the candlestick, so that those who enter see the light, because there is nothing secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and publicly appear." (Luke, Chapter VIII, vv. 16:17.) (Chapter XXIV, sections 1 and 2.)
320. Approaching him, his disciples said, why do you speak to them through parables? Answering them, he said, it is because to you it was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, they were not given. For one who already has, more will be given and he will be in abundance; that one, however, who has not, even what he has will be taken away. I speak to you through parables, because seeing, they see not, and, hearing, they do not hear and do not understand. "(Matthew, Chapter XIII, vv. 10-15.) (Chapter XXIV, section 3.)
321. Jesus' words mean that all teaching should be proportional to the intelligence of the one who is being taught, because there are people whom a very strong light would amaze, instead of clarifying them. Everything comes in the right season. The seed, if planted out of season, shall not germinate. However, what prudence tells to remain silent, sooner or later it will be disclosed, because reaching a certain degree of development, men seek for themselves the living light. It is then that you should not put the light under a bushel, as without the light of reason, faith is faint. (Chapter XXIV, section 4.)
322. There are no absolute mysteries and Jesus is right when he says that all secrets will one day be disclosed. Everything that is hidden will be uncovered one day, and what man cannot yet understand, shall be forth unclosed within more advanced worlds, when he has already purified himself. Here on Earth, man is still in full fog. (Chapter XXIV, section 5.)
323. "And Jesus sat at the table in that man's home. Many Publicans and people of bad life arrived and sat at the table with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees noticing this said to the disciples, how does your Master eat with the Publicans and people of bad life? Having heard them, Jesus said: Those that are healthy are not the ones that need a doctor." (Matthew, Chapter IX, vv. 10-12.) (Chapter XXIV, section 11.)
Answers to the proposed questions
A. What was Jesus' opinion about testimony and the courage needed for it?
He regretted the moral cowardice of those who lack the courage to say they are Christians, but praised the courage of testimony, stating that he would acknowledge, before the Father in Heaven, the one who confessed it before men. In other words, those afraid of confessing themselves disciples of the truth are not worthy of entering the kingdom of truth. They shall lose the advantages of the faith that nourishes them, because it is a selfish faith, which they keep to themselves, hiding it so it does not harm them in this world, while those who put truth above their material interests, proclaiming it openly work for their own future and that of others. This also applies to the followers of Spiritism, because the doctrine they profess is nothing more than the development and the application of the Gospel. Therefore, Christ's words apply to them too. They sow on this Earth what they shall reap in the spiritual life. Thus, they shall reap the fruits of their courage or of their weakness. (The Gospel according to Spiritism, Chapter XXIV, sections 13 to 16.)
B. What is the understanding of this teaching: "Whoever wants to save their life will lose it"?
"Take up your cross and follow me" means to bear with courage the trials that your faith results in, since whosoever wants to save his life and property, despising the evangelical teachings, shall lose the advantages of the kingdom of heaven. Those who lose everything in this world, even their own life, for the truth to triumph, will receive in the future life the award of courage, perseverance, and self-denial of which they gave proof. However, those who sacrifice the heavenly things to earthly pleasures, God will say, "You have received your reward." (Ibid, Chapter XXIV, sections 17 to 19.)
C. What is the meaning of Jesus' maxims: "Seek and you shall find" and "Help yourself, heaven will help you"?
According to Kardec, the maxim "Seek and you shall find" is similar to this other: "Help yourself, heaven will help you." Both consecrate the principle of the labor law and, therefore, the law of progress. Progress is a consequence of work, since it puts into action the forces of intelligence. If God had exempted man from physical work, his members would have been atrophied. If He exempted man from the work of his intelligence, his Spirit would have remained in his childhood, in the state of animal instinct. That is why He made of work a requirement and said, Seek and you shall find; work and you shall produce. Thus, you shall be a son of your work; because of your work, you shall have merit and your reward shall be according to what you did. (Ibid, Chapter XXV, sections 1 to 5.)
D. Explain the maxim: "Ask and it will be given to you."
From the moral point of view, Jesus' words mean, ask for light to brighten your path and it shall be given to you. Ask for strength to resist the evil and you shall have it. Ask for the assistance of the good Spirits and they will come to keep you company, and as the Angel Tobias, they will guide you. Ask for good advice and it will never be refused. Knock at our door and it will open for you. However, ask sincerely with faith, belief, and unction. Present yourself with humility and not with arrogance, without which you will be abandoned to your own self and your falls will be the punishment of your pride. (Ibid, Chapter XXV, sections 4 and 5.)
