This essay continues a sequence. Read the previous one here.
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,
— KJV, Matt 7:12
do ye even so to them:
for this is the law and the prophets.
That we do not understand does not mean it did not happen. And that it happened doesn’t mean we understand it…
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We sow “seed” through our free will, and it is brought to “harvest” (a visible, material result) through the Power of God’s perfect Laws (ref. “The Nature of God’s Laws“). Naturally, the nature of the fruit will correspond to the nature of the seed.
This is why Christ’s “Golden Rule” is so valuable.
Perfection: A Foundational Concept
Our physical brains cannot discern all the factors influencing a particular outcome, because most of these are non-material (invisible). Therefore we may interpret certain physical/material happenings as imperfect or unjust.
We must have unshakeable faith in God’s Perfection and Justice, because it simply cannot be otherwise (ref. “God’s Perfection Part 1 & Part 2“). The physical laws of nature that we obey unquestioningly every day, which are manifestations of higher spiritual laws (ref. “Letter Of The Law“), show that there is no effect without a cause, whether we know that cause or not.
We are likely to understand The Word, Creation, and our lives much better if we always base our researches on the premise that God is Perfect and unchangeable (ref. “God’s Perfection: The Basic Idea“):
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets:
— Matt 5:17-18
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you,
Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled.
Everything that He did before is perfect and every new thing that emanates from Him is perfect. The new will always align perfectly with the old.
Our earthly understanding is often too limited to see the alignment e.g. Jewish interpretations of the Torah during the time of Christ (ref “Is His Love Blind?“).
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Miracles vs Magic
But how about miracles? Is a miracle an “override” of the normal functioning of Creation? A random action? A bending-or-breaking of Divine Law?
Aren’t miracles evidence of “extra-judicial” action by the Almighty, like a human ruler issuing a decree?
Miracles are real. But we must avoid a conception of the term that is at odds with the transcendental Perfection of the Almighty and His Laws.
What constitutes “breaking the law” to us is a function of our understanding of that law.
For example, there was a time that certain people believed that airplanes are impossible, arguing that such an invention would amount to “breaking” the laws of gravity.
We now know this to be inaccurate.
To Rule Creation Is To Obey Its Laws
The laws of gravity indicate that there is a force of attraction between any two physical objects (e.g. the earth and an airplane), and this force can be calculated. Therefore if you want to overcome the force, you need to apply a greater force in the opposite direction.
In doing this in the case of the airplane we are not “breaking” the law of gravity. We are understanding it properly and adapting to it. This is obedience.
Our opinions on God’s Laws are similar to that superficial understanding of gravity. We have a limited and rigid view of the workings of Creation, leading to narrow expectations of what is possible within its normal functioning.
Our surprise at what we call “miracles” is evidence of our limited appreciation of The Word (ref. “What The Word Is“) and the Divine Laws It alludes to (ref. “The Nature of God’s Laws“).
There is also an element of anthropomorphism (ref. “God Is Neither Superman Nor Santa“): we are conversant with human productions that require constant intervention to cater to varying demands, and we apply similar considerations to the Creator and His Creation.
We shall elaborate further in the next essay.
Today’s Resolution
- We will not separate God’s Perfection from His Laws.
- We will meditate on God’s Laws as the manifestation of His Power, not as “limits” to It.
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