LESSON 10: Religious Living

“The marks of human response to the religious impulse embrace the qualities of nobility and
grandeur. The sincere religionist is conscious of universe citizenship and is aware of making
contact with sources of superhuman power. He is thrilled and energized with the assurance of
belonging to a superior and ennobled fellowship of the sons of God. The consciousness of self-
worth has become augmented by the stimulus of the quest for the highest universe objectives—
supreme goals.

“The self has surrendered to the intriguing drive of an all-encompassing motivation which
imposes heightened self-discipline, lessens emotional conflict, and makes mortal life truly worth
living. The morbid recognition of human limitations is changed to the natural consciousness of
mortal shortcomings, associated with moral determination and spiritual aspiration to attain the
highest universe and superuniverse goals. And this intense striving for the attainment of
supermortal ideals is always characterized by increasing patience, forbearance, fortitude, and
tolerance.

“But true religion is a living love, a life of service. The religionist's detachment from much that
is purely temporal and trivial never leads to social isolation, and it should not destroy the sense
of humor. Genuine religion takes nothing away from human existence, but it does add new
meanings to all of life; it generates new types of enthusiasm, zeal, and courage. It may even
engender the spirit of the crusader, which is more than dangerous if not controlled by spiritual
insight and loyal devotion to the common place social obligations of human loyalties.

“One of the most amazing earmarks of religious living is that dynamic and sublime peace, that
peace which passes all human understanding, that cosmic poise which betokens the absence of
all doubt and turmoil. Such levels of spiritual stability are immune to disappointment. Such
religionists are like the Apostle Paul, who said: ‘I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor
depth, nor anything else shall be able to separate us from the love of God.'

“There is a sense of security, associated with the realization of triumphing glory, resident in the
consciousness of the religionist who has grasped the reality of the Supreme, and who pursues the
goal of the Ultimate.” 100:6.3

JESUS' RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE

Of Jesus it was truly said, ‘He trusted God.' As a man among men he most sublimely trusted the
Father in heaven. He trusted his Father as a little child trusts his earthly parent. His faith was
perfect but never presumptuous. No matter how cruel nature might appear to be or how
indifferent to man's welfare on earth, Jesus never faltered in his faith. He was immune to
disappointment and impervious to persecution. He was untouched by apparent failure.
He loved men as brothers, at the same time recognizing how they differed in innate
endowments and acquired qualities. ‘He went about doing good.'

Jesus was an unusually cheerful person, but he was not a blind and unreasoning optimist. His
constant word of exhortation was, ‘Be of good cheer.' He could maintain this confident attitude
because of his unswerving trust in God and his unshakable confidence in man. He was always
touchingly considerate of all men because he loved them and believed in them. Still he was
always true to his convictions and magnificently firm in his devotion to the doing of his Father's
will.

The Master was always generous. He never grew weary of saying, ‘It is more blessed to give
than to receive.' Said he, ‘Freely you have received, freely give.' And yet, with all of his
unbounded generosity, he was never wasteful or extravagant. He taught that you must believe to
receive salvation. ‘For every one who seeks shall receive.'

He was candid, but always kind. Said he, ‘If it were not so, I would have told you.' He was
frank, but always friendly. He was outspoken in his love for the sinner and in his hatred for sin.
But throughout all this amazing frankness he was unerringly fair.

Jesus was consistently cheerful, notwithstanding he sometimes drank deeply of the cup of
human sorrow. He fearlessly faced the realities of existence, yet was he filled with enthusiasm
for the gospel of the kingdom. But he controlled his enthusiasm; it never controlled him. He was
unreservedly dedicated to ‘the Father's business.' This divine enthusiasm led his unspiritual
brethren to think he was beside himself, but the onlooking universe appraised him as the model
of sanity and the pattern of supreme mortal devotion to the high standards of spiritual living. And
his controlled enthusiasm was contagious; his associates were constrained to share his divine
optimism.

This man of Galilee was not a man of sorrows; he was a soul of gladness. Always was he
saying, ‘Rejoice and be exceedingly glad.' But when duty required, he was willing to walk
courageously through the ‘valley of the shadow of death.' He was gladsome but at the same time
humble.

His courage was equaled only by his patience. When pressed to act prematurely, he would only
reply, ‘My hour has not yet come.' He was never in a hurry; his composure was sublime. But he
was often indignant at evil, intolerant of sin. He was often mightily moved to resist that which
was inimical to the welfare of his children on earth. But his indignation against sin never led to
anger at the sinner.

His courage was magnificent, but he was never foolhardy. His watchword was, ‘Fear not.' His
bravery was lofty and his courage often heroic. But his courage was linked with discretion and
controlled by reason. It was courage born of faith, not the recklessness of blind presumption. He
was truly brave but never audacious.

The Master was a pattern of reverence. The prayer of even his youth began, ‘Our Father who is
in heaven, hallowed be your name.' He was even respectful of the faulty worship of his fellows.
But this did not deter him from making attacks on religious traditions or assaulting errors of
human belief. He was reverential of true holiness, and yet he could justly appeal to his fellows,
saying, ‘Who among you convicts me of sin?'

Jesus was great because he was good, and yet he fraternized with the little children. He was
gentle and unassuming in his personal life, and yet he was the perfected man of a universe. His
associates called him Master unbidden.

Jesus was the perfectly unified human personality. And today, as in Galilee, he continues to
unify mortal experience and to co-ordinate human endeavors. He unifies life, ennobles character,
and simplifies experience. He enters the human mind to elevate, transform, and transfigure it. It
is literally true: ‘If any man has Christ Jesus within him, he is a new creature; old things are
passing away; behold, all things are becoming new.' UB 100:7.7 Acts 20:35; Matt 10:8;
John 14:2; Luke 11:10; Luke 2:49; Matt 5:12; Ps 23:4; John 2:4; Luke 12:7, 32; Luke 11:2; John
8:46; 2 Cor 5:17.