Christian
Churches of God
No. B10iii
The Shepherd of Hermas Part 3
(Edition 2.0 20000414-20060722-202201003)
Vision 4 Trials and Tribulation
and Vision 5 concerning the first 6 Commandments given to Hermas.
Christian
Churches of God
E-mail: secretary@ccg.org
(Copyright © 2000, 2006, 2022 Wade Cox, anor)
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The Shepherd of Hermas Part 3
VISION FOURTH
CONCERNING THE
TRIAL AND TRIBULATION THAT ARE TO COME UPON MEN
Chapter I
Twenty days after the former vision I saw another vision, brethren - a
representation of the tribulation that is to come. I was going to a country house along the
Campanian road. Now the house lay about
ten furlongs from the public road. The
district is one rarely traversed. And as
I walked alone, I prayed the Lord to complete the revelations which He had made
to me through His holy Church, that He might strengthen me and give repentance
to all His servants who were going astray, that His great and glorious name
might be glorified because He vouchsafed to show me His marvels. And while I was glorifying Him and giving Him
thanks, a voice, as it were, answered me, "Doubt not, Hermas and I began
to think with myself, and to say “What reason have I to doubt - I who have been
established by the Lord, and who has seen such glorious sights?” I advanced a
little, brethren, and lo! I see dust rising even to the heavens. I began to say
to myself, “Are cattle approaching and raising the dust?” It was about a
furlong’s distance from me. And, lo! I see the dust rising more and more, so
that I imagined that it was something sent from God. But the sun now shone out a little, and, lo!
I see a mighty beast like a whale, and out of its mouth fiery locusts
proceeded. But the size of that beast
was about a hundred feet, and it had a head like an urn. I began to weep, and
to call on the Lord to rescue me from it.
Then I remembered the word which I had heard, "Doubt not, 0
Hermas." Clothed, therefore, my brethren, with faith in the Lord, and
remembering the great things which He had taught me, I boldly faced the beast. Now that beast came on with such noise and
force, that it could itself have destroyed a City. I came near it, and the
monstrous beast stretched itself out on the ground, and showed nothing but its
tongue, and did not stir at all until I had passed by it. Now the beast had four colours on its head -
black, then fiery and bloody, then golden, and lastly white.
Chapter II
Now after I had passed by the wild beast, and had moved forward about
thirty feet, lo! a virgin meets me, adorned as if she were proceeding from the
bridal chamber, clothed entirely in white, and with white sandals, and veiled
up to her forehead, and her head was covered by a hood. And she had white
hair. I knew from my former visions that
this was the Church, and I became more joyful. She saluted me, and said, " Hail, 0 man!
" And I returned her salutation, and said, “Lady, hail!" And she
answered. and said to me, “Has nothing crossed your path?" I say, “I was
met by a beast of such a size that it could destroy peoples, but through the
power of the Lord and His great
mercy I escaped from it." "Well did you escape from it," says
she, "because you cast your care on God, and opened your heart to the
Lord, believing that you can be saved by no other than by His great and
glorious name. On this account the Lord has sent His angel, who has rule over
the beasts, and whose name is Thegri, and has shut up its mouth, so that it
cannot tear you. You have escaped from
great tribulation on account of your faith, and because you did not doubt in
the presence of such a beast. Go,
therefore, and tell the elect of the Lord His mighty deeds, and say to them
that this beast is a type of the great tribulation that is coming. If then ye prepare yourselves, and repent
with all your heart, and turn to the Lord, it will be possible for you to
escape it, if your heart be pure and spotless, and ye spend the rest of the
days of your life in serving the Lord blamelessly. Cast your cares upon the Lord, and He will
direct them. Trust the Lord, ye who
doubt, for He is all-powerful, and can turn His anger away from you, and send
scourges on the doubters. Woe to those
who hear these words, and despise them: better were it for them not to have
been born."
Chapter III
I asked her about the four colours which the beast had on his
head. And she answered, and said to me,
"Again you are inquisitive in regard to such matters." "Yea,
Lady," said I, "make known to me what they are."
"listen," said she: "the black is the world in which we dwell:
but the fiery and bloody points out that the world must perish through blood
and fire: but the golden part are you who have escaped from this world. For as gold is tested by fire, and thus
becomes useful, so are you tested who dwell in it. Those, therefore, who continue steadfast, and
are put through the fire, will be purified by means of it. For as gold casts away its dross, so also
will ye cast away all sadness and straightness, and will be made pure so as to
fit into the building of the tower. But
the white part is the age that is to come, in which the elect of God will
dwell, since those elected by God to eternal life will be spotless and
pure. Wherefore cease not speaking these
things into the ears of the saints. This
then is the type of the great tribulation that is to come. If ye wish it, it will be nothing. Remember those things which were written down
before." And saying this, she departed.
But I saw not into what place she retired. There was a noise, however, and I turned
round in alarm, thinking that that beast was coming.
*************
A Look at Vision 4 and Conclusion
This vision tells Hermas
about the tribulations that are to come and that we have to rely on our faith
and love of God to get us through. This is shown by the beast that with faith
and nothing else, the beast can be stopped. The virgin (the Church) confirms to
Hermas that with his faith he was empowered to stop the beast (see Faith (No.020)).
Chapters 1 to 3 - Vision 4
Hermas meets a beast on the
road and at first is very fearful of the beast until he remembers that God is
always with him and he will not be harmed.
The beast then becomes tame and does not hurt Hermas.
2Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Our faith in God is like that. We are overwhelmed by Satan's
temptations and it is the faith in God, and the love of God that helps us to
defeat Satan's deceptions.
Hermas then meets a virgin
in the path (that is the Church) and she tells Hermas that because of his faith
in God he was not harmed. She then tells him to tell others to prepare
themselves and repent with all their heart, and turn to God, and it will be
possible to escape Satan's deceptions. All they will need is strong faith when
the Great Tribulation takes place (Rev
17:14). If one's heart is pure in serving God, then they will not need
to fear the Great Tribulation. She also
tells Hermas "Woe to those who hear these words, and depose of them:
better were it for them not to have been born."
So also Christ said in
Matthew 26:24 and Mark 14:21.
The colours of the beast are
black, red, gold and white. These are
all mentioned in the Bible
************
VISION
FIFTH CONCERNING THE COMMANDMENTS
After I had been praying at home, and had sat down on my couch, there
entered a man of glorious aspect, dressed like a shepherd, with a white goat’s
skin, a wallet on his shoulders, and a rod in his hand, and saluted me. I
returned his salutation. And straightway
he sat down beside me, and said to
me, "I have been sent by a most venerable angel to dwell with you the
remaining days of your life." And I thought that he had come to tempt me,
and I said to him, “Who are you? For I
know him to whom I have been entrusted.” He said to me, "Do you not know
me?" "No," said I. "I," said he, "am that
shepherd to whom you have been entrusted." And while he yet spake, his
figure was changed; and then I knew that it was he to whom I had been entrusted. And
straightway I became confused, and fear took hold of me, and I was overpowered
with deep sorrow that I had answered him so wickedly and foolishly. But he answered, and said to me, "Do not
be confounded, but receive strength from the commandments which I am going to
give you. For I have been sent,"
said he, "to show you again all the things which you saw before,
especially those of them which are useful to you. First of all, then, write down my
commandments and similitudes, and you will write the other things as I shall
show you. For this purpose," said
he, “I command you to write down the commandments and similitudes first, that
you may read them easily, and be able to keep them." Accordingly I wrote down the commandments and
similitudes, exactly as he had ordered me.
If then, when you have heard these, ye keep them and walk in them, and
practise them with pure minds, you will receive from the Lord all that He has
promised to you. But if, after you have
heard them, ye do not repent, but continue to add to your sins, then shall ye
receive from the Lord the opposite things.
All these words did the shepherd, even the angel of repentance, command
me to write.
************
A Look at Vision 5
In vision 5 the Shepherd is
sent to Hermas to dwell with him the remaining days of his life; to show him
again the things that the old woman had shown him; also to give him
commandments and similitudes to write down and keep. If Hermas kept the
commandments and similitudes by walking in them and practising them with a pure
mind, then Hermas would receive from God all that was promised. The same is
true for the elect of God. By living God's commandments and having a pure
heart, we are promised many things from God.
****************
BOOK SECOND - COMMANDMENTS
C0MMANDMENT
FIRST ON FAITH IN GOD
First
of all, believe I that there is one God who created and finished all things,
and made all things out of nothing. He
alone is able to contain the whole, but Himself cannot be contained. Have faith
therefore in Him, and fear Him; and fearing Him, exercise self-control. Keep
these commands, and you will cast away from you all wickedness, and put on the
strength of righteousness, and live to God, if you keep this commandment.
**********
First
Commandment: On Faith in God
Exodus 20:2-6 "I am the LORD your
God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3"You shall have no other gods before me. 4"You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any
likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth; 5you shall not
bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the
fourth generation of those who hate me,6but showing
steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
(RSV)
Hermas is told that there is
One God that cannot be contained; that God created and finished all things.
**********
COMMANDMENT SECOND
ON AVOIDING EVIL-SPEAKING, AND
ON GIVING ALMS IN SIMPLICITY
He said to me, "Be simple and guileless, and you will be as the
children who know not the wickedness that ruins the life of men. First, then, speak evil of no one, nor listen
with pleasure to anyone who speaks evil of another. But if you listen, you will partake of the
sin of him who speaks evil, if you believe the slander which you hear; for
believing it, you will also have something to say against your brother. Thus, then, will you be guilty of the sin of
him who slanders. For slander is evil
and an unsteady demon. It never abides
in peace, but always remains in discord.
Keep yourself from it, and you will always be at peace with all. Put on a holiness in which there is no wicked
cause of offence, but all deeds that are equable and joyful. Practise goodness; and from the rewards of
your labours, which God gives you, give to all the needy in simplicity, not
hesitating as to whom you are to give or not to give. Give to all, for God wishes His gifts to be
shared amongst all. They who receive,
will render an account to God why and for what they have received. For the afflicted who receive will not be
condemned, but they who receive on false pretences will suffer punishment. He, then, who gives is guiltless. For as he received from the Lord, so has he
accomplished his service in simplicity, not hesitating as to whom he should
give and to whom he should not give. This
service, then, if accomplished in simplicity, is glorious with God. He, therefore, who thus ministers in
simplicity, will live to God. Keep therefore these commandments, as I have
given them to you, that your repentance and the repentance of your house may be
found in simplicity, and your heart may be pure and stainless."
**********
Second Commandment: Avoiding evil-speaking, giving
alms in simplicity
God wishes us to speak no evil of anyone, nor listen to one who speaks
evil. God does not want us to gossip about or listen to gossip of others.
Leviticus 19:16 You shall not go up and down
as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand forth against the
life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. (RSV)
Proverbs 26:21-22 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. 22The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.(RSV)
*********
COMMANDMENT THIRD ON AVOIDING FALSEHOOD, AND ON THE REPENTANCE OF HERMAS FOR HIS
DISSIMULATION
Again he said to me, “Love the truth, and let nothing but truth proceed
from your mouth, that the spirit which God has placed in your flesh may be
found truthful before all men; and the Lord, who dwelleth in you, will be
glorified, because the Lord is truthful in every word, and in Him is no
falsehood. They therefore who lie deny
the Lord, and rob Him, not giving back to Him the deposit which they have
received. For they received from Him a
spirit free from falsehoods If they give him back this spirit untruthful, they
pollute the commandment of the Lord, and become robbers." On hearing these
words, I wept most violently. When he
saw me weeping, he said to me, "Why do you weep?" And I said,
"Because, Sir, I know not if I can be saved." "Why?" said
he. And I said, "Because, Sir, I never spake a true word in my life, but
have ever spoken cunningly to all, and have affirmed a lie for the truth to
all; and no one ever contradicted me, but credit was given to my word. How then can I live, since I have acted thus?" And he said to me,
“Your
feelings are indeed right and sound, for you ought as a servant of God to have
walked in truth, and not to have joined an evil conscience with the spirit of
truth, nor to have caused sadness to the holy and true Spirit." And I said to him, "Never, Sir, did I
listen to these words with so much attention." And he said to me,
"Now you hear them, and keep them, that even the falsehoods which you
formerly told in your transactions may come to be believed through the
truthfulness of your present statements.
For even they can become worthy of credit. If you keep these precepts, and from this
time forward you speak nothing but the truth it will be possible for you to
obtain life. And whosoever shall hear
this commandment, and depart from that great wickedness falsehood, shall live
to God."
************
Third Commandment: Avoiding falsehood and Repentance
Exodus
20:17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your
neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass,
or anything that is your neighbor's." (RSV)
Avoid falsehood, and Respect of Persons
(No. 221); (Rev.
2:6). Repentance is the saving
grace.
God does not lie (Num. 23:19). The ordinances of the
Lord are true (Psa. 19:9). There are those that are not speaking the
truth of God (Ps. 73:9).
The most important passage of this commandment is that
God gives us the Holy Spirit, free from falsehood. But if we lie and deny God,
the Spirit is returned to God. With baptism we receive the Holy Spirit and from
that time on we speak the truth and salvation will be given.
**********
COMMANDMENT FOURTH ON PUTTING ONE'S WIFE AWAY FOR
ADULTERY
Chapter I
“I charge you," said he, "to guard your chastity, and let no
thought enter your heart of another man's wife, or of fornication, or of
similar iniquities; for by doing this you commit a great sin. But if you always remember your own wife, you
will never sin. For if this thought
enter your heart, then you will sin; and if, in like manner, you think other
wicked thoughts, you commit sin. For
this thought is great sin in a servant of God.
But if any one commit this wicked deed, he works death for himself. Attend, therefore, and refrain from this
thought; for where purity dwells, there iniquity ought not to enter the heart
of a righteous man." I said to him, "Sir, permit me to ask you a few
questions." "Say on,"
said he. And I said to him, "Sir,
if anyone has a wife who trusts in the Lord, and if he detect her in adultery,
does the man sin if he continue to live with her?" And he said to me, “As
long as he remains ignorant of her sin, the husband commits no transgression in
living with her. But if the husband know
that his wife has gone astray, and if the woman does not repent, but persists
in her fornication, and yet the husband continues to live with her, he also is
guilty of her crime, and a sharer in her adultery." And I said to him,
"What then, Sir, is the husband to do, if his wife continue in her vicious
practices? "And he said, "The
husband should put her away, and remain by himself. But if he put his wife away and marry
another, he also commits adultery."
And I said to him, “What if the woman put away should repent, and wish
to return to her husband: shall she not be taken back by her husband?" And
he said to me, "Assuredly. If the
husband does not take her back, he sins, and brings a great sin upon himself;
for he ought to take back the sinner who has repented. But not frequently. For there is but one
repentance to the servants of God. In
case, therefore, that the divorced wife may repent, the husband ought not to
marry another, when his wife has been put away.
In this matter man and woman are to be treated exactly in the same
way. Moreover, adultery is committed not
only by those who pollute their flesh, but by those who imitate the heathen in
their actions. Wherefore if any one persists in such deeds, and repents not,
withdraw from him, and cease to live with him, otherwise you are a sharer in
his sin. Therefore has the injunction
been laid on you, that you should remain by yourselves, both man and woman, for
in such persons repentance can take place.
But I do not,” said he, "give opportunity for the doing of these
deeds, but that he who has sinned may sin no more. But with regard to his previous
transgressions, there is One who is able to provide a cure for it. He, indeed,
has power over all."
Chapter II
I asked him again, and said, "Since the Lord has vouchsafed to
dwell always with me, bear with me while I utter a few words; for I understand
nothing, and my heart has been hardened by my previous mode of life. Give me understanding, for I am exceedingly
dull, and I understand absolutely nothing.” And he answered and said unto me,
"I am set over repentance, and I give understanding to all who
repent. Do you not think," he said,
"that it is great wisdom to repent ? for repentance is great wisdom. For
he who has sinned understands that he acted wickedly in the sight of the Lord,
and remembers the actions he has done, and he repents, and no longer acts
wickedly, but does good munificently, and humbles and torments his soul because
he has sinned. You see, therefore, that
repentance is great wisdom.” And I said to him, “It is for this reason, sir,
that I inquire carefully into all things, especially because I am a sinner;
that I may know what works I should do, that I may live: for my sins are many
and various." And he said to me, "You shall live if you keep my
commandments and walk in them; and whosoever shall hear and keep these
commandments, shall live to God."
Chapter III
And I said to him, "I should like to continue my questions."
“Speak on," said he. And I said,
"I heard, sir, some teachers maintain that there is no other repentance
than that which takes place, when we descended into the water and received
remission of our former sins." He said to me, “That was sound doctrine which you heard ; for
that is really the case. For he who has received remission of his sins ought
not to sin any more, but to live in purity.
Since, however, you inquire diligently into all things, I will point
this also out to you, not as giving occasion for error to those who are to
believe, or have lately believed, in the Lord.
For those who have now believed, and those who are to believe, have not
repentance for their sins; but they have remission of their previous sins. For to those who have been called before
these days, the Lord has set repentance.
For the Lord, knowing the heart, and foreknowing all things, knew the
weakness of men and the manifold wiles of the devil, that he would inflict some
evil on the servants of God, and would act wickedly towards them. The Lord,
therefore, being merciful, has had mercy on the work of His hand, and has set
repentance for them; and He has entrusted to me power over this
repentance. And therefore I say to you,
that if any one is tempted by the devil, and sins after that great and holy
calling in which the Lord has called His people to everlasting life, he has
opportunity to repent but once. But if
he should sin frequently after this, and then repent, to such a man his
repentance will be of no avail; for with difficulty will he live." And I
said, “Sir, I feel that life has come back to me in listening attentively to
these commandments; for I know that I shall be saved, if in future I sin no
more." And he said, "You will be saved, you and all who keep these
commandments."
Chapter IV
And again I asked him, saying, “Sir, since you have been so patient in
listening to me, will you show me this also?" "Speak," said
he. And I said, "If a wife or
husband die, and the widower or widow marry, does he or she commit sin?"
"There is no sin in marrying
again," said he; "but if they remain unmarried, they gain greater
honour and glory with the Lord; but if they marry, they do not sin. Guard,
therefore, your chastity and purity, and you will live to God. What commandments I now give you, and what I
am to give, keep from henceforth, yea, from the very day when you were
entrusted to me, and I will dwell in your house. And your former sins will be forgiven, if you
keep my commandments. And all shall be
forgiven who keep these my commandments, and walk in this chastity."
***********
Fourth Commandment: Putting one's wife away for
adultery
Guard your chastity and purity.
Spiritually it is that one should remain pure in thoughts and deeds. Do not
pollute the Spirit with lustful or evil thoughts.
Hermas is told to let no
thought enter his heart of another man's wife, or of fornication, or of a
similar iniquity because by doing so a great sin is committed. As Christ told
the people from the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (NKJV)
Matthew 9:4 Why do you think evil in your hearts? (NKJV)
1Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality. (NKJV)
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. (NKJV)
1Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
Spiritually, we are to stay
true to God, and not let outside forces interfere with our walk with God. We are to keep a pure heart and mind so that
we may learn more of God's truth. We do this through repentance, baptism and
through chastity and purity in our relationships.
********
COMMANDMENT FIFTH: OF
SADNESS OF HEART, AND OF PATIENCE
Chapter I
“Be patient,"
said he, "and of good understanding, and you will rule over every wicked
work, and you will work all righteousness.
For if you be patient, the Holy Spirit that dwells in you will be
pure. It will not be darkened by any
evil spirit, but, dwelling in a broad region, it will rejoice and be glad; and with the vessel in which it dwells
it will serve God in gladness, having great peace within itself. But if any
outburst of anger take place, forthwith the Holy Spirit, who is tender, is
straitened, not having, a pure place, and it seeks to depart. For it is choked by the vile spirit, and
cannot attend on the Lord as he wishes, for anger pollutes him. For the Lord dwells in long-suffering, but
the devil in anger. The two spirits, then, when dwelling in the same
habitation, are at discord with each other, and are troublesome to that man in
whom they dwell. For if an exceedingly small piece of wormwood be taken and
put into a jar of honey, is not the honey entirely destroyed, and does not the
exceedingly small piece of wormwood entirely take away the sweetness of the
honey, so that it no longer affords any gratification, to its owner, but has
become bitter, and lost its use? But if
the wormwood be not put into the honey, then the honey remains sweet, and is of
use to its owner. You see, then, that patience is sweeter than honey, and
useful to God, and the Lord dwells in it. But anger is bitter and useless. Now if anger be mingled with patience, the
patience is polluted, and its prayer is not then useful to God." "I
should like, sir," said I, "to know the power of anger, that I may
guard myself against it.” And he said, "If you do not guard yourself
against it, you and your house lose all hope of salvation. Guard yourself, therefore, against it. For I am with you, and all will depart from
it who repent with their whole heart. For I will be with them, and I will save
them all. For all are justified by the
most holy angel.
Chapter II
"Hear now," said
he, "how wicked is the action of anger, and in what way it overthrows the
servants of God by its action, and turns them from righteousness. But it does not turn away those who are full
of faith, nor does it act on them, for the power of the Lord is with them. It is the thoughtless and doubting that it
turns away. For as soon as it sees such men standing steadfast, it throws
itself into their hearts, and for nothing at all the man or woman becomes
embittered on account of occurrences in their daily life, as for instance on
account of their food, or some superfluous word that has been uttered, or on
account of some friend, or some gift or debt, or some such senseless
affair. For all these things are foolish
and empty and unprofitable to the servants of God. But patience is great, and mighty, and
strong, and calm in the midst of great enlargement, joyful, rejoicing, free
from care, glorifying God at all times, having no bitterness in her, and
abiding continually meek and quiet. Now
this patience dwells with those who have complete faith. But anger is foolish, and fickle, and
senseless. Now, of folly is begotten
bitterness, and of bitterness anger, and of anger frenzy. This frenzy, the product of so many evils,
ends in great and incurable sin. For
when all these spirits dwell in one vessel in which the Holy Spirit also
dwells, the vessel cannot contain them, but overflows. The tender Spirit, then, not being accustomed
to dwell with the wicked spirit, nor with hardness, withdraws from such a man,
and seeks to dwell with meekness and peacefulness. Then, when he withdraws from the man in whom
he dwelt, the man is emptied of the righteous Spirit; and being henceforward
filled with evil spirits, he is in a state of anarchy in every action, being
dragged hither and thither by the evil spirits, and there is a complete
darkness in his mind as to everything good.
This, then, is what happens to all the angry. Wherefore do you depart from that most wicked
spirit anger, and put on patience, and resist anger and bitterness, and you
will be found in company with the purity which is loved by the Lord. Take care,
then, that you neglect not by any chance this commandment: for if you obey this
commandment, you will be able to keep all the other commandments which I am to
give you. Be strong, then, in these
commandments, and put on power, and let all put on power, as many as wish to
walk in them."
***********
Fifth Commandment: Sadness of heart, and of patience
Be patient, of good
understanding, we will rule over every wicked work, we will work all
righteousness, if we will be patient, the Holy Spirit that dwells in us will be
pure.
A person in which the Holy
Spirit dwells needs to have a pure heart. If a vile spirit and anger enter, the
Holy Spirit will not remain within that person. God's Holy Spirit leaves us
when the heart and mind are not pure. God gives us the Holy Spirit in faith to
guide us. If we pollute it with vile things, then we are not true to God and
the Spirit of God is not with us.
Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also boast in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (NRSV)
Ecclesiastes 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit. (NRSV)
Isaiah 40:31 but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (NRSV)
Galatians 6:9-10 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. (NRSV)
James 1:2-4 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (NRSV)
With patience, one is strong
and calm, rejoicing and being free from care because of his faith. When one is angry he is foolish and senseless
and unable to think clearly because they lose sight. Patience is sweeter than
honey and is useful to God and He dwells in it.
The text of the fifth
commandment is sometimes mistranslated rendering the Holy Spirit as he rather than it as the power of God (see Gender of the Holy Spirit
(No. 155)).
************
COMMANDMENT SIXTH
HOW TO RECOGNISE
THE TWO SPIRITS ATTENDANT ON EACH MAN,
AND HOW TO
DISTINGUISH THE SUGGESTIONS OF EACH ONE FROM
THOSE OF THE
OTHER
Chapter I
“I gave you," he said, “directions in
the first commandment to attend to faith, and fear, and self-restraint."
"Even so, Sir," said I. And he said, "Now I wish to show you the
powers of these, that you may know what power each possesses. For their powers are double, and have
relation alike to the righteous and the unrighteous. Trust you, therefore, the
righteous, but put no trust in the unrighteous.
For the path of righteousness is straight, but that of unrighteousness
is crooked. But walk in the straight and
even way, and mind not the crooked. For
the crooked path has no roads, but has many pathless places and
stumbling-blocks in it, and it is rough and thorny. It is injurious to those who walk
therein. But they who walk in the
straight road walk evenly without stumbling, because it is neither rough nor
thorny. You see, then, that it is better to walk in this road." "I wish
to go by this road," said I. "You will go by it," said he;
"and whoever turns to the Lord with all his heart will walk in it."
Chapter II
“Hear now," said he, "in regard to
faith. There are two angels with a man - one of righteousness, and the other of iniquity." And I said
to him, "How, Sir, am I to know the powers of these, for both angels dwell
with me?" "Hear," said he, and "understand them. The angel of righteousness is gentle and
modest, meek and peaceful. When,
therefore, he ascends into your heart, forthwith he talks to you of righteousness,
purity, chastity, contentment, and of every righteous deed and glorious
virtue. When all these ascend into your
heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with you. These are the deeds of the angel of
righteousness. Trust him, then, and his works. Look now at the works of the angel of
iniquity. First, he is wrathful, and
bitter, and foolish, and his works are evil, and ruin the servants of God. When, then, he ascends into your heart, know
him by his works." And I said to him, "How, Sir, I shall perceive
him, I do not know." "Hear and understand," said he. "When
anger comes upon you, or harshness, know that he is in you; and you will know
this to be the case also, when you are attacked by a longing after many
transactions, and the richest delicacies, and drunken revels, and divers
luxuries, and things improper, and by a hankering after women, and by
overreaching, and pride, and blustering, and by whatever is like to these. When these ascend into your heart, know that
the angel of iniquity is in you. Now
that you know his works, depart from him, and in no respect trust him, because
his deeds are evil, and unprofitable to the servants of God. These, then, are the actions of both
angels. Understand them, and trust the
angel of righteousness; but depart from the angel of iniquity, because his
instruction is bad in every deed. For though a man be most faithful and the
thought of this angel ascend into his heart, that man or woman must sin. On the other hand, be a man or woman ever so
bad, yet, if the works of the angel of righteousness ascend into his or her
heart, he or she must do something good.
You see, therefore, that it is good to follow the angel of
righteousness, but to bid farewell to the angel of iniquity.
“This commandment exhibits the deeds of
faith, that you may trust the works of the angel of righteousness, and doing
them you may live to God. But believe the works of the angel of iniquity are
hard. If you refuse to do them, you will live to God."
***************
Sixth Commandment: The two spirits attending man and
how to distinguish them
The two spirits that are within
a man are good and evil. The good spirit
is one that is with faith and fear of God and is self-restrained. (Gal
5:22) Trust the righteous. The
path of righteousness is straight; there are no obstacles to make one stumble. That
is why we are taught to walk in righteousness. The bad spirit is the
unrighteous. The path of unrighteousness is crooked and there are many
obstacles.
There are two angels regarding faith. One is righteousness and the other is iniquity. The angel or son (sun) of righteousness is Christ (Mal. 4:2) and he has the fruits of
the Spirit from God. He is gentle; he has meekness and is peaceful. When the
Holy Spirit enters into our heart there is righteousness, purity, chastity, and
contentment. Trust in all that we receive from God.
The angel of iniquity, which is Satan,
(Jn. 8:44 and Rev. 9:11) is one
that is wrathful, bitter and foolish. There are desires for riches, luxuries,
improper things, lusting for women, over-reaching, pride and blustering. There
is no trust in the angel of iniquity.
This commandment comes down
to the trust in God and one's faith. Without faith in God, a person will fall
prey to the angel of iniquity because the heart will be weak and open to
desires. But when a heart is strong with faith, then the angel of righteousness
will dwell in the heart.
Characteristics of:
Christ
Holy: Luke 1:35
Righteous: Isaiah 53:11
Just: Zechariah 9:9
Guileless: 1Peter 2:22
Sinless: 2Corinthians 5:21
Spotless: 1Peter 1:19
Innocent: Matthew 27:4
Meek : Matthew 11:29
Merciful: Hebrews 2:17
Humble: Philippians 2:8
Forgiving: Luke 23:34
Satan:
Subtle: Genesis 3:1; 2Corinthians 11:3
Slanderous: Job 1:9
Deceitful: 2Corinthians 11:14
Powerful: Ephesians 2:2
Proud, cowardly; wicked
Liar: John 1:44
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