Christian morality

We present in this issue the topic #137 from the Systematized Study of the Spiritist Doctrine, that is being presented weekly, according to the programme elaborated by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation (FEB), structured in 6 modules and 147 topics.

If the reader uses this program for a study group, we suggest that questions proposed be discussed freely before the reading of the text that follows. If you would like to study alone, we ask you to try to answer the questions at first and only then read the text that follows. The answer key can be found at the end of the lesson. 

Questions 

1. What are the virtues that, according to Kardec, summarize the moral taught by Jesus?

2. How important is for us the practice of charity, according to the teachings of Jesus?

3. The charity is not restricted to charity. What is the concept of charity in view of the higher spirits?

4. Mention some Gospel passage in which the love of neighbor and love are clearly stated by Jesus.

5. It contains the Sermon on the Mount and in which gospel it is presented in its entirety?

Text

The moral of Jesus is summed up in charity and humility 

1. In the words of Cairbar Schutel, Jesus was the greatest revolutionary who appeared in the world. Spirit incomparable in wisdom and virtue, he was chosen by God to bring the law of social reform to Earth so that they can prevail in the home, society and nations in the precepts of mutual love in full swing for the evolution of humanity. The Christian revolution, according Cairbar, "is the curse of hatred and the proclamation of love, is the flag of universal brotherhood, floating on Intelligence, under the fatherhood of God." 

2. The essential principles of Christian doctrine think clearly set out in the Gospel. For Jesus, all religion, all philosophy, in one word, consists in love. Under the gentle and sweet word of Christ, all of it imbued with a sense of nature, his doctrine is of an irresistible charm, penetrating. Saturated with tender solicitude for the weak and the downtrodden, exalt poverty and simplicity and teaches that wealth is a hindrance can prevent the flight of the soul and hold it away from the kingdom of God. The resignation, humility, instead unleash these links and facilitate the rise of the human creature to the light. 

3. The evangelical doctrine through the centuries as the ultimate expression of spirituality, the ultimate remedy for the evils land, the consolation for troubled souls on the journey of life, dotted with many tears and anguish. The Good News oozes hope it is the story of the man who prays and distressed, as it asks receives the answer of Jesus in the form of constantily relief, as a gift from God for the liberation of being. 

4. Kardec teaches that the whole morality of Jesus is all about charity and humility, that is, the two virtues contrary to selfishness and pride. Indeed, in all its teachings, the Master points to charity and humility as virtues that lead man to eternal happiness, while that does not tire of fighting the pride and selfishness.

Jesus indicates the charity as an absolute condition of future happiness 

5. With regard to charity, it is good to crimp, Jesus did not just recommend it, but put it clearly and in explicit terms as the absolute condition of future happiness, so that we conclude that being charitable and humble we are experiencing in Christianity its broadest sense, which is the practice of law of love. 

6. Charity, as we well know, is not restricted to the charity or charities, because it should cover all relationships in which we find ourselves with our fellow men, whether our lower our peers or our superiors. As explained by the higher spirits, love, as Jesus understood it, means kindness to all, indulgence for the imperfections of others, forgiveness of sins: 

• Grace all because we are all brothers and that is how our Father wants us to treat.

• indulgence to others because, as we still made too many mistakes, we also need the indulgence of others.

• Forgiveness of sins because the attitude contrary to the forgiveness does not matter to him who can not forgive. 

7. Although Jesus often resorted to use of parables, because not everyone had spiritual evolution necessary to grasp the gospel truth in all its depth, the Master has left no doubt about the necessity of charity and love your neighbor as conditions for entry of human creature called the kingdom of heaven. 

8. Remember, the purpose of this, the lessons that follow: 

• "Not all who say Lord, Lord! enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of my Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21).

• "Therefore, whoever hears my words and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, the floods flow, blowing winds that beat upon that house. But she did not collapse, because it is built on the rock." (Matthew 7:24-25).

• "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye also the same to them: it is the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12).

• "Then the King will say to those on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father! , Inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. He was naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me in prison and you came to see me." (Matthew 25:34-36).

The Sermon on the Mount contains the summary of the moral teachings of Christ 

9. We can not ultimately fail to mention the Sermon on the Mount, the evangelist Matthew recorded in Chapters 5, 6 and 7 of his Gospel, where Jesus composed, with the simplicity of true wisdom and the depth of revealed truth, a synthesis of the moral laws that govern human evolution. 

10. In the Sermon on the Mount we are faced with five main themes: 

• the spirit that must animate the children of the United

• the spirit with which they must comply with the laws and practices of Judaism

• detachment of wealth

• relations with the next

• the need to enter the Kingdom for a courageous decision that will translate into actions. 

11. Gandhi, the unforgettable Hindu leader, once said that the Sermon on the Mount is the most beautiful page of mankind, and that alone would preserve the heritage spiritual beings, even if they lost the sacred books of all religions.

Answer Key

1. What are the virtues that, according to Kardec, summarize the moral taught by Jesus? 

Kardec teaches that the whole morality of Jesus is all about charity and humility, that is, the two virtues contrary to selfishness and pride.  

2. How important is for us the practice of charity, according to the teachings of Jesus? 

Jesus did not simply recommend the practice of charity, but has clearly and in explicit terms as the absolute condition of future happiness, so that we conclude that being charitable and humble we are experiencing Christianity in its broadest sense, which is the practice the law of love. 

3. The charity is not restricted to charity. What is the concept of charity in view of the higher spirits? 

As explanation for the higher spirits, love, as Jesus understood it, means kindness to all, indulgence for the imperfections of others, forgiveness of sins. 

4. Mention some Gospel passage in which the love of neighbor and love are clearly stated by Jesus. 

Here are three known Gospel passages that explicitly deal with the above subject: 1) "Therefore, whoever hears my words and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, the floods flow, blowing winds that beat upon that house. But she did not collapse, because it is built on the rock. "(Matthew 7:24-25). 2) "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye also the same to them: it is the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12). 3) "Then the King will say to those on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father! , Inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. He was naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me in prison and you came to see me." (Matthew 25:34-36) 

5. It contains the Sermon on the Mount and in which gospel it is presented in its entirety? 

In the Sermon on the Mount, which contains a summary of the teachings of Jesus, we are faced with five main themes: the spirit that must animate the children of the kingdom, the spirit in which they must comply with the laws and practices of Judaism, the detachment of wealth, relationships with others, the need to enter the Kingdom for a courageous decision that will translate into actions. The Sermon is contained entirely in cap. 5 through 7 of Matthew's Gospel.

Bibliography: 

The Gospel According to Spiritism, Allan Kardec, chapters I e XV.

The Spirit’s Book, Allan Kardec, questions 886 a 889.

Jerusalem Bible, by Edições Paulinas.

Christianity and Spiritism, Léon Denis, pp. 37 a 46.

Points and Tales, by Irmão X, psychographed by Francisco Cândido Xavier, p. 21.

The Spirit of Christianity, Cairbar Schutel, pp. 125 a 127.

The Voice of Mount, Richard Simonetti, p. 12.

Around the Master, Vinícius, p. 229.

Light of the World, Amélia Rodrigues, psychographed by Divaldo P. Franco, p. 14.