The Greatest News
A Dialogue Between Two Friends The News Everyone Should Hear
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him. Christ (Rev. 3:20)
v Have you heard of Bahá’u’lláh?
@ No, I have not.
v I believe everyone should know Him. He is one of the most significant figures in history.
@ Who is He? Why is He so significant?
v All sacred Scriptures predict the dawning of a new day and the coming of a supreme Messenger or 22 The Greatest News
Redeemer from God who will establish a glob- al civilization ruled by justice, who will make all things new: “J am making everything new” (Rev. 21:5 niv). Those Scriptures declare that the promised Messenger will come:
e To change the world without, to turn our planet into a place of peace and harmony.
e And to change the world within, to raise the human race to the loftiest levels of nobility, to manifest the hidden image of God in every soul.
Bahá’u’lláh declares to be that supreme Mes- senger or Redeemer. He claims to be “the Glory of God.” That is what “Bahá’u’lláh” means. I believe everyone should learn about the advent of such a great Teacher from God and investigate the evidence for His Mission.
Why?
For many reasons. Let me start with this state- ment from Jesus about “fruits:”
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn- bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down The News Everyone Should Hear 23
and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Christ (Matt. 7:15-20 NkJ)
Why did Jesus give us those guiding words?
• He wanted to teach us to be careful and critical. He did not want us to be gullible, to fall for every claim.
v Yes, but He also wanted to give us a standard by which we can separate a good tree from a bad tree, a flower from a weed, a true Messenger from a false messenger.
@ I agree. We should pay attention to all of Jesus’ instructions, not just to a part of what He said. What message does Baha’u’Ilah bring for us?
v Bahá’u’lláh declares that His Word is from God, that He is the Tree of Life with celestial fruits for every soul—fruits that provide all the spiri- tual nourishment we need for a thousand years and more:
Verily He is the Tree of Life that bringeth forth the fruits of God, the Exalted, the Pow- erful, the Great.! Bahá’u’lláh
What should we do? Test Baha’u’Ilah’s fruits or ignore them?
@ It would be reasonable to test them. The Scrip- ture says, “Test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (I John 4:1). And if we are asked to judge a tree by its fruits, how can we do this without tasting its fruits? 24 The Greatest News
v Judging without testing is unfair and unreason- able. There are means and there are ends. To get from the first floor to the second, we must climb the stairs. In the same way, to test Baha’u’Ilah’s fruits, we must climb the Tree of Life and reach out for its fruits. Would you like to do that?
I can’t see how any harm will come to me from doing what Jesus has asked me to do. I find many people quick to judge. They seldom con- sider instructions such as:
Does our law…permit us to pass judgment on a man unless we have first given him a hearing and learned the facts? John 7:51 NEB
I think we believers carry the idea of fearing false prophets to the extreme. If we don’t keep this fear under control, it may turn into a pho- bia—an emotional disorder that will grip and suffocate our souls. According to sacred Scrip- tures, a believer should be adventurous (Ps. 27:14; Deut. 1:17; Isa. 35:4), open minded, and curious. As Christian scholar Dr. Barry Chant notes:
[Jesus] intimates that His servants are not to be passive in their waiting [for His return]. They must show enterprise and investment, to use initiative with what has been given them (even perhaps to take calculated risk)…’
Jesus asked us to be truth seekers. He said, “Seek and ye shall find” (Matt. 7:7). He taught us to be alert and watchful. The News Everyone Should Hear 25
It will be good for those servants whose mas- ter finds them watching when he comes. Christ (Luke 12:37 niv)
Jesus threatened, with the harshest words, the fearful, the negligent, the self righteous, and the apathetic (Rev. 3:1-6; Luke 21:34-36). The Scripture clearly shows that unjustified fear is a grave sin (Rev. 21:6-8). I do not want to commit this sin.
I am willing to test Bahá’u’lláh’s fruits, but I don’t have enough confidence in myself to judge Him, because I don’t have any training in bibli- cal studies.
v Many believers respond in this way. But is it reasonable? Let me ask you a question. Suppose you invited a friend to learn about Jesus, and he said that he didn’t have enough Bible training. Suppose you met that friend ten years later, and he gave you the same answer. Suppose you of- fered him the same invitation at his deathbed, and he still gave the same answer. How would you respond to him?
| think the real reason many of us think about the need for Bible studies is our subconscious fear that anyone with different beliefs wants to convert us or deceive us, wants to show us that we are wrong. We see ourselves on a battle- ground. In response to this threat, we take a de- fensive posture by saying that we are not qualified to defend our beliefs. 26 The Greatest News
v The need to be defensive has resulted from the abuse of religion. Many zealous believers try to open our mouths and force feed us as if we are anorexics. This action has destroyed our appetite for new ideas. I believe in the freedom of each individual to choose his or her destiny. Trying to drag an unwilling soul to heaven is a sin. It destroys the honor and the dignity of faith. Note how strongly Jesus discouraged this practice:
Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. Matt. 7:6 NIv
Now that I know your intentions, I feel comfort- able to come to the new garden and taste the new fruits.
Before going to the garden, let me explain a little more the supreme significance of honoring people’s spiritual freedom. I firmly believe that no one has the right or the authority to change a person’s religion. Our beliefs are personal, be- tween us and God. We don’t have the right to “convert” anyone. The only right we have is to share knowledge. It is by sharing that we grow. Just as light reveals the nature of material ob- jects, so does the light of knowledge reveal spiritual mysteries. The Scripture repeatedly confirms this principle:
A wise man will hear and increase learning (Prov. 1:5 NKJ). Through knowledge the righ- teous will be delivered (Prov. 11:9 Nks). The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge The News Everyone Should Hear 27
(Prov. 18:15 Nks). My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6 NKJ).
Sharing knowledge is wonderful, but trying to “convert” others is against God’s Will. Our job is to inform and invite. Only “the Bridegroom” has the right and the authority to choose guests for His banquet:
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him… Christ (John 6:44 niv)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Christ (John 15:16 nrv) See also John 3:27; 6:65; James 4:10
Trying to convert a person is like cutting a flower from one garden to plant it in another. I consider this contrary to God’s design of cre- ation. It is disregarding the Wisdom of the great Gardener. It is trying to assume God’s role. This is a classic example of abuse of beliefs. It is an act of spiritual violence.
But sharing knowledge is enjoyable. It is allow- ing each flower to be free, to show its beauty, and to share its fragrance with other flowers. Every tree should be allowed to enjoy its free- dom to grow in its own garden. Only God has the authority and the power to transplant a tree.
As long as we respect people’s spiritual freedom, there is a deep joy in our fellowship. The desire to use pressure to prove that we are right and 28 The Greatest News
everyone else is wrong spoils the joy. Like a ravaging storm, it shakes the tree and shatters the flowers.
Thank you for clarifying the question of spiri- tual rights and responsibilities that God has given us. Today many people try to win converts as if people are a piece of a broken branch with no spiritual roots, as if they have no freedom to choose their destiny. I find our discussion of spiritual freedom quite enlightening. We seldom talk about this critical issue. Earlier you said that Bahá’u’lláh declares to be a Teacher and Re- deemer from God. What evidence does He pres- ent to show that He speaks the Word of God?
There are three ways or standards by which we can test those who claim to speak the Word of God:
e By their fruits
e By their fulfillment of prophecies
e By their miracles
Let us now examine the value and relevance of each of those standards. Consider miracles. Many people put excessive and unreasonable emphasis on this standard. Are they justified? Sacred Scripture show that miracles are totally unreliable as evidence. In fact, God has always condemned the testing of His Redeemers by miracles:
Do not test the Lord your God… Deut. 6:16 NIV The News Everyone Should Hear 29
A wicked and adulterous [disloyal] genera- tion asks for a miraculous sign! Christ (Matt. 12:39 niv)
Ponder these questions:
e To prove the validity of the claim of His Mes- sengers and Redeemers, would God use an evidence that He Himself condemns?
e If miracles were the true evidence, how could we separate a true Redeemer from the thou- sands of cult leaders and deceivers who have always thrived on using miracles as proof of their claims?
e Do you believe in your religion by the report of miracles you have not seen? If you do, how could you object to someone else who uses the same kind of evidence to believe in a cult leader or deceiver?
God’s great Messengers and Redeemers perform many miracles, but they do not use them as an evidence of who they are.
• I never thought that basing one’s beliefs on miracles would be so risky. What about the “fruits”?
v Fruits are one of the two sets of evidence that God has declared to be reliable.
@ AsI mentioned, I do not know enough about the Bible to judge Baha’u llah’s fruits.
v Earlier we covered this issue. It may be helpful to discuss it again. Let me ask you several 30 The Greatest News
questions and invite you to respond to them in your heart:
e When Jesus promised that “By their fruits you will know them” (Matt. 7:20 nx), did He set any condition, such as “Provided you have several years of biblical training?”
e Would God make a false promise?
e If we doubt God’s firm promise that we “will recognize them,” what does that indicate?
e Would it be fair if God made the discovery of truth dependent on mental abilities and degrees in theology?
e If biblical studies and experience were the re- liable basis of knowing the truth, why were Jesus’ apostles ordinary people, mostly fisher- men and peasants?
e What would have happened if in response to Jesus, those apostles had said, “We don’t know enough about the Hebrew Scriptures. Talk to our Rabbis!’”?
e If biblical studies were assets, why did the greatest theologians of Jesus’ times—Annas and Caiaphas—condemn their Redeemer to death?
eThe majority of people, whether they are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, or atheists, do not have “adequate” biblical training. Are such people not responsible for their spiritual choices? The News Everyone Should Hear 31
e How much biblical studies are “adequate”? How many books should you read and how many lectures should you attend to be able to judge the fruits?
e Did you have “adequate” biblical studies be- fore accepting your religion?
e Do you believe in your Redeemer by the evi- dence that God Himself has established: fruits? If you do, what are those fruits?
e Finally, why did Jesus make this statement:
I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and wise, and revealing them to the simple. Yes, Father, such was thy choice. Christ (Matt. 11:25-26 NEB)
@ These are wonderful questions. I should take the time and try to answer every one of them.
¥ Questions of this kind are seldom asked. Those in positions of power would like to create the impression that because of the extra information they have stored in their brains, they should have the sole authority to be the spiritual leaders. They expect the lay people to trust them and to put their everlasting destiny in their hands. Should we listen to God or to leaders? Accord- ing to the Scripture, information by itself offers no advantage. It may even be a disadvantage.
Who can discern the truth? Who can discover the glory of God? A “pure, kindly, and radiant 32 The Greatest News
heart” or a brain crammed with “book learning” and theological theories?
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matt. 5:8 NKI
Examine the entire Bible to see if you can find a single verse that even remotely resembles any of the following:
Blessed are the scholars, for they shall see God.
Blessed are those with Ph.D’s, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the professors of theology, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the popes, the bishops, the priests, the pastors, and the rabbis, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the famous authors of books of prophecy and books of Christian or Jewish doctrine, for they shall see God.
Not once are educational or intellectual achieve- ments mentioned in the Bible as a means of re- ceiving salvation, as a means of achieving nearness to God, as a means of being loved by God, or as a means of finding the truth. The Scripture always points to the heart. Yet people abandon God’s glorious home—their hearts— and look after someone else’s mind. Who is that person? A scholar with a degree in theology, a famous author, someone persuasive who attracts The News Everyone Should Hear 33
large crowds, or someone charming, who smiles and tells people what they like to hear:
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of [Bible] teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. II Tim. 4:3 niv
In most cases, when people get a degree in the- ology or write best sellers on Christian issues, they feel confident and proud of their wisdom and their achievements. That sense of pride serves as a veil between them and God. They become even less worthy of being saved.
Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. I Cor. 8:1
The Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Psalms 149:4
Note also this verse among many others:
…the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Christ (John 3:19 nxs)
Have you ever seen a verse like this: “The light has come into the world, and men loved dark- ness rather than light, because people did not have enough Bible studies”?
@ The questions that you raise are critical. They relate to our everlasting destiny. They make us 34 The Greatest News
think about the issues we seldom talk about. At the beginning of our discussion I had some con- cerns. You removed all my fears of entering a new garden and tasting its fruits. What can I lose by obeying God and testing Baha’u ’Ilah’s fruits? What is the best way to know Baha’u’Ilah and His fruits?
I think the best way to know Him is to read His Writings. Baha’u’Ilah has revealed a vast store of knowledge in Writings equal to a hundred vol- umes. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh is a good choice. It presents a cross section of His works. I will be delighted to lend you or give you a Copy.
What about the prophecies? Our traditional be- liefs indicate that Jesus will come from the sky. He will be visible like the sun to every eye.
God has always used prophecies to prepare people for the advent of His Redeemers, but He has never authorized people to interpret them by human standards. Consider these verses:
Therefore judge nothing before the appoint- ed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness… I Cor. 4:5 niv
…no prophecy of Scripture is of private in- terpretation. II Peter 1:20 NEB See also Deut. 29:29; Isa. 29:5, 9-14
Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll? But no one in heaven or on earth The News Everyone Should Hear 35
or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. Revelation 5:2-3 niv
Once again let me ask you a few questions:
e Were you aware of these verses before?
eDo they authorize anyone to interpret the prophecies?
e If we do not have the right to interpret, who has that right?
e If we ignore the preceding verses, what does that indicate?
e Was not Jesus rejected for the same reason: misunderstanding the prophecies?
e Are the people of our generation wiser than Jesus’ generation? Are they more discerning, more enlightened?
If we set, or insist on, any condition concerning the return of Christ, we have already tried to “open the scroll” and to “look inside it.” If we decide in advance how the Lord must come, then we have “judged” before giving our Redeemer a chance “to bring to light what is hidden in darkness.” Is this not an act of disobedience?
No biblical evidence gives the people of this age any credit for their wisdom. In fact, prophecies portray a gloomy picture of the people of our time. They predict that, “People will be…always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth” (II Tim. 3:2, 7 nrv). 36 The Greatest News
But Jesus tells us in plain literal language that He will come from the sky and we will all see Him.
Do you realize that Jesus used the same “plain literal language” to claim that in His first advent He also came from the sky?
@ I do not recall such a verse.
There are several references with such a mes- sage. Here they are:
…. have come down from heaven… Christ (John 6:38 NKJ)
And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” John 6:42 nKJ
But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards… Christ (John 8:14-15 nv) See also John 3:13; 3:31-32
As we know, Jesus did not come from the sky. He was born as a baby in Bethlehem. Have you ever heard any Christian ask, “Why did Jesus claim that He came from the sky, when everyone knew He didn’t?”
@ No, I have never heard anyone ask this question.
I do not know.
Raising this question is extremely critical. The News Everyone Should Hear 37
@ Why?
v Because it discloses the very reason for which Jesus was rejected.
@ What was that reason?
v By far the most significant issue in Bible proph- ecy 1s knowing which prophecies are literal, which prophecies are symbolic. Every question in Bib- lical prophecy revolves around this question.
The Jews did not have the wisdom to know which prophecies were symbolic. To them every- thing looked literal. Consider the word “king.” Hebrew prophecies indicate again and again that the expected Redeemer will be a king. But not once do they say that He will be a spiritual king. Have you wondered why?
@ Perhaps God wanted to make the Jews humble, because they were too confident in their own wisdom. He wanted to test them.
v Yes, pride prevented them from seeing the glory of God in Jesus. Only Jesus knew the true mean- ing of “king.” But when He disclosed it, they refused to accept His judgment. They had eyes to see but could not see. Only by being humble can we see the light of truth:
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Psalms 149:4 NnkJ
Jesus was the Tree of Life with the most wonder- ful fruits. He also fulfilled all the prophecies in His own way, not the traditional way. 38 The Greatest News
• What you are implying is that we have not yet learned our lessons. We still have that sense of pride that we are superior to the Jews, that we have the wisdom they did not have.
Spiritually, human beings are slow learners. Once again let me ask you a few questions:
e Why did Jesus say that He came from the sky, when people knew He was born to Mary?
e Could He not make the same claim at His Sec- ond Advent?
e If He meant His Spirit came from the sky, why did He not say so?
e If He were present today, and if in response to people’s objection to His interpretation, He said that only He knew the meaning of proph- ecies, what then would be a reasonable objec- tion to His claim? Would it be fair to say that He was wrong because the Bible scholars dis- agreed with Him?
e Would it be fair to ignore the numerous literal prophecies that He has fulfilled simply because He has not fulfilled a few of them according to traditional interpretation?
e By what authority could any interpreter of the Scriptures claim to be right?
els any authority given to anyone to interpret the prophecies?
e Why are such serious questions ignored by religious leaders and scholars? The News Everyone Should Hear 39
Most believers—both Jews and Christians—have surrounded themselves with the clouds of theo- ries, assumptions, and speculations based on a few metaphoric prophecies. No wonder Jesus said that He will come in the clouds and every eye shall see Him (Rev. 1:7). Ponder for a mo- ment. What purpose do clouds serve? They con- ceal, they cover up. What does seeing require? A lack of clouds. Even a large plane is invisible when surrounded by clouds. With a little thought, the inner meaning of Jesus’ prophecy becomes clear. Jesus will appear in the clouds of miscon- ceptions among His followers, but those with inner eyes can break through those clouds and see Him in all His glory.
The prime purpose of asking you all these ques- tions is to help you break through those clouds. What can any believer lose from doing this? They are the kind of questions that threaten pre- vailing theories. Therefore, most scholars and religious leaders cope with them in the best way they know: they simply ignore them.
Once you hear the unwelcomed questions, you begin to think and to reason. You find the massive clouds around you unpleasant.
Let me conclude this discussion with one final point. Let me mention the most significant lesson that history can teach us. That lesson can come from a response to the following questions:
e Why did the Jews pray so fervently for the advent of Jesus, and then crucified Him? 40 The Greatest News
e What makes the people of this age different from those who lived in the past?
e Every generation has the illusion of being dif- ferent. The illusion keeps that generation in its comfort zone of negligence and denial:
Woe to you, teachers of the [religious] law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, “If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shed- ding the blood of the prophets.” Christ (Matt. 23:29-30 niv)
Ponder also upon this statement from Jesus:
And He [Jesus] opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Luke 24:45 Nk
Can any Christian claim that the Jews’ sense of understanding was closed but that of Christians is open—that they really know the true meaning of prophecies?
The right to interpret the meaning of prophecies is given only to the Redeemer of the age. That was the rule at the time of Jesus:
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.” John 4:25-26 niv The News Everyone Should Hear 41
Has that rule been changed? Who changed it and by what authority?
• Thank you for raising these critical questions. I never heard them in my church nor did I ever think about them. I got most of my beliefs from my parents, who in turn got their beliefs from their parents. The same holds true with Bible scholars and Christian leaders. They are also children of tradition. Catholic scholars as a rule come from Catholic families, Baptist scholars come from Baptist families, Mormon scholars come from Mormon families, Muslim scholars come from Muslim families, and Jewish schol- ars come from Jewish families.
v The problem that we, the people of this age, share with the Jews is this: We seldom notice the verses that fail to fit our traditional expectations. Many believers get only a one-sided view of the Scriptures in their churches and synagogues. I suppose this happens among the followers of all religions.
Unfortunately, in religion, unlike in science, most people imitate rather than investigate their beliefs. But don’t our beliefs deserve more at- tention? Our everlasting destiny depends on our spiritual choices. And our religion determines many of those choices.
@ If we do not have the wisdom to know which prophecies are literal and which prophecies are symbolic, and if biblical expertise is not required for knowing the truth, what then is required? 42 The Greatest News
To make the truth reachable to every human be- ing, God in His infinite Wisdom, has provided and offered to every truth seeker a Three Eyed Truthstone.
@ What do you mean by that?
A touchstone tests the purity of gold and silver. It separates the genuine from the counterfeit. To separate truth from falsehood, we need some- thing like it—let us call it a Truthstone. This precious stone lies within the reach of every hu- man being. To obtain it, we need no degrees, no courses, no expertise. What makes this stone unique 1s that it is designed by God. To do its job, a Truthstone must have three watchful eyes:
The pil God
(05S Ne The Eye Rate a)The Eye of the Mind“ei ~, the Heart wea The Three Eyed Truthstone
Let us explore each of them:
The Eye of the Mind: Suppose you are driving a car. Would you let someone else see for you? Why then would you let someone else think for you, and choose your beliefs for you? The first essential rule for seeking and finding true knowl- edge is to attain a state of absolute independence The News Everyone Should Hear 43
from every other human being: our parents, pas- tors, friends, and unknown ancestors who are usually the ones who long ago chose the religion we follow today. Unless we set aside everything we have heard or learned from others, we cannot be just in our judgment. What others have told us may prejudice our mind, may block our view and distort our vision. We will act like a judge who fails to be present in his court to hear and see the evidence firsthand. Could such a judge decide justly? God invites every seeker of truth to at- tend the court to receive firsthand information.
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou de- sirest Me, and neglect it not that I may con- fide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowl- edge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it be- hooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes. Baha’u’ll4h
In God’s court you cannot say, “I believe be- cause my parents told me to believe or because a famous scholar or evangelist supports this in- terpretaiton.”
…every man shall bear his own burden. Galatians 6:5
Depending on other people’s judgment is deny- ing that God has given us a mind. Not seeing 44 The Greatest News
with our own mind is as irrational as blindfold- ing ourselves and depending on someone else. This is a grave sin and a sign of spiritual im- maturity and ingratitude. Thus using the Eye of the Mind is the first requirement for finding true knowledge.
@ What is the second requirement?
The second requirement is using the Eye of the Heart. Human beings are not merely intellec- tual beings; they are also emotional beings. Sel- dom can we find a person without emotional weaknesses. When I stand on a balcony looking down from a high rise building, I experience fear. I know I am well protected, yet I see myself falling down. I can’t explain why. Consider people who have racial prejudice. Can you change their minds by mere logic? Why not? Because a racist has mostly a heart problem. Many conflicts persist in the world for the same reason. Only when our hearts are pure from self- ish concerns can we see the truth, can we see God and discern His glory in His supreme Re- deemers:
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Christ (Matt. 5:8)
…your sins have hidden His face from you… Isaiah 59:2 NKJ
I counsel you to buy from me…salve [oint- ment] to put on your eyes, so you can see. Christ (Rev. 3:18 Nv) The News Everyone Should Hear 45
You may look and look, but you will never see. Acts 28:26 NEB
…without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 niv
The eyes that can see will not be clouded… Isaiah 32:3 NEB
Thus the second requirement for discovering true knowledge is seeing through the Eye of the Heart as God created that Eye, free from emo- tional distortions or weaknesses.
What is the third eye?
<¢?e+<• • It is the Eye of God.
How can we see through God’s eyes?
We can see through His eyes only if we use His Standards, not our own. As we noted earlier, Jesus told the Jews that He came down from the sky. When the Jews rejected His claim, He gave them this reason for failing to understand Him:
You judge by human standards… John 8:15 niv
Like an optometrist, God prescribes a special lens for us. He promises that we will find Him and see Him only by using that special lens: His standards of separating truth from falsehood. He promises to disclose Himself only to those who are faithful to His rules and standards, only to those who obey His commands: 46 The Greatest News
If you love me, you will obey what I com- mand. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth…Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. John 14:15-21 niv
God shows His glory only to those who show Him their obedience—by using His standards. Someone with 20/20 eyesight and a dozen Ph.D’s and many high positions in his church or syna- gogue may be blind to God’s glory, but an un- educated peasant born blind may see His glory as clearly as the sun. This is the meaning of “Every eye shall see Him” (Rev. 1:7).
The Jews living at the time of Jesus refused to look through God’s eye. They wanted miracles, not “Fruits.” They did not care for “living bread.” They asked for loaves of edible bread from the sky. Their vision was so distorted, their minds and hearts were so closed that even miracles— the rise of a dead person from the grave—could not convince them:
If they do not listen to Moses and the Proph- ets, they will not be convinced even if some- one rises from the dead. Christ (Luke 16:31 nrv)
Consider also this verse:
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, The News Everyone Should Hear 47
for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritu- ally discerned. I Cor. 2:14 niv
Have you ever seen a statement like the follow- ing in the Bible?
The man without a Ph.D. in biblical studies does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are mentally discerned.
No! Such a statement is the exact opposite of what the Bible teaches. Only the Spirit of God can help us see the truth. Only that Spirit can give us the wisdom to know Him, only His “ointment” can heal the diseased eye of our soul (Rev. 3:18). Our relationship with God has always been, and will always be, spiritual.
@ You indicate that we must see through God’s Eye, and that we can do this only if we use His standard. What is His standard?
¥ God’s first and foremost standard is expressed clearly in this verse: “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20).
If we fail to use God’s “Truthstone” we can never find the truth. Every Messenger and Re- deemer from God has been denied because people:
e Looked with someone else’s eyes, usually those of their parents, relatives, religious leaders, or friends. 48 The Greatest News
e Looked with an “eye heart” that was afflicted with defects—such as unjustified fear, worldli- ness, apathy, prejudice, pride, lack of faith, negligence, and self-righteousness. They lacked the desire or the commitment to devote time to their spiritual destiny.
e Depended on their own eyes, not God’s. They failed to include “God’s eyes”—His estab- lished standards—in their search for truth. They looked for what they wanted to see— something physical, glamorous, and spectacu- lar. They waited for a mighty miracle, a gentle but powerful hand that would suddenly lift them to heaven. And if there were verses that told them otherwise or asked them not to de- pend on their personal interpretation of proph- ecies, somehow their eyes “missed” those verses.
To test this last point, make a survey among Bible teachers in your church to find out how many of them remember reading the verses that disqualify every believer from claiming to be an authority on the meaning of prophecies.
• Your description of the three eyes makes perfect sense. It is obvious, if any of these eyes is miss- ing, we are spiritually handicapped and unable to see the truth. How can we gain these eyes, if we don’t already have them?
v Each of us must discover which of the three eyes is absent in our “Truthstone,” and then pray to God—even plead with Him—to provide it. As The News Everyone Should Hear 49
soon as all the eyes begin to function, the glory of God in His new Redeemer becomes as evi- dent to us as the sun.
The Eye of God
{h The Eye of the Mind
{h The Eye of the Heart
Truth becomes visible only if the Three Eyes are connected
We plead with God to bring us back alive from heart surgery. We beg him to heal our cancer. Why not beg Him and plead with Him to show us the way and give us the gift of knowing His Redeemer of the Age?
We should pray tearfully to God to grant us the honor and the joy of recognizing His Redeemer: 50 The Greatest News
Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Psalms 126:5
The honor of knowing the Redeemer of the Age is infinitely more glorious and sacred than any other achievement. At death, we leave every- thing behind except our soul. Note the following passages from Christ and Bahá’u’lláh about the destiny of those who deny or ignore the Redeemer of the Age:
But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. Christ (Luke 12:9 NkJ)
God will verily do unto them that which they themselves are doing, and will forget them even as they have ignored His Presence in His day. Such is His decree unto those that have denied Him, and such will it be unto them that have rejected His signs.• Baha’u ’Ilah
Let me repeat once again that no human being has the power or the authority to “convert” others. Both the authority and the power are in God’s hand. Without His help, we can do noth- ing. With His help, we can move mountains of illusions, misconceptions, prejudice, fear, and unworthiness.
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Christ (John 15:5 NKJ) The News Everyone Should Hear 51
A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9 NKJ
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him… Christ (John 6:44 niv)
@ Thank you for clarifying this point, that only God can convert us. This is one of the best kept secrets.
Since my destiny is in God’s hand, only by obeying Him can I be certain of eternal life. I am willing to use all those three eyes that God has given me. I can’t see how anyone can be certain of his salvation except by obeying God.
Knowing a Redeemer by His fruits and by His fulfillment of prophecies makes sense. I would like to explore these topics further. The promise of finding the truth is given only to those who seek.
v Let me encourage you to read two small volumes. The first volume presents the fruits of Jesus; the second compares Jesus’ fruits with those of Baha’u llah. It also presents many prophecies— from both Hebrew and Christian Scriptures— fulfilled by Baha’u’1lah:
e The Glory of the Son (the fruits of Jesus), about 120 pages. Before knowing the true evidence for another religion, we should know the true evidence for our own—the one on which we base our everlasting destiny. If we don’t know 52 The Greatest News
why we believe in our own Faith, how can we know why we should believe in another Faith? The Glory of the Son offers a brief summary of all the reasons Jesus gave to substantiate His claim. This is a book every Christian should read. It is also of value to the Jews who have a desire to know the evidence for their promised Messiah.
eThe Glory of the Father (the fruits of Bahá’u’lláh), 312 pages. This is the sequel to The Glory of the Son. It applies the same stan- dards to Bahá’u’lláh as The Glory of the Son applies to Jesus Christ.
If you are interested and are willing to take the time to read those two small volumes, I will be delighted to lend you or to give you a free copy. The publisher is also offering free copies to all interested seekers of truth. The offer will con- tinue as long as there are true seekers and as long as it is financially feasible.
He Fe FE Say: Is there any doubt concerning God? Behold how He hath come down from the heaven of His grace, girded with power and invested with sovereignty. Is there any doubt concerning His signs? Open ye your eyes, and consider His clear evidence.• Baha’u ’llah
Look not, O people, at the things ye possess. Look rather at the things God hath sent down The News Everyone Should Hear 53
unto you. This, surely, will be better for you than the whole of creation, could ye but per- ceive it. Repeat the gaze, O people, and con- sider the testimony of God and His proof which are in your possession, and compare them unto the Revelation sent down unto you in this Day, that the truth, the infallible truth, may be indubitably manifested unto you. Follow not, O people, the steps of the Evil One; follow ye the Faith of the All-Merciful, and be ye of them that truly believe. What would it profit man, if he were to fail to recognize the Revelation of God? Nothing whatever. To this Mine own Self, the Om- nipotent, the Omniscient, the All-Wise, will testify.® Baha’w’llah
This Cause is too evident to be obscured, and too conspicuous to be concealed. It shineth as the sun in its meridian glory.’ Baha’u’ll4h
I bear witness, O friends! that the favor is complete, the argument fulfilled, the proof manifest and the evidence established. Let it now be seen what your endeavors in the path of detachment will reveal. In this wise hath the divine favor been fully vouchsafed unto you and unto them that are in heaven and on earth. All praise to God, the Lord of all Worlds.® Baha’u’Ilah Parting Words Consider the Martyrdom of Stephen:
What kinds of people are throwing stones at Ste- phen? What would you do if you were in their place? These few Pharisees were acting according to their conscience. They wanted to destroy a de- ceiver before he had a chance to deceive others. They thought they were defending the truth. Were The News Everyone Should Hear JS
they evil? No, by today’s standards, most of them were wonderful people. It is believed St. Paul was one of them. Before becoming a Christian, he was a meticulous follower of the Laws of Moses, yet he persecuted Christians to protect his Jewish her- itage. He saw them as deceivers and destroyers.
If these people were law abiding believers, why then did they throw stones? Because they wanted to obey the laws of Moses. They were as faithful to their beliefs as the religious people of our time. Why then did they engage in such cruel act? Because of a few spiritual weaknesses, such as a mind molded and closed by centuries-old traditions.
When the Baha’i Faith appeared people did what they have always done: they killed thousands of its new followers with the utmost cruelty. But today in many countries that is not allowed. In place of stone, people can “throw” widely-accepted words, assumptions, and traditions molded and made as solid as stone through the passage of centuries. Many do not realize that those “stony” assumptions and traditions did not come from heaven. They came out of the minds of fallible people, with every weakness imaginable, and then passed from gen- eration to generation as a heritage.
May we invite you to postpone verdict, to withhold your “stones” until you have fully investigated the message of the new Redeemer—Bahd’u’llah, the Glory of God—the One sent by God to save us and lead us to our divine destiny. 56 The Greatest News
A Story that is Repeated in Every Age
The following true story clarifies and confirms the message of Jesus’ parable of the talents (Matt. 25:15-30). It demonstrates the resistance that many Christians display today to the call of their Master and Redeemer—the Son come in the glory of His Father—the One who has now completed His long journey and returned once again to His heavenly Kingdom.
A young couple were separated during World War II. While the father was gone, the mother gave birth to a baby girl. The months passed and the mother kept a large picture of her husband on the desk so that the little girl would grow up knowing what her daddy looked like. She learned to say “Daddy” and associated the name with the picture on the desk.
Finally the day came when her father returned home from the war. The whole family gathered to watch the little girl when she saw her father for the first time. Imagine their disappointment when she would have nothing whatever to do with him. Instead, she ran to the photograph on the desk, saying, “That’s my daddy.” Day after day the family had to blink back the tears as they saw the young father on his knees trying his best to get acquainted with his little daughter, ex- plaining as simply as he could that he was her daddy. But each time she would shake her head, then run to the picture on the desk and exclaim, The News Everyone Should Hear 57
“That’s my daddy.” This went on for some time, but one day something happened. The little girl, having gone repeatedly to the picture on the desk, returned to her father and looked care- fully into his face. Then she went back to the picture on the desk and studied it. The family held their breath. After several trips the little face lit up as the child exclaimed excitedly, “They’re both the same daddy!”
How long will Christians continue to look at the drawings of Jesus Christ, the Anointed One of God, upon the walls of their homes and houses of worship before turning their faces to their King and their Master who has now returned from His long jour- ney with His new name, Bahá’u’lláh, the Glory of God? How long before they will open their hearts and their souls to the most glorious gift that awaits them? How long before they will hear His Voice?
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any- one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes [misconceptions] I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Christ (Rev. 3:20-22)
Open the doors of your hearts…We, in truth, have opened unto you the gates of the King- dom…He Who is the Desired One is come in His transcendent majesty. Say, Lo! The Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the Kingdom is fulfilled!’• Baha’u’1lah 58 The Greatest News
Let your waist be girded and your lamps burn- ing; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. Christ (Luke 12:35-37)
Then your light shall break forth like the morn- ing, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord [Bahá’u’lláh] shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, “Here I am.” Isaiah 58:8-9
When the Lord…shall appear in his glory. Psalms 102:16
The Lord is come in his great glory!”‘ Baha’u ’1lah
It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory [glory of God]. Isaiah 66:18
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord [Baha’u lah], as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:14
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. Isaiah 40:5 The News Everyone Should Hear 59
..as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Numbers 14:21
..let your [God’s] glory be over all the earth. Psalms 57:11
The world is illumined with the effulgent glory of His countenance. !” Bahá’u’lláh
This is the Day in which the earth shineth with the effulgent light of thy Lord, but the people are lost in error and have been shut out as by a veil.” Bahá’u’lláh
I will set My glory [glory of God] among the nations…I will not hide My face from them any- more… Ezekiel 39:21, 29 NkIv
He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come! His all-conquering sovereignty is manifest; His all-encompassing splendor is revealed. Beware lest thou hesitate or halt.’• Baha’u’1lah
I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. Christ (Rev. 3:8)