Excerpts from the book by Vladimir Antonov

The Original Teachings of Jesus Christ

Love

“God is Love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16).

“Owe no one anything, except to love one another” (Rom 13:8).

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I have become as sounding brass… And though I have prophecies, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so as to move mountains, and do not have love, I am nothing. And though I give out all my goods to feed the poor, and though I deliver my body to be burned, and have not love, I am profited nothing.

“Love has patience, is kind; love is not envious, is not vain, is not puffed up; does not behave indecently, does not seek her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil. Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth. Love quietly covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails, though prophecies will be abolished and tongues will cease…” (1 Cor 13:1-8).      >>> 

 
It is available online on the site http://www.teachings-of-jesus-christ.org/

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The  Gospel of Philip

Edition and commentaries by Vladimir Antonov

 
(Excerpts from the book)

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45. Faith receives. Love gives.

One must not receive without faith. One must not give without love.

Therefore, in order to receive, we believe, and in order to give truly, we love.

But if one gives without love, he does not benefit from such giving.

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It is the same with the Sons of God: wherever They may be, They are still of value to Their Father.

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52. A donkey, walking around a millstone, has walked hundred miles.

When it was untethered, it remained at the same place.

There are men who walk much, but advance nowhere. And when evening comes for them, they have seen neither city nor village to which they were going, they have cognized neither the nature of the Creation nor the Power (i.e. God-the-Father), nor even angels. Futile was the work of these miserable.

The efforts can give good fruits only if the Goal and the methods of its cognition are clear. Or it is necessary to take the hand of the Teacher and hold to it tight. (The Teacher can be only the One Who is capable of leading to the Goal and Who knows It well).

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64. There are people who neither desire nor can work (on self-improvement).

Others desire but do not do this. And therefore, they do not benefit from such a desire. This only makes them sinners.

And if they can, but not desire, they will get their own for justice: both for the lack of desire and for the lack of deeds.

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110. The one who cognized the Truth is free. The free one does not commit sin: because he who commits sin becomes a slave of sin (i.e. first of all, burdens his destiny).

The true knowledge is like mother and father (i.e. like wise teachers, advisers, and guardians of their child).

Those who are not capable of sinning are said that they have attained freedom. The knowledge of the Truth raises them even more. This makes them both free and above this world.

But only Love creates. He who became free thanks to knowledge, because of Love remains a slave of those who have not managed to attain the Freedom of knowledge yet. He brings the knowledge to them and this develops the latter because it calls them to the Freedom.

Love takes nothing: how can it take something? Everything belongs to it. It does not say, “This is mine! And this is mine!” But it says: “This is yours!”

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123. The beginning of this fragment is damaged in the original text.

 
… Abraham in order to perceive the One Whom he had to perceive performed circumcision of the foreskin, showing by this (symbolically) that we should rid ourselves of the fleshly — that which is of this world.

Then the original text is damaged partly.

… As long as the intestines of man’s body are hidden, it is alive. But if the intestines are uncovered and fall out, it dies.

It is the same is with a tree: while its roots are hidden, it blossoms and grows. If its roots are uncovered, it withers.

It is the same is with any phenomenon in the world, not only in the material but also in the hidden one. Thus, as long as the root of evil is hidden it grows and is strong. When it gets known, it begins to bloom. But if its root is uncovered, it perishes.

Therefore, Logos says, “Already the axe lies at the roots of trees! If it does not cut up completely, that which was cut will grow again. Hence, it is necessary to drive the axe deep enough so that it tears out the roots.”

And Jesus destroyed those roots in the place where He worked. And He also did this partially in other places.

As for all of us, let each one cut into the roots of evil, which is within him, and tear out evil with its roots from the soul!

We can tear evil out only if we know it. If we are ignorant of it, it will continue to grow its roots in us and multiply itself in our souls. Then it will get complete control over us, we will become its slaves. It will enslave us more and more, forcing us to do that which we do not want to do and forcing not to do that which we want to do… It is very powerful until we know about it in ourselves!

While it exists, it acts. Ignorance of it is the mother of evil in us. Ignorance will lead us to death. And those who have not become free from ignorance have not existed yet as (true) people, are not existing, and will not exist!

Those who are in the true knowledge fill themselves with the Perfection as the Truth reveals Itself to them.

For the Truth, even as ignorance, — while it is hidden, it rests in itself; but when it is revealed and is recognized, it blooms, being praised.

How much more powerful it is than ignorance and errors! It gives the Freedom!

Logos said, “If you know the Truth, it will make you free”.

Ignorance is slavery. Knowledge is Freedom.

Seeking the Truth, we find its seeds in ourselves.

If we unite with It, It will receive us in the Primordial Consciousness.

Philip discusses the mechanism of repentance and insists on the necessity of paying serious attention to the intellectual work.

Repentance is purification of oneself from vices. Two foundations of all our vices are the following:

1. The ability to cause deliberately suffering to other beings (for example, just by “distressing” them); by doing this we manifest our egoism, the “I”, and lack of developed love in ourselves. With the hypertrophied “I” and without developed love, one cannot really approach the Father.

2. The absence of permanent orientation of the attention to the Father, absence of aspiration to Him.

In connection with this, let us discuss faith. Faith as simple “yes” as an answer to the question “do you believe?” — is too little. The true faith is indeed permanent and unshakeable remembering about God-Teacher, Who teaches me all the time; it is especially important to remember about this at the moments of critical situations, which are also His lessons for us. The thing which brings one to such a level of faith is big and long intellectual work in interaction with Him.

Only thanks to such efforts of spiritual warriors, God becomes for them a Living Reality, and not just a symbol, an abstraction which you are supposed to worship. Thus the faith turns into knowledge about Him.

On the highest level of its development, the faith changes — necessarily through the stage of knowledge about Him, knowledge of Him — into passionate Love, which alone can help one to become close to Him and then to enter His Abode and merge with Him.

… Penitential work is not just listing aloud in front of a “father” all your true and imaginary deeds-sins. Penitential work is studying of oneself as a soul and transforming oneself by introspection and self-education. It is necessary to notice that “sins” are not the main things with which we should struggle: they are just manifestations of qualities of the soul which are called vices. Thus, to struggle with the help of the axe about which Jesus and Philip told, is necessary against vices. And this struggle can be deployed in full strength only after realizing God — as a Living Teacher.

… The result of the entire work on purification and development of oneself is birth and maturing in the highest eons. As this happens, all the material, fleshly become less and less significant and then is “cut off” completely (at what Abraham hinted by his circumcision).

Then only He remains.

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Full text of  The  Gospel of Philip   is published on

http://teachings-of-jesus-christ.org/gospel-of-philip.html

 
Also it can be ordered online at  Lulu e-store  or  Amazon 

Written down by Anna Zubkova in November 2007.

Edited by Vladimir Antonov.

Translated from Russian by Svetlana Eremina.

Parable about the Prophet

Jesus said: ‘He came, but not many recognized Him…
He spoke, but not many heard Him…
 He taught, but not many fulfilled His Teachings…’

From the memories of Apostle Andrew

 
A Man, sent by God-the-Father, came to the Earth.

And He saw that people wallowed in sins, that vices had multiplied in the souls, that good manners had been forgotten…

And the Man saw that the Teachings about Divine Laws had been forgotten, and the knowledge about essence of the Scriptures created by God had been lost.

As one covers with beautiful clothes the dirt and ugliness of the body, even so people can try to cover the vices of souls with the words from the Scriptures, which are spoken but not fulfilled.

Everyone speaks about the Law; everyone teaches about the Law… Yet, they merely say words… but do not fulfill even what they say…

People do not see the Light and do not know that they live in the darkness…

The Man did not know how to change what He saw… For He knew if He started to speak, His speeches would be lost among the false speeches of those who spoke about the Law but did not know it and did not fulfill it…

And then the Man took off His clothes and went to the desert… And He lived in the desert… and listened to God, and God spoke to Him.

And a rumor spread about the Prophet who lived in the desert and listened to God but was always silent.

And people started to come to see that Man and wondered at Him…

They began asking Him questions and waited who of them receives the answer.

One man came and asked:

‘What harvest will we get this year?’

Another man came and asked:

‘When will my son get married?’

And many others came and asked:

‘When will my daughter-in-law give birth?’, ‘How can I multiply my treasures and protect them?’, ‘How can I make a maid love me and marry me?’…

The Prophet kept silence. The words, which He wanted to tell people, were burning His mouth; His heart was overfilled with God’s Love. He kept silence for ten years…

The rumor about Him spread wide, and more people were coming to see Him. People wondered because all prophets had said a lot, but this one… had said nothing!

The Prophet kept silence. The words, which He wanted to tell people, were burning His mouth; His heart was overfilled with God’s Love. And He kept silence for other ten years.

And His silence attracted people more than the speeches of others…

Once, a young man came to Him. He did not want to get any profit from the answer to his question. He simply asked: ‘What word is hidden behind Your silence?’

And then the Prophet said, ‘Purify yourselves!’

And people began to come to Him to be purified from their sins.

One man said, ‘I was angry yesterday! Purify me!’

And another said, ‘I cheated in trading telling a lie! Purify me!’

And the third said, ‘I was proud and indulged in vanity! Purify me!’

The Prophet kept silence. The same people would come again and again; they repented of the same sins and went home to sin again…

The Prophet kept silence…

‘Why do not You want to purify us?’, the people asked.

The Prophet answered, ‘Purification won’t come until repentance cleans out the vice of the soul, so that a similar sin be not possible from that moment on!’

And again the Prophet kept silence…

There was only the River of Living Light. All thoughts and deeds were visible in Its Flow. The Prophet stood in the River of Living Light and waited for those who would come to be purified… The River was flowing, and time was passing…

And people listened to His silence, the silence of the Soul. And there were those who understood Him. And they came to be purified.

The fire of shame for their sins was burning them. They could not rise their eyes and were ashamed to speak. The fire of shame was burning them — and this fire burned away the vices of souls washed by repentance.

And then these souls were purified and washed by the River of Light.

The Prophet washed with pure water those who came to receive the purification. And there was no sign of condemnation in His eyes.

The River of the Sacred Light was flowing, and people entered Its Waters and were purified from vices, so that not to sin anymore!

And the Prophet said, ‘It is impossible to abandon all vices of the soul at once. Stay and learn how to purify yourselves! All bad qualities of the soul must be washed away and replaced with love — with a flow of giving love! And you need to grow the Light of Love in yourself!»

And the Prophet said, ‘I am baptizing you with the Waters of the Flow so that you could receive the Baptism of the Fire of the Father! The One Who will come after Me will bring the Fire of Divine Love to the Earth! Only if you receive purification of the soul before His coming, you will be able to cognize the Divine Fire!’

Thus taught the Prophet called by people John.

Parable about Non-Burning Flame

Jesus said: “There is Non-Burning Flame! It is the Power of My Father!»

From the memories of Apostle Andrew

There was a man and he was kind. He wanted to help people who lived in troubles and grief, poverty and illnesses… Нe sought ways to help them transform their hard and dull life but could not find such means…

That kind man learned that there was Non-Burning Flame. This Flame is similar to the flame of a fire and yet is different: because Great Power is contained in It. This Flame is brighter than the light of the sun, and yet does not burn anyone. And whatever you wish can be fulfilled by this Great Power…

… Once the kind man heard that a Great Teacher came to the Earth from God-the-Father, and that in this Teacher there was Non-Burning Divine Flame.

And what this Teacher said was fulfilled. He touched a blind and said: “See!”, and the blind began to see… He touched a lame and said: ‘Rise and go!’, and the lame rose and went… He was endowed with the Great Power to raise the dead and to heal the sick. This Teacher knew the secrets of life and the secrets of death. He preached the Knowledge from God-the-Father about how people should live on the Earth.

The kind man decided to find this Teacher and to learn how one could acquire the Power of Non-Burning Flame in order to help people who lived in suffering and misery.

He traveled for a long time, and his Purpose guided him. And finally he found the Teacher.

And the kind man saw the Teacher walking and the Non-Burning Flame shining in Him! The kind man looked closely, his eyes blinked, and there was no Flame… He looked again, and again he saw the Bright Flame in the Teacher.

The Teacher wore simple clothes. And He spoke simple words as if He was not a Great Messiah at all!

But the Light of Love was streaming from His eyes. He spoke softly, but every His word touched the heart and was remembered by the soul.

And the kind man went together with the human crowd which followed the Teacher. The kind man listened to His speeches and saw how He healed and spoke to the cured: “Go and don’t sin any more!”

And once the kind man decided to ask the Teacher to give him the Non-Burning Flame so that he also could heal the lame, recover the sight of the blind, raise the dead, so that human sorrows go away! …

And the Teacher answered him: “Here is the Flame! Take it!” But the kind man could not take it, for he did not know how? And then he decided to stay with the Teacher and to follow Him with few other disciples. And he learned from the Teacher for many years…

Time was passing… And the kind man began to see the entire Sea of Shining Flame. But could not take It…

And the Teacher told him: “Only he can carry this Flame who himself became It! Only human heart can contain the Sea of Non-Burning Flame! Only Transfigured Man can become a source of Divine Flame on the Earth!

“But this Flame exists not for healing bodies and returning souls to flesh. These miraculous healings are but Signs of the Power of the Heavenly Father, so that people know whose Flame shines and whose Will creates!

“Bodies are not eternal! They are like clothes that the soul puts on when it comes to the Earth. And it takes them off when comes back to life without a body, and gets new clothes when it comes to the Earth again and again… This continues until the soul, having taken off the clothes, becomes so pure and beautiful that deserves to enter the Abode of the Heavenly Father, which means that the soul has become the Light of Love identical to the Light of the Father!

“The Non-Burning Flame shines on the Earth so that people can see the Light and want to transform themselves! The Non-Burning Flame shines so that they may know how this transformation happens: the love of the heart becomes that Light which is the Path to the Father!”

And the kind man understood that it is not the body that should be healed but the soul, so that those who do not see the Light of the Father can see it; so that those who are paralyzed by vices and weaknesses can stand up and enter on the Path, which transforms souls and leads to God-the-Father!

For a long time the kind man developed Love, Wisdom, and Power, so that his spiritual heart can carry the Non-Burning Flame!…

… And one day the heart of the kind man became filled with the Divine Non-Burning Flame! For the only vessel on the Earth in which Divine Flame can exist is the heart transformed by Love!

… And now the kind Man was walking the earth, and the Non-Burning Flame was shining in Him. And He sought hearts which were ready to receive that Flame …

And a rumor was spreading that there was a Teacher sent by God-the-Father to the Earth. This Teacher knew the secrets of life and the secrets of death, and He preached the Knowledge from the God-the-Father about how people should live on the Earth…

More parables will be added.

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See video  Spiritual Heart