CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS

Godmen appear on earth when the forces governing life take a course counter to the law of the integrity of the universe and the supremacy of the Divine Spirit. The power of the unity of life exerted by these noble souls influences the course of the lives of those around them. This influence may be felt consciously or received unconsciously, but its immanent presence and active operation is one of the grandest phenomena of existence, known to those who are alive to the glow of the spiritual light. Jesus Christ's incarnation is one such lofty instance of the descent of Divine Power for the overcoming of error on earth and the establishment of the law of Truth. The people to reform whom Jesus appeared on earth were ridden over by false beliefs, empty rituals and hypocritical practices in the name of religion. He came to make known the doctrine which is His that sent him, the law of God who rules the universe from inside and outside.

The doctrine of Christ is the system of the Supreme Consciousness, which is the highest Reality, and it implies the relative laws of what are termed here forms of righteousness. That is said to be righteous which tends to the conscious recognition of the Eternal Divine Presence. Hence righteousness consists more in spirit than in letter, in inward feeling than outward form, in psychological and spiritual attitude rather than ritualistic and traditional routine. And Christ came to bear witness to this righteousness underlying the law of the Truth. In essence, this righteousness consists in renunciation of appearances and affirmation of Reality. And all the stages that lead to this righteousness, also are righteousness. The whole of Christ's teachings abounds in this twofold revelation of the meaning of life. In the terminology of the system of Indian Yoga, these constitute Vairagya and Abhyasa. In fact, all saints have said only this, that phenomena have to be renounced, that the Imperishable Spirit should be contemplated upon and realized. Christ gives _expression to these truths in various ways in his life and in his precepts