During his enlightened time in Earth, Jesus taught and exemplified about love, peace and forgiveness, showing us the way to evolution.
Text adapted from the book Boa Nova, by the spirit Humberto de Campos,
Amongst the people who had lived at that time, many followed him, trying to learn and to live deeply his teachings. Others whose hearts were still hardened, attached to the material belongings, could not live without the luxury they were used to. Some did not understand his message and there were also those who rejected the Master, because they thought Jesus’ teachings were against the Mosaic Law (Law of Moses).
Amongst the men who followed Jesus with the purpose of understanding what the Messiah taught, there was a man called Nicodemus. He was a studious Pharisee, considered a ruler of the Jews. He was intelligent and had a kind heart. He spent a lot of time reflecting on the Law of Moses as well as on the teachings of Jesus.
One night Jesus was with his disciples Andrew and James. Nicodemus approached them and asked the Master:
- I have been meditating about the Law of Moses and your words, but I can’t understand how we can get to know the kingdom of God.
- It’s not enough to think about the Law of Moses. It’s necessary to feel the meaning of the texts. I tell you the truth; no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.
Nicodemus could not understand Jesus’ words. He then asked:
– How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time, can he? (Please ask the children if they think this is possible)
– I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. It is imperative for man to be born and reborn to fully know the light of the kingdom! This was Jesus’ answer. (Please ask what they think Jesus meant with these words) – He meant we need to reincarnate many times to develop virtues such as love, forgiveness, charity and evolution through the experience of the teachings of Jesus. Then we will reach relative perfection and happiness, coming closer to God.
– How can these things be? – Nicodemus replied.
– Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things? If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? The body of an old man can’t be reborn in the body of a child. (Please ask the children what they think Jesus meant at this moment in time). The Pharisee felt quite confused with these words and decided to leave. Jesus stayed together with his disciples Andrew and James.
The night went by; it was already quite late. Andrew and James were still talking about the subject, trying to understand the concept of rebirth mentioned by the Master.
– Why do you feel so admired with these truths? - Jesus asked them kindly – Aren’t the trees reborn after they are trimmed? With respect to men, the process is different, but the spirit of renovation is the same. The body is a vestment. The man is its owner. All material clothing will end up being destroyed. However, men are children of God and will reincarnate in a new physical body. The death of the body is an irreversible process because the soul will always progress through other experiences until it obtains the essential perfection that it is destined to reach.
Andrew then asked:
– Master, since the body is just like the material clothes for the souls, why are we not all equal in the world? I see beautiful young people next to cripples and paralytics... (Please ask what they think about the differences that exist amongst human beings and why they happen)
– I have been teaching about the law of cause and effect. Each soul brings the same hell or heaven that constructed with its attitudes. Would it be just to grant a new incarnation, with more happiness that in the previous one, to the rebellious Spirit that made evil in the previous existence? Those who abused the wealth will dress vestments of the most humble slaves in another incarnation; just as the hands of the ones who wounded could be cut.
– Sir, I now understand the mechanism of redemption - James said. - But I notice that the world will always need people who make evil and causes suffering, since the debtor will need somebody that causes the same damage done by him to him, in order to liquidate its debit.
The Master asked:
– How is the process of redemption under the Law of Moses? (Please ask the children what they recall about the Law of Talion, which is explained in the beginning of the class)
James answered:
– In the Law of Moses it is written "eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth ".
– You haven’t understood just as Nicodemus didn’t – Jesus said. The first Commandment is a love determination. Beyond “You shall not commit adultery”, “You shall not covet”, “You shall not murder” and the other Commandments, there is the law “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, and with your entire mind”. How could someone love God, without loving one another? Therefore, with the law of love we understand that the assassin and the victim are brothers; children from the same Father. It is enough for them to understand and forgive each other. They then can move on into their spiritual evolution. I have been teaching that Love Covers a Multitude of Sins.
James suggested Jesus should disseminate these new truths when he would be preaching on the following day. Jesus then said:
– If a doctor of the law left without me being about to explain all the truth to him, how can we expect the people to understand? That’s why I will send the Consoler, in order to clarify and expand my teachings. (Please ask the children what is the Consoler promised by Jesus)
– The Spiritist Doctrine.
Andrew and James understood that in the future the Master’s words would be better explained. They were very impressed with the teachings given to Nicodemus around the law of reincarnation.
psychographed by Francisco Cândido Xavier; by Claudia Schmidt.
Translation: Carolina von Scharten, London, Sir William Crookes Spiritist Society linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies