Living the spiritual life God wants for us is living in part by the laws the messengers reveal.
137. Living the life is living for God and part of what living for God is, is living by the laws He has sent down for us to observe and follow, the Holy Writings sent down to us in the writings of the various religions; which are clear on this point. To live for God one must observe His Holy Laws: Judaism: Deuteronomy 4:5 “Behold, I (Moses) have taught you statutes and judgments, even as The LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so.” Deuteronomy 4:6 “Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Deuteronomy 6:17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of The LORD your God, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which He hath commanded thee. Deuteronomy 6:18 “And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of The LORD: that it may be well with thee,” Proverbs 21:3 “To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to The LORD than sacrifice.” Christianity: 1 John 2:4 “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:5 “But, whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.” 1 John 2:6 “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” Romans 3:31 “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Romans 13:9 “Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
BABI RELIGION: “The days when idle worship was deemed sufficient are ended. The time is come when naught but the purest motive, supported by deeds of stainless purity, can ascend to the throne of the Most High and be acceptable unto Him. ‘The good word riseth up unto Him, and the righteous deed will cause it to be exalted before Him.” Through the laws of God’s manifestation.
The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 92)
ISLAM: 277. “Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” 32. Say: “Obey Allah (God) and His Messenger;”
(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2 and 3)
Islam: 20. “O ye who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away from him when ye hear him speak.”
(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 8)
Islam: 71. “He that obeys Allah and His Messenger has already attained the highest Achievement.” 9. “And those who believe and work righteous deeds, them shall We admit to the company of the Righteous.”
(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 29 and 33)
ZOROASTRIANISM: 5. “I will speak of that which (He), the Holiest declared to me as the word that is best for mortals to obey; while he said: ‘they who for my sake render Him obedience, shall all attain unto Welfare and Immortality by the actions of the Good Spirit’ – (He) Mazda Ahura (God).”
(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 45)
Zoroastrianism: “Invocation of God, to the neglect of rectitude, is unveiling. It does not suffice for the vision of Mazda. In order to be able to see Mazda, one should be righteous, thoughtful and active.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 247)
Zoroastrianism: “A moral truth does not remain a merely intellectual apprehension. It rouses the emotions and demands expression through them in action or in life.” “At the same time, a true religious life must have rectitude and good laws of conscience for its foundation.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 709)
Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “The thought of adoring the one Life-giver (i.e. God, Ahura Mazda) is due to living in accordance with His laws.” “The Lord delights in persons who on all occasions conduct themselves in accordance with His wishes and behests; and He is displeased with persons who on all occasions transgress His wishes and commands. Of such contumacious persons it is stated in the Religion that they observe not His behests and wishes.”
HINDUISM: “Find full reward Of doing right in right! Let right deeds be Thy motive, not the fruit which comes from them.” 9. “For that man who obeys the law prescribed in the revealed texts and in the sacred tradition, gains fame in this (world) and after death unsurpassable bliss.”
(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 2 and Laws of Manu chapter 2)
Hinduism: “Let right deeds be Thy motive, not the fruit which comes from them. And live in action! Labor! Make thine acts Thy piety, casting all self aside,” “Glad in all good they live, Nigh to the peace of God; and all those live Who pass their days exempt from greed and wrath, Subduing self and senses, knowing the Soul!” “Whereon he may live according to the law.”
(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapters 2, 5 and Laws of Manu chapter 11)
Hinduism: 175. “Let him always delight in truthfulness, (obedience to) the sacred law, conduct worthy of an Aryan, and purity; let him chastise his pupils according to the sacred law; let him keep his speech, his arms, and his belly under control.”
(Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 4)
BUDDHISM: “Lay members should abstain from all unkindness, stealing, unchastity, lying, duplicity, slander, frivolous talk, covetousness, malice, currying favor, and false teachings. Disciples should strictly observe all the precepts given by the Tathagatas, they should endeavor, by their example, to induce all beings to abandon evil and practice the good.” (Buddha, Diamond Sutra)
Buddhism: “What do you think, Subhuti? If a disciple, whether man or woman, were to collect a store of precious gems as great as this universe and was to bestow them on the holy Tathagatas, would that disciple on the strength of his gift lay up a large stock of merit?” “Subhuti replied: ‘Yes, Blessed One, he would lay up a very great merit.’” “The Lord Buddha replied: ‘Subhuti, if another disciple after reading even one verse of this Scripture and observing it by living a good life, he will lay up a greater merit than the one who merely makes gifts in charity and continues his egoistic life. And why? Because, making gifts may or may not involve an advance along the path.’” (Buddha, Diamond Sutra)
Buddhism: 13. “Lead a life of righteousness, and not a life of wrong-doing. He who follows righteousness lives happily in this world and the next.”
(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))
Buddhism: 13. “Arise! Be not negligent! Lead a righteous life. For one who lives a righteous life Dwells in peace here and hereafter.”
(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 3 (tr. J. Richards))
SABEANISM: “Do not slumber and sleep, and forget not what your lord commanded you.” Words to live by. (Sabeanism, Instruction of Adam)
Sabeanism: “Those who listen to the speech of The Life (the teachings of God) Will be greatly increased, Will be enriched and will not lack.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 88)
BABI RELIGION: “Gird up the loins of endeavour, and be mindful of the words of God as revealed in His Book.”
The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 92)
BAHA’I FAITH: “You must endeavour always to live and act in direct obedience to the teachings and laws of Bahá’u’lláh, so that every individual may see in all the acts of your life that in word and in deed you are followers of the Blessed Perfection.”
(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 167)
Baha’i Faith: “Cleave unto righteousness, O people of Baha! This, verily, is the commandment which this wronged One hath given unto you, and the first choice of His unrestrained Will for every one of you.”
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 93)
Baha’i Faith: “Whenever My laws appear like the sun in the heaven of Mine utterance, they must be faithfully obeyed by all, though My decree be such as to cause the heaven of every religion to be cleft asunder. He doth what He pleaseth. He chooseth; and none may question His choice. Whatsoever He, the Well-Beloved, ordaineth, the same is, verily, beloved. To this He Who is the Lord of all creation beareth Me witness.”
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 332)