Once Sathya Sai Baba quoted words from the Gospel: “Addressing those present, Jesus Christ said that whoever wants to be his disciple must follow his teachings” (paraphrase of Mark 8:34). What simple and, at the same time, complex words.
After citing this wonderful saying of Jesus Christ, Sathya Sai Baba further noted that by practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ and acting in accordance with his instructions, we become true Christians. It was wonderful to hear these words from Sathya Sai Baba, who was not a Christian but was born into a Hindu family.
At all times, people easily and quickly create a cult of great spiritual teachers, but at the same time they are little interested in what is the essence of their teaching.
A huge number of people worship the images of Krishna, Buddha, and Jesus Christ. However, few people are interested in the depth of their teachings, and even fewer people try to embody these teachings in their daily lives.
What is the essence of the teaching of Jesus Christ? The only prayer that Jesus Christ gave to his disciples was a prayer to the Heavenly Father: "Our Father". This amazing prayer contains great philosophical meaning, in fact it is a formula for each person to engage in direct and personal communication with our Heavenly Father.
The teaching of Jesus Christ was that absolutely every person is a son or daughter of God. Initially, every person is a child of God, for everything in this universe came from God. But due to ignorance and conditioning, people forget their original spiritual connection with God the Father.
In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus Christ proclaims that every person has the right to call God their Father. By this, he emphasized that not only he, but every person can establish an equally close relationship with God.
44. Unity of Self and God
The essence of the teachings of Jesus Christ is love for one's neighbor. In the famous words of Jesus Christ about the need to love your neighbor as yourself, there is an important detail, which consists in the fact you should first accept and love yourself. Only the person who can first love himself can show love for others.
In order to love yourself, you need to see God not somewhere far away in heaven, but in your spiritual heart. Hating yourself means hating the God that is within your heart. To hate your neighbor is to hate the God in his heart.
A person who hates himself cannot show love to others. That is why it is first necessary to reveal God in your own heart and love yourself; only then is it possible to take the path of service and truly show love to others.
