The good person 1 Theme: The good person Source: The Gospel according to Spiritism, XVII: item, 3 THE

GOOD PERSON
3. The truly good person is one who complies with the laws of justice, love and charity in their highest degree of purity. If they examine their conscience concerning their own actions they will ask themselves if they have violated those laws, if they have practised any evil, if they have done all the good that was possible, if they have voluntarily disregarded any occasion to be useful, if anyone has any complaint to make of them and finally, if they have done to others everything that they would wish done to themselves. They deposit their faith in God, in His goodness, in His justice and in His wisdom. They know that without His permission nothing can happen. So they submit themselves in all things to His will. Good people have faith in the future, which is the reason to put spiritual possessions before those of a temporary nature. They know that all vicissitudes of life, all pain and all deceptions are trials or atonements and accept them without murmuring. Men and women who possess the sentiments of charity and love do good for the sake of goodness, without waiting for payment of any kind. They repay evil with good, take up the defense of the weak against the strong and always sacrifice their own interests in the name of justice. These kind of people encounter satisfaction in the benefits they are able to spread, in the service they are able to render, in the happinesses they promote, in the tears they are able to dry and in the consolation they offer to those who are afflicted. Their first impulse is always to think of others before themselves and to look after these interests before looking after their own. On the other hand, the selfish person always calculates the benefits and losses arising from any generous action. The good person is always good, humane, and benevolent with everyone, without distinction as to race or creed, because they see all men and women as brothers and sisters. They respect all sincere convictions in others and never launch reprobation against those who think otherwise. Charity guides them in every circumstance, because they know that those who prejudice others with evil words, who injure others with their pride by disregarding their susceptibilities, or who knowing they could avoid it, do not draw back at the thought of causing suffering or yet a contrariety, however small, lack the obligation to love one's neighbour and so do not deserve the clemency of the Lord. They do not harbour rancour, hate nor yet desire vengeance. Instead they follow the example of Jesus by forgiving and forgetting all offences, only remembering the benefits received, because they know that we ourselves shall be forgiven only in as much as we are able to forgive others. These kind of people are indulgent with the weaknesses of others because they know that they also need indulgence, remembering that Christ said: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." They do not take pleasure in looking for defects in others, nor in calling attention to them, and if necessity obliges them to do so, they always try to look for the good qualities so as to lessen the bad ones. Good people study their own imperfections and work unceasingly to combat them, using all their strength, so that tomorrow they will be able to say that they are just a little better than they were the day before. The good person never tries to emphasize the importance of their own spirit or talents at the expense of others. But on the contrary, they take every opportunity to highlight in others whatever these people may have that is useful. They are not conceited about their riches, nor of any personal advantage, knowing that everything that has been given to them may be taken away. They use, but do not abuse, the possessions which have been conceded to them because they are only a deposit, for which they will be required to give full account. They know that the most detrimental employment that these riches can be put to is the satisfaction of their own passions. If then, by social order, a good person has been placed in a position of command over their fellow creatures, they treat them with kindness and benevolence, because before God all men are equal. They use their authority to raise up the morale of these people and never to crush them with their own pride. They avoid everything which might cause a subordinate position to be even more painful than necessary. Study O homem de bem, given by Martinho, at the Centro Esprita Joana dArc, So Joo de Meriti, RJ. on 07/ 06/ 2011.
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On the part of those who are subordinate, let it be understood that the duties which go with this position must be clearly appreciated and conscientiously fulfilled. (See chapter 17, item 9.) Finally, a good person is always one who respects the rights of their fellow beings, as assured by the laws of nature, in the same way that they would wish their own to be respected. These are not all the qualities which distinguish a good person, but anyone who tries hard to possess those which have been mentioned will find themselves on the road which leads to all the rest.

Suggested points:
1) - The true good person is the one who accomplishes the law of justice, of love and of charity 2) - He deposits faith in God, in His kindness, in His justice and in His wisdom. 3) - He has faith in the future, its the reason why he puts the spiritual possessions above the temporary possessions. 4) - Possessed of charity feeling and of love to the neighbor, he does good for the goodness sake, 5) - He finds satisfaction in the benefits which he spreads, in the services that he renders, in doing blissful to the other ones, and in the tears that he dries out, 6) - The good person is good, human and benevolent to all, without distinction of races, nor of creeds, 7) - In all of the circumstances, he takes for guidance charity, 8) - He doesn't feed hate, nor bitterness, nor a revenge desire; to the example of Jesus, he forgives and he forgets the offenses and only of the benefits he remembers, 9) - He studies his own imperfections and he works unceasingly in combating them. 10) - He doesn't try to give value to his own spirit, nor to his talents, at the expenses of somebody elses; 11) - He doesn't become conceited of his wealth, nor of his personal advantages, 12) - If the social order put under his command other men, he treats them with kindness and benevolence, 13) - The good person respects all the rights which the laws of Nature give to their fellow creatures, as he wants his to be respected.

CONSIDERATIONS:
With these points or maxims of the Spirits to us suggested, in a certain way we renew the Gospel of the Master in doing to the neighbor what we wanted for us and not to do to the neighbor what we dont want for ourselves. The spiritist morals is the one of Jesus, 2 for the teachings of the superior Spirits one sees that they are followers of Jesus, because they make us to remember the Gospel of the Master which is in essence the love to God and the neighbor; therefore the Spirits don't bring us a new Doctrine, but the one of Jesus although in a new way to speak, but referentially to the Gospel, and it is of agreement to Jesus' promise that the Consoler would make to remember what he taught us. 3 And, we continue that in this line of thought, we should not steal, to kill,4 to give blows to the neighbor, be whoever may be, or in other forms of deceiving the neighbor, be it to the boss, be it to a business partner, be it to a friend, be it to the own family, because then would not be a man of well faring, but an opportunist of the evil, and Jesus informed: that some will receive many lashes, 5 and he adds: will be arrested until paying the last farthing.6 Yes, it is not good to give one of a smarty, because nor does God need to see, since 'the laws of causes and effects' 7 which are adjusted thoroughly by the will of God, it doesn't let to pass spiritually not even the most privileged, nor the daring pseudo-believer who thinks that God forgives him everything, and that in his freedom and 'free will' 8 he does what he wants and he reckons, and in so doing he is cute.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Gospel according to Spiritism, XV.\ John, XVI: 12 & 13. Exodus, XX. Luke, XII: 47 & 48. Luke, XII: 59. The Gospel according to Spiritism, V: 4-10. The Spirits Book, Q. 843.

Were not the priests the privileged of God and His representatives before the world? And nevertheless Jesus said: 'Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees', 9 would it not be Jesus thinking about the Laws of causes and effect. Would it not be Jesus thinking about the 'the Laws of causes and effects' when he said: 'Woe unto you that are rich! For ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full, for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets. 10 It is not a joke no; we are Spirits and as Spirits we have immortality, 11 and in that the responsibility, the discipline due to the obedience which comes to the rules of life, thus St. Paul said: 'all things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful o me, but I will no be brought under he power of any.' 12 Happy is the one who gets a living in this same very ideal. The world is full of opportunities for the good and for the evil, as Christians or Spiritists we should choose the good, and the good is the narrow door, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, 13 if the world is' a world of Tests and atonements' 14 we should conform to and to accept it and be satisfied 15 in the condition in which we may be until God calls us to better worlds, 16 we should not rebel and think that God being unjust in the situation in which we are, hence fore God in His justice gives to each one of us according to our merits.17 It is not worthwhile to be rich for instance if we stole to the neighbor, whence from we would be living in err and falsehood of the harmony laws and of spiritual balances, the matter is of temporary use, it is as a test to see and know who we really are, through the way one deals with matter, Jesus said: 'Ye shall know them by their fruits.' 18 That could also be interpretable in the matter life. In this world good men are rare, but there are them, God has them spread out in the world and only once or another that He reveals them openly, and to the Christians Jesus reveals: 'ye are the light of the world; 'ye are the salt of the Earth.' 19 Hence the good persons.

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Let us seek support in the Book of the Spirits a little on the Moral Laws:
THE LAW OF JUSTICE, OF LOVE, Natural Rights and Justice.
873. Is the sentiment of justice natural, or the result of acquired ideas? "It is so natural that your feeling spontaneously revolts at the idea of an injustice. Moral progress undoubtedly develops this sentiment, but it does not create it. God has placed it in the heart of man, and for this reason you often find, among simple and primitive people, notions of justice more exact than those of others who are possessed of a larger amount of knowledge." 874. If justice be a law of nature, how is it that men understand it so differently, and that the same thing appears just to one, and unjust to another? "It is because your passions often mingle with this sentiment and debase it, as they do with the greater part of the natural sentiments, causing you to see things from a false point of view. 875. How should justice be defined? "Justice consists in respect for the rights of others." - What determines those rights? Matthew, XXIII. Luke, VI: 24-26. 11 The Spirits Book, Q. 191. - Luke, XXIV: 5 & 6. - Mark, XVI: 6. 12 I Corinthians, VI: 12. 13 Matthew, VII: 12-14. 14 The Gospel according to Spiritism, III. 15 Philipenses, IV: 11 & 12. 16 John, XIV: 2. 17 Romans, II: 6. 18 Matthew, VII: 16-20. 19 Matthew, V: 13 & 14.
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"Two things: human law and natural law. Men having made laws in harmony with their character and habits, those laws have established rights that have varied with the progress of enlightenment. Your laws, at this day, though still far from perfect, no longer consecrate what were considered as rights in the Middle Ages; those rights, which appear to you monstrous, appeared just and natural at that epoch. The rights established by men are not, therefore, always conformable with justice; moreover, they only regulate certain social relations, while in private life there are an immense number of acts that are submitted only to the tribunal of conscience." 876. Independently of the right established by human law, what is the basis of justice according to natural law? "Christ has told you: 'Do unto others whatsoever you would that others should do unto you. God has placed in the heart of man, as the true rule of all justice, the desire which each of you feels to see his own rights respected. When uncertain as to what he should do in regard to his fellow-creature in any given conjuncture, let each man ask himself what he would wish to have done to him-self under the same circumstances; God could not give him a safer guide than his own conscience." The true criterion of justice is, in fact, to desire for others what one would desire for one's self; not merely to desire for one's self what one would desire for others, which is not precisely the same thing. As it not natural to desire harm for one's self, we are sure, in taking our personal desires as the type of our conduct to wards our neighbours, never to desire anything but good for them. In ail ages and in all beliefs, man has always sought to enforce his personal rights; the sublime peculiarity of the Christian religion is its taking of personal right as the basis of the right of the neighbour. 877. Does the necessity of living in society impose any special obligations on mankind? "Yes, and the first of these is to respect the rights of others; he who respects those rights will always be just. In your world, where so many neglect to practise the law of justice, you have recourse to reprisals, and this causes trouble and confusion in human society. Social life gives rights and imposes corresponding duties." 878. It is possible for a man to be under an illusion as to the extent of his rights; what is there that can show him their true limit? "The limit of the right which he would recognize on the part of his neighbour towards himself under similar circumstances, and vice-versa." - But if each attributes to himself the rights of his fellow-creatures, what becomes of subordination to superiors? Would not such a principle be anarchical and destructive of all power? Natural rights are the same for all men, from the smallest to the greatest; God has not fashioned some men from a finer clay than others, and all are equals in His sight. Natural rights are eternal; the rights which man has established perish with his institutions. But each man feels distinctly his strength or his weakness, and will always be conscious of a sort of deference towards him whose wisdom or virtue entitles him to respect. It is important to mention this, in order that those who think themselves superior may know what are the duties that will give them a right to deference. There will be no insubordination when authority shall be attributed only to superior wisdom." 879. What would be the character of the man who should practise justice in all its purity? "He would be truly righteous, after the example of Jesus; for he would practise the love of the neighbour and charity, without which there can be no real justice."

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The good person is usually a man already suffered and developed, he is no more selfish who wants everything for himself, he already has faith and trust in God and in the future, he is in harmony with God and His laws, he doesn't live in fear of death, because he knows that God will protect him in the beyond as He does protect him in the material life. Therefore he is a person free from prejudices, hates, envies, bad disposition before his neighbor, he is a person whom everyone likes and is sympathized with, finally he is a man of well faring, a worthy person. His faith in God makes him to be tolerant, understanding and he doesn't like to interfere where he is not called. In religion subjects he thinks that each one has his own notion of God in accordance to his spiritual degree and the light which God granted him? He doesn't impose his ideals although he is ready to collaborate

and to give testimony of his faith, but always in a positive way without accusations nor judgments to the neighbor, because he knows that God is the Father of all and in that he doesn't feel superior to anybody at all. Woe of us if it were not for the men of good which God has them, who seasons the humanity, because the general cruelty would do a widespread hell of the world, where peace is doubtful; nevertheless the world goes badly, because the intolerance political or religious includes an overspreading in the world in general and it brings unhappy consequences. Still on top of it there are intolerances or race prejudices, of sexual differentiate, of social classes and of men's ideals who feel themselves superior to the other fellow ones, without the notion that above them there are always other superiors to them and even so they do not lower the head in subjection or shame, but even if it were not so, they should respect God who is superior to all and He gives the example of loving all, making to rain or to sunshine to the good as much as to the bad, and this world by itself is already a suffering one, because from it we have to work to remove from it our sustenance, also because due to our meriting God gives us a simple body which needs shelter from the seasons of the Earth, feeding sustenance etc. But the world will not be forever of the way that it is now, there will be evolution and progress and the men of evil will be taken off for the good of the ones which God finds to be worthy of continuing here, the world will not be destroyed, because the world is a good world if we know to remove advantage of it.

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Let us see the item number 27 of chapter XVIII of the book of Kardec' Genesis':

CHAPTER XVIII The new generation

27. - In order that man shall be happy upon the Earth, it is necessary that it be peopled with good spirits, incarnate or discarnate, who desire only good. This time has arrived; a great emigration is being accomplished at this moment among those who inhabit it. Those who return evil for evil, and in whom the desire to do right is not felt, being unworthy of the transformed state of the Earth, will be banished from it, because they will bring only trouble and confusion, and would be an obstacle to progress. Hey will go to expiate heir hardness of heart, some into inferior worlds, and others will carry their acquired knowledge, and where it will be their mission to teach un developed beings this knowledge. They will be replaced by better spirits, who will make justice, peace, and fraternity rule among them. The Earth, according to the intelligence gained from the spirits, must not be transformed by a cataclysm which would suddenly annihilate a generation. The present generation will gradually disappear, and the new one succeed in the same manner without anything having been changed in the natural order of things. All externally will pass along as is usual, with this difference alone, which is an important one, that a part of the spirits which are incarnated here now will no more be incarnated here. The children, who will then be born, instead of being underdeveloped and inclined o evil, will be more advanced spirits inclined towards righteousness. It acts then much less upon a new corporeal generation than upon the new generation of spirits. It is undoubtedly within this context that Jesus understood things when he said: I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Thus, those who will expect to see the transformation brought about by supernatural or miraculous effects will be disappointed.

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In this study one sees a little of the proof of the need of effort for our progress. Because God created us' simple and ignorant',20 so that progressively the spirit grows morally and intellectually. Thence in the immortality of the spirit the grace given by God of reincarnation. However in the laws of progress of the worlds, it always arrives the hour of the ones who progress not to the height of the world in which they are. Necessary it is to give them the opportunity to live in a compatible world with their reached up degree. So that they may continue although in another world to develop and to progress spiritually. And according to their effort to equalize to the level of their fellow brethren who now are more advanced, they will be able to live together in the same world to them compatible when to the same degree they will reach out. Because with God there is no
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The Spirits Book, Q. 115-121.

delay or eternal imperfection. But temporary until a deserved readjustment, in which the' devil today will be the angel of tomorrow.' 21 Oh, how wonderful it is our God, I refer to the God to us revealed by Jesus and by the spirits of the Master, of course I do not refer to the interpretation of a revengeful God, punishing, jealous and absolute no I dont! I speak of the true God, who is just, good, merciful, tolerant, patient, of love, compassion, full of grace and who loves all of His children in spite of some of them being rebeliosos, loving all without privileged to the other children's expenses, He is our Father and thats it! It is In Him that we deposit our faith and hope There is no size nor measure to His love and willingness of well faring towards everyone. Not like us who having many children even unintentionally we love and we give preference to some more than others or we have the one or the most favorite that we adulterate to the jealousy and anger of the other children.. And thenceforth, let us not think God is alike us, because that did our ancestors who deduced God to be as men were, and practically they made God to be to their own similarity! Well, may God be with us, as formerly, today and always!

The good person is usually a man already suffered and developed, He is no more selfish who wants everything for himself, He already has faith and trust in God and in the future, He is in harmony with God and His laws; he doesn't live in fear of death, Because he knows that God will protect him in the beyond as He does protect him in the material life, therefore he is a person free from prejudices, Hates, envies, bad disposition before his neighbor, He is a person, whom everyone likes and is sympathized with, Finally he is a man of well faring, a worthy person. His faith in God makes him to be tolerant, Understanding and he doesn't like to interfere where he is not called. In religion subjects he thinks that each one has his own notion of God
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Heaven and Hell. 1st Part, III: 5 and VIII: 16.

In accordance to his spiritual degree and the light which God granted him? He doesn't impose his ideals although he is ready to collaborate and to give testimony of his faith, But always in a positive way without accusations nor judgments to the neighbour, Because he knows that God is the Father of all And in that he doesn't feel superior to anybody at all.
Extract from the study O homem de bem, given by Martinho at the Centro Esprita Joana dArc, on 07/ 06/ 2011.