A Course in Miracles Text Made Simple

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Chapter 31: The Final Vision

Section VI. Recognizing the Spirit

Read A Course in Miracles, Chapter 31, Section VI. (pages 660-662)

What are our only two options for vision?

Jesus tells us very simply: “You see the flesh or recognize the spirit. There is no compromise between the two. If one is real the other must be false, for what is real denies its opposite. There is no choice in vision but this one. What you decide in this determines all you see and think is real and hold as true. On this one choice does all your world depend, for here have you established what you are, as flesh or spirit in your own belief.” (1:1-6)

If we choose to focus on a world of separate bodies as what is real, we will think we are a body and be limited by our own choice. We will forget our true Identity and think we are weak, limited and alone.

What happens when we choose to remember that we are Spirit?

Jesus encourages us to let go of this belief in limitation and individuality and open up to the truth that we are united as one in Spirit. He says, “But choose the spirit, and all Heaven bends to touch your eyes and bless your holy sight, that you may see the world of flesh no more except to heal and comfort and to bless.” (1:8)

Because we see either one or the other, we must let go of the false notion that separate bodies are real. As we are willing to let it go, Heaven returns to our awareness.

How does Jesus describe salvation?

Salvation is the undoing of our belief that we are a separate body with a separate mind. It is letting go of the false notion that we could be unique and different from the whole. It is letting go of the false ideas of birth and death. If we are one in Spirit, we are eternal. We are changeless. We are one with all of God, our Source.

Jesus explains salvation this way: “Salvation is undoing. If you choose to see the body, you behold a world of separation, unrelated things, and happenings that make no sense at all. This one appears and disappears in death; that one is doomed to suffering and loss. And no one is exactly as he was an instant previous, nor will he be the same as he is now an instant hence. Who could have trust where so much change is seen, for who is worthy if he be but dust? Salvation is undoing of all this.” (2:1-6)

What will salvation undo?

Jesus says, “It is your world salvation will undo, and let you see another world your eyes could never find.” (3:4 italics added) It is being made very clear to us that it is not our job to do the undoing because it has already been accomplished. He says about this: “How is this done? It is not done at all. What could there be within the universe that God created that must still be done?” (3:9-11) Our job in all of this is to be willing to accept what is real and let go of what is not real.

What changes as we become willing to let go of what is not real?

The concept of the self is changed. What and where we think we are is changed. We realize that our will and the Will of God are the same. Jesus explains it this way: “One vision, clearly seen, that does not fit the picture as it was perceived before will change the world for eyes that learn to see, because the concept of the self has changed.” (5:4)

As we are willing to let go of the belief that we are a body, the truth that we, along with everyone, are still one with God returns to our awareness. With this awareness of oneness in God, we know we are invulnerable. We know that we cannot harm or be harmed. The concepts of self we held on to before are replaced with Christ’s vision.

Jesus tells us, “Are you a spirit, deathless, and without the promise of corruption and the stain of sin upon you? So the world is seen as stable, fully worthy of our trust; a happy place to rest in for a while, where nothing need be feared, but only loved. Who is unwelcome to the kind in heart? And what could hurt the truly innocent? (6:7-10)

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