A Course in Miracles Text Made Simple

To gain the most from A Course in Miracles Text Made Simple, we recommend that
you read the corresponding chapter and section in the Text of the Second or
Third Edition of A Course in Miracles published by the Foundation for Inner Peace.

Chapter 31: The Final Vision

Section II. Walking with Christ

Read A Course in Miracles, Chapter 31, Section II. (pages 648-651)

In the battle being waged against the truth, why does truth not respond?

The truth knows that nothing is real except the truth, so why would truth fight against what is untrue and therefore not really there? At the beginning of the course Jesus tells us, “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God.” (Intro.2:2-4) This is why truth does not battle with illusion. To fight illusions would be to make them real.

In paragraph one, Jesus tells us: “Who could be hurt in such a war, unless he hurts himself? He has no enemy in truth. And can he be assailed by dreams?” (1:5-7)

Is freedom of choice simply an illusion made up by the ego?

The ego thought system makes it look like we have freedom of choice, but now we are learning that we are simply choosing between illusions when we think we have a choice. In the ego thought system it appears as if there are differences and things to choose between. We think that we are establishing the truth by what we decide. Now we are learning that there is only one Will and that is the Will of God. We have made up an illusion that there could be another choice, but now we are learning to let that illusion go and return to the only choice that is eternally ours because it is the only choice that is real.

Jesus tells us, “What you would choose between is not a choice and gives but the illusion it is free, for it will have one outcome either way. Thus is it really not a choice at all.” (3:1-2)

Why does Jesus say, “The voice you hear in him is but your own?

In paragraphs 3-6 Jesus shows us that the only choice we have is to choose between illusion and the truth. If we are choosing to see our brother as separate from us, we are choosing only to dream up dreams of differences. We are only projecting our own thoughts out onto a perceived ‘other.’ If we choose to believe in dreams of uniqueness, we are choosing ‘nothingness’ and are trying to make it appear to be real.

Jesus says, “The voice you hear in [your brother] is but your own. What does he ask you for? And listen well! For he is asking what will come to you, because you see an image of yourself and hear your voice requesting what you want. Before you answer, pause to think of this: The answer that I give my brother is what I am asking for. And what I learn of him is what I learn about myself.” (5:11-14, 6:1-3)

Here we see that we are always walking with Christ. What we decided before about our brother was not the truth. Now we are learning to join with our true Will and are forgiving all appearances that are unlike the truth. Jesus is very helpful to us when he says, “Take not his hand in anger but in love, for in his progress do you count your own. And we go separately along the way unless you keep him safely by your side.” (6:8-9)

What are we to listen to in every brother?

We are to listen to the Christ calling to us through every brother. Jesus explains this in paragraph 7. “Because he is your equal in God’s Love, you will be saved from all appearances and answer to the Christ Who calls to you. Be still and listen. Think not ancient thoughts. Forget the dismal lessons that you learned about this Son of God who calls to you. Christ calls to all with equal tenderness, seeing no leaders and no followers, and hearing but one answer to them all. Because He hears one Voice, He cannot hear a different answer from the one He gave when God appointed Him His only Son.” (7:1-6)

How do we return home together with every brother?

We return together when we remember the journey’s only true goal. As we practice letting go of the ancient lesson where we learned to think that separation was real, Jesus tells us, “The old will fall away before the new without your opposition or intent. …Nothing will hurt you in this holy place, to which you come to listen silently and learn the truth of what you really want.” (8:3,6)

As we practice consistently joining with Jesus in what we really want, we will just naturally “Hear but his call for mercy and release from all the fearful images he holds of what he is and of what you must be.” (9:2) We will just naturally “…decide to walk with him, so neither leads nor follows. Thus it is a way you go together, not alone. And in this choice is learning’s outcome changed, for Christ has been reborn to both of you.” (9:5-7)

We are helped with this remembrance that we are joined as we practice joining with Jesus in every aspect of our lives. “For next to you is One Who holds the light before you, so that every step is made in certainty and sureness of the road. A blindfold can indeed obscure your sight, but cannot make the way itself grow dark. And He Who travels with you has the light.” (11:7-9)

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