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.
Read ACIM Chapter 8, Section IV (pages 143-146)
This world was made to be a replacement for God’s unified Kingdom of Love. This world reflects the decision to separate or dissociate from Love, which is everything. This dissociation from all that is real brings with it the illusion of isolation, which generates loneliness. Because we are denying Love’s unity, which is all there is, we feel helpless and alone. We are denying ourselves the gift of freedom that comes with accepting God’s Will for us. “When you are not at peace it can only be because you do not believe you are in Him. Yet He is All in all.” (1:3-4)
Jesus represents the bridge to the full remembrance of our unity with God and the denial of the idea of separation. Because he recognizes the unity of all creation, he is truly with us always because he is one with us. Jesus tells us, “The remembrance of me is the remembrance of yourself, and of Him Who sent me to you.” (2:13)
Jesus is here to bring us the awareness of oneness, which is our Father’s Will. The world has a problem accepting this because the world is the rejection of the unity of Love. As we accept that he is with us always by joining with him in the recognition of our unity in Love, we share his Light and become the Light of the world with him. When we accept his guidance, we will extend peace and union as he does.
Jesus emphasizes in this section that healing our mind does not come from outside us. It comes from the guidance we receive in our minds by joining with Jesus or the Holy Spirit. The ego tries to convince us that if we follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance we will be asked to sacrifice. So we fear the very guidance that will heal us and set us free. The ego does not tell us that the only thing we will lose is the illusion of being separate and alone. When we give up the ego, this “loss” is replaced by the peace and joy of God.
The ego equates independence with freedom. Yet it is actually imprisonment because to be independent of God’s Love we must limit ourselves and lose awareness of God’s limitless, eternal Love. Love is Life because Love is Creation. The ego’s independence is thus the denial of our Life in God. The ego does not tell us that the terrible price we pay for its “gift” of independence is belief in death. The Course is helping us to recognize this so we will realize that the ego has no value. It offers us nothing we really want. As we recognize this, we become willing to accept the Holy Spirit’s lessons.
As we make the decision to unite with Jesus, we are learning to return to the union of Love and reject the separation of the world. Jesus knows how to guide us and as our willingness to listen and follow grows, we learn the Will of the Father. Jesus tells us, “I can teach you, but only you can choose to listen to my teaching.” (6:5)
Jesus always teaches us of union. The Father and the Son are one and indivisible. Our identity is with both the Father and the Son. We are part of Both because They are one. We also must learn to see our brother as one with us. To see him as a separate body with a separate mind is to imprison him and ourselves. No part of Creation can be imprisoned if It is to be known in truth. Accepting our oneness with our brothers and our Father is the gift of freedom to ourselves and our brother.
© 2004-2010, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice is included.
Has this page been helpful to you?
Your contribution in support of this site is greatly appreciated. To make a tax deductible contribution or become a member online, go to http://www.pathwaysoflight.org/polshop/home.php?cat=254.
Or send a check or money order to Pathways of Light, 6 Oak Court, Ormond Beach, FL 32174-2623 (USD only, please) Thank you for your support.