ACIM-W-101:6:2
The next ten lessons of ACIM continue to speak to this idea of sin , guilt and atonement we have addressed in other entries. They begin with a big broad statement that will likely be hard for most of to digest but here it goes: There is no sin.
Say What crazy lady???
There is no sin!
I even find that hard to write because it goes against everything I was taught to believe in my religious foundation. It is, according to that doctrine, blasphemy to assume that sin isn't real. Sin and guilt are like two givens for existence, how can we question let alone deny their reality and necessity? Yet, that is what we are told in Lesson 101.
Let me ask you a few questions: Do you believe that we deserve to be endlessly punished until our deaths? Do you believe that happiness, peace and joy are nothing but illusions? Do you believe that salvation is painful and something to escape at all costs? Do you believe that God wants us running from Him in fear and avoiding Him ?
If you say yes to any of these questions than you must believe that sin is real. If you hesitate and say no to any of these than maybe you are ready to see how sin cannot be real. Maybe the following practice statement will finally sink in as the truth:
God's Will for me is perfect happiness.
There is no sin; it has no consequences.
This is the truth, because there is no sin.
God's Will for Us is Happiness Not Suffering
Suffering serves no purpose though part of us may question that suffering will offer some form of penance for us. Lesson 102 assures us that it doesn't. ...pain is purposeless, without a cause and with no power accomplish anything. 102-2:1 God's Will for us is happiness not suffering and we share that Will, therefore our only function here is happiness.
How do we know God wants us to be happy? Well if we believe that God is Love, we also see that God is joy. Love and happiness/joy go together. If we see ourselves as guilty sinners however, even just some of the times, we will see God as fear-inducing more so than loving. We will fear God rather than accept His gift of joy. We will misunderstand the unlimited nature of His love and of joy. We will expect and accept suffering.
We need to remind ourselves hourly that God, being Love, is also happiness. To fear Him is to be afraid of joy. (Lesson-103)
We need to remind ourselves hourly that God, being Love, is also happiness. To fear Him is to be afraid of joy. (Lesson-103)
Accepting God's Gifts of Joy and Peace
God, being Love, gifts us with joy and peace and we have a right to them. Too often we are not ready to receive these gifts because we are too busy receiving mind made gifts that bring suffering instead. We need to put down our puny self made gifts that bring nothing but suffering and accept God's gifts for us. Gifts we do want. ( Lesson 104)
The truly given gift entails no loss. It is impossible that one can gain because another loses. 105:1:6
That is hard for many of us to believe . We think that when we give we lose and we when we receive someone else loses. We become afraid of giving and receiving. ACIM teaches that the more we receive God's gift of peace and joy, the more peace and joy God extends to the world through us. We need to recognize that God's peace and joy are ours and by being ours they are for everyone. God wants us to receive these gifts so all can have these gifts!! ( Lesson 105)
That is hard for many of us to believe . We think that when we give we lose and we when we receive someone else loses. We become afraid of giving and receiving. ACIM teaches that the more we receive God's gift of peace and joy, the more peace and joy God extends to the world through us. We need to recognize that God's peace and joy are ours and by being ours they are for everyone. God wants us to receive these gifts so all can have these gifts!! ( Lesson 105)
Listening for God's Voice
Lesson 106 guides us to get beyond the noisy chatter of the ego to the quiet stillness of the Self so we can hear God's wisdom, the Truth of Salvation. We can ask what it means to give and receive. We can offer to give what we do receive.
If you will lay aside the ego's voice, however loudly it may seem to call; if you will not accept its petty gifts that give you nothing that you really want; if you listen with an open mind, that has not told you what salvation is; then you will hear the mighty Voice of truth, quiet in power, strong in stillness, and completely certain in Its messages. ACIM-W-106:1:1
This truth we hear when we listen will be our salvation. It will correct all errors in our mind. Without illusion there will be no fear, no doubt and no attack. When truth has come all pain is over for there is no room for transitory thoughts and dead ideas to longer in your mind. 107:3:2-3. It will end pain and set us free from guilt. It will give us peace. (Lesson-107)
The True Light
The true light that allows us to see clearly through our mind's errors and its creation of suffering is not like the light our eyes use to see. It is a state of mind. Light is tranquility, and in that peace is vision given us and we can see. (108-7:5) It is a state of mind that does not prefer or reject...it doesn't say something is good and should be sought or clung to. It doesn't say something is "bad" and should be resisted or pushed away. It doesn't judge or discriminate. All opposites are reconciled into One thought when Light is present and this brings peace. Therefore giving and receiving are the same thing; they are One in truth. Our practice is to receive what we are giving and to give what we receive. We seek quietness, peace of mind and stillness and we offer that to everyone. (Lesson 108)
Resting in God
In Lesson 109, we ask to rest in God. We ask for quietness, stability, safety, peace, happiness and stillness. We use the simple thought I rest in God to guide us from all other thoughts that do not serve us. It will give us peace. We rest in God's peace together.
And the time when rest will be the only thing there is comes closer to all worn and tired minds, too weary now to go their own way alone. And they will hear the bird begin to sing and see the spring begin to flow again, with hope reborn and energy restored to walk with lightened steps along the road that suddenly seems easy as they go. 109:7:2-3
Seeking the Self Beyond the Ego
In the final Lesson for today, we are reminded I am as God created me. (Lesson 110)
When we accept this identity over the one ego wants us to reinforce we are indeed saved. Ego's puny little self that needs fear, evil, misery and death to keep itself strong is just an appearance. It is not who we truly are. Once we realize and accept who we really are, ego images cannot survive and we heal forever.
When we accept this identity over the one ego wants us to reinforce we are indeed saved. Ego's puny little self that needs fear, evil, misery and death to keep itself strong is just an appearance. It is not who we truly are. Once we realize and accept who we really are, ego images cannot survive and we heal forever.
The Self is the birth place of all miracles If you remain as God created you, appearances cannot replace the truth, health cannot turn to sickness, nor can death be substituted for life, or fear for love. ...then there has been no separation of your mind from His, no split between your mind and other minds, and only unity within your own. 110:3: 4.
We are asked then to seek this Self that we really are and to honor it.
All is well!
ACIM-Workbook: Lessons 101-110
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