January 29, 2013
The last judgment probably brings up some very disturbing and fearful thoughts for many of us raised in a conservative or traditional Christian tradition. As with other concepts we have been raised with and perhaps believed, the Course gives us a new definition of the last judgment. The Course has taught us that God is Love and nothing else. It has also taught us that we are God’s creations, are extensions of God, and carry all the characteristics of God within us because God creates like God. We are therefore inseparable from God and also perfect as God is. God’s Will is to create like God. And since we are extensions of God, we have the ability to create as God does. It is our Will to create perfectly as God does. But, God gave us free choice and free will. We are free to choose to co-create with God, or to exercise our creative power to make separately from God on our own.
Our creative ability rests in our mind and is a matter of will. It follows that any creation made in our separated mind is real to our own mind, but not real in the Mind of God. If we have made alone, we have not co-created with the Mind of God. Understanding the distinction of how we make or create is essential in understanding the last judgment. In the Mind of God there is no judgment or any need for judgment. The Course tells us that God has no need of judgment. All God’s creations and all creations of the Mind of God are holy and perfect. Judgment was brought into being after separation as one of many learning devices built into the plan for our return to the awareness of who we really are. And judgment works hand in hand with miracles to shorten the time that journey takes. We must free ourselves from the fear of judgment so we can emerge from the conflict in our minds and bring peace to other minds.
Judgment is more about sorting true from false, real from illusion, and right-minded thinking from wrong-minded thinking. Judgment is done in partnership with and under the guidance of Spirit. We are so attached to our thoughts and ideas made by our separated mind that we believe they are real and true without discrimination. Though many of our creations may have been co-created with our mind and the Mind of God, we don’t understand how to see the difference. Judgment may be seen as a process of right evaluation. Thus we determine what is worthy and what is not with the guidance of Spirit. Sprit guides our mind to look with love on all we have created and see its worthiness. At the same time, our guided mind will release all it made up and those miscreated thoughts will no longer exist.
The time we choose to begin this “last judgment” for ourselves is our choice. We must be willing to allow Spirit to guide us in this process. We cannot do it with our separated mind, for it lacks the practice to join with the Mind of God. Spirit guides our joining with the Mind of God until we accept it fully. This process of right evaluation will gradually open the shutters we have closed around the light we truly are. The light of Spirit will flood our minds and open our Spirit eyes and ears to the awareness of who we really are. As more and more of us move on this path, whatever form it takes, we will see the world we perceive shift to reflect the love and peace of God and the real world. Take the first step and let yourself be guided into freedom.
Recent Comments