Chapter 3.V – Perception versus Knowledge

March 17, 2021

To understand this section, it is important to study it from the viewpoint that “All of your difficulties ultimately stem from the fact that you do not recognize, or know yourself, your brother or God.” (3:1) We may think we know, but there is a vast difference between knowledge and perception. In this section we will learn to tell the difference between them.

Perception is:

·       

·       An attribute of the space-time belief

·       Subject to fear or love

·       Misperception produces fear.

·       True perception induces love.

·       Varies and therefore does not produce certainty.

·       Must be stabilized.

·       True perception is the basis for knowledge.

Knowledge is:

·        Power because it is certain.

·       Certainty is strength.

·       Stable

·       Uncertainty means you don’t know.

·       Knowing is the affirmation of truth.

The last sentence in the last section was “Man’s only hope is to see things as they are.” (3.IV.7:7) Now we will learn how to manage that.

In order to know our brother, we need to recognize him or “know [him] again” (3:2) as his Father knows him. When we do not know him, we question who he is, his motives and intentions. We realize we do not know him because our perception of him varies with each passing moment. This variation is our clue that what we perceive is not true; it is not knowledge.

Jesus states that we must use this understanding and question our delusions. In other words, we need to question our perceptions. When we know, we will cease to question. We need to be careful though because there are ways we can “question” in order to maintain the misperception, seeking the answer in the future instead of now. In addition, there are ways of not questioning that maintain closed mindedness toward accepting the fact that by correcting our errors in perception now the future will be better rather than worse.

Let’s look at that word insight again. “Insight is not a way to knowledge but it is a prerequisite for knowledge. Being of God, knowledge has nothing to do with your perceptions at all. That is why it can only be a gift of God to you.” (7:3-5) Looking ahead to the next paragraph we can deduce that what Jesus means by insight is to “‘know thyself’ or be certain.” We have learned that insight is not knowledge, therefore it cannot be certain. Jesus goes on to say that certainty is of God. If we are to gain the certainty of knowing ourselves we must accept this gift of knowledge from God, denying our perceptions.

In order to make room for God’s gift of knowledge we need to question our perceptions and ask for help when we do act lovingly toward our brother and instead attack his error or lack of love. When we attack we do not recognize him. “Attack is always made on a stranger.” (10:2) In every situation our mission is to recognize our brother. We should be asking “what is he to me?” The answer is “he is my brother.” This is all we need to know. “This is not a matter of perception but a fact.” (10:10)

Therefore, when we realize that our attack reveals our misperception of our brother, our quick new thought should be “the fact is he is my brother.”

Then we use this restorative response:

“Jesus help me see my brother [name] as he really is, and thus release both him and me.”

This is the type of response we need to use without delay anytime we find ourselves relying on our perception of our brothers, ourselves and God. We need to recognize that God is not a stranger and we are not strangers to each other. “There are no strangers in God’s creation.” (12:1) Our perception tells us we are apart and different, that we need to fear and protect against our brother. But we need to right our perception and we can do this by looking to God for truth. “God knows His children with perfect certainty” (12:3) and we must let His certainty correct for our uncertainty. As we stabilize our perception, God’s “certainty and his knowledge will bring peace without question.” (11:2)

Suggested Practice:

I will to know God and accept His certainty in all things today.

When you find yourself less than loving toward a brother use the response Jesus has given us:

 “Jesus help me see my brother [name] as he really is, and thus release both him and me.”