Chapter 3.XI – The Unshakeable Foundation

March 26, 2021

In this section Jesus introduces the concept of two thought systems that are completely opposite to each other. A thought system develops from a starting point. “It begins with either a making or a creating…” (2:2)

We have learned that to make is to perceive, miscreate, and to be confused about what is real. To create is to fully know our brothers ourselves and God, extending ourselves as God did in our own creation. Therefore, the thought system that begins with making rests on or has its foundation in miscreation and the one that begins with creating rests on or has its foundation in truth. They both have equal power and they “both are cornerstones for systems of belief by which you live.” (2:6)

In this world, our thought system rests on the belief that we are self-created. Jesus states emphatically that “it is essential that this whole authority problem be voluntarily dismissed once and for all.” (1:1)

Our thought system is likened to the battle with the devil. Our mind is in the role of the devil who “is perceived as a force in combat with God, battling Him for the possession of souls.” (4:2) Here we see that as self-created, we are in a battle with our Creator to claim authorship of our image. Our mind “deceives by lies and builds kingdoms of his own, in which everything is in direct opposition to God.” (4:3) We keep selling our birth-right to keep this image of ourselves as self-made, even when we know there is no value in any of this miscreation of ours. As Jesus says, this makes no sense at all, however we continue to “act in a way [we] realize is self-destructive but [we do] not will to correct, and therefore perceive the cause as beyond [our] control.”

We must not minimize the real power of our mind to manifest such a strong thought system. This only depreciates the power of our mind and consequently, makes it almost impossible to understand this course and escape the “prison [we] have made for [ourselves].” (3:3) Jesus says that “the separation was not symbolic.” (5:2) This means that it really did happen. It happened because of our desire to be self-created, and our powerful mind used this desire to give rise to a whole thought system that is real to the believer. This is the fact that we must accept. “The mind can make the belief in separation very real and very fearful. And this belief is the devil.” (9:1-2) This is so because our thought system begins with the premise that we created ourselves. It is based on the belief that we are our own author.

“It is essential that this whole authority problem be voluntarily dismissed once and for all. You do not know how important this is for your sanity. You are quite insane on this point.” (1:1-3)

If the separation was not symbolic, the story of the fall from grace is. The symbol of eating of the fruits of the tree of knowledge is symbolic of our desire to be self-created.

“Eating of the tree of knowledge is a symbolic expression for incorporating into the self the ability for self-creation.” (7:1)

Because we do not have the ability to create ourselves, we have manifested our own self-concept, we made an image of ourselves and we made an image of a father-figure, which is our concept of God. These are perceptions of ourselves and God’s. We do not know.

All of this is the foundation on which our thought system rests and in protecting it as real and true we use all our defenses “to attack ideas which would bring it to light.” (8:6)

We must not underestimate the power of our mind because “it is powerful, active, destructive and clearly in opposition to God, because it literally denies His fatherhood.” (9:3) We must look bravely at what our beliefs have made in our lives and see that the foundation of our thought system is a lie. It is difficult and fearful to look back to the beginning of our thought system because we fear our destruction. We only fear this because of our belief in our self-made image and our concept of God. We can be glad that in looking to the beginning of our thought system we will see that it is not productive and then it will be removed because then “the light will shine from the true foundation of life, and your thought system will stand corrected.” (12:3)

The other thought system is God’s and rests on truth which can never be shaken. This is the foundation of life where the light will shine from. “Your creation by God is the only foundation which cannot be shaken, because the light is in it. Your starting point is truth, and you must return to this beginning.” (10:1-2)

So, as we head to the beginning of our miscreation, fearful of our destruction because we identify so strongly with our self-concept, our self-image and that of our concept of God, we take heart in the fact that when we go back far enough, we will find that the actual beginning is truth. This is where we will end up, in the beginning of God’s creation of us and we will find that “much has been perceived since then, but nothing else has happened.” (10:3)

Our decision is and always has been either life or death, light or darkness, knowledge or perception. “To believe that they can be reconciled is to believe that God and you cannot.” (13:3)

Suggested Practice

I will to accept the power of my mind today and use it to return to my true foundation and the Kingdom that waits for me.