Metaphysical meaning of Christ (rw)
Christ--The incarnating principle of the God-man; the perfect Word or idea of God, which unfolds into the true man and is blessed with eternal life by measuring up to the divine standard, thus fulfilling the law of righteousness. "Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11). See Christianity.
Christ is the divine man. Jesus is the name that represents an individual expression of the Christ idea. Christ existed long before Jesus. It was the Christ Mind in Jesus that exclaimed, "And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:5).
Christ abides in each person as his potential perfection. Jesus Christ, the embodiment of all divine ideas, exists eternally in the Mind of Being as the only begotten Son of God, the "Messiah" or "anointed one," and is the living Principle working in man.
Christ and Jehovah--Jehovah of the Old Testament is the I AM, or Christ of God invisible; the Messiah is the promise of the visible manifestation of that I AM, or Christ, and Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in man of that original spiritual I AM, or Jehovah.
Christ, abide in--To dwell continually in the consciousness of Christ to the point of realization of unity with the Father and Son. To abide in Christ is to live in the perfection of God-Mind, the thought of God, the living Christ.
Christ, birth of--Man is the bringing forth (the birth) of God's idea of man, the Christ of God. This is done through the quickening power of the word of Truth. The birth of Christ is the beginning in the inner realms of consciousness of a higher set of faculties, which, when grown to full stature, will save the whole man from ignorance, sickness, and death.
Christ, first coming of--The dawning in mind that spiritual man is the real Son of God.
Christ, formation of--When man appropriates words of Truth he partakes of that which forms the spiritual soul, substance, and life of Spirit and which manifests as Christ in the perfect body. Every student of Truth is letting "Christ be formed" (Gal. 4:19) in him when he constantly abides in the Christ Mind through daily meditating on words of Truth.
Christ, indwelling--The Son of God or spiritual nucleus within each person. All our thoughts must harmonize with this spiritual center before we can bring into expression the divine consciousness. Each man has within himself the Christ idea, just as Jesus had. Man must look to the indwelling Christ in order to recognize his sonship, his divine origin and birth, even as did the Saviour. This real self is "closer . . . than breathing, and nearer than hands and feet." It is the kingdom of God in each person. "Neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21).
Christ in you--The true light, which guides every man coming into the world, is, and ever has been, in man. Even the outer man was formed and came into existence through it. This is "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27).
Christ, joint heirs with--We are joint heirs with Christ to all that the Father has. This truth alone--the belief that in the regenerate state we are to be like Jesus, who became Christ manifested--leads us to a desire and an effort to attain our inheritance of eternal life here and now, because we know that there is no other thing in the universe worth striving for.
Christ, second coming of--The awakening and the regeneration of the subconscious mind through the superconscious or Christ Mind.
Christ body, work of the--The work of the Christ body is the "restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old" (Acts 3:21). (see body of Christ)
________________________
Preceding Entry: chosen
Following Entry: Christian conversion
