How I Used Truth - Lesson 10 - Annotation 1
What is meant by absolute Truth?
1. Absolute Truth is the reality back of all creation. Thus it is God and His perfect and orderly plan of creation.
The word absolute, according to Webster's dictionary, means that which is perfect, complete, whole. This wholeness is the essential nature or truth of God's creation. When we say that something is "absolute" we mean that it is not susceptible to variation. Truth is the steadfast fulfillment of God's plan or will in the individual or in all creation. (See How I Used Truth Lesson 8 Annotation 2.) Truth is the answer or solution to any problem, for Truth fulfills the need, no matter what it may be. When we use the expression, "I know the Truth about this condition of sickness" (poverty, or inharmony, as the case may be), we mean that we know that back of the negative appearance stands the reality of good. In place of sickness is God's life. We are acknowledging that back of poverty there is unchanging God substance, abundantly able to fulfill any need. Truth back of any inharmonious appearance is God's peace, love, and compassion awaiting our call through the "spoken word."
"Truth is . . . a state of perfection which is eternally, creatively active. Truth may be briefly defined as the action of Spirit" (Prosperity's Ten Commandments 7).
The title of this lesson, and the chapter in the text which it covers, is "Unadulterated Truth." This is another way of referring to absolute Truth. If something is "unadulterated" it is pure or perfect. It is not tainted by anything unlike its own pure nature. The word absolute is the more positive expression, while "unadulterated" is the more negative approach, but it still has reference to that which is perfect or undefiled.
We are to deny first. This cleanses error states of mind. Thus the consciousness is "unadulterated." It is ready, like prepared soil, to receive (by affirmation) the seed-ideas of Truth. When we use the word absolute in connection with Truth we may ask what "relative" Truth is. Absolute Truth is God's plan of perfection; relative Truth is that plan evolving (expressing) in degrees of intelligence. Absolute Truth is the changeless Reality; relative Truth is the changing, expanding consciousness of absolute Truth. Relative Truth produces appearances in the realm of phenomena that we can see, hear, taste, smell, or touch. We might look at flowers and say, "They are beautiful." We would not say, "They are beauty." Beauty is the idea or Absolute Truth back of the formed flowers. The flowers are, however, expressing Truth to a degree. They are relative to the absolute idea of beauty. At each stage of our spiritual unfoldment we will be expressing Truth. Such expression will be relative in that it will be in degree, ever expanding as we advance "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52).
"It is only from the plane of mind that one can know Truth in an absolute sense. That which we pronounce truth from the plane of appearances is relative only. The relative truth is constantly changing, but the absolute Truth endures; and what is true today always was and always will be true" (Atom-Smashing Power of Mind 88).
We may determine whether we know Truth, in the sense of being intimately acquainted with our indwelling Lord, by the results that show forth as conditions in our daily living. We may know about Truth just as we know about a person, by report. But knowing about Truth is not the same as being actually acquainted with God, Just as knowing about a person is not the same as being acquainted with that person. If we have accepted Truth only intellectually, then we only know about it; for Truth to bring about results of good in our life we have to know it through conscious communion with the God-presence within.
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Preceding Entry: What part does faith play in the process of bringing good into manifestation in our life? What other conditions should be observed for perfect results?
Following Entry: What is demonstration, and how is it made?
