Series 1 - Lesson 3 - Annotation 3
What is matter? What is the distinction between substance and matter?
3. Matter is formed substance. It is the form or appearance of Mind essence. In man's individual life, matter, the form or shape that substance takes in the physical realm, is dependent upon his degree of understanding and use of substance. Webster's dictionary defines matter as, "That of which any physical object is composed."
The distinction between substance and matter is that substance, the invisible Mind essence, never changes. It is without form and shape. Matter is form; it is the shape that substance takes as it appears in the manifest realm. In man's life, the form or shape is the result of his beliefs and his power to name his conceptions. Manifest man as the offspring of God is endued with the power of the thought-word; he names and gives character to all the ideas of Divine Mind, and these in turn take form or shape in the visible world.
Matter is what we see and handle with our five senses, the result of our concept of substance. Matter is substance condensed so that it is visible in a three-dimensional world. Matter is called "unreal" because the form, as such, may be changed, while substance is changeless, thus the "real."
The distinction lies in the fact that substance is the lasting, enduring essence, while matter is the temporary form that substance has taken to fulfill some purpose in creation.
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Preceding Entry: What is substance?
Following Entry: What relation does divine substance bear to man's supply?
