Series 1 - Lesson 4 - Annotation 1
What is the "church of Christ"? What do we mean by "universal church" and "particular or individual church"?
1. The "church of Christ" is a temple of God within each human being, an aggregation of spiritual ideas within the individual consciousness, the point of contact between the human and the divine. It is here that the Christ holds its never-ending service. Jehovah, appearing to Abram, said unto him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect." -- Gen. 17:1. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus of Nazareth stated, "Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." -- Matt. 5:48. This consciousness of perfection when held by humanity is called Christ consciousness. Each one who realizes the power, value, and enduring nature of the Christ consciousness is an individual "church of Christ." When the soul of man grasps the truth of its being and its possibility of development Godward and lives this truth, it allows the Christ within to build its church. The Christ is the activity of divine ideals that works toward perfect expression and manifestation. The "church of Christ" is established in the human consciousness by thinking Godward, that is, by thinking on the divine ideas that make up the "church of Christ." Spiritual substance is used in the structure. The church is not an outer organization but a living organism within the outer organization (body). It is a body alive and alight with the glory and beauty of Truth.
The universal "church of Christ" consists of those individuals, regardless of race, color, occupation, or place on the earth, who have awakened to the divine nature and purpose of Spirit in mankind. It is those who are carrying out the plan universally. Such are members of the body of Christ. They are the universal "church of Christ."
Talks on Truth by Charles Fillmore, page 110:
"When the true church is revealed to his soul, all this illusion of the manifest man is dissolved. He finds that the church of Jesus Christ has to do with the world right here and now; that it is not a religion, as he has been accustomed to regard religion; that it is an organic principle in nature working along definite lines of growth in the building up of a state of consciousness for the whole human race. Thus the church of Jesus Christ is an exact science" (Talks on Truth 110).
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Preceding Entry: How would you build a consciousness of prosperity?
Following Entry: What is a "sect"? What causes the forming of "sects"?
