Lessons In Truth - Lesson 9 - Annotation 9
For what purpose did man come into the world?
9. Man came into the world to bring forth his God-likeness; that is, to express his own true nature, which is the Christ, or I AM. Infolded within each of us is the divine pattern, or God's perfect idea of man. Our part is to let this image-likeness unfold until we express that perfect God idea in mind, body, and affairs.
"The object of man's existence is to demonstrate the Truth of Being. This demonstration takes place through experience; but there are two ways of working out experience. The first is by knowing the law of every process, and the second is by blindly testing the process without understanding the law" (Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 55).
God placed His entire nature in us and endowed us with the power to bring it forth perfectly. We, therefore, are to manifest the God nature through our mind (soul), body, and affairs by thinking, feeling, speaking, acting, and reacting in ways that will produce the desired results. Only as we become willing co-workers with God can we truly fulfill our divine purpose. Charles Fillmore says on this point,
"In order, then, that the creation shall go on and be fulfilled as God has designed, man must not only understand the law of mind action in his individual thought, but he must also understand his relation to the universal thought. . . . Jesus understood this law, and repeatedly claimed that He was sent of God to carry out the divine will in the world. This commission is given to every man, and man will not have satisfaction in life until he recognizes this universal law; until he becomes an obedient, willing co-worker with Divine Mind" (Charles Fillmore Christian Healing 33).
All Christians believe that Jesus had a definite purpose for coming into the world. Sometimes the individual looks at his own life and sees it insignificant, and he fails to see that he has just as divine a purpose as Jesus, the difference being that Jesus recognized His mission and fulfilled it. In a pamphlet used by Unity School, we read these words:
"The difference between Him meaning Jesus and us is not one of inherent spiritual capacity but a difference in demonstration of it" (What Unity Teaches 8,9,10).
When we come to recognize our own worth in God's kingdom, and the essential part we play in bringing this kingdom "in earth, as it is in heaven," we begin to learn "the law of every process" and we do not have to follow the trial and error method. We know that as we turn often to "the secret place of the Most High" we shall receive added assurance of our sonship, with all the divine guidance required to demonstrate it.
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Preceding Entry: Explain the importance of reliance on the indwelling Christ Spirit rather than relying wholly on external helps.
Following Entry: How do we work out our own salvation?
