MANY PREDICTIONS have been put
forth concerning the advent of a New Age in the life of our planet. It is said
that it will be an age when love will reign in the hearts of many, where, at
the present time, mostly ignorance, hatred and distrust abide. The world will
have peace and the ignorance of the past will dissipate in the face of the
determined onslaught of God’s divine truth and light. However, this future
possibility can become a reality only if we do the work that should be done at
the present time.
All over the world, many people are grasping at straws. In the face of the
world’s ills, they fail to see the divine purpose in everything that is. They
are unable to realize the meaning behind their existence. Thoroughly fed up
with all that is going on around them, they dimly perceive the existence of
God’s magnificent plan; but until now, they have not yet succeeded in finding
the truth they are seeking. It is to these seekers after truth that this study
course is addressed.
Truth can be found. It has always been waiting for the
determined seeker. Truth has never been hidden from anyone. It is just that
man, in the past, was not yet ready to receive the truth. But whenever the
student is ready, the Master comes. Therefore, we must first make ready and we
can begin, now.
This course tackles the basic principles which are prerequisites to more
advanced studies. Herein is provided a rational basis for the divine teachings
and a practical approach to life. It lays stress on the building of sound
ethical foundations, which precedes all true learning. It is meant to be a
primer, which should provide you with the initial impetus towards your further
study of the deeper spiritual truths.
Because this New Age or the Age of Aquarius is to be a Christian movement, it
is necessary, therefore, that we begin our study with the Christian Bible. But
how should we regard the Bible?
The Bible, as will be referred to in this course, is a compilation of inspired
works, which came to be written as a result of some divine intervention in the
form of direct inspiration, an actual experience of a divine truth or a
prophetic vision, and which expounds on varying aspects and levels of the
divine teachings. The resulting interpretations are largely dependent on the
individual writer’s own capacity to comprehend the teachings as determined by
his own level in the order of evolution. Such differences in development are to
be viewed as limiting factors in the credibility and extent of authority of
Biblical and all other writers.
In view of the foregoing limitations and the vastness of the materials included
in the Bible, the course has been confined to the study of the four Gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It is these four books that contain the actual
words and teachings of Christ, who is the accepted
supreme authority. Christ is the Light. All the others are merely
reflections of the Light. It is Christ, therefore, who is the focus of our
studies.
All the divine principles set forth in the course are verifiable in the light
of our own individual experiences. Nevertheless, to elucidate on these
principles further, selected Biblical passages have been incorporated into the
course. However, the Biblical excerpts are not intended to supplant the study
of the complete Bible but are included merely to facilitate the study of this
course. The translations are based on various old, as well as modern
translations, but not on the original manuscripts which are not available to
the writer, nor are such references considered necessary by him. The inclusion
of these passages is deemed beneficial because of the wide divergence in the
various transcriptions of the different translators.
Many passages appear vague and conflicting. Many verses and thoughts are
seemingly not in the proper context or in their right sequences. Hence, the
translations made part of this course are effected by this writer with a view
to improving on these observations. Therefore, certain unnecessary verses and
vague and extraneous thoughts, which could mislead more than enlighten, have
been restructured or reworded while others have been deleted. Thus, a greater
understanding may be attained by the student because of the advantage of having
a clearer and more ordered presentation of Scriptural support to the divine principles
herein detailed. Further, in order that the Biblical truths may be more easily
received, the passages have been translated into modern-day English.
The exercises at the end of every lesson are simple but thought provoking.
These exercises have been designed to drive home certain basic and very
important points. In this course, the student will have to do a lot of
independent thinking. He will have to lay aside, for a while, all that he has
been previously conditioned to believe, because such beliefs may not
necessarily be true and would only make his progress difficult. It would be
well for him to test out all that he believes. And now is the time for him to
do this. Every student should ask himself: With all that I already know now,
how is it that there still seems to be something missing? And why is it that
the pieces don’t fit? And as he realizes and is able to accept that he doesn’t
know enough, then, he can begin to learn.
Many will be asking who I am. However, it is not important who I am, because
none of these thoughts are mine. I may have organized the materials in a
different manner such that they might appear to be new to some. But they
aren’t. “All that is has been and will be again.” Again I repeat, I am not even
the author because Christ is the author. I have merely written
down what I have been given to write. In all of this work, I have been provided
the necessary guidance.
In 1976, while I was, myself, in search of answers, a message was transmitted
to me from the Spirit World. It said, “My brother, don’t let little
things deter you in your search for truth.” — I didn’t. And so shouldn’t
you.
Therefore, I urge everyone to begin his studies, today. Center on the concepts
and principles expressed herein. Study them well. Analyze and test them. Dwell
on the message, not on the messenger. Focus on the principles because they are
eternal and immutable, and not so much on the facts and figures which are
variable and open to question. As you read enough, you will come to realize that
for every thing that has been written, there is an opposite and contrary
statement that has also been put to print.
Widen your field of vision. Read the whole Bible, if you will, and even the
Holy Scriptures of all the different faiths which, after all, are essentially
one, so that you may gain a more panoramic view of divine realities. But first,
I would advise that you build your foundations by learning all you can from
this basic course.
Nevertheless, should you find that certain principles mentioned in the course
are unacceptable to you, it is suggested, at least until you have completed the
course, that you assume that such principles are valid. This is so because,
otherwise, you won’t be able to reconcile what comes next. In any case, you are
enjoined to reserve your judgment until after you have gone through all the
lessons. And in the meantime, try your best to keep an open mind.
Above all, trust in God and have faith that all that may be new or
unclear, at this time, will clarify and confirm themselves to you as you
continue in your quest. And in time, you should be able to find all the answers
you need.
Here then, to all of you who think that you are ready, the Message is
made plain!
The Writer
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