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The Revealing Word
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[The Revealing Word]
[Charles Fillmore's Works] [Unity on the Web Home Page]
race consciousness--The human race has formed laws of
physical birth and death, laws of sickness and physical
inability, laws making food the source of bodily existence,
laws of mind that recognize no other source of existence
except the physical. The sum total of these laws forms a
race consciousness separate from and independent of
creative Mind. When creative Mind sought to help men
spiritually, the mind of the flesh opposed it and made
every effort to solve its problems in its own way. The
great need of the human family is mind control. Jesus
showed us that mastery is attained through realization of
the power of Spirit.
race errors--Erroneous race thoughts that bind mankind to
sin, disease, poverty, war, calamity, and death.
race mind--Totality of beliefs, thoughts, memories,
feelings, and experiences of the race. Man has built into
the race mind a consciousness of corruptible flesh instead
of the inherent incorruptible substance of God-Mind.
radiation--An extension of consciousness. Jesus' soul
radiation or aura was so powerful that it perpetually
stimulates to greater achievement, and thrills with new
life all who enter its sphere of influence. (see aura)
rain--Metaphysically, an outpouring of Spirit that
constantly
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refreshes and enriches man's developing thoughts. The
descent of potential ideas into substance. The rain that
"watereth the earth" represents the love of God, which
comes into mind when summoned and needed.
raising of Lazarus--The restoration in consciousness of the
idea of youth, which is asleep in the subconsciousness.
rats--Represent destructive, undermining, gnawing thoughts.
raven, going forth of a--The raven's going forth represents
the reaching out of the thought from within to connect with
the outer world. There is an individual consciousness,
which is the ark, and a universal consciousness, which is
the heavens and the earth.
rays--All mental action radiates rays of light.
Clairvoyants and psychics have long claimed that they can
see these rays surrounding not only human beings, but
animals, plants, and even stones. Their claims have been
considered chimerical until in the last few years, when
science found that it can measure the force of these
invisible rays. The character of the thoughts colors the
emanations of these rays. If the thoughts pertain to the
things of sense, the rays are dark and weak; if the
affectional and intellectual nature is active, they become
highly colored and forceful. When the mind is exalted in
prayer, a dazzling light radiates from all parts of the
body, but especially from the head.
rays, healing--Spiritual rays superior to the ultraviolet
rays that come from the sun. They heal both mind and body.
reality--That which is abiding, eternal, and unchangeable,
the same "yesterday and to-day, yea and for ever" (Heb.
13:8). The basic principles of mathematics and music are
real, because they are not subject to change. A wrong
application of their principles may produce discord, but
the principles are not disturbed. God is the one harmonious
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Principle underlying all being and the reality out of which
all that is eternal comes.
All causes are in mind. Error thoughts produce the mental
and physical inharmonies called disease. These effects are
not enduring and eternal. Error can be erased from the mind
and be made to disappear from the body.
realization--The deep inner conviction and assurance of the
fulfillment of an ideal. It means at-one-ment, completion,
perfection, wholeness, repose, resting in God. It is the
dawning of Truth in the consciousness. When realization
takes place, one abides in the light of God-Mind. It is the
inner conviction that prayer has been answered, although
there is as yet no outer manifestation.
The supreme realization is unity with God-Mind, complete
oneness with the Christ consciousness. This highest
realization is taking place more widely today among men
than at any time in all history. Jesus fully attained this
supreme realization.
realm, spiritual--The higher realm of consciousness built
in accordance with the Christ ideal. The realm of Spirit is
wherever God is working to express Himself. When man as
principle becomes the perfect image and likeness of God, no
other realm will appear to have being.
rebellion--Open defiance and resistance to an authority to
which one owes allegiance. One rebels because he believes
he is not being rightly governed, his conditions are not
satisfactory. Man has been taught that God brought on him
sickness, poverty, inharmony, and that these conditions are
the will of God. While he recognizes that God is supreme
ruler and governor of all things, man rebells at such
conditions being imposed on him. As soon as a man comes
into the understanding that his own thoughts and words are
the cause of the conditions in his life, he no longer
rebels and blames God. He uses his creative thought power,
he sets the Word into right activity, and good comes into
his life.
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receiving--(see giving)
receptivity, spiritual--The attitude of mind that awaits
the higher way as a little child awaits the helping hand of
a parent. It is not the arbitrary disciplinarian, but the
loving, tender, understanding heart that in visible life
lightens the intricate problems that perplex the mind. When
one who is receptive and obedient gives himself
unreservedly to Spirit and receives without antagonism its
guidance, he is delighted with the possibilities that are
disclosed to him in caring for his physical and spiritual
needs. He then begins to realize what Jesus meant when He
said, "If any man would come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt.
16:24).
recompense--The satisfaction and uplift that one feels
after a realization of Truth.
re-creation--The process of redemption; a gradual
transformation that takes place as man pays the price,
gives up self, and allows Spirit to work in mind and body.
redemption--The process by which the life and substance of
man's lesser self are brought to conform to the standards
of his spiritual self. The body is redeemed from
destruction by attaining spiritual consciousness on earth.
"For this corruptible must put on incorruption" (I Cor.
15:53).
regeneration--A change in which abundant spiritual life,
even eternal life, is incorporated into the body. The
transformation that takes place through bringing all the
forces of mind and body to the support of the Christ ideal.
The unification of Spirit, soul, and body in spiritual
oneness.
Regeneration begins its work in the conscious mind and
completes it in the subconsciousness. The first step is
cleansing or denial in which all error thoughts are
renounced. This includes forgiveness for sins committed and
a general clearing of the whole consciousness. After
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the way has been prepared, the second step takes place.
This is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
reincarnation--When a soul leaves the body, it rests for a
season. Then innate desire for material expression asserts
itself, and the ego seeks the primal cell and builds
another body. This is reincarnation. Reincarnation will
continue until the ego awakens to the Christ Mind and
through it builds an imperishable body.
The law of Being is broken by sin and death. Resurrection
or regeneration in this body here and now--not
reincarnation--is the aim of overcomers. Reincarnation is
the result of man's use of the great forces of Mind,
enabling an ego or soul that has been separated from the
vehicle of expression (the body) again to attract to it the
necessary substance to reconstruct the body-consciousness
and to have another opportunity for the demonstration of
the Truth of Being, but reincarnation is not a part of the
divine plan and does not lift man out of mortal
limitations. It is not an aid to spiritual growth, but
merely a makeshift until full Truth is discerned.
relaxation--A letting go of tenseness in mind and body.
Abatement of strain. Loosening the tight mental grip we
have on ourselves in order that the healing Christ life may
flow freely through our being. "Come unto me . . . and I
will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28).
religion--A systematic exposition on the awareness of a
deity who is the supreme ruler of heaven and earth; that
which arouses reverence and love for a supreme being. There
is a wide range of religious experience between the blindly
groping faith that caused men to pass their children
through the fire as sacrifice to their deities, and the
divine consciousness of Jesus, who submitted His body to
the purifying fire of the Spirit and came forth alive with
a life that never dies.
In the study of things pertaining to religion we should
keep in mind the three activities of consciousness:
spiritual,
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psychical, and physical. The spiritual is the realm of
absolute principles; the psychical is the realm of thought
images; the physical is the realm of manifestation. The
well-balanced, thoroughly developed man, of which Jesus is
the type, comprehends and consciously adjusts his spirit,
soul, and body as a whole, and thereby fulfills the law of
his being. Those who are on the way to this attainment have
various experiences, which are symbolically set forth in
the Scriptures.
renunciation--A letting go of old thoughts in order that
new thoughts may find place in consciousness. A healthy
state of mind is attained when the thinker willingly lets
go the old thoughts and takes on the new. This is
illustrated by the inlet and outlet of a pool of water. The
center of renunciation, sometimes called elimination, in
the lower part of the abdomen, carries forward the work of
elimination of error thoughts from the mind and waste from
the body.
repentance--A turning from a belief in sin and error to a
belief in God and righteousness; a reversal of mind and
heart in the direction of the All-Good. When we repent, we
break with mortal thought and ascend into a spiritual
thought realm, the kingdom of God.
The Greek word metanoia is translated "repentance," which
has been interpreted to mean an admission to God of sorrow
for past sin and a resolve to be good in the future. The
field of action for that which has been assumed to be
goodness in the sight of God has nearly always been in
conduct.
There is always hope for the repentant sinner. A repentant
state of mind is an exceedingly good state for one who has
been on the error side. If you find yourself suffering the
result of transgressed law, begin at once a righteous
repentance. As soon as you repent and recognize that the
way of Spirit is the way of pleasantness, your sins are
forgiven you, and you are made whole and well.
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repetitions, vain--When we rehearse affirmations just
because they are given to us to hold, with no thought of
their inner reality, or if we are in a doubtful state of
mind, they become "vain repetitions." It is true that a
declaration of Truth may not at first repeating find
lodgment in consciousness and that we may repeat it over
and over before it becomes a living word, but the attitude
of mind as we go through this process is the seed that
bears fruit, the assurance of the harvest. Nothing outside
of man can affect him when he is in contact with his inner
spiritual source.
resistance--The greatest disintegrating element in the
human consciousness is resistance. Beware of every form of
fighting, and of all thoughts of a destructive character.
Thoughts build or destroy, and they will work in your mind
and body in an adverse way and tear down the good you
desire to build up if you do not form them with care.
A mental state of resistance indicates an unyielding
personal will. Evil has no power except that which man
gives it by his thought. Resisting evil is a way of
affirming its power. A positive, fearless attitude in
facing the appearance of evil overcomes it, and this
attitude comes from the understanding that evil has no
power.
restitution--The resurrection of man to the divine image
and likeness in mind and body and to the dominion that has
been his from the beginning. The restitution work also
includes the earth, which is to be redeemed from the curse
that fell on it through sin. It is to blossom and bring
forth and be a paradise, a fitting home for redeemed man.
restlessness--The unsatisfied longing of a man for God.
Restlessness cannot be satisfied by change of climate or
environment or by travel or by any other outward change.
Only by a man's finding his center in God can restlessness
and discontent be satisfied.
"For he satisfieth the longing soul,
And the hungry soul he filleth with good"
(Psalms 107:9).
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restorative power of nature--The term given by doctors to
the Spirit of health, which is always right at hand
awaiting opportunity to enter in to make whole and to
harmonize all discord in the body.
resurrection--The restoring of mind and body to their
original, undying state. This is accomplished by the
realization that God is Spirit and that God created man
with power like that which He Himself possesses. When man
realizes this, his mind and body automatically become
immortal. "If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from
the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus
from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies
through his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom. 8:11). The
word resurrection also suggests that there has been a
falling short of the divine standard; therefore, the
necessity of being restored and revived. Through
resurrection man becomes an inhabitant here and now of "a
new heaven and a new earth" (Rev. 21:1).
Jesus was raised from the dead. He overcame death in the
body. "For since by man came death, by man came also the
resurrection of the dead." Physical death is not necessary.
"We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed" (I
Cor. 15:21, 51).
The power of the resurrection is the Christ. "I am the
resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25). This resurrection
is not of the future, "but hath now been manifested by . .
. our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and
brought life and immortality to light" (II Tim. 1:10).
Christ, absolute Principle, the God-idea man, is the true
resurrecting power and life in each of us here and now.
Jesus resurrected His body through the spiritual I AM
dwelling in Him.
The resurrection takes place in us every time we rise to
Jesus' realization of the perpetual indwelling life that is
connecting us with the Father. A new flood of life comes
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to all who open their minds and their bodies to the living
word of God.
revelation--An unveiling, a disclosure of Truth, making
known that which is hidden. The revelation of Christ to all
men is the ultimate revelation.
Divine revelation is much more common than is understood.
The Spirit of truth is revealing the hidden wisdom to
thousands on every hand. Poets and writers of Truth are
being inspired of the Most High. Quiet citizens in every
walk of life are the recipients of the divine word. Every
man who has earnestly asked for divine guidance, or who has
earnestly desired to do right in the sight of God and man,
is being taught by the Holy Spirit.
reverence--The attitude of reverence is an important
feature in developing the Christ consciousness. Without it
the mind loses a certain necessary connection with Spirit
and lacks that central poise of faith that gives a
religious tenor to the process.
rich young man--(Mark 10:17-27). Personality; the state of
consciousness in man that lays hold of the world of form,
seeking satisfaction in personal possessions and in
fulfilling the letter of the law.
righteousness--A state of harmony established in
consciousness through the right use of God-given
attributes. It leads directly to eternal life. Truth
working in consciousness brings forth the perfect salvation
of the whole man--Spirit, soul, and body--and righteousness
(right relation) is expressed in all his affairs.
right side--The "right side" (John 21:6) is always on the
side of Truth, the side of power. Whenever you, the master,
are there, the nets are filled with ideas, because you are
in touch with the infinite storehouse of wisdom.
rites--The rites and ceremonies of the priests in the
tabernacle or temple represent the action of spiritual
forces in developing the body. The great object of man's
existence in planetary consciousness is to build a body
after the
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ideals given by the Lord. The physical body is the
tabernacle or temporary structure in and through which the
enduring body is formed, and regeneration is a combination
of chemical, mental, and spiritual processes.
river of life--The source of the natural healing impulse
that constantly reconstructs the organism. When a man in
faith makes intimate connection between his mind and the
Father's, he enters into the river of life. And he has the
ability to take others with him into the waters that
cleanse, purify, and vitalize.
rod--Metaphysically, the power of the I AM in spiritual
consciousness; I AM mastery and dominion.
roll, burning of--The burning of the roll (Jer. 36th
chapter) represents a denial by the spiritual thought
working in consciousness. To go forward to more advanced
demonstrations, we must give up the present ruling ideas.
When we reach a point in our ongoing where there is
necessity of greater spirituality, our own meditations
reveal to us that the way is through reforming our methods
of thought and life. This is the intuitive perception of
the progressive trend of all things, which is symbolized in
the burning of the "roll" by the king. The lesson is that
we shall read out of the "roll" of the higher wisdom the
new revelations of Truth that are being constantly
presented to us and be open and receptive to divine
evolution.
room, upper--The storehouse of ideas. The I AM center is in
the crown of the head and dispenses the substance and life
and intelligence of Spirit.
rulership--In personal rulership the great ones exercise
authority; he who rules lords it over his subjects. In
spiritual rulership he who serves best is greatest and is
ruler through true merit. (see Matt. 20:25-28)
Jesus is the greatest ruler the world has ever known
because He served humanity best, even to overcoming death
itself; through His demonstration the way to eternal life
was opened to humanity.
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[The Revealing Word]
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