We Are the Truth Not the Student

Now we know that since the beginning of time all the mistakes or errors made in computations, or effected in subtractions, additions, multiplications or divisions of numbers, have never weakened, corrupted nor assailed mathematics. Think of it. Mathematics, inclusive of all its principles, its rules, laws and questions, still remains changeless, despite the sum-total of all mistakes made in the solution of mathematical problems, and despite all the people everywhere who have made such mistakes. Thus we are convinced that mathematics, and all that it constitutes, is incorruptible, unassailable, absolute, eternally fixed and changeless.

What difference to mathematics that every day millions of people write down falsities about it? What difference if the whole world agrees upon some computation which is absolutely contrary to its existing facts? Mathematics would be undisturbed by any such mental inconsistencies, or false beliefs, since nothing of the kind could ever affect its established-from-the-beginning verity, reality or existence.

As one may well be certain of mathematics as being changeless, absolute and unassailable, so sure was Jesus of himself as the Way, the Light and the Truth, – invincible, inviolable, infallible, absolute, complete. And most certainly Jesus’ life on earth was to teach us this same fact about ourselves, was it not? All else may change and vary, but true Being, or truth, remains ever the same. It holds itself invincible, infallible, indissoluble; true and absolute, always Jesus knew that he was the Truth Itself, the Life Itself, the Way Itself, and he said so. He took this position as the fact about himself; thus nothing could ever hurt him, affect or destroy him. Let people think they could throw stones at him. Suddenly they did not even see him, for he had vanished! Let them think they could catch and take hold of him. They found themselves grasping at thin air! Let them imagine they could kill him or deprive him of life and its action, and soon they saw the self-same being walking in their midst, partaking of food and drink as before, enacting Truth and Life as though not a thing had happened! Jesus not only knew the nothingness of lies and liars, of dreams and dreamers, but he also new the absolute position of himself. He knew that no dreams of people could affect him. No matter what their dreams! He knew that no beliefs or ignorance, even if accepted by the whole human race for millions of years, could ever interfere with him, since he was immaculate Being; he was changeless and immortal Life; and his body was his consciousness of this Reality!

“I am the Truth!” he challenged, “I am the Life! I am the Light! The gates of hell shall not prevail against me.” No wonder no evil could touch him, nor any harm come nigh him, for he knew the Nature and Substance of his Being, and he relied upon that, and upon that only.

Dear Friends, no doubt the great majority of us have often stated facts which we believed were true, and thought that we understood them. Then, one day, right out of a clear sky, as it were, we really did see them, and we beheld them as we never had before. In fact, we seemed to be seeing them for the very first time. Yes, it takes the flash of light to open their real meaning to us. It is as though we had been carrying around some beautifully colored and artistically designed box, and were satisfied with the mere box itself until, one day, the lid fell off, and there before our astonished gaze lay its real and valuable contents. Thus it is with the beautiful and wonderful statements of Truth which we carry about in our consciousness until, one day, the veil lifts, and there in a blaze of light is exposed their real and inner meaning.

All of us have thought and talked about the, Truth the student, and the problem. We knew that problems continually vary and change, come and go; we knew, too, that the one called Student is very likely to be changing his state of consciousness often, gaining new ideas and letting go former ones: yet all the while we were accepting the Truth to be unchangeable, fixed and certain, in fact, those were the very qualities we were trying to bring about in ourselves. How could we ever have expected to reach the height of changeless Being since nothing but the Truth is changeless and perfect? Thus, for us ever to be perfect, changeless, invulnerable and incorruptible, we must be the Truth and nothing-less. When we reach this insight, we know “it is so.”

True, we may have many times used the statement, “I am the Truth,” but we used it as a statement only, and were all the while considering ourselves students of the Truth. Students must look at problems and “handle” them in order to surmount or overcome them. A student may feel that since evil of every kind is actually untrue and unreal, he cannot therefore be harmed by it. But when one is touched by the Jesus-Christ-light, he sees that Truth is not proven true because of the nothingness of evil, but Truth is true because of the Nature of itself. Truth is what it is, and it is unchangeable Perfection always. So, now, when attempting to “demonstrate” for ourselves, we may take our vision away from all seeming discomfort or discord and, instead, observe and understand our Nature to be as fixed and as immovable as any principle of mathematics. Then we need no longer consider dreams nor dreamers; beliefs, thoughts nor believers. Seeing our being as it really is, we will have no idea of needing a treatment. Nor will we feel the presence of a problem.

This new light will answer many questions for us, questions which we have been, so far, unable to set aside. We may have been wondering why it is that despite our good endeavors, our clear understanding ant deep feeling, nevertheless a so called trouble seems to persist. The answer is that we should take another step forward; we should let go all anxiety or concern about the problem in the contemplation, joy and grandeur of Ourself as the Truth, – the Being of changeless Perfection and immovable Nature, and the Principle which is inevitable, certain and fixed. “I am the Truth, and not a student of Truth,” we may now acclaim, “and as such I am established in Perfection and Completeness to which nothing can be added nor taken away.” Seeing and feeling this completely, we will have no desire or thought for any other form of prayer or treatment. Mathematics proves the nothingness of erring beliefs and mistakes about it by always remaining fixed and absolute in its principles, rules and statements. Jesus proved the nothingness of ignorant or helpless mind and of sick or dead life by knowing the nature of Mind or Life to be nothing less than such principle and Being which is “without shadow of turning;” and which is established as Perfection and Completeness without variableness, throughout eternity. Therefore, do not see the one you are helping as young, old, relative, friend nor stranger; neither as ignorant nor yet as a student of Truth. But see the one you wish to help as the very Truth; as the compound and composite Principle, including all the laws and expressions of Being; and as that very Mind and Life which is “without blemish and without spot.”

It is absolutely certain that Jesus never taught he was a disciple or student of Truth but that he was the Truth Itself. If you can’t see the tremendous distinction between these two positions then, for illustration, look at the great gulf fixed between mathematics and the student who is applying it. Surely you can see the great difference! The student-position is often one of strike and struggle, mutation and evolution. Jesus promised that the Truth-position would set us free from all such labor and contention. He never said nor intimated that he was endeavoring to find a certain way or path which would take him out of difficulties and lead him into health and happiness, but stated with unquestionable authority, “I am the Way – I am the Way, itself, – I am the Way here and now!” He did not teach that he was presenting a beautiful, glorious light which, if others followed, would bring them into eternal life, but stressed, “I am the Way, I am the Light, I am the Door.” Now, dear Friends, if Jesus is our absolutely perfect teacher, then it is certain that we shall ultimately arrive at this very understanding which he had, and so make the same claims and assertions.