What exactly is the meaning of Atonement? Q #856: Give me a good meaning of Atonement. I know it means at-onement, no separation, but I need a stronger explanation. A: At-onement is not a term used in A Course in Miracles to define Atonement. Neither does Atonement have any of the meaning traditional Christianity applies to it, which is reparation for sin. In one word the Course gives a new meaning to the term Atonement: sinlessness. As simple as this is, it is in fact a very strong message to the ego whose thought system rests entirely on the belief that the Son of God is guilty for having taken the separation thought seriously. Accepting the Atonement means listening to the Voice of the Holy Spirit, Who speaks for God and tells us that the separation thought is not only not a sin, it never even happened. This is the heart of the Holy Spirits teaching of Atonement in the Course. Accepting this truth is a process by which guilt is relinquished through forgiveness; the Holy Spirits correction for the mistaken belief in separation. In the “Glossary-Index for A Course in Miracles, ” Kenneth Wapnick defines the Atonement as “the Holy Spirits plan of correction to undo the ego and heal the belief is separation.” Our function in this plan, and what makes it meaningful in our daily lives, is the practice of forgiveness: “Forgiveness is the only function meaningful in time” (T.25.VI.5:3) . Atonement, therefore, is not just an intellectual concept to be understood. It has life and becomes our life, to whatever extent we are willing to apply the principle of forgiveness in our relationships. This means seeing in every judgment the projection of our guilt for the minds choice for separation. That is our only responsibility in the Atonement process: “ The sole responsibility of the miracle worker is to accept the Atonement for himself [learn complete forgiveness] ” (T.2.V.5:1) . Since the choice for separation in the mind is the cause of what we feel, no one/nothing external to the mind can be blamed. Releasing others in this way is how we learn that we, too, are sinless. In that recognition is the Atonement accomplished. What makes the Atonement a process are the heavy layers of guilt that accompany the choice for the ego and block the Holy Spirits light. “It [Atonement] is perfectly clear because it exists in light. Only the attempts to shroud it in darkness have made it inaccessible to those who do not choose to see (T.3.I.6:6,7). In the egos twisted thinking, guilt is the justification for not accepting the Atonement. It would have us believe that we are not worthy to be Gods innocent Son, and are thus doomed to remain cut off form our Source. What the ego does not tell us is that this is the means by which the separation thought is maintained, the ego is protected and guilt is perpetuated. This vicious circle of the ego is undone only by the minds decision to choose the Holy Spirit, Whose message is that the belief in the separation has had no effect and the Son of God is innocent. This is stated very simply in the text: “Everyone has a special part to play in the Atonement [accepting it for himself] , but the message given to each one is always the same; Gods Son is guiltless ” (T.14.V.2:1). Every encounter is an opportunity to choose between judgment or forgiveness. As forgiveness becomes the goal in every relationship the Holy Spirits inclusive circle of Atonement gradually replaces the egos vicious guilt circle of separation and exclusion. Jesus puts the choice before us in the section “The Circle of Atonement:” “Each one you see you place within the holy circle of Atonement or leave outside, judging him fit for crucifixion or for redemption. If you bring him into the circle of purity, you will rest there with him. If you leave him without, you join him there” (T.14.V.11:1,2,3). facimoutreach.org/qa/questions/questions167.htm#Q856
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:23:54 +0000
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