A: The term “the Christ” has more than one meaning, and for that reason is not an easy one to understand by reason, but rather intuitively you understand which way it is being used. In one sense the term the “Christ,” as we use it, means actually “the individualization of God,” or “the Spirit of God in individual being,” or “the individual being itself.”
How to clarify that? I, in my true Identity, am the Son of God, or offspring of God, or Christ. When I think of myself as “Joel,” then I think of the Christ as a Spirit in me; that is, the presence of God in me. That presence of God in you is the same Christ. But the presence of this Spirit of God, or Christ, in me may be manifest or expressed very tangibly, whereas in those who have not gone far on the spiritual path, it may have no expression whatsoever.
In other words, an ordinary human being living an ordinary human life shows forth little or none of the Christ. It is only in proportion as one begins to be influenced by this invisible Presence, or Spirit, that they are showing forth the Christ. Up until that time, they are showing forth some degree of their own humanhood. It may be a very brilliant humanhood; it may even be a very good one; but that does not necessarily mean that it is of the nature of the Christ.
Now just think of what I have said: I, in my true identity, am the very Christ or Son of God. Joel, however, is originally a man of flesh, to which some measure of the Spirit of God has become evident, expressed, manifest, through seeking for It, through seeking God, searching for God, mingling with spiritual people, or people on the spiritual path, developing one’s spirituality.
Lo and behold, one day I find that I’m not living wholly on my own wisdom, or physical strength, or mental, or moral, or financial, but that there is this Spirit in me, which sometimes goes before me to prepare a place for me; sometimes goes before me to create business for me; sometimes goes before me even to prepare a parking space for me.
Now, I’m not consciously directing It to do that, but it does happen. And then I may say, “Ah, the Christ or presence of God is with me—not only is with me, but is consciously, tangibly manifest.” As I progress on the spiritual path, this becomes much more true, until in the final day, I am able to say with Paul, “I live, yet not I.”2 Joel lives, yet not Joel. Christ is living Joel’s life. Joel just goes along for the ride.
Christ really determines what I shall do and when I shall do it. Christ draws unto me those whom I can serve. Christ draws meto those people and places where I can serve. Christ draws unto me all that is necessary for the recognition of this message, all that is necessary for its support and maintenance. Christ draws unto me those individuals who are necessary to help in its activity in every department, from the teaching and healing department down to the banging of the typewriters. Christ draws unto me everything necessary for the unfoldment of The Infinite Way, so that in the end I can say, “I live yet not I, Christ liveth my life.” And so you see in that connection, it would be that there is a Spirit of God in me which functions, and we call that the Christ.
Now, “the Christ” can be used in another way, and we are touching on one of those tonight in the lesson. That is where and when you come to that place in your spiritual development when you no longer use the weapons of the world; when you no longer live by the world’s standards, and something else does everything that you would do, if you were using the world’s standards.
For instance, as you know, we do not advertise. As you know, neither these classes nor books are ever advertised. If you have indicated your desire to know when a lecture or class is to be held, you receive a notice. That is not an ad. That is merely a notice which you yourself have requested by placing yourself on our list. If you wish a Monthly Letter, it will not be sent to you unless you request it.
And so then you might say, how do people hear of you, how do people hear of the Letter? And my answer is, “Through the Christ,” because I lift no humanfinger, I take no human mode or way to let you know about this work, for anyone out in the world. And then, it is the miracle of grace that places the information in your hands or places the interest in your heart that brings you to the work. Now that is one way in which we can say that we are not using the world’s weapons, or the world’s modes and means of living. There are others, but let us wait for that until we come to this lesson tonight.
So that when we are speaking of your real identity, your spiritual identity, which you read about in the eighth chapter of Romans—“If so be the spirit of God dwell in you, then are you the son of God.”3—the son of God is “Christ.” So, the moment the spirit of God dwells in you, you—in your real Selfhood—are the Christ.
On the other hand, you won’t go around admitting that—you will still say, “No, I’m John—or Joel, or Mary, but a measure of the Christ has touched my consciousness, and I live more by that than by bread.” “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word”4—and what is the Word? Christ, the Word made flesh. God the Father appearing as God the Son.
And so now, when you can admit that you live in the Word and the Word lives in you, you can just as well say, you are living in Christ and the Christ is living in you, and through that Christ, you can do all things.
1This excerpt is from Recording 165B, from the 1956 Seattle Closed Class, “Sermon on the Mount—1st and 2nd Genesis.” It is posted with kind permission from the Estate of Joel Goldsmith, which holds the copy protection on the recorded classes and the copyright on the transcripts. The full transcript of this recording is available at www.joelgoldsmith.com or by calling 1-800-922-3195.
2 Galatians 2:20
3 Romans 8:9
4 Matthew 4:4