IV — “The Adoption of Sons”
WE all may be adopted into the ascended realization of the Nazarene if we will believe that He has triumphed over all evil for us.
This adoption does not carry with it the wistful feeling of preferring to be a “blood” child of the Father, rather than son “taken by choice” but “not so naturally.” (From Webster’s definition of an adopted child.) The use of this metaphor is just a manner of speaking. As adopted brothers of Jesus, really we wake to understanding and faith that His Father is our Father too.
It is St. Paul who describes this process of other men being saved by the consciousness of Jesus as the “adoption of sons.”
“But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
When the time came that the love that God is was realized by this one Son, then God-love did get itself expressed in, or it came forth into manifestation as, Christ Jesus, Christed Jesus.
This perfect consciousness was developed by this Son, who was born into existence on this earth plane “under the law” of single-handed, individual soul development; born under the law of finding His way out of the cloud of imperfect, unfinished, human concepts of God the Father by discovering and realizing His own Christ potentiality.
He did find His way out, He did perfect, finish or complete, His self-awareness of His divine sonship. He did it “that he might redeem them (other men) that were under the law,”— i.e., that He might save from evil, unfinished soul realization of the truth, and the sorrow attendant on such “unfinished business,” other men who still had not discovered single-handedly the whole Christ possibility in them.
He gave His redeemed consciousness to us “that we (other men) might receive the adoption of sons”—might be adopted as co-sharers with Him in the fruits of the successful business of living which this one Son, Jesus, established for Himself— and which He desired to share with all other men, and is sharing with all who will accept His finished “success consciousness” regarding any particular desire. Whatever “mansion” in His and our Father’s house we would occupy with Him, and in faith believing can enter into as a finished building, we may dwell in.
“In my Father’s house are many mansions,” proclaimed the Master. Here is the mansion of life manifest as health—wisdom—ability in some particular line—peace and joy—plenty. Which one, or ones, do you want to share? “If ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you, in my name (in my consciousness). Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name (in my consciousness) : ask, and ye shall receive that your joy may be made full.”
The significance of the difference between an idea and the realization of the idea, is not difficult to perceive. The idea of health, for instance, may be an intellectual possession of many people. It is when they possess a realization of this idea that health manifests for them. In the same way, tire idea of God-indwelling-man may be a mental acceptance of many persons. It is when they have a consciousness (not only thought but feeling) of this idea that they can prove tangibly that God lives in them. Then they can visibly out-picture Him as the perfect fulfillment of a righteous desire. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
It is the consciousness of the Christ Idea that Jesus has contributed to man—the heavenly “mansions.”
The Nazarene did not say, “In my Father’s house are many blue-prints of mansions.” He did not promise us entrance into a contractor’s paradise. He did not open a door into a set of plans (unfulfilled ideas) of heaven or blessing. The Man of Galilee (of realized power) invited us, and still Graciously entreats us, to enter into mansions, the fulfillment of blessed ideas, the realization that every good prayer of the heart is now answered in perfect ways—in such perfect ways that not only are we blessed but all those whose lives touch ours are blessed too. The writer of Proverbs envisioned this way of Spirit blessing: “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich; And he addeth no sorrow therewith.”
This realization of God-in-Him, carrying with it the ability to manifest perfectly, quickly, whatever good He wants, and now “broadcast” throughout the universe, comprises Jesus’ merits—actualized, and sanctifying, Grace.
Jesus’ finished consciousness is available now; we do not have to develop it each one for himself. “Greater works than these (Jesus’ own, achieved often after weariness and suffering) shall ye do, because I go unto the Father.”—(Ye shall enter into heaven, or the satisfying life, here and now, without going through a “crucifixion,” or, bearing a cross of suffering, because I shall ascend to complete oneness with the Father-knowing, in which there is no distress nor delay, and my ascended realization shall be available to you. Because I shall have got it the hard way, in order that you need not get it that way, I shall love to give it to you when I have it after my ascension.)
Following His resurrection, just before His ascension, Jesus made a certain promise: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. And these signs (miracles) shall accompany them that believe: In my name shall they cast out demons: they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them: they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
What glory it is that Jesus to the blessed believers has promised!
Through entering into my perfected consciousness, by accepting it as their own, they shall cast false beliefs in not-good out of their souls: they shall speak with new, true realization: they shall lift up to blissful satisfaction the life in their bodies, the activity of their affairs, and if they become involved in any material condition that appears harmful, they shall not be harmed: they shall lay hands, not necessarily physical hands, but mental “hands” of faith, on the sick (the ill in mind, body or world) and the sick shall be healed.
This is the Grace of God; not that we shall be saved and go to “heaven” after “death”; but that we shall be saved, from tribulation now, freed into joy and satisfaction and true ability to serve now, through believing and having faith in as our own, the Holy Spirit power of the risen and ascended consciousness of Jesus.
Why should we not have faith that the Nazarene’s perfected consciousness is now ours? It was universalized at His ascension—broadcast into the everywhere. It is a state of knowing just as touchable by our spiritual aspiration as any state of mind of any person whose peace and high confidence that all is well we expect to touch by going bodily into his presence. If we can enter into a friend’s faith by being with him—or by communicating by telephone or letter with him—we can much more easily and quickly be in communication with the high realization of the best Friend, who exists now, not as a personalized being, but through all the universe as a magnificently perfect state of consciousness.
Is there anywhere that we could be that this Saviour knowing would not be? Can we think of ourselves as being outside omnipresence, beyond the universal infinite? No, we cannot. Therefore, wherever we may be, He is with us, a realization into which we may enter, a Name or nature communicable to us.
In the Name of the Christed Jesus of Nazareth, walk. Be made whole in body and world, because you are healed in soul in His Name, adopted into His realization.
From testimony authenticated by medical people themselves, we know that, through prayer “in His Name,” so-called incurable diseases have been cured; broken bones have knit at a speed amazing to physicians; quickly, “insane” ones have been “made whole.” Would-be suicides have been “redeemed” with the acknowledgment from themselves, “Someone has been praying.” “Miraculously,” protection has been manifest for those in apparent danger. With startling rapidity, homes have been found where, to all appearance, no homes were available. “Jobs,” good and satisfying ones too, have “come to light” speedily, in perfect ways—without nepotism, catering and bribing. Harmony has been manifest out of seemingly insoluble discord. Ability in a chosen work has flowered beautifully. Supply has come when, to human sight, every door was closed.
“How lovely are Thy dwellings (Thy “mansions” of realized and actualized blessings), O Lord my God.”
“These things have I spoken unto you,” said the Nazarene, “that in me (in my realization) ye may have peace. In the world (worldly state of unfinished soul development) ye have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” . . . “Life with its sorrows, life with its tears.”
“Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The Blood of Jesus whispers peace within.”
© 1947, Crichton Russ Boatwright
