Introduction

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MANY PREDICTIONS have been put forth concerning the advent of a New Age in the life of our planet. It is said that it will be an age when love will reign in the hearts of many, where, at the present time, mostly ignorance, hatred and distrust abide. The world will have peace and the ignorance of the past will dissipate in the face of the determined onslaught of God’s divine light and truth. However, this future possibility can become a reality only if we do the work that should be done at the present time.

All over the world, many people are grasping at straws. In the face of the world’s ills, they fail to see the divine purpose in everything that is. They are unable to realize the meaning behind their existence. Thoroughly fed up with all that is going on around them, they dimly perceive the existence of God’s magnificent plan; but until now, they have not yet succeeded in finding the truth they are seeking. It is to these seekers after truth that this study course is addressed.

Truth can be found. It has always been waiting for the determined seeker. Truth has never been hidden from anyone. It is just that man, in the past, was not yet ready to receive the truth. But whenever the student is ready, the Master comes. Therefore, we must first make ready and we can begin, now.

This course tackles the basic principles which are prerequisites to more advanced studies. Herein is provided a rational basis for the divine teachings and a practical approach to life. It lays stress on the building of sound ethical foundations, which precedes all true learning. It is meant to be a primer, which should provide you with the initial impetus towards your further study of the deeper spiritual truths.

Because this New Age or the Age of Aquarius is to be a Christian movement, it is necessary, therefore, that we begin our study with the Christian Bible. But how should we regard the Bible?

The Bible, as will be referred to in this course, is a compilation of inspired works, which came to be written as a result of some divine intervention in the form of direct inspiration, an actual experience of a divine truth or a prophetic vision, and which expounds on varying aspects and levels of the divine teachings. The resulting interpretations are largely dependent on the individual writer’s own capacity to comprehend the teachings as determined by his own level in the order of evolution. Such differences in development are to be viewed as limiting factors in the credibility and extent of authority of Biblical and all other writers.

In view of the foregoing limitations and the vastness of the materials included in the Bible, the course has been confined to the study of the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It is these four books that contain the actual words and teachings of Christ, who is the accepted supreme authority. Christ is the Light. All the others are merely reflections of the Light. It is Christ, therefore, who is the focus of our studies.

All the divine principles set forth in the course are verifiable in the light of our own individual experiences. Nevertheless, to elucidate on these principles further, selected Biblical passages have been incorporated into the course. However, the Biblical excerpts are not intended to supplant the study of the complete Bible but are included merely to facilitate the study of this course. The translations are based on various old, as well as modern translations, but not on the original manuscripts which are not available to the writer, nor are such references considered necessary by him. The inclusion of these passages is deemed beneficial because of the wide divergence in the various transcriptions of the different translators.

Many passages appear vague and conflicting. Many verses and thoughts are seemingly not in the proper context or in their right sequences. Hence, the translations made part of this course are effected by this writer with a view to improving on these observations. Therefore, certain unnecessary verses and vague and extraneous thoughts, which could mislead more than enlighten, have been restructured or reworded while others have been deleted. Thus, a greater understanding may be attained by the student because of the advantage of having a clearer and more ordered presentation of Scriptural support to the divine principles herein detailed. Further, in order that the Biblical truths may be more easily received, the passages have been translated into modern-day English.

The exercises at the end of every lesson are simple but thought provoking. These exercises have been designed to drive home certain basic and very important points. In this course, the student will have to do a lot of independent thinking. He will have to lay aside, for a while, all that he has been previously conditioned to believe, because such beliefs may not necessarily be true and would only make his progress difficult. It would be well for him to test out all that he believes. And now is the time for him to do this. Every student should ask himself: With all that I already know now, how is it that there still seems to be something missing? And why is it that the pieces don’t fit? And as he realizes and is able to accept that he doesn’t know enough, then, he can begin to learn.

Many will be asking who I am. However, it is not important who I am, because none of these thoughts are mine. I may have organized the materials in a different manner such that they might appear to be new to some. But they aren’t. "All that is has been and will be again." Again I repeat, I am not even the author because Christ is the author. I have merely written down what I have been given to write. In all of this work, I have been provided the necessary guidance.

In 1976, while I was, myself, in search of answers, a message was transmitted to me from the Spirit World. It said, "My brother, don’t let little things deter you in your search for truth." — I didn’t. And so shouldn’t you.

Therefore, I urge everyone to begin his studies, today. Center on the concepts and principles expressed herein. Study them well. Analyze and test them. Dwell on the message, not on the messenger. Focus on the principles because they are eternal and immutable, and not so much on the facts and figures which are variable and open to question. As you read enough, you will come to realize that for every thing that has been written, there is an opposite and contrary statement that has also been put to print.

Widen your field of vision. Read the whole Bible, if you will, and even the Holy Scriptures of all the different faiths which, after all, are essentially one, so that you may gain a more panoramic view of divine realities. But first, I would advise that you build your foundations by learning all you can from this basic course.

Nevertheless, should you find that certain principles mentioned in the course are unacceptable to you, it is suggested, at least until you have completed the course, that you assume that such principles are valid. This is so because, otherwise, you won’t be able to reconcile what comes next. In any case, you are enjoined to reserve your judgment until after you have gone through all the lessons. And in the meantime, try your best to keep an open mind.

Above all, trust in God and have faith that all that may be new or unclear, at this time, will clarify and confirm themselves to you as you continue in your quest. And in time, you should be able to find all the answers you need.

Here then, to all of you who think that you are ready, the Message is made plain.

The Writer