Lesson 2 -- Solutions

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Set A: (2 points per item)

1. Prophets and seers can predict the probable future. TRUE. Our life on earth can be compared to the studies that a student undertakes in a classroom. The major events and lessons are predetermined as in a lesson plan but countless minor details may be subject to a lot of changes. This is because the future very much depends on what we cause to happen in the present. Nevertheless, based on present conditions, there are future probabilities. These probabilities can be accessed by those who are sensitive to higher vibrations. However, no prophet, seer or fortune teller is ever 100% accurate.
   
   
2. The knowledge of the world is foolishness to God. TRUE. The total of all the knowledge available in the world is, for us, only a beginning. Much, much more lie in wait. While we here on earth are capable of understanding a lot more now than ever was possible at any time in the past, still, we will only be able to fully realize the rest of the Higher Knowledge after we are freed from the bonds of earth. Being as yet imperfect and limited by our finite minds, we will be unable to comprehend in full that which is perfect and infinite. More on this in Lesson 7.
   
   
3. Christ came to show sinners the way to God. TRUE. Sinners are more in need of Christ’s guidance. See Par 2:10 and Ver 2:16 (Lesson 2, Verse 16).
   
   
4. Even prophets and righteous men need to learn more about God’s ways. TRUE. Without an exception, everyone here on earth needs to learn more about God. Prophets and righteous men may know more than we do but even they don’t know everything yet. See Par 2:10 and Ver 2:17.
   
   
5. Jesus is the only son of God. FALSE. We are all children of the One God except that Jesus Christ is much more highly evolved than we who are still here on earth.
   
   
6. There really are no miracles that cannot eventually be explained. TRUE. See Par 2:14.
   
   
7. Only Jesus can ever do the things he did. FALSE. We are all destined to attain to perfection. Eventually, we, too, will be able to do everything, including those that Jesus did. He, himself, states this plainly in John 14:12, "All that I have done, you can do and you will be able to do even more."
   
   
8. Christ is not of the world. TRUE. This is according to Jesus’ own words. See Par 2:03 and Ver 2:04.
   
   
9. Evil is subject to goodness even upon the earth. FALSE. See page 21. For purposes of our instruction on earth, evil is allowed free rein. More on this in Lessons 5 and 6.
   
   
10. The apostles understood Christ’s teachings perfectly well. FALSE. The apostles may be more advanced than we are but even they do not know everything yet. To some extent, therefore, their own teachings contain errors and false interpretations. See Ver 2:17.
    
    
11. Christ has already told us everything he knows. FALSE. Christ said in John 16:12, "There is so much more I want to tell you." And these other things are included in this course.
    
    
12. Only those who have come from heaven really know about heaven. TRUE. Those who have not experienced heaven can, at best, only speculate about it but can never know for sure. Life in heaven is known only to those who have earned the right to gain entry there. More in Lesson 7. Refer also to the INNER QUEST Home2.
    
    
13. The wise men of the world are necessarily highly evolved spiritually, as well. FALSE. Possibly but not necessarily. To be specific, it is the character of a man that determines his level of spirituality, not just his wisdom.
    
    
14. No source of information is ever 100% reliable and accurate. TRUE. Nothing perfect can come from or through someone or something which is imperfect. Since no one here on earth is perfect, then no source is ever 100% reliable and accurate. See also Sol 2.A.1 and 2.C.7.
    
    
15. Jesus is the One God of all. FALSE. Because Jesus is so very far advanced compared to us, for all intents and purposes, he is a god. However, there is an even Greater Being than Jesus, Who is the One True God and Father of us all.
    
    
16. Christ never had to study and develop himself; he has always been the Christ from his creation. FALSE. If God were to make exceptions, He would not be a fair and just God. Instead, every one of His children is treated fairly, in the same way. And so, even Jesus had to evolve from the seed that he was into the perfection that he has become. See also the information detailed in the INNER QUEST Home2 regarding the completion by spirits of all their requirements.
    
    
17. Christ existed even before Abraham was born and he lives even now. TRUE. In John 8:58, Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I am." In fact, Christ was already Christ before the world was created. And now, according to the Scriptures, he sits in a place of honor, at the right hand of the Father.
    
    
18. Christ is one with God. TRUE. Having gone far ahead of us in his own development, Jesus Christ (or, for that matter, any spirit who has attained to the level of a Christ) is for us the most perfect example of how we should live life in full accord with the divine will of God. He has already attained to a more perfect knowledge of the whole Truth. Hence, he is able to think more like God thinks and act more like God acts. He is one in mind and purpose with God. He is in complete attunement (at-one-ment) with the Divine.
    
    
19. Christ is the greatest authority concerning God’s divine teachings. TRUE. Because he is very highly advanced and the most qualified, he is given the authority and responsibility of guiding forward all of us spirit beings who are still in the lower stages of our development. See Par 2:12 and Ver 2:19.21.
    
    
20. Christ will come again. TRUE. According to the esoteric (occult) teachings, periodically, or at least every 2,000 years, a World Teacher or a Christ comes to upgrade the level of divine instruction to people in the world. Another Christ (or the same Jesus again) is prophesied to appear after the year 2000 which event coincides with the advent of the New Age or the Age of Aquarius. Refer also to the ‘The Aquarian Conspiracy’, the INNER QUEST Home3.

Set B: (2 points per item)

1. "I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life" (JN 8).
   
   
2. For You have given him authority over every man and woman in all the earth. He grants eternal life to all those You have given him (JN 17).
   
   
3. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to deliver the captives and restore sight to the blind, to set free the downtrodden and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (LK 4).
   
   
4. "I have come into the world to give sight to those who are spiritually blind and to show those who think they see that they are really blind (JN 9).
   
   
5. Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life and we believe and are certain that you are the Holy One of God" (JN 6).
   
   
6. "Put away your sword," Jesus told him. "All who take up the sword shall perish by the sword" (MT 26).
   
   
7. "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but the sick do; I came not for the righteous, but to call on sinners to repent" (MK 2).
   
   
8. "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me" (JN 14).
   
   
9. And henceforth, so long as we follow after his divine ways of goodness and holiness, he will be our able guide, our elder brother and our beloved friend (Text).
   
   
10. James and John, upon learning of this said, "Lord, would you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and destroy them?" But he turned and rebuked them and said, "You don’t realize your true divine nature and purpose!" (LK 9).
    
    
11. "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe" (JN 4).
    
    
12. There is nowhere else to turn if we desire the best teacher. For he is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Supreme Teacher (Text).
    
    
13. "I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have acquainted you with everything I heard from my Father" (JN 15).
    
    
14. "I am the resurrection and the life: he who believes in me, even if he dies, shall go on living; and whoever lives, believing in me, shall never die" (JN 11).
    
    
15. Life is not of the body but of the spirit (Text).

Set C: (3 points per item)

1. God, being perfect, created us already perfect and mature beings. DISAGREE. In the beginning, God created the perfect seeds of all things which He intended to unfold through the process of growth and development in order to attain to full maturity and self-perfection through their own exertions. In the human context, we could say that we were created as babies, initially innocent and ignorant, but endowed with all the latent potentialities and capabilities and destined to become, in the fullness of time, fully developed adult humans.
   
   
2. We should not listen to other teachers, but only to Christ. DISAGREE. While Jesus is the highest authority, still, there are other aspects of the divine teachings, especially in the preliminary stages of learning, that may best be handled by others who are closer to that particular phase of development and, as such, may be understood better by those under instruction. The rule should be to always keep an open mind. However, the lower level teachings will need to be upgraded as we continue in our studies. And, regardless of the source, take only the good and reject the bad.
   
   
3. Having come from Jesus, the word of God should be accepted without question. DISAGREE. In the first place, coming into this world late, we have no way of knowing for sure whether or not Jesus actually said the things that he is purported to have said. And we can only speculate on what he really meant by the words attributed to him. Still, so long as such statements seem to us to be reasonable, it may be all right to assume their validity and authenticity. Nevertheless, unless one questions, one cannot really learn. No matter who or what the source, every teaching and every statement must be subjected to analysis and test. Only those that we find to be reasonable in the light of our own personal experiences should be accepted as a veritable truth.
   
   
4. Christ’s teachings are no longer relevant in these modern times. DISAGREE. Quite the opposite, Truth is eternal and the applications of the Truth encompass the whole of time and beyond. However, we may gain the benefits only after we have learned and understood the divine principles. Then only can we live wisely and productively, in the most practical way.
   
   
5. Unless we are baptized, we cannot be saved. DISAGREE. Baptism is only an initiation ceremony symbolic of spiritual purification. It is not sufficient in itself. And, being only a symbol, it is not even necessary in connection with our salvation. What is of far greater importance to us is that we believe in righteousness and that we live accordingly. We will be able to save ourselves only if we pursue such a life.
   
   
6. The Jews are God’s only chosen people. DISAGREE. With the passage of the ages, different people and races will be called upon to do God’s work. God has no favorites, but He loves everyone equally. Before the Jews, the Hindus and the Greeks as well as others were equally favored. And in the future, new and more advanced people and races will be chosen to show the rest of the world the way to God.
   
   
7. It must be true because the Bible tells us so. DISAGREE. In this world, no source, whatever, is thoroughly accurate and complete in itself. Therefore, everything must be analyzed and tested. And only those things that have been verified by our own experiences should be accepted as really true. All others, provided they are reasonable, may be accepted but only conditionally until they are subsequently so proven to be true.
   
   
8. The message is what is important; the source of the message is not so important. AGREE. Truth speaks for itself no matter who speaks it or whatever the source. Everyone is a custodian of some truth. There is light in the greatest and in the least. But even so, no one is always 100% correct or right.
   
   
9. There are those in the body of Christ and those who don’t belong to it. DISAGREE. Outside of God, there is nothing. No one is outside of God. And Christ is one with God. Therefore, all are in the body of Christ, also, whether they know it or not, and even if they don’t like it.
   
   
10. Everyone should be subservient to the Lord. DISAGREE. Everyone is given the right to exercise his own free will and is destined to attain to perfection. No one can be perfect who is dependent or subservient to someone else. But as we approach perfection, we will come to judge of things more as God judges things and act more as God acts.