Lesson 7 -- Solutions

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Set A: (2 points per item)

1. Life is forever. TRUE. Even the Lesson title declares this.
   
   
2. The lower worlds are poor images of the higher worlds. TRUE. All things on earth and anywhere in the physical Universe are as mere shadows of their spiritual counterparts in the higher worlds.
   
   
3. Truth comes only gradually as a result of continuous study and application of divine principles. TRUE. The Truth must be applied daily, repeatedly and consistently, before it can be learned.
   
   
4. What money is to this world, character is to the heaven-worlds. TRUE. See Par 7:15.
   
   
5. Man is both body and soul together. FALSE. See Par 7:07.09.
   
   
6. At the Day of Judgment, our bodies shall be resurrected from their graves. FALSE. See Par 7:08,15.
   
   
7. In heaven, everyone sits all day long, singing praises to God. FALSE. You will find that there are far better things that you can do.
   
   
8. Our worldly successes will count favorably in the determination of whether or not we can already enter heaven. FALSE. See Par 7:15.
   
   
9. In heaven, our eligibility for entrance will depend on who will intercede in our behalf. FALSE. See Par 7:17.18.
   
   
10. In the Kingdom of God, there are many mansions or graded levels of heaven. TRUE. See Par 7:14.
    
    
11. Sooner or later, everyone will eventually be able to merit heaven. TRUE. See Par 7:17.18,21.22. No one will be allowed to enter heaven unless he is truly deserving. We will need to fully satisfy every requirement relating to divine righteousness and spiritual perfection. Therefore, no one can save us, not even Christ himself, instead, we must save ourselves through our own individual efforts and strivings (by personal merit). However, in the fullness of eternal time and through countless incarnations, our eventual success is assured. This is our destiny.
    
    
12. All spirits are holy spirits. FALSE. Of course not. There are all classes of spirits from the evil and the developing spirits to those who have attained to a high standard of perfection or holiness, even a Holy Spirit. Refer also to the INNER QUEST Home2 and the article entitled ‘Different Orders of Spirits’.
    
    
13. Only those who live the truth can ever know the truth. TRUE. The Truth must be consistently applied in daily life before it can be realized.
    
    
14. Nothing imperfect can enter heaven. TRUE. See Par 7:17.
    
    
15. Our physical body is just a vehicle for learning lessons in the physical plane. TRUE. Without the physical body, the spirit cannot be restrained enough. Without restraint and limitation, there are fewer opportunities for learning difficult spiritual lessons. Therefore, we choose to become temporarily imprisoned in a body of flesh and be born on earth in order that these hard lessons may be learned in much the same way that a student comes to class for the same purpose.
    
    
16. If we have studied diligently and attained to a high level of spiritual knowledge, we certainly will be allowed into heaven. FALSE. The proof of learning is in the doing. It is not enough to know. We are required to consistently practice what we know. We shall be judged according to our deeds.
    
    
17. Through constant meditation and contemplation, we can attain to Nirvana or its equivalent heaven. FALSE. Through meditation and contemplation, we can access much of what we have already learned and experienced in our past lives, especially those that are relevant to us in the present. We would then be in a much better position to assess our progress and determine what else we need to do, now. However, Nirvana is the absence of all the negative, worldly attitudes and tendencies that characterize imperfect man. And the only way to Nirvana is through our observance of the ethical teachings — righteousness, love and service — as equally embodied in Buddhism’s Noble Eight-fold Path.
    
    
18. Provided we do no harm to anyone, we’re sure to go to heaven. FALSE. See Par 5:28 and Par 7:17.18. If we do no harm but don’t do good, either, then we stay just where we are. To get to heaven, we need to do more good than harm.
    
    
19. The prayers of our friends will lift us up to heaven. FALSE. We will be able to get to heaven only through our own efforts. We may be provided the necessary guidance and instruction, but we, ourselves, need to complete and pass all the requirements.
    
    
20. The more we learn, the more there is to learn. TRUE. Another basic principle is the principle of infinite progression. There is no end to learning.

Set B: (2 points per item)

1. "What is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of the Spirit is spirit" (JN 3).
   
   
2. "In the kingdom of my Father, there are many mansions" (JN 14).
   
   
3. "Marriage is only for people here on earth; but when those who are declared worthy are raised from the dead and enter the kingdom, they do not marry. And they never die again. Instead, they will be as the angels who are sons of God because they have gained for themselves a new and better kind of life" (LK 20).
   
   
4. "‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison and you visited me’" (MT 25).
   
   
5. Love and goodness, peace and wellbeing are present everywhere. The pain and the miseries that all men have suffered while upon the earth just cannot be in heaven. And in heaven, in the realm of the angels, the promised rewards to the just can be enjoyed to the fullest (Text).
   
   
6. "He is the God of the living, not of the dead; for to Him, all are alive" (LK 20).
   
   
7. Then he said, "Lord, remember me when you enter into your kingdom." And Jesus replied, "I assure you that this very day, you shall be with me in Paradise" (LK 23).
   
   
8. "Abraham said, ‘The Scriptures have warned them time and again. Your brothers can read them anytime they want to.’ The rich man replied, ‘No Father, they won’t care to read them. But if someone who is dead were to come and talk to them, then they would surely turn from their sins.’ But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen, either, even though someone rises from the dead!’" (LK 16).
   
   
9. "I have used proverbs to tell you these things, but the time is coming when the truth shall not be so veiled and I will speak to you plainly about the Father" (JN 16).
   
   
10. In the World of Perfection, there can be nothing imperfect (Text).
    
    
11. "I am telling you the truth: I speak of what I know and testify of what I have seen and yet, you won’t believe me. But if you cannot even understand what I am telling you concerning the things of this world, how can you possibly believe me if I told you about the things of heaven? And no man has ever gone up to heaven, except the Son of God who came down to earth from heaven" (JN 3).
    
    
12. Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?" Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants him to do is my brother, my sister and my mother" (MT 12).
    
    
13. "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders, you will never be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (MT 5).
    
    
14. "Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you cannot understand it now. When the Spirit of Holiness and Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth" (JN 16).
    
    
15. It never was meant for us to remain here on this miserable planet. Earth life is merely an intermediate phase, a take-off point to a better life (Text).

Set C: (3 points per item)

1. We can make a heaven on earth. DISAGREE. Ignorant and unaware of the higher planes of existence, man contents himself with such a thought. But there is a heaven, the abode of the Holy Sons of God.
   
   
2. Man is the greatest in all creation. DISAGREE. Not quite yet. But he does have the capacity to become so.
   
   
3. In heaven, we will have authority over the angels. DISAGREE. Instead, we will become angels.
   
   
4. In heaven, we will be able to fully satisfy all our unfulfilled physical desires. DISAGREE. Physical things can only be experienced in the physical worlds. Therefore, every physical desire must have to be fully satisfied in these lower worlds. As we advance in our development, however, we will come to realize that these worldly things are only mere shadows of their genuine spiritual counterparts. And as we are able to become more aware of this truth, we will cease to crave for satisfaction of such gross desires and lean more towards the attainment of spiritual treasures. Nevertheless, if there should be a further need, we could ask to come back to earth as if on a vacation or visit the worlds most like earth in the astral planes just to attend to the full satisfaction of these gross physical cravings.
   
   
5. There is much less pain and suffering in heaven. DISAGREE. In fact, there is none at all. There cannot be. The word that can best describe the heaven life, which, in any case, we cannot even begin to fully appreciate, would be bliss — pure and utter bliss.
   
   
6. The truth can be realized by simply studying God’s word. DISAGREE. Before anyone can learn, he must experience. Mere reading, listening and even studying are not experiencing the fact. In order to really know, theoretical studies must be accompanied by practical applications and allied experiences.
   
   
7. Truth is relative. AGREE. There are different aspects to truth. Everyone sees that particular side or aspect which relates to his own personal experiences and interests only and which is not yet the whole truth. In addition, our conception of truth is related to the level of our spiritual attainment. In effect, each person has his own level and conception of truth, which are only fragments or parts of the whole truth. However, as we continue in our development, we will be able to attain to a more perfect knowledge of God’s absolute truth.
   
   
8. After Jesus had returned home to heaven, God no longer spoke to men. DISAGREE. God, through the Spirits of Truth and Holiness (known to Christians as the Holy Spirit), has been unceasingly providing guidance to men in the world before and even after the time of Jesus. Through oracles, prophets and various kinds of mediums, divine guidance has always been available. However, God can be received only by those who have made themselves ready to receive Him. Refer to the INNER QUEST Home2 and Home3.
   
   
9. The Holy Spirit must be obeyed. DISAGREE. God gave us free will. God Himself does not prevail upon us against our will. Everything must be as a consequence of our own decisions. Rather, God is teaching us everything so that, eventually, we will come to understand God and willingly desire all that God desires as a consequence of our having attained to more perfect knowledge.
   
   
10. The Holy Spirit will simply tell us the truth. DISAGREE. No amount of telling can make anyone realize the truth. The truth must be personally experienced in order to be learned. Enlightenment must be earned through our daily application of the divine principles. Instead of being told, we will be guided towards the successful completion of all we need to do and the full realization of all we need to know.