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or spiritual agreement, between God and man in His
image.
(-12- Messiah or Christ)
XII. The word Christ is not properly a synonym for
Jesus, though it is commonly so used. Jesus was a human
name, which belonged to him in common with
other Hebrew boys and men, for it is identical
with the name Joshua, the renowned Hebrew leader. On
the other hand, Christ is not a name so much as the divine
title of Jesus. Christ expresses God's spiritual, eternal
nature. The name is synonymous with Messiah, and alludes
to the spirituality which is taught, illustrated, and
demonstrated in the life of which Christ Jesus was the
embodiment. The proper name of our Master in the
Greek was Jesus the Christ; but Christ Jesus better signifies
the Godlike.
(-13- The divine Principle and idea)
XIII. The advent of Jesus of Nazareth marked the
first century of the Christian era, but the Christ is
without beginning of years or end of days.
Throughout all generations both before and
after the Christian era, the Christ, as the spiritual
idea, - the reflection of God, - has come with some
measure of power and grace to all prepared to receive
Christ, Truth. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and the prophets
caught glorious glimpses of the Messiah, or Christ, which
baptized these seers in the divine nature, the essence of
Love. The divine image, idea, or Christ was, is, and
ever will be inseparable from the divine Principle, God.
Jesus referred to this unity of his spiritual identity thus:
"Before Abraham was, I am;" "I and my Father are
one;" "My Father is greater than I." The one Spirit
includes all identities.
(-14- Spiritual oneness)
XIV. By these sayings Jesus meant, not that the human
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