All temptation is nothing more than some form of the basic temptation not to believe the idea for today. Salvation seems to come from anywhere except from you. So, too, does the source of guilt. You see neither guilt nor salvation as in your own mind and nowhere else. When you realize that all guilt is solely an invention of your mind, you also realize that guilt and salvation must be in the same place. In understanding this you are saved.
The seeming cost of accepting today's idea is this: It means that nothing outside yourself can save you; nothing outside yourself can give you peace. But it also means that nothing outside yourself can hurt you, or disturb your peace or upset you in any way. This idea places you in charge of the universe, where you belong (not in the universe) because of what you are. This is not a role that can be partially accepted. And you must surely begin to see that accepting it is salvation.
ACIM T-2:V:5:1
The sole responsibility of the miracle worker is to accept the Atonement for himself.
Mikey's Note: So, by accepting your sole responsibility, that's where your salvation lies. Now there is a line in the Course that says, 'I need do nothing.' (ACIM T-18:VII:5:7) Well, it's true on the level of the world you need do nothing, because the Course is not a religion so it's not about your behavior, and it's not about what you do in the world. What you do in the world, regardless of what it is, doesn't matter. On the level of the mind, however, you do have to make that choice to accept the Atonement for yourself, that's why J says that your salvation comes from you.
So, how do you accept the Atonement for yourself? Well, you apply forgiveness on whatever comes up in front of your face on any given day. Keeping in mind, you are not forgiving people, circumstances, and events for what you think they've done, you are forgiving them because you made it all up; it's a projection that is coming from you, not something that is coming at you.
As J says in the Workbook, 'What is forgiveness? Forgiveness recognizes what you thought your brother did to you has not occurred. It does not pardon sins and make them real. It sees there was no sin. And in that view are all your sins forgiven.' (W:1:1) As Pursah would say, 'I might add in only in that view are all your sins forgiven. (YIR p 102)
So from that point of view, you are coming from a position of strength, being at cause, rather than from a position of weakness, being at the mercy of the effect. There's no power in making yourself out to be a victim. As J says in the Course, 'Beware of the temptation to perceive yourself unfairly treated.' (ACIM T-26:X:4:1) And as Pursah puts it, ' …nobody can really take the peace of God away from you except by your own decision. (DU p 169) There are no victims in this world! As J states in the Course, 'I am not the victim of the world I see.' (ACIM W- Lesson:31 Title)
No one or no thing can give you salvation. As Gary would say, ‘There is no such thing as vicarious salvation.’ So, everyone has to do their own forgiveness work in order to become a master. As J says, ‘In this world you need not have tribulation because I have overcome the world. That is why you should be of good cheer.’ (ACIM T-4:I:13:10-11) In other words, J wasn’t claiming to be special, so He’s saying we can do what He did too: forgive the world and be free. But as He also says, '.....it requires patience and abundant willingness.' (ACIM M-17:8:4)
DU p 234
What you do is a result of what you think. That doesn't mean you're always going to behave perfectly. When the Course talks about a teacher of God becoming perfect here, it is referring to perfect forgiveness, not perfect behavior.
Mikey's Note: At the same time, we're all going to be doing something while we appear to be here. But your salvation is not dependent on what you do in the world; it's where you’re coming from while you’re doing it that matters.
As Pursah says, '...you can still live a relatively normal earthly existence and be awakened slowly and gently from your dream.' (DU p 111) Gary says, 'Don't be weird.' Well, too late for me, but that's another story. But what I mean is, always remember that the Course has nothing against using common sense and discernment.
DU p 218
Forgiveness has to do with what you think. What you do isn't the important thing, even though it is a result of what you think. It's what you think that will either keep you dreaming or help get you home, not what you do.
YIR p 102
So what does forgiveness do, then? ‘The miracle (forgiveness) does nothing. All it does is undo.’ (ACIM T-28:I:1:1-2) ‘Salvation is undoing.’ (ACIM T-31:VI:2:1) And when the ego is undone, the truth will be all that’s left.
God Is....and nothing else is
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