What is the Essence of Progressive Revelation

Discourse VIII

by Kim Michaels
December 4, 2002

A previous discourse raised the question of whether Church Universal & Triumphant had ceased to be the open door through which the Ascended Masters can bring forth new ideas or teachings. Some have responded by saying that there is no need for further teachings, because the Messenger has already stated that the teachings brought forth through this church contain everything you need to make your ascension.

This is a valid and understandable concern, however, what is the logical consequence of this idea? The logical consequence is that the church itself has brought an end to progressive revelation. This is an interesting idea, because the very reason for the founding of this church is the need for progressive revelation. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the question: “Will progressive revelation ever stop?”

Another question is: “How can an organization, which springs from the age-old tradition of progressive revelation, claim that its teachings have put an end to progressive revelation?

What is the Essence of Progressive Revelation?
The basic fact of life is that human beings are trapped in a lower state of consciousness. To remind them of their spiritual origin, God created the Christ consciousness, which can be conceived as a stream of living truth that continually flows from God into the physical octave. It is this stream of living truth, this Living Word, which has the potential to cut through the density of the carnal mind and set the soul free to pursue Christhood.

Throughout the ages, many different organizations and many different messengers have served as the open door for the Living Word. The problem is that no outer teaching can fully capture or do justice to the Living Word. The Living Word is a continuous stream of God’s energy and consciousness. When you fashion that energy into an outer teaching, it is like taking a snapshot of a river. The snapshot pictures the river as standing still, but in reality the river is continually flowing.
Can you truly know a river by looking at a snapshot?
It is an eternal truth that to know the Living Word, you must look beyond the outer teaching.

The basic law of spiritual growth could be stated as follows: “Don’t let the messenger obscure the message, and don’t let the message obscure the source.”

The source of any true spiritual teaching is the Living Word of God. Because of the density of the human consciousness, it has been necessary to bring forth a snapshot of the Living Word in the form of an outer teaching. Unfortunately, every such teaching has caused some people to focus their attention on either the messenger or the teaching itself. These people have reasoned that if only they study the outer teachings and follow all of the outer rules defined in those teachings, then they will automatically be saved.

This is not true.
There is no such thing as automatic salvation. No teaching and no organization can guarantee your salvation. To qualify for your salvation, you must absorb the Living Word of God.
God does not stand still.
God is continually transcending himself.
Therefore, you must continue to transcend yourself.

Avoid attachments to the outer path
If you allow yourself to become attached to a specific outer messenger or teaching, you run the risk of forgetting the source. This is the main reason why there is an ongoing need for progressive revelation on this planet. Every time God brings forth a new spiritual teaching, some people become entrapped by the outer teaching and forget the source. At inner levels, the soul says to God: “Leave me alone. I have everything I need, and I am comfortable here.”

In an attempt to prevent people from falling into this trap, God patiently continues to bring forth new teachings. The other side of the coin is that as humankind progresses, God can reveal more of himself and give forth a higher teaching.

If there was no need for progressive revelation, then everybody would still be living according to the Law of Moses. If there was no need for progressive revelation, then Jesus would have written down his teachings as an outer doctrine. Instead, he told his disciples to preach the Living Word by the Holy Spirit.

If there was no need for progressive revelation, then why would the Ascended Masters have sponsored any organization after the Theosophical Society? There are people in that organization who proclaim that the teachings given through Blavatsky contain everything you need to make your ascension. Therefore, Theosophy ended the need for progressive revelation. There are people in the I AM Movement who make that same claim. You can also find them in the Agni Yoga Society and in the Bridge to Freedom. You can even find them in Church Universal and Triumphant.

The Living Word
This church was founded by the Ascended Masters for the specific purpose of bringing forth the Living Word. If you believe the outer organization and teaching has everything you need, then follow your inner direction. However, why deny others the opportunity to embrace the continuous stream of the Living Word?

Therefore, the question is: “What is most important to you personally? Is it the outer teaching? Is it the outer messenger? Or is it the source, namely the Living Word?”

This church has many wonderful teachings, and they do indeed contain the outer knowledge that you need to make your ascension. However, can you make that ascension if you do not absorb the Living Word? Can you absorb the Living Word if you do not let it stream through you? Can it stream through you if you believe it can only stream through someone else?

The leaders and members of the church have a right to say to the Ascended Masters: “We don’t need you anymore. We are perfectly happy with the teachings you have given us through Mark and Mother, and we will focus all of our attention on applying those teachings.”
The Ascended Masters will respect that choice.

The real thing or the image
However, the question raised by the previous discourse was: “If the Ascended Masters - the source - did indeed want to bring forth new ideas and teachings through this church, could they still do so?”

If the answer is no, then the Masters will obviously go elsewhere, as they have done numerous times in the past. However, if the answer is yes, then the leaders and members of this church need to consider how they could possibly find a way to let the Masters speak through their chelas. How could the organization evaluate and act upon new ideas?
Perhaps the organization does not need to appoint a new messenger or supreme spiritual leader? Perhaps no one needs to take direct dictations from the Masters? But if someone got a message, in whatever form, could that message be heard by the organization?
It is true that God does not pour new wine into old wineskins. The question is: “Has this church, which is less than 50 years old, become an old wineskin?”

If so, you must choose whether you want the snapshot, or whether you want to look for the river.

If you want the river, look for it in your own heart.

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