III. The Altar of God

T-2.III.1. The Atonement can only be accepted within you by releasing the inner light. ² Since the separation, defenses have been used almost entirely to defend against the Atonement, and thus maintain the separation. ³ This is generally seen as a need to protect the body. ⁴ The many body fantasies in which minds engage arise from the distorted belief that the body can be used as a means for attaining "atonement." ⁵ Perceiving the body as a temple is only the first step in correcting this distortion, because it alters only part of it. ⁶ It does recognize that Atonement in physical terms is impossible. ⁷ The next step, however, is to realize that a temple is not a structure at all. ⁸ Its true holiness lies at the inner altar around which the structure is built. ⁹ The emphasis on beautiful structures is a sign of the fear of Atonement, and an unwillingness to reach the altar itself. ¹⁰ The real beauty of the temple cannot be seen with the physical eye. ¹¹ Spiritual sight, on the other hand, cannot see the structure at all because it is perfect vision. ¹² It can, however, see the altar with perfect clarity.

T-2.III.2. For perfect effectiveness the Atonement belongs at the center of the inner altar, where it undoes the separation and restores the wholeness of the mind. ² Before the separation the mind was invulnerable to fear, because fear did not exist. ³ Both the separation and the fear are miscreations that must be undone for the restoration of the temple, and for the opening of the altar to receive the Atonement. ⁴ This heals the separation by placing within you the one effective defense against all separation thoughts and making you perfectly invulnerable.

T-2.III.3. The acceptance of the Atonement by everyone is only a matter of time. ² This may appear to contradict free will because of the inevitability of the final decision, but this is not so. ³ You can temporize and you are capable of enormous procrastination, but you cannot depart entirely from your Creator, Who set the limits on your ability to miscreate. ⁴ An imprisoned will engenders a situation which, in the extreme, becomes altogether intolerable. ⁵ Tolerance for pain may be high, but it is not without limit. ⁶ Eventually everyone begins to recognize, however dimly, that there must be a better way. ⁷ As this recognition becomes more firmly established, it becomes a turning point. ⁸ This ultimately reawakens spiritual vision, simultaneously weakening the investment in physical sight. ⁹ The alternating investment in the two levels of perception is usually experienced as conflict, which can become very acute. ¹⁰ But the outcome is as certain as God.

T-2.III.4. Spiritual vision literally cannot see error, and merely looks for Atonement. ² All solutions the physical eye seeks dissolve. ³ Spiritual vision looks within and recognizes immediately that the altar has been defiled and needs to be repaired and protected. ⁴ Perfectly aware of the right defense it passes over all others, looking past error to truth. ⁵ Because of the strength of its vision, it brings the mind into its service. ⁶ This re-establishes the power of the mind and makes it increasingly unable to tolerate delay, realizing that it only adds unnecessary pain. ⁷ As a result, the mind becomes increasingly sensitive to what it would once have regarded as very minor intrusions of discomfort.

T-2.III.5. The children of God are entitled to the perfect comfort that comes from perfect trust. ² Until they achieve this, they waste themselves and their true creative powers on useless attempts to make themselves more comfortable by inappropriate means. ³ But the real means are already provided, and do not involve any effort at all on their part. ⁴ The Atonement is the only gift that is worthy of being offered at the altar of God, because of the value of the altar itself. ⁵ It was created perfect and is entirely worthy of receiving perfection. ⁶ God and His creations are completely dependent on Each Other. ⁷ He depends on them because He created them perfect. ⁸ He gave them His peace so they could not be shaken and could not be deceived. ⁹ Whenever you are afraid you are deceived, and your mind cannot serve the Holy Spirit. ¹⁰ This starves you by denying you your daily bread. ¹¹ God is lonely without His Sons, and they are lonely without Him. ¹² They must learn to look upon the world as a means of healing the separation. ¹³ The Atonement is the guarantee that they will ultimately succeed.