Inner Sacrifice of Love
John 15:13 - A Neville Goddard interpretation
Read John 15 in context
Scripture Focus
Biblical Context
Greater love is shown by surrendering one's life for friends. Neville would say this points to an inner act of surrender within consciousness, not merely an external deed.
Neville's Inner Vision
To the seeker, this verse is not about martyrdom alone but about the state of consciousness called love. In Neville's terms, there is no greater act than the interior decision to yield the old self in favor of the beloved, which is any friend you hold in your inner circle. When you claim the I AM as your only reality, you discover that each friend is a facet of that same life. To lay down your life is to release the clinging self, the fear of lack, and the urge to control outcomes, and to respond from a spacious, inclusive love. The sacrifice occurs first within the imagination: you imagine the scene as if the unity already exists, and then the action flows as natural mercy, forgiveness, and benevolence. Mercy and grace are not gifts you earn but radiations of the revised state your inner self now accepts as real. Thus, true love confirms that your inner kingdom creates the outer world, and that the I AM gazes with benevolent constancy on all your relationships.
Practice This Now
Practice: In quiet reflection, assume the I AM that has already laid down its life for your friends in your inner world; feel the release of ego and imagine a scene where mercy, patience, and unity replace fear, then let the feeling that it is done linger.
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