Lesson 246 – “To love my Father is to love His Son.”

The Core Teaching

This lesson is very simple in words and very deep in meaning. It tells us that loving God and loving His Son are the same thing. In the language of A Course in Miracles, “His Son” means the one Christ Self we all share—not the separate personalities we seem to be, but the one holy Identity behind them.

The ego’s entire thought system is built on the belief that we are separate: separate from God, separate from each other, and even divided within ourselves. Because of this, the ego wants us to think:

• I can love God but dislike certain people.
• I can be spiritual and still hold grievances.
• I can seek God while quietly condemning myself.

This lesson gently exposes the impossibility of that. It says: if I truly love God, I must love His Son—and that includes everyone, and it includes myself. There is no exception, because in truth there is only one Son.

What is the ego trying to hide?

1. *That we are one Self, not many selves.*

The ego wants us to believe that each person is a separate being with a separate mind and separate interests. It wants us to see others as competitors, threats, or at best, people we can “use” for our own needs. If we accepted that we are truly one Son, the ego’s world of conflict would collapse.

2. *That our attacks are always self-attacks.*

When we judge, blame, or hate another, the ego tells us we are protecting ourselves. But if there is only one Son, then any attack on another is an attack on our own Self. The ego hides this, because if we saw it clearly, we would stop attacking.

3. *That we still love God and He still loves us.*

Deep down, the ego’s core story is: “You separated from God, and now you are guilty and deserve punishment.” It says we are cut off from Love. But this lesson reminds us: our love for God is still in us, unchanged. And God’s love for us is unchanged. The separation never really happened. The ego cannot survive if we remember this.

What is the Holy Spirit revealing?

1. *We are the beloved Son of God, together.*

The Holy Spirit shows us that every person we meet is a reflection of the same holy Self we are. We are not many minds trying to get along; we are one Mind remembering itself.

2. *Love is indivisible.*

To love God is to love His creation. To love His creation is to love God. There is no way to split love:

• I cannot truly love God and hate my brother.
• I cannot truly love my brother and hate myself.
• I cannot truly love myself and fear God.

The Holy Spirit reveals that love is one, and we are that love.

3. *Forgiveness restores our awareness of this oneness.*

Every time we forgive, we are saying:

“What I thought my brother did to me has not really changed the truth of what he is. He is still God’s Son, and so am I.”

This is how we return to the awareness that loving God and loving His Son are the same.

Applied to Daily Life

Let’s bring this into the situations where we actually struggle.

Relationships

You might think of someone who has hurt you—a partner, friend, family member. The ego says:

• “They are guilty.”
• “I can’t trust them.”
• “They ruined something.”

This lesson invites a different view:

“If I love God, I must be willing to see this person as God’s Son—innocent in truth, even if confused in behavior.”

This doesn’t mean you ignore unhealthy behavior or stay in harmful situations. It means that, inside your mind, you ask to see beyond the behavior to the holy Self beneath it. You might say silently:

“Behind this person’s fear and confusion is the same holy Self that lives in me. I choose to remember that. I choose to love that.”

As you do this, your own heart softens. You feel less like a victim and more like a witness to shared confusion—and shared innocence.

Work

At work, you may feel competition, envy, or resentment:

• A co-worker gets credit you wanted.
• A boss seems unfair.
• A colleague is lazy or difficult.

The ego says: “They’re in my way.”

This lesson says: “They are my brother, part of the one Son of God.”

You can practice by pausing and thinking:

“This person is not my enemy. We share the same Self in God. I want to remember that more than I want to be right.”

You may still take practical steps—speak up, set boundaries, ask for what you need—but you do it with less attack in your mind. You start to see that everyone is just trying, in confused ways, to find love and safety.

Illness

When you or someone you love is sick, the ego says:

• “The body is who I am.”
• “I am weak, vulnerable, and alone.”

This lesson reminds you:

“I am the Son of God, not a body. To love God is to love the Son He created, whole and eternal. That is what I really am.”

You can sit with your illness or pain and say:

“This body may feel weak, but my Self in God is not touched by this. I choose to love that Self in me and in everyone, even now.”

This doesn’t deny the experience of pain; it places it in a larger context, where you are not defined by it.

Anxiety and Daily Stress

When you feel anxious, rushed, or overwhelmed, the ego’s voice is loud:

• “You’re on your own.”
• “You must control everything.”
• “You’re not safe.”

This lesson offers a quiet correction:

“I am God’s Son. I am not alone. To love my Father is to love the Self He created as me. In that love, I am safe.”

You might pause during the day and imagine your anxiety as a small child inside you, frightened and confused. Then imagine your true Self—God’s Son—gently embracing that child. You are learning to love the Son in you, which is the same as loving God.

Overcoming Resistance

Why might this lesson be difficult?

1. *We want exceptions.*

There are people we don’t want to love. We think: “Surely God understands why I can’t forgive this one.” The Course is kind but firm: no exceptions. This can feel threatening, because we believe our grievances protect us.

2. *We confuse love with approval.*

We fear that if we “love” someone, we are saying their behavior is okay. But the love this lesson speaks of is deeper than behavior. It is a recognition of the Christ in them. You can love their true Self and still say “no” to harmful actions.

3. *We fear losing our identity.*

If we are all one Son, what happens to “me”? The ego whispers: “You will disappear. You will be nothing.” The truth is the opposite: in remembering our shared Identity, we discover our real Self for the first time. Nothing real is lost.

4. *We feel unworthy.*

Sometimes the hardest person to love is ourselves. We may think: “I can believe others are God’s Son, but not me. I’ve done too much wrong.”

This lesson says: if you love God, you must love His Son—and you are that Son. Your worth is not based on your behavior. It is given by God and cannot be undone.

If you feel resistance, you are not failing. You are simply noticing where the ego still holds sway. That awareness is already progress. Be gentle with yourself. The Holy Spirit uses even your resistance as a doorway to healing.

Today’s Practice

Here is a simple way to practice Lesson 246 throughout the day.

1. Morning Quiet Time (5–15 minutes)

• Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take a few slow breaths.
• Say slowly, with intention:

“To love my Father is to love His Son.

I choose to love as God loves.”

• Then bring to mind three people:

1. Someone you love easily.

2. Someone neutral.

3. Someone you struggle with.

For each one, say inwardly:

“You are the holy Son of God.

To love God is to love you as He created you.

I choose to see you as He sees you.”

• Finally, include yourself:

“I am the holy Son of God.

To love my Father is to love the Self He created as me.”

Sit a moment in quiet, letting these words sink in.

2. During the Day

Use short reminders often, especially when upset:

• When annoyed with someone:

“This is God’s Son I look upon. I choose to remember that.”

• When judging yourself:

“I am still as God created me. I am His beloved Son.”

• When anxious or afraid:

“I am not alone. I am God’s Son, loved and held in Him.”

You don’t have to feel it perfectly. The willingness to say these words and mean them “just a little” is enough for the Holy Spirit to work with.

3. Evening Reflection

Before sleep, review your day gently:

• Where did I remember that to love God is to love His Son?
• Where did I forget and judge, attack, or withdraw?

For the times you forgot, say:

“Holy Spirit, I give these moments to You.

Help me see that I did not change the truth of anyone, including myself.

We are still the one Son of God.”

Rest in that.

Comparable ACIM Lessons

Several lessons are closely related:

• **Lesson 67: “Love created me like itself.”**

This reminds us that our very nature is love. Lesson 246 extends that by saying: if we are created by Love, then loving God and loving His Son must be the same.

• **Lesson 105: “God’s peace and joy are mine.”**

Peace and joy come from recognizing our shared Identity as God’s Son. Lesson 246 shows that this recognition is an act of love toward God and toward all.

• **Lesson 125: “In quiet I receive God’s Word today.”**

In quiet, we hear the truth of who we are as His Son. Lesson 246 is the content of that Word: that our love is one with God’s.

• **Lesson 191: “I am the holy Son of God Himself.”**

This is the direct declaration of our true Identity. Lesson 246 adds: loving God means accepting this Identity in everyone.

• **Lesson 224: “God is my Father, and He loves His Son.”**

This emphasizes God’s love for us. Lesson 246 emphasizes our love for Him, expressed through loving His Son.

Closing Thought

You do not have to force yourself to love. The love this lesson speaks of is already in you, placed there by God and kept safe in your true Self. Your only task today is to become a little more willing to let that love be remembered—toward God, toward others, and toward yourself.

One quiet thought can guide you through the day:

“To love my Father is to love His Son.

I am willing to see with this love, just a little more today.”