At Unity North Atlanta, and within the broader Unity movement, we hold a unique and powerful perspective on the life and teachings of Jesus. He is not seen as a distant figure to be worshiped, but rather as an elder brother and way-shower—a model for spiritual living and awakened consciousness. His presence in our theology is foundational, not as someone to idolize, but as someone whose path we are invited to follow.
In Unity, Jesus is honored as a master teacher and a Divine example who fully embodied the Christ nature. He lived from a consciousness of Oneness, grounded in Divine love, spiritual truth, and unconditional compassion. His message was not one of separation, judgment, or exclusive salvation – it was one of inclusion, healing, empowerment, and inner transformation.
Rather than being set apart as the only Son of God, Unity teaches that Jesus represents the awakened potential within each of us. He realized his Divine identity, the Christ within, and demonstrated what it looks like to live in complete alignment with spiritual truth. In this way, Jesus serves as a mirror, reflecting the spiritual possibilities that reside in all humanity. His life was not simply about miraculous acts or teachings from centuries ago – it was, and remains, a living invitation to awaken to our own divinity.
Jesus and the Christ Nature
In Unity, we make a distinction between Jesus the man and the Christ, which is the Divine essence or spiritual nature that exists in every person. Jesus was the man from Nazareth who attained full spiritual awareness and expressed the Christ fully. The Christ is a universal spiritual principle. It is the true self, the Divine spark within all people.
When Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is within you,” he was affirming this deep truth – that each of us is already one with the Divine. The Christ presence within is the source of wisdom, peace, strength, and love. Jesus realized this in its fullness and taught others how to do the same. His life is not an unattainable ideal but a roadmap to awakening.
This understanding shifts our focus from worshiping Jesus for what he did, to walking with him in consciousness, learning from his example, and applying his teachings in our own lives.
A Model of Higher Consciousness
Jesus consistently demonstrated how to live from higher awareness. Whether offering forgiveness to those who harmed him, healing the sick, uplifting the outcast, or withdrawing in prayer and solitude to reconnect with Spirit, his life was grounded in spiritual practice and unconditional love.
He taught that faith could move mountains, that love was the greatest commandment, and that every person was inherently worthy and Divine. He challenged systems of injustice and hypocrisy, not through violence or fear, but with courage, truth, and compassion.
In Unity, we view these acts not as signs of supernatural exception, but as the natural outcomes of living in alignment with Divine Mind. Jesus was showing us what is possible when we fully embody our spiritual identity and trust in our connection to God.
Following in His Footsteps
At Unity North Atlanta, we strive not just to learn about Jesus, but to follow his example. His path was not easy. It required faith, humility, self-awareness, and surrender. But it also led to transformation, healing, and the deep joy of knowing one’s oneness with all of life.
To follow Jesus means to awaken to the presence of God within us and others. It means choosing love even when fear is louder. It means embodying compassion in our daily interactions, standing for justice, forgiving ourselves and others, and seeking the inner stillness where Divine guidance can be heard.
Jesus did not say, “Worship me,” but rather, “Follow me.” He was calling us into a way of being, a state of consciousness, where we live from the awareness that we are spiritual beings expressing God in the world.
Unity’s Purpose in Sharing His Message
Our mission at Unity North is to provide a spiritual environment where people are empowered to grow, to awaken, and to live from their highest potential. We honor Jesus not as a distant deity, but as a living presence in our hearts, a spiritual elder whose teachings continue to guide and uplift us.
We affirm that spiritual truth is universal and that Jesus is one of many enlightened beings who have illuminated the path to Divine realization. His life is a testament to the power of spiritual awareness, and his legacy invites us into transformation, not through fear or guilt, but through love and truth.
Awakening the Christ Within
Jesus is a central figure in Unity’s spiritual framework, not because he was unlike us, but because he showed us what we truly are. He is our guide, our inspiration, and our example of what it means to live a spiritually awakened life.
As we walk the path he walked – one of love, truth, and conscious connection to the Divine – we, too, begin to express the Christ within. We become vessels of peace. We become instruments of healing. We become reminders to the world that the light that was in Jesus is also in us.