Neville Goddard on John 16:28

Executive Summary

Neville interprets the scripture “I came out from the Father, and I have come into the world. Again I am leaving the world and I am going to the Father” as a concise summary of the soul's entire journey. This journey involves four distinct phases: a prenatal existence, incarnation into this world, the departure from this world through death, and the ultimate return to the source, the Father. The central act of this drama is the deliberate forgetting of one's true divine identity upon entering the world, a process necessary for the experience of being human.

Key Concepts

• The verse outlines a four-part journey: prenatal existence, incarnation, death, and return to the Father.
• “Coming out from the Father” signifies forgetting one’s true identity as the one divine Being.
• Incarnation is the state of believing oneself to be a limited, fragmented being, often leading to conflict with others who are simply oneself “pushed out.”
• The “sent” (the incarnated being) and the “Sender” (the Father) are one and the same Being fulfilling different roles or offices.
• Despite the appearance of separation, the Father is always with the one who is “sent” into the world.

Detailed Explanation

According to Neville, John 16:28 encapsulates a complete drama in four short phrases. The journey begins with a prenatal existence, a state of being with the Father before entering the world. The second stage, “coming into the world,” is an act of incarnation that requires a profound act of forgetting. To experience this world, one must forget the divine Being that one truly is and accept the belief that one is merely a limited, physical person.

This state of forgetfulness leads to the perception of a fragmented world populated by billions of separate individuals. This perceived separation creates conflict, as one is essentially at war with one's own fragmented self, not realizing that every person encountered is one's own self “pushed out.”

The final two stages of the journey involve leaving the world, which Neville refers to as “breaking the wheel,” and returning to the Father. This return is a restoration of the awareness that was temporarily set aside. Throughout this entire cycle, the fundamental unity of the individual and the Father is never broken. The “Sender” and the “sent” are one Being fulfilling two different offices. Though the sent may appear to be less than the Sender while in the world, in their essential Being, they are one.

Important Quotes

“I came out from the Father,” said he. “And I have come into the world. Again I am leaving the world and I am going to the Father.” (John 16:28) In four short phrases he states his prenatal existence, his incarnation, his breaking of the wheel - he's going to die leaving this wheel - and return to the Father.

— Where Are You From?

So, coming out from the Father is simply forgetting the Being that I am, and believing myself to be this fragmented being, seeing billions of us, and I am now at war with my fragmented self, not knowing that every one I meet is my very Self “pushed out.”

— Who Am I

“I came out from my Father, and I came into the world.” (John 16:28) I am never alone. The Father who sent me is always with me, but you do not know my Father and you do not know me, for the Sender and the sent are one.

— The Dweller On The Threshold

Related Concepts

This interpretation connects directly to the concept of I AM, which is the “Being that I am” that one forgets upon entering the world. The idea that we are at war with our “fragmented self” is a direct reference to Neville's teaching that everyone is your own consciousness pushed out. Understanding this journey is fundamental to realizing your true identity as the one creative power, rather than a limited being.

Common Misunderstandings

A potential misunderstanding is to believe that the “sent” is a separate or lesser being than the “Sender” or Father. The source material corrects this by stating they are one and the same Being fulfilling different offices, and that in one's Essential Being, there is no difference in power or identity. The journey into the world is not a punishment but a deliberate process of forgetting for the sake of experience.

Practical Applications

The practical application of this teaching is to begin remembering who you are while still in this world. By understanding that your journey involved a forgetting of your true identity as one with the Father, you can start to see the world differently. This means recognizing that the other people you encounter are not separate from you but are your own self “pushed out.” This awareness can dissolve the sense of conflict and separation that arises from the belief in being a fragmented, limited being.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Neville mean by 'coming out from the Father'?

It means forgetting your true, divine identity as the one Being in order to believe you are a limited, fragmented human being incarnated in the world.

Are the 'Sender' and the 'sent' two different beings?

No. According to the source material, they are one and the same Being fulfilling different offices or roles. The Father (Sender) is always with the one who is sent.

What are the four stages of the journey described in John 16:28?

The four stages are: a prenatal existence with the Father, incarnation into the world, leaving the world (death), and returning to the Father.