My Neville GoddardNeville Goddard on Romans 4:17
Executive Summary
According to Neville Goddard, the scripture “He calleth things that are not seen as though they were, and the unseen becomes seen” describes the fundamental law of creation. This is the method God uses, and as children of God, we are meant to imitate it. The principle requires using imagination and faith to assume the feeling of a wish already fulfilled. By persisting in this assumption, even when it is denied by reason and the senses, the unseen state is called forth and eventually becomes a tangible, physical reality.
Key Concepts
- Imitating God: The creative principle described in Romans 4:17 is God's method, and we are instructed to use it “as dear children.”
- Calling the Unseen: Creation is the act of calling a thing that is not currently visible or tangible as though it already were.
- Assumption and Feeling: This “calling” is accomplished by assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled and imagining that you are experiencing your desire in the present moment.
- Faith Over Senses: The process requires faith in the reality of the unseen imaginal act, demanding that you disregard contrary evidence from your senses and reason.
- The Unseen Becomes Seen: Through persistent faith in your assumption, the unseen state will inevitably become a visible, physical reality. Signs follow the assumption; they do not precede it.
- Rearranging Reality: This is not creating something from nothing. It is the act of rearranging that which already exists into a new form that implies your desire is fulfilled.
Detailed Explanation
Neville Goddard presents Romans 4:17 as a practical instruction on the art of creation. He explains that this is precisely how God creates, and we, as imitators of God, are to employ the same method. The formula is to “call a thing that is not seen as though it were seen,” which causes the unseen to become seen. This is the power that resurrects conditions from a mere possibility into a living reality.
The act of “calling” is an internal one, performed within consciousness. It involves desiring a state and then imagining that you are already experiencing it. This is not wishful thinking but an intense, meditative act of assuming the feeling of satisfaction. By disregarding outward appearances and feeling that things are as you wish them to be, you call those conditions into being. Your consciousness that you are what you desire to be must precede any physical proof.
This creative act demands faith. Imagination must be combined with faith in the reality of the imaginal act itself. You must persist in your assumption even when your senses and rational mind deny it. Facts based on the outer world can rob you of your belief in the invisible state, but faith is the evidence of things not yet seen. By remaining loyal to the unseen reality of your assumption, it will harden into fact.
This process is not one of creating something out of a void. All things already exist. The creative act is a rearrangement of what is, shaping the unseen substance of reality until it implies that your wish is fulfilled. Once this inner arrangement is established through a faithful assumption, it projects itself into your world as a physical experience.
Important Quotes
He called a thing that was not seen as though it were seen, and the unseen became seen.
— The Shaping Of The Unbegotten
He calleth things that are not seen as though they were, and the unseen becomes seen” [Approx., Romans 4:17]. To assume the feeling of satisfaction is to call conditions into being which will mirror satisfaction.
— Feeling Is The Secret
God calls a thing that is not seen as though it were seen, and then the unseen becomes seen?
— Live In The End
God tells us he does not create something out of nothing, for all things are! That he calls a thing that is not now seen as though it were seen, and the unseen becomes seen.
— Creation Faith
Common Misunderstandings
- Creating from Nothing: A common misunderstanding is that this principle implies creating something out of an absolute void. The source material clarifies that it is a process of rearranging that which already is to imply a new outcome.
- Passive Wishing vs. Active Assuming: This is not a passive hope. It is an active, intense process of assuming a state, often in meditation, and remaining faithful to that assumption until it becomes a physical reality.
Practical Applications
To apply this principle, you must first know what you want. Then, disregard your current circumstances and the evidence of your senses. The primary application is to assume the feeling of your wish already being a fact. This can be done in a state of intense meditation or before falling asleep.
Imagine you are experiencing your desire now. Feel the satisfaction and reality of it. You must remain faithful to this new assumption. If you persist in this inner state, the unseen assumption will harden into a visible, physical fact. The proof that you are what you assumed will follow your consciousness of it; it will not come first.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to Neville, how does one 'call' a thing that is not seen?
You call a thing not seen by assuming the feeling of your wish fulfilled. It is an act of imagination where you feel and experience your desire as if it were already a present reality.
Does this teaching mean creating something out of nothing?
No. The source material explains that all things already exist. The creative act is one of rearranging that which is, to form an unseen state that implies your desire is fulfilled, which then becomes seen.
What is required to make the unseen become seen?
Imagination combined with faith. You must have faith in your imaginal act and persist in your assumption, even when reason and your senses deny it. This loyalty to the unseen reality causes it to become a physical fact.
Ask Neville about Romans 4:17
Find every place Neville interpreted this verse and ask how it connects to his teaching. Create a free account to begin.
Start chatting →