Fillmore on Abraham

Here are the entries about Abraham and Abram (same guy, two names) from the Metaphysical Bible Dictionary by Charles Fillmore:

Abraham, a'-brå-ham (Heb.)--father (source, founder) of a multitude. Abram, son of Terah, of Ur of the Chaldees, and the father of the Hebrew nation (Gen. 11:27-31; 17:5).



Metaphysical. The power of the mind to reproduce its ideas in unlimited expression. This ability of the mind to make substance out of ideas is called faith. When told by Jehovah that he was henceforth to be Abraham, Abram was told also that he was to be the father of a multitude. This means that one is to express faith by bringing the faith of God into the multitude of manifested thoughts and acts.

The first step in spiritual development is the awakening of faith (represented by Abraham). We must have faith in the reality of the power of the realms invisible. Abraham, inspired by the Lord, went forth into another country, where his progeny, or manifestations, increased tremendously.

Through faithful obedience to the inner urge of Spirit, we gradually develop communication with the supermind; then in various ways we receive the assurance that we are guided by Spirit.

The early growth of faith is not very deeply rooted. Abraham lived in a tent, which illustrates that faith has not yet become an abiding quality of the consciousness. Through certain experiences and movements of the mind, faith takes a firmer hold; it establishes the firmament mentioned in the 1st chapter of Genesis.
In Matthew 3: 9 Abraham represents a certain phase of consciousness in the development of the Adam man, who was formed out of the "dust of the ground." "God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." What we want is a baptism of mind that will free us from all the limitations of the Adam man and open our eyes to the Christ state, with its New Jerusalem environment, now forming in the heavens all about us.

Abram, a'-bram (Heb.)--father of height; father of exaltation; exalted father.
Known as Abram, before God changed his name to Abraham (Gen. 11:26; 12:1; 17:5)

Metaphysical. Abram is the name that the author of Genesis gave to the quality through which man has faith in the forces invisible. When this faith is concentrated upon the one God, a God consciousness is established and man intuitively knows that he is in communication with the ever living source of all existence. It was in this way that Jehovah communicated with Abram (Gen. 12:1).

When high ideals begin to possess the mind (when the Lord, or inner spiritual
impulse, begins pressing forth to religious activity), Abram, the lofty one, is father. Faith in the unseen God and in divine guidance becomes part of the consciousness without special effort when man is obedient to Spirit. It may seem blind faith to those who depend upon sense evidence, but it works out beautifully in the lives of those who are true to it. So we discern Abram as a historical type of faith because he acted in faith, following obediently his spiritual inspirations; consequently we conclude that he is a type of faith that may be studied profitably by all persons who aspire to the attainment of the higher life.

The Bible speaks repeatedly of Abraham's faith. He believed God, we are told, and his faith was counted to him for righteousness. He represents faith in its early establishment in the consciousness, and in his life we see portrayed the different movements of the faith faculty on the various planes of human action. In order to understand the lessons in Abram's life one must have a certain familiarity with each plane of consciousness. [See Mysteries of Genesis for a discussion of the planes of consciousness.]

A person does not have to change his residence in order to enter a new country. "The land that I will show thee" is a new concept of substance. When we deny our attachment to matter and material conditions, and affirm our unity with spiritual substance, we enter the new consciousness of real substance. Substance is not confined to matter; it is the idea that is the firm foundation of all that we conceive to be permanent.