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from itself and so is self…identity。 Precisely this is what we have in sameness of the Divine Being
and Nature in general and human nature in particular： the former is Nature so far as it is not
essential Being； Nature is Divine in its essential Being。 But it is in Spirit that we find both abstract
aspects affirmed as they truly are； viz。 as cancelled and preserved at once： and this way of
affirming them cannot be expressed by the judgment； by the soulless word 〃is〃 ； the copula of the
judgment。 In the same way Nature is nothing outside its essential Being ＇God＇； but this nothing
itself is all the same； it is absolute abstraction； therefore pure thought or self…centredness； and with
its moment of opposition to spiritual unity it is the principle of Evil。 The dffficulty people find in
these conceptions is due solely to sticking to the term 〃is〃 and forgetting the character of thought；
where the moments as much are as they are not； — are only the process which is Spirit。 It is this
spiritual unity； — unity where the distinctions are merely in the form of moments； or as transcended
— which became known to pictorial thinking in that atoning reconciliation spoken of above。 And
since this unity is the universality of self…consciousness； self…consciousness has ceased to be
figurative or pictorial in its thinking； the Process has turned back into it。
Spirit thus takes up its position in the third element； in universal self…consciousness： Spirit is its own
community。 The movement of this community being that of self…consciousness； which distinguishes
itself from its figurative idea； consists in explicitly bringing out what has implicitly become
established。 The dead Divine Man； or Human God； is implicitly universal self…consciousness； he
has to become explicitly so for this self…consciousness。 Or； since this self…consciousness
constitutes one side of the opposition involved in figurative thought； viz。 the side of evil； which
takes natural existence and individual self…existence to be the essential reality — this aspect； which
is pictured as independent； and not yet as a moment； has； on account of its independence； to raise
itself in and for itself to the level of spirit； it has to reveal the process of Spirit in its self。
This particular self…consciousness is Spirit in natural form； natural spirit： self has to withdraw from
this natural existence and enter into itself； become self…centred； that would mean； it has to become
evil。 But this aspect is already per se evil： entering into itself consists therefore； in persuading itself
that natural existence is what is evil。 By picture…thinking the world is supposed actually to become
evil and be evil as an actual fact； and the atoning reconcilement of the Absolute Being is viewed as
an actual existent phenomenon。 By self…consciousness as such； however； this pictured truth； as
regards its form； is considered to be merely a moment that is already superseded and transcended；
for the self is the negative； and hence knowledge — a knowledge which is a pure act of
consciousness within itself。 This moment of the negative must in like manner find expression in the
content。 Since； that is to say； the essential Being is inherently and from the start reconcited with
itself and is a spiritual unity； in which what are parts for figurative thought are sublated； are
moments； what we find is that each part of figurative thought receives here the opposite
significance to that which it had before。 By this means each meaning finds its completion in the
other； and the content is then and thereby a spiritual content。 Since the specific determinateness of
each is just as much its opposite； unity in otherness — spiritual reality — is achieved： just as
formerly we saw the opposite meanings combined objectively （für uns）； or in themselves； and
even the abstract forms of 〃the same〃 and 〃not…the…same〃； 〃identity〃 and 〃non…identity〃 cancelled
one another and were transcended。
If； then； from the point of view of figurative thought； the becoming self…centred on the part of the
natural self…consciousness was actually existing evil； that process of becoming fixed in itself is in the
sphere of self consciousness； the knowledge of evil as something that per se belongs to existence。
This knowledge is certainly a process of becoming evil； but merely of the thought of evil； and is
therefore recognized as the first moment of reconciliation。 For； being a return into self out of the
immediacy of nature； which is specifically characterized as evil； it is a forsaking of that immediacy；
and a dying to sin。 It is not natural existence as such that consciousness forsakes； but natural
existence that is at the same time known to be evil。 The immediate process of becoming
self…centred； is just as much a mediate process： it presupposes itself； i。e。 is its own ground and
reason： the reason for self…concentrating is because nature has per se already done so。 Because of
evil man must be self…centred （in sich gehen）； but evil is itself the state of self…concentration。 This
first movement is just on that account itself merely immediate； is its simple notion； because it is the
same as what its ground or reason is。 The movement； or the process of passing into otherness； has
therefore still to come on the scene in its own more peculiar form。
Beside this immediacy； then； the mediation of figurative thought is necessary。 The knowledge of
nature as the untrue existence of spirit； and this universality of self which has arisen within the life of
the self — these constitute implicitly the reconciliation of spirit with itself。 This implicit state is
apprehended by the self…consciousness； that does not comprehend （begreifen）； in the form of an
objective existence； and as something presented to it figuratively。 Conceptual comprehension
（Begreifen）； therefore； does not mean for it a grasping （Ergreifen） of this conception （Begriff）
which knows natural existence when cancelled and transcended to be universal and thus
reconciled with itself； but rather a grasping of the imaginative idea （Vorstellung） that the Divine
Being is reconciled with its existence through an event； — the event of God's emptying Himself of
His Divine Being through His factual Incarnation and His Death。 The grasping of this idea now
expresses more specifically what was formerly called in figurative thinking spiritual resurrection； or
the process by which God's individual self…consciousness（13） becomes the universal； becomes the
religious communion。 The death of the Divine Man； qua death； is abstract negativity； the
immediate result of the process which terminates only in the universality belonging to nature。 In
spiritual self…consciousness death loses this natural significance； it passes into its true conception；
the conception just mentioned。 Death then ceases to signify what it means directly — the
non…existence of this individual — and becomes transfigured into the universality of the spirit；
which lives in its own communion； dies there daily； and daily rises again。
That which belongs to the sphere of pictorial thought — viz。； that Absolute Spirit presents the
nature of spirit in its existence