Part 70 (2/2)

Followers of Jesus

494:30 Our Master cast out devils (evils) and healed the sick.

It should be said of his followers also, that they cast fear and all evil out of themselves and others and heal the sick.

495:1 G.o.d will heal the sick through man, whenever man is governed by G.o.d. Truth casts out error now 495:3 as surely as it did nineteen centuries ago. All of Truth is not understood; hence its healing power is not fully demonstrated.

Destruction of all evil

495:6 If sickness is true or the idea of Truth, you cannot destroy sickness, and it would be absurd to try. Then cla.s.sify sickness and error as our Master did, 495:9 when he spoke of the sick, ”whom Satan hath bound,” and find a sovereign antidote for error in the life- giving power of Truth acting on human belief, a power 495:12 which opens the prison doors to such as are bound, and sets the captive free physically and morally.

Steadfast and calm trust

When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling 495:15 steadfastly to G.o.d and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought. Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and 495:18 calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious - as Life eternally is - can destroy any painful sense of, or belief in, that which Life is not. Let Christian Science, 495:21 instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence dis- 495:24 cord with harmony.

Rudiments and growth

_Question_. - How can I progress most rapidly in the understanding of Christian Science?

495:27 _Answer_. - Study thoroughly the letter and imbibe the spirit. Adhere to the divine Principle of Chris- tian Science and follow the behests of G.o.d, 495:30 abiding steadfastly in wisdom, Truth, and Love. In the Science of Mind, you will soon ascertain 496:1 that error cannot destroy error. You will also learn that in Science there is no transfer of evil suggestions 496:3 from one mortal to another, for there is but one Mind, and this ever-present omnipotent Mind is reflected by man and governs the entire universe. You will learn 496:6 that in Christian Science the first duty is to obey G.o.d, to have one Mind, and to love another as yourself.

Condition of progress

496:9 We all must learn that Life is G.o.d. Ask yourself: Am I living the life that approaches the supreme good?

Am I demonstrating the healing power of 496:12 Truth and Love? If so then the way will grow brighter ”unto the perfect day.” Your fruits will prove what the understanding of G.o.d brings to man.

496:15 Hold perpetually this thought, - that it is the spiritual idea, the Holy Ghost and Christ, which enables you to demonstrate, with scientific certainty, the rule of healing, 496:18 based upon its divine Principle, Love, underlying, over- lying, and encompa.s.sing all true being.

Triumph over death

”The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is 496:21 the law,” - the law of mortal belief, at war with the facts of immortal Life, even with the spiritual law which says to the grave, ”Where is thy 496:24 victory?” But ”when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on im- mortality, then shall be brought to pa.s.s the saying that 496:27 is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

_Question_. - Have Christian Scientists any religious creed?

496:30 _Answer_. - They have not, if by that term is meant doctrinal beliefs. The following is a brief exposition of 497:1 the important points, or religious tenets, of Christian Science: -

497:3 1. As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life.

2. We acknowledge and adore one supreme and in- 497:6 finite G.o.d. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in G.o.d's image and likeness.

497:9 3. We acknowledge G.o.d's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is pun- 497:12 ished so long as the belief lasts.

4. We acknowledge Jesus' atonement as the evi- dence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man's unity 497:15 with G.o.d through Christ Jesus the Way-shower; and we acknowledge that man is saved through Christ, through Truth, Life, and Love as demonstrated by the 497:18 Galilean Prophet in healing the sick and overcoming sin and death.

5. We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus and 497:21 his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand eter- nal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the noth- ingness of matter.

497:24 6. And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and 497:27 to be merciful, just, and pure.

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