What would our lives be if we were absolutely free from fear, fear for ourselves, and what is worse still, for all of us who are not wholly selfish, fear for those dearest to us? Are we fully conscious how utterly we are under subjection to this yoke of bondage, this law of fear?
Not till we apprehend the glorious Truth as set forth in Christian Science do we realize that this heavy burden can be lifted, that it is not necessary for us to be the abject slaves of a supposed power, a dreaded, though unseen, tyrant who robs us of all sense of rest and freedom. We have most of us doubtless been more or less readers of the Bible. Do we realize fully the glorious fact that Jesus the Christ came to make us free? "free from the law of sin and death," which is the law of fear. Therefore we are no longer under the condemnation of the law. What does this mean? Does it refer to the old Mosaic law alone, which as regards rites and ceremonies, meant only for the Jews, was done away with long ago? Then what does this freedom imply? Have we been in the enjoyment of it all these centuries of the Christian era? Let us see what it is that we fear: Three ghastly enemies to human sense, Sin, sickness and death. Why are we subject to the fears this trio bring in their train, nay, send before them till the atmosphere seems charged with their poison? Is it by God's law? Did God, whom we all acknowledge as Infinite Goodness, and of "purer eyes than to behold iniquity," create these evils? Then He must be less than Infinite, less than Omnipotent, because there must then be another power and that an evil one. But thanks be to God "who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," this is not so.
The law of sin and death came into the world through man's false and material sense of his own origin, of his true birthright. We are made "in the image and likeness of God." How shall we understand this? Is this material body which we see, flesh, blood and bones, marvellously made as it is, our highest conception of likeness to a God who is infinite, incorporeal Being, everpresent and omnipotent? Every one would on reflection, answer, No! Then how are we made "in his image and likeness"? Is He not Spirit? Then we are his children spiritually, not materially, and if so is not the spiritual our real nature?
