Many instances of the expression "The fear of the Lord" occur in the Bible, which literally interpreted do not elucidate the true meaning of the word "fear." In Webster's International Dictionary of the English language "fear" has, among other meanings, the following: "The painful emotion characteristic of the apprehension of evil;" and, "That which causes, or which is the object of, apprehension or alarm." Among the definitions of apprehension we find, "The simplest form of understanding," and, "The faculty by which ideas are conceived." The need, then, arises for rightful interpretation. The method is stated in Mrs. Eddy's words in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p.462): "Anatomy, when conceived of spiritually, is mental self-knowledge, and consists in the dissection of thoughts to discover their quality, quantity, and origin. Are thoughts divine or human? That is the important question."
The idolatry of human concepts, the superstitions of mortals, inherent in material belief, make them apprehensive of evil. Since apprehension is "the faculty by which ideas are conceived," mortals can turn, however, from evil and adopt the right process of reasoning, which from the standpoint of simple understanding indicates the logical method of replacement,—namely, the apprehension of good.
The teachings of Christian Science are ever iterating and reiterating the allness of God and His reflection, and on page 536 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says, "The divine understanding reigns, is all, and there is no other consciousness." It is evident, then, that all are conscious of the fact of real existence, based upon the premise given by Christ Jesus, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." With this fact acknowledged to be the source of right thinking, mortals are prepared to examine and honestly ascertain the true status of man.
