No aspect of Christian Science has appealed more forcibly to the multitude than its healing work. The gift of healing, however, carries with it the added responsibility for its correct use; and the obligation to do the works of the Master increases with the better understanding of his teaching. This is the "spiritual sense," which Mrs. Eddy defines in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 209) as a "conscious, constant capacity to understand God;" and it is this understanding that shows its faith by its works. Fortunately, there is a blessed necessity by which faith is made efficient through understanding, which leads inevitably to demonstration.
So well did Jesus know the reality of Spirit and the unreality of matter that he always perceived the truth of being, whereby man is known as the image and likeness of God. It was this clear perception of the truth that enabled Jesus to heal instantly what appeared to be hopeless cases of disease. Mrs. Eddy was referring to this when she wrote (Science and Health, p. 476): "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick." This divinely natural law appeared so obvious to Jesus that he rebuked the apostles on several occasions because they did not more fully profit by his teaching. Their signal failure to heal the lunatic boy incurred his kindly rebuke. He was especially concerned because they were unable to perform their work during his absence. So, it is not surprising that the apostles asked him privately, "Why could not we cast him out?" We may reasonably suppose from the attitude of Jesus that they had received the necessary instruction. Their failure was, therefore, as Jesus told them, chargeable to their lack of faith.
A Christian Scientist should be deeply interested in this incident. Jesus taught the apostles, and us, that a faith which is effective only part of the time is not the right sort of faith. Effective, saving faith is operative every moment; otherwise, we have the sad prospect of a God not always omnipotent, or man not always the image of his creator. Many of us have felt a glad confidence when grappling with certain claims or conditions of evil. Before other states of mortal belief we have stood appalled, and, like the sinking Peter, have cried for help. At one time, we have been able to repel error; but we have fallen easy victims under different circumstances, forgetting that God is always God. Spirit is real, and Truth is wholly true and always true,—effective in every place, applicable to any condition, efficient under every circumstance, practicable for every purpose, a means of grace to every one, and available here and now.
