IN what is known as the Sermon on the Mount, Christ Jesus set the highest possible standard of thought and living for his followers, the standard of perfection. He gave therein a marvelous set of rules for human conduct, for Christian prayer and practice, rules which deal adequately with the ethical, moral, and spiritual phases of human experience. These rules point the necessary footsteps leading to the high goal indicated by the Master when in the course of this sermon he said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
In beginning a definite and helpful treatment of this subject in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 253, 254), Mrs. Eddy writes, "The divine demand, 'Be ye therefore perfect,' is scientific, and the human footsteps leading to perfection are indispensable." It may be asked: What are these necessary human footsteps? Where and how are they to be taken? Christian Science answers that these steps are mental; that they are to be taken by each individual in the realm of his own consciousness and by means of the patient, persistent endeavor to have the Mind that was in Christ Jesus.
The man of Nazareth is our Exemplar in all things. He was the most marvelous preacher of God's Word the world has ever known, because of the spiritual verity and continuing appeal of his messages, and particularly because he proved his precepts in his practice. His powerful words were authenticated by his healing works, which bespoke God's law of perfection. The Master's progressive and perfect demonstrations of God's power, culminating in his resurrection and ascension, were due to the quality of his thinking. He obtained correct results in all the problems which confronted him because he consistently thought correctly, that is, from the standpoint of divine Principle.
