In the first chapter of the Gospel of St. John we read: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." This statement bears out the record of creation as "very good," given in the first chapter of Genesis. However, the second chapter gives a record of the false view of creation, when a mist arose from the face of the earth, and evil appeared, typified by a talking serpent. Commenting on this appearance of evil, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes (Christian Science versus Pantheism, p. 6): "Mosaic theism introduces evil, first, in the form of a talking serpent, contradicting the word of God and thereby obtaining social prestige, a large following, and changing the order and harmony of God's creation." Thus began what appears to be a conflict between the forces of good and the suppositional forces of evil. But man, God's image, was never the victim of evil: he never could be accused of forsaking God to follow the serpent. Evil tempts and victimizes only its own concept.
In the beginning, "the Word was with God," and God and His Word can never be separated. God and man. His image and likeness, can never be separated. Therefore man's oneness with God is an established fact which can never be changed. Christ Jesus, the Way-shower, understood man's oneness with God, and this enabled him to expose the claims of evil as false. In his teaching and preaching, when he healed the sick and raised the dead, he spoke with such authority that the people were amazed. He exemplified Immanuel, "God with us," revealing the possibility of each one's becoming conscious of man's at-one-ment with God.
The Word of God is law. It reigns supreme, and declares God's allness. Being ever present, the Word may be invoked at any time to rebuke and annul any false claim that evil can be law. The law of God must eventually disprove every contradiction of His Word, and disqualify the lie which says that man can be separated from God. That the seeming warfare between good and evil would come to an end was envisioned by St. John in the twelfth chapter of Revelation. He also saw by what means the downfall of evil would take place. Mrs. Eddy tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 568) that "the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse typifies the divine method of warfare in Science, and the glorious results of this warfare;" and in Revelation 12:10. 11 we read: "The accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony."
