JESUS' ability to heal instantly is explained by Mary Baker Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." She writes (pp. 476, 477): "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." We learn in Christian Science that man is spiritual and perfect because made in the image and likeness of God, Spirit. As we comprehend more of the nature and character of the real man, we see the unreality of mortal man, and the false beliefs that have been attached to our erroneous concept of man disappear.
If we would demonstrate our God-given ability to heal instantly, we must constantly claim that our real selfhood is created in the likeness of God. Habakkuk says of God that He is "of purer eyes than to behold evil," and cannot "look on iniquity" (Hab. 1:13) . As we demonstrate this purity of vision, we shall see ourselves and our brother man as in reality perfect, manifesting only what is Godlike, and thus we shall be able to heal ourselves and others instantly.
By holding steadfastly to the truth which Habakkuk stated and refusing to accept as real any testimony of material sense that would make her believe anything about man that is not true about God, a Christian Science practitioner was able to heal in one treatment a case of goiter. And during a Christian Science lecture the writer was instantly healed of a sore that had resulted from a cut received in an accident. Over a period of several weeks this condition had failed to yield to Christian Science treatment. As the lecturer brought out the reality of the spiritual man and the unreality of so-called mortal man, the writer so clearly realized her spiritual selfhood as her only being that all the troublesome physical manifestations vanished, and she left the lecture completely healed.
When she thought about this, it became apparent that her belief in the reality of matter—the need for changing a physical condition of discomfort for one of ease—was all that had delayed the healing. As she listened to the lecturer's declaration of the allness of God and the spiritual nature of man, she realized that there never had been any sore to be healed; that all that was necessary was to acknowledge the perfection of God's man, which had always existed and was right here, needing only to be recognized. The lesson learned through this experience has proved of great value in many subsequent situations, for it taught her not to put the obstacle of belief in the reality of matter in the way of instantaneous healing. This belief is always the impediment to the demonstration of Truth.
Through the sudden realization of the perfection of man a Christian Scientist experienced an instantaneous healing of a heart ailment which had caused considerable pain and discomfort over a period of several weeks. This realization came to her while studying the Lesson-Sermon entitled "God the Preserver of Man" in the Christian Science Quarterly. As she read the Golden Text for that week, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped" (Ps. 28:7), the word "heart" stood out as if illuminated, and she realized that the only heart there really is, is the great heart of Love; that God's children manifest this heart in kindness, mercy, brotherly love—in all loving qualities.
The word "heart" continued to appear throughout the Lesson, and in each new reference it became increasingly clear to her that God never created a material heart to give life or take it away, or to give trouble to His child; that the material concept of heart is unknown to God and exists only in mortal mind, since God, Spirit, knows only His creation, which is spiritual and perfect. Furthermore, she realized that God, Spirit, not matter, is the Life of man, and that this man knows only what is Godlike and can have no cognizance of a material heart as giving either pain or comfort.
One citation from Science and Health was found particularly helpful (p. 151): "All that really exists is the divine Mind and its idea, and in this Mind the entire being is found harmonious and eternal." Thoughtful consideration of this statement brought out a new understanding of the absolute nothingness of all that seems to oppose God, good, and a clear realization of the allness and all-inclusiveness of God, Life. She realized as never before that there is no relation between matter and man's true being. When the Lesson was finished, all sense of heart discomfort was gone, and it has never returned, having been destroyed in the only place it had even seemed to exist—mortal mind. Great was her gratitude for this instantaneous healing and for the unfoldment of spiritual truth that had brought it about.
Materia medica has laid down innumerable laws of time and condition which claim to control recovery of health and which have long held mankind in unsuspecting bondage. What joy comes to weary sufferers when they learn that in Christian Science there is no law of time or period of convalescence! One cannot read the accounts of Jesus' healing work without being impressed with the frequency of the word "immediately," and similar expressions.
Because of his divine origin—his oneness with the Father—Jesus knew that there is no element of time in healing; he knew that it need take no longer to heal any so-called disease than it takes to replace error with truth in one's thinking. There is no record that Jesus ever told anyone appealing to him for healing that the disease would probably gradually disappear, or that it would take so many days, weeks, or months for him to be healed. No! Jesus saw man as perfect because he knew man's real being as always one with God. He knew that man has never been separated from his creator and that nothing can cause any such separation.
Jesus understood that material beliefs and conditions cannot affect man, who is wholly spiritual. He knew that God's law of health and freedom exists for all His creation, and that this truth destroys any false concept or so-called law of matter which may seem to bind one. He consistently refused to take cognizance of any physical conditions or symptoms; he never advised rest or exercise, diet or certain hours for meals, as a means of restoring health.
Our Master understood that only God, good, and His creation exist, and that this understanding destroys at once all evidence of disease and discord. In proportion as one knows himself as God's idea, he reflects perfection. Recognition of the truth of harmonious being rids one of false belief and brings about healing. Knowing the absolute falsity of all the claims of matter, Jesus was able to accomplish all healings positively and without delay.
Never has it been more important than at present for Christian Scientists to prove the truth of what they profess in the instantaneous healing of sin, sickness, and discord of every kind, for the human family has great need of healing. If we are truly Jesus' followers, we shall constantly strive to realize man's true being so clearly that we ourselves manifest more and more of perfection and admit only perfection about our brother man. We must claim for others all that we know about our own true self as God's reflection.
Let us remember that Jesus himself is our authority for demanding instantaneous healings, for he assured us that all who believe on him shall do the works that he did. In his last appearance to the disciples after the resurrection Jesus said, according to the Gospel of Mark (16:17,18), "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Jesus required all his followers to give proof of their understanding of his teachings by doing the works that he did. Thus he made it clear that works prove the truth of the teachings. When John the Baptist sent messengers to him to inquire if he was the Messiah, Jesus offered his healings as the proof. Can we claim to be obeying our Master's commands if we fail to utilize our God-given ability to heal? Instantaneous healing is the goal Jesus himself set for us. As Christian Scientists let us be satisfied with nothing less.
