Power is the ability to act. Christian Science declares that God, Spirit, is power. Since God is infinite, filling all space, Spirit possesses exclusive power and is the only source of the capacity to act. Christian Science recognizes the manifestation of the power of Spirit in human affairs as the activity of the Christ. Jesus of Nazareth, referring to his ability to express the Christ, said (Matt. 28:18), "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Those who seek power must understand that its origin or source is Spirit, and that the ability to apply and utilize it is attained through the demonstration of Christ, God's spiritual idea.
Men seek power, or ability, to accomplish and produce, to gain control over material conditions and circumstances, to protect themselves and others from evil. Not understanding the true nature of power, men have searched for it in the realm of materiality and have uncovered so-called forces—mechanical, electrical, atomic, economic, political, military, and the like. All these forces involve matter; therefore it is believed that matter possesses power. This suppositional power appears to have the ability to do both good and evil. As electricity it may perform useful work or burn and destroy; as a chemical it may cure or poison; as economic force it may free or enslave. However, this so-called power has been found totally deficient in ability to make men truly happy, to establish peace, to remove disease permanently, to destroy sin, or to overcome death.
Very early in his career Jesus overcame the temptation to believe that matter has any power whatsoever. It will be recalled that the devil, erring human sense, showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and said (Luke 4:6, 7): "All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them. ... If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine." Jesus, understanding God to be the only power, answered, "Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Jesus knew that there could not be two powers, both Spirit and matter. He understood that one was genuine, actual might, while the other was but an illusion of power; and he was not deceived by the counterfeit.
