In the Old Testament narrative the children of Israel are sometimes referred to as stiff-necked, disobedient, and stubborn. They were frequently influenced erroneously to worship materiality or to follow after the false gods of the idolatrous nations with which they came into contact. At one time Joshua reminded them of all the wondrous works and the protection they had seen and experienced in their wandering through the wilderness. As long as they worshiped God and were obedient to His commands they prospered and were healed of disease and protected from all evil. Joshua said to them (24:15), "If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; ... as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Do we realize how continuously we today must choose whom we will serve? We are not tempted to worship a stock or a stone; but are we not often tempted to worship materiality? a physical body? the pleasures of the senses? the accumulation of things? and money as supply?
The Christian Scientist is taught that there is but one God, who is Spirit, and that he should worship God alone; and that man is God's image and likeness. The student is less concerned then with a physical body and more concerned with his ability to discern and understand his true spiritual identity in accordance with the record in the first chapter of Genesis. He is not fooled or confused by the account of a second creation, as given in the second chapter of Genesis, for this record originates in a mist of mental contradictions, and its conclusion is a man made of dust. As he turns his thought to a consecrated study of the Christian Science textbooks, the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and also of Mrs. Eddy's other works, he learns to choose the truth of identity as spiritual and immortal.
