In Hebrews we read (9:28), "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Here we are told that the second coming of the Christ, Truth, would be "without sin" or, as understood in Christian Science, without physical embodiment, and that it would appear only "unto them that look for him," revealing the necessity of spiritual discernment and observation. This second coming, therefore, must signify the appearing not of an individual, but of a spiritual idea. Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 332), "Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness."
Christian Scientists are learning how to look and listen, in the secret place of purified thought, for "the true idea voicing good." They are experiencing the healing, uplifting, regenerating power of "the divine message" understood and demonstrated. Like the Samaritan woman who talked with Jesus at the well, they are exclaiming with conviction (John 4:29), "Is not this the Christ?"
This progressive appearing of the Christ-idea in individual consciousness is the supremely important event of our lives. All else in daily experience is relative and has value only as it furthers this appearing. Every problem scientifically solved, every healing of sin and disease, is a sign of Truth's appearing. The nature of these signs has not changed, but must of necessity be the same as in Jesus' day (Matt. 11:5), "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."
