In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy writes (p. 450), "The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen evil, disease, and death; and he will overcome them by understanding their nothingness and the allness of God, or good."
Those who accept Christian Science as the truth have a solemn obligation to carry out the terms of their enlistment and to engage actively in the healing of sin, disease, and death. This does not necessarily mean as public practitioners of Christian Science, for no matter where a student of Christian Science is—in the home, in school, or in business—there are always opportunities to demonstrate the healing power of Christian Science. And healings do take place at the services in Christian Science churches, at church business meetings and committee meetings, and at Christian Science lectures.
How are these healings brought about? Our beloved Leader says in Science and Health (p. 259), "The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect Principle and idea,—perfect God and perfect man,—as the basis of thought and demonstration." If the basis of thought and demonstration is the realization of perfect God and perfect man, we can readily see that the study of God is a fundamental requirement. Why? Because it is only through an understanding of God and of man's relationship to Him that Christian Science healing can be demonstrated. God is infinite Spirit, and man in His image and likeness is spiritual, perfect, and infinite in quality. As one sees himself to be the child of God, he must see that the same is true for all.
