"Christians must take up arms against error at home and abroad. They must grapple with sin in themselves and in others, and continue this warfare until they have finished their course. If they keep the faith, they will have the crown of rejoicing." Thus writes our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, on page 29 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." St. Paul has told us what the Christian's arms should be. In his epistle to the Ephesians he advised (6:13--17): "Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
The armor of the Christian Scientist, therefore, is his understanding of the actuality, the allness, and the oneness of God, Truth. With this armor he protects his consciousness from all belief in the reality of evil in himself, in his fellow men, and in the world at large.
Grappling with sin must be done in our own consciousness primarily. We have to keep our concept of man, be it of ourself or of others, pure and free from evil suggestions. Man is forever God's expression, and this is the truth concerning ourselves, as well as others. As we grapple with and overcome our false views, the dark clouds of evil in all its forms are dispelled, and we are able to attain a realization of God's perfect man. Our Leader describes this process as the correcting of sin through one's own perfectness in her admonition in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 249): "You may condemn evil in the abstract without harming any one or your own moral sense, but condemn persons seldom, if ever. Improve every opportunity to correct sin through your own perfectness. When error strives to be heard above Truth, let the 'still small voice' produce God's phenomena."
