We should understand the world in which we live, note the changes taking place in its chief modes of thought, and make a definite contribution toward bringing ultimate spiritual perfection to light. The three outstanding means of mortal thought—science, theology, and medicine— are being transformed as humanity rises from a material to a spiritual basis of life. Christ Jesus must have had this transformation in mind when he likened the kingdom of heaven to "leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened" (Luke 13:21).
Many today realize that the leaven of the Master's parable is Divine Science, the Comforter, which he prayed the Father to send to mankind. Mary Baker Eddy makes this explanation in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 118): "In their spiritual significance, Science, Theology, and Medicine are means of divine thought, which include spiritual laws emanating from the invisible and infinite power and grace. The parable may import that these spiritual laws, perverted by a perverse material sense of law, are metaphysically presented as three measures of meal,—that is, three modes of mortal thought."
By reversing the "perverse material sense of law" inherent in the mortal modes of science, theology, and medicine, Christian Science demonstrates God's laws, which operate ceaselessly to express the truth. Nothing can actually abrogate divine laws, and if mortal modes seem to do so, this seeming is suppositional. By means of His laws, God acts to create and govern man and to make him perfect—in His likeness. Through true Science, God provides man with dominion, constitutes him of spiritual elements, and endows him with powers which exclude limitation.
True theology includes all facts of being —God's allness, man's sonship with Him, a perfect universe of spiritual ideas controlled by Deity. True theology includes man's at-one-ment with Principle, his perpetual baptism of Spirit, his unbroken communion with the Father, his obedience to God's will, his sinlessness and immortality. The facts of being are the laws of true theology, and Science demonstrates them as such.
True medicine is divine Mind, and the laws of Mind impart health and indestructibility and order to God's man. These laws vivify man and keep him active, vigorous, harmonious, deathless.
The scientific understanding of science, theology, and medicine equips one to protect himself from the silent, mental influence of the three counterfeit modes of mortal thought, which claim to be law to human experience. The Christian Scientist must not only come to grips with beliefs of disease; he must come to grips with the assumptions of materialistic science, theology, and medicine that modes of matter are superior to the power of Spirit and that God is helpless to control mankind.
Physical science includes the conviction that laws of matter govern and limit everyone. False theology includes the conviction that man is a sinful mortal, subject to death. Materia medica includes the conviction that matter, not Mind, contains the hope for healing. And these convictions, held in the minds of universal humanity, act as laws to mankind until they are proved nonexistent through the Comforter, Divine Science.
Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health (p. 155): "The universal belief in physics weighs against the high and mighty truths of Christian metaphysics. This erroneous general belief, which sustains medicine and produces all medical results, works against Christian Science; and the percentage of power on the side of this Science must mightily outweigh the power of popular belief in order to heal a single case of disease."
One can see that power on the side of Science must also mightily outweigh the general theological fallacies in order to heal the sick and sinful. To demonstrate the universal control of divine law, one needs to understand what the error is with which he is grappling and to deny power to materialistic modes of thought and influence. One's faith in God must be stronger than the world's faith in matter. One thus becomes a law unto himself; false laws are trampled down, their claim to action destroyed. Christ Jesus' counsel (Mark 11: 22), "Have faith in God," takes on fresh meaning when one realizes the part which absolute faith in God plays in spiritual healing as opposed to the world's faith in matter.
The sooner one learns that more than personal belief in disease needs to be dealt with if one is to be healthy and happy, the sooner he will throw off the domination of false law. He will understandingly pit his faith in God's power to heal against the decisions of materialistic science, theology, and medicine that God cannot heal. And his demonstration of divine power will be proof of the leaven which works powerfully in human thought to break down the limitations imposed by "modes of mortal thought."
Christ Jesus was successful in healing because he knew the nothingness of false belief held either individually or collectively. He destroyed the fears and sins of individuals, and he destroyed the control of collective belief, the thoughts of the "wicked generation" (Matt. 12:45) in which he lived. He said (Matt. 16:6), "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."
The leaven which the Master put into human thought demonstrated the perpetual motion of the laws of Truth, which can never be stopped. The discovery of Science has unveiled the action of these laws and with healing effect has brought them to bear on human problems. One can see the leaven of Truth at work in science, theology, and medicine as an improved understanding of matter reduces human limitations, as theology corrects its fallacy of believing that God cannot heal, and as materia medica investigates the mental nature of disease.
Mrs. Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 175), "The measure of Life shall increase by every spiritual touch, even as the leaven expands the loaf." The ferment going on in world thought proves that even a minority of mankind demonstrating the transforming truths of Divine Science does much toward bringing God's realm of peace and power and glory into full light.
