Mary Baker Eddy states a fundamental teaching of Christian Science in these lines from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 492): "For right reasoning there should be but one fact before the thought, namely, spiritual existence. In reality there is no other existence, since Life cannot be united to its unlikeness, mortality."
What a dynamic thought, that the actual, in fact, the only existence is spiritual and not material! How salutary are the inevitable conclusions that must be drawn from this eternal verity! Being the all and only, spiritual existence has no opposite, nothing to deny or resist its infinite, beneficent, frictionless being. Mortal existence, that which appears to be its opposite, is real only to its own self-deception. Spiritual existence knows no time or spatial limitations. It never began, cannot end, but forever is. It is forever unfolding good.
Being Mind, Spirit is omniscient. What it knows is its own nature of beauty, perfection, magnitude, and glory forever manifested in multitudinous forms of harmony and utility. Mind's knowing or consciousness is seen in its infinite self-expression, idea, or reflection. There is nothing limited, static, or temporary about spiritual existence, which expresses its divine, creative Principle. Being perfect, Spirit expresses itself in a perfect creation. Being infinite individuality, the one Ego or divine entity is reflected in an infinite idea—spiritual man and universe. Every individuality or identity, from the most minute to the infinite, is indivisibly one, illimitable, immortal, omnipresent, and eternal in expression.
Spiritual existence is not a characterless abstraction. It is the vitally active evidence of all the attributes of God, the forever unfolding of beauty, order, grandeur, harmony. Spiritual existence is characterized by an infinitude of perfect outline, form, and color. The distinctive character of spiritual existence is exemplified in the individuality or Christ-idea demonstrated by Jesus and explained by Mrs. Eddy in her conclusive statements (No and Yes, pp. 23, 24), "God is All-in-all; but He is definite and individual, the omnipresent and omniscient Mind; and man's individuality is God's own image and likeness,—even the immeasurable idea of divine Mind."
Spiritual existence reveals the ideal man to be as eternally present, perfect, and individual as his divine Principle, God. Unlike the mythical Adam creation, the substance, or body, of the real man is changeless, ageless, and deathless. Under the government of divine law, man forever expresses the glowing health, harmonious action, intelligence, and inextinguishable joy of his divine source.
The Adam-dream of sinful, mortal existence claims identification in finite personalities with human wills and natures; but from beginning to end this dream is a fiction, a myth, a misstatement of spiritual existence or divine reality.
Being a counterfeit or supposititious opposite of divine reality, mortal existence would either imitate or reverse all the divine attributes and egotistically assert, "I am." Of the belief of existence separate from God, Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health, p. 250), "Mortal existence is a dream; mortal existence has no real entity, but saith 'It is I.'"
In imitation of the true sense of multiplication expressed by the divine Ego, mortality claims to be continuously self-multiplying but its supposed creation appears only to disappear. Because of its unfounded belief that good is limited and finite, personal sense often gets itself into trouble. Through fear, personal ambition, and jealousy, personal sense finds itself in conflict with other personalities and sometimes develops what it believes to be physical disorders and disease.
Depicting its dual nature, its lie of good and evil, life and death, false belief constantly fluctuates between pleasure and pain in its subjective condition, matter. Looking to matter for health, happiness, and security, mortals are met with disappointment, frustration, and self-pity. Health, happiness, and wealth based on a material sense of existence are transitory, here today and gone tomorrow. Omniscient Truth unveils the lie that there is something besides God and His idea, and this unveiling of error is practically tantamount to its annulment. Because of the practical effects of spiritual, right reasoning, the healing efficacy of Christian Science is becoming generally known. Not only is this Science recognized as a Mind-healing religion, which bases its practice on the method of Christ Jesus as set forth in the four Gospels, but its adherents are found to be consistently proving this Science to be prophylactic, preventing sin, disease, and death.
Thus in proportion to their understanding of and fidelity to the basic fact stated at the beginning of this article, namely that existence is spiritual, not material, Christian Scientists are demonstrating their God-given dominion over error. They are reflecting in some degree the true meekness and matchless might which so richly characterized their Way-shower, Christ Jesus.
Faced with what appears to be a problem of any sort, the Christian Scientist maintains his assurance that man's real being is wholly spiritual, therefore unchangeably perfect, eternally sinless, diseaseless, and deathless. He knows that every erroneous suggestion pertains to the Adamic dream "I am," and he promptly turns thought to man's spiritual identity. That is, he accepts the real and rejects the dream.
As a mathematician may look at an incorrectly solved equation and see the correct answer, so the Christian Scientist may, through understanding spiritual reality, calmly reverse the evidence of the physical senses, which depict a mortal with a problem, and see here and now the spiritual, perfect man of God's creating. Such acknowledgment of Truth has proved potent to break down what appeared to be rock-ribbed walls of error.
Jesus' method of healing was based on the acknowledgment of man and all existence as spiritual, and this same acknowledgment today heals the sick and sinning as it did when Jesus unveiled the Christ, the Son of God, or ideal man. The Master did not claim for himself any personal ability denied to his followers, for he plainly said (John 14:12), "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also."
Jesus never failed, because he consistently exemplified the Christ. He knew that of himself he could do nothing. When he said (John 10:30), "I and my Father are one," and (John 14:9), "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father," he was, of course, referring to his spiritual, Godlike nature, the Christ. Thus rightly identifying himself, he exemplified the essential power and authority of Truth.
So today the Christian Scientist, through consistently repudiating the fundamental error of a mortal mind and material existence, or resistance to Truth, and acknowledging the eternal fact of spiritual existence, finds himself experiencing better health, more harmonious relationships, true, un-expendable wealth, and enduring happiness. Increasingly is his thought attuned, as was his Way-shower's, to the Father's blessed acclaim (Matt. 3:17), "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
