THE aim of Christian Scientists is to prove the truth of these words (I John 3:2): "Now are we the sons of God." Jesus showed us the way to do this, and it is necessary that we gain a true conception of God and man.
On page 587 of Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy defines God as, "The great I am; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence." This God is our Father, who is wholly and utterly good.
Christian Science teaches that man, the son of God, is the expression of God. This real man is not a material body with an ego, or mind, of his own. For God is the only Ego, or Mind, and man is His spiritual image and likeness, reflecting God's goodness, and in this sense a giver as well as a getter.
Jesus taught that one goes to the Father by surrendering carnal beliefs, with their false material ambitions and fears, and by claiming God as the only Ego, "the great I am." Jesus was the Way-shower because he did just this, not for himself alone but also for all men that they might see and follow his example. Claiming God's power, he denied power to the material senses; he never lowered his standard of consecration.
The Scientist, striving to prove himself the son of God, needs to get rid of the mortal sense of self so that he may both receive the inspiration of his spiritual being and give it out in healing and blessing. Mrs. Eddy writes in "Unity of Good" (p. 39): "Man has no underived power. That selfhood is false which opposes itself to God, claims another father, and denies spiritual sonship; but as many as receive the knowledge of God in Science must reflect, in some degree, the power of Him who gave and giveth man dominion over all the earth."
Before Jesus commenced his ministry, he was "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil" (Matt. 4:1). It is interesting to note that the devil began the first two temptations with the words, "If thou be the Son of God." It may be said that everyone who would prove himself the son of God must overcome similar temptations of the devil—the carnal mind, which must be put off.
All three of the Master's wilderness temptations were pleas of material sense for recognition, for a standard lower than pure spirituality. Consider, for example, the second of these temptations, "Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone."
I used to wonder: Why the holy city? Why a pinnacle of the temple? Would not any high place have sufficed? And then came the thought: May not the holy city have been that New Jerusalem to which John subsequently referred (see Rev. 21:2)? And may not the pinnacle of the temple stand for the highest conception of that holiness? Perhaps it was from this holy purpose and spiritual standard that Jesus was invited by the carnal mind to cast himself down; and we can understand his answer, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."
Christian Science demands these high standards, and we should strive in the Christly way to prove ourselves to be the sons of God. Replying to Pilate, Jesus said (John 18:37), "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." Because in truth we are the sons of God, we must bear witness to Truth.
Christian Science promises healing, safety, supply, to those who seek it truly, but the highest reward of the Christian Scientist is happiness—that happiness which includes health and wholeness and which compels him to give out, as well as to get, the goodness of God. Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 515), "All that God imparts moves in accord with Him, reflecting goodness and power." It is this reflection of God's love to others which so often brings the healing that one has been seeking.
Some years ago I was at a Sunday evening service in a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, at a naval port. During the service I began to feel very ill, so much so that I could not even read the hymn numbers a few yards away. In my distress I denied the power of the material senses to harm me; and refusing to cast myself down, I claimed my sonship with God.
When the last hymn was sung, I was able to stand up by holding on to the chair in front, and afterward I managed to get out of the church and onto the road. There I stood, wondering what I should do next, for it was evident that I was in no state to drive home.
It had been my great wish to see some of the personnel at the barracks where I was stationed become interested in Christian Science. Now I saw coming out of the church a seaman from my barracks. This was what I had prayed to see; and I felt an overwhelming desire to go over and make him welcome. I let go of the car against which I was leaning, and as I did so I was healed. It was just as though someone had wiped an incorrect statement off a blackboard. I had felt desperately ill, and now I was well. I had denied the power of the material senses to harm me; but when I turned from them and became a giver, I got my healing.
This experience has helped me to understand that the man of God"s creating gives, as well as gets, God's blessing; that if I would prove myself the son of God, I must not be content with getting the good things of Spirit, but I must also express the "giving" qualities of Mind by reflecting Love to others.
