Mrs. Eddy states in Science and Health (p. 246): "Life is eternal. We should find this out, and begin the demonstration thereof. Life and goodness are immortal. Let us then shape our views of existence into loveliness, freshness, and continuity, rather than into age and blight." These words set forth an important postulate for the students of Christian Science to demonstrate.
In Science we learn that in reality there are not two kinds of life: one mortal, to be experienced now, and the other immortal, to be attained at some later date on a higher plane. Eternal life is the only life, which we, in our true spiritual being, are living now; the life which has neither beginning nor ending. Christ Jesus prayed on behalf of his disciples (John 17:3), "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
To "shape our views of existence into loveliness" takes patient disciplining of thought, not only to look on the bright or cheerful side of every human experience, but to have a spiritual view of existence. The understanding of spiritual life is gained through the perception of God as the only Life and Spirit. In Science we learn to look away from the body as constituting or containing life and turn to God, divine Life and Love, the source of eternal life and harmony and loveliness, which we, as His spiritual ideas, reflect. The knowledge that God is man's Life brings us closer to God, removes limiting fear, and harmonizes our human experience.
In the face of seeming trials, of sickness or poverty, of threats or competition, of accident or injury or sin, we can know through our spiritual understanding of Life and Love that these are merely dreams of mortal existence, from which we can awaken. Then our experience will become filled with more grace and goodness, which are eternal qualities of Life, Spirit.
Whenever we are confronted with mortal qualities of thought, such as envy, jealousy, anger, pettiness, dishonesty, or false accusation, we are called upon in Science to see that these negative qualities, the opposites of God's qualities, do not constitute the real man. Then we discipline our thoughts by holding to the truth of spiritual man as lovely, lovable, loving, and loved until we are healed of false beliefs about man. The results will be these: the one of whom we have been thinking will appear more loving and lovable, and these same qualities will be manifested to a greater degree in our own lives.
As our thoughts are filled more and more with loveliness and loving-kindness, the ugliness and sordidness of mortal living fall away from our sight. A higher, more spiritual, more joyous, free, and happy life is experienced. We have begun to demonstrate eternal life.
Shaping "our views of existence into... freshness, and continuity" enables us to see that God's infinite ideas are eternally pouring into spiritual consciousness, and this truth continually renews and refreshes our thoughts and actions. We begin to discern man as always poised in the realm of Spirit above dullness or frailty, untouched by age or decrepitude, reflecting ageless being, tireless energy, infinite intelligence, alertness, immortality.
Our Leader describes the real man thus (Science and Health, p. 258): "Man is more than a material form with a mind inside, which must escape from its environments in order to be immortal. Man reflects infinity, and this reflection is the true idea of God." "Man reflects infinity"! What boundlessness this means! To the extent that we claim this truth for ourselves, our human experience is free from limitation and manifests health, vigor, and freshness.
Through Science we learn that we do not need to depend on the human mind or brain for ideas, nor need we experience mortal limits of mental endurance. We learn that matter is not a condition of the spiritual man to confine or limit him in any way and that mortal mind has no intelligence and cannot measure man according to years or strength or ability.
Many students of Christian Science, when under strain or stress, have demonstrated the continuity of true strength and freshness. When they have been called upon to help in human instances of service, they have learned to lean upon God and to put away any thoughts of self-pity, self-will, or self-importance.
In this spiritual attitude, long hours of service have gone unnoticed, and the students have been able to go on without fatigue to other necessary duties with spiritual freshness. They have demonstrated the divine energy of Spirit through cognizance of the spiritual relationship of God and man; and they have found that they gain true freshness from spiritual contemplation and activity rather than from rest and sleep.
We read of Jesus "that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12). When morning came, he first chose the twelve disciples and then went among "a great multitude" to teach and heal. Spiritually refreshed, he had no need for human rest or food or sleep. He sought only to do that which was Godlike. He saw the perfect man, living in eternal likeness to God, and all the people were healed.
A Christian Scientist learned one evening that a relative was very ill. She immediately turned her thoughts prayerfully to God to clear her own view of the situation. Later, after having retired at a normal hour, she found that her thought remained active and stimulated, and so she arose and continued praying all night.
As dawn approached, she felt no physical tiredness but was wholly uplifted and free from fear. In the morning she took a previously planned automobile trip of over four hundred miles and felt vigorous and refreshed throughout the entire day. She had proved her spiritual freshness and was later gratified to learn that the relative was entirely free from the error.
Our Leader writes (Science and Health, p. 325), "When spiritual being is understood in all its perfection, continuity, and might, then shall man be found in God's image." To let our thoughts dwell more and more habitually in Spirit makes us more and more aware of spiritual beauty and spiritual living, exempt from the beliefs of age and blight. We grow in grace, not in years. The continual awareness of the grandeur of spiritual existence is rewarding, for we find that this grander view expands and uplifts our understanding of body, home, church, and government. A life filled with goodness, loveliness, freshness, and continuous harmony hints the divine; we taste of heaven and immortality right where we are.
When the Master was asked by the lawyer what he should do to inherit eternal life, Jesus asked him what was written in the law. He answered (Luke 10:27), "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself."
Then Jesus said, "Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live."
To love God supremely, to express only God's thoughts, and to see man as God's own son constitute right thinking and right living, which should continue throughout our whole experience. In this way we are living eternal life every hour. We are perpetuating good and demonstrating the continuity of spiritual being.
In Proverbs we read (12:28), "In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death."
