Christian Science makes a clear distinction between man, created in God's image, and so-called mortal man, formed "of the dust of the ground."Gen. 2:7; These two contrary concepts of creation appear in the first and second chapters of Genesis respectively. In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy elucidates the difference: "The first record assigns all might and government to God, and endows man out of God's perfection and power. The second record chronicles man as mutable and mortal,—as having broken away from Deity and as revolving in an orbit of his own. Existence, separate from divinity, Science explains as impossible."Science and Health, p. 522;
To recognize that man is immortal, that there never really was a mortal man "revolving in an orbit of his own," is to start from the only correct basis—perfection. In healing we cannot begin with a mistake. That would be to believe in the reality of the mistake, and confusion rather than healing would result. But if we start with perfection, with man as God made him, the logical, harmonious solution will follow. Then we can see that the mortal never touched the immortal.
There are not two creations, one mortal and materially tangible, the other spiritual and ideal. Man is not a limited being trying in vain to reach a theoretical state of perfection. Such beliefs would be cruel misconceptions of creation.
