Many people today fear that the world may be nearing ultimate destruction. Some, however, actually welcome the event with great religious fervor. For they feel that the coming of "end times" is in line with their view of biblical prophecy and that "true" believers will be spared beforehand—taken up into heaven. Unfortunately, in such a literal interpretation of Armageddon, millions of others would be utterly destroyed.
This negative philosophy needs to be met with a healing response, and it can be. Christian Science fully accepts the teachings of Christ Jesus, which point to God as the merciful, all-loving creator—not a vengeful destroyer of life. And the Science of Christ provides the spiritual perspective of reality that enables one to understand the deeper meanings of the Bible and its message of salvation for each individual. The Christ breaks through limited, material considerations of causation and brings the saving power of divine Truth to bear on human experience. The first tenet of Christian Science in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy affirms, "As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life." Science and Health, p. 497.
Through what it reveals regarding the spiritual meaning of the Scriptures, the Science of Christ truly does open the way to know eternal Life and the way to freedom from fear, disease, sin, and destruction. It reveals the liberating all-power of God, infinite Love. It leads us to perceive the meaning of Armageddon in terms of Truth's complete extermination of error and sin rather than an unavoidable violent end to existence for countless innocent men, women, and children. As Jesus declared, "God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" (John 3: 17).
