We know that a lie is the opposite of truth and that truth is that which is actual. But are we aware of the necessity of determining constantly within our own consciousness what is true and what is a lie in order to live a truly Christian life? Are we aware of the spiritual power we exercise when we distinguish lies from the truth and refuse to agree with lies? Are we aware of the Christian necessity never to consent to a lie?
The demand upon every Christian is to deal with his own character and to grow daily in Christian grace and living. We each must, moment by moment, deal with our own thoughts and take responsibility for what we agree with and what we disagree with in our own thinking. We learn through our study of Christian Science that the good in human consciousness is real, legitimate thought coming from the one Mind, God, and that evil is not really our thinking because it is not from God. Therefore, evil's so-called "thought"—although it may seem very much our own—is hypnotic mental suggestion, a counterfeit of real thought or intelligence.
Since it is obvious that existence is perceived through consciousness, and consciousness determines experience, the human experience can be changed only through a fundamental change in consciousness. This change can only be accomplished through the scientific mental process of saying "no" to mortal suggestions and "yes" to the thoughts of divine Mind. This shuts the mental door upon whatever is unlike God and opens our thought to the spiritual abundance of the ideas of Truth, God. As thought becomes more spiritual, we can see an increase of good and a decrease of evil in our human experience.
