Article February 5, 1927 Issue

Salvation

MARTHA H. SQUIRES

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure," wrote Paul in his epistle to the Philippians. Since Paul's day, many differences of opinion have arisen as to how this task should be accomplished. Christian Scientists realize that so much depends on right thinking that it is very necessary to gain the correct viewpoint of salvation, namely, the real, spiritual one.

In her book entitled "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 261) our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, has written, "Man as God's idea is already saved with an everlasting salvation." By this we know that the real man, who is the exact image and likeness of God, does not need to work out his salvation, since his salvation is always assured. Hence it is not God's idea to whom Paul referred, but the one whom Mrs. Eddy has designated throughout her writings as mortal man. Just what is meant, then, by salvation; and how may it be worked out?

A dictionary defines salvation as spiritual deliverance from sin and death. In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy defines "salvation" as follows (p. 593): "Life, Truth, and Love understood and demonstrated as supreme over all; sin, sickness, and death destroyed." Thus Christian Science teaches that each must free himself, not only from the beliefs of sin and death, but from sickness as well.

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