Article January 5, 1918 Issue

To the human sense, burdened as it is with the beliefs of...

The Christian Science Monitor

To the human sense, burdened as it is with the beliefs of the flesh, it seems impossible to accept seriously the beloved disciple's declaration that "now are we the sons of God." Salvation from the burdens of materiality will never be won, however, while the belief obtains that the sons of God are at present undiscoverable because of the actuality of material existence. Humanity needs only to be willing to accept this Scriptural statement as to the real status of man, and immediately there unfolds the great possibility of beginning at once to demonstrate the truth of spiritual existence.

John could not have made this statement concerning man had he depended upon material sense alone. If, then, while he was walking as other human beings walk in the flesh, he discerned, through spiritual sense, the true nature of man, it is reasonable to suppose that others who follow the teaching of the Master as John did, may also discern, through the same spiritual sense, the truth concerning man. Those individuals who discern this truth and are obedient to the heavenly vision, may begin to put it to a practical test in their immediate experience. The "old man," or the belief of material existence, will then be seen to loss its power to oppress, or, in other words, the material belief that life is in matter will begin to disappear in just the ratio of a man's understanding of spiritual man.

If it be true that "now are we the sons of God," it is sufficiently clear that man has always been spiritual, and that he will never be otherwise. The discovery of this spiritual fact does not bring anything new into existence. It only indicates that the beliefs of materiality which had hitherto veiled the spiritual fact are losing their power to deceive. Mortal man, who is cognizant of existence only as it is perceived through the physical senses, is not, obviously, the child of God. Nothing mortal or material can be depended upon for any assistance in finding the truth of man in the likeness of God. Spiritual sense can, however, be trusted to dispel the illusion of material sense, so that the true man may begin to appear. "It doth not yet appear," John continued, "what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

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