In His Likeness

In the first chapter of Genesis, it is recorded that God made man in His image and likeness. On page 587 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy, its author, gives as the definition of God, "The great I am; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence." On page 123 of the same book she says, "Divine Science, rising above physical theories, excludes matter, resolves things into thoughts, and replaces the objects of material sense with spiritual ideas." Reasoning from the basis of the facts quoted, and rightly applying to human conditions the understanding thus gained, one must always arrive at the truth, manifest as right idea.

As man is the likeness of God, every quality of God is reflected in man. As God is all-knowing, man possesses the exact knowledge of unfolding harmony every moment. If error of sense suggests ill health, bad business, unpleasant environment, wrong relationship, the healing remedy is at hand. By reversing the lie and actively replacing it with the truth, one proves that man knows only what God knows. The one body that God knows is spiritual idea, radiating health and strength. The one business that God knows is exchange of right activities in perfect accord with intelligence, which never manifests so-called lack, delay, greed, injustice, disorder, or fear. The one environment that God knows is peace, joy, happiness, and well-being. The one relationship God knows is that of His own idea. That which calls itself a sick man, a dishonest man, a drunkard, or a pauper may seem to appear to human consciousness, but as God is all-seeing, always beholding good, and as man is His reflection, what mortals may seem to see that is discordant is only a reversal of the fact existing in Mind. Harmony appears when the relative seeming is consciously replaced with the absolute verity. So-called sickness, dishonesty, appetite, and poverty are false representations of health, honesty, righteous desire, and abundance, the qualities God sees.

As God is all-acting, the one action is in Mind and this one is always joyous, restful, orderly, in exact accord with Principle. All the action there is, is never too fast, too slow, inaccurate, or labored. Man, the true reflection of God, manifests absolute right action always and in all ways. As God is all-wise, man, His image, is endowed with that perfect wisdom which, emanating from the one Mind, is constantly unfolding right idea. He can, then, never seem to make mistakes, follow wrong inclinations, yield to discouragement, arrive at incorrect decisions, or judge erroneously. He is always accurate, pure, confident, decisive, and just. As God is all-loving, man constantly reflects love, actively unfolding as patience, forgiveness, compassion, promptness, charity, righteous judgment, and selflessness. In the consciousness of ever present Love there is no place for fear, hatred, suspicion, condemnation, uncharitableness, or cruelty. The real man is always the expression of the one "altogether lovely." As God is eternal, man, coexistent with God, is forever conscious of his spiritual identity, absolutely apart from any temporal seeming. His eternality is exemplified in health and holiness, which is wholeness.