Article April 12, 1930 Issue

Temptation Overcome

Leroy G. Stump

IN our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy frequently emphasizes the need of following the example of Christ Jesus both in spiritual growth and in experience. Showing how complete must be this endeavor, she says on page 26, "Jesus spares us not one individual experience, if we follow his commands faithfully."

A large portion of the individual experiences of Jesus were instances of his meeting and overcoming the mesmeric influence of mortal beliefs—evil in every form and manner of presentation. According to Matthew, these experiences following the confirmation to him of his divine Sonship, commenced with his temptation in the wilderness. In the third chapter of Matthew it is related that "Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, . . . and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

As the unfoldment of the seeming mystery of God, good, touches the purified and uplifted thought of the student of Christian Science, he receives the message of divine revelation concerning the nature of man: "This is my beloved Son." This is an individual experience, the revelation of the real man's sonship with God, of his at-one-ment with God. It does not and cannot come through matter or the material senses, but is spiritually discerned in the individual consciousness.

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