Article September 27, 1930 Issue

Spiritual Warfare

WILLIAM COLWELL BARTLETT

Throughout the Scriptures are to be found stirring accounts of mighty victories for the armies of righteousness. Interpreted from a purely material standpoint, this graphic record might well be calculated to lead the student to believe that material warfare constitutes at least a part of the divinely appointed means and plan of salvation. Such a view of Biblical narrative and history, however, is sharply rebuked by the unequivocal declaration of Paul, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh;" and continuing he adds, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

In Christian Science we learn that the weapons of our warfare are indeed "not carnal, but mighty through God," and that when we, as faithful soldiers in the army of Christ, make proper use of these weapons they are found adequate to the destruction of error of every sort. But, says the inquirer, if it be true, as Christian Science teaches, that God's universe, including man, is spiritual and perfect, where is the necessity or occasion for spiritual warfare? Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, points out again and again that the universe as God created it is perfect, harmonious, and eternal. It is thus clear that in this eternal divine creation there neither is nor can be any warfare. God, Mind, creating and governing His infinite universe of spiritual ideas, cannot express aught unlike Himself.

But the picture of creation presented by material sense is quite the contrary. This false view, reversing and counterfeiting the real or true universe, would, if it were possible, "deceive the very elect." Christ and Belial, God and mammon, Spirit and matter, Truth and error, are mutually exclusive. Believing in the reality of both good and evil, and accepting the supposed mingling of these two opposites, human consciousness attempts to serve God and mammon. It is upon this battle ground that the enemy—error—would assert its supremacy over good and claim to dominate human consciousness.

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