Awakening to the Goodness of God

Duncan Sinclair

The great majority of men are still deeply asleep regarding the goodness of God. They continue to believe that God is not infinite, that good is limited, and that evil is real. This is clearly seen when one contemplates the evil beliefs which men entertain and translate into evil actions; or, in other words, when one considers the lack of goodness in the lives of many of them. Even those who have had the revelation of God's infinite goodness and, through Christian Science, have been persuaded of evil's nothingness, still are tempted with the suggestions of evil, still are prone to fear these suggestions, still are liable at times to be victimized by them. In short, mankind as a whole is awakening but gradually to the great spiritual truth of God's unlimited goodness and what this truth implies.

Among the many discoveries which the spiritually-minded have made, none is greater than that of the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mrs. Eddy, namely, that since God is infinite good, evil is unreal. Down the centuries there came to her the truth contained in the Scriptures that God is Spirit, Truth, Life, Love, the Father or creator of all; but it was she who discerned what was implied in this truth, namely, evil's unreality. The revelation of Christian Science came to Mrs. Eddy in 1866—almost seventy years ago. Christian Scientists, ever since, have been demonstrating in some measure the power of good and the impotence of evil; yet mankind generally still lacks understanding of the unlimited goodness of God, still appears to be deep in the dream that evil has real presence and power. On page 103 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" our Leader writes: "The maximum of good is the infinite God and His idea, the All-in-all. Evil is a suppositional lie."

Sometimes people express surprise that Christian Scientists should emphasize as they do the truth about God's goodness, the while they deny reality to evil. But why should Christian Scientists fail to do this, considering that mankind is as yet at times tremendously under the false belief that good is limited and evil real? To refrain from affirming the truth, to refrain from publishing it, would be to withhold from humanity what it most needs to know. For it is only by breaking the mesmerism which holds mankind to the erroneous belief that good is limited and evil real, that it will be freed from the ills which beset a material sense of existence.

Consider what the awakening to the unlimited goodness of God means, the awakening to the fact that good is infinite and therefore the only real presence and power. There is much fear throughout the world today that evil may break out on a scale never before witnessed. This fear must be countered; it must be allayed; it must be destroyed. If it be not destroyed, the thing so greatly feared may come upon the world. How can fear be destroyed? By knowing that it is not a real mental condition, that it is but a falsity engendered by the erroneous belief that God, good, is not infinite. Belief in the reality of evil is at the root of all fear. Destroy that false belief through the scientific understanding of the allness of God, good, and fear vanishes, taking with it the dread of all its possible consequences.

The understanding of God's goodness, God's unlimited goodness, is the most powerful of all remedies. It heals sickness and sin. For what are sickness and sin? Sickness, primarily, is an inharmonious state of consciousness, and sin a state of thought in which evil beliefs are being entertained. When the sick or sinful understand that good is infinite and evil unreal; when they clearly realize the truth, sickness disappears and sin ceases. This exemplifies the healing power of obedience to the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

There is need that those who have an understanding of God's unlimited goodness should endeavor to realize more fully the significance of this great truth. We should expect to see goodness manifested abundantly wherever we may be. Man is the image of God; man therefore reflects good without limit. We should hold to this thought and expect to find men demonstrating good in their lives to the exclusion of all unlike itself. Prayer aids us in this, for through prayer we draw nigh to God and gain a clearer realization of His perfect nature. "Prayer begets an awakened desire to be and do good. It makes new and scientific discoveries of God, of His goodness and power" (No and Yes, p. 39).

There is joy in contemplating God's goodness, happiness in knowing that good is everywhere present to the exclusion of its supposititious opposite. Moreover, this understanding destroys belief in the reality of evil. Thus, Christian Science, understood and practiced, is awaking mankind to the goodness of God, and thereby is saving the world.

Duncan Sinclair

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