Editorial October 10, 1936 Issue

"Be ye sure of this"

Violet Ker Seymer

Spiritual assurance sees the light through the clouds, the peace above all conflict. When Christ Jesus sent his disciples out to preach and heal, he gave them an instruction applicable both to themselves and to those who at that time rejected their message: "Notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." One may say that the disciples were young in the practice of healing. In their journeying they would be faced with apathy and animosity toward the message they brought. They would need to keep out of the pitfalls of fear, false responsibility, condemnation of others or of themselves, fear of failure in their mission, and so forth. These arguments and many others confront the active Christian Scientist today. He too must be absolutely certain that "the kingdom of God is come nigh." Being certain of this, he will not yield to the oppression of personal problems or world conditions. He will know that Truth's victory is beyond question, and that it includes healing and redemption.

In his eagerness to save the early converts to Christianity from backsliding, Peter wrote to them, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." He too emphasized the spirit of the Master's message: "Be ye sure of this . . ." Spiritual diligence is our infallible weapon of self-defense. To the Christian Scientist, diligence means noting and complying with the demands of Christian Science. It means radical reliance on divine Mind in all that relates to spiritual inspiration, fidelity, strength, joy, wisdom, healing. Diligence involves steadfast affirmation of spiritual reality and denial of every phase of evil. There is no exception to this rule of affirmation and denial.

Affirmation must be reserved for the real. For instance, one cannot truthfully affirm that one is a prey to fear, resentment, distrust, or selfishness, for there is no truth in them; and so long as these errors of belief are affirmed and voiced, they are likely to be indulged, if not willfully, then helplessly. And this separation of thought from the real is not the way of spiritual assurance. Every affirmation of evil is a denial of good, and every affirmation of good is a denial of evil.

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