What Do We See as Real?

JOHN WHITE

Job said, "Let the day perish wherein I was born;" but later, when realizing the spiritual nature of being, he exclaimed, "I know that my redeemer liveth." Such a change in viewpoint makes it clear that the material sense of things is unreliable. Seeing is spiritual, and this great fact is a call to everyone to maintain his thinking at the level of spiritual truth; for the clearer one's thinking is, the nearer will it approach to the ideal.

To cultivate a happier outlook, to see things as did the lovable Mark Tapley, portrayed by Charles Dicknes, is commendable; but in the quest for spiritual understanding it is essential to rise far above human optimism. It is necessary to build thought upon the truth revealed in the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy regarding the perfection of God, of man as His image and likeness, and of the universe, unseen to human eye, in which the facts of spiritual being are supreme.

In the perfection of God, clearly taught in the Scriptures, and universally, if somewhat theoretically, acknowledged by Christendom, is necessarily included the perfection of God's creation. Although this logical deduction may appear strange to thought which has long regarded materiality and imperfection as real, increasing understanding of Christian Science discloses upon every hand evidences that the real government of the universe is spiritual. Revelation, reason, and demonstration all bear witness to the spiritual nature of real being.

In Science and health Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 207): "There is but one primal cause. Therefore there can beno effect from any other cause, and there can be no reality in aught which does not proceed from this great and only cause." Should this seem to be a startling statement, a few moments' consideration will show that it is correlative to the declaration by John, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

When the supposed evidences of more than the one God or creator present themselves, spiritual thinking corrects the suggestion through an understanding that man reflects God, the one perfect Mind. Holding to and declaring the spiritual fact, one rests in the evidence that "God is Spirit." It also becomes clear that Spirit can be apprehended only through spiritual sense; and one increasingly discerns and accepts the logical conclusion that the divine Mind, invisible to the material senses, is expressed through spiritual ideas.

With such understanding it would be impossible for one to accept as real sorrow, fear, disaster, or discord; for does not the perfection of God necessitate the impossibility of His being the creator of such errors? The Psalmist prayed, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." To behold the things which pertain to the law of spiritual being is to find perfection and harmony. As thought accepts the perfect law of God, the only lawmaker, fear is cast out, health is restored, and peace is established.

When the threatening clouds of materiality seek to obscure the understanding of good, there are unlimited possibilities of victory in the intelligent applications of the understanding of the truth. Science and Health (p. 103) reads: "The maximum of good is the infinite God and His idea, the All-in-all. Evil is suppositional lie."

Looking to God's perfect law, the Christian Scientist discerns, in the reality of spiritual existence, the true source of health, freedom from error; in a word, his salvation. To see sorrow and sickness as real, or to ascribe intelligence or reality to that which God has never made, gives to error the only power it can even seem to have; but in the revealing light of "the maximum of good" error disappears.

Do we see strife among nations as real? To see as real only the man that God made is the true and practical way to help in healing the situation. Are sickness, sorrow, unemployment, poverty, either in ourselves or in another, held before our sight? These cannot be any part of God's creation; therefore to discern the spiritual fact of one creator, entirely good, is to see such beliefs replaced by the truths which express this creator, namely, health, joy, activity, and supply.

Christ Jesus, the Way-shower, spoke of those who have eyes, yet see not. He also said that the pure in heart shall see God, and even pointed out that those who understood and lived the truth he taught should never see death.

To see reality through spiritual discernment is to hold the key to all good.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

"Not two bases of being"

October 7, 1939

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit