Article July 19, 1941 Issue

An understanding of Spirit is the goal of every Christian,...

Floyd C. Shank, Committee on Publication for Northern California,

Roseville Press

An understanding of Spirit is the goal of every Christian, and even as Christ Jesus progressed steadily in this understanding, so his followers believe that as they obey his rules of living, their lives will grow ever more spiritual. They are encouraged in their struggle with materiality by contemplating the success of their Master and his admonition, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." The resurrection of Jesus proved for all time and for all peoples that Spirit is the Life of man, and is supreme over evil and materiality.

Resurrection is the spiritualization of thought, the daily awakening out of a material sense of existence to an understanding of man's spiritual coexistence with God. What Christ Jesus accomplished at the end of his human history was but the culmination of his progress Spiritward. No single incident represented the full measure of his accomplishment. His overcoming of death was the crowning achievement of his career, surpassed only by his ascension, which followed logically as the final step in his demonstration of the infinite nature of Spirit and the consequent unreal naure of matter.

Christians accept Christ Jesus as their model, and Christian Scientists are taught by their Leader to do likewise and to follow the Master's example in daily living, letting their lives show forth their obedience to his teachings, in conformity with his rule, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." They have found that obedience to the commands of Christ Jesus as set forth particularly in the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, known familiarly as the Sermon on the Mount, spiritualizes their lives. This is a gradual resurrection or growth Spirit-ward, which demonstrates the spiritual and eternal nature of that Life which is God. Christ Jesus declared, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

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