The first sentence in the opening chapter of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," gives mankind a plain and simple rule of procedure in their quest for health and holiness. Its author, Mary Baker Eddy, had discovered the healing power demonstrated by Christ Jesus and had herself ably demonstrated its applicability to mankind's present-day needs before she penned these lines (ibid., p. 1): "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love."

If we would reform the sinner and heal the sick, we must reflect the qualities our Master expressed —absolute faith, spiritual understanding, and unselfishness. Our faith in God's omnipresence and omnipotence must be able to stand in spite of material sense evidence and human belief; it must be unwavering and absolute, based upon spiritual understanding.

How to attain this absolute faith is the question that confronts the enthusiastic beginner in his study of Christian Science. He may believe its statements of truth and have a measure of faith in them, but until he proves them in his own experience his faith is no stronger than his belief, which is by no means reliable. The beginner in mathematics accepts the fact that two times two equals four, but until he proves this fact in the practical solution of a problem, his faith in its absolute correctness is neither unshakable nor absolute.

Faith in God's presence and power is an uplifted state of consciousness, but this alone is not enough. "Faith, if it hath not works, is dead," said the disciple James (James 2:17). And our Leader describes the remedial combination which banishes human ills (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 97): "Christian Science is not a remedy of faith alone, but combines faith with understanding, through which we may touch the hem of His garment; and know that omnipotence has all power." Faith, always aspiring toward greater understanding, unfolds the way for us to know the omnipotence of good and greater works. Such knowing is synonymous with absolute faith.

Christian Science teaches us how to differentiate between that which is worthy of our faith and that which is not. It so enlightens our understanding that we can discern what is real and what is illusion. But first of all we must accept the Scriptural statements with their explanations in Science and Health regarding the nature and allness of God and our true relationship with infinity. As we do this, we shall find that our limiting beliefs about mortality, sin, and disease begin to fade away before the understanding of divine Truth.

When our faith in God's allness is strengthened by understanding, it is no longer blind or faltering, for mystery has no place in it. Absolute faith is seldom gained at a single bound, but unfolds and grows through prayer, study, and humble acceptance and earnest application of the spiritual truths to our everyday problems.

The requisite for healing through prayer, Mrs. Eddy says, is "an absolute faith that all things are possible to God." Does this not imply an unconditional surrender of all preconceived notions regarding materiality and the power we have given it? We must no longer entertain a faith wavering between Spirit's all-presence and its supposed opposite, matter, with the doubts and fears which such vacillation engenders. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." Christian Science is based upon one infinite God, one perfect and eternal Principle, and as we accept and apply its rules we grow in our understanding of man's inseparable relationship with Principle. Thus through absolute faith we find that this relationship is just as permanent and changeless as the product of two times two.

Through spiritual understanding, the Master demonstrated man's eternal perfection and changeless relationship with God, Life. He proved that the understanding of the power of Truth annuls any and all beliefs—illusions proclaiming something unlike Spirit. He did not attempt to alter divine Principle or the spiritual laws of being by his words or works, but utilized these laws in destroying the so-called laws of matter. Thus he pointed the way for all mankind as they advance in absolute faith and understanding.

It was absolute faith in and understanding of the allness of God that enabled Jesus to see man as the manifestation or likeness of God, showing forth the qualities of eternal perfection. This is the man we must know if we are to reform the sinner and heal the sick. Indeed, our Leader says (Science and Health, pp. 476, 477): "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick. Thus Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is intact, universal, and that man is pure and holy."

Our faith broadens into ever deeper understanding of the allness of Spirit as we progressively discern that in reality man expresses Mind in intelligence; Truth in purity and integrity; eternal Life in birthless and deathless freedom; Spirit in limitless possibilities and dominion; and Love in loving-kindness and the beauty of perfection. This is having "a spiritual understanding of Him" which reveals man in His likeness.

When we absolutely know in our hearts that God is omnipotent and omnipresent Mind, we are not believing that we are doing the healing work of ourselves. Graciously and humbly our dear Master stated this fact when he said (John 5:19), "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." He explained the reward of his unselfed labors to his disciples thus (John 4:34): "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me." Was this not an acknowledgment and complete understanding of man's at-one-ment with his Father?

If our desire is always to do the will of Him whose likeness we bear, we shall exchange our limited belief of finite self-ability for the understanding that man reflects the unlimited ability of omnipotent Mind, God. Unselfed love makes the healing work unlabored, a joyous opportunity and experience, bringing freedom, peace, and untold gratitude for Love's presence. Unselfed love accepts each opportunity with full confidence that God is All and that all is well within His infinitude.

The power of divine Love to heal is set forth in these words from one of our hymns (Hymnal, No. 179):

A student of Christian Science who had allowed material responsibilities to weigh upon his thought suffered from partial paralysis, which affected one side of his body. Although for a fortnight he applied his understanding of Truth as best he knew how, the healing was not evidenced. At the end of that time the crisis appeared to be at hand, and his heart and lungs seemed about to stop functioning. As he began to lose consciousness, he was inspired to turn his thoughts entirely away from himself and his condition.

The angel message was at hand to heal and bless, and he saw plainly that, even though he should give in to the last enemy, God's allness and perfection would remain forever the same; therefore, his real being could undergo no change. Immediately his heart and lungs began to function normally, and within two days he regained every vestige of normal activity, including sight and hearing, which had also been affected.

As he recalls this experience, he sees it as a dream, an illusion, the suggestion of the carnal mind that man can be separated from the Father's impartial love. And he can gratefully and joyously sing with the Psalmist (Ps. 23:4), "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me," for he has proved through absolute faith—spiritual understanding and selfless love—"that all things are possible to God."