Article May 19, 1951 Issue

"BE NOT AFRAID"

JOHN D. RASMUSSEN, JR.

The inspired Word of the Bible and the teachings of Christian Science show plainly that no one need ever be afraid. As the child of God, man is eternally safe in Soul. The Psalmist sang (Ps. 27:1), "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

When Jesus came walking on the water, his disciples cried out with fear, but the Master quickly quieted their alarm with these assuring words (Matt. 14:27): "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." What was it that enabled Jesus to conquer the elements of earth and vanquish human fear? Was it not God, the incorporeal, unerring divine Mind, the divine Ego, or Love, reaching humanity through the Christ, which Jesus expressed? To the fearful human consciousness he spoke in comforting, reassuring terms that it could understand, allaying human fear. Indeed, it was the Christ, unweighted and unfettered by matter, that enabled Jesus to walk over the waves of mortal mind and come to the rescue of the disciples. The Christ, Truth, is still the ever-present Comforter, saying to fearful mortal sense, "Be not afraid."

It would seem that from time immemorial mortals have been victims of fear in some form or other. They have feared sin, disease, and death; feared separation, limitation, and loss; feared ignorance and the unknown, and feared fear itself. But glory be to God, who has given us in Christian Science an antidote for all our fears. When men awake to the truth of being, as revealed in Christian Science, they learn that the Christ, God's perfect idea, never went away, but is still present to allay their fears, heal all their diseases, cancel their iniquities; to comfort and bless all who seek to know and obey the Father's will.

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