"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." This statement of Christ Jesus' (Matt. 5:48) embodies a fundamental teaching of Christian Science; namely, that since God is perfect, man, His image, must express His perfect nature. Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures' (p. 259), "The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect Principle and idea,—perfect God and perfect man,—as the basis of thought and demonstration."

A dictionary defines "perfect" thus: "Having all the properties naturally belonging to it; complete; sound; flawless." It is natural for God to manifest perfection. It is also natural for man, God's image, to reflect all the properties belonging to God. Therefore it is natural for man to be complete, sound, and flawless.

Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health, pp. 253, 254), "The divine demand, 'Be ye therefore perfect,' is scientific, and the human footsteps leading to perfection are indispensable." What are these human footsteps through which the perfection that is natural to God's image can be manifested in our daily experience? Since God is Mind, His creation is a creation of ideas. Hence each of "the human footsteps leading to perfection" is a mental one.

We must supplant all wrong thoughts with right ones. We must replace the false material concept of creation with the true. The ability to do this comes to us as we learn to spiritualize our concept of God and man. We must discern the source of our thoughts, whether they are from the one true Mind, God, or merely suggestions of the so-called carnal mind. Thoughts of impatience, greed, fear, uncertainty, hatred, criticism, and so on certainly cannot come from divine Mind, which knows and expresses only good. They must be recognized as aggressive mental suggestions of the carnal mind and destroyed by replacing them with the thoughts of God. Paul speaks of the accomplishment of this in Colossians where we read (3:9, 10), "Ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."

The healing effect of replacing human misconceptions with divine qualities of thought was related by a Christian Scientist who at one time had been subject to very severe colds, but who has not had one for ten years. She attributed this healing to a correction of her thinking. Earlier in her experience she had allowed herself to be impatient and easily annoyed over the behavior and characteristics of other people, although, because of their troubles, she was sympathetic.

Her healing came when she refused to allow herself to be impatient or irritated, but turned her thought to God, trusting His omnipotent wisdom to govern His creation. She also learned to replace false sympathy, which makes a reality of error, with true sympathy, which sees the error as no part of God's plan for His children because it is no part of Him. Were not these "human footsteps leading to perfection"? This individual proved that it was perfectly natural for her to be immune from the belief of colds when she kept her thinking poised with true thoughts concerning God and His divine creation, man and the universe.

In II Samuel we read (22:33), "God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect." It is always God's way that is perfect. As we strive to keep to God's way we express more and more of His perfection. God's way is to see infinite good ever in action. Our way is to hold our thought undeviatingly to divine Principle, Love, that we may bring the harmony of perfection into our every experience. As mankind learns to rely more on the one Mind, the human capacity to acknowledge and receive more good is increased, and a better sense of health, adequate supply, and more harmonious human relations become apparent.

As the agriculturalist must ever be watchful to keep the soil rich so that it may yield the best crops possible, so we must constantly enrich our thought with divine attributes. We must keep the field clear of the weeds of discouragement and frustration, which grow from a false sense of man. As a result of this diligence we may expect the fruit of our experience to reflect the perfection natural to God, for we shall be demonstrating our real manhood in divine Science.

Under the marginal heading of "Strong position" Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health, p. 344), "It is objected to Christian Science that it claims God as the only absolute Life and Soul, and man to be His idea,—that is, His image." Then, as if to emphasize the rightness of the claim of Science objected to, she continues, "It should be added that this is claimed to represent the normal, healthful, and sinless condition of man in divine Science, and that this claim is made because the Scriptures say that God has created man in His own image and after His likeness."

As we assiduously take the human footsteps required to maintain the strong position of scientific thought, the concepts which characterize "the old man with his deeds" give way to the spiritual facts comprising "the new man," who is the reflection of God, or good. Then will we rejoice with the Psalmist who sang (Ps. 138:8), "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me."

Let each individual increase the capacity of his thought to understand and demonstrate that perfection is the natural status of man, since imperfection is not only unnatural but impossible to the image and likeness of the one perfect, infinite Mind, God.