One of the most comforting and assuring aspects of the ministry of Christ Jesus was his confident and fearless approach to all problems. A study of his demonstrations of the Christ, Truth, as recorded in the Bible, reveals that he did not consider a discordant condition or problem real. His understanding of the truth enabled him consistently to behold the perfect man. Despite the evidence of the material senses, of lack, sickness, sin, or death, he restored health and harmony to those who earnestly sought the truth.

The reason for Jesus' unparalleled success in healing is undoubtedly contained in his own words as thus recorded in 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."

It was this spiritual idea of sonship, or the Christ, which enabled Jesus to perform his mighty works. And he imparted to his disciples the understanding of the Christ, which enabled them also to heal sickness and sin during as well as after his earthly ministry. By example and precept he demonstrated that to the Christ there is no insoluble problem, major or minor, but in reality there are only complete harmony and perfection.

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy states (p. 332), "The Christ is incorporeal, spiritual,—yea, the divine image and likeness, dispelling the illusions of the senses; the Way, the Truth, and the Life, healing the sick and casting out evils, destroying sin, disease, and death." It is the Christ which does the healing work. The Christ, Truth, is not limited to a given person, place, period, or time, but exists for everyone, everywhere, eternally.

Christian Science, which is the discovery of the divine method of spiritual healing practiced by Jesus and the disciples, demonstrates that the Christ is as effective today in healing as it was centuries ago. There is no physical condition, material history, hereditary law, or belief which has the power to withstand the truth.

For years the members of one family suffered periodically from a severe form of tonsillitis. Despite material remedies of all sorts, the problem persisted. Shortly after Christian Science had been introduced to this family, the youngest child was stricken with the ailment.

The child's mother, a beginner in the study of Science, realized that she could prove God's care for her son if she but trusted Him and applied the truth. She therefore prayed to realize that the child created by God is not made up of fleshly organs, blood, and bones, but is a spiritual idea, expressing health, right activity, and harmony.

As she prayed, her fear lifted somewhat, but then the temptation came to examine the child's throat to see if there had been any progress. She was about to do this when the thought came: "Why, what are you trying to see—a material throat or the manifestation of the Christ-idea? If you look to matter, you will see only error; but look for the Christ, and you will see only the truth regarding your son, his perfection as God's image."

Obedient to this thought, the mother turned her gaze to the spiritual realization of man as an idea in Mind, untouched by material laws or beliefs. In a very short time her child was completely healed. The blessing of this healing reached every member of that family, and from that time on no member has ever again had tonsillitis.

Mrs. Eddy gives the following definition of "Christ" (Science and Health, p. 583): "The divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error." If one is struggling with a problem which seemingly will not yield, he can take courage from the positive truth of this definition. There is no indication in it that the manifestation of healing will come only sometime in the future. The Christ "comes to the flesh" now, "to destroy incarnate error."

As light instantly puts darkness to rout, so when thought is enlightened with the Christ, Truth, error dissolves into nothingness. Actually, then, there is no need to struggle as if we of ourselves could solve the problem. In the degree that we become Christlike and spiritually understand the allness of God and the consequent nothingness of evil, we begin to manifest the freedom which spiritually is ours for eternity.

When the Christ, the divine manifestation of God, permeates the consciousness, no material problem can remain. Therefore any discord which may seem to confront us can be destroyed through the ever-available and enlightening power of the Truth. In proportion to our demonstration of the Christ, as revealed in Christian Science, we can fearlessly and joyously approach a so-called problem, knowing that it is not God-created, God-sanctioned, or God-ordained. It is not a part of the real man; it has no law or substance to support it, and therefore it exists only in belief. We can rejoice in this fact and in knowing the truth as expressed in the words of a hymn from the Christian Science Hymnal (No. 202),

When spiritual truth is established in thought, false beliefs dissolve into nothingness, and man's divine perfection as the son of God appears.