What is the greatest limitation to mankind's freedom and advancement? Isn't it the tendency to attribute obstacles and bondage to some external cause—environment, lack of opportunity, general economic conditions, despotic governments, heredity, and so on? Yet actually bondage is self-imposed, and when one is so enlightened as to discern that his true selfhood is the expression of God, he is able to progress out of limitations.

The understanding of man as the spiritual expression of God is the dark side of the moon to many people. Superstition, man-made theories, and wrong education perpetuate the notion that man is a mortal, the highest species of animal. Accepting these theories unquestioningly or helplessly, mankind have continued to act within the limits of their belief.

It is not necessary for anyone to be limited by false beliefs about the nature of God and man. Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health, "The admission to one's self that man is God's own likeness sets man free to master the infinite idea." ^{Science and Health, p. 90;}

Through the thoughtful study and application of the teachings of Christian Science one learns to discard such confining suggestions of mortality as lack, miser, illness, fear, and uncertainty. He is enabled to know and to experience the fullness and freedom of spiritual selfhood. His example is the Master, who taught and proved, "All things that the Father hath are mine." ^{John 16:15;}

Christ Jesus perceived more clearly than any other the nature of God as perfect cause and of man as perfect effect. His understanding of man's innate spirituality and perfection acted as a law of reversal to every argument of discord, and on its basis he successfully healed sickness, sin, lack, and death.

Of Jesus, Mrs. Eddy states: "Through the magnitude of his human life, he demonstrated the divine Life. Out of the amplitude of his pure affection, he defined Love. With the affluence of Truth, he vanquished error." ^{Science and Health, p. 54;} In the use of the three words, "magnitude," "amplitude," and "affluence," how vividly she reminds the reader of the Master's example of living abundantly and infinitely! She shows that man as God's expression is the exact opposite of the self-centered mortal that most people suppose themselves to be.

From the standpoint of Christian Science one of the worst four-letter words is "self," especially when it is connected with such unpleasant mental states as self-pity, self-love, self-ignorance, self-justification. But turning away from material selfhood to unselfed concern for the world, to wider service to mankind, is living the life more abundant of which Christ Jesus spoke.

How does one escape from the destructive and worthless aspects of mortality? Through true self-knowledge and self-correction. They follow naturally when one grasps the truth of selfhood as the expression of God. Understanding God as Love, Principle, Mind, and Life and oneself as God's idea enables one to put off the harmful, negative tendencies that have been thought to be part of his nature. The oft-repeated claim that human nature cannot be changed is without divine authority.

In the light of Christian Science, bad traits are put off as false impositions. Man, God's likeness, cannot be a compulsive sinner; he is obedient to God's perfect will. This means that, as one progressively realizes and practices his divinely endowed qualities of intelligence, integrity, love, purity, power, and righteousness, this new sense of himself becomes a law of freedom from all false restrictions.

The world urgently needs the understanding and proof of man's expression of the Christ, the Godlikeness, that Jesus exemplified. Those who become adherents of the teachings of Christian Science fulfill their obligation only as they live their religion actively. Jesus' words, "Ye are the light of the world," ^{Matt. 5:14;} are a reminder to his followers to let their light shine. They must heed what Mrs. Eddy said about mastering the infinite idea.

The world needs Christian Scientists as masters of the craft of living, not as mere apprentices or novices. Therefore it behooves each student of Christian Science to take a long, hard look at himself, to recognize and put off the limiting beliefs and attitudes he may be entertaining. This means rejecting all such hindrances as pettiness of outlook, criticism, timidity, and a tendency to cling to old habits and formulas. It means recognizing the excellence, spontaneity, purity, dominion, strength, magnanimity, and wisdom inherent in man's true nature. Since these qualities are true now of man as God's expression, they are to be claimed and used increasingly in daily life.

Today, in every walk of life, there is ample opportunity to overcome the false arguments of limitation, not overlook them but overcome them. This leads to mastery of the infinite idea, the unity of perfect God and perfect man. In this endeavor the individual finds himself divinely supported. As he does his part faithfully, God's omnipotence ensures his progress and success. Each one can take to himself Mrs. Eddy's words in her Message to The Mother Church for 1901, "Beloved brethren, to-day I extend my heart-and-hand-fellowship to the faithful, to those whose hearts have been beating through the mental avenues of mankind for God and humanity; and rest assured you can never lack God's outstretched arm so long as you are in His service." ^{'01., p. 1.}