Article December 12, 1970 Issue

Our Moral Power to Be Well

FLOYD C. SHANK

From the writings of Mrs. Eddy, one may learn that Christ Jesus, our Way-shower, taught and demonstrated the way to overcome the temptation to be ill, just as he showed the way to overcome the temptation to relinquish control of the body to sin. Here is a pertinent reference from the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health: "The moral man has no fear that he will commit a murder, and he should be as fearless on the question of disease."^{Science and Health, p. 406;}

As we emerge from the maze of human theories on the subject of health, we learn in Christian Science that just as there is no power that makes anyone relinquish control of his body or any portion of it to the sin of committing a crime, so there is no power that makes anyone relinquish control of his body or any portion of it to sickness. This striking assertion of our divine authority to be continuously healthy, totally free from fear of pain and disease, brings us face to face with the question of our degree of attainment on this vital point in metaphysics.

Our Way-shower, Christ Jesus, is our model. There is no record in the Scriptures that he ever failed to gain and retain full control over every portion of his body. There is plenty of evidence of his total fidelity to Truth, at whatever cost of prayer and spiritual effort. One instance recorded in the Gospel of Luke relates that some time after defying the scribes and Pharisees by healing on the Sabbath "a man whose right hand was withered," Jesus "went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."^{Luke 6:6, 12;} Evidently such faithful work was necessary to nullify the evil beliefs and resistance to Truth.