Article September 20, 1975 Issue

Going Forward

NANCY H. MINTER

As we study Christian Science and begin to understand that the Christ—the true idea and spirit of God that motivated Jesus—is present with each one of us today, our needs change. We begin to see and feel that there is more to being Christlike than selfless love alone or the desire to be good. Jesus' command, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give,"^{Matt. 10:8;} is addressed to each of us. All of Jesus' teachings, including his command to heal, are relevant and practical today. When this is acknowledged, we begin to see there is much more to prayer, to church, to living, than we had previously believed.

To daily live the truth as Christ Jesus taught it is quite a challenge. Mrs. Eddy tells us: "Few understand or adhere to Jesus' divine precepts for living and healing. Why? Because his precepts require the disciple to cut off the right hand and pluck out the right eye,—that is, to set aside even the most cherished beliefs and practices, to leave all for Christ."^{Science and Health, p. 141;}

It is a challenge, for example, to exchange a material view of man for an understanding of his true spiritual identity, or to exchange the view that persons can be originators and creators for the truth that God is the only creator. It is challenging to give up the belief that man is sick and to replace it with the spiritual fact that man constantly expresses God-given health and perfection. It is challenging to turn away from what the physical senses tell us is true and listen through our spiritual senses to the truth that God is always telling us. But the rewards! As each challenge is met, as we "put off the old man with his deeds" and "put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him,"^{Col. 3:9, 10;} we begin to find the peace and happiness we have been searching for.