Article April 3, 1976 Issue

Seeing Spiritual Existence

JAMES CHAPMAN, JR.

How does one know that spiritual existence is tangible? Spiritual reality cannot be detected by the physical senses. A material mentality or mortal mind cannot conceive of spiritual things. This is why perception of the tangibility of Spirit may elude us at first. But as we understand through Christian Science that man reflects divine Mind, Spirit, that he does not possess a private, material mind, we begin to understand and perceive spiritual existence.

Spirit is the only true substance. Matter is a false sense of substance, a belief in the existence of reality apart from Spirit. Spirit is the only cause. Its effect is the universe of perfect spiritual ideas, living and moving in infinite Mind.

Our perception of the reality of spiritual existence is the standpoint from which we gain the power to heal. Discord or limitation can be healed by first understanding it to be a subjective state of delusive, mortal thought and then by realizing its unreality. Approaching problems as actual conditions to be changed, rather than as false beliefs to be dispelled, we will think our prayers have to change matter. And to the degree that we think to change matter, we will doubt, and thereby undermine, the power of our prayers. But when an apparent material condition is seen to be a false belief, the discernment of the specific spiritual counter fact of that belief—the scientific truth that destroys it—will make the belief vanish from thought, the only place where it ever claimed to exist. Then our healing work is done, and we have but to know that it is done.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Poem
QUESTION & ANSWER
April 3, 1976
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit