In the Christian Science Bible Lesson November 24, 2014 Issue

Evil is powerless

For the Lesson titled: "Ancient and Modern Necromancy, alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced" from November 24-30, 2014

Nancy Fischer

The subject of this week’s Bible Lesson from the Christian Science Quarterly, “Ancient and Modern Necromancy, alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced,” conveys a lot! But it boils down to the fact that anything based on the belief that mental malpractice has intelligence or power is not only denounced but impossible in the face of the allness and omnipotence of God, good.

The Golden Text immediately focuses our thought on the absolute power of good: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, 23). Law in this case can mean a material rule, a binding custom or practice, enforced by a controlling authority. Metaphysically, it refers to any so-called law of evil or matter.

Throughout the Lesson we see examples of God’s goodness expressed. The result is always “against such there is no law.” As Mary Baker Eddy puts it in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “Mankind must learn that evil is not power” (p. 102, citation 24).

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

In the Christian Science Bible Lesson

Serving with love on Thanksgiving