The Fullness of God
Christian Science teaches that our duty towards God is to seek to express every true quality joyously, continuously, without regard to circumstances; for, as our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, tells us on page 183 of "Miscellaneous Writings," "Man is God's image and likeness; whatever is possible to God, is possible to man as God's reflection."
In the light of Christian Science, which teaches that all the gifts of God are impartially bestowed upon all, parents need no longer calculate their children's prospects, their gifts and capacities, according to genealogy. From the time an adult begins his study of Christian Science, he need no longer measure his future accomplishment by his limited achievement in the past. Neither should the so-called chronic invalid believe that it is too late for him to regain perfect health. It is never too late to put off personal limitation by means of spiritual reflection. The past is past, and a glorious prospect stretches before each and every one in this realm of spiritual reflection of the fullness of God, good.
This spiritual progress and expansion is the exact opposite of the methods of so-called mortal mind, whose ignorance and pride prohibit it from relying on anything but itself, and whose only concept of progress is along the line of willpower, mortal self-development, and personal ambition. In human history it is often found that men of great gifts, even men of genius, have lamentably failed because their character and nature have not measured up to their artistic or intellectual gifts.
Christ Jesus was "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." He knew that "in all points" God, the creator, is perfect and has nothing but perfection to impart to His image. In all points, therefore, Christ Jesus humbly relied upon God, good, and triumphed through that alert and faithful spiritual reflection which never leaves any opening for limitation in any right endeavor. The fact of experiencing temptation is not in itself a sin; and the student of Christian Science is equipped with spiritual enlightenment and spiritual strength for every siege, be it a short or a prolonged one. Jesus knew that in all points spiritual man is immune from temptation and invulnerable to sin, disease, and death. There are no false traits, no merely negative beliefs, in spiritual man. The gifts of God are not offset or handicapped by any opposite weakness, for in spiritual consciousness there is no evil. Hence, through holding calmly, perseveringly, to the unfailing goodness and fullness of God, one finds that temptation yields to the triumph of Spirit over matter; and once again, God is glorified in His image. Hence, no one need feel that he is penalized by past mistakes.
Christian Science teaches one to "put off the old man with his deeds," and to "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." It bids us, not to reform, but to relinquish in all points, the old concept of man. The remedy for mortal discord is a fuller reflection of the divine nature. When any temptation besets us, what is our incentive in resolving to overcome it? Is it the desire for relief or for more spiritual reflection? Christian Science assures us that we must always look immediately to divine Mind for our every motive, desire, and means of fulfilling God's perfect purpose in us.
It is, therefore, our duty towards our heavenly Father to express His invariable joy; to have a smile in our hearts as well as on our lips; to be sincere, loving, true to Truth and Love, in all our spoken and unspoken thoughts. It is impossible for God to be joyless; hence the Christian Scientist should not allow any mortal suggestion of separation from God, good, to rob him of that radiant quality which lights the upward path all the way. Then he will not lose time in straying down the blind alley of self-pity or discouragement.
The Apostle Peter refers to our becoming "partakers of the divine nature." Our gauge, our measuring rod, then, is whether or not the life we are leading, the health we are expressing, the thoughts we are entertaining indicate that we are endeavoring in all points to express the divine nature. The true Christian Scientist is not merely on guard against faults, but he is ever watchful lest he be lulled by apathy and contentment into too limited an expression of the divine nature. He may never feel hateful; but is he always actually and impartially kind and courteous to all? Although he may never be sad, the Christian Scientist should ever be watchful not to seem joyless or heavy-laden. Each one's prayer should be that he may be filled with "the fulness of him that filleth all in all." How this fullness of reflection of God's nature comes as a balm to fill every aching heart; to enrich every heretofore barren life; to banish from mind and body every sick belief; to "strengthen ... the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees;" to revive fainting hopes; to purify, strengthen, and sweeten our everyday life! How full and free to all is man's heritage of spiritual reflection! How complete, all-satisfying, and unifying in the bonds of righteousness is this ever increasing reflection of God! In her poem "Christmas Morn," our Leader thus writes of the God-idea (Poems, p. 29):
"Fill us today
With all thou art—be thou our saint,
Our stay, alway"!
Violet Ker Seymer
