"Walk in the Spirit"

Duncan Sinclair

Christian Science sets a great task before mankind, namely, the overcoming of material sense, with its attendant false sense of a material selfhood. It is an urgent task, too, being necessitated by the fact that this sense, which witnesses to material selfhood, is the apparent cause of all human inharmony, all human suffering, fettering in every direction the capacities of men. This is not evident to those who believe in the reality of material sense and of matter, to which it witnesses, and are oblivious of spiritual reality as revealed by spiritual sense; but the truth is as Christian Science states it, and all must sooner or later acknowledge it and gain the understanding with which to prove it. As Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 223), "Sooner or later we shall learn that the fetters of man's finite capacity are forged by the illusion that he lives in body instead of in Soul, in matter instead of in Spirit."

Since the fallacy to be overcome is material sense, the sense which suggests that one lives in a material body instead of in Spirit, how must one proceed to bring about his emancipation? First of all, material sense must be acknowledged to be unreal, and therefore unreliable. And this is made possible by gaining an understanding of true being—God and His creation, including man. Christian Science teaches that God is Spirit and that His creation is spiritual, consisting entirely of spiritual ideas. It also makes plain the fact that there is no real material creation, since God, infinite Spirit, is the sole creator, and that, consequently, material sense is false—naught but erroneous suggestion. Man, thus, has his being in Spirit, Soul, not in so-called matter. Nothing that material sense suggests about man is true; spiritual sense alone reports truly concerning man.

Humanly speaking, the overcoming of material sense is no small task. Think of some of the fallacies it claims to fasten on mortals. It argues that man begins his existence at a point in time—the time of human birth; that he develops until he reaches maturity; that he then deteriorates until he dies. It argues, also, that throughout his entire existence on earth he is subject to material law and suffers accordingly, enduring sickness more or less frequently and being subject to sin with its degrading effects. It argues, further, for unhappiness, inharmony, lack of peace—all manner of evil, indeed. In short, by its untruthful arguments material sense would deface the image of God—spiritual man; would have us believe that no such perfect image exists, and would set up in its stead a material counterfeit subject to all manner of evil.

"The divine must overcome the human at every point" (Science and Health, p. 43). That this is possible was demonstrated by Christ Jesus. Through divine Science we must overthrow the fallacy that man began to live at human birth, by gaining the understanding that the spiritual real man has always coexisted with God, as God's idea. This correct view of man—our spiritual self—will destroy the fallacy that man grows, decays, and dies after the manner of a mortal. It will sweep away the lie, also, that man is ever subject to evil in any form—that he can be sick or sinful, or lack happiness, harmony, and peace.

We "walk in the Spirit" when we know and demonstrate spiritual truth. And every sincere student of Christian Science is aware of the result of such abiding. It means the overcoming of sensuous desires—"the lust of the flesh;" the proving that man's capacity for good is unlimited; that his intelligence is unfettered by false material law, and that his ability to do righteously and to demonstrate health is proportionate to his understanding of man as God's image or reflection. Christian Science offers a full salvation from all the limiting beliefs of mortal mind, whose fabulous servant is material sense.

It is highly desirable that students of Christian Science should cultivate the affirming of the truth. Thus, when they know that God is Love and that Love, therefore, is omnipotent, they should dwell on that truth, ponder it, affirm it, in order to bring about that realization of it before which no belief of error or evil can continue. Neither sorrow, sin, suffering, disease, nor any other false belief can persist before the realization of the truth that Love is omnipotent. Our Leader says on page 39 of "Unity of Good," "The lust of the flesh and the pride of physical life must be quenched in the divine essence,—that omnipotent Love which annihilates hate, that Life which knows no death."

Knowing well the value of dwelling in spiritual truth, Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia: "Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty;" "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." The apostle's words apply to every student of Christian Science.

Duncan Sinclair

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