Jesus promised his disciples, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; .... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." ^{Mark 16:17,18.}

A correlative statement by Mrs. Eddy tells us: "Christian Science involves a new language, and a higher demonstration of medicine and religion. It is the 'new tongue' of Truth, having its best interpretation in the power of Christianity to heal." ^{No and Yes, p. 44.}

As we think about these passages, we find ourselves coupling "new language" ("tongues") with healing. When we turn to God in prayer and away from sinful, sick, limiting thinking, our thoughts are clothed with "language" that acknowledges the presence, power, and love of God. These thoughts disrobe, so to speak, the counterfeit, deluding naggings of evil, so that evil's message is seen for what it truly is: falsehood. When we lift our thoughts to God, pressing and depressing suggestions are replaced by the recognition of God's power to heal. The right thinking that recognizes God's healing power comes as revelation and in Spirit's language. It includes, for one thing, replacing negative concepts like sickly, weak, incurable, dying, with healing, affirmative ones, like healthy, strong, whole and complete, immortal. We do well to discipline ourselves to cultivate Spirit's language.

To illustrate: If we think and speak the language of football in referring to tennis, we'll fail to improve our understanding of tennis—or anyone else's grasp of the game. Similarly, if we think and speak in terms of a material body, we'll fail to improve our understanding of man's true, spiritual selfhood.

The Bible is filled with the rewards of glorifying and praising God as the Giver of all good. Voiced adoration can sometimes be a good jumping-off place for acquiring the language of Spirit. The Psalms gloriously lead the way. Clearly, when we are gratefully praising God, we cannot be mentally or verbally sorrowing, judging, doubting, or ruminating about the apparent presence of evil. The result must be a lifting up in place of a casting down. And isn't it true that it is impossible to submit to discouragement while we are praying the Lord's Prayer, or singing hymns? Yes, using language that turns us to God (realizing the practical significance of its message) turns off despair.

We learn in Christian Science that Spirit is God, who is also Mind, all-knowing Mind, communicating itself to us always in Godlike thoughts. Such thoughts are healing agents for the very reason that they do come from God, the incomparable healer. Virtually everything Christ Jesus said, as recorded in the Bible, is a healing statement. He spoke God's Word, or the language of Spirit, even as he thought it; and it was this Word of God that caused the sick and the dying to see themselves as Jesus saw them—whole and free. Obviously, what Jesus chose to speak was a naturally beneficial expression of inspired consciousness. We can choose inspiration as the initiator of our words and acts.

When Jesus said, "Go thy way; thy son liveth," ^{John 4:50.} he expressed his spiritual understanding of the immortality of man. The result was the healing of the nobleman's son. Jesus knew death was no part of Spirit, eternal Life. All through biblical accounts about the Master are proofs that he reversed materiality with the language of Spirit, spiritual sense. This enabled him to provide human evidence of the God-created perfection of man and the universe.

This human evidence took the form of raising the dead, redeeming sinners, healing the sick, and filling needs. He told the disabled man to get up and walk—and he did (see John 5:8, 9). He told Jairus's daughter, who lay dead, to rise—and she did (see Mark 5:41, 42). Moreover, when the disciples reported empty nets, the Master instructed them to cast them "on the right side" for an abundance of fish—they did and there was (see John 21:4–6).

Spirit-based thoughts come to our consciousness more and more as we reach for spiritual unfoldment to oust matter-based thoughts and false mortal beliefs. Mrs. Eddy states, "Of a man it has been said, 'As he thinketh in his heart, so is he;' hence as a man spiritually understandeth, so is he in truth." ^{Science and Health, p. 213.}

Whether we're communicating with friends or strangers, the communication takes on the radiance and power of Truth, God, when we utilize the language of Spirit. This language can be expected to bring proof of God's love for us, whatever the circumstances, until the latter yield to harmony. " 'The new tongue' is the spiritual meaning as opposed to the material," Mrs. Eddy explains in Christian Healing. "It is the language of Soul instead of the senses; it translates matter into its original language, which is Mind, and gives the spiritual instead of the material signification." ^{Hea., p. 7.}

Soul is Spirit, God; and Soul heals, comforts, and satisfies.