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“Prove your true, spiritual selfhood today!”
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“Truth”
for July 22-28, 2024
by John & Lindsey Biggs, C.S of Maryland Heights, MO
541 418 1176 johnbiggscs@gmail.com
541 460 3515 biggs.lindsey@gmail.com
Introduction
This week’s Lesson is all about proving our true, spiritual selfhood. We do this through the help of the Holy Spirit and the sword of Truth driving out all error and revealing who we really are as the spiritual image and likeness of God.
As the apostle says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (II Corinthians 5:17)
Golden Text
“And now the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you:” (II Samuel 2:6)
It’s God’s will to show kindness and truth to you!
What is Truth? The Truth is your spiritual, perfect nature. Identifying ourselves spiritually helps us to experience the Kingdom of Heaven here and now. Truth is always beautiful, good, and pure – so, if it’s not these things then it’s not the Truth! Truth wants you to be healthy, Truth wants you to prosper in good works, Truth wants only good for you! This is how God’s nature is expressed!
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”. (John 14:16)
So the Truth of Jesus Christ is in our hearts and minds. It is our inherent good nature. And it enables us to choose the good each day. Choosing good thoughts. Choosing God’s good view of you. God wants us to be joyful, healthy, happy, and free – just the way God made you! So say “no” to sin, darkness, and error and experience the joy and freedom of the Kingdom of Heaven now – the only place where you truly live safe and sound. Understanding who we are is our defense against the dark, enabling us to shine more and more each day. We have infinite Light within us – a light that comes from God, the Kingdom of Heaven within. That means it isn’t dependent on anything external. This light radiates from our conscious oneness with God – a spiritual light that enables us to bring light and healing to others since it is the light of the Holy Spirit. We can live this light and shine it each day.
God knows everything about you and behold it is very good!
Responsive Reading
These passages from Isaiah indicate a universe singing praises to God!
What a joy to think of each idea of God – from the sky to the land to the mountains all singing praises to God. Isn’t that what Jesus showed us – an earth in utter obedience to the law of God? Since God’s law is harmony and holiness, we can prayerfully understand that the entire universe – earth, wind, water, – are under God’s law of control.
Section 1 – The Sword of Truth
Truth drives all error out of selfhood. So anything that isn’t from God – any tares in the human consciousness – cannot last. It must be driven out by the sword of Spirit. Doesn’t this hint at a true, spiritual selfhood – pure, holy, and good?
“We ought to weary of the fleeting and false and to cherish nothing which hinders our highest selfhood.”
(Science and Health, p. 68:6)
“Man’s [Our] genuine selfhood is recognizable only in what is good and true.”
(Science and Health, p. 294:25–26)
We want to prove our true, immortal selfhood each day. Our true spiritual selfhood is pure, fresh, loving, precious, complete, and very good. This enables us to put off a sense of existence separate from God and realize we are God expressed. Our spiritual selfhood is the reflection of God.
We can be that beautiful, precious, and pure idea of God here and now – especially as we put off the “old man” and put on the “new man” – our real Christ nature and identity which is totally spiritual (see Col. 3:9, 10).
Here are some additional references to sword that I found interesting in its relation to the “tree of life” in Science and Health.
+“The two-edged sword of Truth must turn in every direction to guard “the tree of life.””
(Science and Health, p. 458:17)
+“The “tree of life” stands for the idea of Truth, and the sword which guards it is the type of divine Science.”
(Science and Health, p. 526:17–19)
+“… He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”
(Science and Health, p. 537:5 2nd He)
Section 2 – Real peace
As I was reading this section I was struck by the peace and joy that overflows the narrative. I appreciated how this was not just a happy-go-lucky or “fluffy” narrative but a true illustration of the sincere joy and peace that accompanies the presence of heaven. Something important about peace is that it isn’t merely the opposite of war.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” Peace requires active commitment. The images presented in Bible citation 6 (Zechariah 8:5,7,8) of children playing in the streets and everyone gathered under the salvation of God are not images that depend on random circumstance but on the settled and lived law of divine Love. It’s not just, “Oh, it’s a nice day today, let’s go play!” but the promise and certainty of God’s love, and the people’s response to this assurance.
So what steps are needed to allow or promote this experience of heaven? There’s no doubt that every single person on earth wants to have peace…the problem is that everyone has different ideas as to what that peace looks like. Most people tend to think that peace sort of requires everyone to agree with what they think peace is…like, I think that this political party has a closer grasp to harmony than another political party, so obviously everyone in the opposing political party must be wrong and has to change their mind before we can find peace. Well, hopefully you caught my sarcasm there — and that sarcasm was to illustrate that actually, peace is so much more than just everyone agreeing.
Mary Baker Eddy addressed this head-on in several letters to the Field, which are re-published in the section “Peace and War” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, page 277). She talks through directing the Field to pray for peace, and then retracting and clarifying when it became clearer what the actual need was (see 279:20-281:14). Perhaps she saw that people were focused on praying for what THEY thought should happen. Her concluding statement is very instructive:
“I cited, as our present need, faith in God’s disposal of events. Faith full-fledged, soaring to the Horeb height, brings blessings infinite, and the spirit of this orison is the fruit of rightness, — ‘on earth peace, good will toward men.’ On this basis the brotherhood of all peoples is established; namely, one God, one Mind, and ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself,’ the basis on which and by which the infinite God, good, the Father-Mother Love, is ours and we are His in divine Science.” (Miscellany, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 281:6)
I heartily recommend this entire “Peace and War” section of Miscellany! And it gives me such hope and joy to know that peace is NOT dependent on whether or not you or I can imagine exactly what it looks like; it is not dependent on whether or not you and I agree on a certain number of things. I wrote this in an article called “How can I talk with people who have differing political viewpoints?” for the October 16, 2018 Teen Connect.
Peace is the function of heaven, the natural law of God — and it DOES require commitment and activity — and so we can confidently keep looking to God, divine Love, perfect Truth, to see our part in that. The boys and girls DO have the right to play in our neighborhoods (paraphrasing Zechariah 6:5), every single one of them, regardless of income, background, faith, race, or anything — to play, and to come home safely. Thank you God for calling us all; I’m so grateful for your heaven!
Section 3 – God’s calling on in your life
This is such a great story of Samuel being called by God. God speaks to us in exactly the way that we can understand. (I Samuel 3:1-10, 19, cit. B11)
Each of us has a calling – a way to express the unique talents and gifts that God has given us. The Bible is full of wonderful examples of God calling precious individuals to be needed, active expressions of divine power to their people. Elisha, Jeremiah, Deborah, Saul, Abraham, Joshua, Mary, and Moses among many others all were asked to serve God and responded to God’s call in unique ways.
Ultimately the common thing that binds all of these people in the Bible was that the power, ability and intelligence came from God; they were simply asked to reflect God’s Word. They were asked to lose a little bit more of their own personal sense of selfhood to better reflect the divine Ego, helping to usher in God’s salvation. When they followed and obeyed God, they were able to do the works they were called to do.
The ultimate example, Jesus, said “I can of mine own self do nothing…I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (John 5:30)
Jesus recognized his total oneness with God and this gave him the power to accomplish all that he needed to do. Perhaps there is no one who knew his dependence on God the way that Jesus did. He knew he couldn’t succeed or achieve anything without God. So, this truth is the same with each of these examples in the Bible.
Mary Baker Eddy writes: “… He has called His own, armed them, equipped them, and furnished them defenses impregnable.” (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 10:9–10)
We can accomplish the good that God has asked us to achieve. When we put all of our mental weight in the right scale – on the side of God, good – then we feel God’s strength supporting us, giving us the endurance that we need, and furnishing an opportunity for God to be glorified. When we put off a former, old sense of self and put on our new spiritual selfhood then we allow God’s light to shine through us.
“Knowledge that we can accomplish the good we hope for, stimulates the system to act in the direction which Mind points out.” (Science and Health, p. 394:7–10)
Section 4 – Know Truth
The closing statement in this section’s Bible passages, citation 16, is from John 8:32: “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” This may be a very familiar statement to you! The problem is, we often read that as a conditional statement. Have you ever edited that statement in your head, and seen it as, “IF you know the truth, THEN the truth will make you free?” I know I have done that, and in the course of my practice of Christian Science I have talked with many people who are convinced that their problem is essentially a function of them not knowing enough truth, or not knowing the truth well enough. But, does the truth, depend on whether or not we know it’s true?
Jesus did not say, “IF you know the truth, THEN the truth will make you free.” He said, both here and in essence throughout his ministry, “Know the truth. The truth is that you’re free.” It’s not that, if you don’t know the truth, then it might not be true. The truth doesn’t depend on you! One nice thing about truth, is that it doesn’t matter if you know it or believe in it; it remains true.
When we say we’re worshiping God, we are worshiping Truth. Not just a truth, but Truth itself. Truth as a literal being, the existence of Truth beyond just an adjective — Truth as proper noun and as self-existent Being. What is Truth? God, good, divine Love. That is the truth, and that is Truth. This is why honesty and telling the truth is so important; it’s an opportunity to actively and intentionally honor God! For instance, no wonder Mary Baker Eddy says this in the beginning of her brief response to the question, “How should I undertake to demonstrate Christian Science in healing the sick?” She replies, “Be honest, be true to thyself, and true to others; then it follows thou wilt be strong in God, the eternal good. Heal through Truth and Love; there is no other healer.” (Rudimental Divine Science p. 8:7, 11)
Let’s return to Jesus’ statement in the Gospel of John. We’re clear that there is not a conditional statement in that familiar passage about knowing the truth, and the truth making us free. But, you know, there IS an if / then statement here. It comes one verse earlier. “… If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31 If, 32) IF you continue in Jesus’ word, in following his teachings, THEN you’re Jesus’ disciples, and you know the truth, and the truth is freedom.
In following what Jesus taught, we discover what is true, and are able to avail ourselves of it. Whether we follow him or not, the truth is still there – we are still free. But, if we consciously and actively follow what he taught, then we’re his disciples, and in doing that, we KNOW the truth and are enabled to consciously avail ourselves of the eternal truth, which enables such great service to both God and man.
Section 5 – Walking the walk with grace and courage
As I was reading this section, I was struck by how Bible citation 17 (Isaiah 6:8) introduces citation 18 (Acts 20:7-12), the story of Paul preaching and Eutychus falling asleep and falling out a third-story window. Paul was sent by God — called to preach and declare the Gospel message. And as I was reading these two citations, it struck me that it might have been very disheartening for Paul to realize that his preaching hadn’t kept everyone awake! And it might have been tempting to feel very pressured to “make something happen!!” after Eutychus fell. But Paul just hugged him, embracing him, letting Love shine out. Looking to divine Love, to pure Truth, he felt assured that “his life is in him,” and he returned to his calling, to his preaching. And the truth of Eutychus’ safety was made apparent to all.
We don’t need to be embarrassed or ashamed if those around us don’t quite seem to latch onto, or be interested in, the good we are trying to share. Of course it behooves us (and benefits those around us) to make sure we’re communicating in clear ways, appropriate for the context — we don’t need to drone on and on! But it’s a real joy, and a real protection to ourselves and our audience, to let ourselves just shine with the light of Love. Nothing personal about it, nothing based in our own opinions or trying to cater to other people’s opinions. Just pure sharing, without any fretting if the whole thing doesn’t seem to come through.
Love will keep showing us how to share more freely, more fully, more correctly. Mary Baker Eddy clearly and compassionately instructs us in Science & Health, “Consistency is seen in example more than in precept. … If our words fail to express our deeds, God will redeem that weakness, and out of the mouth of babes He will perfect praise.” (354:18 (only), 20–23)
Walk the walk, and the talk will come!
Section 6 – Fidelity to Truth and Love
“We approach God, or Life, in proportion to our spirituality, our fidelity to Truth and Love…” (cit. S31, SH p. 95:6–10)
We approach God in proportion to our faithfulness to Truth and Love.
Here are some expanded ideas on fidelity from the 1828 Webster Dictionary:
“Faithfulness; careful and exact observance of duty, or performance of obligations; Firm adherence; loyalty; adherence to Truth”
We can have an exact adherence to Truth! What a wonderful idea. Is that allowing the sword of Spirit to guide and guard us – bringing every thought into obedience to Christ?
When “the motive-powers” of Truth and Love govern us (see cit. S30, SH p. 490:6-8), it’s usually when we are losing a sense of “self” apart from God; this could be a sinful self or a self that is opposed to Spirit. Any sense of self or existence separate from God needs to be put off. Then God can be glorified!
When we realize we are simply God’s selfhood expressed, we lose human wants and wills. We are disengaged with the wants and pulls of material existence and conform more readily to God’s will, recognizing that for God’s will to govern and control us is for us to experience supreme harmony. So, losing a sense of self apart from God, enables us to express the divine Ego! Isn’t this what Jesus proved everyday? A law of goodness, a law of harmony, the kingdom of heaven right here on earth.
You may enjoy exploring the definition for I AM (and for I/Ego) in the Glossary, which says:
“I AM. God; incorporeal and eternal Mind; divine Principle; the only Ego.”
(Science and Health, p. 588:20)
As a beloved hymn says: “…Losing self, in Him we find / Joy, health, hope, for all mankind.” (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 73:2)
You may enjoy this interesting article about a practical application for the idea of Ego.
Ego-man, the Reflection of Ego-God
Enjoy living this spiritual selfhood today!
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