The precious gift of Holy Scripture
During the coronation service for King Charles III in Westminster Abbey on May 6, a copy of the King James Bible was presented to him. When he received the Scriptures, these words were spoken by a church minister: “Receive this book, the most valuable thing that this world has to offer. Here is Wisdom; this is the royal law; these are the lively oracles of God.” These “lively oracles of God” continue to garner rapt attention from scholars, general readers, and study groups.
Mary Baker Eddy, who founded The Christian Science Monitor, was a devoted student of the Bible. Her discovery of Christian Science in 1866 was based on revelation and her extensive scriptural research. She designated the Bible and her primary work, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” as the textbooks of Christian Science.
Bible study reveals the nature of God, infinite Spirit, and our permanent relationship to God. It enables us to understand more fully our identity as the expression of Spirit, which the first chapter of Genesis reveals as spiritual, whole, and complete. This account of spiritual creation in the opening chapter of the Bible is foundational to the theology of Christian Science.
For me, the Bible is an unfailing source of comfort, inspiration, and spiritual strength. My daily practice of Christian Science is based on the study of it together with Science and Health. Exploring the Scriptures has enabled me to encounter spiritual warriors such as Moses, Jacob, and St. Paul. It has enabled me to appreciate the spiritual gifts of courageous women such as Ruth, Esther, and Phebe. The stories of such individuals have inspired and enriched my life.
Science and Health states, “The Bible teaches transformation of the body by the renewal of Spirit” (p. 241). I’ve had many experiences when Bible verses have helped me find guidance, protection, and healing.
Several years ago, I was at home wrestling with flu symptoms. Turning to God for help, I read this verse from the Hebrew Scriptures: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).
This verse affirms that God, Spirit, maintains our true identity as the manifestation of Spirit. I began to understand that God was sustaining my entire being as His image – whole, sound, and free from sickness. Gratefully, I was able to complete the tasks assigned to me that day. Within 24 hours, I was free from the discomfort of flu symptoms.
My understanding of that Bible verse lifted my thought from a material perspective – that I was separated from God and contending with a contagious belief – to the perception of spiritual reality, where our identity as the reflection of Spirit is forever maintained. Scriptural study has the power to transform our lives. It opens the way to discovering our genuine, God-defined spiritual identity – which in turn brings joy, freedom, and true contentment.
In the New Testament, we read, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (II Timothy 3:16, 17).
The teachings of Christ Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels, are especially helpful in promoting this moral and spiritual awakening. They provide a foundation for Christian living and healing. The Christian Science textbook explores the teachings and ministry of Jesus and reveals the Science of Christ – the scientific laws that are demonstrated in Jesus’ healing works. As we strive to put Jesus’ teachings into practice in our own lives, the Gospels become alive and replete with meaning and relevance.
The Bible proclaims the majesty and might of divine Spirit and reveals the constancy and permanence of our relationship to God. It teaches us that challenges of any nature can be overcome through prayer and steadfast trust in God.
Each of us can receive the Bible as a precious gift and joyfully discover our relationship to God, who is guiding us, providing constant protection, and maintaining our wholeness. The priceless value of the Scriptures is revealed as we allow its message to uplift and transform our lives.
