Chapter XV - Genesis
Creatures of God useful
515:1
It supports Christian healing, and enables its possessor
It supports Christian healing, and enables its possessor
to emulate the example of Jesus. "And God saw that
it was good."
The serpent harmless
515:4
Patience is symbolized by the tireless worm, creeping
Patience is symbolized by the tireless worm, creeping
over lofty summits, persevering in its intent. The ser-
pent of God's creating is neither subtle nor
poisonous, but is a wise idea, charming in its
adroitness, for Love's ideas are subject to the Mind which
forms them, – the power which changeth the serpent
into a staff.
515:11
Genesis i. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our
Genesis i. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our
image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over
the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping
thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Elohistic plurality
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The eternal Elohim includes the forever universe.
The eternal Elohim includes the forever universe.
The name Elohim is in the plural, but this plurality of
Spirit does not imply more than one God, nor
does it imply three persons in one. It relates
to the oneness, the triunity of Life, Truth, and Love.
"Let them have dominion." Man is the family name
for all ideas, – the sons and daughters of God. All that
God imparts moves in accord with Him, reflecting good-
ness and power.
Reflected likeness
515:25
Your mirrored reflection is your own image or like-
Your mirrored reflection is your own image or like-
ness. If you lift a weight, your reflection does this also.
If you speak, the lips of this likeness move in
accord with yours. Now compare man before
the mirror to his divine Principle, God. Call the mirror
divine Science, and call man the reflection. Then note
516:1
how true, according to Christian Science, is the reflection
how true, according to Christian Science, is the reflection
to its original. As the reflection of yourself appears in
the mirror, so you, being spiritual, are the reflection of
God. The substance, Life, intelligence, Truth, and Love,
which constitute Deity, are reflected by His creation;
and when we subordinate the false testimony of the
corporeal senses to the facts of Science, we shall see
this true likeness and reflection everywhere.
Love imparts beauty
516:9
God fashions all things, after His own likeness. Life
God fashions all things, after His own likeness. Life
is reflected in existence, Truth in truthfulness, God in
goodness, which impart their own peace and
permanence. Love, redolent with unselfish-
ness, bathes all in beauty and light. The grass beneath
our feet silently exclaims, "The meek shall inherit the
earth." The modest arbutus sends her sweet breath to
heaven. The great rock gives shadow and shelter. The
sunlight glints from the church-dome, glances into the
prison-cell, glides into the sick-chamber, brightens the
flower, beautifies the landscape, blesses the earth. Man,
made in His likeness, possesses and reflects God's domin-
ion over all the earth. Man and woman as coexistent
and eternal with God forever reflect, in glorified quality,
the infinite Father-Mother God.
516:24
Genesis i. 27. So God created man in His own image,
Genesis i. 27. So God created man in His own image,
in the image of God created He him; male and female
created He them.
Ideal man and woman
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To emphasize this momentous thought, it is repeated
To emphasize this momentous thought, it is repeated
that God made man in His own image, to reflect the
divine Spirit. It follows that man is a generic
term. Masculine, feminine, and neuter gen-
ders are human concepts. In one of the ancient lan-