Editorial June 8, 1974 Issue

Loving and Being Right

Carl J. Welz

Until our desire to love equals our desire to be right, we will never be right. Until our care for the people who have broken a moral law is greater than our pride in rebuking them, our rebukes will have no meaning. Not that we should ever neglect the law and its enforcement, but that we should understand the nature of its fulfillment.

All true law is of God. He is the only lawgiver. But God is Love. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Love is the fulfilling of the law."^{Rom. 13:10;} And Mary Baker Eddy, in the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, gives a definition of "Moses" which includes these words: "...the proof that, without the gospel,—the union of justice and affection,—there is something spiritually lacking, since justice demands penalties under the law."^{Science and Health, p. 592;}

Much misunderstanding occurs over the distinction between loving and being right—usually because it is believed that one must do either one or the other. But the teachings of Christ Jesus make it clear that one cannot be right without expressing love. In fact, he stressed gaining a right relationship to God through being truthful to oneself and through love. Only then could wrongdoing be exposed and corrected.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

"What am I doing wrong?"—An Answer