THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW
The life and teachings of the Master revealed the Christ to human consciousness. His works were in demonstration of his words, and in these works those who had eyes to see beheld the proof of God as ever present and able to help in every time of need. Obedience to the law and the prophets had prepared the world for the coming of the Christ, who was revealed just as soon as the hearts of men were ready for the blessing. At the very beginning of his ministry Jesus declared that he had not come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to add to the great good already accomplished and to teach humanity that the time for the fulfilment of the promises of Scripture was at hand.
The law as given by Moses is based upon the right concept of God and man. It exerts a restraining influence on the actions and thoughts of men. It is a rebuke to that which is wrong and makes possible the discernment of the right. When the law was given to the children of Israel in the wilderness, it was as high a revelation of Truth as they were able to receive at that time. The law, with its numerous demands upon them, was in such striking contrast with the life that they had lived in Egypt, that it was with the greatest difficulty they were able to comprehend even in small degree what was required of them. The revelation of Truth was as the brightness of the noonday sun, and Moses "put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished."
The purpose of the law is clearly revealed in the words of Paul when he wrote to the Galatians: "The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ." He goes on to say that the time comes in human experience when the law is no longer needed: "But after that faith [or spiritual understanding] is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Humanity has need of the law until sufficient spiritual understanding is gained to enable men to act from Principle at all times. Christ and not the law should govern men, but if the Christ is not discerned, the law is the only thing that will insure progress. Truth must be presented in such a manner that it can be comprehended in part at least, or it is as the seed that falls by the wayside. The children of Israel were in bondage to the Egyptians because they did not know the true God. If they had understood Him, this understanding would have delivered them, even as they were delivered through the understanding of another when God sent Moses to show them the way out of bondage.
The purpose of the law when it was delivered to Moses was to reveal the true God to the children of Israel and to save them from the idolatrous beliefs and practices of the Egyptians. Its mission today is to uncover and destroy the various erroneous beliefs which have caused humanity to fall down and worship many gods. A person is not an idolator knowingly. He could not worship or have faith in anything that he understood was devoid of intelligence, power, or reality. Because he believes that the object toward which his thought is directed is real and has power and perhaps intelligence, he has faith in it and is willing to rely upon it. The "Thou shalt not" of the law serves to arrest thought and action and to turn the gaze in the right direction.
Obedience to the Ten Commandments makes it possible for humanity to comprehend and love God How can the man who has gods many—believes in more than one power or creator—have any right conception of the one infinite Being? The understanding of what God is, forbids man to have other gods. The revelation of God to the individual consciousness comes as a direct command not to do a certain thing. If the divinely awakened one is obedient, he is rewarded by a clearer realization of what God is and what He does; but if he refuses to obey, he continues in darkness and pays the penalty for his disobedience. Through obedience to the law one is instructed in righteousness, and he comprehends more clearly what is necessary on his part to find the reign of harmony within.
The law points the way to Christ, and when Christ, Truth, is discerned the work of the law is accomplished. If it were not for the belief in error—the sense of reality, pleasure, and power in evil—the law would not be necessary. The false sense must be rebuked; in other words, mortals must be made to see that the indulgence of evil results in suffering. The fear of punishment may be the only reason the sinner has for turning from sin. This motive is not an exalted one, but it is better to refrain from evil through fear of consequences than to continue its indulgence. So long as mortals continue in sin there is little hope of progress, but when for any reason they have turned from evil, a step in the right direction has been taken. If one demand of the law has been complied with, other demands are recognized that were before unknown, and when the way is pointed out it is possible to walk therein.
To begin with, the work of the law may be largely negative in character. It points out what may not be done, but it is paving the way for instruction in righteousness. Negative goodness will not suffice, for good is positive; but it is not possible for good to develop in that consciousness which is the embodiment of evil. The sense of evil must be rooted out to make rooms for good, and if mortals are not ready for the gospel they must learn obedience to the law. However, the law as it at first comprehended does not reveal the reality of being wherein is no sense of evil. The fulfilling of the law, wherein the oneness and allness of infinite good is realized, is the work of Christ. When Christ instead of the law governs a man, he thinks and acts from an entirely different standpoint. His righteousness is not merely a refraining from evil; it includes the doing of good. The consequences of wrongdoing have no terror for him, for he has learned that all pleasure and satisfaction is in good and there is no pleasure in evil. If the penalty for wrong-doing were removed it would make no difference to him, for Christ, Truth, and not the law, prevents the indulgence of evil.
In Christian Science the Christ is revealed to humanity, and the work of overcoming sickness and sin is carried on most successfully. Obedience to the law in its highest sense is possible only as the gospel is understood—and demonstrated. Christian Science rightly interprets both the law and the gospel, and the healing works accomplished in the early centuries of the Christian era are being repeated today, proving that the saving Christ has come to all who are prepared to receive Truth. In all ages the law is the schoolmaster bringing humanity to Christ. When spiritual understanding is gained, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."
