Article December 20, 1919 Issue

Christ Jesus and Man

RICHARD A. CORDELL

To one who has threaded his way through the confused maze of ancient and modern philosophy, psychology, and ethics, the clear, satisfying logic of Christian Science comes as a basic theology which promises eventually to solve all the great problems still unanswered after two thousand years of Christianity. It is as the sword that cuts the Gordian knot of creed, formalism, and materialistic worship. It offers for the first time in nineteen centuries a reasonable, convincing explanation of the relation of man to God, and of man to Christ Jesus.

A topic of to-day to which a great deal of serious attention is being given is that of church unity, which, however, can never be realized so long as men blindly cling to rites, ceremonies, and formal worship, instead of worshiping God "in spirit and in truth." Recently the writer was engaged in a certain undertaking in company with three ministers of different denominations. In the course of our conversation the subject of church unity was mentioned. All three agreed that it was no longer merely a possibility but an ideal which would probably be reached before the end of this century. They also agreed that the first thing to do would be to find some basic idea to underlie a universal religion. Upon being asked to venture an opinion as to what this should be, the writer answered that we could do no better than to consider the two fundamental requirements of the Christ-life formulated by Jesus: Love God supremely, and love one's neighbor as one's self. One of the ministers replied rather warmly that such a statement was an insult to Christ Jesus himself, for the fundamental demand of Christian religion is to accept Christ Jesus as our personal Savior. The writer silently expressed his gratitude to God for the understanding of Christian Science, which shows us so clearly the relation between God and man, and between Christ Jesus and man. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 26) Mrs. Eddy says, "While we adore Jesus, and the heart overflows with gratitude for what he did for mortals,—treading alone his loving pathway up to the throne of glory, in speechless agony exploring the way for us,—yet Jesus spares us not one individual experience, if we follow his commands faithfully." To think that Jesus personally is interceding with God in our behalf not only detracts from the perfection and omniscience of God, but also contradicts such direct commands as, "Work out your own salvation." Only by following in his footsteps can we progress in understanding until we realize that we are indeed the sons of God and joint heirs with Christ. Merely saying that we believe in Christ Jesus amounts to nothing. Not by profession but by actual demonstration do we express our love of God and our allegiance to the Christ-life. Empty phrases employed without the understanding of their real meaning will never enable us to have that Mind in us "which was also in Christ Jesus."

What Christian Scientists need most to know is that each one must work out his own salvation. This means an unceasing prayer, an unyielding purpose to cast from us the material sense of things, to rid ourselves of hate, malice, criticism, fear, self-pity, and the belief that there is a power opposed to God. Although this is an individual task, we have the inspiring example of the Master ever before us, supplying us daily with fresh courage and hope. Christian Science refutes the vicious teaching that man is a miserable sinner, "a worm of the dust;" it teaches instead that man is created in the image and likeness of God, Mind. Christ Jesus revealed the Son of God, that we may know, as John says, that "now are we the sons of God." Because man is inseparable from God, Christ Jesus could reflect the divine idea of God, and he did so more fully than any man who had ever trod the earth. In the scale of progress we are all striving toward the manifestation of the God-idea; as Christ Jesus proved this unity with God so may we prove it, through demonstration of Christlike thinking and living. Our task is to assimilate more and more of the Christ, Truth, and grow in spirituality until we reach those divine heights where, in the words of the beloved disciple, "we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

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