Editorial June 7, 1919 Issue

The Immutability of Principle

Ella W. Hoag

The thought of God in His unchangeableness ever presents to consciousness the true sense of reliability, of the fixity of good, and leaves no room for belief in insecurity or of indecision in any direction. This invariableness of God has always been loved, because men have needed to find in Him this element, since without it they would have been left to uncertainty and the possibility of destruction. "I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed," says Malachi, in declaring for the immutable God. It is because God is changeless and indestructible that men can find their redemption from uncertainty and destructibility. Did God contain within Himself a single element of change the case of mankind would be hopeless; but since God is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever, men may be delivered from belief in all that is insecure, transitory, and unreal.

Although the Bible has always proclaimed this invariableness of God to be the invariableness of perfection, the human standpoint, with its beliefs in the reality of both good and evil, God and devil, has left mortals in a confusion of conclusions. In spite of this, however, men have gone on loving to think of God as absolutely changeless good, because they have been reaching out for something on which they could depend, for something which would not fail them when they most needed it. This very immutability of God has always been drawing them, for has He not said, "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee"? This same changeless, everlasting Love has given to the world in Christian Science the definition of God as "incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love" (Science and Health, p. 465). God has thus provided a demonstrable assurance of what He is and of how He always has been and always will be eternal, unchangeable, unimpeachable, reliable. This furnishes the thought receptive to Truth with a constant reason for its hope and reveals divine Principle upon which to base all conclusions and decisions.

The human standpoint of a double-minded premise can never reach correct decisions. To start mistakenly must be to end in a mistake. Christian Science shows clearly that only as one begins and remains with fixed, unalterable Principle, can any right decision ever be reached. Commencing to work from the basis of a human selfhood,—my opinion, my way, my desire, even my belief as to what Principle dictates,—everything is immediately wrong. Such limited human judgment and self-will shut out all possibility of discerning the will of God. On the other hand, waiting in all humility for the unfolding of God's invariable law of right opens the door to perfect decision under every circumstance. In all problems the question of right decision is one of serious import. The revelation which Christian Science brings of available, fixed Principle immediately lifts thought above fear,—the fear of mistake or of indecision,—for it assures one that he may always know exactly what the right decision is, since he may be guided to all his conclusions by perfect intelligence, perfect wisdom, perfect Mind. It is therefore seen that there is no cause for fear, because with such perfect guidance all results must be perfect. One longs to place immediate reliance on such wonderful directing, and thereby lose the old, tormenting sense of indecision. The determination to do this may be gained to-day. One need not be disturbed, however, if the ability always to discern instantaneously the decision which divine Principle indicates is not so quickly won. Many lessons must be learned before this desideratum can be realized.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

The Immutability of Principle

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access