Article May 22, 1920 Issue

One of the correspondents who has written criticizing...

Peter B. Biggins

Red Deer (Alberta) Advocate

One of the correspondents who has written criticizing Christian Science, desires Scriptural authority for the teaching that Jesus is not God. This is amply afforded by Christ Jesus' own words. When the young man came to him, addressing him as "Good Master," Jesus replied: "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." If Jesus, or Christ, were God, the Master would not have spoken as he did. Christ Jesus was simply enabling the young man to understand that God is infinite good, and that the Christ is the manifestation of God's goodness.

Upon another occasion when the Jews were stoning him, the Master asked why they did so, and they answered: "For blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." In reply, Jesus did not deny that he was a man, but he corrected them on the other point. These were his words: "I said, I am the Son of God." His words clearly show that he did not claim to be God. They also show that he saw the need of correcting their misstatement in regard to this vital point. Christian Scientists believe that Christ Jesus knew best who he was. They accept his own unmistakable teaching as to his identity; especially, too, since the understanding of this fact is the basis of the Christ-healing restored in Christian Science. His words, "I and my Father are one," are in perfect harmony with his specific teaching that he was not God. These words simply mean: I and my Father are at one, in unity. Thus he signified the inseparability of the Christ from God, just as the rays of light are inseparable from the sun, and manifest the sun's brightness, although the rays are not the sun. It is through the sun's rays that the radiant light and genial warmth of the sun reach the earth. So it is through Christ, the manifestation of God, that God's goodness and love and healing power reach and bless humanity. This Christ, moreover, is as present now as in Jesus' day, in confirmation of his own words, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

Both critics quote the opening words of John's gospel, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." In the light of Christ Jesus' own clear teaching as to his identity, the explanation of this passage is beautifully simple: "The Word was God" made manifest. So also in the case of the Master's words to Philip: "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" made manifest. Christ Jesus' mission was to manifest the Father, to manifest Love.

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