Article January 22, 1921 Issue

The First Commandment

FRANK BARNDOLLAR

Of all the benefits to be gained through the study of Christian Science, that which is of greatest value to humanity is without doubt the ability to reason in accord with divine Principle. This ability to distinguish between right and wrong or to judge rightfully, is the very source of innumerable joys and comforts. It furnishes for the student vivid glimpses of a life which is entirely separate from any sense of the physical, and causes him to realize the infinitude of Mind and Mind's infinite manifestation.

Now not the least of these revelations brought about by the use of reason is the significance of the Master's answer to one of the scribes who came to him in the temple at Jerusalem and asked him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." Then did Jesus immediately do that thing which is so requisite in the demonstration of God's ever presence and omnipotence, namely, he denied the human sense testimony which would say there was other love than that for the Lord our God. He said, "And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." In other words, he made it emphatic that loving God supremely made it an impossibility to do otherwise than manifest this infinite love toward all mankind. It was a definite statement to the effect that hatred, envy, and malice are false and untrue conditions.

The completeness of Love was later on declared by the beloved disciple, in the words: "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in God, and God in him. ... If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" Here we find John endeavoring to silence the lie that would make it appear that man could reflect anything but absolute Love.

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