Editorial September 21, 1935 Issue

The Perfection of God

Duncan Sinclair

In its attempts throughout the ages to know God aright, mankind has had a great mental struggle. The heathen have had all manner of gods, created by themselves and corresponding with their own erroneous beliefs. And even peoples who cannot be regarded as uncivilized have had very false views of Deity: we call them pagan races now. The Hebrews were monotheists—they believed in one God—but Jahveh or Jehovah was really a tribal God; and as can be inferred from their doctrine of "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," they believed that Jehovah sent both good and evil on mankind and had, therefore, a knowledge of both good and evil. This fallacy, however, gradually gave place to a more accurate concept of Deity.

Christ Jesus did not adhere to the doctrine of requiting evil with evil. He taught and practiced quite otherwise, the reason being that to him God was perfect. Never in any of his sayings did the Master hint that there is imperfection in the divine nature. Rather do we read in the fifth chapter of Matthew, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." To him God was the Father, who loved His children with a love so great that never for an instant did He cease to care for and protect them.

The concept of God which Christian Science teaches—as did Christ Jesus—is that He is perfect. God is infinite Mind or Spirit, infinite good. If Christians, generally, were asked if they understood God to be infinitely good, probably most of them would answer, Yes. But if the further inquiry were made of them, Then, do you understand that good alone is real? the answer would likely be, We cannot say that, since evil appears to be prevalent among men, and often as powerful as good. What are they doing when they will not admit that good alone is real, even in the face of the apparent prevalence of another power called evil? They are virtually denying the perfection of God.

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