Article April 17, 1937 Issue

The Goodness of God

OSCAR GRAHAM PEEKE

Centuries ago the Founder of Christianity endeavored to impress his hearers with his teachings about "the kingdom of heaven." Everything he had to say on this subject was of such vital importance to humanity that, had his words been accepted and understood by his hearers and all who subsequently embraced the Christian religion, it is safe to say that today there would be no unemployment problems, no lack of supply, no fear of wars, no competitive armament building, and that what are termed the forces of nature would be rendered less destructive.

Christ Jesus discoursed largely on the goodness of our heavenly Father and of the wonders of His kingdom. In his Sermon on the Mount he pointed out that in God's kingdom every living thing is lovingly cared for and protected. He gave verbal illustrations of this truth, and exhorted his followers to free themselves from doubt and fear, "for," said he, "it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." In his teaching he clearly indicated that acceptance of God's kingdom, or the kingdom of heaven, is tantamount to being conscious of God's ineffable and unchangeable goodness.

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 590) Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, defines "Kingdom of Heaven," in part, as follows: "The reign of harmony in divine Science; the realm of unerring, eternal, and omnipotent Mind." Too long have the great majority of Christian people suffered from the false belief that access to God's kingdom may be attained only through the gateway of death. Christ Jesus never taught that. He said, "The kingdom of God is within you," making it clear that it is a divinely mental realm, to be entered here and now. He came, as is stated in Mark, "preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ... the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." Throughout his entire ministry the gospel, or good tidings of the kingdom of God, ever at hand, was the keynote of his teaching.

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