Article July 24, 1937 Issue

Your correspondent takes exception to the quotation...

Stanley M. Sydenham, Committee on Publication for Yorkshire, England,—Mexborough

South Yorkshire Times

Your correspondent takes exception to the quotation from the Christian Science textbook on the atonement, which reads (p. 18), "The atonement of Christ reconciles man to God, not God to man; for the divine Principle of Christ is God, and how can God propitiate Himself?"

No doubt he accepts as true the Biblical declaration, "The Lord he is God; there is none else beside him." The all-inclusiveness of this statement needs to be recognized, however, as it has a direct bearing upon the question of the atonement, and all other theological problems. In her book "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 13), "Seek the Anglo-Saxon term for God, and you will find it to be good; then define good as God, and you will find that good is omnipotence, has all power; it fills all space, being omnipresent; hence, there is neither place nor power left for evil." This is strictly in accord with the Scriptural record in Genesis, "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Because there is "none else beside him" and God made everything good, to God there is nothing but good, and everything is good; therefore God is not conscious of any evil person or thing, and nothing needs to be altered or changed. This is in agreement with another declaration attributed to God, "I am the Lord, I change not."

So long as God is dishonored by being held responsible for a fallen man, or the belief is entertained that He permitted man to fall, or that He is even conscious of a fallen man, then the true nature of God is not understood. The statement, "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he," sets forth in unmistakable language the fact of God's ignorance of evil; but an even more emphatic declaration is that found in Habakkuk: "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." In other words, creation, to the creator, is good, and very good, beautiful, pure, and perfect. This creation includes man, of whom it is written: "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. ... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him." The image and likeness of a sinless God is a sinless man, and God and man, and man and God, are eternally at one.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
Your report on February 1 of a bishop's comments on...
July 24, 1937
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit