Article October 21, 1939 Issue

What Is Obedience?

KIMMIS HARTLEY HENDRICK

In one of her writings (Message to The Mother Church for 1900, p. 8) Mrs. Eddy says, "Learn to obey; but learn first what obedience is." Then she goes on to point out that unwilling compliance with another's demand is not real obedience, implying that real obedience is marked by love.

What is obedience? Paul defined it when he spoke of "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Actually, then, obedience demonstrates man's likeness to divine Love, for it is manifested in the active reflection of Love's qualities. This demonstration is made possible through the revelation of Christian Science, which teaches us why it is that John made an exact statement when he said, "Now are we the sons of God."

On page vii of the Preface to "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes, "The only guarantee of obedience is a right apprehension of Him whom to know aright is Life eternal." Through our study of the Bible and our Leader's writings and through our honest efforts to live their clear teachings day by day, Christian Science unfolds to us the correct apprehension of God. We come by degrees to know His infinitude, His utter goodness, and His unopposable power. We begin to comprehend that the real man lives to express Him. We also discover that the truth about the real man is the truth about ourselves.

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