Article March 8, 1952 Issue

SALVATION IS INDIVIDUAL

DOROTHY HUNT SMITH

Paul said (II Cor. 5:20), "We are ambassadors for Christ,"— living witnesses to Truth in the community. Jesus is the great Exemplar. He taught man's oneness with the Father. He said of himself (John 10:7, 9): "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.... By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." Jesus did his work well. It will never need to be done again. Through all the centuries since his time his example has been available to those who have looked for it. Certainly we cannot add to or detract from this example.

Mary Baker Eddy's part was to point out how all mankind may walk in the pathway which was trod by the Master. She says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 165), "The truth uttered and lived by Jesus, who passed on and left to mortals the rich legacy of what he said and did, makes his followers the heirs to his example; but they can neither appreciate nor appropriate his treasures of Truth and Love, until lifted to these by their own growth and experiences."

We must live up to our highest ideals of manhood and womanhood, but we must not feel that the welfare of any other individual is determined by our success or failure. We are working out our own salvation, because that is our individual responsibility. As we do our job well we shall help others. But if in our endeavor to do our job well we assume false responsibility, this will slow our progress. Each one of us has a direct approach to God. He needs no intermediary. This is not to say that there are not times when each of us has needed to call on another to help him; but many a Christian Scientist has had occasions when he was unable to reach a practitioner or friend and was forced to turn independently to God, with gratifying and strengthening results.

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
CASTING THE NET
March 8, 1952
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit