Article June 18, 1955 Issue

SALVATION THROUGH RIGHT IDEAS

KATHERINE PUFFER

How to obtain salvation from the flesh with all its woes and miseries has ever been a question of solemn import to mankind. The theory has been propounded that God devises and institutes all the conditions of fleshly existence. To God have been attributed the ills and diseases resulting from false teachings of theology, philosophy, and so-called science. Some teachings, although condemning mankind for sin, have tried to save them. As long as condemnation is a main doctrine of theology, mortals are left in a state of hopelessness and despair.

Jesus' disciples, referring to a man blind from his birth, asked their Master (John 9:2, 3), "Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus completely discarded all materialistic logic regarding sin, penalty, salvation. He said, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents." There was no note of condemnation for the man or his parents. In making manifest the Word of God, which was his mission, Jesus exempted the patient from the mortal belief of penalty. Salvation rather than eternal damnation was Jesus' rule of operation. With his vision of the reality of the perfect man whom God creates, he regarded as vagaries of belief what had seemed so real to others. Thus he was able to release the man "blind from his birth"' from his bondage and to restore his sight.

Jesus said that he was the light of the world, meaning that the Christ, which he demonstrated, destroyed darkness, superstition, fear, disease. The Master knew that whenever a right idea enters human consciousness, it dispels false mortal beliefs, making the individual free. The Psalmist sang (Ps. 119:130), "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."

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