Article November 5, 1966 Issue

Our Debt of Gratitude to Christ Jesus

EUGENE ALISON SCHROEDER

The distinction which Christian Science makes between the impersonal Christ and the personal Jesus—the former being the divine Way and the latter the human Way-shower—is vital. Yet this distinction does not diminish the Christian Scientist's gratitude to the man Christ Jesus. The world is deeply indebted to Jesus for his unparalleled demonstration of the Christ, and our hearts glow with gratitude to him for his self-sacrifice, humility, and love.

Jesus loved mankind and labored for their redemption from sin, disease, and death. His life and works exhibited the presence and activity of the saving Christ, or power of God, and revealed the nature of God to be Love.

Jesus was born of a virgin; thus he partook partly of the fleshly sense of existence, though in greatly attenuated degree. Christ, on the other hand, is the eternal Truth outside the flesh. Jesus' embodiment of the impersonal Christ enabled him to be the Way-shower out of the illusion of fleshly existence. But even while showing us the way out, Jesus had to do battle with the sense of existence as material. The victory was not won without a struggle. His success in conquering this false sense evidenced the activity of the Christ in human consciousness. Hence we credit the Christ with the power which saves, but acknowledge with awe the self-surrender that characterized the human Jesus.

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