Article May 10, 1969 Issue

Overcoming Self-righteousness

KATHLEEN O'CONNOR

Religions based on a personal sense of God and man, however rigorously adhered to, tend to produce a personal sense of righteousness in their adherents. Paul evidently sensed this personal sense of righteousness in the Judaism of his time, for he wrote, "They being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." Rom. 10:3; He knew that self-righteousness was the sin of Pharisaism, which had led him to persecute the early Christians and which had crucified their Lord and Master, Christ Jesus.

The spiritual sense of God and man as taught in Christian Science alone furnishes the true basis of righteousness or right thinking and acting. This Science reveals man as the perfect, sinless image and likeness of God, who is Spirit, divine Mind, the source of all righteousness. The more these truths are understood and practiced, the less self-righteousness will be in evidence, till it gives place entirely to the kingdom of heaven, which Christ Jesus taught is within us. Mrs. Eddy writes, "Heaven is not a locality, but a divine state of Mind in which all the manifestations of Mind are harmonious and immortal, because sin is not there and man is found having no righteousness of his own, but in possession of 'the mind of the Lord,' as the Scripture says." Science and Health, p. 291;

Earnestly pondering this beautiful statement, a Christian Scientist asked herself, "Am I truly willing to have no righteousness of my own?" After much self-examination and heart-searching she ventured to answer in the affirmative. Thereupon the thought came to her, "If you are willing to have no righteousness of your own, then you also have no unrighteousness of your own!" This angel thought brought much comfort and healing, and has been treasured as a milestone along the road to overcoming a personal sense of righteousness.

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