Editorial November 4, 1972 Issue

Perfection in Proportion to Purity

Carl J. Welz

Many who take up the study of Christian Science are puzzled by the fact that some who profess to be Christian Scientists exhibit qualities that fall short of perfection. If man is the perfect reflection of the perfect God, they ask, how can one who understands this think imperfect thoughts or live an imperfect life? The puzzlement is aided and abetted by the pronouncements of some who act unkindly or dishonestly and attempt to justify their actions with quotations from the Bible or the writings of the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy.

To understand this question, we need to consider the implications of Christ Jesus' experience with his disciples. Here were twelve men who left their customary ways of life to follow the great Exemplar of the Christ, Truth. They walked with him, listened to his teachings, heard his flawless answers to their questions, and witnessed his incomparable healing works. Yet Luke records two instances when the disciples disputed among themselves "which of them should be accounted the greatest."^{Luke 22:24; see also 9:46;} When Jesus should have had their support at Gethsemane, the disciples slept. Judas betrayed him. Peter lost the courage to stand up for Jesus and denied him three times. After the resurrection, Thomas refused to believe Jesus was Jesus until he saw the wounds on his body.

After the disciples had seen the risen Jesus, they went fishing and caught nothing until he appeared on the shore and rebuked them, "Cast the net on the right side."^{John 21:6;} Mrs. Eddy gives us the essence of this event: "His gloom had passed into glory, and his disciples' grief into repentance,—hearts chastened and pride rebuked. Convinced of the fruitlessness of their toil in the dark and wakened by their Master's voice, they changed their methods, turned away from material things, and cast their net on the right side."^{Science and Health, pp. 34. 35;} If we stop here, we might conclude that the moment we accept the truth of spiritual being our lives become examples of perfection. But see what Mrs. Eddy says in the sentence that follows: "Discerning Christ, Truth, anew on the shore of time, they were enabled to rise somewhat from mortal sensuousness, or the burial of mind in matter, into newness of life as Spirit."