Can God punish a man for doing evil when He knows no evil?

Does a solid rock punish a man who kicks against it, or does it even know of the anger motivating the act? Naturally, the rock stands unmoved by the blows, but after a few hard kicks a toe might be less than comfortable. Obviously, the rock isn't mean or judging. But until the individual's nature is transformed and he conquers human will, he could continue to be rough on himself to the point where he might become extremely uncomfortable. We read in Acts, "It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." ^{Acts 9:5;}

Unless one holds fast to the rules of scientific Christianity, he is kicking against Principle, and divine Principle is immovable. Divine Principle remains steadfast, stable, mighty, dependable—yes, and loving, too, for it is eternally reliable, always there, blessing one and all equally. The results of kicking against it are self-inflicted. Understanding and obeying Principle brings freedom from penalty to all aspects of human life. Principle as Mind provides the intelligence for mankind to respond to the working of Principle in human consciousness, and this brings continuous renewal and transformation of character. Then willfulness, which would have men kicking "against the pricks," diminishes until it no longer claims to act in us.

This willfulness boasted right in the presence of Christ Jesus that men were tangled up in all kinds of difficulties. It insisted that one man could not stretch forth his hand, but "the palsied hand moved, despite the boastful sense of physical law and order," writes Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. She continues: "Jesus stooped not to human consciousness, nor to the evidence of the senses. He heeded not the taunt, 'That withered hand looks very real and feels very real;' but he cut off this vain boasting and destroyed human pride by taking away the material evidence." ^{Unity of Good, p. 11;}

This healing proved there was no real law to prevent the hand from moving. Indeed, according to divine law it could have moved at any time. How willful and hypnotic evil tries to be! Never hypnotized, Jesus always saw the present, uninterrupted perfection of man; therefore with Christly authority he could command the man to stretch forth his hand.

Today healings continue to occur, proving the Science of Christ. Still the aggressive determination and conceit of evil persist in their willful boasting. Evil would impose its penalties. It would destroy the confidence and goodness in men. It would suggest the goodness in human consciousness has less influence than the claims of evil. But one's innate goodness is his defense against this assertion. The undeniable element of Christliness in every individual's consciousness cannot be overlooked or forever concealed. Eventually he will respond to it. It will awaken him; and his nature will be transformed.

Paul wrote, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" ^{I Cor. 3:16;} Because man is "the temple of God," he includes all qualities that reflect God, and none that don't. But in human experience it is expedient, and indeed essential, to heed Paul's warning to the Christians at Rome, "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." ^{Rom. 12:2;}

An early account of such a transformation is Jacob's grapple with error at Peniel. Before this, he expressed duplicity, for although he manifested many good qualities, he was willful and deceitful at times. But now, as he struggled to straighten things out, a healing thought dawned in his consciousness. This angel then said, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." ^{Gen. 32:26;} Mrs. Eddy, describing what happened next, writes, "But the patriarch, perceiving his error and his need of help, did not loosen his hold upon this glorious light until his nature was transformed." ^{Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 308;}

A friend of mine was in need of the same kind of help. He was suffering from an obvious physical difficulty. But at a deeper level his problem, too, was duplicity. He had dissociated himself from a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, and fallen into ways that were not in accord with his highest standards. But, like Jacob, his inherent desire for good became stronger than the willfulness of evil.

He engaged a Christian Science practitioner to help him heal the physical difficulty, but the healing was not as quick as he had anticipated. The practitioner sensed that her patient wanted more than physical healing; that he, like Jacob, was insisting upon transformation of character.

When the practitioner mentioned this to him, he admitted his desire for complete healing and renewal. His sincerity was shown in the effort he made to stop smoking—an effort that was later rewarded in the loss of all desire to smoke, and that cleared the way for his eventual return to branch church membership. Within the week he was healed of the physical difficulty. Divine Principle was bringing everything concerning him into line with good.

Can anything prevent divine Principle from asserting its own law of good—its will for all of its ideas? Through the all-action of Principle men are able to recognize good. They do want to experience it. They do love it, and they can't be fooled out of it indefinitely. God's will must be "done in earth, as it is in heaven."  ^{Matt. 6: 10.} As one's thought yields up self-will and comes into line with Principle, it is in harmony with Love; for every quality that is identified with Principle is interchangeably identified with Love. They are inseparable.

Once a man's nature is transformed and he no longer kicks against Principle, Love, he no longer suffers. Thereby he receives not only his physical healing but also the real blessing—a spiritually transformed nature.