Article March 1, 1982 Issue

The manner of divine Love

ELEANOR YOUNG CLAPP

In one of his epistles John tells us, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."^{I John 3:1.} The implications of these words lead us to understand the spiritual nature of God and man. The love implied here is infinite and divine and lifts our definition of man right out of "the world," or mortality. This love reveals man as untouched, even unknown, by matter or mortal thinking. At the heart of Christian Science is this understanding of God as divine Love.

When I was young, I attended different Protestant Sunday Schools, sometimes with my parents and sometimes with a neighbor. I gained a concept of God as a stern judge who watched my every act. I was taught to feel unworthy of His love, although He loved me in spite of my sins. I tried very hard to be good, but every Sunday I had to repeat aloud with everyone else that I was a miserable sinner in spite of my efforts. I felt confused. God surely didn't love sin. How could He love me, a sinner?

When I was eleven years old I had an accident in the woods. As I was bending over picking ferns, a stick went into my ear and punctured the eardrum. My grandmother had heard of Christian Science and suggested we try it. This was the first time that I learned of a God of love who actually did not know evil. He loved me, not in spite of my sins, but because He saw only my real, spiritual identity, which He had created. This identity is sinless, and He keeps it that way.

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