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Our unity with God
For the lesson titled "Doctrine of Atonement" from October 10–16, 2011
This week’s Bible Lesson, titled “Doctrine of Atonement,” reveals a God of love, unrivaled, and intent on bringing His children back to Him if they stray. Reconciliation (or reuniting, bringing back together, and causing to coexist in harmony) is at the heart of atonement. The Lesson shows how understanding our oneness with God is the only way to realize the permanence of God’s harmony in our lives—and in our world.
As I did some research to see why Mary Baker Eddy may have included the subject of atonement as one of the 26 Lessons to be studied twice each year, I discovered a 19th-century lecture on the topic. It pointed out that atonement is made up of three syllables, at-one-ment, “ment” coming from the Latin mens, or mind, which means that atonement signifies “at one mind” (Rev. Dr. Jonathan Bayley, 1858, www.biblemeanings.info/talks/bayley2.html). Atonement is a subject that has been viewed in many different ways over the years. Eddy calls it “a hard problem in theology” (Science and Health, p. 23, citation 19). Many view atonement as a one-time event taking place when Christ Jesus shed his blood on the cross to take away the sins of the world. Eddy proposes: “The atonement requires constant self-immolation on the sinner’s part” (ibid.).
In the Old Testament we read of priests sacrificing domestic animals to make restitution to God for the sins of the nation (see e.g., II Chron. 29:24). In the New Testament we learn that Christ Jesus is the one mediator between God and man (see I Tim. 2:5, Golden Text). The Christ brings God and man together. Since God is unchanging Love, the Christ always brings us in line with God—not the other way around.
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October 10, 2011 issue
View Issue-
Letters
Mary E. Baxter, Sancy Nason, Marisa Flores
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A blessing for all
Kim Shippey, Senior Editor
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Boston churches honor September 11 anniversary
Sentinel staff
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Spiritual preparation for pregnancy and childbirth
By Ingrid Peschke
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A dad-to-be takes his cue from Joseph
By Trevor Snorek-Yates
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Praying for my grandson
By Lynne Scheiern
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Willing to change course?
By Sandra Justad
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Living God’s mercy
Michael Shays
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When my husband was fired: how I prayed
By Janet Davis
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Dance club angels
By Erin Plum
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Divine energy at exam time
By Valérie Roy
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Stomachache healed
Laudes
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Embody Church—all day, every day
By Sandra Shrewsbury
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‘. . . expectation speeds our progress’*
Wendy Ely
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A sense of belonging that is ‘gold’
Lynley Campton
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A spiritual response to drought and famine
Nellie Gitau
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Our unity with God
By Kathy Fitzer
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Protected from injury, challenges resolved
Elena Toft
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Infection and injury healed
Alexandre Fischer
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Shoulder injury healed
Andrew Heining
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Progress in process
The Editors