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The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

—Romans 8:2

Exploring Bible Verses

An exploration of Bible citations from the Christian Science Quarterly® Bible Lessons

“. . . a lesson on which the prosperity of Christian Science largely depends."—Mary Baker Eddy

from the Golden Text

Psalms 119:174

I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my delight.

The Hebrew verb save (yasha’) has the primary meaning of being open, wide, or free. Salvation (yeshu’a) describes the freedom of deliverance, victory, health, welfare, and prosperity. The names Joshua and Jesus are related to these terms, and indicate the saving role of God’s appointed messengers.

from the Responsive Reading

Romans 8:28

We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

In early Christianity, a “call” was typically a summons by God to perform a certain function or job—for instance, to become a prophet or apostle. Similar to a court summons today, a call required a response. One source notes that the call of God invariably elicits the willingness to serve.

Being “called” is closely related to the concept of “election,” the belief dating from Old Testament times that God’s people are chosen by Him. “Mine elect,” the book of Isaiah tells us, “shall long enjoy the work of their hands” (65:22). In the New Testament, believers are commonly referred to as “the elect.” Second Peter counsels, “Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (1:10).

from Section 1

6 | Psalms 40:7, 8

Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Scholarly views on the meaning of “the volume of the book” vary widely. It could refer to charges about the choice of a Hebrew king (see Deuteronomy 17:14–20) or to prophetic instructions (see example in Psalms 2:7–12). It’s equally possible that it alludes to divinely commanded writing, or to all the books of the Old Testament. Whatever its significance, David is expressing his humble willingness to serve and obey God.

from Section 2

7 | Hebrews 8:10

This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.

That God’s law is alive in our hearts rather than merely inscribed on stone is a recurring theme in Scripture. Here the writer cites the prophet Jeremiah’s eloquent depiction of a new covenant with Israel (see Jeremiah 31:33). 

To his fellow Christians at Corinth, the Apostle Paul writes, “Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (II Corinthians 3:3). One commentator writes, “Our message has been engraved not in stone, but in living men and women.”

9 | John 3:3

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The Greek word for again (anōthen) can also mean “from above.” Nicodemus assumes its literal sense, as evidenced by his question about entering “the second time into his mother’s womb” (verse 4). That Jesus meant “from above”—signifying transformation to an entirely God-centered life—is made clear in the Master’s explanation to Nicodemus (see vv. 7–12).

from Section 5

20 | Acts 1:1 

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.

The “former treatise” is the Gospel of Luke. Together, the books of Luke and Acts—written by the same person—form a unified work on the history of Christianity.

Nothing is known about the man Theophilus. The name may have referred to a generic Gentile reader, or to a Gentile patron who supported Luke’s writings. In Luke 1:3, the apostle addresses him as “most excellent,” implying that this man may have been of high social or official rank. The Greek name Theophilus was not uncommon, and means “friend of God” or “dear to God.”

21 | Acts 2:38

Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Peter is addressing a crowd of devout Jews. Moved by his explanation of the speaking in tongues that had just taken place, they ask, “What shall we do?” (v. 37). 

His answer combines the theological concepts of repentance, baptism, forgiveness of sins, and reception of the Holy Ghost—elements of Christian practice that appear throughout the book of Acts. In verse 16, Peter identified the events of that day with Old Testament prophecy (see Joel 2:28). Now he uses the phrase “in the name of Jesus Christ” to relate Christian teachings to Joel’s promise: “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered” (2:32).

Related Healing Ideas

Take it from the top

By Elaine R. Follis
From the July 17, 2000, issue of the Christian Science Sentinel

The teachings of the Bible run very deep. Often, even the most familiar narratives include far more than what appears on the surface, and yield surprising insights when closely examined.

A good example of this is found in the third chapter of John’s Gospel in the Bible. Here John relates the visit Christ Jesus received from Nicodemus, a prominent Jewish leader. Nicodemus came to Jesus under cover of darkness, perhaps to protect his reputation. But darkness may also represent the state of his thinking, enshrouded perhaps in tradition, pride, and intellectualism. In either case, something within Nicodemus must have wanted enlightenment. Without waiting for Nicodemus to frame a question, Jesus announced to him, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (verse 3).

Exploring the Greek word ’anōthen, translated here as “again,” reveals some of the deeper significance of this narrative. ’Anōthen has within it the preposition ana, which means “above.” So the word literally means “from above.” By extension it comes to mean “from the first,” or “from the beginning”—and hence, “again.”

What was Jesus asking of Nicodemus? In today’s language, we might say that he was encouraging Nicodemus to “take it from the top”—to begin with God, instead of with human factors, to understand himself. Wasn’t Jesus asking Nicodemus to start all over again in thinking through who he was, this time acknowledging God, Spirit—not flesh—as his origin?

To be sure, such a change of perspective would involve a major break with customary ways of thinking. It did in Nicodemus’s time, and it does today. But it leads to a happy discovery: that each one of us is essentially spiritual, an idea of God expressing His perfection.

This discovery is “square one” in the practice of Christian Science. Mary Baker Eddy, its Discoverer, says as much. She writes, “The starting-point of divine Science is that God, Spirit, is All-in-all, and that there is no other might nor Mind,—that God is Love, and therefore He is divine Principle” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 275).

Regeneration, a word that literally refers to being born again, is a hallmark of Christian discipleship. Jesus’ further conversation with Nicodemus (see John 3:4–8) indicates that this new birth involves more than a ceremony. It demands a completely revised view of one’s identity, based not from below—on human factors like culture, heredity, education, and reputation—but from above, on the premise of God, Spirit, as the origin and sustainer of all creation.

People sometimes feel burdened by a troubled past—a heritage of limitation or abuse, a tragic mistake, a missed opportunity—and long for a fresh start. Taking things “from the top”—from the basis of God, good, as the only cause and creator—brings freedom from regret. It reveals the good that God is constantly pouring out to us.

Nothing can prevent this new birth, and everyone has the opportunity to experience it. What blessings are ours as we discern the Christ speaking to us, revealing the perfection that is our essence as God’s creation. This happens as we open our hearts to a fresh, spiritual perspective on reality—as we “take it from the top.”

_{To read the entire article, which has been shortened to fit this page, go to jsh.christianscience.com/take-it-from-the-top.}