Repentance

Duncan Sinclair

Every one who has studied Christian Science from its textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," knows the stress that Mrs. Eddy lays on the allness of God, good, and the unreality of evil. On page 339 she says: "Since God is All, there is no room for His unlikeness. God, Spirit, alone created all, and called it good. Therefore evil, being contrary to good, is unreal, and cannot be the product of God." The teaching is perfectly clear. Surely no one can fail to apprehend its meaning.

Now, Christian Science is finding its way to all sorts and conditions of men, making its appeal of the allness of good and the unreality of evil to every ear open to receive it. It is reaching the seemingly healthy sinner, as well as the seemingly sick sinner, not to condone evil in thought, or in deed, or in word, but to awaken out of the mesmeric illusion of material sense, which is the source of every evil belief. And in order that the reality of good may be demonstrated and the belief of evil confounded, there is one great necessity,—repentance. In the very paragraph from which the above quotation was taken is the following: "Only those, who repent of sin and forsake the unreal, can fully understand the unreality of evil." The words resemble those of Matthew in the fourth chapter of his gospel, where he says, after recording the temptation of Christ Jesus in the wilderness, "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Perhaps repentance is a phase of the question of salvation which is apt to be overlooked; and this may account for what sometimes seem to be slow healings, either of sickness or sin. Is there genuine contrition for the erroneous beliefs that may have been held and practiced? Has evil been seen to be a base imposture, stealing away spiritual happiness and blessedness? Have its fleeting pleasures been acknowledged as altogether illusory; or are they still indulged for the satisfaction they seem to give? Whatever be the answers, it is certain that sin must be recognized for what it seems to be, as well as for what it is not, before regeneration can take place. Mrs. Eddy analyzes the situation perfectly in her First Address in The Mother Church (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 107). There she says, "Three cardinal points must be gained before poor humanity is regenerated and Christian Science is demonstrated: (1) A proper sense of sin; (2) repentance; (3) the understanding of good." And she continues a little farther on: "The lack of seeing one's deformed mentality, and of repentance therefor, deep, never to be repented of, is retarding, and in certain morbid instances stopping, the growth of Christian Scientists. Without a knowledge of his sins, and repentance so severe that it destroys them, no person is or can be a Christian Scientist." Nothing but the vision of the perfection of God and of His creation, man, can bring about the sequence which our Leader so clearly states.

In the scheme of human salvation, repentance is always necessary. Even the sick person, before he can be healed, has to "repent," that is, think differently about or reconsider the beliefs he has held regarding disease. Is not that what most people do who come to Christian Science for healing? They see the Christian Science position, that good is real and evil (including disease) unreal, and they turn from, or repent of, their former sick or sinful attitude. In doing so, they have taken a forward step toward "the understanding of good," which heals.

As the two malefactors hung on their crosses on either side of Jesus, did not one of them behold the perfect man in the Saviour, and did not the revelation bring about his repentance and subsequent healing? Said the repentant one to his unrepentant companion, "We receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." Jesus' words to the repentant sinner were, "Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

John the Baptist preached repentance. "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." Jesus did the same; but he went farther, healing the sick and the sinning after repentance. It is recorded in Mark's gospel that he "began to send them forth by two and two. ... And they went out, and preached that men should repent," casting out devils and healing the sick. Thus, in demanding repentance of those who would be healed, Christian Science is entirely in line with New Testament practice. John's words have been proved true, times without number, in Christian Science practice: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Duncan Sinclair.

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"Do all to the glory of God"

December 8, 1923

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