Discipleship

Duncan Sinclair

When one thinks of the disciples, one generally has in thought the little band whom Jesus gathered around him during his ministry. The twelve men who comprised it went about with him on his journeys throughout the land, listened to his words explanatory of eternal Life, and witnessed the healings he accomplished through his knowledge of God and his understanding of spiritual law. In this way, and by talks he had with them when alone, on the things of Spirit and Truth, they were prepared for the work of spreading the truth among their fellow-men.

The disciples, then, were followers of the Master, those who accepted his words as explanatory of spiritual things, and who were convinced that both his words and his works testified to his Sonship with God, or, in other words, that his words and works proved him to be the Messiah, the one foretold by the prophets, who should reveal the Christ to mankind. The disciple band of twelve, with the exception of the one who betrayed him, remained loyal to the teaching and practice of their great Teacher and friend; and the New Testament bears striking witness to the faithfulness with which, amid misunderstanding and persecution, they carried the truth to men and helped to establish the early Christian church.

But Christian discipleship is not limited to those early pioneers of Christianity. It is correct to think of all who are striving to follow the Master's teachings and example as his disciples. Immediately this is conceded, however, questions may arise as to what exactly were his teachings. And although the words which he used in expounding them, as the four Gospels record them, are simple, everybody knows how numerous are the Christian sects which have sprung into existence because of different interpretations of these teachings.

It will be remembered that, after Jesus "called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases ... he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick." Also, that after he had "appointed other seventy also," he told them to go their ways and into whatsoever city they should enter to "heal the sick ... therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." The commands are plain: his disciples were to preach the nearness of the kingdom of God and to heal the sick!

Jesus' requests to his followers stand out very distinctly; and we may know from a perusal of the Acts of the Apostles how nobly they were obeyed in the early days of Christianity. There was another great test of discipleship, however, which Christ Jesus made known during that wonderful intimate talk of his with his disciples before he left them on the morning of his ascension. John records it in the thirteenth chapter of his Gospel, after recounting the departure from their midst of the one who was to betray the Master. Jesus' words were: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

That, then, is how discipleship is viewed by the Christian Scientist. He has come to understand, through the study of Christian Science, the nature of God and His laws, and by this understanding to comprehend the teachings of Christ Jesus, thereby finding himself in some measure able to reflect divine Love and to heal the sick as the Nazarene desired his followers to do. And never for an instant does he dissociate the tests of discipleship referred to above. The Christian Scientist knows that love is absolutely essential as a factor in spiritual healing. Eliminate love, the reflection of the divine Principle, Love, and Christian Science healing is impossible.

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 21) Mrs. Eddy gives wise advice to the student. She writes: "If the disciple is advancing spiritually, he is striving to enter in. He constantly turns away from material sense, and looks towards the imperishable things of Spirit. If honest, he will be in earnest from the start, and gain a little each day in the right direction, till at last he finishes his course with joy." Our Leader's words indicate the method of learning to love; for that is what is going on as thought is being spiritualized. How close is the connection between spiritualized thought and the power to love! They are indeed indissoluble. And how impossible not to heal when thought is spiritualized!

Never can the Christian Scientist allow himself to forget what is demanded of him. The commands of Christ Jesus stand out before him directing the bent of his every thought, those Christian commands to make known the truth, to heal, and to love, which in their details are homologated throughout the whole of the teachings of Christian Science. How earnestly does the Christian Scientist pray for the Mind of Christ, that he may radiate that love which is divine Love reflected, and so to heal even as Jesus healed!

Duncan Sinclair

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