Part 3 (1/2)
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel.
- PAUL.
For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of G.o.d shall come. - JESUS.
Divine oneness
18:1 ATONEMENT is the exemplification of man's unity with G.o.d, whereby man reflects divine Truth, Life, 18:3 and Love. Jesus of Nazareth taught and demonstrated man's oneness with the Father, and for this we owe him endless homage. His mission was both in- 18:6 dividual and collective. He did life's work aright not only in justice to himself, but in mercy to mortals,- to show them how to do theirs, but not to do 18:9 it for them nor to relieve them of a single responsibility.
Jesus acted boldly, against the accredited evidence of the senses, against Pharisaical creeds and practices, and he 18:12 refuted all opponents with his healing power.
Human reconciliation
The atonement of Christ reconciles man to G.o.d, not G.o.d to man; for the divine Principle of Christ is G.o.d, 18:15 and how can G.o.d propitiate Himself? Christ is Truth, which reaches no higher than itself.
The fountain can rise no higher than its source. Christ, 18:18 Truth, could conciliate no nature above his own, derived 19:1 from the eternal Love. It was therefore Christ's purpose to reconcile man to G.o.d, not G.o.d to man. Love and 19:3 Truth are not at war with G.o.d's image and likeness.
Man cannot exceed divine Love, and so atone for him- self. Even Christ cannot reconcile Truth to error, for 19:6 Truth and error are irreconcilable. Jesus aided in recon- ciling man to G.o.d by giving man a truer sense of Love, the divine Principle of Jesus' teachings, and this truer 19:9 sense of Love redeems man from the law of matter, sin, and death by the law of Spirit,- the law of divine Love.
19:12 The Master forbore not to speak the whole truth, de- claring precisely what would destroy sickness, sin, and death, although his teaching set households at variance, 19:15 and brought to material beliefs not peace, but a sword.
Efficacious repentance
Every pang of repentance and suffering, every effort 19:18 for reform, every good thought and deed, will help us to understand Jesus' atonement for sin and aid its efficacy; but if the sinner continues to pray 19:21 and repent, sin and be sorry, he has little part in the atone- ment,- in the _at-one-ment_ with G.o.d,- for he lacks the practical repentance, which reforms the heart and enables 19:24 man to do the will of wisdom. Those who cannot dem- onstrate, at least in part, the divine Principle of the teach- ings and practice of our Master have no part in G.o.d. If 19:27 living in disobedience to Him, we ought to feel no secur- ity, although G.o.d is good.
Jesus' sinless career
Jesus urged the commandment, ”Thou shalt have no 19:30 other G.o.ds before me,” which may be ren- dered: Thou shalt have no belief of Life as mortal; thou shalt not know evil, for there is one Life,- 20:1 even G.o.d, good. He rendered ”unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto G.o.d the things that are 20:3 G.o.d's.” He at last paid no homage to forms of doctrine or to theories of man, but acted and spake as he was moved, not by spirits but by Spirit.
20:6 To the ritualistic priest and hypocritical Pharisee Jesus said, ”The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of G.o.d before you.” Jesus' history made a 20:9 new calendar, which we call the Christian era; but he established no ritualistic wors.h.i.+p. He knew that men can be baptized, partake of the Eucharist, support the 20:12 clergy, observe the Sabbath, make long prayers, and yet be sensual and sinful.
Perfect example
Jesus bore our infirmities; he knew the error of mortal 20:15 belief, and ”with his stripes [the rejection of error] we are healed.” ”Despised and rejected of men,”
returning blessing for cursing, he taught mor- 20:18 tals the opposite of themselves, even the nature of G.o.d; and when error felt the power of Truth, the scourge and the cross awaited the great Teacher. Yet he swerved not, 20:21 well knowing that to obey the divine order and trust G.o.d, saves retracing and traversing anew the path from sin to holiness.
Behest of the cross
20:24 Material belief is slow to acknowledge what the spiritual fact implies. The truth is the centre of all religion. It commands sure entrance into 20:27 the realm of Love. St. Paul wrote, ”Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that 20:30 is set before us;” that is, let us put aside material self and sense, and seek the divine Principle and Science of all healing.
Moral victory
21:1 If Truth is overcoming error in your daily walk and conversation, you can finally say, ”I have fought a 21:3 good fight ... I have kept the faith,” be- cause you are a better man. This is having our part in the at-one-ment with Truth and Love.
21:6 Christians do not continue to labor and pray, expecting because of another's goodness, suffering, and triumph, that they shall reach his harmony and reward.
21:9 If the disciple is advancing spiritually, he is striv- ing to enter in. He constantly turns away from ma- terial sense, and looks towards the imperishable things 21:12 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.
Inharmonious travellers
21:15 If my friends are going to Europe, while I am _en route_ for California, we are not journeying together.
We have separate time-tables to consult, 21:18 different routes to pursue. Our paths have diverged at the very outset, and we have little oppor- tunity to help each other. On the contrary, if my 21:21 friends pursue my course, we have the same railroad guides, and our mutual interests are identical; or, if I take up their line of travel, they help me on, and our 21:24 companions.h.i.+p may continue.
Zigzag course