AUGUST 2nd, 2023

From The Bible

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: ...
(Isaiah 43:1–3 (to :))

Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, ...

I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
(Isaiah 44:2 (to 3rd ,), 22)

¶ Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; ...

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, ...

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. ¶ From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
(Matthew 4:12, 14, 16, 17)

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
(Mark 2:2–17)

¶ And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
(Luke 15:11–24)

¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. ...

Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. ...

... he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. ...

... Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
(John 8:12, 15, 29 he, 34–36 Verily)

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
(Luke 6:47, 48)

 

SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES by MARY BAKER EDDY

“God is Love.” More than this we cannot ask, higher we cannot look, farther we cannot go.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 6:17–18)

Jesus aided in reconciling man to God by giving man a truer sense of Love, the divine Principle of Jesus’ teachings, and this truer sense of Love redeems man from the law of matter, sin, and death by the law of Spirit, — the law of divine Love.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 19:6)

Healing the sick and reforming the sinner are one and the same thing in Christian Science. Both cures require the same method and are inseparable in Truth.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 404:26–28)

... The destruction of sin is the divine method of pardon. Divine Life destroys death, Truth destroys error, and Love destroys hate. Being destroyed, sin needs no other form of forgiveness. Does not God’s pardon, destroying any one sin, prophesy and involve the final destruction of all sin?
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 339:1 The)

The attributes of God are justice, mercy, wisdom, goodness, and so on.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 465:14)

Justice requires reformation of the sinner. Mercy cancels the debt only when justice approves.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 22:30–31)

Wisdom and Love may require many sacrifices of self to save us from sin. One sacrifice, however great, is insufficient to pay the debt of sin. The atonement requires constant self-immolation on the sinner’s part.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 23:1–5)

Every pang of repentance and suffering, every effort 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 and repent, sin and be sorry, he has little part in the atonement, — in the at-one-ment with God, — for he lacks the practical repentance, which reforms the heart and enables man to do the will of wisdom.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 19:17–24)

Reform comes by understanding that there is no abiding pleasure in evil, and also by gaining an affection for good according to Science, which reveals the immortal fact that neither pleasure nor pain, appetite nor passion, can exist in or of matter, while divine Mind can and does destroy the false beliefs of pleasure, pain, or fear and all the sinful appetites of the human mind.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 327:1)

A sinner can receive no encouragement from the fact that Science demonstrates the unreality of evil, for the sinner would make a reality of sin, — would make that real which is unreal, and thus heap up “wrath against the day of wrath.” He is joining in a conspiracy against himself, — against his own awakening to the awful unreality by which he has been deceived. ...

... To get rid of sin through Science, is to divest sin of any supposed mind or reality, and never to admit that sin can have intelligence or power, pain or pleasure. You conquer error by denying its verity.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 339:11–17, 28–32)

“Work out your own salvation,” is the demand of Life and Love, for to this end God worketh with you. “Occupy till I come!” Wait for your reward, and “be not weary in well doing.” If your endeavors are beset by fearful odds, and you receive no present reward, go not back to error, nor become a sluggard in the race.

When the smoke of battle clears away, you will discern the good you have done, and receive according to your deserving. Love is not hasty to deliver us from temptation, for Love means that we shall be tried and purified.

Final deliverance from error, whereby we rejoice in immortality, boundless freedom, and sinless sense, is not reached through paths of flowers nor by pinning one’s faith without works to another’s vicarious effort.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 22:11–27)

The sculptor turns from the marble to his model in order to perfect his conception. We are all sculptors, working at various forms, moulding and chiseling thought. What is the model before mortal mind? Is it imperfection, joy, sorrow, sin, suffering? ... Do you not hear from all mankind of the imperfect model? The world is holding it before your gaze continually. ...

... Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love — the kingdom of heaven — reign within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 248:12–16 (to 2nd ?), 19–21, 29)

Truth should, and does, drive error out of all selfhood. Truth is a two-edged sword, guarding and guiding. Truth places the cherub wisdom at the gate of understanding to note the proper guests. Radiant with mercy and justice, the sword of Truth gleams afar and indicates the infinite distance between Truth and error, between the material and spiritual, — the unreal and the real.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 538:3)

To-day the healing power of Truth is widely demonstrated as an immanent, eternal Science, instead of a phenomenal exhibition. Its appearing is the coming anew of the gospel of “on earth peace, good-will toward men.” This coming, as was promised by the Master, is for its establishment as a permanent dispensation among men; but the mission of Christian Science now, as in the time of its earlier demonstration, is not primarily one of physical healing. Now, as then, signs and wonders are wrought in the metaphysical healing of physical disease; but these signs are only to demonstrate its divine origin, — to attest the reality of the higher mission of the Christ-power to take away the sins of the world.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 150:4)

Let us accept Science, relinquish all theories based on sense-testimony, give up imperfect models and illusive ideals; and so let us have one God, one Mind, and that one perfect, producing His own models of excellence.

... Let us feel the divine energy of Spirit, bringing us into newness of life and recognizing no mortal nor material power as able to destroy. Let us rejoice that we are subject to the divine “powers that be.”
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 249:1, 6–9)

... We acknowledge God’s forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 497:9–11 We)

... And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 497:24 And)

The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen evil, disease, and death; and he will overcome them by understanding their nothingness and the allness of God, or good. Sickness to him is no less a temptation than is sin, and he heals them both by understanding God’s power over them. The Christian Scientist knows that they are errors of belief, which Truth can and will destroy.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 450:19)

We must look deep into realism instead of accepting only the outward sense of things.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 129:22–24)

Christian science hymnals

If on our daily course, our mind / Be set to hallow all we find, / New treasures still, of countless price, / God will provide for sacrifice.

Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be, / As more of heaven in each we see; / Some softening gleam of love and prayer / Shall dawn on every cross and care.

New mercies, each returning day, / Around us hover while we pray; / Old fears are past, old sins forgiven, / New thoughts of God reveal our heaven.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 140)

Shepherd, show me how to go / O’er the hillside steep, / How to gather, how to sow,— / How to feed Thy sheep; / I will listen for Thy voice, / Lest my footsteps stray; / I will follow and rejoice / All the rugged way.

Thou wilt bind the stubborn will, / Wound the callous breast, / Make self-righteousness be still, / Break earth’s stupid rest. / Strangers on a barren shore, / Lab’ring long and lone, / We would enter by the door, / And Thou know’st Thine own;

So, when day grows dark and cold, / Tear or triumph harms, / Lead Thy lambkins to the fold, / Take them in Thine arms; / Feed the hungry, heal the heart, / Till the morning’s beam; / White as wool, ere they depart, / Shepherd, wash them clean.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 574)

In Thee, my God and Saviour, / Forevermore the same, / My spirit hath rejoicing, / For holy is Thy name. / My soul doth magnify the Lord, / Sing all in glad accord! / Praise Him who lifts the lowly, / For faithful is His word. / I magnify and bless Thee, / For faithful is Thy word.

Thou who alone art mighty / Hast done to me great things, / Remembrance of Thy mercy / Sure help to Israel brings. / Thy power, O Lord, will I extol, / Who hast redeemed my soul; / I praise Thee, Lord, with gladness, / For Thou hast made me whole. / I magnify and bless Thee, / For Thou hast made me whole.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 153)