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Sunday, 18 January 2015

Paul's "one man" represents a "type" of man


On reading Romans Chapter 5, I found it helpful to consult the definition of "Adam" in the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (by Mary Baker Eddy). 

The definition is so comprehensive that the phrase “all the etceteras” came to mind. We find this phrase on page 330 line 32 of Science and Health. There, in speaking of evil, Mrs. Eddy lists many of its lying phases, ending with “hell, with all the etceteras that word includes.”  So Adam and hell is the same thing.* Adam is the false, mortal man, while Christ is the real man of Spirit’s making. These then are the “one man” and the other “one man” Paul is describing in verses 12 and 15; the same as Mrs. Eddy has dubbed “mortal man” and “immortal man.” And mortal man has been comprehensively shown by Mrs. Eddy in her writings to be a delusion.

One could say that the definition of "Adam" (SH 579:15 - 580: 27) covers all the aspects of the so-called mortal man. Here is one passage from that definition which could possibly be a basis for the Christian Science Bible Lesson for this week (Sunday 18th January, 2015) on the topic of “Life”: “The name Adam represents the false supposition that Life is not eternal, but has beginning and end” (p. 580:21-22).

And, of course, Science and Health has the antidote for Adam in answering the question, "What is man?", in the chapter Recapitulation (p. 475). The statement from it which came to me this morning is, “not a single quality underived from Deity” (line 20).
 
Joyce Voysey

* I wrote, “So Adam and hell are the same thing.” The computer corrected me – interesting. It reminds me of the statement in S&H, “Principle and its idea is one.” The sentence goes on, “and this one is God, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Being, and His reflection is man and the universe” page 465. I have learned a lesson in grammar!  And I always appreciate that.

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