Courage, comfort and Truth's energies

 Just read in the Daily (online) edition of The Christian Science Monitor: "That is a good book which is opened with expectation and closed with profit." (A. Bronson Alcott)

Can we say this about the book of Romans, which is of course a letter?

It seems to me that a good book, a really good book, steers thought in a new direction, lifting one's conceptions to a higher or broader view. 

And so, browsing the pages of this deeply-reasoned letter, I find the famous Romans 8: 38 (The Living Bible):

"I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels won't, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God's love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are--high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean--nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us."

This rousing and comforting passage has surely inspired generations over hundreds of years, just as Winston Churchill encouraged the people of Britain in March 1941 with his message to US President Roosevelt, which was broadcast publicly:

"Give us your faith and your blessing, and, under Providence, all will be well.

"We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire. Neither the sudden shock of battle, nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down." (The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson, p. 370)

What we read, counts. What we listen to, counts. What we think, counts. Mary Baker Eddy once wrote: 

"A patient under the influence of mortal mind is healed only be removing the influence on him of this mind, by emptying his thought of the false stimulus and reaction of will-power and filling it with the divine energies of Truth." (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 185:32)

I'll opt for being energised by Truth's divine energies every time. 

Happy reading!

Julie Swannell

Romans 8: 1-2 the law of life

This week's Christian Science Bible Lesson on "Probation after death" includes Romans 8:1-2. In Paul's letter, this passage follows his famous tussle between wanting to do good but failing to do so in chapter 7. The contradiction there - between intent and execution or performance - is solved with Paul's question and answer that follow, i.e. verse 24: "...who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"; verse 25: "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."

Chapter 8 follows with a "therefore", i.e.,

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8: 1, 2)(emphasis added).

Is Paul telling his listeners that to be "in Christ Jesus" indicates our present spirituality and a recognition of ongoing spiritual growth which makes that spirituality evident? (Citations 9 and 10 in Science and Health in the Lesson give us some clues.)

Sandra Justad's article Challenging Impositions from the May 24, 1993 Christian Science Sentinel is excellent. Here is an excerpt: 

"If we come to see that reality is ..., in its truest sense, spiritual and wholly good, evolving from God, creative Spirit, and that we can never be separated from infinite good, we find ourselves governed by spiritual law. A growing understanding of this law, and increasing conformity to the moral precepts found in the Ten Commandments, help counteract the false sense that we're subject to chance or accident."

..."The material perspective is a lie, suggesting that evil is solid reality, an inescapable presence, and that divine Life and Love are absent. But in truth evil has never been real or present, and Life and Love are never absent. That's why we can challenge successfully the false beliefs of material existence rather than feel helpless in the face of discord. Science and Health [by Mary Baker Eddy] states, "The physician agrees with his 'adversary quickly,' but upon different terms than does the metaphysician; for the matter physician agrees with the disease, while the metaphysician agrees only with health and challenges disease."

Sandy goes on to recount a wonderful healing. 

Julie Swannell

More articles on this subject can be found in the periodicals available in Christian Science Reading Rooms. Check out BooksThatChangeLives.au for Reading Rooms in Queensland. You might also like to visit ChristianScienceRedcliffe.au.

Original sin?

 We are told that Chapter 5 of Romans is where the doctrine of ‘original sin’ originated for many Christians, starting with Augustine (354-430 AD).

I had had what seemed like a revelation about original sin (I am not ready to share it just now), so I looked on JSH-Online to see what students of Christian Science had written of their insights into this important theological subject.

Here are some excerpts from an article of profound interest from the January 14, 2002 edition of the Christian Science Sentinel.

I'm not Eve—women's place in theology redefined

By Katherine Degrow

A VOTE TAKEN TO DECIDE whether women are human! In the year 584 A.D., a council was held in Lyon, France, where the question of women's humanity was debated by church leaders. Sixty-three delegates were present; 32 voted yes and 31 voted no. Women were declared human by one vote.

What could possibly have led Christendom to such a place? Something must have gone awry from the time when Jesus walked the earth. Jesus associated with women freely and welcomed them as followers. In fact, one account tells of his holding what might be considered a theological conversation with a woman of Samaria—at a time when men of his culture would not even acknowledge their mothers or sisters in public. Women remained by Jesus' side at the cross and were the first at the tomb after his resurrection. Such a debate as was held at Lyon nearly 600 years later could not have been based on the examples given in the gospel stories.

… Augustine believed that humanity was irreparably damaged by "the fall."

… The view of women as sinners became strongly entrenched and was preached from pulpits for centuries to come. "Eve caused the fall of man," thundered the preachers, "and brought sin and all our woe into the world."

… As for society as a whole, women have made great gains in most areas of life, and their God-given talents have found expression to greatly enrich humanity. Yet women still suffer in many parts of the world.

I hope readers will turn to this most helpful article. Simply click on the title (above, in blue) or ask the Librarian at your local Christian Science Reading Room to locate the article for you.

Joyce Voysey

"stars of the first magnitude"

How do we know the difference between right and wrong? Can the Bible help? Does Paul’s letter to the Romans help? I find Romans HARD!! But I’ve also found that reading it aloud with my mum has been an amazing experience. So, the last time we did this, we were intrigued to read about accusing and excusing. It’s in chapter 2 and I’ve looked up three translations that help clarify Paul’s message. The highlighting is mine:

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2: 14-16, KJV)

^14-15 When the Gentiles, who have no knowledge of the Law, act in accordance with it by the light of nature, they show that they have a law in themselves, for they demonstrate the effect of a law operating in their own hearts. Their own consciences endorse the existence of such a law, for there is something which condemns or commends their actions. (JB Phillips) 

^12-15 He will punish sin wherever it is found. He will punish the heathen when they sin, even though they never had God's written laws, for down in their hearts they know right from wrong. God's laws are written within them; their own conscience accuses them, or sometimes excuses them. And God will punish the Jews for sinning because they have his written laws but don't obey them. They know what is right but don't do it. After all, salvation is not given to those who know what to do, unless they do it. (The Living Bible)

Mary Baker Eddy – a deep student of the Bible – mentions this passage in A Colloquy, in her book Unity of Good (a colloquy is a conversation or discussion):

In Romans (ii. 15) we read the apostle's description of mental processes wherein human thoughts are “the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.” If we observe our mental processes, we shall find that we are perpetually arguing with ourselves; yet each mortal is not two personalities, but one. 

In like manner good and evil talk to one another; yet they are not two but one, for evil is naught, and good only is reality.
(Unity of Good, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 21:1–9)

I love this observation of “mental processes”. I also love that, when looking for role models, instead of movie stars or sports stars, etc. we have stars in our Bible friends Paul and Jesus. These stars expand our thought beyond the everyday and out to infinity, just like viewing the night sky on a cloudless night. Mary Baker Eddy calls Jesus and Paul "stars of the first magnitude" (Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, 360: 13). Catching even a glimpse of their contribution is worth it. Maybe it’s a bit like peering into outer space through a powerful telescope.

Julie Swannell

Space.com - images from Hubble telescope