C U L T S S Part 4
Christian Science
B y Louis T . Talbot
A fter applying the test of their estimate of the Word of God, and the God of the Word to any religion, I always ask: “What do they do with Jesus Christ, His atonement, His death and His resurrection?” We need not look very long in the writings of Mrs. Eddy to find that for the Christian Scientist Jesus is not God. All heresies unite in this appraisal of the Son of God. This is not to be wondered at in view of First John 4:1-3: “ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. “ Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: “ And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already it is in the world.” Unquestionably the statement of Mrs. Eddy’s that is best known to Bible-believing Christians, and which alone should bring about a complete repudiation of Christian Science is this: “ The material blood of Jesus was no more efficacious to cleanse from sin, when it was shed on the ‘ac cursed tree’ than when it was flowing in his veins, as he went daily about his Father’s business” (S & 77, p. 25, lines 6-9; originally p. 330, 74th ed.). The dictionary states that blood is “ the fluid which circulates in the heart, arteries and veins, carrying nourishment and oxygen to all parts of the body and bringing away waste products.” What other kind of blood is there than this material blood? When the Saviour was alive, the blood flowed through His body as it does through ours: when His blood was poured out He was dead, a sac rifice for our sins.
The Israelites were commanded to sprinkle the blood of the slain lamb upon the lintel and doorposts of their houses “ For the Lord will pass through . . . and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your house to smite you” (Ex. 12:23). This was substitutionary blood— atoning blood, “ For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Lev. 17:11). The Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God (John 1:36) “ slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). “ Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1:5).' “ And having made peace through the blood of his cross” (Col. 1:20). After He cried on the cross, “ It is finished” and gave up His Spirit to the Father, “ One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forth with came there out blood and water” (John 19:34). It is this saving blood that is the subject for the song of the redeemed in glory throughout eternity. Read it in Revelation 5:9: “ And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy. . .for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” When you re ject His blood, you reject God, for “ without shedding of blood is no re mission” (Heb. 9:22). This attitude toward the atonement places Christian Science among the “ damnable here sies, even denying the Lord that bought them” (2 Pet. 2:1). Mrs. Eddy did not believe Christ’s sacrifice sufficient. “ One sacrifice, however great, is insufficient to pay the debt of sin. The atonement re quires constant self-immolation on the
sinner’s part. That God’s wrath should be vented upon His beloved Son is divinely unnatural. Such a theory is man-made” (S & H, p. 328, 74th ed.). God says Christ’s d ea th was enough: “ But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God . . . For by one offering he hath per fected for ever them that are sancti fied” (Heb. 10:12, 14). God says there is no merit in self- immolation or denial of self. “ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2 :8,9). God was satisfied with Jesus’ aton ing work: “ I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4). Mrs. Eddy insists: “ Another’s suf fering cannot lessen our own liabil ity” (S & H, p. 345, 74th. ed.). God says: “ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18). N o wonder communion is has come to us in demonstration, no other commemoration is requisite” (S & H, p. 34). But Christ said: “ For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Cor. 11:26). But they have no regard for the Lord’s death; and being just a principle of metaphysics to them, how could His coming mean anything? The same is true of baptism, which to the Chris tian is a glorious illustration of bur ial with our Lord in His death, and resurrection with Him in newness of life. For Mrs. Eddy says, “ Our bap tism is a purification for all error” (5 & H, p. 35, line 18). Mrs. Eddy did not believe in the
never celebrated in Chris tian Science churches. Mrs. Eddy had this to say about it: “ A dead rite . . . If Christ, Truth
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TH E K IN G 'S BU SINESS
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