493
THE KING’S BUSINESS
that Christ made was great; but it also, just as clearly states, that it was but the sacri fice o f one, and no sacrifice o f one, how ever great, can take away the sin o f another. If words mean anything, the creed o f Christian Science regarding the atonement, is that Christ’s sacrifice has -no value what ever to take away sin. If this were true it would mean not only the destruction of many o f our beautiful hymns, which deal with the death o f Christ as the remedy for our sins, but it would also compel us to exclude from the Bible all such passages as clearly teach this doctrine. The Scrip tures distinctly teach that “ we are sancti fied by the offering of the body o f Jesus Christ once for all;” that we have received the atonement through the death o f our Lord Jesus Christ, and that we are recon ciled to God by the death o f His Son ; that “He, His own Self, bare our sins in His own body on the tree;” that we are reconciled by “the blood o f His cross” (Colossians 1:20), and not by the blood that flowed through His veins as Chris tian Science would have us believe. There is probably no more important point than this upon which Christian Sci ence and the Bible absolutely and hopelessly contradict each other. Argue as we will there is no point o f possible agreement between them. Either one sacrifice is suf ficient to take away sin as the Bible declares, or one sacrifice is not sufficient to take away sin as Christian Science asserts. According to the teaching o f Chris tian Science, the shed blood of'Jesus Christ is nothing more than a consequence o f the unwise life He lived on the earth—an event hastened by His foolish talking about it. Then it is not what the Scriptures declare it to be, namely, the divine sacrifice which takes away the sin o f the world. Christian Science tells us “ Final deliverance from error is not reached by pinning one’s faith without works to another’s vicarious effort,” •but the Bible distinctly tells Us that we are saved by faith in Christ without absolutely any works o f our own ( Galatians 2:16; 3:10). The Christian declares that:
1893, 1899; pp. 29, 30, 1909, 1916). “Jesus is the name o f the man who more than all other men, has presented Christ, the true idea o f God.” “Jesus is the human man, and Christ is the divine idea” (.S'. & H., p. 473, 1916). “Jesus was the highest human concept o f the perfect man” (S. & H., p. 482, 1916). That Jesus is not God, how ever is very clear. “ The personality o f Jesus is not to be worshipped” (S'. & H., Index, p. 627, 1894, 1899). Jesus Christ is the name the Chris tian Scientist never worships. Mrs. Eddy and her teachings, and not Jesus Christ and the Bible, is the uppermost theme in the testimony meetings in Christian Science churches. The . Bible distinctly says that at the name o f Jesus every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:9-11). Thomas fell at Jesus’ feet, and exclaimed, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). This worship Jesus accepted, has accepted all through the ages; this worship God commands all men to render to His Son (John 5 :20-23) ; those who refuse to worship the Son will perish (Psalm 2:12). (d) Christian Science Denies the Sacri ficial and Atoning Merits of the Death of Jesus Christ. Christian Science claims that “ The mater ial blood o f Jesus (Christ) was no more efficacious to cleanse from sin when it was shed upon the ‘accursed tree’ than when it was flowing through His veins as He went daily about His Father’s business” (S'. <5* H., p. 330, 1899; p. 25, 1909, 1916)'. “ One sacrifice, however great, is insufficient to pay the debt o f sin” (S. & H., p. 328, 1899; p. 23, 1909, 1916). “ Does erudite theology' regard the cru cifixion o f Jesus as chiefly providing a ready pardon for all sinners who ask for it, and are willing to be forgiven ? . . . Then we must differ from it (them)” (referring to Spiritualism) (S. & H., p. 329, 1899; p. 24, 1916). These statements admit that the sacrifice
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs