Chapter II - Atonement And Eucharist
Justice and substitution
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destroyed, but partially indulged. Wisdom and Love
destroyed, but partially indulged. 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. That
God's wrath should be vented upon His beloved Son, is
divinely unnatural. Such a theory is man-made. The
atonement is a hard problem in theology, but its scien-
tific explanation is, that suffering is an error of sinful sense
which Truth destroys, and that eventually both sin and suf-
fering will fall at the feet of everlasting Love.
Doctrines and faith
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Rabbinical lore said: "He that taketh one doctrine,
Rabbinical lore said: "He that taketh one doctrine,
firm in faith, has the Holy Ghost dwelling in him."
This preaching receives a strong rebuke in
the Scripture, "Faith without works is dead."
Faith, if it be mere belief, is as a pendulum swinging be-
tween nothing and something, having no fixity. Faith,
advanced to spiritual understanding, is the evidence gained
from Spirit, which rebukes sin of every kind and estab-
lishes the claims of God.
Self-reliance and confidence
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In Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and English, faith and the
In Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and English, faith and the
words corresponding thereto have these two defini-
tions, trustfulness and trustworthiness. One
kind of faith trusts one's welfare to others.
Another kind of faith understands divine Love and how
to work out one's "own salvation, with fear and trem-
bling." "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief!"
expresses the helplessness of a blind faith; whereas the
injunction, "Believe . . . and thou shalt be saved!"
demands self-reliant trustworthiness, which includes spir-
itual understanding and confides all to God.
23:32
The Hebrew verb to believe means also to be firm or
The Hebrew verb to believe means also to be firm or
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to be constant. This certainly applies to Truth and Love
to be constant. This certainly applies to Truth and Love
understood and practised. Firmness in error will never
save from sin, disease, and death.
Life's healing currents
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Acquaintance with the original texts, and willingness
Acquaintance with the original texts, and willingness
to give up human beliefs (established by hierarchies, and
instigated sometimes by the worst passions of
men), open the way for Christian Science to be
understood, and make the Bible the chart of life, where
the buoys and healing currents of Truth are pointed
out.
Radical changes
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He to whom "the arm of the Lord" is revealed will
He to whom "the arm of the Lord" is revealed will
believe our report, and rise into newness of life with re-
generation. This is having part in the atone-
ment; this is the understanding, in which
Jesus suffered and triumphed. The time is not distant
when the ordinary theological views of atonement will
undergo a great change, – a change as radical as that
which has come over popular opinions in regard to pre‑
destination and future punishment.
Purpose of crucifixion
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Does erudite theology regard the crucifixion of Jesus
Does erudite theology regard the crucifixion of Jesus
chiefly as providing a ready pardon for all sinners who
ask for it and are willing to be forgiven?
Does spiritualism find Jesus' death necessary
only for the presentation, after death, of the material
Jesus, as a proof that spirits can return to earth? Then
we must differ from them both.
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The efficacy of the crucifixion lay in the practical af-
The efficacy of the crucifixion lay in the practical af-
fection and goodness it demonstrated for mankind. The
truth had been lived among men; but until they saw that
it enabled their Master to triumph over the grave, his own
disciples could not admit such an event to be possible.
After the resurrection, even the unbelieving Thomas was