We offer no apology for making full and copious quotations. If Christian Science is condemned in our inquiry, it shall be out of its own mouth.
Let us examine then the relation of Christian Science to the Lord Jesus Christ.
"The Virgin-mother conceived the idea of God, and gave to her ideal the name of Jesus-that is, Joshua or Savior" (S. &. H., p. 29).
"Jesus was the offspring of Mary's self-conscious communion with God" (S. & H., p. 30).
"Mary's conception of him [Jesus] was spiritual, for only purity could reflect truth" (S. & H., p. 332).
"Jesus was born of Mary. Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness. The Christ is incorporeal, spiritual, yea, the divine image and likeness, dispelling the illusion of the senses" (S. & H., p. 332).
"Jesus demonstrated Christ: he proved that Christ is the divine idea of God" (S. & H., p. 332).
"Wearing in part a human form (that is, as it seemed to mortal view), being conceived by a human mother, Jesus was the mediator between Spirit and flesh, between Truth and error" (S. & H., p. 315).
"The word Christ is not properly a synonym for Jesus, though it is commonly so used. The advent of Jesus of Nazareth marked the first century of the Christian era; but the Christ is without beginning of years or end of days" (S. & H., p. 333).
"By these sayings ['Before Abraham was I am.' 'I and my Father are One.' 'My Father is greater than I.'] Jesus meant not that the corporeal Jesus was one with the Father, but that the spiritual idea, Christ, dwells forever in the bosom of the Father" (S. & H., p. 334).
We have neither space, nor inclination to point out the amazing number of contradictory statements in the above quotations, but they certainly leave us in no doubt as to the teaching of Christian Science on this important subject.
It teaches that Jesus was not divine.
It teaches that Jesus was only human.
It teaches that Jesus was not Christ; that Christ never came in the flesh; that Christ is simply an idea.
In short, it teaches that Jesus was only an idea conceived by Mary, taking the form of a human ghost, only existing in the imagination; for according to Christian Science there is no such thing as matter. It teaches, likewise, that Christ was only an idea.
Let us test these statements by God's Word, and we shall see at the outset that "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" is in reality a terrible perversion of the Scriptures, and of blasphemous character. We read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and THE WORD WAS God" (John 1:11In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)). "AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us" (John 1:1414And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)).
Could testimony to the deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus be plainer?
"THE WORD WAS GOD," states plainly the deity of Jesus.
"THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH," states plainly the humanity of Jesus. And further, it says: "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 is it in the world" (1 John 4:33And 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 is it in the world. (1 John 4:3)).
Christian Science does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, for it affirms that Jesus had no existence before His advent into this world, and that Christ was only an idea.
Christian Science is therefore not of God. Christian Science is therefore ANTI-CHRISTIAN.
Were Christian Scientists, who profess to believe the Word of God, to receive its testimony, Christian Science would cease to exist to-morrow.
Scripture allows no quarter to any person or system denying the true deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus.