CHURCH — THE GREAT I AM

“When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Phillipi, he asked his disciples, saying, ‘Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?’” (Matthew 16) In other words, where do they think the works originate? Do they think me supernatural or as the promised Savior? Then some answered that the people thought he was maybe John the Baptist, some Elias, Jeremias or one of the other great personalities known to the citizens of that country. No one had perceived the spiritual message behind his mission up to this point. So, hoping his disciples were above the common thinking of the village people, he asked them what they thought. Peter immediately answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This was the answer Jesus was waiting for, because it revealed to him that his life’s work was not in vain and that his mission as the Christ was not totally misunderstood or misapprehended. Jesus then said, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” This was quite a joyous occasion for Jesus because it was as a sunbeam shining through the clouds after a long dark storm. He realized Church was being understood. He then says, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter [Petros], and upon this rock [Petra] I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” At this moment Jesus gave to Simon the new name of Peter, which is Petros in the Greek. It might be noted that Petra is the feminine gender of rock. Therefore, Jesus established his Church upon the inspiration and revelation which Peter recognized as his own, thereby enabling him to perceive the Christ that Jesus represented. This was the love of God’s womanhood that Peter manifested. Peter could not have been given this revelation had he not loved the Master.

We might also contend that this was a prophecy of Christian Science which was to be eventually expressed through God’s womanhood. No gates of hell can prevail against this divine Science because it explains the gates away. God’s kingdom has no gates. Only mortal mind tries to keep us surrounded with lies. The gates are the erroneous concepts of mortal man and cannot be explained away unless one has the Science of being understood. Church, based upon the Christ, Truth, must be understood as individual from a subjective point of demonstration. Mrs. Eddy (Science and Health page 465) says, “Principle and its idea is one,” note the word is, not are. This one is the Christ, my completeness, the universality of Church. “The kingdom of God is within you,” and all healing activity flows from the recognition and demonstration of this kingdom.

Mrs. Eddy’s demonstration of the Christ was brought forth to heal all mankind and this infinite demonstration is still being wrought out in life practice. However, Mrs. Eddy realized that her Church would have to have an organization to protect itself in this sensual age. She named her church “The First Church of Christ, Scientist.” If we carefully take this title into consideration, and view each word as a separate unit, which when together constitute the whole, we begin to see the concept of Church that Mrs. Eddy established. The word “The” symbolizes the only. The word “First” is a complete unit in itself and denotes that which can never be buried, –the first demonstration since the time of the Master. The word “Church” stands for the Christ understood and demonstrated, man’s oneness with God, the divine Principle and idea as One. “Scientist” denotes individuality, showing that it is individual consciousness that constitutes Church, thus enabling us to demonstrate the law of our own being with scientific accuracy. The comma is between the words “Christ” and “Scientist” because the individual or Scientist is demonstrating the oneness of his own Being, or the perfect Christ.

Branch churches do not have the word “The” in front of their titles because the first scientific demonstration of the Christ since the time of Jesus was Mrs. Eddy’s, and therefore cannot be used on other churches. The local branch churches are demonstrations of individual self-government in the local community.

As has already been said, Jesus prophesied that his Church would be brought forth by God’s womanhood. It is therefore interesting to note that Mrs. Eddy’s Church is named “The Mother Church,” and not the Father Church. The true Church can only be brought forth by Love because it is the highest demonstration and guards and guides all within its activity. The local churches represent God’s manhood coming to light, for theirs is the demonstration of self-government and support.

Mrs. Eddy’s definition of Church in the Glossary of Science and Health is the Church universal and triumphant, “The structure of Truth and Love.” Isn’t this the structure of our own being and aren’t we constructed in the likeness of Truth and Love? I do not claim a material structure, body, I demonstrate a spiritual structure, the structure of Soul. The definition goes on to say: “Whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.” Church then covers infinitude, for all that we know and acknowledge comes from divine Principle. All of today’s problems and trouble spots, whether individual or global, come within the jurisdiction of Church. The universal consciousness of Church heals all sins. This is the true catholic nature of Church. When we demonstrate and embody the infinite activity, we will closely approximate the spiritual meaning of Church, the Christ, Truth. Absolutely nothing is outside of the infinite care of the Father-Mother, Love. The first two statements of Mrs. Eddy’s definition of Church express the wholeness of Deity, for the divine Principle and idea is truly One. It is subjective being, whole consciousness, both the universality of the qualitative as well as the quantitative.

The Christ is “individual and collective.” We must live the Science of our own being and Church will be demonstrated and thereby bless all mankind. The first paragraph of the definition of Church brings forth the absolute nature of Church, the second shows forth that which is needed to demonstrate that absolute Church in our daily walk and conversation. The second paragraph of the definition shows us what the church must do to live up to a higher standard. It begins, “The Church is that institution.” In Webster’s Dictionary the first definition of institution is “the act or process of instituting, establishment.” This is individual, for only individuals can establish and institute something. The institution is not a building, but it is activity. If the instituting process does not afford proof of its (Church) utility, then those who are doing the instituting are not doing it properly because the nature of Church is not being demonstrated. If we do not prove our oneness with God, we cannot heal, we cannot show forth our utility and then we show no proof of our own being. The Church as the individual Christ consciousness is found elevating the race. What race? The act of rushing onward, or the word meaning the mortal family? In the absolute sense it would mean rushing forth with demonstration of oneness and thereby lifting up the concept of a mortal race into a more spiritual light. When demonstrating oneness as Church we automatically lift the level of humanity’s thinking. We then “rous[e] the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science.” This enables us “to cast out devils, or error, and heal the sick.” Therefore Church is an individual demonstration of the Christ, Truth.

We do not go to Church, we express and reveal ourselves as Church. This process does away with the church militant and brings forth the Church universal (whole) and triumphant. The Christ-like completeness is not separated from us to obtain at some future time. It is infinite awareness, even Love, the idea needed so much in today’s world torn with friction and strife. If we demonstrate Church as Mrs. Eddy intended us to do, we will have harmonious relationships in all our church activities and affairs, no matter what the situation appears to be. The material building mortals call church, must manifest the perfection of the Christ that you and I are called upon to demonstrate. This is being faithful to God, our Leader and mankind. We then can reason why Christian Science churches have no crosses on them. A material structure or organization cannot take up the cross, it must be done by the individual Christian Scientist, recognizing that he is Church. In this way, and in this way only, can we obtain the crown. Human organization cannot bring the Christ to the world. Individual self-government and its demonstration of the Christ consciousness brings forth the perfect Church, whole and indestructible. This does not mean that we cast aside all material organization, but we must see that this organization manifests the perfection that we know is Church, thereby approximating to some degree, to mortal thinking, what we understand is good and true.

From Smith’s Bible Dictionary we learn that the “kingdom of God, or heaven” really means church. Many of the parables bring forth the nature of Church in numerous ways. The woman and the leaven, the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the pearl of great price and so on. The parables of the kingdom of heaven are too lengthy for our study at this time, but the reader will gain much from the study of them in connection with Mrs. Eddy’s definition of Church and the kingdom of heaven.

Mrs. Eddy (Science and Health page 590) “Kingdom of Heaven. The reign of harmony in divine Science; the realm of unerring, eternal, and omnipotent Mind; the atmosphere of Spirit, where Soul is supreme.” This is the Church that is universal, which knows no strife. It is man’s harmonious relationship with God.

Those who think they have done their duty by going to church for an hour or two a week are under an illusion. God is revealing Himself every moment, and if we would be wise, we would listen, for then we would really have something to take to church on Sunday and Wednesday. We would take Church with us to church.

The concept of church as held by mankind, is that of rituals and meetings, etc., but as Christian Scientists we understand Church in a different light. Therefore, the various activities of Church have a diviner meaning for us. Mrs. Eddy writes on page 35 of Science and Health: “Our baptism is a purification from all error….Our Eucharist is spiritual communion with the one God. Our bread, ‘which cometh down from heaven,’ is Truth. Our cup is the cross. Our wine the inspiration of Love, the draught our Master drank and commended to his followers.” These rituals in most churches of the world are nothing but blind concepts about Christianity and its practices. Mrs. Eddy shows us, through Christian Science, what the oneness of Church is and how to demonstrate it. Christian Scientists must drink more the cup and they must demonstrate and strive to enter in, braving whatever odds confront them. More of this cup must be taken or Christian Science will never survive in this age.

Activity is divine consciousness. When the Christian Scientist is found to be demonstrating his divinity, our churches will be filled and our Sunday Schools, and our lectures and our reading rooms. But all the lectures and articles and talking about Christian Science will not do this. The healing work that is demanded of us will bring forth the prosperous church.

Jesus never could have ascended with his concept of Church, the kingdom of God, had he thought of it as material. He scientifically demonstrated the Christ and therefore rose above the mortal concept of man to the heights of Mind where Church always has been, is now, and forever will be! God demands strict obedience and allegiance to His kingdom. He knows nothing of earth, or the material structures of church, or any of their struggles. The material structure manifests the Truth only in proportion as the individual brings forth his spirituality. A church-going Christian Scientist is not necessarily living up to the standards of Church which Mrs. Eddy set forth, especially if the material structure or building, is his highest concept of church. This is the same type of thought which believes the material world with all of its troubles is the ultimate. However, the church-going Christian Scientist that goes to church with inspiration and revelation, in other words, takes Church with him, is a better Christian Scientist. He is lifting up his ideal of church and that is lifting up everything his thought rests upon. This is the individual that is found elevating the race and healing all mankind. He is living the example which Mrs. Eddy set for us.

In the parable of the Mustard Seed in Mark 4, we have a clear view of the assurance that our Master had of His Church being established as universal. “Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God, or with what comparison shall we compare it?” In other words, how can I show you what the kingdom of heaven is, what material thing can I liken it to, to get my meaning across to you? “It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, it is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” Jesus planted the seed of the Christ, though it appeared small in the eyes of mortal sense, and was scoffed at by many; it was planted and began to grow roots into the consciousness of humanity. Though it seemed at times that Christianity was dead, this was not so, for only the soil was weak, not the seed. Even then the seed still prospered and struggled even more to establish itself. Mankind also needed some visible proof, but the proof was not there, because the plant had not broken through the earth as yet. At the right time, Mary Baker Eddy brought it forth; she showed mankind the true nature of the seed, that it was never lost, and that it was growing all the time. It was just their thinking that stopped it from coming forth. She proved that a grain of Truth (a seed) is very powerful indeed, for it began to grow and it has become the greatest of herbs, in influence and power. It is now shooting out great branches, so that the fowls of the air (enlightened consciousness), may lodge under its shadow. Does not this point to the seed of the Christ? This is the wholeness of Church when it has been demonstrated. The Master sowed it and Mrs. Eddy brought it forth in all its original beauty and perfection.

Our material organization and its activities and demonstrations must conform to and approximate the divine sense of Church. We do not see the perfect concept of Church from the material structure, but we look out from the Christ and bring forth perfection in our human experience. If church is demonstrated in this manner, there are no church feuds over the color of the drapes in the infant’s room, or over who gets what job and for how long. The Sunday School, the Reading Room, the church attendance, and all of its activities will be successful if Church is demonstrated instead of thought about. When we are proving Church we will sense the harmony in our human experience and bring it forth. As Christian Scientists we do not number in our church because as has already been pointed out, Church is individual demonstration. Church is always at hand, for Church is subjective. Church does not need millions to show its prosperity, it needs only one, for “one with God is a majority,” and that majority is you.

Human power is not church. Divine demonstration is. The lust for mortal power must be whipped out of the temple before Truth can be demonstrated more fully.