Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.—2 John, 9, 10.
The question that now confronts us, is this: What is this "doctrine of Christ," in which we must abide, to have both the Father and the Son?
Nineteen hundred years ago Christ came to the human consciousness in the form of the flesh. The mission of Jesus, the Christ, was to reveal to poor, body-sick, soul-sick, suffering humanity the unreality of evil, sin, disease, and death. He opened his career, how? The priesthood, the rabbis, the lawyers, and the doctors at that time represented the highest intellectuality, the greatest intelligence of the times, the same as they are generally looked upon now by those resting in the belief of a corporeal God, and the reality of sin, sickness, suffering, and death; and yet Jesus, at the age of only twelve years, was found in the Temple arguing with the wise and learned men who "were astonished at his understanding and answers."
He carried on a vigorous work of preaching the Gospel and healing the sick and sinful without ever having resorted to material means, exercising only the power of Love which seemed ever to be his theme. The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount was the Great Science which he taught his disciples.
"The Sermon on the Mount is the essence of this Science, and the eternal Life, not the death of Jesus, was its outcome."
"The voices of Sinai and the Sermon on the Mount are pursuing and will overtake the ages, rebuking in their course all error, and proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Truth is revealed. It only needs to be practised" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker G. Eddy).
He taught his disciples by this means to heal the sick, sinful, and suffering, and he rebuked error in all its forms whenever they manifested it, and thus made his followers stronger in the understanding, so that they were better enabled to do his works when he would no longer be with them in this fleshly garb.
Christ gave to his disciples this precious promise in these words: "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Coupled with this, he "called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease." Then came his command to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, heal the sick, "and as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received [this spiritual understanding and power], freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat."
This was the manner in which he taught his disciples to work. This was Christ's doctrine, or his way, and the only way by which man may be saved, for he said, "I am the way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Only by this way or doctrine of Christ can all men be brought to the understanding that God is All-in-all, that God (Good and Love) fills all space, therefore there is no room for evil, sin, disease, and death, and its unreality is the only sane conclusion. Now that Christ had instructed his disciples in these minor lessons of overcoming error in themselves and others, he still had one more great lesson which he was to give them when they became strong enough to partake of the meat of this Truth, and that was, the unreality of death. He was to experience it all before their material senses to prove the nothingness of it. He was to suffer the tortures of the crucifixion, all for the purpose of proving his doctrine. He said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." He was arrested, tried, crucified, and buried, and after three days arose from the tomb, and appeared to his disciples to substantiate his prophecy and emphasize his doctrine.
Now Jesus' work was done. He instructed his disciples that they should do the works that he did, and even greater works should they do. In order scientifically and systematically to close his ministry of this great doctrine of Love, and that it might not expire with his rising above all materiality, Jesus gave this final command to his disciples: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe [to do] all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you, alway, even unto the end of the world."
The latter clearly shows that this doctrine and these works were not to be confined solely to the twelve disciples, but to all nations who might believe (understand). It is proven so to-day for "By their works" ye do know them. "Faith without works is dead." "Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works." When these words of Jesus, and in fact the whole Bible, are viewed from the spiritual point of observation revealed to us through Christian Science, we can readily see the deep import of Jesus' other sayings, such as these: "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine. receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed."
