In the sixteenth chapter of the gospel of Matthew we read these plain, significant words by Jesus: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." This command is imperative to-day to all who are seeking the way to eternal Life; and in Christian Science we are beginning to learn how, in some measure at least, to be obedient to the Master's commands.
Mrs. Eddy, in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," in the chapter on Atonement and Eucharist, has thrown a wonderful light on the subject of the cross. On page 50 she writes: "The distrust of mortal minds, disbelieving the purpose of his mission, was a million times sharper than the thorns which pierced his flesh. The real cross, which Jesus bore up the hill of grief, was the world's hatred of Truth and Love." As students of Christian Science, we understand the cross to be scorn and hatred of spirituality,—the lust and antagonism of material ignorance and animality toward the glorious spiritual truths which we are demonstrating; and because of the antagonism of these carnal beliefs, we need not be surprised when our good is evil spoken of, or that we are often misunderstood.
The Lamb "slain from the foundation of the world" is now and always has been the pure, undefiled innocence, or spiritual selfhood, which is the perfect reflection of God. Mortal belief has always warred against the Lamb; but it can neither overcome nor destroy it, for it is as indestructible as God, its divine, infinite Principle. This purity and innocence is possessed by each individual child of God, and is expressed by the only real, the only true selfhood. The Adam, or so-called material man, cannot perceive the reality of being, and must, therefore, be put off; hence the seeming warfare between the flesh and the Spirit.
The true meaning of the cross of Jesus has been misinterpreted by most of the theological systems of the world; and not until the advent of Christian Science has satisfactory interpretation been given. While we know that the crucifixion of Jesus was entirely unjustifiable and the most cruel event of all history, yet we, as true followers of him, do not dwell lingeringly upon it in any sense which would tend to magnify the seeming activity of evil; for the glorious resurrection of Christ Jesus proved matter or evil to be unreal. It proved that the weapons of envy, jealousy, hatred, cruelty, and material violence cannot destroy the Life which is God, and that there is in reality no other Life.
When Jesus uttered the words, as he hung on the cross, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit," he did not imply that he had been defeated and overcome; but he undoubtedly did mean that he had turned forever away from material sense and any hope of aid from it. When he was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt," he was declaring for Life, not for death; for God's—Love's—will is always Life. This prayer has, however, been misinterpreted by many well-intentioned Christians as submission to the wavering will of a corporeal, changeable God.
The cup all must drink is the world's rejection of spiritual truth, and the warfare with the false beliefs which claim to belong to each one of us. The way which we must take on our journey to the promised land of perfect spiritual understanding must be the one mapped out for us by the great master Metaphysician; and it must be traversed alone with God. However much our loved ones may desire it, they cannot take one footstep for us, nor fight any of our battles with self. Often on our journey we may be rebellious at bearing our own cross; but great comfort comes from the realization that the rebellion is not really ours, but belongs to the false claim of a material selfhood.
The Apostle Paul has fittingly spoken of this condition of mortal thought in his epistle to the Philippians, where he says: "Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ." So long as we shrink from this warfare with self we are unwittingly acting as "enemies of the cross;" but through much diligent, earnest study and practice of the truths taught in Christian Science, we may overcome this error, and be led out into the light.
We misunderstand the mission of the cross of Calvary unless we can see far beyond the suffering and the grief of it; and we miss its most important lesson for us, if we fail to see also the promised crown of rejoicing and victory which comes after the cross. This is beautifully explained in Hebrews, where it is written: "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
All cross-bearing and no reward is not Love's way. Our crown seems nearer when we have put aside some measure of false pride and are willing to become as a child. The student must diligently work to overcome all forms of error, from within and from without; and one cannot afford to regard the world's scorn, its lack of appreciation of his efforts, or even the seeming estrangement from human friends or family. But when the Master gave the command to deny self, he certainly did not mean that any should afflict themselves bodily or merely "fast" in any material manner. He could only have meant that his followers should deny a false sense of self,—that which is unreal,—and that by following his teaching absolutely, they should find their true selfhood. This self-denial is required of his disciples each day, whether the false sense of self confront them in the guise of a sick, tired body or a troubled mental condition; it is but the same deception,—the material falsehood about man, God's image. As Christian Scientists we have great comfort and inspiration in the wonderful promise which Christ Jesus gave, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." This assures us of constant fellowship with the Christ, God's idea, in all our walks of life. And what greater thing could be desired?
In the fifteenth chapter of John we find this glorious promise: "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." Now this joy which was possessed by Jesus was wholly spiritual, and it came to him only as the result of that spiritual understanding which enabled him to overcome sin, sickness, and death, results which proved his dominion over matter and all error. His greatest joy was his clear realization of man's constant unity with the Father, divine Love; and through this understanding of his unity with the Father all his wonderful works were accomplished.
As students of divine metaphysics, our cup of joy is filled to the brim as we continue on our way, knowing that we are "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." If we are joint heirs with him, then we should also look forward to the promised "crown of rejoicing;" but we must remember that the cross must come before the crown. We need not, however, wait through long, weary years for the "crown of rejoicing," for joy should be the constant reward of righteousness—of right thinking and doing. We need this constant fellowship with the Christ, the idea of God,—this pure, spiritual intuition,—to go with us and to correct and direct our activities, for there is no other way in which we can be assured that we are being led aright. As students of the Science of Life, Truth, and Love, we are daily praying for the Mind "which was also in Christ Jesus;" and if we are faithful and obedient to the Wayshower, we shall surely be able to claim his wonderful promise.
