Throughout the centuries Christians in general have been content to interpret the words of John, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil," as applicable alone to Christ Jesus. It has been, apparently, quite forgotten that the Nazarene taught that his followers were likewise the "sons of God." No phase of his teaching did Jesus emphasize more than the fact of man's sonship with God. "Your Father," "Our Father," were words frequently on his lips; and he undertook to impress upon all his hearers that God is the Father of all, the universal cause and creator of a perfect universe. Moreover, he demonstrated the possibilities of the recognition of that sonship in a manner that has held the attention of mankind ever since, and that has engendered among men an intense desire to emulate him in all his ways.
Under the marginal heading, "Jesus as mediator," Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 316), "The real man being linked by Science to his Maker, mortals need only turn from sin and lose sight of mortal selfhood to find Christ, the real man and his relation to God, and to recognize the divine sonship." In these unmistakable words our Leader has told us how we may find our true relationship with God, and establish the fact of man's sonship with Him. Who can doubt the importance of recognizing this relationship? And who can fail to appreciate both its possibilities and its obligations? To be the son of God! Untold millions, looking with longing eyes upon the words and works of the Master, have been awed by their majesty, unaware, apparently, that a due recognition of man's true relation with the mighty God makes possible the repetition by them of these very works.
Paul clearly recognized man's son-ship with God and was sustained thereby through extreme hardships, enduring trials that might have overcome one less aware of God as his strength and constant support. "We are the children of God," he wrote to the Christians in Rome: "and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." If "joint-heirs with Christ," then are we not capable of doing the very works which Jesus did? Great is man's blessedness because of his divine origin; great also is the demand to work the works of the Father. One may well inquire, What is demanded of me, when recognizing man as the son of God? The great Exemplar answered that pertinent question long ago; and his example before men today, as twenty centuries ago, presents the necessity to perform the same works, to follow in his footsteps, in all respects to do likewise.
