In speaking of Jesus' healing mission and its permanent dispensation through Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 150), "Now, as then, signs and wonders are wrought in the metaphysical healing of physical disease; but these signs are only to demonstrate its divine origin,— to attest the reality of the higher mission of the Christ-power to take away the sins of the world."
How are we, as Christian Scientists, meeting the challenge of this supreme demand of Christian Science healing? The demand of Christ Jesus was that we should do the works that he did. These included the forgiveness or destruction of sin.
In the healing of the man with the palsy, it is interesting to note that even though the scribes and Pharisees could not help recognizing that Jesus had healed the sickness, they resisted up to the hilt his healing, or forgiveness, of sin and called it blasphemy. "Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" they asked (Luke 5:21). To them, Jesus was presuming on the prerogative of God. To himself, Jesus was fulfilling the divine demand for man to reflect God, utilizing the power of God divinely bestowed upon man. We read (verse 24): "That ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house."
