In "Rudimental Divine Science," Mrs. Eddy says (p. 2): "Healing physical sickness is the smallest part of Christian Science. It is only the bugle-call to thought and action, in the higher range of infinite goodness." And she adds, "The emphatic purpose of Christian Science is the healing of sin; and this task, sometimes, may be harder than the cure of disease; because, while mortals love to sin, they do not love to be sick."
The teachings of Christian Science illumine the Scriptures, especially the works of Christ Jesus. And we see in this light how tenderly Jesus handled the mistakes of unenlightened thought, although he used sterner methods when rebuking hypocrisy and deceit. To the woman taken in adultery, whom the scribes and Pharisees brought to him for judgment, Jesus said (John 8:11), "Go, and sin no more." At another time, when healing a palsied man, Jesus made no reference to the physical condition of the man, but said simply (Matt. 9:2), "Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee."
It may not always be necessary to point out a sufferer's faults in order to heal him. If a personal error seems apparent in a case of critical illness, it may be wiser to treat the patient compassionately and scientifically until his thought is calmed and ready to receive the needed lesson. Jesus said, "I came not to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12:47). And since Jesus is our Exemplar, a Christian Scientist is a healer, not a personal judge.
