Is Christian Science "salvation by works" ?

[JPalmer]

Responsive Reading: Ephesians 2
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I have seen comments on YouTube saying we don’t gain salvation by works, but through the grace of God. Apparently “salvation by works” versus “salvation not by works” is quite a divisive point to Christians. Since this week’s lesson touches on this, I felt I needed some clarity on this.

The first thing that came to my thought was this:

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 18:
His mission was both individual and collective. He did life’s work aright not only in justice to himself, but in mercy to mortals, — to show them how to do theirs, but not to do it for them nor to relieve them of a single responsibility.

So, if I have responsibilities, what did Christ Jesus say they were?

Matthew 10:8, 38
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

He certainly gave more instructions, but even from this it is very plain there is work to do. But then he said this:

John 14: 10
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Which brought me to:

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 258:
God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis. Mind manifests all that exists in the infinitude of Truth. We know no more of man as the true divine image and likeness, than we know of God.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

I realized Christian Science – as I’ve been learning in this church and by working with a practitioner – has been showing me as long as I am the image and likeness of God, the very belief of salvation has no place. Certainly that is the gift God has given us! The concept of “salvation by works” or “salvation not by works” is based on the belief of original sin, and has no place in God’s reality. The safest place to be is “in the secret place of the most High” (Psalm 91) and living this Science keeps us there.

I am so grateful for learning to handle the false beliefs I encounter, and how the logic of Christian Science always brings a great feeling of peace and joy! Thank you!

[Gary]

This is a good sequence of learning, except for the last one. “Salvation” is not a belief, but an experience. It is the “infinite idea forever developing itself,” as you referenced Mary Baker Eddy. And it is evidenced by our works, not our words.

There is a danger of thinking that one has “arrived” when he hasn’t. That is why we need to humbly thank God for the works and not think that we have done anything of ourselves. It looks like you got caught up in an intellectual squabble, which can only lead to confusion worse confounded. We gain salvation by faith in God’s grace. And we evidence that salvation by our works, not our words. And what is it that we need to be “saved” from? The false beliefs that sin, disease, and death are real, and have power derived either from God or in spite of God.

Mrs. Eddy explains this very clearly. On page 51 of S&H, she writes, regarding Jesus, “his consummate example was for the salvation of us all, but only through doing the works which he did and taught others to do. His purpose in healing was not alone to restore health, but to demonstrate his divine Principle.” This divine Principle is the grace of God. It is what ‘saves” us from the belief that we are anything other than the image and likeness of God. But we have a responsibility to take this divine Principle and write it on our foreheads, obey its commands (the ‘still, small voice’), thus proving by our works that we are growing (obtaining salvation).

When we experience the healing of sin, disease, or death, our salvation rests in recognizing that it is the power of Truth (the grace of God) in action, not the result of any human ability on our part, or that of anyone else.

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