What about forgiveness/atonement/reconciliation?

[Susieee]

The chapter entitled "Atonement and Eucharist" in Science and Health (http://www.spirituality.com/dt/book_lookup.jhtml?reference=SH%2018&marks=false) is a pretty meaty one. It throws amazing light on Jesus' life and works. It makes massive and clear demands on us to work out our own salvation and is full of great promises, like "...eventually both sin and suffering will fall at the feet of everlasting Love."

One of my favorite parts of this chapter is p.44-45 starting with where it says, "His disciples believed Jesus to be dead while he was hidden in the sepulchre, whereas he was alive, demonstrating within the narrow tomb the power of Spirit to overrule mortal, material sense..." and finishing with, "Glory be to God, and peace to the struggling hearts! Christ hath rolled away the stone from the door of human hope and faith, and through the revelation and demonstration of life in God, hath elevated them to possible at-one-ment with the spiritual idea of man and his divine Principle, Love."

The ideas in this part of the book help me look back on situations where my sense of spirituality seemed to be pretty dead (needing forgiveness/atonement/reconciliation) to realize that the Christ was actually active in my consciousness, even in that moment. It also holds great hope for me looking at the current general state of affairs in the world, with the promise that all can be healed in the way Jesus showed.

Any other quotes from this chapter that have been helpful/healing for others? How so?

[Laurie]

I have often wondered whether or not somebody can actually
"atone" for a wrong doing without actually correcting the human
mistake (obviously where possible). For example, if a person
robs a bank, can he really "atone" for that wrong doing and
be forgiven if he doesn't actually return the money he stole?:confused:

[jamshep]

I have often wondered whether or not somebody can actually
"atone" for a wrong doing without actually correcting the human
mistake (obviously where possible). For example, if a person
robs a bank, can he really "atone" for that wrong doing and
be forgiven if he doesn't actually return the money he stole?:confused:

If we had to repay everyone for all the hurts we've ever done to them, that would put us in a really sad state. It cant be done, even if we wanted to. [That's no excuse for not doing what we can when we realize we've wronged someone].

Real atonement, however, is to God, Principle, not to person. Take your example of the atonement for robbing a bank. Stealing breaks many laws of God. One is the law that states that we cannot harm someone else--no matter what it looks like. The other is the law that states that we always have all we need. As we begin to better understand these laws we will better demonstrate them by realizing we cant ever actually take anything from somebody else. To the degree that we demonstrate this we've made our atonement with/for Principle.

[Laurie]

So is correcting a human mistake actually a prerequisite for atonement?

[jamshep]

So is correcting a human mistake actually a prerequisite for atonement?

I'd say its the other way around: that recognizing our actual atonement--our connection with the divine right now--brings a correction to our human thoughts and actions that will prevent us from making the mistake again.

[livinglightly]

The Sermon on the Mount offers some suggestions. In Chapter 6 we are told to "beware of doing your good deeds conspicuously to catch men's eyes or you will miss the reward of your Heavenly Father."

And then in Chapter 5, Jesus says " "So, that if,while you are offering your gift at the altar, you should remember that your brother has something against you, you must leave your gift there before the altar and go away. Make your peace with your brother first, then come and offer your gift."

I think atonement is about humility. It is the humility that says "I have no other desire than to follow as Mind directs. That humility may lead us to call the person we have offended, or it may lead us to do something different. But for me, true atonement is a demonstration of our desire to be obedient to Mind - to be at one with that Mind, and reflect that Mind as far as we are able.

Saying I'm sorry, or making amends, just to show what a great person we are - that is not an example of humility. But listening and then following is for me, at-one-ment with God

[livinglightly]

The Sermon on the Mount has great lessons on atonement and reconciliation.

In Matt. 5 we are told "So, that if, while you are offering your gift at the altar, you should remember that your brother has something against you, you must leave your gift there before the altar and go away. Make your peace with your brother first, then come and offer your gift."

Then in Matt 6 Jesus says "Beware of doing your good deeds con****uously to catch men's eyes or you will miss the reward of your Heavenly Father."

When I think about atonement and reconciliation I think about humility. This humility is the desire to listen to Mind and follow where ever we are led. Maybe that is what atonement is "listening and following", being willing to give up human opinions, self justification ect... Walking the path Jesus walked in obedience to that Mind. I have been led to hug or make up with people I have offended. Or, who have offended me. But it was in response to the humble desire to love Mind and all of Mind's creation.

Maybe that is what true "atonement" is. Humble love for God and man. Then a willingness to follow where ever Love leads us.

[Laurie]

I'd say its the other way around: that recognizing our actual atonement--our connection with the divine right now--brings a correction to our human thoughts and actions that will prevent us from making the mistake again.

Oh, I agree but will it also humanly correct the wrong which you did to another person?

And, now that I think about it, maybe it does correct that wrong. I can remember minor incidents in my own life where the perceived "victim" overcame the effects of the incident. Maybe this coincided with the perpetrator's personal atonement for the incident.:confused:

[sparrowflies]

Mrs Eddy has written that the punishment for sin stops when the sin stops. And Jesus told the adulterous woman, go and sin no more So I think we recognize that while we may make mistakes and do things we should not, we never lose the opportunity to do better next time, thereby showing we have learned a better understandong of our eternal innocent self and that better understanding makes it easier to live it.
'01 13:22
In Christian Science it is plain that God removes the
punishment for sin only as the sin is removed — never
24 punishes it only as it is destroyed, and never afterwards;
hence the hope of universal salvation. It is a sense of sin,
and not a sinful soul, that is lost. Soul is immortal, but
27 sin is mortal. To lose the sense of sin we must first detect
the claim of sin; hold it invalid, give it the lie, and then
we get the victory, sin disappears, and its unreality is
30 proven. So long as we indulge the presence or believe in
1 the power of sin, it sticks to us and has power over us.

[sparrowflies]

Mrs. Eddy explains the destruction of sin this way :
'01 13:22
In Christian Science it is plain that God removes the
punishment for sin only as the sin is removed — never
24 punishes it only as it is destroyed, and never afterwards;
hence the hope of universal salvation. It is a sense of sin,
and not a sinful soul, that is lost. Soul is immortal, but
27 sin is mortal. To lose the sense of sin we must first detect
the claim of sin; hold it invalid, give it the lie, and then
we get the victory, sin disappears, and its unreality is
30 proven. So long as we indulge the presence or believe in
1 the power of sin, it sticks to us and has power over us.

So
I think that even though we may do some things we later regret, we never lose the opportunity to do better next time, proving we can grow into showing more of our understanding of our eternal sinless self.