Christian Science and the Second Coming of Christ
REALLY it is not necessary to say that the Christian Scientist does not believe in the Biblical second coming of Jesus the Christ. We search in vain throughout Mrs. Eddy’s book for the promise that Jesus is coming again as He went into heaven. Practically “Science and Health and Key to Scriptures,” knows no eschatology, no “doctrine of last things.” Altho declared again and again in the Scriptures, the second coming of Jesus Christ in glory to reward His own, has no place in the teachings of Christian Science. The Bible—the New Testament emphatically—speaks of the last day, the final judgment, the judgment-seat before which every case must come, the coming of our Lord in the clouds of heaven, the punishment of the incorrigibly wicked, the reward of the righteous, the changing from mortality to immortality of His children—all are set forth repeatedly, clearly, emphatically; great admonitions, solemn warnings, precious assurances, and triumphant paeans of victory are connected with them. But of all these Christian Science gives us nothing. The only substitute which it offers is Christian Science itself. But of this, as with all other substitutes, we need only to tell to our readers in the language of Scripture what the second coming of Christ is, to clearly demonstrate what it is not. Listen once more to what the divine-human Jesus said relative to His coming again: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3. Read once more His farewell message through His angels as He ascended from earth: “And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER as YE HAVE SEEN HIM GO INTO HEAVEN.” Acts 1:9-11. Read again the assurance which Paul gives the troubled ones of their ultimate rest from all the afflictions of this earth: “And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus SHALL BE REVEALED FROM HEAVEN with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; WHEN HE SHALL COME to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” 2 Thess. 1: 7-10. We pass over many other testimonies, and give in conclusion two from the last book of the Bible, the first from the angel, the second from our Lord Himself: “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Rev. 1: 7. “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen.” Rev. 22: 20. There we may leave it. We doubt any system, whatever it may be called, which leaves out of its reckoning the personal, visible, corporeal coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we love Him, we shall welcome His coming. Can we not say with John in response to our Lord’s promise, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus”?