Deuteronomy 13
13 1-2 Someday a prophet[a] may come along who is able to perform miracles or tell what will happen in the future. Then the prophet may say, “Let’s start worshiping some new gods—some gods that we know nothing about.” 3 If the prophet says this, don’t listen! The Lord your God will be watching to find out whether or not you love him with all your heart and soul. 4 You must be completely faithful to the Lord. Worship and obey only the Lord and do this with fear and trembling, 5 because he rescued you from slavery in Egypt.
Psalm 18
18 I love you, Lord God,
and you make me strong.
2 You are my mighty rock,
my fortress, my protector,
the rock where I am safe,
my shield,
my powerful weapon,
and my place of shelter.
Exposition of the Divine Principle
3 Color Edition-The Red part
The Principle of Creation
THE PURPOSE OF CREATION
ORIGINAL VALUE
4.1 T HE PROCESS AND STANDARD FOR
THE DETERMINATION OF ORIGINAL VALUE
How is a being’s original created value determined? Since its original value is determined when it participates
in a four position foundation, and since the center of this four position
foundation is God, it is God who sets the standard for its value. Since
God is absolute, the original value of an object partner determined in
relation to this standard set by God must also be absolute.
THE PROCESS OF THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE
AND ITS G ROWING PERIOD
5.1 THE PROCESS OF THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE
The universe did not suddenly spring forth complete, without regard
to the flow of time. In fact, its origin and development took an enor-
mous length of time. Therefore, the biblical period of six days for the
completion of the universe is not to be reckoned by the number of lit-
eral sunrises and sunsets. It symbolizes six ordered periods of time in
the creation process.
5.2 THE GROWING PERIOD FOR THE CREATION
When the first day of creation was completed, it states, “There was evening and there was morning, one day.” All things are designed to reach completion only after passing through a set growing period.
5.2.1 THE THREE ORDERED STAGES OF THE G ROWING PERIOD
Everything reaches perfection by passing through
three ordered stages of growth: the formation stage, the growth stage
and the completion stage. Human beings could not fulfill the purpose of their existence because
they fell without completing the three stages of the growing period.
Hence, in their renewed efforts to realize their purpose, human beings
must pass through these three stages. At what stage of the growing period did the first humans fall? They
fell at the top of the growth stage.
5.2.2 T HE REALM OF INDIRECT DOMINION
During the growing period, all beings in the creation grow by
virtue of the autonomy and governance given by God’s Principle. God,
the Author of the Principle, has regard only for the fruits of their
growth which are based on the Principle. In this way, He governs all
things indirectly. We call this growing period the realm of God’s indi-
rect dominion or the realm of dominion based on accomplishments
through the Principle.
All things reach perfection after passing through the growing per-
iod (the realm of indirect dominion) by virtue of the autonomy and gov-
ernance given by God’s Principle. Human beings, however, are created
in such a way that their growth requires the fulfillment of their own por-
tion of responsibility, in addition to the guidance provided by the
Principle. They must exercise this responsibility in order to pass suc-
cessfully through the growing period and reach perfection.
5.2.3 THE REALM OF DIRECT DOMINION
What is the realm of God’s direct dominion and what is its purpose?
Human beings abide in the realm of direct dominion when, as subject
partner and object partner, they unite in the love of God to form a four
position foundation and become one in heart with God. In this realm
they freely and fully share love and beauty according to the will of the
subject partner, thus realizing the purpose of goodness. The realm of
direct dominion is the realm of perfection.
View slides 64 to 80 below for a graphical presentation of the above content:
2007p1-CHAPT-1-Creation_revised-4-28-2014-red-part