Divine Principle | Daily Inspiration

God Predestines the Accomplishment of His Will Conditionally

Matthew 12

²²Some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind and could not talk because he had a demon in him. Jesus healed the man, and then he was able to talk and see. ²³The crowds were so amazed that they asked, “Could Jesus be the Son of David?”

Jeremiah 22

If you obey me, the kings from David’s family will continue to rule Judah from this palace. They and their officials will ride in and out on their horses or in their chariots. ⁵But if you ignore me, I promise in my own name that this palace will lie in ruins. ⁶Listen to what I think about it:

The palace of Judah’s king
is as glorious as Gilead
    or Lebanon’s highest peaks.
But it will be as empty
as a ghost-town
    when I’m through with it.
⁷I’ll send troops to tear it apart,
and its beautiful cedar beams
    will be used for firewood.

⁸People from different nations will pass by and ask, “Why did the Lord do this to such a great city as Jerusalem?” ⁹Others will answer, “It’s because the people worshiped foreign gods and broke the agreement that the Lord their God had made with them.”

Exposition of the Divine Principle
3 Color Edition-The Red part

Predestination

Theological controversy over predestination has caused great confusion in the religious lives of many people. Let us begin by examining the source of this controversy. In the Bible, we find many passages which are often interpreted to mean that everything in an individual’s life—prosperity and decline, happiness and misery, salvation and damnation, as well as the rise and fall of nations—comes to pass exactly as predestined by God.

Yet we can also find sufficient evidence in the Bible to refute the doctrine of absolute predestination. Since there are ample grounds in the Bible to justify either of these two contrasting doctrines, controversy over the issue of predestination has been inevitable. How can the Principle solve this problem?

THE PREDESTINATION OF GOD’S WILL

Before discussing the predestination of God’s Will, let us first examine what is being willed. Let us remember: God could not accomplish His purpose of creation due to the human Fall. Accordingly, God’s Will in carrying out His providence for fallen humanity is still to accomplish the purpose of creation. In this sense, God’s Will is that restoration be accomplished.

To what extent does God predestine His Will—the ultimate accomplishment of the purpose of creation? God is the absolute Being, unique, eternal and unchanging; therefore, the purpose of His creation must also be absolute, unique, eternal and unchanging. Likewise, His Will for the providence of restoration, the goal of which is the accomplishment of the purpose of creation, must also be absolute, unique and unchanging. It follows that God’s predestination of His Will—that the purpose of creation one day be fulfilled—must also be absolute, as it is written, “I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.”

THE PREDESTINATION OF THE WAY IN WHICH GOD’S WILL IS FULFILLED

According to the Principle of Creation, God’s purpose of creation can be realized only when human beings complete their portion of responsibility. Although God’s Will to realize this purpose through the providence of restoration is absolute and beyond human influence, its fulfillment necessarily requires the accomplishment of the human portion of responsibility.

To what extent does God predestine the unfolding of the events in the providence? Although God’s Will to realize the purpose of the providence of restoration is absolute, God predestines the process of its accomplishment conditionally, contingent upon the five percent responsibility of the central figure, which must be completed in addition to the ninety-five percent responsibility of God. The proportion of five percent is used to indicate that the human portion of responsibility is extremely small when compared to God’s portion of responsibility. Yet for human beings, this five percent is equivalent to one hundred percent of our effort.

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2007p1-CHAPT-6-Predestination_revised-4-28-2014

Spirits Who Could Not Complete Their Mission Must Return to People on Earth

Cheon Seong Gyeong 255

Since we have transcended the world,
white people and black people should be
brothers and sisters. This is to realize the
brotherhood realm of humankind, the
realm of Adam and Eve, which has noth-
ing to do with the Fall. Then, what is the
basic philosophy to establish that tradi-
tion? Everything will work out if we live
for the sake of others. From here, your
sons and daughters will grow up without
suffering in this kind of environment.
They will become descendants who can
go straight to the heavenly nation with
actual accomplishments that surpass the
satanic world and can directly connect
with heaven. Next, these brothers and
sisters will marry one another. For us,
marriage transcends nations. We have
the mind-set that we can marry a black
person if told to do so, marry a white
person if recommended to do so, and
marry a yellow person if recommend-
ed to do so. Such a tradition should be
established from now. This has not yet
been established. We should create one-
ness from now on. So you must guide
your descendants and the world with
this. The two must become one. When
you become one you should not bear evil
children. To bear children of goodness,
the husband and wife should be com-
pletely one. Without becoming one, no
children of goodness will come out. Thus,
they should become completely one cen-
tering on God’s will. (71-19, 1974.3.24)

Cheon Seong Gyeong 136

The parent of humankind came,
but the people could not attend him as
their parent. Could there be such a par-
ent who came to shed blood and die for
them? That parent came to host a festival
of love at which he could say, “My son!
My daughter! My family! My nation!”
and the entire universe could reconcile.
That parent who was to receive praise
for that day of peace and glory should
have met his lost children. Yet instead
he was killed with the thrust of a blade
from those children. Think about how
miserable Jesus was. How grieved God
was to be choked in circumstances that
prevented Him from teaching ignorant
human beings! (145-152, 1986.5.1)

Exposition of the Divine Principle
3 Color Edition-The Red part

Chapter 6
Resurrection

2.4 THE THEORY OF REINCARNATION EXAMINED IN LIGHT OF THE PRINCIPLE OF RETURNING RESURRECTION

Spirits who could not complete their missions during their earthly life must return to people on earth who share the same type of mission as they had during their lifetime. When a spirit assists an earthly person to fulfill God’s Will, the person will fulfill not only his own mission, but also the mission of the spirit who has helped him. Hence, from the standpoint of mission, the physical self of the person concurrently serves as the physical self of the spirit. In a sense, he is the second coming of the spirit; hence he may sometimes be called by the spirit’s name and appear to be the reincarnation of that spirit.

THE UNIFICATION OF RELIGIONS THROUGH RETURNING RESURRECTION

3.1 THE UNIFICATION OF CHRISTIANITY THROUGH RETURNING RESURRECTION

All the spirits will descend from Paradise in that day and assist the believers on the earth. sooner or later each believer will be guided by the spirits from Paradise to go before Christ at the Second Advent and devote their lives for the sake of God’s Will. For this reason, Christianity is destined to be united.

3.2 THE UNIFICATION OF ALL OTHER RELIGIONS THROUGH RETURNING RESURRECTION

At the Second Coming of Christ, all spirits who believed in religions other than Christianity during their lifetime will, like the spirits in Paradise, also return to earth to be resurrected, even though the timing of their return will vary depending upon their spiritual position. These spirits must guide the earthly believers of their respective religions to Christ at the Second Advent and assist them to believe in him and attend him in his work to fulfill God’s Will.

3.3 THE UNIFICATION OF NON-RELIGIOUS PEOPLE THROUGH RETURNING RESURRECTION

Spirits who, in their lifetime, led a conscientious life but did not believe in any religion will also return to earth at the granted time to receive the benefit of returning resurrection. They will guide conscientious earthly people to seek out Christ at the Second Advent, attend him, and assist him in fulfilling God’s Will.

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2007p1-CHAPT-5-Resurrection_revised-4-28-2014

Heaven Allows Evil Spirits to Torment Us as Punishment for Sin

1 Corinthians 16

¹³Keep alert. Be firm in your faith. Stay brave and strong. ¹⁴Show love in everything you do.

Jeremiah 34

^-10King Zedekiah, his officials, and everyone else in Jerusalem made an agreement to free all Hebrew men and women who were slaves. No Jew would keep another as a slave. And so, all the Jewish slaves were given their freedom.

¹¹But those slave owners changed their minds and forced their former slaves back into slavery.

Exposition of the Divine Principle
3 Color Edition-The Red part

Chapter 6
Resurrection

THE PROVIDENCE OF RESURRECTION

2.1 HOW DOES GOD CARRY OUT HIS WORK OF RESURRECTION?

Resurrection means the process through which a fallen person is restored to the original state as intended by God. The providence of resurrection thus means the providence of restoration. Since the providence of restoration is God’s work of re-creation, resurrection is a work of re-creation. Thus, the providence of resurrection is carried out in accordance with the Principle of Creation, in the following manner.

The merit of the age in the providence of restoration has increased in proportion to the foundation of heart laid by the prophets, sages and righteous people who came before us. Therefore, resurrection is carried out based on the merit of the age. Second, according to the Principle of Creation, in conducting the providence of resurrection, God’s responsibility is to give us His Word and guidance, and our responsibility is to believe and practice it in order to fulfill the providence. Third, according to the Principle of Creation, the resurrection of a spirit can be achieved only through earthly life. Fourth, according to the Principle of Creation, the providence of resurrection for fallen people is also to be completed through three ordered stages, manifested as three ages in the providence of restoration.

2.2 THE PROVIDENCE OF RESURRECTION FOR PEOPLE ON EARTH

2.2.1 THE PROVIDENCE TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR RESURRECTION

The two thousand years from Adam to Abraham resulted in the establishment of the foundation upon which God could begin His providence of resurrection in the following age. For this reason, we may call this period the age of the providence to lay the foundation for resurrection.

2.2.2 THE PROVIDENCE OF FORMATION-STAGE RESURRECTION

During the two thousand years from Abraham to Jesus, God worked to raise people to the formation stage of resurrection. Hence, this era may be called the age of the providence of formation-stage resurrection. This era has been called the age of justification by works. The people of this era who practiced the Law in their daily life were resurrected in spirit to the formation stage and became form spirits.

2.2.3 THE PROVIDENCE OF GROWTH-STAGE RESURRECTION

Due to the crucifixion of Jesus, resurrection was left incomplete, and its completion has been delayed until the time of his return. The two thousand years since then have been a time of prolongation, during which God has worked the providence to resurrect people to the growth stage through spiritual salvation. Hence, this era may be called the age of the providence of growth-stage resurrection. This era has been called the age of justification by faith. Upon their death, those who became life spirits while on earth enter and abide in Paradise, the life-spirit level of the spirit world.

2.2.4 THE PROVIDENCE OF COMPLETION-STAGE RESURRECTION

The era when people are to be resurrected both spiritually and physically through the returning Christ and complete the providence of resurrection is called the age of the providence of completion-stage resurrection. Christ at the Second Advent brings the new truth. This era is called the age of justification by attendance. When they shed their physical bodies, as spirits they will enter and abide in the Kingdom of Heaven in heaven, which is the divine-spirit level of the spirit world.

2.3 THE PROVIDENCE OF RESURRECTION FOR SPIRITS

2.3.1 THE PURPOSE AND THE WAY OF RETURNING RESURRECTION

The spirits of people who died before they could reach perfection during their earthly life can be resurrected only by returning to earth and completing their unaccomplished responsibility through cooperation with earthly people. By assisting people of faith living on the earth to fulfill their missions, the spirits may complete their missions at the same time.

2.3.2 THE RETURNING RESURRECTION OF THE SPIRITS OF ISRAELITES AND CHRISTIANS

2.3.2.1 GROWTH-STAGE RETURNING RESURRECTION Spirits of those who kept the Mosaic Law and worshipped God sincerely while living on earth during the Old Testament Age came to abide at the form-spirit level of the spirit world. After the advent of Jesus, these spirits all returned to earth and assisted faithful people on earth to accomplish the Will of God. By thus helping the people to attain the level of life spirit, they too received the same benefit: namely, they became life spirits and entered Paradise. We call this dispensation growth-stage returning resurrection.

2.3.2.2 COMPLETION-STAGE RETURNING RESURRECTION

The spirits of people who believed in Jesus while they lived on earth during the New Testament Age became life spirits and entered Paradise after death. After the Second Advent, these spirits will all return to the earth to help faithful people believe in and attend the returning Christ. By thus helping people on earth to attain the level of divine spirit, they too will receive the same benefit and become divine spirits. When the earthly saints pass over to the next world and enter the Kingdom of Heaven in heaven, the returning spirits will also enter the Kingdom. This dispensation is called completion-stage returning resurrection.

2.3.3 THE RETURNING RESURRECTION OF SPIRITS WHO ABIDE OUTSIDE PARADISE

First, let us examine the returning resurrection of spirits who believed in religions other than Christianity during their lifetime. A spirit who returns to the earth for his resurrection seeks a counterpart among the earthly people of the religion in which he believed during his earthly life. A spirit descends to the person of his choice and guides him. When he helps that person fulfill the purpose of the providence of restoration, they both receive the same benefit. Second, let us examine the returning resurrection of spirits who lived a conscientious life even though they did not believe in a religion. These good spirits descend to good people on earth and cooperate with them in order to help them fulfill the purpose of God’s providence of restoration. In the process, the spirits receive the same benefits as the people they have helped. Third, let us examine the returning resurrection of evil spirits.

The works of evil spirits do not always bear fruit and result in their receiving the benefit of returning resurrection. To receive such benefit, their works must have the effect of punishing earthly people, thereby enlisting their help in making indemnity conditions in accordance with God’s plan to cleanse evil spirits through punishment. [Blue Part] How, then, can the works of evil spirits result in casting judgment on behalf of Heaven? Let us take an example. Suppose there is a person living on earth who, based on the merit of the age, is about to graduate from his current sphere of benefit to a higher sphere of benefit. He cannot graduate to the new sphere of benefit unless he first makes some condition of indemnity to remove the sins of the past. In the case of graduating from the family sphere to the clan sphere, a person must pay the debt of sin both for himself and for the ancestors of his clan. Heaven allows evil spirits to torment him as punishment for this sin. If he willingly endures the suffering given by the evil spirits and overcomes it, he will have successfully paid the indemnity through this condition and thus be entitled to enter the higher sphere of benefit at the clan level. The evil spirits who have tormented him receive a corresponding benefit [End Blue Part]

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2007p1-CHAPT-5-Resurrection_revised-4-28-2014

Resurrection Occurs through Repentance on Earth

Cheon Seong Gyeong 678

On February 1, 1985 at 3 a.m., Moth-
er and I established this condition
through special prayer. Thenceforth, all
the barriers of hell crumbled, so whoev-
er makes effort on that foundation can
rise up to the heavenly world. Also, if
there are good spirits among your rela-
tives in the spirit world, they will come
to you, educate you and even take you
with them to the heavenly world. Their
role as the Savior in the spirit world has
begun. The mission of the Savior lay not
in the spirit world, but has been limit-
ed to the earth, yet now, by paving this
way, the good spirits in the other world
can educate the evil spirits in hell. While
the good ancestors play the role of the
Savior, a way has been opened allowing
them to develop and ascend to the heav-
enly world. (136-183, 1985.12.22)

Richard: Your good ancestors can guide you, if you are willing to listen and be open to God’s guidance.

Cheong Seong Gyeong 1350

Just as the Israelites set out from
Egypt for Canaan, the 430 Couples sig-
nify that we too have set out to restore
the world, which is our Canaan. Where-
as they set out in the 430th year of their
captivity in Egypt, we have settled on
the number 43, representing 4,300 years.
We are moving forward from this point.
In doing so, we are not working individ-
ually but in family units. We must move
forward with our families. You should
understand this. The unit is no longer
the individual; it is the family. Thus, you
should not abandon your families and
move forward alone. Furthermore, the
central person in the position of Moses
should not abandon the Israelites. He
must lead them all out of Egypt into
Canaan. If one of them happens to be in
prison, he should help that person to get
out so he can come with the others.

Exposition of the Divine Principle
3 Color Edition-The Red part

Chapter 6
Resurrection

If we are to believe literally the prophecies of Scripture, we should expect that when Jesus comes again, the saints will come back to life in the flesh. Their bodies, buried in the earth and completely decomposed, will be reconstituted to their original state. Given the modern state of our knowledge, they do not make rational sense. This brings great confusion to the Christian faith. Therefore, it is important that we elucidate the true meaning of resurrection.

RESURRECTION

Resurrection means to come back to life. To come back to life implies that we have been dead. To fathom the meaning of resurrection, we must clarify the biblical concepts of life and death.

1.1 THE BIBLICAL CONCEPTS OF LIFE AND DEATH

When a follower asked Jesus if he could go home to bury his deceased father, Jesus said, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead.”2 From these words of Jesus, it is clear that the Bible contains two different concepts of life and death. The first concept of life and death concerns physical life. Here, “death” means the end of physical life, as was the case of the disciple’s deceased father who was to be buried. “Life” in that sense means the state in which the physical self maintains its physiological functions. The second concept of life and death concerns those living people who had gathered to bury the deceased man, those whom Jesus called “the dead.” This second concept of death does not refer to the expiration of physical life. It means leaving the bosom of God’s love and falling under the dominion of Satan. The corresponding concept of life refers to the state of living in accordance with God’s Will, within the dominion of God’s infinite love.

1.2 THE DEATH CAUSED BY THE HUMAN FALL

We have learned that there are two different biblical concepts of death. Which of the two refers to the death brought about by the Fall of the first human ancestors? God created human beings to grow old and return to dust. According to the Principle of Creation, the flesh is the clothing of the spirit. Just as one discards worn-out clothes, the flesh is to be discarded when it has grown old and weak. Only the unclothed spirit self then enters the spirit world and lives there eternally. We can conclude that the death caused by the Fall does not mean the end of physical life, but rather the descent from the good dominion of God into the evil dominion of Satan.

1.3 THE MEANING OF RESURRECTION

Resurrection may be defined as the process of being restored from the death caused by the Fall to life, from the realm of Satan’s dominion to the realm of God’s direct dominion, through the providence of restoration. Accordingly, whenever we repent of our sins and rise to a higher state of goodness, we are resurrected to that degree.

1.4 WHAT CHANGES DOES RESURRECTION CAUSE IN HUMAN BEINGS?

According to God’s Word, Adam and Eve died when they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Nevertheless, no significant external change took place in them. At most there were momentary changes in their countenances due to the anxiety and fear they felt over having fallen. Likewise, no significant external changes should be expected to take place in fallen people when they are resurrected to the state prior to the Fall.

The changes a person experiences when he is resurrected and enters the governance of God take place in his heart and spirit. Having been liberated from Satan’s dominion, a resurrected person can unite with God in heart and acquire a divine nature. These internal changes also purify his body, transforming it from a haunt of Satan into a temple of God.

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2007p1-CHAPT-5-Resurrection_revised-4-28-2014

The Main Reason Jesus Had to Die on the Cross Was the Failure of John the Baptist

Matthew 23

²³The Sadducees did not believe that people would rise to life after death. So that same day some of the Sadducees came to Jesus and said:

²⁴Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother.

Richard: Having children (when you are married!) is very important.

Psalm 115

¹²The Lord will not forget
    to give us his blessing;
    he will bless all of Israel
    and the family of Aaron.
¹³All who worship the Lord,
no matter who they are,
    will receive his blessing.

Exposition of the Divine Principle
3 Color Edition-The Red part

THE SECOND COMING OF ELIJAH AND JOHN THE BAPTIST

The prophet Malachi foretold that Elijah would come again: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.” Jesus testified that the prophesied coming of Elijah was realized in none other than John the Baptist: “I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they pleased. . . .” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. —Matt. 17:12-13

2.1 THE JEWISH BELIEF IN THE RETURN OF ELIJAH

Since the disciples already believed that Jesus was the Messiah, they willingly accepted his testimony that John the Baptist was Elijah. Yet how could others who did not know Jesus accept this controversial claim?

2.2 THE DIRECTION THE JEWISH PEOPLE WOULD CHOOSE

Jesus made it plain that John the Baptist was the very Elijah whom the people were so anxiously awaiting, while on the contrary, John the Baptist himself flatly negated this claim. Whose words were the Jewish people to believe? This matter obviously depended on which of the two, Jesus or John, appeared more credible and respectable in the eyes of the people of that time.

When the Jewish people of Jesus’ day compared Jesus and John the Baptist, who appeared more credible to them? Without a doubt, John’s words had more credibility. Therefore, they naturally believed John the Baptist when he denied being Elijah more than they believed Jesus’ testimony that John was Elijah. Since the people believed John, they considered Jesus’ words to be a fabrication concocted to support his dubious claim to be the Messiah. Consequently, Jesus was condemned as an impostor.

2.3 THE FAITHLESSNESS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

Many among the Jewish leadership and people of Jesus’ day had the highest respect for John the Baptist; some even thought of him as the Messiah. Had John the Baptist announced that he was Elijah, as Jesus had testified, those who were eagerly waiting for the Messiah would have readily believed John’s testimony and flocked to Jesus. Instead, John’s ignorance of God’s providence, which led him to insist that he was not Elijah, became the principal reason why the Jewish people did not come to Jesus. Here we have come to understand that the main reason why Jesus had to die on the cross was the failure of John the Baptist.

2.4 THE SENSE IN WHICH JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS ELIJAH

We have stated previously that John the Baptist was to inherit and complete the mission which Elijah had left unfinished on earth. As recorded in the Bible, he was born with the mission to go before the Lord, “in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” Hence, in terms of his mission, John was the second coming of Elijah.

2.5 OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE BIBLE

We have been reading the Bible based on the unquestioned belief that John the Baptist was a great prophet. Our new insight into John the Baptist teaches us that we should dispense with the conservative attitude of faith which makes us afraid to question conventional beliefs and traditional doctrines.

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2007p1-CHAPT-4-The-Messiah-_revised-4-28-2014