Jesus Is Indeed the Son of God

Cheon Seong Gyeong 2143

All things are seeking such owners. We should feel ashamed of not having yet realized this degree of love. The universe is filled with all beings existing as pairs at their level, but ultimately, they follow the principle of being absorbed into higher levels of love. Thus, minerals want to be absorbed by plants, plants by animals, and finally all of creation by human beings. Through this process they ultimately reach the position where they can experience the essence of true love, which is the love that is nearest to God, the origin of love, who created everything with an intrinsic nature to provide value to a higher level.

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1023

If there is something bad, do not get rid of it right away. Even if there is something bad, you should deal with it, having the flexibility and capacity to find some conditions that will improve it while you keep the bad aspects on hold. If a person is cut off due to a mistake he made a year ago, then he may spiritually die completely. But if he is kept for one, two, or three years in the belief that the mistake is a secondary consideration, then after that time there may be a way for him to live. (72-313, 1974.7.14)

Jesus

2. Jesus—the Son of God and Incarnation of the Word

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
    John 3.16
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, “Show us the Father?” Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me?…
    Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
    John 14.8-11, 19-20
 
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him…
    And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we know and believe the love God has for us.
    1 John 4.9, 14-16
 
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
    And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.
    John 1.1-15

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
 
After being born on this earth, Jesus claimed, “I am the only-begotten Son of God!” He made the decisive proclamation, “No one comes to the Father but by me,” meaning that in history up until his coming, no one could fully receive God’s love. Thus, Jesus expounded the ultimate standard, the level that God longs to see us attain. Jesus was the only person who claimed this relationship with God. We read his words in John 14, “Believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me.” Thus, he declared that he is one with God. (53:231-32, February 28, 1972)
 
The Bible calls Jesus the “only-begotten Son.” What does this mean? God’s love is absolute love. Jesus was the first person in history who could receive the total love of God and represent that love to humankind.
    Because God gave Jesus the title, “only-begotten Son,” he could become our Savior. Jesus taught that he is the true Son of God from the standpoint of love. Therefore, only by going through Jesus can we make a relationship of love [with God]. (146:168,June 15, 1986)
 
Among Jesus’ words, he said, “God is my Father.” This is the correct teaching. It is the word that can bring complete success to human life. It is a word without precedent, which can elevate human affections to the level of heavenly heart and heavenly law.
    Next, Jesus said, “I am the bridegroom, and you are the brides.” He was speaking about this in a religious sense, was he not? In the human world, what can be more intimate than the relationship between husband and wife? What can be closer than the relationship between parent and child? Jesus also said that he was our brother. What relationship could be closer? With these teachings Jesus was describing God’s family. He encapsulated the truth by describing relationships containing the divine heart. (39:42-43, January 9, 1971)
    Jesus came as the incarnation of the Word. Jesus was the man whom God had been hoping to see over the long course of restoration history, the desire of God from the time of creation. (3:318-19, February 2, 1958)
 
God’s original thought in creating the universe centered on human beings was to rejoice with all His creatures. This was God’s desire, but it was not realized on this earth due to the Fall of Adam and Eve, our progenitors. God created all existence in six days through the Word [logos]. He bestowed upon all created beings a purpose: to become God’s object partners by manifesting God’s Word.
    What then, would all created beings hope for, having been created as substantial object partners through the Word? This was for a mediator, one central being that would enable them to move in step with God. If human beings had become that center, the chaotic history that has unfolded on this earth would not have happened. 
    God also hoped to see the appearance of the one being who could represent Him and act on His behalf. This has been the center of God’s hope—not only during the course of the providence of restoration since the Human Fall, but even since the beginning of creation.
    The being God and creation hoped for would come as the incarnation of the Word… Due to the Fall of Adam and Eve, God’s Word returned to Him without being manifested on the earth; meanwhile, separated from the Word, human beings still live on this earth. Therefore, God would once again bestow His Word upon humanity. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Christology 4.1.1)
 
Because Jesus was born on the foundation of a purified lineage, having nothing to do with Satan, he is indeed the Son of God. He could finally claim: “I am the only begotten Son of God.” No one like Jesus had ever appeared before in human history…
    There have been other religious founders and saviors in history, but none of them was born relating to God as a son to his Parent, because they did not have a purified lineage, unstained by Satan’s polluted blood. Neither Buddha nor Confucius nor Mohammed came from such a background. Therefore, Jesus’ birth on earth was truly the hope of all humankind. It is through the glory of his person that we can receive new life and resurrection. (53:205-206, February 21, 1972)
 
 
 
 

The Fundamental Core Issue of Society is the Breakdown of Sexual Morality

Ezekiel 16

23 Now I, the Lord God, say you are doomed! Not only did you do these evil things, 24 but you also built places on every street corner 25 where you disgraced yourself by having sex with anyone who walked by. And you did that more and more every day! 26 To make me angry, you even offered yourself to Egyptians, who were always ready to sleep with you.

Richard: The fundamental core issue of society is the breakdown of sexual morality. It’s really simple; don’t have sex before marriage. Keep faithful in marriage. Center your marriage on God. Teach this to the next generation. But, by and large, we are not doing that. Join us as we work to change this and make a movement of good sexual ethics.

Hosea 12

3 Even before Jacob was born,
    he cheated his brother,
and when he grew up,
    he fought against God.

4 At Bethel, Jacob wrestled
    with an angel and won;
then with tears in his eyes,
he asked for a blessing,
    and God spoke to us there.

Richard: This indicates the importance of the human portion of responsibility. Jacob knew the value of his birthright, his brother Essau did not. God sent an angel to test Jacob, and he prevailed. As I mentioned above, it is our responsibility to promote good sexual ethics. If we do not, we will continue to reap the fruits of the breakdown of society.

Jesus

1. Jesus Came to Save Sinful Humankind

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Jesus spent his whole life fulfilling his responsibility and mission. What he completed on earth during his 33 years of life secured an eternal and inviolable accomplishment. His Gospel of faith, and the example of his life, will remain for eternity.
    Jesus took responsibility, not only for his own generation but also for all of history. Jesus single-handedly took responsibility to complete the providential will that God had been striving to fulfill for 4,000 years. (1:37, May 16, 1956)

Jesus came to answer the universal questions, resolve humanity’s sins, and solve the problem of death. Jesus was the only person who could provide solutions to these problems. 
    Moreover, more than anyone else, Jesus lived a truthful life for the sake of God. Disregarding his personal life, he sought to elucidate the fundamental questions of the universe. Disregarding his own glory, he labored and sacrificed endlessly to fulfill the will of God. By virtue of his consistent heart and life, he was elevated before Heaven as the foremost torchbearer, representing all of history. That is why he could confidently cry out, “Believe in me.” (3:14, September 8, 1957)

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” What a bold statement! Was his way a treacherous mountain trail? No, it was a firm and solid road. Was his truth dim and obscure? No, he clearly knew everything that he spoke. He intended that his truth should be welcomed by all peoples, and it should become the measure of all truth. Was his life one of dying or thriving? He lowered himself to serve others, yet as he said, those who humble themselves will be lifted up. (106:13, November 4, 1979)

People in a state of imperfection cannot establish the ideal world. People ignorant of the truth cannot lay its foundations. Therefore, God promised to send to Israel the Messiah—the one perfected person with complete knowledge. Jesus would be the beginning of the God-centered sovereignty and nation; this would be possible once the Israelites united absolutely with him.
    That is, by attending38 the Messiah, immature people were to proceed on the path to individual perfection and establish families, communities and a nation united with Jesus. They had to obey Jesus’ will in its entirety. However, the Israelites who met the Messiah did not understand that God had sent him. Neither did they know that God’s work for Jesus was to save not only his own people but also the world. (54:41, March 10, 1972)

Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand

Cheon Seong Gyeong 2393

Where does true love come from? True love comes into existence when one serves others, and not when one wants to be served by others. Why? The fundamental foundation for the creation of heaven and earth in the beginning was not the action of drawing things in to oneself. Catching hold of something and drawing it to oneself can create only one entity. Everything in this world requires investing oneself. The axis for the creation of the universe belongs to God, who has been seeking the ideal of love. It did not begin with drawing or pulling things in, but with investing. You must understand that the way of true love is found by investing even your life and being able to forget about it. (284-71, 1997.4.15

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1684

Taking into consideration the principle of the dissipation of energy, can input be equal to output for human beings? Energy enters the body to carry out actions; can that energy be equal to that left after the action has been carried out? Is it consumed in the process of action? Does motion consume energy? Thus, output cannot be equal to input, but is always less than before. Evolutionists imply that energy increases with action. Such a formula does not exist. If it were true, this world would be turned upside down. Hence, an external source of additional energy would be necessary. (55-254, 1972.5.9)

Jesus

Sun Myung Moon regards Jesus of Nazareth as the Greatest of all the religious founders. He has made an exhaustive study of his life and work; his speeches about Jesus take up many volumes. He does not view Jesus from the conventional Christian perspective as the savior who fulfilled everything through his atoning death on the cross. No, Father Moon’s Jesus knew he had a much greater mission—to live and establish God’s Kingdom on earth during his lifetime. the crucifixion cut short his mission, frustrated his aspirations, and prolonged the centuries of suffering and wars while the Kingdom tarried until the days of the second coming. It is through this lens that he views scripture passages about Jesus’ person, preparations for his coming, and his relations with his family, his ministry, the cross, and the resurrection.
Father Moon knows Jesus as the “man of sorrows.” he asserts that even in his youth, during the 30 years prior to beginning his public life, Jesus was misunderstood and ridiculed by his family and his village. The fact that Jesus never married, when it was customary for all Jewish men in their twenties to do so, is taken not as a mark of special holiness but rather as the painful lot of a man of questionable birth and strange behavior who was not regarded as marriageable.
When it came time for Jesus to begin his ministry, all heaven’s attempts to prepare the Jewish people to welcome him ended in failure—notably the ministry of John the Baptist. Consequently, Jesus was never able to preach what he set out to preach: the gospel of the Kingdom of God in plain language. Instead he had to speak in obscure parables. He was never able to do what he set out to do: lead a spiritual and political movement to win Israel’s independence from Rome and establish God’s Kingdom throughout the world.
Jesus’ sorrow only increased as the forces opposing his ministry grew stronger and he was compelled to take an alternative course, the way of the cross. His grief was exacerbated by the weakness of his disciples, who fled and scattered leaving him alone at the end. In the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed desperately, knowing the sorrow of God and the sufferings of generations to come that would ensue if he took that path and died without completing his original mission. But by that time the people’s rejection was unalterable; the die was cast and he obediently accepted the cross as God’s will.
Yet Jesus never changed his heartfelt love for the people, even for those who were killing him. When he forgave his enemies on the cross, it was an earth-shaking moment that changed history forever.

1. Jesus Came to Save Sinful Humankind

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
1 Timothy 1.15

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”… And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
Matthew 4.17, 23

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”
John 14.6

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11.28-30

And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 9.10-13

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.
John 10.11-16

Those Who Live for Goodness Will Be Blessed by Heaven

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John 21

20 Peter turned and saw Jesus’ favorite disciple following them. He was the same one who had sat next to Jesus at the meal and had asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw that disciple, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus answered, “What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return? You must follow me.” 23 So the rumor spread among the other disciples that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He simply said, “What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return?”

Job 42

3 You asked why I talk so much
    when I know so little.
I have talked about things
that are far beyond
    my understanding.
4 You told me to listen
    and answer your questions.[a]
5 I heard about you from others;
now I have seen you
    with my own eyes.
6 That’s why I hate myself
and sit here in dust and ashes
    to show my sorrow.

Confucius

1. Confucius Faced Hardships and Disappointments While Maintaining Conviction about His Mission

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Confucius was born in the House of Lu during the Warring States period several thousand years ago, a chaotic time of many battles and wars. Yet he was not concerned only for his own country or the surrounding states. Nor did he complain about the trouble-filled society and the difficult circum-stances into which he was born. Although he had no siblings to help him serve his parents, he tried to support them with gratitude. Confucius had the heart to be concerned about the future and the world. Despite frequent rejection, he persevered with gratitude.
    Therefore, eventually his teachings would unify the continent of China. More than that, he pioneered a way that has remained for all humankind, even beyond Asia. His aspiration and desire was to offer something truthful, and he searched for the truth that he could offer to humankind. This formed his character. This was where his teachings originated. (33:290, August 21, 1970)

Confucius intended that the House of Lu should adopt his way to govern his nation during those chaotic times. However, seeing chaos and confusion abounding throughout the world as well as in his own nation, he came up with a teaching for a way of life to be followed by all future generations of humankind. (32:260, July 19, 1970)

Confucius was persecuted; he was cursed as a “homeless, wandering dog.” The reason why he and other persecuted people of Heaven could be recognized as saints is because they followed the principle. Therefore with the passage of time their day would come, when they were destined to be victors. (189:205-06, April 6, 1989)

2. Confucius’ Religious Faith

When under siege in K’uang, Confucius said, “With King Wen dead, is not culture (wen) invested here in me? If Heaven intends culture to be destroyed, those who come after me will not be able to have any part of it. If Heaven does not intend this culture to be destroyed, then what can the men of K’uang do to me?”
     Analects 9.5
 
Confucius said, “He who sins against Heaven has none to whom he can pray.”
    Analects 3.13
 
Though his food might be coarse rice and vegetable broth, Confucius inevitably offered a little in sacrifice, and always with solemnity.
    Analects 10.8
 
Po-niu was ill and Confucius went to inquire of him. Having grasped his hand through a window, Confucius said, “It is killing him. It is the will of Heaven, alas! That such a man should have such a malady! That such a man should have such a malady!”
    Analects 6.8
 
Confucius said, “Devote yourselves to the proper demands of the people, respect the ghosts and spirits but keep them at a distance—this may be called wisdom.”Analects
    6.20
 
Confucius said, “I wish I did not have to speak at all.” Tzu Kung said, “But if you did not speak, sir, what should we disciples pass on to others?” Confucius said, “Look at Heaven there. Does it speak? The four seasons run their course and all things are produced. Does Heaven speak?”
    Analects 17.19
 
Teachings of Rev.  Sun Myung Moon
 
No religious founder puts forth a teaching or propounds principles of living centered only on human beings. Among the teachings of Confucius, there is one: “Those who live for goodness will be blessed by Heaven, but those who live contrary to goodness will face misfortune from Heaven.” That is, Heaven rewards with blessings those who do good deeds, and Heaven will recompense evildoers with disasters. Confucius could say this because he knew Heaven. He knew Heaven; therefore he could erect principles of living that are based on Heaven. Although he only vaguely knew Heaven (God), he included it in his teachings. Therefore, he is qualified to stand among the great founders of religion. (32:261, July 19, 1970)
 
Providentially, Confucius’ teaching was like the proclamation of the heavenly archangel. Through the elements of Confucian morality, Heaven sought to establish social conditions that would protect against Satan and set up a society resembling the external form of Heaven.37 (205:179, August 28, 1998)
 
 
 

If the Truth is not Cultivated, the Shame is Ours

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Cheon Seong Gyeong 325

Who becomes the owner? It is the person who serves others the most. The person who serves others the most can govern and take command. Also, it is natural law that an inheritance will come to the person who lives for the sake of others. In love can be found the right of mutual participation, which means that both can freely participate in each oth-er’s lives any place, day or night. Do you need permission to go into your sons’ and daughters’ rooms? Do children need permission to enter their parents’ room? Of course not. If, within yourself, you have the mechanism with which to love God, you can be with Him wherever He goes. (170-199, 1987.11.15)

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1255

When you look closely at Holy Scriptures, you cannot deny that the human ancestors engaged in illicit love and formed a relationship of parent and child Satan, centering on him. Human beings, who were supposed to carry on the bloodline of God and be born as the direct descendants of God through His absolute love, instead inherited the blood line of the devil Satan and were born as the sons and daughters of Satan. The eighth chapter of the book of Romans states, “But we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons… but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba! Father!” Adopted children are of a different bloodline. (53-261, 1972.3.1)

Confucius

Born into an era of incessant warfare, the sage Confucius saw beyond the troubles of his own day and sought for the universal principles of morality that could be the basis of a peaceful world. He gathered a circle of disciples and traveled from kingdom to kingdom, seeking to interest the rulers in his ideas. Though he was rejected again and again, Confucius maintained an optimistic attitude, based on the faith that heaven was using him for a higher purpose. Though not accepted in his day, Confucius’ teachings became the foundation of East Asian civilization.
Father Moon respects Confucius for his faith in God, which he called “heaven,” and his single-minded focus to seek a higher truth transcending his meager circumstances. he regards Confucius as a counterpart to Jesus: he taught the outward form of social relations in the Kingdom of heaven, while Jesus taught and embodied its inward spirit.

1. Confucius Faced Hardships and Disappointments While Maintaining Conviction about His Mission

The border warden requested to be introduced to Confucius, saying, “When men of superior virtue have come to this [exile], I have never been denied the privilege of seeing them.” The followers introduced him, and when he came out from the interview, he said, “My friends, why are you distressed by your master’s loss of office? The kingdom has long been without the principles of truth and right; Heaven is going to use your master as a bell with its wooden tongue.”
    Analects 3.24
While Confucius stood alone at the east gate of the outer city the natives reported to Tsekung, “There is a man at the east gate… He looks crest-fallen like a homeless, wandering dog.” Tsekung told Confucius this story, and Confucius smiled and said, “I don’t know about the descriptions of my figure, but as for resembling a homeless, wandering dog, he is quite right, he is quite right!”Ssu-ma Ch’ien, Shih Chi 47
 
[Being surrounded and short of food], Confucius knew that his disciples were angry and disappointed at heart, so he asked Tselu to come in and questioned him. “It is said in the Book of Songs, ‘Neither buffalos, nor tigers, they wander in the desert.’ [A comparison to themselves] Do you think that my teachings are wrong? How is it that I find myself now in this situation?” Tselu replied, “Perhaps we are not great enough and have not been able to win people’s confidence in us. Perhaps we are not wise enough and people are not willing to follow our teachings.” “Is that so?” said Confucius. “Yu, if the great could always gain the confidence of the people, why did Poyi and Chuch’i have to go and die of starvation in the mountains? If the wise men could always have their teachings followed by others, why did Prince Pikan have to commit suicide?”
    Tselu came out and Tsekung went in, and Confucius said, “Sze, it is said in the Book of Songs, ‘Neither buffalos, nor tigers, they wander in the desert.’ Are my teachings wrong? How is it that I find myself now in this situation?” Tsekung replied, “The Master’s teachings are too great for the people, and that is why the world cannot accept them. Why don’t you come down a little from your heights?” Confucius replied, “Sze, a good farmer plants the field but cannot guarantee the harvest, and a good artisan can do a skillful job, but he cannot guarantee to please his customers. Now you are not interested in cultivating yourselves, but are only interested in being accepted by the people. I am afraid you are not setting the highest standard for yourself.”
    Tsekung came out and Yen Hui went in, and Confucius said, “Hui, it is said in the Book of Songs, ‘Neither buffalos, nor tigers, they wander in the desert.’ Are my teachings wrong? How is it that I find myself now in this situation?” Yen Hui replied, “The Master’s teachings are so great. That is why the world cannot accept them. However, you should just do your best to spread the ideas. What do you care if they are not accepted? The very fact that your teachings are not accepted shows that you are a true gentleman. If the truth is not cultivated, the shame is ours; but if we have already strenuously cultivated the teachings of a moral order and they are not accepted by the people, it is the shame of those in power. What do you care if you are not accepted? The very fact that you are not accepted shows that you are a true gentleman.” And Confucius was pleased and said smilingly, “Is that so? Oh, son of Yen, if you were a rich man, I would be your butler!”
    Ssu-ma Ch’ien, Shih Chi 47
 
This is the character of the man: so intent upon enlightening the eager that he forgets his hunger, and so happy in doing so, that he forgets the bitterness of his lot and does not realize that old age is at hand. That is what he is.
    Analects 7.18