1 Corinthians 16
13 Keep alert. Be firm in your faith. Stay brave and strong. 14 Show love in everything you do.
Jeremiah 34
-10 King 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.
11 But 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]
View slides 22 to 44 below for an illustrated presentation of the above content:
2007p1-CHAPT-5-Resurrection_revised-4-28-2014
