Hyung Jin Moon
December 19, 2010
Cheon Bok Gung, Yongsan, Seoul Korea
I hope all of you are having a wonderful time during the special 21-day workshop. I think it's really a different sort of workshop this time, because we are able to practice together as a community, too.
Today, I would like to talk to you about our true purpose, the purpose of God. Over the course of the last few days, we've been reiterating many times, I don't know if it came across in translation but we've been emphasizing this point. What is the purpose of creation? This is a fundamental question because the question is, why did God create everything? What is the purpose of God's creation?
You will hear many, many lectures, even in our church, that say the purpose of God's creation was to create the ideal or perfect world where there is world peace, love, etc., or the purpose of creation is the universe that is at peace, even that the family was the purpose of creation. But we have to be very clear about what the purpose of creation actually is and what the result of the purpose of creation is. It is very important to have this clarified.
The purpose of creation from the Principle perspective we know, even in the Hoon Dok Hae we read at the service, is that God had wanted to find the true love reciprocal partner, the true object partner of His true love. That becomes the purpose of creation. Everything of God's intention is moving towards the perfected object partner of God's true love, the reciprocal partner.
We know that was supposed to be the first human beings as we call Adam and Eve, Jack and Jill, or whatever you want to call them but the first human beings, and that was to be the perfected object partners. In essence, we know that even Jesus was to come back and to become that True Parent as well. Simply put, God's purpose of creation is the reciprocal object partner, we can say that a long way or very short, it's True Parents. Adam and Eve were supposed to be True Parents, Jesus was supposed to be True Parents, and of course, True Parents are True Parents. So the purpose of creation, then, is True Parents. That's the purpose. From that, the results will be a true family, a tribe, society, nation and world -- and in that world peace -- universe, etc., but those are the results of the purpose of creation.
It is very important that we understand this very clearly because even in our movement, this has many times not been clear, and you will hear this many times. For us, to know the principle, to know this point is extremely essential. It is the starting point of God that He yearns for True Parents.
In early Christianity, there was also this debate. The Christian Apologists and the Christians at that time were under deep persecution. They were patronized and made fun of and all sorts of terrible things, or even killed. They had to debate with the existing philosophies of the time, different Greek philosophies. So as Doctor Graham mentioned in his lecture, we had competing ideas and thoughts, world views and philosophies like Stoicism. Marcus Aurelius, the Emperor of Rome, was a great proponent, and he wrote on Stoic thought. We have also, of course, the Pythagoreans and the Platonic thought searching for the Utopias.
We see all these different secular philosophies, the Greek philosophies, are searching for a Utopian world or world peace. They are actually searching for world peace. They want world peace as their ultimate goal and their purpose. They also want a Utopian society.
When the Christians debated these philosophers, they critiqued these philosophies, saying, "You are searching for abstract things. You are searching for an abstract concept, the world peace or Utopia. Thus, you'll never get it, because even though you'll get it, you won't know you have it because we don't know what it is. It's abstract. So if you place that as the primary purpose of existence, you'll never actually be able to arrive there."
Instead, the Christians said the purpose of our existence is Christ, the person of Christ, because here we are not searching an abstract concept, we are searching, we are yearning, we are moving towards a personhood, a person to whom we can learn to become true people. We are looking for something very real.
From a Principle perspective, we know there are Abel-type philosophies, like Plato, Kant, and Hegel. These are Abel-type realms, idealism. Then, we have the Cain type philosophies, like Marxism, etc. Those are Cain- and Abel-type philosophies that God will use throughout the providence, and will work, of course, with the Abel realm. But when we look at that, that is still the realm of Abel and Cain, that is still the child's level. One cannot receive salvation through the level of the child, whether it be Abel or Cain, Cain or Abel. We can only receive salvation from the Adamic, the parental level from which we receive true life, love and lineage, where we become the children of God. Do you see what I mean?
It is essential that we understand that as human beings, we need the personal relationship to our savior.
In the Principle, we understand that God, from Logos, or the word, which was one with Him at the beginning of creation, creates man and a woman. From God comes the Logos and from the Logos He creates man and woman. He does not go from God to creating the Logos, to creating an abstract concept like world peace only, but He goes to create man and woman. We must understand that pursuing world peace is a wonderful thing, but it is the Abel-type philosophy and it is not the Adamic or the parental-type philosophy.
It is through the creation of the man and the woman that God yearned to have a reciprocal relationship through which we could actually have His true love inherited, and move in the give and receive action between those two, the subject and the object. From that would come the family, the nation, the world, all expanding to the cosmos, as we know.
Christianity had this point correctly. They were not only like other philosophies that were seeking abstract things or ideals. They were searching as their end goal the person of Christ, the personhood of Christ. This is the reason why God could use Christianity. We know, however, that something is fundamentally missing in Christianity.
In Christianity, what is the purpose of God creating or even saving man? From a Christian stand point, what is the purpose of God's creation, or even His salvation of men and women? In 1 John 4:2, the Scriptures say that God is love, but depending on how you define love, you have a different result. In the Christian world view, it is true we do know that God is love. Christians know they need a personal savior. They are waiting for the return of Christ. If God is love and saves people, for what purpose does he do such a thing? This is essential. In Christian theology, God does not need you as a human being. He does not need human beings, because God is perfect within Himself. If He had a need, He would be imperfect. Since He is a perfect being, He doesn't need you. We have no inherent divine value. God does not need us, but it's because of His grace that He allows us to be in relation with Him. He actually does not need us, or even need the creation, for that matter.
In the end, God saves for God's glory; God creates for God's glory; He loves for God's glory. Jesus was God, in the Christian world view. Jesus healed the sick. Why? For the Father's glory. Jesus brought the dead back to life for God's glory. Jesus performed miracles for the glory of Almighty God, but remember Jesus is God in Christianity.
Jesus performs miracles, he heals the sick, and he brings back the dead for his glory, for the glory of God, and he is God. So in the end, God is in the pursuit of self-glorification because He is the highest being, and so does seeks the glorification of the highest being, which is Himself.
If we take this to be the truth of God's love, that the reason why He saves us, the reason why He gives us a relationship, the reason why He creates anything -- creation, human being, you and me, whatever -- is for His own glory and self-glorification. If we, as human beings tried to emulate that, if we lived our life yearning and seeking our glorification, would that be the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of hell? Think about it. It would be the kingdom of hell.
This is why Christianity needs the returning Lord, and this is why they are waiting for the returning Lord, because the returning Lord does what has never been done in history, what could not be done. That which cannot be done is the revealing of the essence of God; that no longer does God remains a mystery before humankind; that no longer is there infinite gap between perfect and sinful human beings, but that God is made known to men, to the one whom He had sent.
Through True Parents, we discover the fundamental teaching which illuminates the reality of God's essence, which up till now, has been transcendent, beyond human conception, unimaginable, untouchable, imperceptible, a mystery. True Parents define God's essence. In mathematical equations or science, without being able to define something, one cannot use it in a particular equation or a particular formula. Without the definition of God's essence, there is no way one can resemble God.
True Parents come and illuminate what the essence of God is, and we heard it a million times. That's why I say you're not going to be surprised. We do it every time we manifest the Principle: "May I inherit the True Love of God." God's essence is True Love. You've heard that many times and you think, "Okay, I've heard that." Yes, but how we define True Love, that's the key. Even the Christians define that God is Love in the Epistle of John. In the end, when you come down to it, it's a love that seeks the glory of God, that God seeks His glory. True Love as True Parents have explained, True Love, which is the essence of God, seeks not their own glory, but would throw away glory and throw away eternity, throw away all things, even throw away his life over and over, die and die again for the sake of the object partner.
If we were those kinds of husbands or wives, think about what kind of marriage you would have. If the world understood this truth and followed it, would the world then be seeking its own glorification, or would it be serving and sacrificing for others? Would it be the kingdom of hell or would it be the kingdom of heaven? Yes, kingdom of heaven.
This is what is so powerful about the Unification Principle and True Parents' revelation. They clarify the truth of God's essence, and then clarify what that is. Because we know what it is, we are not seeking an abstract concept, but we are seeking the living being who lived that, which is True Parents. We are seeking the personhood, because we are people. We need to seek the example.
If we seek the abstract concept, we are always in danger of self-glorification and arrogance. We are at the mercy of this danger. This old method of relating to God lacks give and take with a real person. People need direct encouragement or chastisement that serves as a guide. Without this feedback, we would be at the mercy of our fallen nature in jealousy and arrogance. So I want to emphasize that in this new era, we are not seeking an abstract idea or concept but to bond with a real live personhood.
Now is a time of challenge for our church movement. There are serious threats of war going on both sides (in Korea). So in this workshop, we have to be careful of what we ask for. We can't simply ask, "Oh God, let there be peace." That is not a principled request, because we know that throughout history, God has used different means or ways to achieve His goals. One of these is to first clearly divide the Cain and Abel realms. With this understanding, we should pray: "God, let Your will be done." Because it is not up to us what will happen. If you think about it, things are unfolding just as the principle predicts. God is in control. God knows all. 2013 is quickly approaching. Our main responsibility as chosen people is to accept the one whom God has sent.
Just as the chosen people of Israel were supposed to accept Jesus and then manifest the Kingdom, we have the same mission. Looking back in history, we see what happened as the people failed to accept and support Jesus. Within 40 years of Jesus' death, Israel was completely destroyed. The Roman Empire took over and the Jews went into exile. So the main mission of the chosen people is to accept the one whom He has sent. It is no different for this (Korean) peninsula!
Have the Korean people accepted True Parents? One hour after Father proclaimed Korea as the chosen nation, Yeon Pyeong was bombed. Obviously, this country has not yet accepted its vital role. Again, the chosen nation must first be aware that the Messiah is coming, then unite with him upon his arrival.
Every day, we must move our hearts in the direction of our True Parents. In this workshop, we must gather momentum and keep going. Our job is to awaken this nation from its sleepy, heavy eyes so that it can accept the Lord that the world has been waiting for 2000 years. He is now in our midst! Let's praise God, Brothers and Sisters! We will fulfill the purpose of Christianity and restore the relationship between God and man. That's why we are here today.
Because of our ongoing yearning and focus on True Parents, there are miraculous things happening. Many testimonies are coming forth. Rightly so, we are focusing on the personhood of Christ, which is the center of everything. In confirmation, the Holy Spirit is starting to descend around us. Yesterday, as we were preparing for service, people were being slain in the spirit. Low spirits are suddenly cast out when this happens. As we develop our filial piety toward True Parents, there is a strong energy created.
Brothers and Sisters, as this nation is so unsure about its future, conversely we have to become stronger and more confident. Christians of the world need our True Parents. If they fail to accept them, they will be judged. There is no alternative. It is a very serious time as we pray for this nation. Let us keep in our deepest hearts the yearning towards the purpose of creation: True Parents!
Let us end with True Father's words:
"Who are the True Parents? That is the question. As our Principle teaches, True Parents are the ones who realize the ideal of oneness centering on God's love. They have fulfilled their responsibility, after passing through the realm of indirect dominion, based on their accomplishments in Principle, and secured their place in the realm of direct dominion of God. They are, for the first time in human history, to establish the ideal of oneness based on the love between God and man."
There you go, Brothers and Sisters. We have real persons there. Praise God!
Let's lift up our hands to send our prayers.
Dear and most beloved Heavenly Father,
This is the day where we discover You again. We breathe new life, coming into Your presence with gratitude and thanksgiving. We feel blessed as we learn that we are Your True Love partner. Our True Parents, we seek for them and yearn for them just as You do. It is at this point we meet.
Dear God, what an amazing thing you have given us, not just abstract concepts but a real person to interact with. You have not left us with empty dreams to chase a mirage. You have given us the living Christ, the person of true love who is willing to sacrifice his own life, spirit and soul over and over again, to go the path of the cross, to pay any price so that all men and women can be saved, to bring back the families, the tribes, the nations, world, and spirit world cosmos to You.
Heavenly Father, it is from True Parents' immense love for us that we can understand their course in the seven deaths and resurrections. Yet the crosses they bore became the bridges we walked over, crossing the chasm of sin and death to return to Your direct dominion. We know it wasn't easy. Through their course, they endured heavy bodies and heavy minds. They shed painful tears and their blood for us.
Dear God, we want to know and appreciate what they have done, which is to give up everything for us, to give up all the glory, all eternity, all praise in order to save the ones that were lost.
Dear God, in this way, we want to understand Your love for us today. We want to seek Your manifestation through our True Parents, and want to reciprocate with them as their children. This is the most beautiful love in Your eyes.
We pray that we can have deep experiences here and You can open our hearts to change our very nature, to change our frequency, so that we can connect with the divine frequency that is moving toward You and Your purpose of creation.
We know that this day is the day You have made. We rejoice in it! We want to be in Your presence and we know that You are guiding us and this nation. We have no fear. We have a new commitment.
We pray we can change this nation, that we can make the blind see, the deaf hear, and the dead be living again with You, not by our own might or glorification, but with thee.
Until my ascension, may I live to glorify You. Aju!