Ep 847 - The Blessing And Eternal Life Part 2
The Blessing and Eternal Life - February 19, 2023
Key Points
Our second and third generation should join GPA, become over seas missionaries and experience God on the front line. Then for the rest of their lives, they will not be able to “go their own way.”
During our youth, if we know the existence of God, know that the spirit world really exists, and realize the great power of eternal life and true love, we will be able to digest all the joys and sorrows of our lives and to overcome the insecurities of our changing environment.
Once we realize the power of true love, we will strive against adversity to walk the road of true love in our daily life.
Until they reach puberty, boys and girls possess a purity of character like the original character of Adam and Eve before the fall. Because of this, it is vital that young people know God deeply and understand the concept of eternal life.
Because Jesus was not able to complete them, True Parents have born and completed all the crosses of the past 6,000 years starting with Jesus’ cross through eight stages vertically and horizontally in one generation and then proclaimed Godism. This was a cosmic victory.
Love is precious because of its attribute of collective responsibility: parents are responsible for children, children for parents, patriots for the nation, saints for the world, divine children for the cosmos, and God for his children. God suffers with his children because of the fall, and we share his desires and sorrows. We take on the mistakes of others.
The larger our scope of collective responsibility, the more our scope of love gradually widens with its sacrifices and responsibilities.
On our path to true love, in early childhood we pass through an age of obedience. As we mature we enter an age of faith in which we grow to become completely filial to our parents and they come to trust us. In early adulthood we enter an age of love in which we are blessed and serve our spouse.
In time the invisible God of dual characteristics substantially descends into our couple and we serve each other realizing love by attending each other as God.
In the Old and New Testament Ages we relied on God and Jesus and were indebted to them. We practiced our faith thanks to their grace.
But now in the hyojeong era of Cheon Il Guk we have a filial heart and make parents indebted to us. We no longer receive grace from God and the spiritual world as servants, but create it ourself by moving God’s heart.
By moving the other person, we always create grace.
Faith that creates grace can last forever because of a voluntary heart.
People of true love create grace, regard every situation as precious, are grateful for everything, touch God’s heart and praise him not just with their mouths but with their lives, and are proud to be his sons and daughters.
This is no longer the age of “amen” or “so be it,” but the age of “aju” when we take responsibility for everything as owners and create grace ourself.
Transcripts from November 3, 2021 to the present, personal notes from November 11, 2020 until November 2, 2021 and slides from August 29, 2021 to the present are available at MD.Hoondok.com as PDF files.♦
Happy Sunday! Yesterday was the birthday of our national president, Naokimi, and Pastor Justin Okamoto. They both have the same birthday. I celebrated their birthday with some of the leaders by having lunch (with them) and giving them birthday cakes and gifts. It was very beautiful. Naokimi has become 44 years old, and our Justin is 32 years old, almost Jesus age. He (Naokimi) showed me something. This day was the day President Naokimi completed reading the EDP 100 times. I was really touched. I know he is a busy guy. He has a strong commitment to become an exemplary central figure. I was so happy. Thank you so much, Naokimi.
Today I’d like to talk about “The Blessing and Eternal Life” from True Mother’s Anthology, Book 2.
<This speech was given by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon between February 23 and April 16 at True Family Values Movement hoondok rallies for the study of True Parents' words in Japan and the United States.>
Having a life of faith means that we embrace the concept that this life is lived not for the sake of our time here on earth, but rather as preparation for our eternal life. As we reach our forties and fifties, we come closer to the end of our life and we naturally become serious about the concept of eternal life. The older we become, the more serious we are. Ordinarily, the intensity of love declines as people age. If our perception of eternal life has strong roots, then our love will grow stronger and deeper as we get older. How often have you been confused by the changes taking place in our world today? If our focus on eternal life is clear and unchanging, we will overcome the insecurities of our changing environment. We will be able to digest all the circumstances of our lives, the joys and sorrows that come our way.
Adam and Eve were created as God's true love partners. There is no question about this. Accordingly, we ought to live as God's true love partners. This is not only a theory. We can allow this dynamic to work in our lives and put it into practice each day. Once we realize the power of true love, we will strive against adversity to walk the road of true love. In daily life, we will always feel the security that comes from the belief in eternal life. When this conviction overflows from within us, our lives will be secure. This has important implications for the education of our children. If it is clearly explained to them, young people readily embrace the concept of eternal life. They are uniquely blessed to feel eternal life resonate in their minds and bodies.
Until they reach puberty, boys and girls possess a purity of character having nothing to do with the Fall. They reflect the original character of Adam and Eve, who were pure until they reached that age. Because of this, it is vital that young people know God deeply. Through knowledge of God, we can understand our inseparable relationship with Him. In order to know this, young people first need to understand the concept of eternal life. We always need to be aware of this.
How often have we been confused by the changes taking place in our world today? If our focus on eternal life is clear and unchanging, we will overcome the insecurities of our changing environment. We will be able to digest all the circumstances of our lives, the joys and sorrows that come our way.
True love is not only a theory. We must actually feel it in our lives and put it into practice each day. Once we realize the power of true love, we will strive against adversity to walk the road of true love. Establishing the greatness of true love and the concept of eternal life is the most important education.
Until they reach puberty, boys and girls possess a purity of character having nothing to do with the Fall. They reflect the original character of Adam and Eve, who were pure until they reached that age. Because of this, it is vital that young people know God deeply and understand the concept of eternal life.
I am really grateful to all the GPA members and their activities. GPA activities are very important. Through these activities we need to let our second and third generation experience meeting God.
In the end, during one’s youth, if we know the existence of God, know that the spirit world really exists, and realize the great power of eternal life and love, there is no greater education than that.
Before (we reach) 20 years old, this kind of education is crucial. Let them understand the reality of God and the spiritual world. As parents we really need to educate them. (We should) not just let them study and play with their friends. We need to emphasize education about God’s existence and tell them that the spiritual world definitely does exist.
Let them join GPA and join (in) some activity, and let them go to the front line; let them have vertical give-and-take with God. This is really important education. That is why I strongly encourage all our second generation to join GPA and become overseas missionaries. They need to meet God. Once they meet God and have an experience of him and realize that the spiritual world (is real), then (for) their entire life they (will) not (be able to) go their own way. This is a crucial point.
LIVING DIVINE PRINCIPLE: The Human Fall 23:Collective and Individual Sin
Maybe this will be the last time we talk about collective and individual sin. Let’s study.
Classification of Sin
• Third is collective sin. This is sin for which a person is responsible as a member of a group. For example, as a consequence of sending Jesus to the cross, the Jewish people were cast into the position to undergo grievous suffering.
• Fourth is individual sin, which an individual himself commits.
Let’s read Father’s word.
The Collective Responsibility and Cross
<15-303> Because even Jesus was not able to remove completely the cross that He had to bear at that time, for two thousand years, God has been bearing crosses of an individual, family, race, nation and world, which were not removed at each age. However, the path of this cross has not ended yet. The Lord at the Second Advent has to inherit it. Unless the Lord accomplishes the cross of individual, family, race, nation and world both physically and spiritually on the earth, the cross of Jesus will not end, nor will the cross of God. Because of the collective responsibility, the cross that your parents bear is your cross, the cross that your elder brother bears is the cross of your younger brother, the cross that your younger brother bears is the cross of your parents and your elder brother.
We are talking about collective responsibility.
Jesus came to this earth but left without being able to remove completely the cross that he had to bear at that time. So, God took responsibility on behalf of Jesus and over a long period of two thousand years, He started with the individual cross and has been bearing crosses of the family, race, nation and world.
That is why True Parents, who came as Lord at the Second Advent, must bear all the crosses of the past six thousand years, starting with Jesus’ cross.
The amazing thing is the fact that True Parents completed all these indemnities and crosses, both vertically and horizontally, through the eight stages in one generation. True Parents completing all indemnities and proclaiming Godism in one generation is a cosmic victory that we could never have imagined.
However, although the indemnity course has ended; from now on, the task of substantially finding and establishing Cheon Il Guk on a national and world level remains. Now, the only thing left is to repay all the debts we owe and build Cheon Il Guk.
Love and the Collective Responsibility
<97-162> You have to know why love is so precious. Why is love so precious? Love has the collective responsibility and the collective relationship. You cannot make the world one by the great force or the great knowledge. You have to do it by love. Even though you sacrifice itself and yourself, you have to accomplish all responsibilities. By doing so, world peace can be accomplished. The unification that is established by sacrifice will not be split even if the force is gone, while the unification that is established by force can be split when the force is gone. Do you understand what I mean? Does it make sense? “Yes”
We have to know why love is so precious. Why is love so precious? Love has an attribute of collective responsibility. The parent’s mistakes do not end as the parents’ mistake and the parent’s victory does not end as the parent’s victory but they are collectively connected to the children.
Although the fall is something that happened due to Adam and Eve’s mistake, since God has the collective responsibility of having created them, He has walked the path of suffering up until now, taking responsibility as the Parent, no matter what (the) difficult circumstances.
Parents carry collective responsibility for their children. Loyal citizens, patriots, carry collective responsibility for the nation. Saints carry collective responsibility for world salvation.
Even though we are fallen people, if we know God’s desires and sorrows, as children of God, we cannot help but bear collective responsibility.
If we love others, we will try to take collective responsibility for the other person’s mistakes. This is a great attribute of true love. The larger our scope of collective responsibility, the more our scope of love gradually widens. And there are sacrifices and responsibilities that come with that.
The messiah has collective responsibility for the entire world, all of humankind including the spiritual world. That is the messiah’s collective responsibility.
In order to become a son or daughter of True Parents we need to have collective responsibility to liberate our tribe, our nation and restore the world and all humankind, even liberate God’s heart. That is collective responsibility.
Collective responsibility comes from a filial heart: “I want to liberate and console God. I want to be responsible for the entire world on behalf of True Parents.” This kind of heart comes from the collective heart. That is why Father says love has collective responsibility and a collective relationship.
When we understand collective responsibility and when we see anyone’s mistake, wow! We should think, “This problem is my problem.” When we think about America’s problems and Korea and Japan’s problem, any situation, we feel that we want to take ownership, not blame them, nothing dealing with us(?), not that kind of heart and mindset. Collective responsibility (includes) Adam and Eve, all humankind without exception. God is our eternal parent. As eternal children of God on behalf of God and True Parents, we need to have collective responsibility for our tribe, nation, world and all humankind. This is the way we can inherit True Parents’ victorious foundation.
TODAY’S YOUTH MINISTRY: Now is the Age When I Create Grace
What kind of age are we living in? This is an important point.
From the Path of Faith to the Path of True Love
1. In our younger days, we went through the courses of elementary school, middle school, and high school as went through an age of believing in and obeying our parents. In our youth, parents come to trust their children when the children are completely filial to their parents. If we take a look at our lives, just as humankind has walked through the Old Testament Age and New Testament Age, we go through the age of obedience, which is the Old Testament Age, and the age of faith, which is the New Testament Age. After marrying, it is no longer the age of faith, but we greet the age of love, and the husband and wife will serve each other. The family eventually enters an age when the invisible God of dual characteristics substantially descends into the couple, and they serve each other. That is why the husband and wife must each become the fruits of attendance. To become a family of attendance, internally, you must love and attend your partner as God. Externally, you must respect your partner’s authority and always use language of filial piety. It is a life of faith until the growth stage, but after receiving the Blessing and starting married life, it is no longer a relationship of faith but it is the stage of realizing love by attending each other as God.
God intends (for) humankind to go through the Old Testament Age, New Testament Age and Completed Testament Age (to) complete the providence. Likewise, we must also go through these 3 ages during our life course of restoration.
In our younger days, we went through the courses of elementary school, middle school, and high school as (we) went through an age of believing in and obeying our parents. We can see this period as being the same as going through the Old Testament course. In our youth, parents come to trust their children when the children are completely filial to their parents.
This period can be seen as the course of the New Testament age.
After marrying, it is no longer the age of faith, but we greet the age of love and the husband and wife will serve each other. The family eventually enters an age when the invisible God of dual characteristics substantially descends into the couple and they serve each other as God.
As we usher in the age of love, which is the age of attendance, we must bear the final fruits in the family. It is a life of faith until the growth stage, but after receiving the Blessing and starting married life, it is no longer a relationship of faith, but it is the stage of realizing love by attending each other as God.
I am grateful that True Parents clearly explained the Foundation of Faith, Foundation of Substance, Foundation of Heart, the Old Testament Era, the New Testament Era and the Completed Testament Era. We are now living in an amazing time.
Now is the Age When I Create Grace
2. Look at the course of the providence of restoration. During the Old Testament Age, it was an age of absolutely obeying God’s commandments, and during the New Testament Age, it was an age of faith in which we had to become sons and daughters whom God could believe in. Now, the era of Cheon Il Guk, which is the Completed Testament Age, is not the age when we receive grace from God but on the contrary, it is the age when it is God that is touched and graced through blessed children. That is why we call this present age the era of Hyojeong. Now, the age of receiving grace from the spirit world and God has completely passed. Now is the age of (our) portion of responsibility. It is the age of moving each other’s hearts through our portion of responsibility. Now is the age when grace should be created by me. The age of receiving grace from God is an age when I am still being indebted to God. Until when are you going to keep receiving God’s grace? Now, it is the age when God receives grace through His filial sons and daughters. Now is the age I create grace on my own. In this way, there can be no complaining for people who create grace on their own. By moving the other person, you always create grace. Everything is gracious. Even if the wind blows, is it gracious; even if it rains, it is gracious. By moving the other person, you always create grace.
Until now, the Old Testament Age and New Testament Age were the ages of the servant and adopted son, when we relied on God and Jesus and were indebted.
“Please God, help me; please Jesus, help me with my financial situation. Please take care of my children.” We were always asking (for) something.
It was an age when we practiced faith thanks to the grace of God and Jesus.
Now, the era of Cheon Il Guk, which is the Completed Testament Age, as the era of HyoJeong, it is not the age when we are indebted to parents but an age when children have a filial heart and make parents be indebted to them.
Now, the age of receiving grace from the spirit world and God has completely passed. Until when are we going to keep receiving God’s grace? Now is the age when grace should be created by us.
Do we still wish to receive grace from God? If so, we are still on the servant level. Now, it is the age when God receives grace through His filial sons and daughters. Now is the age (when) we create grace on our own. To do that, our life must become a life that moves God’s heart.
Wow! God really is touched because of our filial piety. We no longer need help from God. We are the ones who console and comfort him and touch his heart. He says, “I am proud of you! You always create such joy and happiness for me. I am so comforted.” Now is this kind of era.
There can be no complaining for people who create grace on their own. By moving the other person, we always create grace.
Only faith that creates grace can last forever. Faith that just receives and faith that is indebted does not last long because there is no voluntary heart.
Now is the age to create grace and touch God’s heart and move the hearts of others and create joy and happiness for God. We are living in the Cheon Il Guk era.
Now, it is the Age When We Touch God’s Heart
3. People with love always cherish all circumstances and are grateful for everything. People who complain will complain about everything, even when the sun rises and the wind blows. Now is not the age when we receive grace, it is not even the age of believing in God, and it is not even the age when we ask God for things. Now, it is the age when we touch God’s heart. Now, it is the age when we stand in front of God and are proud to be His sons and daughters all on our own. This is the age when we must really praise God as we live. It is the age when we always report our own lives of gratitude and love to God. It is not the age when we report worries but joyfully report our lives of gratitude. Many prayers until now were prayers about blessings that asked for something. Now is not the age of ‘amen’ (‘so be it’). Now is the age of ‘aju.’ The meaning ‘aju’ is that I take responsibility over everything and practice it with a sense of ownership. Another meaning of ‘aju’ is ‘true’ or ‘really.’ It is an expression used when God is moved by joy and praises, saying, ‘You are really my child’ in the eyes of God. When I really live by True Father's words, I became ‘aju (really so)'.
People of love are people who create grace. People who create grace always cherish all circumstances and are grateful for everything. On the contrary, people who wish to receive grace from God and the spirit world are always capricious depending on the environment and have a lot of complaints and dissatisfaction.
Now is not the age when we receive grace; it is not even the age of believing in God; and it is not even the age when we ask God for things. Now, it is the age when we touch God’s heart. Now, it is the age when we stand in front of God and are proud to be His sons and daughters all on our own. This is the age when we must really praise God as we live.
Now is not the age of ‘amen’ (‘so be it’).
Our members often say “Amen” in front of Christian ministers. We need to know what “Amen” and “Aju” mean. They are different. The era of “Amen” is already over. “Amen” means “I agree with you.”
This is the age of “Aju.” “Aju” is different. “Aju” means we take responsibility over everything and practice with a sense of ownership. “I don’t just agree with you. I will take ownership.”
The age of aju means the age of the owner when we take responsibility over everything and create grace. It is the age when we do not rely on anyone but try to take on the role of the servant with a filial heart. It is an amazing time.
(People of religion today) pray in front of Buddha, Jesus or their own God: “Please help me. Please help my family. My children need to go to the university. We don’t have money. We need your help.” This kind of era is already gone.
Now is the age when we touch God’s heart. It is the era of hyojeong. Hyojeong means, “I can do anything for God, everything for True Parents.”
Even though this time is really beautiful, how about our life standard? We need to really reflect about that? If we ask God, “Please help me,” we do not feel something substantial. But when we touch God’s heart and help others, we immediately feel God’s heart. It is a different time and era.
(Testimony Dr. Robert Beebe, New Hope School, Clifton, NJ)♦
(Response to sharing) Now we are living in the era of love, of hyojeong. We always need to think how we can create happiness and grace for God, how we can make our wife and children or our Abel happy? We always need to think that way.
God’s purpose of creation is to bring joy and happiness, right? Now this is that kind of era of God’s original creation. Rather than thinking about difficulties here and there, we have to think in a positive way how we can create joy and happiness.
That is why I created the (motto), “Let’s make a happy family church.” Everywhere where there is happiness, everyone can feel joy and happiness. People automatically come to our movement.♦
NOTE: This text and the PowerPoint slides from this speech are available as a link at the top of this text. Transcripts from November 3, 2021 to the present, personal notes from November 11, 2020 until November 2, 2021 and slides from August 29, 2021 to the present are available at MD.Hoondok.com as PDF files. Books of the transcripts and notes are available as PDFs at MDBooks.Hoondok.com.
This lightly edited transcript may contain errors and omissions. Indecipherable, inaudible or uncertain words and guesses are tagged with a “(?)” and indecipherable phrases, with an ellipsis “...”. First, second and third person pronouns have been left as spoken if the meaning is clear, and other apparently Korean English expressions have been preserved if understandable. Some repeated phrases have been eliminated.
Audio only is available at anchor.morndev.com, spotify.morndev.com & audio.morndev.com. Notes or transcripts of Dr. Yong’s Morning Devotion speeches from November 11, 2020 through March 29, 2022 are available as six paperback books at cost at Lulu.com/Shop -- search for Dr. Chung Sik Yong -- and as PDF downloads free of charge at MDBooks.Hoondok.com.♦