Providential Age of Restoration

Hyo Jin Moon November 12, 1989 Belvedere Sunday Service

As I have explained before, the foundation of substance requires us to become the ideal object. If a seed is to bear good fruit, it must be sown on good ground and that is an ideal object. Just as Jesus said in Matthew 13:38, the good seed are the children of the Kingdom. The purpose of our existence is to start as good seed, be planted in good ground, and ultimately bear good fruit.

The underlying emphasis of the whole restoration process is revealed in the introduction to the second part of the Principle. This explains that the way the Israelites were to receive the Messiah and bring about the fulfillment of God's ideal was to believe in Jesus, and put the Messiah in the position of an offering. By doing so, the Israelites could become accepted in the eyes of God.

The most important aspect of restoration lies in the meaning of offering. Why must the significant figures in restoration history always make an offering? We need a condition of indemnity and a medium representing God on the physical plane. You are to become part of Heavenly Father through an offering that is more ideally prepared than yourself to be received by God. By disobeying Heavenly Father man assumed a position lower than that of the creation.

Since man became impure, something has to be offered in his place that is pure and acceptable to God. Through God's receiving this offering, man can become part of Heavenly Father. Through this offering process man is becoming responsible for his own actions, doing something to negate the fault he has manifested and laying a condition by which he can return to God.

To be restored, Adam and Eve needed some mediator who represented the presence, goodness, and ideals of God -- a connection to Heavenly Father. Abel was to be the mediator that fallen Adam and Eve could offer in order to be resurrected back to their primary position. Also Abel himself had to first make some substantial offering to be accepted as God's representative.

The offering or medium through which all mankind can receive Heavenly Father actually represents the concept of the Messiah, of True Parents. To create a global family of mankind under God, we must have parents who represent God's lineage.

Substantially Uniting With God

The condition of indemnity can be viewed -- because there is greater, equal, and lesser indemnity -- as a form of compromise. The restoration of man is necessary because without man's involvement in the creation process, God cannot realize His goal of diversity within harmony.

This physical plane is filled with limitations -- but still we can do almost anything good or bad, even to the point of literally wiping ourselves off the face of the earth. But we must choose the way that God expects to truly realize His grand ideal. We must become involved only in goodness, though we have the ability to do otherwise. But the only things that will be everlasting will be within the presence of God. We have to separate from anything that would impede the realization of God's ideal.

After we separate good from evil, how can we substantially become part of God? That process is realized only through the presence of True Parents, and only God has the power to choose the one who will ultimately represent His presence in the physical world. That's why the word "chosen" is very significant. But many chosen ones throughout history have failed to live up to the expectation of God. So thinking practically, if every man is a child of God, why not just let everyone be a prophet or chosen one? The more the better -- if you have more people you have a better chance of someone succeeding. But such reasoning is not acceptable because only through one lineage of True Parents can you ultimately have one global family. That's why True Parents are so significant.

The only way that man can become one with God is to make an offering by doing something substantially to satisfy Heavenly Father. It is your responsibility to live for the sake of God, because by doing so, you are ultimately living for the sake of your own well-being. As man cannot live without woman and vice versa, man without God cannot realize his ultimate longing to have eternal peace and joy and without man God's ideal cannot be realized.

Many times you may have a problem with who is going to be the subject and the object in a relationship. Some of you may have lingering doubts about the correctness of the Principle view. The Bible says, "Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without man in the lord." How can you make a value judgment when, without the other, you do not exist?

The subject and object relationship exists to realize the ultimate goal of Heavenly Father -- to have great diversity but with an oneness of heart. We also appreciate diversity. I don't want to hear the same music over and over again. I want things to change. I love seeing my children grow up. The little changes that occur within their lives bring me joy. God also wants a similar joy coming from many different beings intermingling with one another, and at the same time He wants oneness because He wants to be a part of everything He created. I too want my children and my music to reflect my ideal desires. I want to rejoice and at the same time be captivated by having created something through which I can appreciate my self-worth and see my own reflection. Do you like looking at yourself in the mirror? If it reflects back your ideal image you are happy. I want something to reflect and understand me so I can experience joy through give and take with that object.

Racial Unity

The subject and object relationship exists for the sake of love. Many times you get scolded or reprimanded because you do not truly live up to your potential. You did something wrong but you turn around and say, "What did I do wrong? Why are you getting on my case? You should love me no matter what." How can you say that? You should put yourself in the position of accepting your fault and truly repenting for having done something wrong. But if you are not truly repenting and accepting your fault, how can I just disregard what you have done wrong? The whole problem of restoration is that we want our mistakes forgotten and forgiven so we can pretend that everything is okay once again. It just doesn't work like that.

The position of Adam and Eve is especially significant because they were to represent Heavenly Father and become True Parents. Through them mankind was to become part of God's lineage. The person in such a position cannot make the mistake of dwelling on selfish desires and excluding God, and still expect to maintain the position of representing God. It is a serious, serious responsibility. Heavenly Father knew about the consequences of the fall, but He was willing to go ahead because He wanted true love.

What is the greatest problem in America today? [Selfishness] It's true, but more specifically, the important issue is racial discrimination. When Father said the white people of America should recognize their historical wrongdoing and should serve black people, you have to take that literally. You have to be responsible for your historical failures and make a substantial condition to restore these failures in the eyes of God. I know black people here might resent the fact that your ancestors had to suffer such hardship and racial segregation even in this century. But think about God's position. He has to forgive men who ultimately cause all this misery.

How can you white people say you are part of the Unification Church and are trying to represent God if you have racial prejudice? Also, black people must accept the position that God has taken for the 6,000 biblical years. To Heavenly Father, all fallen men are sinners. By observing True Parents, you can understand what kind of attitude you must have. Because of man's failure Father had to walk the course of indemnity, but he is willing to forgive all of you. You have to truly believe that each other is good and that you and I are people who can be absolutely one with True Parents. Becoming an ideal person in the ideal world will be based on how much you are able to understand and represent Heavenly Father and True Parents. Unity with True Parents is most important.

Don't assess subject/object relationships by material quantity. In the subject and object relationship, one cannot do without the other. The importance of subject and object relationship is to unite the diversity of people in the world centering upon True Parents. We have to become a living offering for Heavenly Father. That means the offering has to be pure; there cannot be any kind of resentment or conflict between one another. The Unification Church body is a living offering to Heavenly Father that will ultimately bring the realization of the global family because the blessed couples are composed of all the different races.

We represent the world and the destiny of mankind. If we cannot resolve the kinds of problems that exist in the world within ourselves, how can we accomplish the restorational dispensation of God? You an important aspect in this process.

Center on True Love

Black brothers and sisters really can set an example to the world and have faith in one another, forgiving one another. In order to receive forgiveness, the white people should truly accept the fact that you have done wrong, repent and expiate the wrongdoing.

Father has done so much for us all. I know it is difficult but if you just give a little bit of your effort compared to what Father has done, you can receive what he has prepared for the future of mankind. You can be responsible for the foundations he had laid, and be in the glorious domain with True Parents at the same time. He is giving you the opportunity to be involved in this unfolding historical process. What Father is doing is absolutely incredible.

In the ideal world someone has to administer the global affairs as an extension of True Parents. That is the significance of blessed couples. Many are called but only a few are chosen because only a few will represent that position.

Obviously communism has failed; it is gone. Democracy is also dying. There is so much suffering and conflict even within democracy. You have to do a major renovation within this system.

Without it there is no hope for the future. That major reconstruction has to focus on the problem of individuality. We have to live for the sake of something greater than ourselves for unity and harmony to take place.

Is it a very depressing issue? Once you start looking at each other centered upon love, all those problems will be resolved. White people, you can feel that you are superior to others based on a material point of view. But you have to base yourself centering upon true love. The only greatness lies in realizing what love is and that it encompasses everything in the creation. You have to realize the value of everything that God has created. In God's eyes everyone matters and should ultimately benefit.

Everyone has good traits. I feel joy many times just by being with black people. I can feel their emotion and it lifts me up. Oriental people might be a little more reserved. By being with them you can be more serious about your inner responsibility. You can't just rely upon momentary sensual feelings; many times you have to be very cautious, serious, and reserved. Before you do something you have to think: how will what I do affect everything? What would the outcome be? You don't have to be talking all the time. We all have good traits, which exist to enhance and bring joy to each other's lives, spiritually as well as physically.

I appreciate physical beauty too. White people are colorful people: blond, red, brown hair, green, blue, gray eyes. You emphasize the development of your physical body and try to enhance your physical qualities of life. At the same time we need to develop our spiritual presence. Both are important in developing the ideal world.

But each person's characteristics can obviously interchange; I might be given a certain characteristic, but if I am willing to make a greater effort to learn from someone who is more able, I can ultimately inherit that person's ability. Thus within the physical lifetime we can attain all the possibilities for eternal life.

Please pay closer attention to the problem of black and white. You can't cover it up. Restoration depends on the foundation to receive True Parents. You cannot receive the True Parents while harboring a prejudicial attitude and doing nothing when you see those kinds of problems existing around you.

How Grateful Are We?

In the last days the lambs and the goats will be separated. Although you might call yourself a Unification Church member, if you don't accept the Principle fully and absolutely, you cannot fulfill or hold onto the position you were given by True Parents and by the Blessing. Father is becoming number one in everything. Father has an incredible amount of economic power and virtually all the resources necessary to influence the outcome of future global events.

You might think that right now you Americans are far better off than almost anybody else in the world. But that is only monetarily because you have so many internal problems.

So what about you? We should be grateful every moment of our lives that we have been given this opportunity to be blessed by True Parents and have this kind of future when the rest of the world is taking a nose dive. Ingratitude and arrogance belittles everything that Father is doing.

When I face those attitudes I think about Father. How many times did he feel this disappointment? Anybody who does not shed tears in gratitude and repentance every time you think about Father's past is a fake in my eyes. You have shed your tears for yourself, not out of gratitude because of what you have been given. Father has given you this position and this blessing. If you turn around and demand more, what kind of children are you?

We must protect True Parents. If all the disciples around Jesus had been like an unbreakable shield of armor, he would not have been crucified. That's why we have to be strong. This is war.

In the ideal world, even money will be used in an ideal sense. You have to give something of yourself in order to receive. That kind of substantial give and take is necessary. The reason that everything will work out is that the main emphasis will be put on love. Our status will not be judged by how much material we have, but how much we have spiritually.

Your efforts are very important at this time because they will determine the fate of your future and your children's future: Please do your best to properly nurture True Parents' foundation so that ultimately it will glorify Heavenly Father and True Parents and you can remain in their presence.

All I have has been given to me by True Parents, so all the credit should be given to them. If there is any credit that is due to me, it is through nurturing the abilities that I received from True Parents.

Be a Living Offering

It is important to understand your position. You are a living offering to mankind, as is the Messiah. You must follow Father's footsteps. You must become a tribal messiah like the Messiah. You are responsible for humanity. Father has laid the foundation to receive Heavenly Father, and through him we can connect to God's lineage. You have to understand the historical significance of it. Father was chosen for this task, and he accepted and accomplished it without any regret, and with gratitude through every hardship that he faced. He tried to comfort God, not to complain. That's extremely difficult. Father had to put himself in the position of comforting you when he was going to Danbury. I would have been very angry with you in that situation, but he comforted you: "Don't cry. Don't shed your tears for me. This is for the sake of America. You have to be grateful, and you have to repent." That's pretty amazing.

We have to leave an ideal legacy for our children. The only way to do that is by fulfilling the ideal object's position. The unity of Noah's family was to come through the unity of the children with the parents. Noah had to offer the ark to Heavenly Father to become accepted in God's eyes. For his children to unite as a family, they had to go through Noah to Heavenly Father. This is repeated over and over historically throughout history.

The way Jesus' disciples could reach Heavenly Father's love and acquire eternal life was through the Messiah. John the Baptist was in the position of Cain to Jesus as Abel. They were to offer their lives, which means everything of themselves. By offering himself absolutely Jesus purified himself in the eyes of God, becoming the ideal object who could fully receive Heavenly Father's direction. But because John failed to make a complete offering, ultimately he failed to unite with Jesus Christ.

The foundation of substance enables us to redeem ourselves in the eyes of God. The responsibility of the Messiah is ultimately to have dominion over mankind. Leading up to this process, much indemnity historically had to be paid. John the Baptist was to offer the ideal tribe to the Messiah. By their becoming one with John the Baptist, and then being available to Jesus Christ to offer to Heavenly Father, the responsibility of the Messiah would have been fulfilled. But this offering just literally walked off the offering table.

That's what I mean by saying we are a living offering: It is your responsibility today as it was the responsibility of John the Baptist.

Jesus had a terrible temper. Yes! You know the famous story of Jesus in the temple, but you never mention that because you don't want your own subjects to reprimand you. Whatever you do, you want somebody to always say, "It's okay, it's okay. You can do better next time. I know you tried your best. Maybe you were tired, I understand." Well, I am sorry, but if you have problems, it affects everybody. So please resolve them. I have noticed that racial problems are still lingering in some places even within the church. Please, give your effort. If you see anybody struggling with that kind of problem, make yourself available to help resolve it. If you lend a helping hand in times of need, help will come when you are having problems in your life. Everything that you do for the sake of Heavenly Father will be remembered and you will be judged according to what you do. Think about those things and be a little more caring.

This is my way of caring. I am always trying to change for the sake of True Parents because I believe in the ideal standard and know there are many things I need to adjust. I am willing to face up to whatever kind of challenges Father has gone through and accept them.

Many of us, including me, don't have patience. But I am learning patience because it's important. You have to be grateful. Reward will come to you, but you don't know when. It is wrong to put a time frame on love. That is immoral. You want things to come right away. So do I. So does everybody else. But if everybody lives like that -- filled with anticipation of gaining some kind of material prestige or reward and then resentful when it doesn't come -- this world will be a terrible place.

We always have to remember to have gratitude in our hearts and do our best to understand and become the embodiment of the Principle. Thank you very much.