Made in His image!

Here is the Bible quote:
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (NIV)

Martin Luther is reported to have said that if he understood the first two words of the 'Lord's Prayer' in the same way that Jesus did, then everything would naturally, and spontaneously, fall into perfect alignment with God.

It is important to understand the significance of the implications of this Bible verse, for us to realize why God created mankind at all! We would then have a totally new view of the singular importance of Jesus, as the Messiah, who is in total alignment with God. This is fundamentally different from the current erroneous Christian understanding that Jesus is God. (Matt.27:46) Jesus is someone whom we should emulate - a 'Batman' if you will, rather than a 'Superman'.

Here is something to consider: what is the value of someone who has fulfilled the ideal of Creation in total alignment with God's original ideal?

​First, the relationship between God and a fully mature person resembles the relationship between the dual characteristics. Human beings were created with mind and body in the likeness of the dual characteristics of God. Similarly, the relationship between God and a person who has attained perfection of individual character may be compared to that between the dual characteristics of a person, that is, between mind and body. Just as the body is created in the likeness of the intangible mind to be its substantial object partner, a human being is created in the likeness of the intangible God to be His substantial object partner. Just as there is inseparable oneness between the mind and body of a true person centered on God, there is inseparable oneness between God and a true person who together form a four position foundation. In that union, the person experiences the Heart of God as his own reality. Having a fully mature character, such a person is a temple of God, in whom God can dwell continually, and comes to possess a divine nature. (1 Cor. 3:16) Jesus spoke of this state of perfection, saying “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48) Thus, we see that a person who has realized the purpose of creation assumes a divine value, comparable to God.

Second, let us consider the value of a human being from the perspective of the purpose for which he was created. God created human beings for the purpose of sharing joy with them. Every human being possesses a unique individual character. No matter how many billions of people are born on the earth, no two will ever have exactly the same personality. Each person is God’s substantial object partner who manifests a distinctive aspect of God’s dual characteristics. Hence, that person is the only one in the entire universe who can stimulate that distinctive aspect of God’s nature to bring Him joy. Every person who has completed the purpose of creation is thus a unique existence in the cosmos. We can thus affirm the truth in the Buddha’s saying, “In heaven and on earth, I alone am the honored one.”

Third, let us consider the value of a human being based on his relationship with the universe, as clarified by the Principle of Creation. A person who has completed the purpose of creation can govern the entire universe. (Gen. 1:28) Possessing both spirit and flesh, he can rule the spirit world with his spirit self and the physical world with his physical self. With human beings acting as mediators, the two worlds enter into a reciprocal relationship and form a unified cosmos which is a complete object partner to God.

We have learned through the Principle of Creation that the universe is the substantial unfolding of the dual characteristics of a human being. A person’s spirit encapsulates all elements of the spirit world while his flesh encapsulates all elements of the physical world. A person who has completed the purpose of creation thus encapsulates all the essences of everything in the cosmos. This is why a human being is called a microcosm of the universe. For these reasons, a human being has the value of the entire cosmos. We can thus understand the saying of Jesus in a new light, “For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?” (Matt. 16:26)

​Some may ask, who is the 'us' that God is talking to from that Bible quote. It was the angels who were created before the creation of mankind. The role of angels being in the role of servant rather than the role of children that was the purpose of mankind.

Jesus was the very first who fulfilled the purpose of Creation originally intended by God. St Paul was correct in equating Jesus with Adam. Jesus is the new Adam, replacing the one who fell bringing death to the world and our separation from God. This is why the world is dysfunctional and it won't end until the false ruler (John 12:31) and false god (2 Cor. 4:4) of this world is deposed. Since mankind (first ancestors) invited Satan in by disregarding God's Commandment, it is not God, but mankind, who must dis-invite Satan out. Can You see that this is a completely fresh look at the role of the Messiah.

Rev. Moon coined a new term, "True Parents", which more accurately describes the goal of restorational history than does Messiah or Christ. This dysfunctional world resulted from fallen first parents (Adam and Eve) who sowed the seed of false lineage. This is in line with Jesus talking with Nicodemus of the need for re-birth and, incidentally, why Jesus said to, "eat his body and drink his blood otherwise we would have no life in us." A lot of disciples left when Jesus said this - it was a 'hard teaching'.

Accepting this line of reasoning (too logical for Christians? . . .) leads to a new expectation for the 2nd Coming of Christ. It CANNOT be in a magical way on literal clouds but has to be 'born on the earth' (with a New Name) just as was Jesus!

The first chosen people made a huge mistake in rejecting, and treating as an imposter, Jesus who truly was sent by God. Here's another indication of that. There is a prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (as Jesus was) yet no-one of the then chosen people (who knew of this prophecy) built even a small hut to cater for this eventuality and Jesus, as You know was born in a stable. How terrible that Jesus was not prepared for more nicely.

​In line with this understanding Rev Moon, as an example that God cannot do anything He likes, stated, "Can God Love all by Himself?" Love requires at least one other and God is One. Mankind was created by God to be this 'at least one other'. Of course, God is the reality of the number three since he is the harmonization of the dual essentialities that can be seen throughout the whole of the Creation. The most fundamental set of dual essentialities being that of Internal (invisible) character and (visible) external form; and the secondary set of dual essentialities that of Masculinity and Femininity. This is why we call God "Heavenly Father", as He is the internal subject over everything that we can see. This includes the spiritual counterpart too - forming the Cosmos.

This is the reason that it states in the Bible that God was grieved in His Heart due to the Fall. (Gen.6:6) Christianity has a real problem connecting with the God of grief that Rev Moon revealed but it does make sense. Naturally to suppose that the rejection of Jesus by the then chosen people, which resulted in Jesus being executed, was not at all God's Will - but the desire of Satan. Satan had to use his maximum power to have Jesus executed. Because of Jesus' unwavering loyalty to the fulfillment of God's Will, God could use His maximum power, which resulted in Jesus' resurrection for 40 days. This commenced the parallel period of the 'prolongation of restoration' to prepare again for the 2nd Coming of Christ.

As I pointed out in the blog before my Christmas message; there is a massive cognitive dissonance in main stream Christian thought. Christians regard the crucifixion of Jesus as the necessary perfect sacrifice in order to save fallen mankind BUT in order for that to take place the then chosen people had to disbelieve in Jesus as Messiah. Even the Roman Governor didn't want to have Jesus killed. Doesn't really make logical sense, right?

I spoke about another one (cognitive dissonance) in the subsequent blog too. We need to revise our understanding of both Jesus (as Messiah) and God - since God is good, all the time and has never behaved in a psychopathic way as the current understanding of the Fall of Man indicates. On the 'Home' page under 'basic points' are several topics where - using the same Bible - a completely different understanding can be found. Why don't You check it out?

As we are made in the image of God we need an example to follow as so much is lost when trying to convey an idea in words. This is why Jesus said things like, "Believe in me." This is in the same kind of ballpark as how parents educate children - not so much by what is said but by what the parents actually do.

Jesus left without even saying all that he wanted and, in addition, had to use figurative speech. It's small wonder that there are so many different denominations in Christianity. (Jn.3:12; 16:12 &25) Jesus left behind the ideology of bridegroom and bride where Jesus is the bridegroom and mankind needs to become the bride.

Hoping that you'll be inspired to look into this further. You can check that it's worthwhile by verifying the evidence that the Messiah/ Christ must have already come between the years of 1917 - 1930 according to the two parallel periods. That is: from Abraham (first Father of Faith) to Jesus compared with the prolongation period (due to the faithlessness of the 1st Chosen People) from Jesus to the 2nd Advent of Christ. The record of the years for the 1st period is in the Bible; and for the prolongation period it is shown in the history of Western Europe (history of Christianity)

You owe it to yourself to check this out. Remember how the (church) Synagogue Leaders would have regarded Jesus had you been able to ask them!

Andrew and Marie Derricutt