PRINCIPLE OF CREATION Throughout history, man has been struggling to solve the fundamental questions of life and the universe. Yet no one has been able to give satisfactory answers, for no one has known the original plan for the creation of man and the universe. Furthermore, there remains a fundamental question to be settled, a question not so much about the facts of existence as about the cause of existence. Questions about life and the universe, of course, cannot be solved without understanding the nature of God. The "Principle of Creation" deals with these fundamental questions.
SECTION I--THE DUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD AND HIS WORLD OF CREATION
1. DUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD
How can we know the characteristics of God, who is an invisible being? We can know them by observing the world of His creation. For this reason, Paul said:
Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Rom. 1:20)
Just as the work of an artist is a visible manifestation of its maker's invisible nature, every creation is a substantial object of the invisible deity of God, the Creator. His nature is displayed in each creation. Just as we can sense an author's character through his works, so we can perceive God's deity by observing His creation.
In order to know the nature of God's deity, let us examine the common factors which can be found throughout His creation. A creation, whatever it may be, cannot come into being unless a reciprocal relationship between positivity and negativity has been achieved, not only within itself but also in relation to other beings. For example, particles, which are the essential components of all matter, have either positivity or negativity, or a neutrality which is caused when the positive and negative elements neutralize each other. When the two characteristics enter into a reciprocal relationship, these particles form an atom.
Each atom assumes either positive or negative characteristics, and, as the dual characteristics within each atom enable that atom to have reciprocal relationships with other atoms, they proceed to form molecules of matter. Matter, which is formed in this way--according to the reciprocal relationship between these two characteristics--becomes nourishment for animals and plants when it is absorbed by them.
All plants exist and multiply through a relationship occurring between the stamen and pistil, while the same process occurs in the animal world through a relationship between male and female.
As for man, God created a man (male), Adam, in the beginning; then, seeing that it was not good that man should be alone (Gen. 2:18), He made a woman (female), Eve, as Adam's object, and for the first time God saw that His creation was "very good" (Gen. 1:31). Just as a positive or negative ion, even after dissociation, is found to be the combination of a proton (positive) and an electron (negative), the stamen or the pistil of the plant and a male or female member of the animal kingdom can also exist only through a reciprocal relationship between their dual essentialities of positivity and negativity. Also, there is a female characteristic dormant in every man, and a male essence in every woman. The aspects of each thing in the creation exist on a reciprocal basis, such as: inside and outside, internal and external, front and rear, right and left, up and down, high and low, strong and weak, long and short, wide and narrow, east and west, south and north. This is because all things are created to exist through a reciprocal relationship between their dual essentialities.
As we have seen, all things exist through a reciprocal relationship between the dual essentialities of positivity and negativity. We must also know the reciprocal relationship between another pair of dual essentialities, which is even more fundamental than that of positivity and negativity. Anything in existence has both an external form and an internal character. The external form is visible and reflects the internal character, which is invisible. Though the internal character cannot be seen, it assumes a certain form, so that the external form resembles the internal character as its visible form. "Internal character" and "external form" refer to the two characters which are the two relative aspects of the same existence. In this relationship, the external form may also be called a "second internal character", so together we call them "dual characteristics", or "dual essentialities".
We can take man as an example. Man consists of body, or external form, and mind, or internal character. The visible body resembles the invisible mind. The body assumes a form resembling the form projected by the mind. This is the reason one can perceive things about a man's invisible character and destiny by his outward appearance.
We call the mind "internal character" and the body "external form". Here again, since our mind and body are the two relative aspects of the same man, the body may be called the "second mind", or a duplication of the mind. We call these two together "the dual characteristics of man". Now we can understand the fact that everything exists through a reciprocal relationship between the dual characteristics of internal character and external form.
What then is the relationship between internal character and external form? The invisible internal character is the cause and is in the subjective position, while the visible external form is the result of the former and stands in an objective position to it. Accordingly, the reciprocal relationship which exists between the two is one of internal and external, cause and result, subject and object, or vertical and horizontal.
Let us again use man as an example. Since mind and body correspond to character and form, the body is a copy of the mind and should be completely under its command. Thus man can direct his life according to his will and purpose. The mind and body also assume a reciprocal relationship of internal and external, cause and result, subject and object, or vertical and horizontal.
Likewise, all the things of creation, though they may vary in dimension, have an invisible internal character which corresponds to the mind; since this is the cause and subject, it manipulates the external form, which corresponds to the human body. This relationship between mind and body enables the individual creation to maintain its existence as a being with a certain purpose. Animals have an aspect which corresponds to the human mind; since this is the subject and cause which directs towards a certain purpose, the animal body is able to live according to the purpose of its individual being. A plant also has an internal character which enables it to maintain its organic function.
Men can be united because the mind is common factor in every person. Similarly, positive and negative ions are united to form a certain material because within each ion there are aspects of both internal character and external form which tend to unite, thus forming a molecule. Again, when an electron revolves around a proton to form an atom, it is because each contains an aspect of "character" that directs it toward the purpose of constructing an atom.
Modern science tells us that the particles forming the atom all consist of energy. We know that within energy itself there must also be an attribute of "character" which strives toward the goal of constructing a particle. Even beyond this, we must seek an absolute being as the ultimate cause of the entire world of reality. This cause, with its ultimate and unique character and form, brought all energy into existence. This ultimate being must be the First Cause of all beings, containing the absolute and subjective character and form. This First Cause of our existing world we call God. We call God's subjective character and form His "essential character" and "essential form". As Paul indicated, when we examine the factors which all creation have in common, we finally come to understand the God is the First Cause of the world of creation, and He exists as the absolute subject, having characteristics of both essential character and essential form.
We have already clarified the fact that everything in the creation exists only because of a reciprocal relationship between its dual characteristics of positivity and negativity. We naturally conclude that God, being the First Cause of all creation, also exists because of a reciprocal relationship between the dual characteristics of positivity and negativity. Genesis 1:27 says: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.". This, too, explains to us that God is the absolute subject, who exists with His dual characteristics of positivity and negativity.
What is the relationship between the dual characteristics of character and form and the dual characteristics of positivity and negativity?
Fundamentally, God's essential character and His essential form assume a reciprocal relationship with His "essential positivity" and "essential negativity". Therefore, God's essential positivity and essential negativity are the attributes of His essential character and essential form. So, the relationship between positivity and negativity is similar to that which exists between character and form.
Accordingly, positivity and negativity also have a reciprocal relationship existing between internal and external, cause and result, subject and object, vertical and horizontal. This is the reason it is written in the Bible that God created the woman Eve as an object by taking the rib from the man Adam, who was the subject (Gen. 2:22). Here we call the positivity and negativity of God "masculinity" and "femininity", respectively.
The universe which was created with God as the center is similar to a man who has been created with his mind as the center. The universe is a perfect organic body created completely in accordance with God's purpose of creation. For this reason, the universe as an organic body has its own internal character and external form, with God as its internal character, while the physical universe is its external form. This is why God said that man, who is the center of the universe, was made in His own image (Gen. 1:27). Before creating the universe, God existed as the internal masculine subject, and He created the universe as His external feminine object. I Corinthians 11:7 says that man "is the image and glory of God", which testifies to this theory. Since God is the masculine subject of internal character we call Him "Our Father", emphasizing His masculine nature.
In brief, we know that God is the subject who consists of the dual characteristics of essential character and essential form. At the same time, He is a subject consisting of the dual characteristics of masculinity and femininity, the former representing His essential character and the latter representing His essential form. In relationship to the whole creation, God is the masculine subject representing its internal character.
2. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND THE UNIVERSE
We have learned so far that each and every creation is God's substantial object which is the manifested form of the invisible essentialities of God. Every substantial object is called an "individual truth incarnation". Man, being the substantial object of God who was created in His image, is called the "individual truth incarnation in image". Since all creation, other than man, is the symbolic object of God created in His indirect image, it is called the "symbolic individual truth incarnation".
Any individual truth incarnation, since it is a substance which manifests God's dual essentialities, can again be divided into a positive element and a negative one, the former resembling masculinity as the essential character of God and the latter resembling femininity as the essential form of God. Also, each individual truth incarnation is a substantial object of God; therefore, each not only reflects God's dual essentialities of character and form in the individual self, but each also has within itself the dual essentialities of positivity and negativity.
To sum up the relationship between God and the universe as seen from the viewpoint of its dual characteristics, the universe is God's substantial object consisting of individual truth incarnations. These are the manifestation of God's dual characteristics both in image and in symbol according to the principle of creation. That is, man is God's substantial object with His dual characteristics manifested as "direct image", while all things of the universe are the substantial objects of God with His dual characteristics manifested as "indirect image" (symbol). The relationship between God and the universe and the relationship between character and form is the same as the relationship between internal and external, cause and result, subject and object, and vertical and horizontal.
Let us examine the fundamental theory of the "Book of Changes (I Ching)", which is the center of Oriental philosophy, from the viewpoint of the principle of creation. This book emphasizes that the foundation of the universe is Taeguk (ultimacy) and from this comes Yang and Yin (positivity and negativity). From Yang and Yin come the "O-haeing" (five elements: metal, wood, water, fire and soil). All things were created from O-haeing. Positivity and negativity together are called the "Tao". The "Tao" is defined as the "Way", or "Word". That is, Taeguk produced the word (creative principle) and the Word produced all things. Therefore, Taeguk is the first and ultimate cause of all existence and is the unified nucleus of both positivity and negativity.
By comparing this with the Bible (John 1:1-3), "The Word was God...and all things were created through him", we can see that Taeguk, the subject which contains positivity and negativity, represents God, the subject who contains dual essentialities.
According to the principle of creation, the word (Logos) also consists of dual essentialities, and so the universe which was created by the Word contains dual essentialities. Consequently, the assertion in the "Book of Changes" that "positivity and negativity together is the Word", is valid.
However, the "Book of Changes" which observes the universe only from the viewpoint of positivity and negativity, does not explain the fact that all things have an internal character and external form within themselves. Accordingly, it has only verified the fact that Taeguk is the subject containing positivity and negativity and has not explained that Taeguk is originally the subject containing the dual characteristics of essential character and essential form. Therefore, the "Book of Changes" does not reveal that Taeguk is a God of personality.
Here we have learned that the foundation of Oriental philosophy contained in the "Book of Changes", can ultimately be elucidated only according to the principle of creation.
SECTION II--UNIVERSAL PRIME ENERGY, GIVE AND TAKE ACTION, AND THE FOUR POSITION FOUNDATION
God is the Creator of all things. He is the absolute reality eternally self-existent, transcendent of time and space (Ex. 3:14). Therefore, the fundamental energy of His being must also be absolute and eternally self-existent. At the same time, He is the source of the energy which enables all things to maintain their existence. We call this energy "Universal Prime Energy".
When a subject and an object are engaged in give and take action within a being, after having established a reciprocal relationship between themselves through the Universal Prime Energy, the energy necessary to maintain the existence of that being is produced. This energy provides power for existence, multiplication and action. The process which generates the necessary energy is called "give and take action". Therefore, Universal Prime Energy and the power of give and take action form a reciprocal relationship of cause and effect, internal and external, and subject and object. Consequently, Universal Prime Energy is a vertical power, while the power of give and take action is a horizontal power.
Let us further investigate God and His creation from the standpoint of Universal Prime Energy and give and take action.
God contains within Himself dual essentialities which exist forever. Through Universal Prime Energy, these two form a mutual or reciprocal relationship which develops into an eternal give and take action. The energy produced through this process is the force of give and take action. Through this force, God's dual essentialities establish a reciprocal base. This results in the "foundation of existence" upon which God, Himself, exists forever.
Each and every creation enters into give and take action between the dual essentialities that form an individual self by forming a reciprocal relationship through Universal Prime Energy. Through the force of give and take action, the dual essentialities produce a reciprocal base, which in turn produces a foundation of existence in an individual self; then upon this foundation, the individual self can stand as God's object and receive all the power necessary for its own existence.
For example: an atom comes to exist through the give and take action between a proton and an electron. This is the action of fusion. A molecule comes into being through the give and take action between a positive ion and a negative ion which causes a chemical reaction. Electricity is produced through the give and take action between positive electrical charges and negative electrical charges, which causes electrical action. All plants multiply through the give and take action between the stamen and pistil.
Animals maintain their existence and multiply through the give and take action between male and female. Between the animal kingdom and the plant kingdom, co-existence is made possible through give and take action. Plants give oxygen to animals and animals return carbon dioxide to plants. Flowers offer nectar to bees and bees pollinate flowers.
When we study the heavenly bodies, we find that the solar system exists through the give and take action between the sun and the planets. The earth and moon are also able to maintain their orbital movements through give and take action.
The human body maintains its life through the give and take action between arteries and veins, inhalation and exhalation, sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. An individual is able to achieve his purpose of existence through the give and take action between mind and body.
There is give and take action between husband and wife in a home, among individuals in a society, between government and people in a nation, and among nations in the world. Give and take action governs all relationships within man and all relationships among men.
However evil man may have been through all ages and in all places, he at least has the power of conscience remaining in his inmost self. This conscience is always at work, influencing him to live for righteousness. No one can prevent this power from operating within himself. It causes him to feel conscience-stricken at the moment of committing evil. If there were no conscience left in fallen men, God's providence of restoration would be impossible. Where does this power of conscience originate? Since all power comes from give and take action, the conscience must be no exception. The conscience is able to operate because it stands as an object to a certain subject, thus performing the action of give and take on a reciprocal base formed between the two. We know that the subject of the conscience is God.
The human fall signifies that through some act, man was cut off from having a give and take relationship with God, thus failing to unite into one body with Him. Instead, man entered into a give and take relationship with Satan, forming a reciprocal base with him. Jesus, having become one with God through the relationship of give and take, came to this world as His son. Therefore, if and when fallen man unites with Jesus in a perfect give and take relationship, he will be able to restore his original nature, thus entering again into a give and take relationship with God and becoming one with Him. Therefore, Jesus is called the "mediator" for fallen man, being the way, the truth and the life. He came to serve mankind with love and sacrifice, giving even his own life. If we turn to him with faith, we "should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
True Christianity is a religion of life, through which men can restore the vertical give and take circuit with God by establishing, through love and sacrifice, the horizontal give and take circuit between men centering on Jesus. The teachings and deeds of Jesus were solely for this purpose, as he indicated on numerous occasions:
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. (Matt. 7:1-2)
So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. (Matt. 7:12)
So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 10:32)
He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's rewards. (Matt. 10:41)
And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. (Matt. 10:42)
3. THE FOUR POSITION FOUNDATION; THREE OBJECTIVE PURPOSES THROUGH ORIGIN-DIVISION-UNION ACTION
(1) Origin-Division-Union Action
When, through Universal Prime Energy, the dual essentialities of God enter into give and take action by forming a reciprocal relationship, the force of give and take action causes multiplication. This action causes the dual essentialities to separate into two substantial objects centered upon God. The substantial subject and object pair then enter into another give and take action by forming a reciprocal relationship, through Universal Prime Energy. By forming one pair they become an object to God. In this manner, God, as the origin, is divided into two separated substances, after which these two again unite to form one body. We call this process "origin-division-union action".
When, according to origin-division-union action (O-D-U action), the origin has divided into two separated substances of subject and object which have again united into one body, four positions are formed. One takes a subjective position while the remaining three stand as objects, thus producing three objective bases. When they enter into give and take action among themselves, one of the four positions assumes the role of subject, while the other three fulfill their objective purposes respectively.
(3) The Four Position Foundation
When, according to O-D-U action, the origin is divided into two substantial objects, they assume the roles of subject and object respectively, and finally unite into one body. Thus three objective positions are fulfilled. Since these three objective positions are centered on the origin, four respective positions are formed altogether. This creates "the four position foundation".
The significance of the number "four" is derived from this four position foundation. And since this is the result of the fulfillment of the three objective purposes, the significance of the number "three" is also found here. The four position foundation is manifested as God, husband and wife, and their offspring. With God as the origin, husband and wife as the manifested subject and object, and their offspring as the result of their unity, one can see three distinct stages. Thus the four position foundation becomes the basis of the three stages because it is fulfilled in three stages according to O-D-U action. This is also the basis of the significance of the number "twelve", because each of the four positions will take three objects, thus bringing about a total of twelve objects. The four position foundation is the base for the fulfillment of God's goodness and is the ultimate goal of His creation. This is the base through which God's power is channeled to flow into all of His creation in order for the creation to exist. Therefore, the formation of the four position foundation is ultimately God's eternal purpose of creation.
(4) The Status of Existence of the Four Position Foundation
Whenever a creation has formed a four position foundation by fulfilling its three objective purposes through O-D-U action, it begins to perform global spherical movement in order to maintain its three-dimensional existence. Let us now investigate the reason for this.
When God's dual essentialities are divided and manifest into two substantial objects, one serving as subject and the other as object, they enter into a relationship and produce a reciprocal base. The object enters into give and take action by centering itself on the subject through centripetal force and centrifugal force. Consequently, the object begins to revolve around the subject, and thus they form one unit. According to this same principle, the subject, in turn, becomes an object to God, revolving around Him to form one unit with Him. When the object forms one unit with the subject, together they become a substantial object to God, since they reflect His dual essentialities. For this reason, any object must first unite with its subject before it is able to stand as an object to God. This substantial object to God has within itself the dual essentialities of subject and object which perform continuous circular movement respectively, due to the give and take action between the two. Therefore, this circular movement forms a specific orbit on a horizontal level according to the particular motion of the subject and object. However, since this movement is generally performed with the angles of the orbit constantly varying, centering on the subject, this circular movement will eventually become spherical movement, making the manner of existence three-dimensional.
Let us look at the example of the solar system. With the sun as the subject, all the planets act as its objects by forming a reciprocal relationship with the sun, through the action of give and take. Through the action of centripetal force and centrifugal force, each planet consequently revolves around the sun. During this process of revolution, the sun and the planets become one unit, thus creating the solar system. The earth, which in itself is a complete body of dual essentialities, is not the only body which rotates on its axis. The sun and the planets around it, which are complex bodies of dual essentialities in themselves, also rotate upon their own axes. The circular movement of the solar system which has been caused by the give and take action between the sun and the planets does not always occur on a single plane, but constantly changes its angle of orbit around the sun. Thus the solar system, by performing the spherical movement, becomes three-dimensional. In this manner, all the heavenly bodies exist in three dimensions, through either circular or spherical movement. The entire universe, which consists of numerous heavenly bodies, exists as one unit through give and take action, and moves spherically under the same principle, thus existing three-dimensionally.
When a proton and an electron, by forming a reciprocal base, enter into give and take action with the proton as the center, there occurs a circular movement which makes the two into one unit, and thus an atom is produced. The proton and the electron also have dual essentialities which are engaged in continuous individual movement. Therefore, the circular movement caused by the give and take action between the proton and electron does not occur on a horizontal level alone, but constantly changes its angle of movement so that it becomes spherical movement. Thus the atom, too, exists on the three-dimensional level.
The magnetic force occurring between the positive and negative poles of electricity also exists in spherical movement by the same principle.
Let us take man as an example. The body is the object to the mind, which is the subject. When the body forms a reciprocal relationship with the mind, it performs circular movement centered on the mind, thus forming one unit. If and when the mind becomes the object of God, and revolves around Him, becoming one unit with Him, and the body unites with the mind, the individual then becomes the substantial object to God, since he reflects God's dual essentialities. In this way he becomes a man in whom the purpose of creation is accomplished. The body and mind each contain a dual essentiality which continues to move individually; and so, the circular movement occurring through the give and take action between such a body and mind finally becomes a spherical movement by revolving around God, constantly changing its angles. Therefore, the man in whom the purpose of creation is accomplished is a three-dimensional being, always living in a spherical existence centered upon God. In this way he will be able to dominate even the invisible world of spirit (cf. Part I, Ch. 1, Sec. VI--57).
Similarly, when the circular movement between a subject and an object occurring on a horizontal level becomes a spherical one through a three-dimensional orbit, the wonders of creation come into existence. That is, the beauty of the things of creation exists in infinite variety, and this is due to their varied orbit, form, state, direction, angle and speed of individual give and take action.
Every existence has it own internal character and external form, and naturally its spherical movement also contains that same aspect of character and form. Accordingly, there are both the center of character and center of form, even in the center of movement. What would the ultimate center of this spherical movement be? Man is the center of all creation, which was created to be the symbolic substantial objects of God's dual essentialities. God is the center of all men, who have been created to be His substantial objects in His image. Therefore, the ultimate center of the spherical movement of the whole universe is God.
Let us further investigate this matter. Every substantial object of God contains a subject and object within itself, and the subject is the center in their relationship. Therefore, the center of the unified body of subject and object also lies in the subject. The ultimate center of the subject is God, and the ultimate center of the unified body is also God. Therefore, when God's three objects form a respective basis of reciprocation, and their three centers (subjects) enter into give and take action, centering upon God in complete oneness with Him, fulfilling their three objective purposes, the four position foundation is complete for the first time.
Consequently, the ultimate center of the four position foundation is God. Every individual creation, having thus fulfilled the four position foundation, is an individual truth incarnation. As mentioned before, this exists in two forms: the truth incarnation in image (man) and the symbolic truth incarnation (all creation except man).
The universe consists of countless such individual truth incarnations, mutually related in good order, from the creature of the lowest grade to the highest, with man as the highest truth incarnation. Again, every individual truth incarnation moves spherically with the lower individual truth incarnation in the objective position to the higher ones. The center of the spherical movement of this objects is in the individual truth incarnation which is in the position of subject, on a higher level. Likewise, the centers of countless such symbolic individual truth incarnations are connected with one another from the lowest to the highest. Man, the individual truth incarnation in image, is the highest and central created being.
Let us illustrate this with an example. Today's science states that atoms are made of elementary particles which are composed of energy. Observing the purpose of existence of the individual truth incarnations at different stages, we can understand that energy exists in order to form elementary particles. The elementary particle, in turn, exists to form an atom, an atom to form a molecule, a molecule to form any type of matter, and all matter to form the whole universe.
For what purpose, then, does the universe exist; and what is its center? The answer is none other than man himself. That is why God, after creating man, told him to subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28). If there were no men to see and appreciate the universe, the universe could be compared to a museum without any visitors. The articles exhibited in the museum can display the value of their existence only when there is a man to appreciate, love, and take delight in them. Man is able to form a close relationship with them, and in this way, they assume value. If there were no man to appreciate them, would they have any significance?
The same applies to the case of the whole universe with man as its center. Only through man are they mutually related in a united purpose. The relationship becomes apparent when man clarifies the source and the nature of all materials which form the whole creation. Man alone studies and classifies the true characters of all the animals and plants, including everything on the earth and sea as well as the constellations which form the whole universe. As the center and subject of the creation, man enables the things of creation to have an organized mutual relationship with each other. Materials absorbed by the human body are changed into elements which maintain the physiological function of man, while the whole creation provides the material to make a pleasant living environment for him.
On the basis of external form, these are man's relationships to the universe, with man as the center. But there is still another relationship, with man as the center, on the basis of internal character. We may call the former a "physical relationship" while the latter we may call a "spiritual relationship".
The physiological elements of man, which consists of material substance, respond to the intellect, emotion, and will of the mind. This indicates that materials have certain elements through which they can respond to man's intellect, emotion, and will. Such elements form the internal character of matter so that every creation is able to respond to human intellect, emotion, and will, though the degree of response may vary. It is because man is the center of the internal character of creation that he can become intoxicated with the beauty of nature, and experience the mystery of being one in harmony with it. Man was thus created to be the center of the whole creation, and so the point where God and man become one united body is where we find the center of the macrocosm. Let us discuss man's being the center of the macrocosm from a different aspect. We call the two worlds, the visible and invisible, the "macrocosm", with man being the substantial center of this total macrocosm. Every creation forming the macrocosm is divided into a subject and an object element.
Here we may reach the conclusion that if Adam, who was the first human ancestor, had been perfected, he would have become the substantial embodiment of all the subject elements in the creation; and if Eve had been perfected, she would have become the substantial embodiment of all the object elements in the creation. If Adam and Eve together had grown wholesomely to the perfection stage--one becoming the lord of all the subjects in the creation and the other becoming the lord of all the objects--and had they joined into one body as man and wife, they would have become a central body dominating the whole universe, since God created man to have dominion over the creation.
Man was created to be the center of harmony with the whole macrocosm. Thus, if Adam and Eve had become husband and wife after perfection, thus joining into one body as the substantial center of the dual essentialities contained in every creature, the macrocosm, which was created to have dual essentialities as an individual being, would also move in harmony with Adam and Eve as the nucleus, Likewise, the point at which Adam and Eve join into one body as a husband and wife is also the point at which God, the subject of love, and man, the object of beauty, become one unit, thus establishing the center of goodness. Here, for the first time, the purpose of creation is accomplished. God, our Parent, is able to abide with perfected men as His children, and peacefully rest for eternity. At that time, this center would become the object of God's eternal love, and through this, God would be stimulated with happiness for eternity. Here God's Word would be physically incarnated for the first time in human history. Therefore, this point would become the very center of the truth and also the center of man's original mind, which has been directing man to attain the purpose creation. Consequently, the whole universe will perform a spherical movement of unified purpose, centered on the four position foundation, when a perfected man and woman become husband and wife, with God at their center. However, the universe lost this center when men fell; consequently, all of creation has been groaning in travail, waiting for the children of God--that is, men whose original nature of creation is restored--to appear and take their position as the macrocosm's center (Rom. 8:19-22).
Our understanding is thus increased, and we know that the four position foundation, having completed the three objective purposes through the O-D-U action, becomes one body with God through spherical movement centering on Him. This creates the basic foundation of both the power within every existing being, through which God may work, and the power which enables all beings in creation to maintain their existence. Likewise, God is omnipresent in the creation.
5. THE MULTIPLICATION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL BODIES
In order for a physical body to continue to exist, it must multiply, and this multiplication occurs through the O-D-U action caused by the action of give and take. For example, seeds of plants are produced through a give and take action between stamen and pistil. They will again multiply themselves, repeating the same course. In the animal world too, the male and female grow to have give and take action with each other, thus breeding and multiplying. The cell division of animals and plants also occurs through the give and take action.
If the body obeys the mind's desires, according to a certain purpose, it enters into the action of give and take with the mind, and they become companions. Whenever friends have give and take action wholesomely between them, their friendship will increase. Seen from this aspect, the universe is the substantial manifestation of the invisible God, occurring through the give and take action between His essential character and form, centered on the purpose of creation.
6. THE REASON EVERY BEING CONSISTS OF DUAL ESSENTIALITIES
Everything, in order to exist, needs energy--and this comes through give and take action. However nothing can perform give and take action by itself. Therefore, in order to generate the energy to exist, there must be a subject and object who can perform give and take action.
Any movement that goes in a straight line will finally come to an end, and no being performing such movement can exist eternally. Consequently, in order to exist eternally, everything moves in circular motion. In order for revolution to occur, the action of give and take between a subject and an object must take place. Therefore, in order to exist eternally, God has dual essentialities. If His creation is to be an eternal object, it must reflect God's dual essentialities. In this way, "time" also maintains its perpetuity by going through periodic cycles.
SECTION III--THE PURPOSE OF CREATION
1. THE PURPOSE OF THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE
Whenever God made a new species of creation, He saw that "it was good" (Gen. 1:4-31). This indicates that God wanted all of His creation to be good objects. This is because He wanted to feel happiness whenever He looked at His creation.
What, then, should His creation be like in order to make God happiest? After having created the universe, God finally created man in His image, after the pattern of His own character, with tremendous potential. Man was intended to enjoy and appreciate his position as an object to God. Therefore, when God created Adam and Eve, He gave them three great blessings: to be fruitful, to multiply and fill the earth, and to subdue it and have dominion (Gen. 1:28). Had man followed the words of this blessing and become happy in the Heavenly Kingdom of God, God also would have felt much happiness.
How should God's three great blessings have been fulfilled? This could have been possible only when the four position foundation, the basic foundation of creation, had been fulfilled. God's purpose in creating the universe was to feel happiness when He saw the purpose of goodness fulfilled in the Heavenly Kingdom, in which the whole creation including man could have established after completing the four position foundation centered on God and fulfilling His three great blessings.
Consequently, the purpose of the universe's existence centered on man is to return joy to God, the Creator. Every being has a dual purpose. As already explained, every existence has both character and form; accordingly, its purpose is two-fold. One purpose pertains to internal character and the other to external form. The relationship between the two is exactly the same as that between character and form in any individual being. The purpose pertaining to the internal character is for the whole, while the purpose pertaining to the external form is for the individual. In other words, the former and the latter relate to each other as cause and effect, internal and external, and subject and object. Therefore, there cannot be any purpose of the individual apart from the purpose of the whole, nor any purpose of the whole that does not include the purpose of the individual. All the creatures in the entire universe form a vast complex linked together by these dual purposes.
2. OBJECT OF GOODNESS FOR THE JOY OF GOD
In order to understand more precisely the questions concerning God's purpose of creation, let us first examine how joy is produced. Joy is not created by the individual alone. Joy comes when we have an object, whether invisible or visible, in which our own character and form are reflected and developed, thus enabling us to feel our own character and form through the stimulation derived from the object.
For example, man feels joy as a creator only when he has an object; that is, when he sees the product of his work, whether it be a painting or sculpture, in which his plan is substantiated. In this way, he is able to feel his own character and form objectively through the stimulation derived from the product of his work. When the idea itself remains in the objective position the stimulation derived from it is not substantial; therefore, the joy derived from it cannot be substantial either. God's joy is produced in the same manner as man's. Therefore, God feels joy when He feels His original character and form objectively through the stimulation derived from His substantial object.
We have explained that, when the Kingdom of Heaven is realized through the fulfillment of the three great blessings on the foundation of four positions, the perfect object through which God can feel joy is formed. Let us study how the perfect object for God's joy is formed.
God's first blessing to man was the perfection of his individuality. In order to man to perfect his individuality, his mind and body, which are the divided form of God's dual essentialities, must become united through the give and take action between them. Thus they form an individual four position foundation centered on God. The man whose mind and body have formed a four position foundation of the original God-centered nature becomes God's temple (I Cor. 3:16) and forms one body with Him (John 14:20). This means that man attains deity. Feeling exactly what God feels and knowing God's will, he would live as God would want. A man with his individuality thus perfected would have perfect give and take between his mind and body. In uniting together, his mind and body would form a substantial object to God. In that case, God becomes happy because He can feel His own character and form objectively through the stimulation coming from such a substantial object. Man's mind as subject feels the same way in relationship to his body. Therefore, when man has realized God's first blessing, he becomes a good object for the joy of God. A man with perfected individuality feels all that God feels, as if God's feelings were his own. Consequently, he cannot do anything which would cause God grief. This means that such a man could never fall.
In order for man to realize God's second blessing, originally, Adam and Eve, the divided substantial objects of God, after having perfected their respective individualities and thus fully reflecting God's dual essentialities, should have become husband and wife, forming one unit. They should have multiplied through having children, and established the four position foundation on a family level centered on God. Any family or society in which such a four position foundation centered on God is established would resemble a man of perfected individuality. Thus, a family or a society becomes the substantial object of man centered on God, and man and his object together become the substantial object of God. God and man would then be happy, for they would feel their own dual essentialities reflected in such a family or society. When man has actualized the second blessing, this also becomes a good object for God's joy.
Let us now learn why man becomes a good object for God's joy when he has actualized God's third blessing. First, we must discuss the relationship between man and the universe from the viewpoint of "character and form".
Before creating man, God made all things in the image and likeness of man's character and form. Therefore, man is the encapsulation of all things.
God began His creation with animals of a lower order, then created animals with a more complicated function; and finally He created man, who has the highest function. Therefore, man contains the structure elements and essential qualities of animals. For example, man's vocal cords are so sophisticated that they are able to imitate the sounds of all the animals. The human shape and line are the most delicate and graceful, so that they often become a trying subject for student artists to draw.
Men and plants are of different structures and functions, but are similar in that they both consist of cells. Man contains the structure, elements, and essential qualities of plants, also. For example, a plant's leaf, seen from its function, corresponds to the human lung. Just as a leaf absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, the human lung absorbs oxygen. The trunk, stem, or branches of a plant correspond to the human heart in supplying nutriments to the whole body. The root of a plant corresponds to the stomach and intestines of a man, which absorb nutriments. Further, the shape and function of the xylem and the phloem of a plant correspond to that of the human artery and vein.
Man is also composed of earth, water, and air; consequently, he also contains mineral elements. The structure of the earth, too, is similar to that of the human body. The earth's crust is covered with plants, underground waterways exist in the substrata, and beneath all this lies molten lava surrounded by rocks. This closely corresponds to the structure of the human body: the skin is covered with hair, blood vessels exist in the musculature, and still deeper lies the marrow within the skeleton.
God's third blessing to man signifies man's qualification to dominate the whole creation. In order for man to actualize this blessing, he must first establish the four position foundation with the universe as his object, centering on God. Then, with man as the visible object in the image of God and the universe as the symbolic object in His indirect image, man's love and the beauty of creation perform give and take action to form one body in unity centering on God (cf. Part I, Ch. 1, Sec. V, 2.3--56).
The universe is the object in which man's character and form are manifested in substance. Therefore, man whose center is fixed upon God, would feel immense joy when he objectively feels his own character and form through all things as his substantial objects. In like manner, God would enjoy utmost happiness by feeling His essential character and form through the world of His creation, which consists of man and all things in harmonious oneness. When man has thus actualized God's third blessing, this also becomes an object of good for God's joy. If God's purpose of creation had been actualized in this way, an ideal world, in which no trace of sin could be found, would have been established on this earth. We may call this world the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Man was created in the beginning to live in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. At the moment of his physical death, he was to automatically transmigrate into the spirit world where he could enjoy an eternal life in the spiritual Kingdom of Heaven.
From all the facts explained thus far, we can understand that the Kingdom of Heaven is the world resembling a man with his individuality perfected in accordance with the essential characteristics and form of God. Just as in man, where the mind's command is transmitted to the whole body through the central nervous system, thus causing the body to act toward one purpose, so in the Kingdom of Heaven, God's command is conveyed to all His children through the True Parents, causing all to work toward one purpose.
SECTION IV--ORIGINAL VALUE OF CREATION
1. DETERMINATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALUE OF CREATION AND THE STANDARD OF VALUE
How can we determine the original value of things? The value of an object, according to the common standard, is determined by the reciprocal relationship between the purpose of the object and man's desire for it. The original value of an individual body is not latent in itself as an absolute. It is determined by the reciprocal relationship between the purpose of the individual body (as a particular kind of object centered on God's ideal of creation) and the desire of man (as the subject) to pursue the original value of the object. Accordingly, in order for an object to realize the original value of its creation, it must unite with man through give and take action, thus forming the original four position foundation by becoming the third object to God.
Then what is the standard of original value? Original value is determined when an object and a man, as subject, establish the four position foundation centered on God. The standard of value is God, the absolute being, because the center of the four position foundation is God. Therefore, the original value of an object, which is decided relative to the standard of God as the absolute reality, must be an absolute one.
For example, how is the beauty of a flower determined? Its original beauty is determined when God's purpose in creating the flower and man's spontaneous desire to pursue the flower's beauty are in accord with each other--when man's God-centered desire to find its beauty is fulfilled by the emotional stimulation he receives from the flower. This brings him perfect joy. In this way, the beauty of the flower will become absolute when the joy which man feels from the flower is perfectly centered upon the purpose of creation.
Man's desire to pursue the beauty of creation is the desire to feel his own character and form objectively. When God's purpose of creating the flower and man's desire to pursue its value are found to be in accord, the subject and object form a state of harmonious oneness. Therefore, in order for anything to possess original value, it must, with man as the subject, establish the four position foundation by becoming God's third object in a state of harmonious oneness centered up Him. Then, the original value of all things, determined by their relative relationship with God, is also absolute. Hitherto, the value of an object has never been absolute but only relative, because the give and take between the object and fallen man has not been centered on God but on Satanic purpose and desire.
2. ORIGINAL INTELLECT, EMOTION AND WILL AND ORIGINAL TRUTH, BEAUTY AND GOODNESS
The human mind has three basic functions, constantly in action: intellect, emotion and will. Man's body acts in response to his mind's command. From this, we may conclude that man's body responds to his mind--and thus to his intellect, emotion and will. Therefore, man's every act should be a pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness. God, who is the subject of the human mind, is also the subject of human intellect, emotion and will. When man responds with his mind to God's original intellect, emotion and will, his body acts according to the will of God. Therefore, man's conduct would display the values of original truth, beauty and goodness.
3. LOVE AND BEAUTY, GOOD AND EVIL, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND UNRIGHTEOUSNESS
When the two substantial bodies which result from the division of God's dual essentialities establish a four position foundation by performing give and take action on a reciprocal base, emotional forces work between the subject and object to unite them as the third object to God. Love is an emotional force given by the subject to the object; beauty is an emotional force returned to the subject by the object. The power of love is active and the stimulation of beauty is passive.
In the relationship between God and man, God gives love as the subject, while man returns beauty as the object. Between man and woman, man is the subject, giving love while woman is the object, returning beauty. In the universe as a whole, man is the subject, who gives love to the rest of the creation, the object which responds in beauty. However, when the subject and object become united, there comes into being a love which is latent even in beauty and a beauty latent even in love. This is because when the subject and object unite in circular movement, the subject is able to stand in the position of the object, and the object in that of the subject. Between men, the beauty which a junior returns in response to the love of a senior is called "loyalty"; the beauty which children return in response to the love of their parents is called "filial piety"; the beauty which a wife returns in response to the love of her husband is called "virtue". The purpose of love and beauty is that the two separate substances divided from God's dual essentialities may become one through the action of give and take, thus establishing the four position foundation, and, as God's third object, fulfilling their purpose of creation.
Next, let us investigate the nature of God's love. The purpose of God's creation of man will be fulfilled only when Adam and Eve, after reaching perfection as the substantial objects of God's dual essentialities, unite and bear children. Thus they experience the three kinds of love which are given to their respective objects--parental love (the first type of love given to the object), conjugal love (the second type of love given to the object), and children's love (the third type of love given to the object)--in order to fulfill the three objective purposes and finally form the four position foundation. In relationship to each of the three objective loves in the four position foundation, God's love is subject. Therefore, God's love is manifested in the three objective loves and becomes the fundamental power for the establishment of the four position foundation. The four position foundation is a perfect object of beauty upon which we may receive and enjoy God's love perfectly; it is also the fundamental foundation of goodness in which God's purpose of creation may be fulfilled.
When a subject and an object fulfill the purpose of creation by becoming one through the action of give and take, the action or its result is called "good". When the subject and the object go against God's purpose of creation by establishing the four position foundation centered on Satan, such an action or its result is called "evil".
For example, when an individual fulfills God's first blessing to man by uniting his mind and body through the give and take action of love and beauty, and thus establishes the four position foundation of the individual level, this individual or the actions which produce such an individual are called "good". If Adam and Eve had become husband and wife through the give and take action of love and beauty in the respective positions of subject and object centered on God, and had established the four position foundation on the family level with their children, they would have created a family in which the purpose of creation was fulfilled, thus realizing God's second blessing to man. This family or the actions which establish such a family are called "good". Further, when a man, having perfected his individuality, places the creation in the objective position as his second self and becomes one with it, he produces God's third object. He then establishes the four position foundation under his control, thus realizing God's third blessing to man. This state or the actions to attain it are also called "good". On the other hand, when a man fulfills a purpose contrary to God's three great blessings by establishing the four position centered on Satan, this act or the results of it are called "evil".
(3) Righteousness and Unrighteousness
In the course of fulfilling the purpose of goodness, the elements which bring about a life of goodness are called "righteousness". In the course of fulfilling the purpose of evil (Satan), the elements which cause a life of evil are called "unrighteousness". Thus, it is natural that we need to live a life of righteousness in order to attain the purpose of goodness. This is why righteousness always pursues the purpose of goodness.
SECTION V--THE PROCESS OF THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE PERIOD OF GROWTH
1. THE PROCESS OF THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE
It is recorded in Chapter 1 of Genesis that the creation of the universe commenced with the creation of light out of the chaos, void, and darkness upon the face of the deep. God first created water and then separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. Then He separated the waters from the land. After having created the plants, fish, birds, and mammals, He then created man. All this took a period of six days. Through this, we can see that there was a six-day period involved in the creation of the universe.
The process of creation as it is written in the Bible is in accord with the evolutionary sequence of creation known to modern scientists. In the beginning, the universe was in a gaseous state. Out of the chaos and void of the anhydrous age, the heavenly bodies were formed. After a spell of rainfall the world entered the aqueous age with a firmament of water. Then, due to volcanic eruption, land appeared out of the water, and was thus separated from the sea. Next, all the lower plants and animals came into existence. Then came fish, fowl, mammals, and finally man, in that order. Scientists calculate the age of the earth to be some thousand million years. When we consider the fact that the course of the creation of the universe described in the Bible, which was written thousands of years ago, coincides with the findings of scientific research, we are reassured that this record in the Bible is an actual revelation from God.
The universe did not suddenly come into being without a lapse of time, but it took considerable time for the generation of the universe to take place. Therefore, the six days until the completion of the creation of the universe are, in fact, not six days as calculated by the repetition of sunrise and sunset, but an indication that there were six periods in the course of creation.
2. THE PERIOD FOR THE GROWTH OF THE CREATION
The fact that it took six days--that is, six periods--to complete the creation of the universe indicates that a certain amount of time is necessary to complete the creation of any individual body in the universe.
We read in Chapter 1 of Genesis the story of the creation of the universe, in which each day's creation is described and each day is designated by a number. By this, also, we can understand that a period of time was necessary for the completion of each creation. The Bible states that, after the creation on the first day, "there was evening and there was morning, one day" (Gen.1:5). Somewhere in the period from the evening, through the night, and until the next morning, the second day should begin; but the Bible states "one day" or "the first day", because any created being can realize the ideal of creation only in the new morning, after its perfection through the night, which is the period of growth.
Likewise, every phenomenon occurring in the universe brings about a result only after the lapse of a time interval. This is because everything made in the beginning was meant to be perfected through a certain period of time.
(1) The Three Orderly Stages of the Growth Period
The universe is the representation of God's essential character and form, substantially developed according to the principle of mathematics. We may infer that God is, in fact, mathematical. God is the absolute reality, the existing neutral center of the two essentialities; therefore, He is the reality of the number "three". Every created being, which is an image or symbolic likeness of God (Gen.1:27), is created to go through the course of the number "three" in its existence, movement and growth.
Accordingly, the four position foundation, which was God's purpose of creation, was to be established through the course of three stages: God, Adam and Eve, and children. In order to establish the four position foundation and enter into circular movement, one must perform the three-stage origin-division-union action, accomplishing the three objective purposes, serving as object to three subjects and subject to three objects. In order to stand in a stable position, a thing needs at least three points to support it. Therefore, in order for any creature to be perfected, it must grow to maturity through the three orderly stages of "formation", "growth" and "perfection". The number "three" appears throughout the natural world which consists of minerals, plants and animals. For example: matter exists in three forms--gaseous, liquid and solid; a plant consists basically of three parts--root, trunk or stem, and leaf; an animal consists of head, trunk and extremities.
Let us next draw examples from the Bible. Man, having fallen before completing the three stages of the growth period, could not fulfill the purpose of creation. Therefore, in order to attain this purpose, he must first go through those three stages. In the providence of restoration, God has worked to restore the number "three". As a consequence, there are many records in the Bible of the providence centered on the number "three": the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), the three stages in Paradise, the three archangels, (Lucifer, Gabriel and Michael), the three decks of Noah's ark, the three flights of the dove from the ark, Abraham's three offerings, the three days before the offering of Isaac, the three days of calamity during the period of Moses, the three-day period of separation from Satan in preparation for the Exodus, the three forty-year periods of restoration into Canaan, the three-day period of separation from Satan centering on Joshua before crossing the Jordan, Jesus' thirty years of private life and three years of public ministry, three wise men from the East with their three gifts, three major disciples of Jesus, three temptations of Jesus, the three prayers at Gethsemane, Peter's three denials of Jesus, the three hours of darkness during the crucifixion, and Jesus' resurrection after three days.
When did the first human ancestors fall? They fell during their growth period, while they were still immature. If man had fallen after he had achieved perfection, we could not believe in the omnipotence of God. If man could fall after he had become a perfect embodiment of goodness, then goodness itself would be imperfect. Accordingly, we would have to reach the conclusion that God, the absolute subject of goodness, is also imperfect.
In Genesis 2:17, God warned Adam and Eve that in the day that they ate the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they would surely die. From the fact that they had two choices, either to continue to live by obeying God's warning or accepting the way of death by going against it, we can imagine that they were still in an immature state. All things were created to reach perfection after they had grown through the three stages. Man could not have been created apart from this principle.
In which of the stages of growth did man fall? We can see that he fell at the final level of the growth stage. This can be logically proven by examining the various situations surrounding the fall of the first human ancestors, and by the details of the history of the providence of restoration. This will be further clarified by studying the first and second parts of this book thoroughly.
During the period of growth, each being in creation grows autonomously by the power of the Divine Principle. Therefore, God, as the author of the Principle, relates to the creation indirectly, dealing directly only with those results of its growth which are in accordance with the Principle. Therefore, we call this period God's "indirect dominion" or His "dominion over the result in the Principle".
All things reach their perfection through the dominion and autonomy of the Principle itself, by going through the period of growth (indirect dominion). However, man is created to attain his perfection not only through the dominion and autonomy of the Principle itself, but also by accomplishing his own portion of responsibility in passing through this period. That is, when we study God's Word, which says, "...in the day you eat of it you shall die." (Gen. 2:17), we can understand that man's fall was his own fault and not God's. The first human ancestors were to become perfect by believing in the divine Word and not eating of the fruit. However, in their disbelief, they ate of it, thus causing the fall. In other words, the perfection or non-perfection of man depended not only on God's power of creation but also upon man's response. Therefore, man was created to reach his perfection by passing through the period of growth (indirect dominion), accomplishing his portion of responsibility, while God would fulfill His part as the Creator.
God created man so that man could reach his perfection only by accomplishing his portion of responsibility. God does not interfere with man in this regard. Man should inherit God's creatorship and participate in His work of creation. Thus, man may also enjoy the authority of a master, enabling him to rule all things from the position of the creator, just as God, man's Creator, has dominion over man (Gen. 1:28). This is the difference between man and the rest of creation. Thus, man reaches perfection only after having acquired the ability to rule the rest of creation, including the angels. He accomplishes this by going through the period of indirect dominion, fulfilling his own portion of responsibility, and inheriting God's creatorship. Therefore, man, who lost his qualification as the ruler because of the fall, can never fulfill the purpose of creation unless he goes through the indirect dominion. Thus, he may restore his dominion over all things, including Satan, by accomplishing his portion of responsibility in accordance with the principle of restoration. God's providence of salvation has been prolonged for so long because the central figures in His providence of restoration have repeatedly failed to accomplish their portions of responsibility, with which even God cannot interfere.
However great the grace of salvation through the cross of Christ may be, the providence of salvation calling at man's door will be nullified unless man himself has faith, which is his own portion of responsibility. God granted the benefit of resurrection through the crucifixion of Jesus, as His portion of responsibility, but it remains man's responsibility to believe (John 3:16, Eph. 2:8, Rom. 5:1).
What is God's "direct dominion" and what is its purpose? Man enters the direct dominion of God when husband and wife fulfill the purpose of goodness through the perfect give and take action of love and beauty between them according to the will of the subject, in perfect oneness with God's heart, having established the four position foundation by becoming one united body. Therefore, direct dominion is the realm of perfection. We are destined to bring into being this direct dominion of God because it must exist in order for the purpose of creation to be fulfilled. What significance does the direct dominion of God have for man?
If Adam and Eve had perfected themselves, centering on God, becoming one united body to form the four position foundation on the family level, and then had lived a life of goodness in perfect oneness with the divine heart, we would call this state the "direct dominion of God". A man in such a state can put into practice the will of God by understanding it and by experiencing God's heart, which underlies it. Just as each section or nerve of the body is set into action by the command of the human mind, which is invisible, man would act out the will of God in obedience to His command, thus fulfilling the purpose of creation.
Next, let us discuss how man assumes direct dominion over all things. When perfected man as subject, and the physical world, as his object, become one united body centered on God and establish the four position foundation and when man thus fulfills the purpose of goodness through the perfect give and take action of love and beauty with the physical world according to his will, in perfect oneness with God's heart, man attains direct dominion over all things.
SECTION VI--THE INVISIBLE SUBSTANTIAL WORLD AND THE VISIBLE SUBSTANTIAL WORLD CENTERING ON MAN
1. THE INVISIBLE SUBSTANTIAL WORLD AND THE VISIBLE SUBSTANTIAL WORLD
Since the universe was created after the model of man, who is in the image and likeness of God's dual essentialities, every existence, without exception, takes after man's basic form, which consists of mind and body (cf. Part I, Ch. 1, Sec. I--20). Thus, in the universe there exists not only the visible substantial world, which resembles the human body, but also the invisible substantial world, which is modeled after the human mind. We call the latter the invisible substantial world, because we cannot perceive it with our five physical senses; however, we can perceive it with our five spiritual senses. The invisible world, like the visible world, is a world of reality. It is actually felt and perceived, through the five spiritual senses. The two substantial worlds together are called the "macrocosm".
Just as the body cannot act without a relationship with the mind, the original man of creation cannot act without a relationship with God. The visible world cannot enjoy its original value of creation without relating to the invisible world. In the same manner that we cannot understand a man's behavior without knowing his mind, we cannot really know the fundamental significance of human life without knowing God. Without understanding the invisible world, we cannot perfectly know the visible world. Thus, the invisible world is the subjective world; the visible world is the objective world, the latter operating like a shadow of the former (Heb. 8:5). Man, upon his death, after his life in the visible world, goes to the invisible world in a spiritual body, having taken off his "clothes of flesh" (Job 10:11), and lives there forever.
2. POSITION OF MAN IN THE UNIVERSE
First, God created man to be the ruler of the universe (Gen. 1:28). The universe, except man, does not have internal sensibility to God. That is why God does not dominate the world directly; but by creating man to have complete sensibility to the universe, God lets him rule the universe directly. In creating man, God created his flesh with ingredients from the water, earth, and air, which are the main elements of the visible world. God did this to enable man to be sensible to and to have dominion over this world. He created the spirit man with spiritual elements to enable him to be sensible and have dominion over the invisible world. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses, who had died nearly 1600 years before, and Elijah, who had died nearly 900 years before, appeared to Jesus (Matt. 17:3). These were actually the spirits of Moses and Elijah. Only man, who consists of both flesh and spirit, which enable him to dominate the visible and invisible worlds, can rule the two worlds.
Second, God created man to be the mediator and the center of harmony of the universe. When man's flesh and spirit, by becoming one through their give and take action, stand as the substantial object of God, the visible and invisible worlds also become the object of God by uniting through give and take action centered on man. Thus, man is the mediator and center of harmony between the two worlds. Therefore, man is like the air which enables a tuning fork to resound. Since man is created to communicate with the invisible world, he is meant to reflect everything happening in the world of spirit.
Third, God created man as the substantial microcosm of the whole. God first created the universe by developing, in substance, man's character and form. Thus, the spirit man is the substantial encapsulation of the invisible world, since God created the invisible world as the substantial development of the character and form of the spirit man. Likewise, the physical man is the substantial encapsulation of the visible world, since God created the visible world as the substantial development of the character and form of the physical man. Consequently, man is a microcosm, the encapsulation of the whole macrocosm.
Because of the fall of man, however, the whole creation lost its ruler. We read in Romans 8:19 that the creation waits in eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God (restored men of the original nature). Romans 8:22 continues with, "the whole creation has been groaning in travail together". This is because the give and take action between the visible and invisible worlds has been cut off due to the fall of man, rendering them unable to unite, since man was to be their mediator and center of harmony.
Jesus came as a perfect man in flesh and spirit. Therefore he was the substantial microcosm of the whole. That is why the Bible says that God has put all things in subjection under the feet of Christ (I Cor. 15:27). Jesus is our savior. He came to the world in order to perfect fallen men by striving to have them unite with him.
3. THE RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PHYSICAL MAN AND THE SPIRIT MAN
(1) The Structure and Function of the Physical Man
The physical man consists of the dual essentialities, flesh mind (subject) and flesh body (object). The flesh mind enables the flesh body to multiply and provide protection. The instinct of an animal corresponds to the flesh mind. In order for the physical man to grow in good health, it must absorb air and light, which are invisible nourishment of a positive nature, while also taking in material elements, which are visible nourishment of a negative nature. All these must perform a perfect action of give and take through the circulation of blood.
The goodness or evil in the conduct of the physical man influences his spirit man to become either good or evil. This is because the physical man provides a certain element to the spirit man, which we call the "vitality element". In our everyday life, we know that our mind rejoices when our body performs a good deed, but feels anxiety after evil conduct. This is because the vitality element, which can be good or evil according to the deed of man, is infused into our spirit man.
(2) The Structure and Function of the Spirit Man
The spirit man, which exists as an invisible substantial being, was created to be the subject to the physical man and to be felt and perceived through our spiritual senses. Through the spirit man we can communicate directly with God and have dominion over the invisible world, including the angels. Our spirit man is identical in appearance to our physical man, and it lives for eternity in the invisible world after leaving the physical body. Man desires to live forever because he has within himself a spirit man, which has an eternal nature.
The spirit man consists of the dual essentialities of spirit mind (subject) and spirit body (object). The spirit mind is the spirit man's central part, where God may abide. Our spirit man grows through the give and take action between the "life element" (positive) coming from God, and the "vitality element" (negative) coming from the physical man. The spirit man not only receives the vitality element from the physical man but also sends a certain element in return which we call the "living spirit element". We have seen that a man, influenced by another higher spirit, could feel infinite joy and new strength swelling up in him, even making it possible to heal a chronic disease. Such instances occur because the physical man receives the living spirit element from the spirit man. Further, the spirit man can grow only in the soil of the physical man. Therefore, the relationship between the spirit man and the physical man is like that between fruit and tree. When the physical mind responds to desires of the spirit mind, the physical man acts in accordance with the purpose of the spirit mind. Then the physical man receives the living spirit element from the spirit man. This brings good feelings and energy to the spirit man. Accordingly, the physical man, when it returns a wholesome vitality element to the spirit man, influence it to grow normally, in the direction of goodness.
The truth teaches us what it is that our spirit mind desires. When man comes to understand, through the truth, what our spirit mind desires, and why by putting it into practice he accomplishes his portion of responsibility, then the living spirit element and the vitality element enter into give and take action for the purpose of goodness. The relationship between the living spirit element and the vitality element corresponds to the relationship between character and form. Because the living spirit element is always at work in every individual, the original mind always inclines toward goodness, even in an evil person. However, unless a man leads a good life, the living spirit element cannot provide anything for the betterment of the physical man. Also, it cannot enjoy normal give and take action with the vitality element. Likewise, our spirit man can be perfected only through our physical life on earth.
Our spirit man should perfect itself by gradually growing through the three orderly stages in conjunction with our physical man, centering on the spirit mind, in accordance with the principle of creation. A spirit man which is in the formation stage is called a "form spirit", in the growth stage, a "life spirit", and in the perfection stage, a "divine spirit".
When our spirit man and our physical man establish the four position foundation by performing perfect give and take action centering on God, thus forming a united body, the spirit man becomes a divine spirit. At this level, the spirit man can feel and perceive everything in the invisible world. Since all the spiritual phenomena thus perceived by the spirit man are reflected and echoed in the physical man, presenting themselves as physical phenomena, man finally comes to feel spiritual phenomena even with his five physical senses. The Kingdom of God in heaven is the place where spirits go to live forever after leaving their physical bodies, when they have ended their physical life in the Kingdom of God on earth. The Kingdom of God in heaven can be realized only after the realization of the Kingdom of God on earth.
The sensibility of our spirit man is to be cultivated through its reciprocal relationship with our physical man during physical life on earth. Therefore, man should be perfected and experience God's perfect love on earth in order for his spirit man to experience God's perfect love in the invisible substantial world after his physical death. Thus, the character and qualities of the spirit man are formed during our earthly life. The aggravation of evil in the spirit of a fallen man is due to his sinful conduct during his earthly life. Likewise, the betterment of a fallen spirit man comes about only through the redemption of his sin during his physical life on earth. This was the reason Jesus came to earth in the flesh to save sinful mankind. Thus, we must lead a good life on earth. Jesus gave the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven to Peter (Matt. 16:19), and said that whatever is bound on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever is loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matt. 18:18), because the primary purpose of the providence of salvation must first be realized on the earth.
The destination of the spirit man is decided by the spirit man himself, not by God. Originally, man was made so that after his perfection, he could breathe God's love perfectly. If a spirit man is unable to breathe this love perfectly, because of his sinful conduct, he feels pain when standing before God, who is the subject of perfect love. Consequently, such a spirit would automatically go to hell, which is the state farthest removed from the love of God. In addition, the multiplication of spirit men occurs at the same time as the multiplication of physical men through man's physical life, because the spirit man was created to grow only in the soil of the physical man.
(3) The Human Mind Seen from the Relationship between Spirit Mind and Physical Mind
The relationship between spirit mind and physical mind is like that between character and form. When these two become one through give and take action centered on God, the spirit man and the physical man naturally become one harmonious unit. The give and take action between the spirit mind and the physical mind produces a united body, the human mind, which directs the individual toward the accomplishment of the purpose of creation. Man became ignorant of God because of the fall. Thus, he became ignorant of the absolute standard of goodness. But, according to the original nature of creation, the human mind always directs man toward what it thinks is good. This directing power is called human conscience. However, fallen man, being ignorant of the absolute standard of goodness, cannot set up the absolute standard of conscience. As the standard of goodness varies, so does the standard of conscience, and this causes frequent contention even among those who advocate a conscientious life. The part of the human mind which corresponds to character and always directs man toward the absolute standard of goodness is called the "original mind", and that which corresponds to form is called the "conscience".
Therefore, when man, due to ignorance, sets up a standard of goodness different from that of the original nature of creation, the human conscience directs toward that standard; however, the original mind rejects it and tries to turn the direction of conscience toward the standard of the original mind. When the spirit mind and the physical mind which are under the bondage of Satan become one unit through the action of give and take, man's development in the direction of evil is accelerated. We call this unit the "evil mind".
The original mind and conscience of man repel this evil mind and direct man toward goodness by helping him to separate himself from Satan and to face God.