Restoration Centered On Responsibility

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QUESTION: 1. When does the "true age" of responsibility actually start for human beings?  

ANSWER: Christ, at His Second Coming, comes to restore our right to eat from the Tree of Life (Rev. 22:14). This means that the Second Coming will restore the full and complete pure state that Adam and Eve enjoyed before the fall.  

QUESTION: 2. Would God not be a selfish God if He served His purpose only and wanted to know only what He wanted to know? Based on trust and growing to harmony, we know that mistakes are made. Just as a small child falls many times before he walks, so humans fail before perfection. Would a loving Father ignore a child as he falls and chose not to know that he is hurting or crying or want to know? How intelligent would this type of God be?  

ANSWER: Adam and Eve were not "little children". They were maturing adults. What you are describing, in this context, as love, sounds more like an overbearing emotional attachment born out of insecurity. God does not love in this fashion. Many times humans do, and when we do, we are sure to create rebels as well as stifle any possibility for growth to full potential. God was not ignoring His children, He was relating to them based on trust, responsibility and love.  

QUESTION: 3. Isn't to "indemnify" another way of saying "salvation by works?"  

ANSWER: No, the Principle of Restoration through indemnity is not salvation by works. I think I clearly stated in the presentations that salvation comes only one way: rebirth through the Living Adam.  

QUESTION: 4. Would a person be eternally lost because of the inherited sin or by sins of practice?  

ANSWER: Man is lost if he fails to take responsibility for his state of sin, inherited or otherwise. The wages of sin is death. Sinners take responsibility for their sin by uniting with the regenerative channel of Christ which effects rebirth to the sinner.  

QUESTION: 5. If God did not intervene in the fall, how was God able to intervene to save mankind from their sins by the sending of His Son to die on the cross.  

ANSWER: The Principle doesn't say that God can't intervene, providentially, into the affairs of man. The Principle states that God will not intervene into man's area of responsibility. That is why, before Christ came, a foundation to receive Him had to be prepared by the Chosen People. Likewise, though Jesus died for all mankind (John 3:16) and God is not willing that anyone should perish and that all should come to repentance (2Peter 3:9), salvation is not automatically bequeathed to all sinners. We must first fulfill our responsibility by establishing the condition of confession, repentance and accepting Christ into our hearts.  

QUESTION: 6. Your theory of salvation seems to bind the hands of God. You seem to state that God had to wait until man did his part before God could do His part. Doesn't it seem to you that the plan of salvation is a response to man's helpless state?  

ANSWER: That God has given man a responsibility that He chooses not to intervene upon, does not "tie" God's hands. God is not obligated to save mankind. God chose to work a providence to restore mankind. Man is indeed helpless, save for the fact that God has given man a role to play in this history of restoration. God has decided that He will not intervene in man's area of responsibility. Even in salvation, though God is not willing that anyone should perish and all should come to repentance, not everyone is saved. It is because each person must fulfill his responsibility: to repent. believe the good news, and be born again. This does not "earn" salvation, it is a minuscule condition to link to the abundant grace of God.  

QUESTION: 7. Under what circumstance does God make an exception and intervene in the affairs of man? Are there exceptions?  

ANSWER: I never said that God does not intervene into the affairs of man. God's purpose is to intervene into our hearts. I said that God will not intervene into our responsibility. Our responsibility is to have faith in His word. When we fulfill this condition, then God intervenes into our lives, into the affairs of nations and worlds. See how God intervened on the foundation of Jacob's victory. Without the condition of faith, on our part, God will not intervene.  

QUESTION: 8. Since man had fallen, why is it that God didn't completely destroy man, enabling Him to begin anew with another creation?  

ANSWER: It would not be characteristic of God's heart of love and the unconditional nature of His commitment to His children. The heart of a parent is always to "go to the cross" for the sake of the children. God has carried this heart throughout the course of historical restoration.  

QUESTION: 9. What is your stand on God not tempting people? You said in your lecture that God did not tempt man. But God allows satan to tempt man as a test? Example: Abraham and Jesus.  

ANSWER: God allowing us to be tempted by satan is not the same as God tempting us (with evil). God allows satan to tempt us not just to serve the purpose of the test, but because it is our responsibility to play a role in separating from satan. In essence, when we disobeyed the commandment, we played an instrumental role in helping satan assume his role as "god". Likewise, we must play a reverse role, by adhering to God's word, in order to separate from satan.  

QUESTION: 10. You repeatedly use the phrase "God's providence" in talking about these central figures of the Old Testament. But if God is directing all these figures, are they really free and is not God Himself repeatedly failing?  

ANSWER: When I said that God does not intervene into man's responsibility I did not mean that God does not intervene or participate in any way. God does not intervene into man's responsibility. God will carry out His dispensation and create the environment for restoration. In the midst of that environment, God will place man's responsibility. God set up the positions of Cain and Abel, but ultimately it was Cain and Abel's responsibility to unite.  

QUESTION: 11. Did God create the potential for evil, or is evil something contained by God and is released when we sin?  

ANSWER: God knows both good and evil, however God's knowledge of evil is not a result of evil being substantially in God or that God had the moral experience with evil. God knows evil by being the perfect embodiment of goodness and therefore that which is outside the relationship with God or does not originate from God is fully known as evil. God can conceive of evil in His mind but evil is never substantial in God, and thus the substance of evil is always against God's will and causes a severance from God.  

QUESTION: 12. Did not God intervene between Pharaoh and Sarah and again between her and Abimelech? How does this intervention conflict with your theory of the non-intervention of God in the case of Adam and Eve?  

ANSWER: God giving His commandment to Adam and Eve is not an intervention, likewise, God giving His commandment to Pharaoh and Abimelech is not intervention. They, like Adam and Eve, could have chosen to ignore the word of God. It is to their merit that they obeyed and thus, reversed the condition of sin in Eden.  

QUESTION: 13. Doesn't the term "indemnity" mean "payment"? If so, how can God accept any payment from any man or any race of men who are sinful? Doesn't God accept man only because they have been born again and are now in Christ?  

ANSWER: See Leviticus 26:40-43, 2Samuel 14:14. Several times the Chosen people restored their position and status through the process of indemnity (Ex. 32:20-35, Num. 14:19-35 and the Babylonian exile are examples). This is not, however, to be misconstrued to mean that they could accomplish their own salvation or regeneration through indemnity.  

QUESTION: 14. Is God's will dependent upon humanity?  

ANSWER: God's will is not dependant on anything. God could just end us all if He wanted. God has bequeathed a role to man and it is out of God's sense of commitment and love to His unworthy children that He does not take away our role and render us back to the dust from whence we came.  

QUESTION: 15. How can you say, on one hand, God does not intervene in man's lives but now He does?  

ANSWER: I did not say that God does not intervene into our lives. I said that God does not intervene into our responsibility, which is to have faith in His word. When we fulfill that responsibility, then God intervenes into our hearts and into our lives.  

QUESTION: 16. Believe me, I find your theology somewhat inconsistent. For example, in the garden incident you say that God could not intervene, because He gave man free will. In this, your theology seems deistic. Today's lecture seems to say that God, from time to time has intervened. This is theistic. Now which of the two are you? You can't be both.  ANSWER: I did not mean that God could not intervene into the life of man or have a personal relationship to man. God does not intervene into the responsibility that God has given man, which is to have faith in God's word. When man fulfills his responsibility, then God will intervene into the life and affairs of individuals and nations.  

QUESTION: 17. You said that one reason God did not intervene in the fall was so as not to recognize satan, yet didn't God dialogue with satan over Job?  

ANSWER: God does not intervene in Satan's activities. God did not impede satan from attacking Job. It is Job's faith in God that is the key element that forces satan to relent. This illustrates the basic law of restoration that man must fulfill, a responsibility to separate from satan. God does not recognize satan as creator and ruler. This does not mean that God isn't aware of Satan's existence.  

QUESTION: 18. If the salvation of man is based upon the Principle of Indemnity what place is God's forgiveness through faith in Christ? Is salvation conditional? 

 ANSWER: Salvation certainly is not automatic. You stated it clearly in your question: God's forgiveness bequeathed to man is conditional upon faith in Christ. Man's salvation is based on Christ. Man makes the foundation to receive the Christ in accordance with the laws of indemnity, but the actual work of salvation is based on regeneration through the living Christ.  

QUESTION: 19. If salvation is an inheritance and we can do nothing to earn salvation, then will the sinner receive the same level of inheritance as the saints?  ANSWER: I did not mean to imply that there is no prerequisite to receive that inheritance, for indeed there is one, that is, we must be born anew and be welcomed into the lineage of Christ. Before we can receive His inheritance, we must make Him our ancestor, the everlasting Father. There is nothing we can do to "earn" salvation, but there are things we must do to become a candidate to receive the gift of salvation.  

QUESTION: 20. If man had to make the conditions for Christ's coming, then, what is the meaning of Grace as we know it?  

ANSWER: Mans role was to make the foundation for the Christ. However, without Christ's coming, that foundation serves no purpose, nor provides any element of salvation or regeneration. The law is not the "blessing", keeping the law was the condition (requirement) to bring the blessing into the world. It took 4000 years Biblical for the foundation for Christ to be accomplished so that Christ would come into the world. You and I, in the age of Grace, can make that foundation in a moment. Whenever a sinner, recognizes his sinful state and that he is in need of repentance and if he comes to Christ as His Lord, asking His forgiveness, then Christ will come into that heart. What took 4000 years under the law, is for us, but a moment. That immeasurable difference is the result of the merit of Grace.  

QUESTION: 21. You said that all children are born in the state of sin. Wouldn't you agree that if a mother prayed for God to claim and anoint the unborn child on the mother's womb, that God would do so and the child could be born a godly, holy and anointed child from birth?  

ANSWER: It certainly would be a good way to bring a child into the world. However, we must understand that the sin under which we are all born is not a sin that we committed ourselves. It is a sin that we have inherited through the blood lineage that goes back to the dead Adam. Sin, in this context, is a condition through which satan exerts a legal claim over man. Because or first ancestors sinned, satan exerts a claim over all descendants of Adam (see 1Cor. 15:22). Therefore, the solution to this problem is to come out of the lineage of the dead Adam and be grafted on to the lineage of the living Adam, that is, rebirth through Christ. I'm sure if we keep the heart that you expressed in your question, our children will have a better chance to come to Christ in their life time.  

QUESTION: 22. How do you reconcile your view of earned Grace through indemnity with the Bible concept of free Grace? Galatians describes Grace as a free gift.  

ANSWER: God's Grace is not earned by indemnity, indemnity is a minuscule condition compared to the benefits of Grace. Grace is not a "free" gift to the extent that there is no responsibility or required condition for us to link to that Grace because certainly there is a requirement and that is to repent and believe the Good News. Even though God is not willing that anyone should perish, but all come to repentance, not everyone has. The reason is that not everyone fulfills the condition to receive Grace. Again, this condition does not "earn" Grace or in any way equal in the value of Grace. It is a minimum responsibility or condition to receive Grace.  

QUESTION: 23. How can the Law of Indemnity be reconciled with "the Grace of God"?... "where sin abounds, grace abounds much more".  

ANSWER: "Free" Grace does not mean "inexpensive, cheap" Grace, as if it were something to be found in a mix and match bin. "Free" Grace means Grace that is given to those that are undeserving of such Grace. It does not mean that Grace is distributed unconditionally, and neither does the Law of Indemnity assert that the required condition for man to link to God's Grace makes man worthy of Grace. The required condition, dictated by the Law of Indemnity, for man to link to God's Grace is but a minuscule offering compared to the immeasurable benefit of God's Grace. Man cannot make a condition to "earn" Grace, however, man must make a minimum condition in order to link to God's abundant Grace. Notice that "God so loved the world" He gave His only Son (John 3:16) that whoever believed shall have everlasting life. God loves everyone and wants everyone to share in His Grace, but we must establish the condition of belief. Likewise, we see in 2Peter 3:9 that God is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But not everyone makes the condition of repentance and belief, which is our responsibility in the Law of Indemnity to link to God's Grace. God's Grace, though meant for everyone, only is received by those who fulfill the minimum condition required in order to link to God's Grace. We are, indeed, unworthy. We are not, however, "free" from responsibility.  

QUESTION: 24. I am in total agreement with you when you say that sin is inherited, however, I have problems with the concept of salvation being inherited sin, the word "inherited" means some thing that is automatically given? What do you mean by inheritance of salvation?  

ANSWER: But to receive the "inheritance" of salvation, we must come into the lineage of the benefactor: Christ. Therefore unless ye be "born again" etc. In order to experience the rebirth we must fulfill certain conditions (see Hebrews 1:14).  

QUESTION: 25. How can you teach the concept of "inherited sin" when the Bible teaches, in Ezekiel 18:20, that this is not true?  

ANSWER: It is incorrect to say the scripture does not teach that sin is entailed to the children. It is correct to say that there is scripture which declares that sin is not entailed to the children and there is scripture that states sin is entailed to the children. The question to be answered is why does scripture state two ideas that are exactly opposite?  (See Ex. 20:5, 34:7; Lev. 26:39-40; Num. 14:33; Deut. 5:9; Psalms 21:10, 37:28, 109:9-10; Proverbs 14:11; Isaiah 14:20-22, 65:7; Jere. 32:18; Lam. 5:7; Rom. 5:12-21).  One thing that is clear: 1Cor. 15:22 "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive."  

QUESTION: 26. How do you view Ezekiel 36 and 37 concerning Israel's return and restoration to their homeland as a nation. I believe this means that Christ must return to the nation of Israel to fulfill the prophesies of the Kingdom.  

ANSWER: Prophesy does not override man's portion of responsibility or the conditions that God declares in Jeremiah 18:7-9. Ezekiel was prophesying a return and then the establishment of the Kingdom. This was, of course, given before the return from Babylonian exile. Ezekiel was referring to the potential destiny that Israel could fulfill at the time of Christ "if" they have faith. Notice he was not prophesying a return, another exile and scattering, and then another return. He is saying that when they return from exile (which they were in as he was giving this prophesy) they will remain there forever and the Kingdom will be established. But this did not come true. Why not? Did God lie? Again Jeremiah 18:7-10..."and if at another time I announce that a nation or Kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it." Now see Jesus words in Luke 19:41, John 8:42-47, Luke 23:28-34, Matt. 21:43, also see that the destiny outlined in Isa. 65:17 is now destined to a "New Jerusalem" in Rev. 21:1, also compare what God says in Jeremiah 33:20-23 with what happens at the cross in Luke 23:44-45 which is a sign that indeed the destiny of Israel ad the Chosen Nation was now over and that God was no longer bound to fulfill His side of the bargain because of their failure. Israel will still play an important role in God's dispensation, but it will not be equal to it's former role and destiny.  

QUESTION: 27. If the scriptures predicting the death and crucifixion for Jesus did not have to be fulfilled, why does Isaiah 55:11 state that "so shall my word that be sent forth out of my mouth be, it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it".  

ANSWER: But with regard to prophesy, God states in Jeremiah 18:7...that any time God makes a prediction that a nation is to be torn down or destroyed but that nation repents then God will not carry out that which He had planned. God predicted that Ninevah would be destroyed in 40 days and it was not, God prophesied through the prophet Isaiah that Hezekiah would not recover from his illness, but Hezekiah did recover and went on to live another 15 years. In both cases the repentance of Ninevah and Hezekiah was the condition that had altered the destiny originally predicted for them. It was the same repentance that Jesus called for in Israel and sadly was not forthcoming.  

QUESTION: 28. I follow throughout your lecture that man always fails the responsibilities God assigned to him. How do you explain that?  

ANSWER: Not everyone failed: Jacob was victorious, Noah didn't fail, nor Isaac, Samuel, Rebekah, Tamar, many fulfilled. I would say if we learn from the qualities of those victors and emulate them we will do just fine.  

QUESTION: 29. Why argue the "if" Israel had remained faithful Christ wouldn't have to shed blood when all prophecies point to the necessity of the shedding of His Son's blood?  

ANSWER: I point it out because it came from the mouth of God. I believe that God was showing Israel that they certainly had a potential for Blessing as much as for Failure and that it was His will that they succeed (Deut. 30:19). There is prophesy of doom as there is prophesy of victory, but prophesy does not override their potential to effect their destiny. This is what God declares in Jer. 18:7-9 and we see evidence of prophesy being changed in accordance with the principle expressed in Jer. 18. Ninevah in the book of Jonah, Hezekiah in 2Kings 20:1. "IF" (that is God's word not mine) Israel had faith in Jesus...Blessing and all glorious prophesy would be fulfilled. "IF" they did not have faith...Curses, disaster and calamity would happen. And Christ has to go to the cross.  

QUESTION: 30. If God is not bound by His word of prophesy as you said, then how do we know that we can go to Heaven? The Bible would be an empty promise if God could change His word day to day.  

ANSWER: I didn't say that God is not bound by His word, I said God is not bound by a prediction. God is bound by what He said in Jeremiah 18:7-10. That is , all predictions are conditional to what man does with regard to his role in faith. God is not willing that anyone should perish, but all come to repentance (2Peter 3:9) and yet, don't some people perish? Why? Because each person must do his role in faith to receive the benefit of Grace. God will always be true to His promise. It is man that wavers and fails to fulfill his part.  

QUESTION: 31. You keep talking about man's responsibility to keep what God had said, but Deuteronomy 5:29 seems to state that God knew man's heart was unable to perform His commandment.  

ANSWER: God knew the weakness of man's heart, but it did not rule out the possibility for the people to fulfill their role as God continues to appeal them to do (see Deuteronomy 30:11-14).  

QUESTION: 32. Upon hearing your explanation of dual prophesy, I have one question: Does God speak out of both sides of His mouth?  

ANSWER: Before we can talk about prophesy we must talk about God's will. God's will is the substructure of prophesy. The principle by which God fulfills His will effects directly the work of prophesy. God is a God of goodness and therefore God's will for man is likewise for goodness. God commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful, multiply and have dominion, but not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, IF you do, you will die. As we have explained God gave them the commandment so that they could fulfill a responsibility in their own growth, play a role in their own administration allotting freedom and the environment in which love could grow to perfection. Thus, this purpose of goodness for man is accomplished IF man does his responsibility. Understand that it is God who has determined that He will not intervene into man's responsibility, not because He is unable, but in not intervening, God maintains our potential to ultimately join with Him in the relationship of perfect love. Beings who are destined to engage in perfect love must be free beings and to be free beings, they must be beings who fulfill a responsibility. The responsibility implicit to freedom is adherence to a moral code, a moral code established by God. For Adam and Eve that moral code was the commandment, for the Chosen People it was the laws, decrees, and commandments, for us it is the Gospel. If man does not do his responsibility then God's original will for goodness will not be accomplished. In consequence to man's failure, God turns to His restorative will the purpose of which is to restore man's position, status and integrity lost by man's failure, God's original will for Adam was that he not eat the fruit and thereby, live. When Adam failed, God implemented His will for the restoration and salvation of Adam's seed; a will that would have been made unnecessary had Adam fulfilled his responsibility (obey God's word and not to eat the fruit). When God established His covenant with Israel (Lev. 26 and Deut. 28) notice that God does not emphatically declare their destiny but rather lays down two possibilities; Blessing or Curse centering on "IF".  If the Israelites obey God it will result in Blessing; but if they disobey it will result in Curse. God will not determine their responsibility to obey. They must determine that and as a result: The fulfillment of failure of their destiny. All prophesy must be seen in this context. Prophesy does not suspend this dynamic, it operates within this dynamic and principle. This is what God declares in Jeremiah 18:7-10. If God predicts glory for a nation but they fall into faithlessness, that prediction will not come true. And conversely, if a prophesy of disaster is tendered, but those people repent, neither will that prophesy come true.  Example: God prophesied a great Kingdom to be established beginning in Jerusalem (Isa. 65:17) but because the Chosen People did not obey their King (we see Matt. 21:43 and Rev. 21:1) it would not come about. Also, God predicted that Ninevah would be destroyed on 40 days but because the Ninevites repented, God did not carry out that plan either, also God had the prophet Isaiah prophesy to King Hezekiah that He would not recover from his sickness and would die, but because of Hezekiah's tearful plea God extended his life for 15 more years (2Kings 20:1-6).  

QUESTION: 33. If God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, omniscient, why would God change His mind at man's response? God has a course and destiny, predetermined for His will to be accomplished. He doesn't change His mind at every turn.  

ANSWER: See Jeremiah 18:7-10. God will not change His principle. God had given man a role in accomplishing the will of God. God told Jonah that in 40 days Ninevah would be destroyed, but the people repented and God did not carry out the destruction that He had planned.  

QUESTION: 34. Recognizing that the Kingdom of Heaven is the restoration of the original ideal, do you believe that we can experience this Kingdom in the now if we realize our true nature and no longer have a sense of separation from God? 

 ANSWER: Certainly God's desire is that His Kingdom will have a visible earthly manifestation as well as an intimate personal one. The central theme of our view is that the process of restoring man's original status as God's children, involves reversing the process by which man lost that original status. That is why, for us, understanding the fall of man is so vital. In this view, simply stated, man's lineage was changed by Adam's fall. The heritage that passed through the lineage of man is a contradictory one. Rather than a single pure heritage from God to Adam to the eternal generations, we see, through the condition of sin, satan gained creatorship or lordship over man. God's will is to liberate the Godly creation that is dormant in every person, is eternal and cannot be destroyed (and thus renders sinners in a state of contradiction: The struggle between the desire to do good [the original mind] and the desire to do evil [the fallen mind] as expressed in Romans 7:21). In that the enslavement of man's original mind came about through the change of lineage of the first human ancestors, man's liberation will take place in the reverse manner. To reverse that effect of the fall, then, requires a new ancestor, the living Adam. This is why, Biblically speaking, Jesus is represented as a "New Adam" and why He stresses the experience of "rebirth". Rebirth represents the change of lineage from the dead Adam to the "Living Adam". In that it has ultimately been our ancestral affiliation with the dead Adam that has limited us, true liberation comes through relationship and affiliation with the New Adam. The opening of the Kingdom, then, requires the return of Christ into our world as predicted in the scriptures. How this will unfold, however, will not harmonize with every doctrinal expectation.  

QUESTION: 35. Are you saying that the law was kept perfect by some of the Jews before Jesus came? Does that mean they merited salvation by their ability to keep the law? If not, how could you say that they kept the law perfectly?  

ANSWER: You missed the point. The law is merely the condition that, if fulfilled will result in blessing for Israel. The law is not the blessing. The blessing is Jesus.  

QUESTION: 36. A new criterion for restoration, yet was not law fulfillment still essential? Jesus said that He came not to do away with the law but to fulfill it.  

ANSWER: The law is the foundation for Jesus. However, faith in Jesus supersedes the requirements of the law. That does not mean to do away with the law, it means that the law is automatically contained faith in Jesus.  

QUESTION: 37. Is there any significance to the fact that Adam was a man and failed, Solomon was a man and failed, Peter was, Judas was...are men weaker spiritually than woman as a result of the fall? 

 ANSWER: God had given the commandment to Adam and Adam was to share the commandment with Eve. Man stands as a representative of God in the family and thus forms the basis of the Father's centrality and subjectivity in the family. God is not a male chauvinist and this does not mean that man is "better" than women. Because of the fall, man was placed in the position of being in the primary role with regard to restoration. Because Adam had central responsibility in the first family, the fall was, naturally largely, his failure. Therefore, the central figures in history have all been male because they are standing in a position to represent Adam and are serving in a function to pay restitution for Adam's failure. When that course (the Old Testament) is completed then the stage will be set for the Last Adam (the Living Adam) to appear.  

QUESTION: 38. In the Providence of Restoration, how do you relate this principle to the black man and woman in America, as far as the 430 years spent there in slavery and oppression?  

ANSWER: The period of slavery in America was flat against the will of God for this nation from day one. Because the forefathers of America allowed this sin, America had to pay indemnity by being divided through the Civil War. It was and is the mission of Christianity to establish the ideal of racial harmony (not just tolerance) in America and the world. God raised up Dr. Martin Luther King as an American prophet not just for civil rights for black people, but for that fundamental principle entailed in God's original will for this nation (and the world). For this reason, Rev. Moon called Martin Luther King, the greatest and truest American leader of this century. People who suffer gain the moral courage to stand up for righteousness no matter what the cost, which, in a nutshell, is the truest heart of the natural brotherhood between Rev. Moon and his movement, with others who have also walked that course of disdain for righteousness sake.  

QUESTION: 39. If the law of the Lord was perfect (Psalms 19:7), why was the coming of Christ necessary (His death, burial, and resurrection) in order to make a perfect way of salvation?  

ANSWER: The coming of Christ was necessary, His death became mandatory when Israel failed to fulfill their role to believe in Him. Salvation is not yet perfected because it is not yet complete. That is why we are awaiting the Second Coming of Christ for the completion of salvation to be revealed in the Last Days (see 1Peter 1:5, Hebrews 9:28, Rev. 22:14) 

QUESTION: 40. What is the difference in man's free moral will and man's actions determining his outcome of choice?  

ANSWER: Man's free will is conditional to the fulfillment of his responsibility to obey the word of God. When man fulfills that condition, he maintains his freedom. When man fails in that responsibility, he loses his freedom and becomes a slave to sin. Sinful action is not a result of free will, it is a result of the loss of free will. Free will is lost when we fail to keep faith in the word of God. 

 QUESTION: 41. What do you mean by "providential mistake?"  

ANSWER: It means the mistake of a central person who is standing in a dispensational role. Such as Moses, striking the rock twice. From the personal standpoint, not such a bad sin, but from the standpoint of his providential role, very serious. Likewise, John's expression of doubt in Jesus; from the personal standpoint, we all have our moments of doubt, but from the standpoint of John's providential role it was a very serious offense. Likewise, Paul tells us that teachers of God's word will be judged most harshly.  

QUESTION: 42. If God has such absolute power and doesn't change, why the killing of thousands in natural disasters that we see so many times? Doesn't a God of "absolute goodness" have the power to inform us of these negative situations?  

ANSWER: Man dies in natural disasters because we have lost our spiritual senses which would give us ample warning of impending disaster. We lost our spiritual senses at the fall and God, rather than trying to kill us in natural disaster is just as displeased by it as anyone. It is why He is seeking to restore man back to His original position and potential.  

QUESTION: 43. How does man move from his ego (pride, vanity) position to his divine nature in his response to life around himself?  

ANSWER: First, he must establish a living tradition that stresses the sacrifice of the individual for the sake of the whole. This is what Jesus meant when He said, think first of the Kingdom of God and it's righteousness and all things will be added on to you. He indicated that there is a natural relationship between the purpose of the whole and the individual that only operates when the proper order is established between the pursuit of the self and the whole. The pursuit of the whole purpose should always be first and in the subject position. Though the creation finds natural harmony and balance while fulfilling all individual needs because the creation follows completely this natural law of whole/self relationship.  

QUESTION: 44. Rev. McCarthy's explanation of the reversal of roles by Adam and Lucifer, Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob, also appears to be erroneous. These events all happened as a result of Adam's sin making them orderly to that sin. Why then does Rev. McCarthy believe these acts are in order to the restoration of man? Example: Jacob tricked his brother Esau (sin), deceived his father (sin) and stole from his brother (sin). He even asked for forgiveness of his brother and demanded a blessing in his struggle with the angel.  

ANSWER: Jacob did not sin in purchasing the birthright from Esau, nor was it Jacob who was deceiving his father (it was Rebekah). Jacob did not "steal" anything from Esau. God's order to Rebekah was that Esau must serve Jacob. When Jacob got the blessing from Isaac, Rebekah said let a curse fall on me if a curse is to come as a result of this episode. Was Rebekah cursed? No, she never received a curse. The reason is because she was following faithfully the vision and direction that God had given her with regard to the rightful order between her two sons. Jacob wrestling the angel was a victory for Jacob (Hosea 12:4 "he struggled with the angel and overcame him"). the bottom line is that it is from this man's victory that the sanctified nation appears and thus Jacob becomes Israel. Sanctification in not produced by sin, but by victorious restitution which is what Jacob accomplished and is what the scripture is recording.  

QUESTION: 45. Is the will of God and predestination the same thing? If so, why is it that when Jesus prayed "nevertheless, let thy will be done", God allowed Him to go to the cross?  

ANSWER: From the time of Israel's established faithlessness, the cross is predestined. This was about six days before the Mount of Transfiguration experience. That is why it was only from that time (Matt. 16:21) that Jesus began to predict His death. The point of the lecture is that Israel's faith or faithlessness will play the central role in determining which destiny will be realized.  

QUESTION: 46. How can you say God not intended to make a new heaven and a new earth in Jerusalem when Isaiah 65:17 says "I will make a new heaven and earth in Jerusalem". If God says He will make something, does He intend to make it and then change His mind?  

ANSWER: See Jeremiah 18:7-10. God intended to bring the New Heaven and the New Earth to Israel (Jerusalem). But it would come only on the condition that Israel fulfill her portion of responsibility, that is, to have faith (as outlined and declared in Jer. 18:7-10). Therefore, when Israel did not have faith in Jesus, God did not carry out the purpose that He had planned for Israel. Thus, we see that Jesus declares that "the things that make for peace" are now hid from you, because "you did not know the time of your visitation." It is why He goes on to say, in Matt. 21:43 that the Kingdom will be taken from them and given to another nation that can produce the fruits in their season. Thus, we see in Rev. 21:1 that the New Heaven and New Earth, that had been originally intended for Israel, will now go to a New Jerusalem, which means Christianity. Therefore God certainly and absolutely will fulfill His purpose to bring the New Heaven and New Earth to the world.  

QUESTION: 47. Why did God continuously bring Israel back instead of rejecting her like He did Cain, Ham and the many others who failed?  

ANSWER: God moves on to a new central person, when the previous central figure fails in his dispensational purpose. God moves on to a new central nation, when the previous central nation fails in it's ultimate providential responsibility. In the history of Israel God did not reject Israel and move to a "new Israel" until Israel failed it's ultimate role, that is, as the messianic nation, the foundation for Jesus. Therefore, when they rejected the King, they had failed in their ultimate role and thus, Jesus proclaimed that their role would be fulfilled by another nation that could produce the fruits in their season. The promise of Isa. 65:17 for Jerusalem are now promised in Rev. 21:1 to a "New Jerusalem."  

QUESTION: 48. How will resurrection be achieved for those individuals now in the spirit world who could not reach perfection while on earth?  

ANSWER: A good question. I would recommend that you study the Divine Principle chapter on the Resurrection, which we did not cover in this conference because of time.  But for a quick answer, the 11th chapter of Hebrews gives and insight to this process, concluding with 11:39-40..."God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they (the passed saints) be made perfect.  

QUESTION: 49. How would the faithful dead prior to Christ's generation be saved?  

ANSWER: See Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews 11:39-40 gives insight. I also suggest that you study the Divine Principle chapter on The Resurrection, which we did not have time to cover in this conference.  

QUESTION: 50. Do you believe in the resurrection of the physical body?  

ANSWER: I recommend that you study the Divine Principle chapter on The Resurrection. Because of the shortness of time we will not be able to cover this subject. To be brief, we believe that the resurrection will be of the spirit. We do not see physical death as a consequence of sin. God told Adam that on the very day that they eat thereof, they will die. The day that they did eat, they did not die physically, they died spiritually. 1Cor. 15:44 says that it is sown a physical body and is raised a spiritual body. Paul tightly calls this a mystery (1Cor 15:51) but what is not a mystery...the resurrected Christ conquered death. That Jesus had two meanings for "death" can also be of no doubt, when He said, "let the dead bury the dead"...the victory of resurrection is the victory over the former and not the latter.  

QUESTION: 51. What must I do to receive God's salvation so that I am ready to go to Heaven? Give Scripture! 

 ANSWER: Obey the Scriptures!  

QUESTION: 52. Given such a historiography as dispensationalism, are the Unification Church interpretations not in danger of accusing Israel of killing Christ?  

ANSWER: Who killed Christ is not the issue. The issue is who was supposed to receive Christ in faith. This was to be the people of Israel. Because they did not do that, they were unable to fulfill their ultimate destiny. This does not, however, become a reason to attribute every tragedy to the Jews, hereafter, to retributive justice of an angry God. Our intent in ascertaining the failures of the past, failures that we, just as likely in potential as Israel, could repeat.  

QUESTION: 53. I am offended when you imply lack of God's blessing, light and wisdom for our brothers and sisters of Judaism. God would never deny light to loving, willing people. I feel they have always had God's wisdom in a perfect manner for them.  

ANSWER: I was not implying that, not at all...you misunderstood the point. What I said was that Israel, as the chosen nation, had a destiny to fulfill as the central messianic nation and the cornerstone of the Kingdom of Heaven, which was predicated on the condition that the nation link in faith centered of the Christ when He appeared. My point is that because Israel, as a nation, did not fulfill that condition of faith, then Israel was unable to fulfill it's destiny as the messianic nation. Thus, God has created a New Israel to fulfill that mission at the Second Coming of Christ. This does not mean, however, that those of Judaism are less likely to come to Christ then others. The conditions for personal salvation are the same for everyone. Israel's role, as a nation, will be important at the Second Coming, but it will not be the same mission or destiny that had been hers 2000 years ago.  

QUESTION: 54. It seems to me that Israel's rejection of Christ was to be used by God to reveal His character to the gentile nations (Rom. 11:25). If this is so, the idea that Jesus could have established a world Kingdom at His First Advent, therefore, appears untenable with the testimony of Isaiah 11:11. Please explain.  

ANSWER: Not all Jews returned to Israel at the conclusion of the Babylonian exile. At the time of Jesus, there were large populations of Jews "dispersed" all over the civilized world. Therefore, Isa. 11:11 could have found a fulfillment at the time of Christ had He been received. "I will reach out my hand a second time" is not stating unequivocally that there must be a "second advent of Christ". It is stating that the Jews of the diaspora would return. This plan was not implemented because of the faithlessness of Israel at the time of Christ, and thus, the Jews were exiled again. You will note that Isa. 11:11 does not mention a second exile (after Babylon) only a second return. The return of the Jews (of diaspora) at the time of Jesus (if accepted by Israel) would be "the reaching out a second time" and fulfill the second return.  

QUESTION: 55. Why do you teach that we are under the law of the foundation of faith and the foundation of substance, when Galatians 3:13 teaches us that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, and Galatians 3:23 "but before faith came, we were kept under law, shut up unto faith which should afterwards be revealed."  

ANSWER: The law is the foundation upon which Christ comes. Christ fulfills the law. There is not only a curse in the law, there is also a blessing. Blessing if there is faith, Curse for faithlessness. The curse in the law was invoked because Israel did not fulfill it's providential role to have faith in Jesus.  

QUESTION:56. What is your stand on God not tempting people?  

ANSWER: See James 1:13. My point was that as a God of goodness, God did not create evil, nor does God have give and take with evil. God works His Providence to separate evil from His creatures.