The
family is the most important entity of our society. Because it plays such a providential role, it
should be protected by all involved. The
world over, parents and children can grow the best and the most healthy in the
traditional unit of a father, a mother and the children.
“The family and God's
Kingdom are the same in form. There are parents, husband and wife, children,
and brothers and sisters in a family. The family can be united through love. On
this foundation, unification can be established, life can be connected, and the
ideal can be realized in a family. Therefore, you become qualified to enter
God's Kingdom when you can respect conjugal and parental love.”
~
Sun Myung Moon
The
family unit is not a man-made institution but rather a sacred element of God’s
plan to build his Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. The family was instituted by God, for the
sake of marriage and parenthood. In a
good family husband and wife were to rely on each other completely. This kind of environment creates the most
favorable atmosphere for human development.
Children can grow best with both a father and a mother present. It is also a principle factor for the
development of wealth for the family, the surest way to prosperity, order, and
peace.
The
family as the School of Love
It
is within the family that we experience all kinds of love relationships. As husband and wife we experience conjugal
love; as children we learn from our parents unconditional, parental love; as
brother/sister we practice siblings love.
The child is trained in filial piety to their parents; as such it
becomes a supportive member of society and a patriot to the nation.
"Though I have
been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this
kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.”
~
Matthew 16:25
All
through the bible we find endless mention of family trees and accounts of
genealogy. In the 1st chapter
of Matthew we find an account of the lineage of Jesus. Even though verse 16 mentions that Joseph was
the father of Jesus, in the following verses it is revealed that Jesus was
conceived by the Holy Spirit (verse 18).
In any case, God had prepared a family to receive Jesus. God wanted to plant his lineage here on earth
through Jesus, the bridegroom. In fact,
from the beginning of time, it was God’s will to expand the family. Unfortunately, the Fall of Man happened and man
never reached maturity and Adam and Eve gave birth to Satan’s children (John
8:44 - You belong to your
father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a
murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in
him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the
father of lies.)
Jesus took on the role of the second Adam or last Adam (1
Corinthians 15:45 - Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living
being;” the last Adam became a life-giving spirit). Since Jesus is considered
the last Adam, one
can conclude that there should be also a last (or second) Eve. Even though there is no mention in the bible,
there are now speculations that Jesus should have gotten married. A bridegroom needs a bride (not the church) to
start a family.
That’s why I truly appreciate Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s
teaching. He explains in detail, based
on his meeting Jesus since he was only 16 years old on a mountainside in Korea, about the tragedy
that Jesus could not fulfill his mission because he was crucified. Many Christians believe that Jesus came to
die. If we really understand God’s will
for the purpose of the family than we can feel his pain that he lost his
lineage with Adam and Eve, and
has been working through restoration to send a second Adam. Since God never gave up his dream to create
an ideal world, he has continued until now to reveal the new providence and to
finally recreate the family of God.
When we look at human history only as a history of
conflict, struggle over property and land, to gain power and dominion, we can
never understand its true purpose. When
we can gain insight in the progression of the development from the family level
to the levels of tribes, societies, nations and today a world where basically
two opposing ideologies are confronting a belief in God or the denial
thereof. History is God’s story to
restore the first family, to recreate Adam and Eve. Religion played the role of reconnecting
people back to God, while Atheism and Liberalism are pulling people in the
opposite direction. Neither side has a
clear picture what an ideal, peaceful world would look like since struggle cannot
bring peace.
Only
the Principle of Creation gives a clear view of how man can grow to maturity,
build a harmonious family and take ownership over the environment by fulfilling
the three Great Blessings.
We
are living in a wonderful and fearful time of history. “The Last Days” bring a lot of changes and
turmoil. Our experience can be wonderful
and full of many blessing when we believe and follow God’s will; or fearful and
tragic if we turn away and deny God. The
choice is ours.
Jesus taught us to pray:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one.”
~ Matthew 6:9-13
We
have another chance now to build the Kingdom of Heaven.
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