Cheon Seong Gyeong Ⅱ - 315. The path to eliminate the fallen nature
12 Originally human life was meant to begin with living for others, with God at the center. However, due to the Fall, human life did not begin with living for others. It began with selfish thinking, living for oneself and creating self-centered relationships. Since we are striving toward the goals of eternal freedom and peace, we must shed the self-centeredness and fallen nature that put our personal desires before the greater purpose. We need to become people who transcend ourselves and live for others. (2-165, 1957.04.07) 13 Before we can be proud of ourselves, we first must admit we are fallen people. Prior to showcasing our qualities, we first must confess the nature of our sins, while admitting that we come from a sinful history and that we are imbued with fallen nature. Although this is the reality of our fallen state, we try to circumvent it in all kinds of ways. Heaven must cleanse all the guilt that stains history and resolve the resentments resulting from these festering historical crimes passing down through the lineage. (006-336, 1959.06.28) 14 Among your colleagues, teachers, students or relatives, is there anyone who likes those who make excuses? Yet people are prone to blaming another person and scapegoating others when something goes wrong. A common excuse is, “Why are you only blaming me? He also did that; my brother did the same thing.” This is wrong. A person who makes a mistake should be honest. Yet often, someone who has committed an error tries to implicate others. Such behavior is from fallen nature. In order to correct this fallen inclination within ourselves, we should be honest in our daily life. We must have even greater honesty in front of God. (45-251, 1971.07.04) 15 When perfect parts are put together for a particular purpose, a perfect object is made. For example, to build a house, the doors and all the related components should be perfect. Only then can a house be completed. When we consider this, we realize we need to pursue perfection. Therefore, Jesus said, in Matthew 5:48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” The standard is that you too must reach the perfection of Heaven. You must without doubt pursue the values of an object partner who comes close to the Absolute. What is required is a perfected object partner who stands unashamed in front of the Absolute. In order to achieve this, we need to analyze our daily life. We must set aside our daily life and even our thinking. We must analyze our five senses and entire body. We must feel and sense everything differently from how we did before. (60-047, 1972.08.06) 16 When you assert yourself in front of fallen humankind, it can be inferred that you still have your fallen nature. From this point, you must completely break yourself down. If you cling to the shape and elements of your fallen nature, you have more to do to reach total self-abnegation. Taking oneself apart completely means total self-denial. The true, original, ideal hope of human beings cannot be attained by the self-assertive way of fallen people. This is the conclusion. This is why, as God pursues providential goals through religion, the path He upholds is not that of self-assertion but the path of absolute self-denial. Unless we set the standard starting with total self-abnegation, there are no means for fallen human beings to fulfill the Absolute Being’s principle of partnership. (60-048, 1972.08.06) 17 We must completely detach from our fallen nature. To cut free from fallen nature, we first must dissociate from our individual selves. Hence we must be victorious as individuals—and then on the levels of the family, people, nation, world and finally the cosmos. This would be the realm of complete freedom from fallen nature. When we finally discover ourselves as object partners to God, having overcome our fallen nature, we will immediately realize that God is watching over us, and come to know that, instead of simply believing in God, we are with God. (61-171, 1972.08.28) 18 When you stand in front of Heaven, you have to reveal your shortcomings and recognize that you are a sinner. You need to become a lump of clay God can shape and mold as He pleases. This process is impossible if you assert or even acknowledge yourself. Thus the biblical saying, “Those who lose their life for my sake will find it” is validated. (Matt. 10:39) There is fallen nature everywhere in the body: there is fallen nature within these eyes, in these ears, in these lips. We must completely eliminate fallen nature. If God leads us one way, we must follow; if God takes us another way, we must go; if God tells us to extend our hand, we should do it; if God commands that we retreat, we must retreat. We should be absolutely willing to do as God wishes. (069-276, 1974.01.01) 19 Changing one’s perception or understanding is a frightening and difficult task. Once acquired, a bad habit is difficult to change. This is why we have the adage, “Habits formed as a toddler continue until old age.” Although you may have been in the Unification Church for decades, you have not rooted out your secular habits. You may say the words, “Sacrifice for the providence; sacrifice,” but have you really sacrificed? If given the choice between a comfortable path and a path of trials and tribulations, can you confidently say you would go the path of sacrifice? No. This disposition toward taking the easy way out is the result of secular habits transmitted historically. Even St. Paul exclaimed, “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:24) This wretchedness is also a result of habits accumulated over a lifetime. St. Paul lamented, “Wretched man that I am!” because he saw within himself two laws at war with each other. His inner being delighted in God's law but his body followed Satan’s desires. He thus added, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (172-192, 1988.01.21) 20 Habits formed over a lifetime cannot be eliminated, even though you try until you die. Thus it is logical to say that habits and fallen nature that have been passed down over millions of years cannot be rooted out with efforts made over a few centuries. This is a serious issue. You speak vaguely about fallen nature, but this fallen nature was not inherited through something being eaten. Fallen nature has been inherited through flesh and bone; it has been passed down through lineage. These habits have been mixed with flesh and blood. Fallen nature has taken root and cannot be removed with human energy. It has grown into a gigantic tree gathering up all the people of the world. (183-018, 1988.10.29) 21 We need to be aware of our fallen nature and the bitter sorrow of the Fall. Think about Adam and Eve crying after being chased from Eden. Remember this, and let us cleave earnestly to our Parent, yearning to be one with Him, with the determination to go forward- even if we have to spend tens of thousands of years crossing over the peaks of death. If we are unable to achieve mind-body unity, we will have no relationship with the foundation of God’s victory, even as that foundation spreads across the earth. (254-038, 1994.02.01) |