Mortal man may forsake God many times and return as long as the power of choice remains.
A. Difference between acute and chronic diseases.
B. Habit formation.
C. Time of irrevocable choice. Thought Adjuster fusion.
D. The case of Lucifer.
Man’s doom is sealed only when he has lost the power to choose.
God never closes his heart. It is man who closes his heart to all divine influences.
Man is lost only when he refuses to do the will of God.
A. God-consciousness—to know God.
B. God-oneness—righteousness.
(1) Divinity of character.
(2) Bearing fruits of the spirit.
(3) Oneness with the Adjuster.
Adjuster fusion assures man’s eternal destiny. The decision is irrevocable. Note: The status of “irrevocable choice” pertains to the status of salvation as well as to that of destruction. That is:
- A. Lucifer can’t (won’t) repent.
- B. An Adjuster-fused mortal can’t (won’t) sin.
- C. The vital difference: In the one case free will ceases to function. In the other, it still operates, but has become eternally spiritualized.
God gives a part of his infinite self to live in man. Note: The difference between selfhood and personality. The Thought Adjuster is not a part of the Father’s personality, but is a part of his self. The Adjuster has individuality—selfhood—but not personality.
God has embarked on the eternal adventure with us.
If we yield to our spirit helpers we cannot fail to attain our Paradise destiny.
The secret of salvation is “yielding to spirit leadings.”
A. The spirit leads—does not drive or compel—free will choosing.
B. Having yielded—you cannot fail.
C. Survival—if you want it—is sure, certain, and simple.
D. It would be easy if it were not for the doubts born of fear.
The physical presence of God is the reality of the material cosmos. Note: God has a physical presence as well as a mind, spirit, personality, and selfhood (Adjuster) presence.
Deity mind presence is determined by depth of mentality and the personality level.
Spiritual presence is determined by spiritual capacity of receptivity and dedication to the Father’s will.
Spirituality depends on two conditions:
A. Actual capacity of spirit receptivity. Factual and literal. Dependence on antecedents.
B. Consecration of creature will—free will on the spiritual level—to doing the Father’s will. Definitions:
(1) CONSECRATE: To dedicate—to devote to some purpose.
(2) DEDICATE: To devote exclusively to the service of worship of a divine being.
The Paradise Sons always have access to the “right hand of the Father.”
Let us make a study of the “right hand of God” in the Bible:
Moses in his farewell address said: Deut 33:2. “‘The Lord came from Sinai…with flaming fire at his right hand.’” Symbol of Authority. Ps 20:6. “I know that the Lord will help his anointed…with mighty victories by his right hand.” Symbol of Power. Ps 63:8. “My soul clings to thee; thy right hand upholds me.” Symbol of Security. Isa 62:8. “The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm.” Symbol of Dependable Force. Matt 26:64. “‘Hereafter you shall see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power.” Note: This is the associated power of God the Father and God the Creator Son. Symbol of Sovereignty. Mark 16:19. “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.”
Peter, in discoursing on this elevation of Jesus, said: Acts 2:33. “Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God.”
Paul envisaged Jesus as remaining at the Father’s right hand—probably until his second coming. See Rom 8:34. “It is Christ Jesus…who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.”
That Paul conceived the “right hand of God” as symbolic of universe sovereignty is shown in Eph 1:20-22. “When he raised him from the dead and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things.”
After all, Paul understood the real purpose of the bestowal. The theological twisting of the atonement doctrine was a compromise attempt to convert the Jews.
Other texts which show the belief that Jesus is now sitting at the “right hand of God” are: Col 3:1. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Heb 12:2. “Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Note: In Pauline philosophy the right hand of God is Salvington, headquarters of the local universe of Nebadon. Note: It is the practice to raise the right hand in taking an oath.
“The bosom of the Father” refers to the personality circuit of God—no matter where communion may take place.
Adjusters assist us in making use of all spiritual influences which surround us.
Being more or less unconscious of the presence of the Adjuster does not disprove his reality.
Exceptional spiritual experience may occur at such a high level in the superconscious as to be wholly beyond conscious awareness, just as many human experiences transpire so deep in the subconscious as to elude all conscious recognition by the thinking levels of the mind.
Proof of fraternity with the Adjuster consists in “the fruits of the spirit.” Matt 7:20. “Thus you will know them by their fruits.”
“The fruits of the spirit are the substance of the Supreme as he is realizable in human experience.”UB 117:6.17
“The fruits of the spirit, your sincere and loving service, are the mighty social lever to uplift the races of darkness, and this Spirit of Truth will become your power-multiplying fulcrum.”UB 178:1.6
Fruits of the spirit in the King James Version—Gal 5:22
Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance
REFERENCE: UB 5:3.2 — “Supplications of all kinds…”
COMMENT
Supplications belong to the realm of the Eternal Son.
Prayers (not adoration and worship) belong to the local universe—to the realm of the Creator Son.
What is the difference between supplication and prayer?
A. Supplication. Act of humble and earnest entreaty. Prayer for mercy, aid, or some blessing. To implore God, Beseech, petition, importune, solicit, crave, beg.
B. Prayer. An earnest request to someone for something. An entreaty. The act of addressing Divinity. A petition to God.
There seem to be three levels concerned in this discussion.
A. Supplication: The lower levels of conscious and formal communion with Deity. The less articulate and more spontaneous expression of creature dependence upon the Creator. The more emotional type of Deity address.
B. Prayer: The higher level of Deity communication. The more intellectual and better formulated appeal of man to God. A group could hardly supplicate, but they could agree on a prayer.
C. Worship: The highest type of Deity communion. The more spiritual type of address to God. May have both emotional and intellectual content, but is predominately spiritual. Worship seeks and asks nothing specific for the worshipper.
Worship is recognized by the Adjuster and dispatched to the Father over his personality circuit. Question: How does a prepersonal entity function on a personality circuit? The Adjuster must be acting as vicegerent of the human personality.
Other word meanings:
A. Homage. Solemn public ceremony by which a man acknowledges that he is the man of a lord, and promises faith and support in return for his lord’s protection.
B. Worship. Act of paying divine honors to Deity. The adoration or reverence paid to God. To adore, to venerate, to revere.
So all types of Father fragments are able to register the adoration of their subjects in the presence of the Universal Father.
Adjusters may also make use of prepersonal channels and the spirit gravity circuit of the Eternal Son. Question: What are prepersonal channels of communication? Probably the omnipresence of God.
In worship, the Adjuster is attempting to express the aspirations of the human soul.
There must be two phases of worship:
A. The conscious—the spiritual upreach of man’s mind.
B. The superconscious—the attempt of the Adjuster to tell God about the status and attitude of the evolving soul.
There are three phases of the relation of man to his Maker:
A. Supplication—his emotional expression.
B. Prayer—the intellectual life.
C. Worship—expression of the soul. Spiritual. (Morontial?)
Considering all, no wonder worship is largely unconscious.
Note that the evolving soul experiences “inexpressible longings and unutterable aspirations.” (See Rom 8:26)
The Adjuster may not always succeed in his efforts—but he does attempt.
Worship is the act of the mind assenting to the attempt of the soul under the guidance of the Adjuster to communicate with the Universal Father as a faith son.
Note the steps in worship:
A. The material conscious mind acts.
B. This act of mind—not thought, wish, or longing—consists in assenting to something.
C. This something is: The attempt of the soul (its spiritualizing self) to communicate with God.
D. This soul thus communicates as “a faith son” of the Universal Father.
E. The mind assents to this adventure with the understanding that the whole transaction will be carried out “under the guidance” of the Adjuster—the “associated spirit.”
Thus the technique of worship is performed by means of the following:
A. The mortal mind consents to worship.
B. The immortal soul craves worship.
C. The divine Adjuster conducts this worship.
D. All this is in behalf of the mortal mind and the evolving immortal soul.
True worship, in the last analysis, becomes an experience realized on four cosmic levels:
A. The intellectual.
B. The morontial.
C. The spiritual.
D. The personal.
And all of this embraces the consciousness of mind, soul, and spirit—and their unification in and as personality.
A. Private worship. Ps 111:1. “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart.” Phil 3:3. “Who worship God in spirit.” (John 4:23) Ps 7:17. “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness.” Ps 29:2. “Worship the Lord in holy array.” Note: The psalms of praise are: 100, 104, 113-118, 136, 145, 150.
B. Public worship. Ps 22:22. “In the midst of the congregation I will praise thee.” Ps 89:5. “Let the heavens praise thy wonders, O Lord, thy faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.” Ps 5:7. “I…will enter thy house, I will worship toward thy holy temple.” Luke 18:10. “‘Two men went up into the temple to pray.’” Heb 10:25. “Not neglecting to meet together.” Ps 107:32. “Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly.” Note: Praise and adoration are a part of worship, but the word “adoration” does not appear in the King James Version. Praise is an attitude ranging somewhere between prayer and worship, and is related to thanks-giving.
While morality is superanimal, it is wholly evolutionary in origin. Note: Morality is not merely a sex attitude.
Human evolution enjoys the ministry of all endowments antecedent to the bestowal of the Adjusters and the Spirit of Truth. Note: TheLife Carriers folded up the evolutionary patterns—we observe them unfolding.
Religious experience, being spiritual, is not fully understood by the material mind—hence theology—the psychology of religion.
The paradox of religion is God’s immanence and transcendence.
Definitions: IMMANENCE: Urantia Book. God within and a part of every individual. Webster. The indwelling presence of God in the world—including man.
Note differing concepts of idealists, realists, and pantheists. Theists hold that God is present more with the personal than the impersonal. TRANSCENDENCE: Urantia Book. The divine domination of the universe of universes. Webster. Relation of God to the universe of physical things and finite spirits, as being, in his essential nature, prior to it. Exalted above it, and having real being apart from it.
These concepts of Deity—immanence and transcendence—are unified by faith, through worship and the hope of survival.
The paradoxes of religion derive from the fact that such realities are beyond mortal comprehension.