This is from a sermon given at Sunday Service on April 30, 1995, at the Church. in Washington, DC.

It is difficult in this short amount of time to explain something as vast and profound as the blessing of marriage. Even if we took several weeks to study and discuss this topic, we would not exhaust the subject. I hope that today's presentation will inspire you to learn more. That is our prayer and wish for you.

People cherish life, but life itself is insignificant if it is without meaning, value and righteousness. Perhaps, if we had two or three lives to live, we would not feel as urgent about this. But we only have one chance at life, and so we must make the best of it. Also, we should remember that this one life on earth is only a temporary one. Someday, inevitably, we will leave this world. In view of this, we need to guide our life by faith. Also, we need to live by a value system that can prepare us well to transition from this world to the next. Without this clear knowledge, people will unavoidable mismanage their life and end up in a poor and sorrowful situation. One example of this is the philosopher Keirkegard from Denmark. He tried to solve the problems of his life. He was suffering and wondering deeply. Finally, unable to resolve his inner turmoil, he could only repeat the conclusions of Socrates, who asserted that above all "we should know ourselves"

To have success in the one life that God has given us, we need to be mindful of more than just biological survival. As Jesus said, "Man does not live by bread alone..." In other words, we have to find the Truth that guides us to the right understanding of life. It should give us insight into ourselves and the direction that God wants us to go. God has a plan for our lives that we may find true happiness. When our life is in line with the Will of God, everything becomes clear and life becomes hopeful and bright. God has been leading us throughout our life to bring us to the moment of discovering his Will for our life. His invisible power has been leading you here. Even if you did not realize that yet, I'm sure that soon you will.

In our understanding, the family unit is the basic structure of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and in spirit. Therefore, the blessing of marriage and the ideal of family is the ultimate purpose of our life. But why do we describe marriage as "The Blessing"? The answer to this question will shed light on our topic: The Meaning and Value of the Blessing.

Throughout history there have been many religions. Each religion has its own sacred texts and scriptures. Of all the sacred texts, however, the Bible stands as the most important and central. The Bible reveals the fundamental truths of God's relationship with humanity. The first chapter of Genesis, verses 27-28, explains that "God created man in his own image, male and female, he created them". Then God gave them the three blessings to be "fruitful, multiply and have dominion." This shows that God wanted the first human ancestors to stand as his direct descendants. As the descendants of God, they should inherit his divine nature, form an ideal central family and pass that heritage on to their descendants. This is the original blessing God gave to humanity. The Bible, alone, also reveals the tragic nature of the original sin. Adam and Eve fell away from God. They could not receive the heritage of God and thus have passed on a false heritage of sin to their descendants, which is all humanity. Only the Bible has revealed that fundamental human problem has been the inheritance of this sin through our connection, by lineage, to the first human ancestors. Thus, we all are sinners and, as St. Paul declared, ". . . in Adam all die."

It is only the Bible which has revealed how salvation is accomplished. We must be cut from the lineage of the sinful Adam and be grafted onto the lineage of a new, sinless Adam. Therefore, believers of the Bible will readily understand that the central figure of God's providence is Christ. He comes in the position of sinless Adam and first ancestor. As such, the process of salvation requires fallen people to come into the position to inherit his righteousness through the process of rebirth. In effect, salvation takes place by changing our lineage. We cut from the sinful Adam and graft onto the lineage of the living, sinless Adam. Finally, it is only the Bible which reveals that Christ must return to complete the work of salvation. He will return to establish the original ideal of God, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and in spirit. This is the heart and soul of the Bible, which is the heart and soul of the providence of religion, the foundation of human culture.

In order to understand the meaning and value of the Blessing of Marriage in this age, we must expound on this main theme more thoroughly. This central theme that we have been discussing has four main areas. 1. God's original blessing and purpose for Adam and Eve. 2. The fall of Adam and Eve and the consequences for people. 3. The mission of Jesus Christ. 4. The purpose of the Second Coming, which is the Providence to complete salvation.

1. God's Original Blessing

As we mentioned, God created Adam and Eve "in his image." Therefore God intended that they should fully inherit his divine nature. This is the meaning of the first of the three blessings, "to be fruitful." To inherit God's nature means to inherit his love. If Adam and Eve had obeyed the commandment, they would have been the recipients of God's love. As such, they could stand as True Man and True Woman. This would form the basis for their union as husband and wife. This would be the fulfillment of the second blessing, "to multiply." Through the conjugal union of true husband and true wife, God's love would expand to the level of family. The four great loves of God would become substantial in this first family. The Four Great Loves of God are: the love of Parents for children, the love of Husband and Wife, the love of Brother and Sister and the love of Children for Parents. All these love potentials in God would become substantial in that first family. This family and these loves would be the basis of human culture that would be the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and in spirit. Adam and Eve would stand as the True Parents who pass on this heritage of love to all people.

2. The Consequences of the Fall

When Adam and Eve fell, humanity lost True Parents. The loss of True Parents is the fundamental human problem. All conflict, whether on the world level or within the individual, is the result of the fall of the first human ancestors. The original parents, Adam and Eve, instead of fulfilling the four great realms of love, established the heritage of conflict and sin. Through the loss of True Parents, Satan was empowered as "god" of this world.

Since the fall of man, the goal of history has been to restore the ideal of True Parents and True family. Therefore, the central event of this "history of restoration" has been the arrival of Christ. Christ comes as the new Adam and new ancestor. His mission is to fulfill God's original plan, "the Three Blessings" which Adam and Eve did not fulfill.

3. The mission of Jesus

The mission of Christ is to establish the ideal of True Parents and true family as the basis of the Kingdom. Jesus began his mission by proclaiming " . . . now is the time for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." However, due to the lack of faith, the Chosen People did not recognize Jesus. As a result, they rejected him as the Son of God. Thus, Jesus proclaimed " . . . the gates to the Kingdom are shut against men . . . " and later he said that his Kingdom " . . . was not now of this world." Instead Jesus predicted his death and his need to return in the future to establish his Kingdom.

After his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus established the process of spiritual rebirth. This was the day of Pentecost. Jesus said, "unless one is born of the flesh and of the spirit, one shall not see the Kingdom of God." Because a false father and mother transmitted sin and death to man, the process of salvation and rebirth also requires the positions of True Father and True Mother. On the day of Pentecost, Jesus established the positions of Spiritual Father and Spiritual Mother with Jesus as "Father" and the Holy Spirit in the position of "Mother." Through this spiritual Father and spiritual Mother, believers could be born again through spiritual "True Parents." They are cut from the fallen parents, Adam and Eve, and are grafted on to new ancestors. This "spiritual adoption" serves as the root of Christian faith and culture.

4. The Second Coming

In Romans 8:23, Paul states, "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Paul is declaring that with our present spiritual salvation comes a hope for a future completion of salvation, the completion of the process of rebirth and adoption.

Christ must return to establish the position of True Parents, not only spiritually, as was done two thousand years ago, but physically as well. As we explained, the original plan of God required Adam and Eve to make the foundation of True Parents and True Family on earth. Had they been successful, then Adam and Eve would have established the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Jesus and the Holy Spirit, as spiritual parents, have given rebirth to believers. However, only the returning Christ on earth can establish the ideal of true marriage, True Parents and true lineage. That is why, though saved personally, we could not take the positions of true husbands and wives. Thus, our wedding vows have been "til death do us part." Because we could not be true husbands and wives, we could not be true parents, and, therefore, children must be baptized and be "born again." When Christ returns, he will establish the position of True Parents on earth. Then, the True Parents will give the "blessing" to all believers. That means that not only can we conquer death as individuals, but also our marriage can conquer death and our family can conquer death. The basic unit of the culture of heaven on earth and in spirit will be on the foundation of such "blessed" marriages and families.

To receive the blessing of True Parents, then, means that my marriage will be eternal. As a blessed husband and blessed wife, you can give birth to blessed children, born without original sin. Through the blessing we can become true parents and establish a true family. As a blessed family, we become an integral unit of the Kingdom of heaven on earth and, more importantly, in heaven. Without your loved ones with you eternally, could you ever be happy?

Reverend and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon are world religious leaders from Korea. They are active all over the world in many fields of endeavor. However, their central mission is to give this blessing to all humanity. So far, tens of thousands of couples have received the Holy Blessing. They have formed an international alliance that transcends religion, national boundary, ethnic and racial origin. In this way, the Kingdom of Heaven is expanding on the earth.

Our world today has entered an age of unprecedented unrest and confusion. Ethnic, racial, national and religious conflicts rage throughout the world. Violence is rising as nations, groups and individuals regard brutality and chaos as viable tools in the pursuit of their own interests. Also, the popular culture of our nation continues to promote the "me first" lifestyle of hedonism and relativism. It provides fertile soil for the continued germination of countless social ills.

At the heart of society's downfall is the decline of the family unit and the values that have sustained it. As divorce rates sky-rocket to over 50%, the cry for revival of the family is heard across the political, social and philosophical spectrum. However, attempting to revive the family around past definitions and value systems alone will not be enough. Now is the time to assert a higher motive and purpose for the family unit. The revival of the family is desperately needed. However, it will only take place when it is clear to people that the family unit is necessary toward a deeper experience with God. In this new age, establishing and maintaining the structure of the blessed family is the fundamental requirement of salvation. It is the essential condition to gain admittance into the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. This is the proclamation of the Completed Testament Age, the age of the Blessing, which is now upon us.

As I mentioned before, already tens of thousands of families from around the world have received this higher calling through the Blessing. This August, 360,000 more couples will receive the Blessing. They will form the basis of a unified world of true families under God. Under the blessing of True Parents, all people can go beyond the barriers of race, culture, nationality and religious heritage to form one family of humanity.

God has called Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon to the mission of True Parents. They are extending the invitation to all people to share in this abundant blessing. I hope all of you who are hearing this for the first time will accept that invitation. The most important requirement to be considered for the blessing is that you understand its meaning and value. I hope that this introductory presentation can be the first step on the road to greater understanding. Those who can receive the blessing will become historical people and God will protect your family always. Again, please pray about these things and take time to study them more thoroughly.

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