Paper 5. God's Relation to the Individual

   

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PAPER 5

GOD’S RELATION TO THE INDIVIDUAL

1. The Approach to God
2. The Presence of God
3. True Worship
4. God in Religion
5. The Consciousness of God
6. The God of Personality

INTRODUCTION

I. REFERENCE: (62.1) 5:0.1 - “If the infinite mind...”

COMMENT

1. In the Adjusters God fraternizes with man. A fragment of God resides in man.

A. Fraternize: “To associate or hold fellowship with as brothers or upon comradely terms; to have brotherly feelings.”

B. Reside: “To have an abiding place; to be present as an element; inhere as a quality; to be vested as a right—chiefly within.”

2. Every normal-minded and morally conscious mortal has just such a God fragment.

II. REFERENCE: (62.2) 5:0.2 - “God has distributed...”

COMMENT

1. The infinity of God exists in his six absolutes—but he makes personal contact with us by means of his prepersonal spirit.

2. He also bestows personality upon us.

3. And then all of this is maintained by means of his personality circuit.

4. The six absolute co-ordinates:

A. The Eternal Son.

B. The Infinite Spirit.

C. The Isle of Paradise.

D. The Deity Absolute.

E. The Universal Absolute.

F. The Unqualified Absolute.

1. THE APPROACH TO GOD

I. REFERENCE: (62.3) 5:1.1 - “The inability of...”

COMMENT

1. God is not aloof—it is hard to approach him because of our limitations.

2. There is a great gulf between the highest and the lowest personalities in the universe.

3. If we were standing on Paradise today we would not see God.

4. Great changes must be made in us before we can see God.

II. REFERENCE: (62.4) 5:1.2 - “Our Father is not...”

COMMENT

1. The Father is not in hiding. He desires to reveal himself.

2. In the grandeur of his love God yearns to associate with his creatures.

3. Only our limitations keep us away from Deity.

III. REFERENCE: (63.1) 5:1.3 - “Although the approach...”

COMMENT

1. Our seeing the Father must await our attainment of the highest finite spiritualization.

2. But even now we can commune with his indwelling spirit.

IV. REFERENCE: (63.2) 5:1.4 - “The mortals of the realms...”

COMMENT

Mental, moral, or social status does not interfere with man’s spiritual progress on the evolutionary worlds.

V. REFERENCE: (63.3) 5:1.5 - “However Urantia mortals...”

COMMENT

1. Regardless of human opportunities, man’s spiritual endowment is uniform and equal.

2. Every mortal can accept the leading of the Mystery Monitors.

VI. REFERENCE: (63.4) 5:1.6 - “If mortal man...”

COMMENT

The indwelling Adjuster insures that every mortal can know God and strive to be more and more like him.

VII. REFERENCE: (63.5) 5:1.7 - “Man is spiritually indwelt...”

COMMENT

1. Our Adjusters are certain of survival.

2. If the soul is dedicated to doing the Father’s will, there is no power in the cosmos that can prevent such a soul from ascending to Paradise.

VIII. REFERENCE: (63.6) 5:1.8 - “The Father desires...”

COMMENT

1. God craves personal contact with all his creatures.

2. There is a place on Paradise for all who have surviving qualities.

3. Settle it: God is attainable—the way is open.

4. Everything essential to Paradise ascension has been provided by the divine love.

IX. REFERENCE: (63.7) 5:1.9 - “The fact that...”

COMMENT

1. God’s presence is real, notwithstanding that it takes a long time to find him in personality.

2. We can be sure of the progress from level to level on our Paradise journey to God.

3. The Thought Adjuster will return with us to the high spiritual level of its origin.

X. REFERENCE: (64.1) 5:1.10 - “The Father is not...”

COMMENT

God is not in hiding; we hide away from him in the mists of our own selfishness, perversity, and intolerance.

XI. REFERENCE: (64.2) 5:1.11 - “Mortal man may draw...”

COMMENT

1. 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.

2. Man’s doom is sealed only when he has lost the power to choose.

3. God never closes his heart. It is man who closes his heart to all divine influences.

4. 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.

5. 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.

XII. REFERENCE: (64.3) 5:1.12 - “The great God...”

COMMENT

1. 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.

2. God has embarked on the eternal adventure with us.

3. If we yield to our spirit helpers we cannot fail to attain our Paradise destiny.

4. 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.

2. THE PRESENCE OF GOD

I. REFERENCE: (64.4) 5:2.1 - “The physical presence...”

COMMENT

1. 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.

2. Deity mind presence is determined by depth of mentality and the personality level.

3. Spiritual presence is determined by spiritual capacity of receptivity and dedication to the Father’s will.

4. 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.

II. REFERENCE: (64.5) 5:2.2 - “God lives in...”

COMMENT

1. God lives in everyone of his spirit-born sons.

2. The Paradise Sons always have access to the “right hand of the Father.”

3. 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.

4. “The bosom of the Father” refers to the personality circuit of God—no matter where communion may take place.

III. REFERENCE: (64.6) 5:2.3 - “The divine presence...”

COMMENT

1. The divine presence is best realized in communion with the Adjuster.

2. Dream not of God far off in the skies when he lives within you.

IV. REFERENCE: (64.7) 5:2.4 - “It is because...”

COMMENT

1. Adjusters assist us in making use of all spiritual influences which surround us.

2. Being more or less unconscious of the presence of the Adjuster does not disprove his reality.

3. 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.

4. Proof of fraternity with the Adjuster consists in “the fruits of the spirit.” Matt 7:20. “Thus you will know them by their fruits.”

DISCUSSION OF FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT

1. Luke 6:44. “Each tree is known by its own fruit.”

2. “The fruits of the spirit are the substance of the Supreme as he is realizable in human experience.” (1290.3) 117:6.17

3. “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.” (1930.3) 178:1.6

4. Fruits of the spirit in the King James Version—Gal 5:22

Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance

5. Fruits of the spirit in the Revised Version.

Love Joy

Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-control

6. In The Urantia Book (381.7) 34:6.13 Exactly the same as in the King James Version—Gal 5:22

7. In The Urantia Book (2054.3) 193:2.2

Loving service Unselfish devotion Courageous loyalty Sincere fairness Enlightened honesty Undying hope Confiding trust Merciful ministry Unfailing goodness Forgiving tolerance Enduring peace

8. As summarized at (648.3) 56:10.20 in The Urantia Book.

Intellectual peace Social progress Moral satisfaction Spiritual joy Cosmic wisdom

Note: Goodness is found in four lists; peace is in all five.

9. SUMMATION

1. Love

2. Joy

3. Peace

4. Long-suffering

5. Patience

6. Gentleness

7. Kindness

8. Goodness

9. Faith

10. Faithfulness

11. Meekness

12. Temperance

13. Self-control

14. Service

15. Devotion

16. Loyalty

17. Fairness

18. Honesty

19. Hope

20. Trust

21. Ministry

22. Tolerance

23. Intellectual peace

24. Social progress

25. Moral satisfaction

26. Spiritual joy

27. Cosmic wisdom

V. REFERENCE: (65.1) 5:2.5 - “It is exceedingly difficult...”

COMMENT

1. It is difficult for the material mind to become conscious of the activities of divine entities like the Adjusters.

2. Increased spirituality enhances the recognition of the spiritual activities of the indwelling Monitors.

VI. REFERENCE: (65.2) 5:2.6 - “The entire experience...”

COMMENT

1. The experience of Adjuster communion involves:

A. Mortal status.

B. Motivation.

C. Spiritual experience.

2. Such an attitude is not merely:

A. Mild moral inclination.

B. Intellectual wishfulness.

C. Spiritual ecstasy.

3. The realization of the Adjuster is largely a matter of soul consciousness.

4. The proofs of all this inner experience are “the fruits of the spirit.”

3. TRUE WORSHIP

I. REFERENCE: (65.3) 5:3.1 - “Though the Paradise Deities...”

COMMENT

1. There is a difference between the Deities in such matters as prayer, communion, and worship.

2. In the last analysis, we worship the Universal Father—and him only.

3. True, we do also worship the Father as revealed in his Creator Sons.

II. REFERENCE: (65.4) 5:3.2 - “Supplications of all kinds...”

COMMENT

1. Supplications belong to the realm of the Eternal Son.

2. Prayers (not adoration and worship) belong to the local universe—to the realm of the Creator Son.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. So all types of Father fragments are able to register the adoration of their subjects in the presence of the Universal Father.

8. 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.

III. REFERENCE: (65.5) 5:3.3 - “Worship is for...”

COMMENT

1. Worship is for its own sake; prayer embodies a self- or creature-interest.

2. We worship God for what we comprehend him to be.

3. Worship asks nothing and expects nothing for the worshipper.

4. We freely worship God because of his lovable nature and adorable attributes.

IV. REFERENCE: (65.6) 5:3.4 - “The moment the element...”

COMMENT

1. When self-interest intrudes—that moment worship translates to prayer.

2. But it is proper to address prayer to the Father as a part of true worship.

V. REFERENCE: (66.1) 5:3.5 - “When you deal...”

COMMENT

1. In our daily living we are dealing with the personalities of the Infinite Spirit.

2. Worship the Father. Pray to the Sons. Work out the details of living with the children of the Infinite Spirit.

VI. REFERENCE: (66.2) 5:3.6 - “The Creator or Sovereign Sons...”

COMMENT

1. The Creator Son of the local universe stands in the place of both the Universal Father and the Eternal Son.

2. These Creator Sons give ear to both the worship of the Father and the supplications of their universe children.

3. To local universe citizens, the Creator Son is, to all practical purposes, God.

4. The Infinite Spirit keeps in touch with the children of a local universe through the Creative Mother Spirit.

VII. REFERENCE: (66.3) 5:3.7 - “Sincere worship connotes...”

COMMENT

1. Worship connotes all powers of personality functioning under the dominance of the soul and directionized by the Adjuster.

2. Mortal mind can never become highly conscious of the reality of worship.

3. It is the evolving soul that is able to realize the reality of worship.

4. Soul growth occurs independently of self-consciousness.

VIII. REFERENCE: (66.4) 5:3.8 - “The worship experience...”

COMMENT

1. In worship, the Adjuster is attempting to express the aspirations of the human soul.

2. 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.

3. 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?)

4. Considering all, no wonder worship is largely unconscious.

5. Note that the evolving soul experiences “inexpressible longings and unutterable aspirations.” (See Rom 8:26)

6. The Adjuster may not always succeed in his efforts—but he does attempt.

7. 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.

8. 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.”

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. And all of this embraces the consciousness of mind, soul, and spirit—and their unification in and as personality.

DISCUSSION OF WORSHIP

1. Worship is the sincere pursuit of divine values. (195.1) 16:8.14

2. Personal communion with reality. (2095.6) 196:3.22

3. Primitive worship insurance against misfortune. (962.3) 87:5.2

4. Worship deals directly with God. (66.4) 5:3.8

5. Worship is spiritual communion. (1133.1) 103:4.1

6. Prayer can lead to worship. (1620.11) 144:4.4

7. Source of the worship urge. (950.3) 86:1.1

8. Worship yields spiritual strength. (1777.2) 160:3.1

9. Adjuster’s part in worship. (66.4) 5:3.8

10. Jesus’ teaching about worship. (1616.3) 143:7.1

11. Worship on Paradise. (304.1) 27:7.3

12. Worship as related to mysticism. (1100.1) 100:5.10

13. Worship in the Bible.

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.

4. GOD IN RELIGION

I. REFERENCE: (66.5) 5:4.1 - “The morality of the religions...”

COMMENT

1. Evolutionary religion drives men to seek God because of fear.

2. Religions of revelation allure men to seek God because they crave to become like him.

3. Religion is not just a feeling of passive security—it is a dynamic experience of divinity attainment predicated on humanity service.

II. REFERENCE: (66.6) 5:4.2 - “The great and immediate service...”

COMMENT

1. The mission of true religion is:

A. Unity in human experience.

B. Lasting peace.

C. Profound assurance.

2. Man comes to regard God as:

A. Reality of values.

B. Substance of meanings.

C. Life of truth.

3. This means: God is the reality, substance, and life of value, meanings, and truth.

III. REFERENCE: (67.1) 5:4.3 - “God is not only...”

COMMENT

1. God is the determiner of destiny—he is man’s destiny.

2. Without religion, man seeks to bend the universe to his service;

with religion man bends himself to the service of the universe.

IV. REFERENCE: (67.2) 5:4.4 - “The domains of philosophy...”

COMMENT

Art and philosophy function in the realm between science and religion—pointing man toward spiritual realities and eternal meanings.

V. REFERENCE: (67.3) 5:4.5 - “All religions teach...”

COMMENT

1. All religions teach the worship of Deity and some scheme of human salvation.

2. What the religious promise:

A. Buddhist—Peace, salvation from suffering.

B. Jewish—Prosperity, salvation from difficulties.

C. Greek—Beauty, salvation from disharmony.

D. Christian--Sanctity, salvation from sin.

E. Islam--Deliverance from the rigorous moral standards of Judaism and Christianity.

3. The religion of Jesus is:

A. Salvation from self.

B. Deliverance from the isolation of individuality in time and eternity.

4. The religion of Jesus is not merely the promise of something--it is something.

5. The greatest evil of time and eternity is the isolation of the self.

VI. REFERENCE: (67.4) 5:4.6 - “The Hebrews based...”

COMMENT

What religion is based on:

1. Hebrews--goodness.

2. Greeks--beauty.

3. Christians--truth.

4. Jesus--revelation of a God of love.

Note: Love is all-embracing of truth, beauty, and goodness.

VII. REFERENCE: (67.5) 5:4.7 - “The Zoroastrians had...”

COMMENT

1. Basis of still other religions:

A. Zoroastrians--morals.

B. Hindus--metaphysics.

C. Confucianists--ethics.

2. Jesus lived a religion of service.

3. The value of any religion consists in its validity of approach to Jesus.

4. Religion unifies the good, true, and beautiful in human experience.

VIII.REFERENCE: (67.6) 5:4.8 - “The Greek religion...”

COMMENT

1. The slogans of religion:

A. Greeks--Know yourself.

B. Hebrews--Know your God.

C. Christians--Know the Lord Jesus Christ.

D. Jesus--Know God and yourself as a son of God.

2. These differing attitudes determine the nature and depth of our habits of worship.

3. The spiritual status of any religion is determined by the nature of its prayers.

IX. REFERENCE: (67.7) 5:4.9 - “The concept of a...”

COMMENT

1. Anthropomorphism represents the transition from polytheism to monotheism.

2. Christianity presents the highest anthropomorphism--elevation of the ideal of the human to the concept of the glorified Christ.

X. REFERENCE: (67.8) 5:4.10 - “The Christian concept of God...”

COMMENT

Christians try to combine three concepts:

A. A righteous God--Hebrew.

B. A God of wisdom--Greek.

C. A loving Father--Jesus.

XI. REFERENCE: (68.2) 5:4.14  - “It must therefore...”

COMMENT

1. Composite Christianity encounters difficulty in attaining consistency.

2. The doctrines of early Christianity were based upon the personal experience of three persons:

A. Philo of Alexandria.

B. Jesus of Nazareth.

C. Paul of Tarsus.

XII. REFERENCE: (68.3) 5:4.15 - “In the study...”

COMMENT

1. View the life of Jesus positively--think not so much of his sinlessness as his righteousness--his life of loving service.

2. Jesus upstepped the passive love of the Hebrew God to the higher and active love of the heavenly Father for every creature.

5. THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF GOD

I. REFERENCE: (68.4) 5:5.1 - “Morality has its origin...”

COMMENT

1. While morality is superanimal, it is wholly evolutionary in origin.

Note: Morality is not merely a sex attitude.

2. 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.

3. The struggles of mortal existence:

A. Resisting the physical environment.

B. Ethical adjustments of social surroundings.

C. Reason choices of the moral situation.

D. The demands of spiritual experience.

II. REFERENCE: (68.5) 5:5.2 - “Religion is not...”

COMMENT

1. Religion appears in all stages of postmoral evolution.

2. Religion is not grounded on:

A. The facts of science.

B. Social obligations.

C. Philosophic assumptions.

D. Duties of morality.

3. Religion may permeate all four levels of cosmic values:

A. Physical level of self-preservation.

B. Emotional social level of fellowship.

C. Moral level of reason.

D. Spiritual level of worship.

III. REFERENCE: (68.6) 5:5.3  - “The fact-seeking scientist...”

COMMENT

How God is regarded:

1. Scientist--First Cause, God of force.

2. Artist--God of beauty, aesthetics.

3. Philosopher--God of unity.

4. Religionist--Father, God of love.

IV. REFERENCE: (68.7) 5:5.4 - “Moral conduct is...”

COMMENT

1. Moral conduct is always antecedent to religion, but it is not the whole of religious experience.

2. Social service depends on moral thinking and religious living.

3. Adoration of beauty and reverence for nature or unity are not worship.

V. REFERENCE: (68.8) 5:5.5 - “Evolutionary religion is...”

COMMENT

1. Evolutionary religion is the mother of science, art, and philosophy.

2. Evolutionary religion prepared man for revelation and the Spirit of Truth.

3. Human experience begins with evolutionary religion and ends with revelatory religion.

4. Religion is normal and natural, but it is optional--man does not have to be religious.

VI. REFERENCE: (69.1) 5:5.6 - “Religious experience...”

COMMENT

1. Religious experience, being spiritual, is not fully understood by the material mind--hence theology--the psychology of religion.

2. The paradox of religion is God’s immanence and transcendence.

3. 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.

4. These concepts of Deity--immanence and transcendence--are unified by faith, through worship and the hope of survival.

5. The paradoxes of religion derive from the fact that such realities are beyond mortal comprehension.

VII. REFERENCE: (69.2) 5:5.7 - “Mortal man secures...”

COMMENT

Even on earth man gets intellectual, philosophical, and spiritual satisfaction from his religious experience.

VIII.REFERENCE: (69.6) 5:5.11 - “God-consciousness...”

COMMENT

1. God-consciousness consists of three levels of reality realization:

A. Mind consciousness--the idea of God.

B. Soul consciousness--the ideal of God.

C. Spirit consciousness--the realization of the spirit reality of God.

2. The unification of these concepts in the mind of a finaliter may eventuate in the realization of the ultimacy of God.

IX. REFERENCE: (69.7) 5:5.12 - “The experience of...”

COMMENT

1. Time does not change God-consciousness--but it should change philosophical concepts and theologic definitions.

2. Religious experience is real--but it should not be apart from the totality of human experience.

X. REFERENCE: (69.8) 5:5.13 - “Eternal survival of personality...”

COMMENT

1. When the mind believes God and the soul knows God, and with the Adjuster they all desire God--then survival is assured.

2. The Adjuster is the potential of a surviving immortal soul.

3. The presence of the divine spirit cannot be invalidated by:

A. Limitation of intellect.

B. Curtailment of education.

C. Deprivation of culture.

D. Impoverishment of social status.

E. Inferiority of moral standards.

XI. REFERENCE: (70.1) 5:5.14 - “The ability of mortal parents...”

COMMENT

1. The ability of parents to procreate is not dependent on educational, social, or economic status.

2. A moral human mind and the Adjuster can foster a surviving soul.

3. The secret of it all is the desire to do the will of the Father in heaven.

6. THE GOD OF PERSONALITY

I. REFERENCE: (70.2) 5:6.1 - “The Universal Father...”

COMMENT

1. The Universal Father is the God of personality.

2. All personality has its center and circumference in God.

A. Center--Paradise Father.

B. Circumference--personality circuit.

3. God is the origin, conservation, and destiny of God-craving personalities.

II. REFERENCE: (70.3) 5:6.2 - “Personality is one...”

COMMENT

1. Personality is one of the unsolved mysteries of the universe.

2. We can form concepts of many factors composing personality: physical,chemical, mental, social, moral, and spiritual.

III. REFERENCE: (70.4) 5:6.3 - “Personality is potential...”

COMMENT

1. Personality is potential in all creatures with a mind endowment ranging from self-consciousness to God-consciousness.

2. Personality is exclusively bestowed by God upon living energy systems.

3. The other-than-personal never attains the personal except by direct act of God.

IV. REFERENCE: (70.5) 5:6.4 - “The bestowal of personality...”

COMMENT

1. Personalization of living energy systems endows them with relative creative consciousness and free will.

2. There is no personality apart from God and all personality exists for God.

V. REFERENCE: (70.6) 5:6.5 - “The Adjusters of prepersonal...”

COMMENT

1. The Adjuster is the potential of morontia survival and ultimate spirit attainment.

2. Such a survivor can aspire to the destiny of the Ultimate--even the Absolute.

VI. REFERENCE: (71.1) 5:6.6 - “Capacity for Divine...”

COMMENT

1. Capacity for personality is inherent in the Adjuster and potential in cosmic mind endowment.

2. Experiential personality is associated with self-consciousness and self-determination.

3. The material self is unqualifiedly personal.

VII. REFERENCE: (71.2) 5:6.7 - “The material self...”

COMMENT

1. The material self has personality and temporal identity.

2. The Adjuster has eternal identity, but only potential personality.

3. The union of these two can create the surviving soul.

VIII.REFERENCE: (71.3) 5:6.8 - “Having thus provided...”

COMMENT

1. God has so liberated man from all material fetters that he can will the creation of his immortal soul.

2. When man so wills, no power in the universe can interfere with the evolution of the soul.

3. As pertains to survival, man’s will is sovereign by the absolute decree of God.

IX. REFERENCE: (71.4) 5:6.9 - “The bestowal of...”

COMMENT

1. All personalities are ever drawn toward the personality of the Paradise Father.

2. There is a kinship of divine spontaneity in all personality.

X. REFERENCE: (71.5) 5:6.10 - “The personality circuit...”

COMMENT

The personalities of the universe are a part of God’s self-consciousness, apart from the mission of the Thought Adjusters.

XI. REFERENCE: (71.6) 5:6.11 - “As all gravity...”

Just as the gravity and mind circuits operate, the personality circuit functions to transmit our worship.

XII. REFERENCE: (71.7) 5:6.12 - “Concerning those personalities...”

COMMENT

1. Even creatures who do not have Adjusters are embraced in the Father’s personality circuit.

2. God provides for the sovereign choice of all true personalities.

3. The portal of eternity opens to the freewill choice of the free will sons of the God of free will.

XIII.REFERENCE: (72.1) 5:6.13 - “And this represents...”

COMMENT

The conclusion of the whole matter is: God is our Father--we are all his planetary children.

DISCUSSION OF PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUALITY

1. Personality is an endowment of will creatures and other types of superfinite beings.

2. Animals do not have personality, but they do possess individuality.

3. There are a host of beings in the universe who are not personal. There are also superpersonal and subpersonal beings.

4. Thought Adjusters do not have personality.