Science today is highly developed based on the continuous research and discovery through the centuries. We of this generation have benefited greatly from scientific advancement.
This comes to us with little or no effort on our part, simply because we live in this scientific age. This is also true in the spiritual realm.
Since the earliest times in history, God's servants have been laying foundations for the ever-higher spiritual advancement of humanity.
Upon the foundation of Christianity, the privilege of elevation to the Growth Stage became available. At present, upon the foundation of the ministry of the Second Advent, we can attain the highest level of spiritual growth— that of Perfection or Completion in both the physical and spiritual realms.
This generation has the unique privilege of advancing from the Stage of Growth or even Formation to that of Perfection in a lifetime or less. Because of this greatest privilege, those in the spirit world envy this generation.
Not only the spirits of paradise but spirits of all levels are working with people to share the benefits of this illustrious age. By the law of attraction, these descending spirits cannot arbitrarily influence just any human beings.
They must seek people with whom they have a common base for reciprocation. Otherwise, they cannot establish rapport with the individual.
In the course of universal restoration, God has been working through chosen individuals to accomplish specific missions at definite times in history. In selecting individuals, God has been concerned with the types of people chosen, because each mission required a certain type for its accomplishment. (Eph. 4:1-13)
The dispensation of restoration has been carried out through the successive work of such individuals as Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus. Their missions were expanded in scope depending on the foundation their predecessors laid.
For example, the missions of Abraham and Jacob were at the individual or family level; Moses' mission was tribal; and Jesus' mission, national and universal.
Today, the Lord of the Second Advent and his followers are to complete the mission of Jesus. Therefore, Jesus and those in paradise must descend and cooperate with these successors in their work. (John 14:12)
To reach the goal is the responsibility of their successors who are now on earth.
Because their privilege is so great, their judgment, if they fail to respond to the call, must be equally great. (Heb. 2:3)
At this time, not only good spirits, but also earthbound spirits and evil spirits are descending. If their influence contributes to the indemnity for the new dispensation, they also benefit. This is why diverse spiritual phenomena are increasing, including that of spirit obsession.
The rapid increase of insanity and other instances of irrationality is due in part to the increased incidence of possession or obsession. By understanding the Principle, one can discern the spirits and control them (1 Cor. 12:4-11); but those who do not know why and how they work can be misled and become victims of spirit obsession.
Persons having communication with the spirit world occasionally receive such names as Paul, Peter, Israel, Joan of Arc, and various other names. This means that the spirit of Paul, for example, finds rapport with a particular individual having the same mission as Paul.
Paul cooperates with this individual to complete his mission. At the same time, the individual accomplishes his mission. Thus, by the fulfillment of a diversity of missions, by a succession of people, God accomplishes the dispensation of restoration.
Note on Predestination
God is good; His purpose of creation is good; and He is carrying out the providence of restoration for the good of all mankind.
The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
Therefore, God never predestines anyone to perish or fall. Yet it must be admitted that certain passages in the Bible seem to indicate a doctrine of predestination.
How do we resolve this seeming contradiction?
What God predestines is His will for mankind, which is eternal and unchanging. To fulfill His unchanging will, God chooses and calls individuals to fit into the overall divine plan.
Naturally, to call individuals for specific missions, the ancestral background or spiritual heritage, intrinsic character and potential, and environmental conditions are considered, just as a craftsman would use different materials to fit into various parts of the whole structure.
Since God foresees all of these, He calls those whom He wants to use, and as they fulfill their missions, God justifies and glorifies them.
For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Rom. 8:29-30)
However, God divides between Himself and us the responsibility for carrying out the task. Only when we fully cooperate with God is God's will completely fulfilled.
Therefore, even after God calls someone for a mission, God's will can be left unfulfilled if the individual fails to do his or her part.
This has happened repeatedly, as shown in the lives of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc. People are not machines, but have freedom of will and action.
Only when we fulfill our responsibility does God's help become effective. For instance, in Paul's case, it was not only the spectacular call of God, but Paul's wholehearted response that brought about a successful result. Unless we fulfill our "five percent" of responsibility, God's 95 percent will have no effect.
To fulfill our responsibility and accomplish our part, we must use wisdom. When we are in the process of fulfilling our five percent, God does not reveal anything to guide us, but leaves us alone completely.
The scriptures indicate clearly that only by exercising our portion of responsibility through wisdom can we find true faith and salva- tion..
Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but those who are wise shall understand. (Dan. 12:10)
The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any that act wisely, that seek after God. (Psalms 14:2)
"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it." (Matt. 7:24-27)
When John the Baptist's disciples asked Jesus if he was the one to come or if they should look further, Jesus told them to go and tell John what they heard and saw. John had to decide, using his wisdom and judgment, whether to believe in Jesus or not. Jesus concluded his declaration concerning John with the statement: "Wisdom is justified by her deeds." (Matt. 11:19)
And as Jesus taught in Matthew 7:24-27, it is by actions—not just hearing but also "doing" —that wisdom is manifested. To fulfill His unchanging will, God selects and calls specific individuals to carry out specific missions:
But, who are you, a man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me thus?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use? (Rom. 9:20-21)
Having lost their original value through the fall, people certainly have no right to complain to God about their lot in life. God loved Jacob and "hated" Esau in their mother's womb (Rom. 9:11-13), because God had chosen Jacob for a specific mission.
However, if Jacob had failed in his mission, God's choice would have been nullified. When Esau fulfilled his part, God could not refuse him, but blessed him as well.
God showed favor according to their missions or positions in His plan, not to them as persons. God has predestined His will, His overall plan for mankind, but does not predestinate the lot of an individual.
Young Oon Kim