The Meaning of Salvation

Then, has God given up His ideal of creation which has never been realized? The Bible gives a clear answer. In Isa. 46:11 God says, "I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it." God will surely accomplish His goal. The God of love could not leave fallen mankind in such circumstances. Instead, God has been working for man's restoration.

What is restoration? In one word, it is re-creation. To save a sick man is to restore him to health. To save a drowning man is to rescue him and restore him to the state he was in before drowning.

Therefore, God's restoration of man means for Him to restore fallen mankind in this sinful world to the original world God had intended in the very beginning.

God's goal of restoration is to realize the ideal individual which He originally planned, and through him realize the original family, and based on that family, the original society, nation and world.

For this goal of salvation, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, as savior to this world. Therefore, the Messiah must stand before God as the origin of the ideal individual and thus be able to establish the ideal family, the goal of God's creation and the object of His love. The Messiah would then realize the ideal nation and world to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

What is the substantial description of heaven and hell? Is man predestined? How does God predestine a person?

When are the Last Days, and will the disasters and catastrophes predicted in the Bible actually occur to destroy the earth?

Will the resurrection of the dead literally take place?

When and how will the Lord come again?

Divine Principle clearly answers all of these questions about man and the universe. Later lecture tapes will include full discussions of these and other questions.

We will now turn to the question of God and human history. Can we see God working in the events of history? What are the principles that govern human history? Why did Jesus, who came as the Messiah, say he would come again?