The Principles of Creation

1. The Principles of Creation

2. What is the purpose of life? What is God like?

3. Method of analogy Artist Painting

4. Method of analogy God Creation

5. Law of resemblence “Ever since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen…from what has been made.” Romans 1:20

6. So what is the world like? • Every entity possesses the dual characteristics of yang/masculinity/positivity and yin/femininity/negativity • These dual characteristics are complementary and mutually attractive

7. Dual characteristics in creation + – + – + –

8. First Cause Universe Masculinity Masculinity + – + – Femininity Femininity Cause Effect If all things in the universe have masculine and feminine aspects, the Ultimate Cause or Creator of the universe must also possess the dual characteristics of masculinity and femininity. Within God these characteristics are harmonised into oneness.

9. So what is the world like? • Everything has two aspects: an outer form and an inner quality • The visible outer form resembles the invisible inner quality • The inner quality has a structure which is manifested in the outer form • Palm reading • These two aspects are called “Dual characteristics of internal nature and external form”

10. Examples

11. Dual characteristics

12. Internal nature First cause Universe Internal nature External form External form Cause Result If all things in the universe have inner and outer aspects, the Ultimate Cause or Creator of the universe must also possess the dual characteristics of internal nature and external form.

13. “Know yourself. He who knows himself will know God. He who knows God will become like God.” St. Clement of Alexandria

14. But the word is very near to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it. Deuteronomy 30: 11-14

15. One God “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.” Deuteronomy 6:4

16. God is the Creator “Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.” Jeremiah 32:17

17. God is all knowing For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.” I Samuel 2:3

18. God is Just "For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4

19. God is Love “God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” 1 John 4:16

20. God is our Parent “Our Father who art in heaven . . .” Jesus called God “Abba”

21. God is Heart “What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him.” Job 7:17 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man.”Genesis 8:21 Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. Deuteronomy 10:15

22. Why did God create?

23. God Joy And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:31 Creation

24. How is joy produced?In relationships

25. And God said, “Let us make man after our own image, after our likeness”. Genesis 1:26

26. “I say, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you.” Psalm 82:6 • “God became man so that man might become God.”Athanasius • “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”Ephesians 5:1

27. How are we to become like God?

28. The Three Great Blessings And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.” Genesis 1:28

29. God Body Mind True Person The first blessing: Be fruitful The ability to create and complete our character Be ye perfect as yourheavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 Sensitivity to the heart of God “And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind.” I Samuel 2:35 Joy Subject Object “You are the temple of God and God’s spirit dwells in you.”1 Corinthians 3:16 Unity of mind and body Words and deeds are one

30. Mind - Body unity Body Mind God Food Beauty Sleep Truth Subject Object Shelter Goodness Sex True Person

31. God Man Woman TrueFamily Society Nation World The second blessing: Multiply The ability to create an ideal family Four Great Realms of Heart Joy If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. I John 4:12

32. “Become like God” When husband and wife are united in marriage, they are no longer seen as something earthly, but as the image of God Himself. St John Chrysostom The love of God and the love of man are not two loves, but aspects of the same unifying love. St Maximus the Confessor

33. God Person Creation BeautifulWorld Third blessing: Take dominion Right of dominion over the creation God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. Genesis 2:15 Harmony with nature The creation waits for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 8:19 Microcosm Joy Lords of Creation Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. Genesis 2:19 Inherit God’s creativity

34. God God God Adam Body Eve Mind Person Creation HappyFamily Mature Person Beautiful World Society Nation World What was God’s original ideal?

35. How do things grow?

36. How do living things grow? Direct Dominion God “God unites Himself only with gods.” St Symeon the New Theologian Man God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.I Jn. 4:16 Completion Tree Adult Indirect Dominion Sapling Growth Youth God guides people through his Word Formation Child Seed

37. Principles of Growth • Living things automatically reach perfection through the laws of nature • Human beings only reach perfection through the laws of nature AND by fulfilling their responsibility • “And the child grew strong, filled with wisdom and the favour of God was upon him.”Luke 2:40

38. The role of human responsibility Divine Grace + Human Will → God’s Will • “Your faith has made you well.”Mark 5:34 • “The prayer of faith will save the sick man.” James 5:15 • “Behold I stand at the door and knock.” Revelation 3:20 • “Ask and you will receive.”Matthew 7:8

39. Freedom and responsibility “Behold I set before you this day, a blessing and a curse: the blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God . . . And the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God . . .” Deuteronomy 11:26-28

40. Examples of freedom • If Adam and Eve had not eaten the fruit there would be no sin • If Abraham had not been willing to sacrifice Isaac . . . . • If the people of Ninevah had not repented • If Jesus had been accepted . . . .

41. Why did God give people freedom and responsibility? • To give us creativity so that we could become co-creators and children of God • So that we could become Lords of Creation and rule creation in our own right

42. What is the relationship between the spiritual world and the physical world?

43. WOMB preparation of the physical self EARTH preparation of the spirit self SPIRITUAL WORLD final destination What are the stages of life? Mind Spirit self Spirit Mind Unborn child Like dying Like dying It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. I Cor.15:44 Placenta Spirit Body Body Physical self 40 weeks 80 years Eternity

44. What is the position of human beings? Human beings are a microcosm of the cosmos Spiritual World Spiritual Body Angels Spirits Ancestors Jesus spoke to Elijah and Moses Spiritual Mind Mediator between spiritual and physical worlds Physical Mind Minerals Plants Animals Physical World Physical Body

45. What is the relationship between spirit and body? God Truth Light Spirit elements Love + Warmth + + Life elements Air - Atmosphere of freedom Vitality elements Food, water ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me.’John 4:34 SpiritualSelf PhysicalSelf - “… as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead”. James 2:14-26

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