Perhaps “should” is too strong. It falls into the negative arena of commandments, such as “thou shalt not do such and such.” Shoulda, woulda, coulda. How about I come up with a new approach? Something like “Live and love your life in the spirit of The Urantia Book teachings”? Then move on from there.

 

The Urantia Book provides a comprehensive way to look at ourselves and the Universe. It does so from the reverse perspective, from the Universe to ourselves. For those interested in the largest picture of existence, there are literally thousands of lessons to glean from the text, thousands of word pictures that, with deep contemplation, will lead to new insights, all of which are very beneficial to living a better life, an eternal life, than what we conceived of before we found The Urantia Book.

 

Since this assignment references Paper 56, Universal Unity, I will take my example from it – the largest perspective – after I speak to the opposite end of the teaching, the life that Jesus gave as our example of how to live the best life we can, whether it is here or as we move on.

 

Some of the simplest things Jesus taught me were that we must “ask, seek, and knock,” a lesson the Contact Commission learned from the Revelators early on. Without asking, there is no answer; without seeking, there is nothing to find; and without knocking, no doors will be opened for you. Although Jesus said, “Your Father knows what you have need of even before you ask him,” that does not suggest you don’t need to ask. 1, 2

 

Next, each parable has a lesson, sometimes several – planting seeds is one such lesson. 3 Jesus advised each of his Apostles to carefully teach using tools that would most match the levels of understanding that their audiences could handle. 4

 

Jesus’s lectures while traveling around the Mediterranean offer us incredible insight into how to handle the material aspects of our existence. One that comes to mind is his insights into how to handle money. 5

 

But the most significant of Jesus' teachings always concerned how a person should treat another person. He loved everyone. He set examples regarding caring for the “least” of the people, the poor, the sick and lame, those who were different or looked down upon. His concern was for all people, that each one was a child of God, all equal in God’s eyes.

 

Unfortunately, his teachings are not regarded as significant by many so-called Christians today; his words and deeds are being distorted to make the opposite point. 6

 

Moving back into Paper 56, Universal Unity, I have chosen for my Trimester Project for week 10  the subject of the Unification of the Universes and the Integration of All.

 

This is a subject I came to several months ago while trying to explain how everything in the Universe is tied together, that nothing is really separate except that we choose to see it that way and think of it that way.

 

The basic thesis is from the first paragraph of Paper 56:

 

“The universe of universes is one vast integrated mechanism which is absolutely controlled by one infinite mind. The physical, intellectual, and spiritual domains of universal creation are divinely correlated. The perfect and imperfect are truly interrelated….” 7

 

I next approached the topic by starting with John 1:1 and moving on from there. But the real meat of the topic is found in Paper 56. Throughout Paper 56, the statement of a Mighty Messenger with an assist from Maciventa Melchizedek.

 

I chose the four qualities of Universe composition that we, as perfecting mortals, are most known to us – material, intelligence, spiritual, and personality – and they have been shown to be unified and integrated with each other. 

 

I make it clear that we have within us a fragment of the very God himself. And when Jesus told his Apostles he would send them a Comforter when he left them, he did. And that our Holy Spirit, also with us always, provides us with seven spirits that help us grow intellectually throughout our lives. And we have two guardian angels with us at all times. That is who we are, each of us. 

 

I make these things clear to me as well, a constant reminder of the blessings each of us has been gifted.

 

In addition, the qualities that comprise the summation of the concepts of truth, beauty, and goodness best explain the integration of these highest concepts, which unify the mysteries and the mastery of the universe, and each of our roles in it.

 

This is how I attempt to explain to others how to live the best life we can in this world and going forward. That all space, time, eternity, and infinity are integrated in all things. What we do, think, and dream is a part of a glorious, endless spiralling adventure in eternal time and infinite space. Who we love – and it must include all life and all personalities – we will love forever. There is no stopping now; regardless of what happens, we are in God’s hands, and we come to really know that God is love. And Love is the greatest gift of all.

 

The real clincher for me is this: While we each think we have free will, it is relative. It is relative to how we go about integrating our God-given attributes of spirit, mind, personality, and – yes – our bodies toward our true selves. If we falter in our efforts, our souls may suffer. We are not free to do or be anyone. There is a Law. God is that Law.

 

We read in 48:6.33: “Law is life itself and not the rules of its conduct. Evil is a transgression of law, not a violation of the rules of conduct pertaining to life, which is the law.”

 

This tells me that regardless of what different paths we want to be on, we will always end up where we need to be. “One God, many paths.” The unification and integration of all we are and what we do are a part of the unity of the Universe. Ultimately, we are one with God. There is no way around it. 

 

Can I get an “Amen”?

 

 

Footnotes:

 

1. UB 144:2.3   “Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. For every one who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door of salvation will be opened.”

2. UB 3:3.2

3. UB 151:1.1-5 and 151:2.1-8 “The Parable of the Sower” and its Interpretation, and 151:3.15.

4. UB 151:3.2-16

5. UB 132:5 Section 5 on “Counseling the Rich Man.”

6. See John Fuglesang’s book, Separation of Church and Hate.

7. UB 56:0.1 

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