2. Striving for Absolute Obedience—to Make My Will as God’s Will

World Scripture

O you who believe! Be mindful of your duty to God, and seek the way to approach unto Him, and strive in His way in order that you may succeed.
Qur’an 5.35

A sacrificial vessel: The superior man, taking his stance as righteousness requires, adheres firmly to Heaven’s decrees.
I Ching 50 (Confucianism)

Make [God’s] will as your will, so that He may make your will as His will; make naught your will before His will, so that He may make naught the will of others before your will.
Mishnah, Avot 2.4 (Judaism)

Be not like the servants who minister to their Master upon condition of receiving a reward; but be like servants who minister to their Master without the condition of receiving a reward; and let the fear of Heaven be upon you.
Mishnah, Avot 1.3 (Judaism)

We sent not an Apostle but to be obeyed, in accordance with the Will of God. If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto thee and asked God’s forgiveness… But no, by thy Lord, they can have no real faith until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against thy decision, but accept them with the fullest conviction. If We had ordered them to sacrifice their lives or to leave their homes, very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been best for them, and would have gone furthest to strengthen their faith.¹ All who obey God and the Apostle are in the company of those on whom is the grace of God: of the Prophets, the Saints, the Martyrs and the Righteous. Ah! What a beautiful fellowship!
Qur’an 4.64-69

I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.
John 6.38

“Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
Luke 22.42

By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
Romans 5.19

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and was heard for his godly fear. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.
Hebrews 5.7-8

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon

Complete obedience means that a person has no sense of self in front of his Subject Partner.
(271:118, August 23, 1995)

Everyone should practice obedience. However, while anyone can obey, not everyone can totally surrender him or herself. Only through total surrender can we fulfill the indemnity condition.
(18:188, June 7, 1967)

Why does God require of us obedience? It is not to please God, but for us—for our joy. God puts us in the position of His ideal object partners and gives us responsibility to complete the purpose of re-creation. Therefore, we must push away and overcome the elements of the Fall. Because the Fall originated from disobedience, God commands us to have absolute obedience as the necessary condition to restore it. Therefore, in our religious way of life we should not complain. Nor should we make excuses. We must have absolute obedience.
Absolute obedience requires hard work, but the purpose of that hard work is to set conditions that enable us to stand in the perfected position and achieve God’s original goal of creation. Therefore, if we sacrifice and work hard, we can enter the realm of perfection. We must go this way because there is no other way. Hence religion cannot emphasize enough the necessity of hard work, undertaken in faith.
On the path of restoration, complaint is absolutely prohibited. The path of restoration is a tear-stained path of total sacrifice. Nevertheless, we should go joyfully and hopefully. It is the path of re-creation, which is hopeful for us, and we should rejoice in that hope. We are walking in faith, so we must not despair. Why, then, should we go the way of obedience? Sacrifice and hard work are the means by which we give everything and gain everything.
(God’s Will and the World, September 11, 1972)

Jesus showed us obedience and complete submission. Obedience is following an order when the circumstances allow, and complete submission is obeying even in impossible circumstances. Jesus taught the dutiful way of obedience and complete submission to the disbelieving people. By this he showed us the way to block Satan’s basic nature and life elements.
The satanic world incessantly tries to exploit and take advantage of human beings and the creation, but Jesus took the opposite direction. Jesus lived a life that Satan could not live—he was meek and humble, he practiced obedience and complete submission, and he lived a life of sacrifice and service. Because he lived with these qualities, Satan had to surrender. Jesus is the representative of all human beings. Likewise, unless you can live as Jesus taught in your daily life, being meek and humble, practicing obedience and complete submission, and ever sacrificing and serving others, know that you still belong to Satan’s tribe.
(3:188-89, October 27, 1957)

Throughout the long eons of history, God has been carrying out a providence to set up ways by which people ignorant of the human portion of responsibility could claim that they have fulfilled their portions of responsibility. This has always required absolute obedience. The original portion of responsibility was not fulfilled because Adam and Eve failed to obey God’s commandment. Obeying God’s Word is the first condition to complete the human portion of responsibility. For Adam and Eve, they could have completed their portion of responsibility by absolutely obeying God’s command, “Do not eat of the fruit.”
Therefore, those seeking the way of restoration must absolutely obey God’s words. You should not just obey to some extent. You should say you will obey even at the cost of your life. Step forward on the path of obedience and climb over the summit of the satanic world. That is what Jesus meant when he said, “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
(139:255-56, January 31, 1986)