“THE GREAT ADVENTURE - - MAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOD”
A lecture given by William S. Sadler Jr. in 1958
Page One
This being something of an open meeting of the Urantia Society, I pondered at length what I
could talk to you about that would be most interesting, most useful, to all of you. We could
talk about the facts of the Urantia Book and I think I could cover that in about six months of
intensive discussion. We can talk about the meanings which can be derived from these
facts, and I suppose that could be covered in about two years. But I thought I would share
with you my feelings for this Book – not the facts, not the meanings—but what Value this
Book has in my life as a human being here on earth. So I picked as a title for this
discussion, “The Great Adventure – Man in Partnership with God”
This Book appeals to me because it presents the story of evolution in contrast to fiat
creation. God can, and does, work apart from time, but when he works apart from time, no
creature can participate in that development. When God works in time, he slows down the
creative process to something which we call evolutionary growth, and this enables a
creature, even a human being, to sense what is happening, and if he so elects, to go in
partnership with God, to become a partner with God in this growth process.
I like the idea of sharing in the creative adventure with Deity, and when I speak of
partnership with God, I mean no disrespect; I know I am the junior partner and God is the
Senior Partner, but there is a difference when you are a partner. Even if you are a junior
partner, you have something to say about policy. I don’t change God’s mind, but it is my
decision as to whether or not he can change my mind.
How does God equip his junior partners – human beings. Well, quite obviously, we have
bodies and minds, but these don’t come from God. What equipment does God give us that
he is willing to enter into any kind of a limited partnership with us? He gives us two priceless
pieces of equipment. First of all, he gives us an absolute since of direction. He incarcerates
a part of his love inside of us. He lives in us – even as the Bible says, “The true light which
lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” This part of God that lives in us is God’s
love made real to each one of us, and this part of God that lives in us knows the way to
God. It is our unerring pilot.
And God gives us a second priceless endowment – he endows us with relative free will,
freedom of choice. The pilot is not the captain. We are captain. The pilot can steer only as
we choose. I think of all the priceless gifts which God could make to me, and none would
transcend the endowment of freedom of choice. Otherwise, I would be a machine. With
freedom of choice, I am a person. I can be a son of God. What does freedom of choice
mean? It means that I just don’t have to respond slavishly to what happens to me. I have
something to say about what I become. Even physically, I have something to say. I can’t
avoid wrinkles, but I can choose which kind will etch themselves into my face. I can frown or
I can smile.
A lecture given by William S. Sadler Jr. in 1958
Page One
This being something of an open meeting of the Urantia Society, I pondered at length what I
could talk to you about that would be most interesting, most useful, to all of you. We could
talk about the facts of the Urantia Book and I think I could cover that in about six months of
intensive discussion. We can talk about the meanings which can be derived from these
facts, and I suppose that could be covered in about two years. But I thought I would share
with you my feelings for this Book – not the facts, not the meanings—but what Value this
Book has in my life as a human being here on earth. So I picked as a title for this
discussion, “The Great Adventure – Man in Partnership with God”
This Book appeals to me because it presents the story of evolution in contrast to fiat
creation. God can, and does, work apart from time, but when he works apart from time, no
creature can participate in that development. When God works in time, he slows down the
creative process to something which we call evolutionary growth, and this enables a
creature, even a human being, to sense what is happening, and if he so elects, to go in
partnership with God, to become a partner with God in this growth process.
I like the idea of sharing in the creative adventure with Deity, and when I speak of
partnership with God, I mean no disrespect; I know I am the junior partner and God is the
Senior Partner, but there is a difference when you are a partner. Even if you are a junior
partner, you have something to say about policy. I don’t change God’s mind, but it is my
decision as to whether or not he can change my mind.
How does God equip his junior partners – human beings. Well, quite obviously, we have
bodies and minds, but these don’t come from God. What equipment does God give us that
he is willing to enter into any kind of a limited partnership with us? He gives us two priceless
pieces of equipment. First of all, he gives us an absolute since of direction. He incarcerates
a part of his love inside of us. He lives in us – even as the Bible says, “The true light which
lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” This part of God that lives in us is God’s
love made real to each one of us, and this part of God that lives in us knows the way to
God. It is our unerring pilot.
And God gives us a second priceless endowment – he endows us with relative free will,
freedom of choice. The pilot is not the captain. We are captain. The pilot can steer only as
we choose. I think of all the priceless gifts which God could make to me, and none would
transcend the endowment of freedom of choice. Otherwise, I would be a machine. With
freedom of choice, I am a person. I can be a son of God. What does freedom of choice
mean? It means that I just don’t have to respond slavishly to what happens to me. I have
something to say about what I become. Even physically, I have something to say. I can’t
avoid wrinkles, but I can choose which kind will etch themselves into my face. I can frown or
I can smile.
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