LESSON 1: Mastering The Art of Living

Section: Avoid Frightening People

“Never be guilty of such unworthy tactics as endeavoring to frighten men and women into the
kingdom. A loving father does not frighten his children into yielding obedience to his just
requirements.” (1766.1) 159:3.5

MASTERING THE ART OF LIVING

“The more complex civilization becomes, the more difficult will become the art of living. The
more rapid the changes in social usage, the more complicated will become the task of character
development. Every ten generations mankind must learn anew the art of living if progress is to
continue. And if man becomes so ingenious that he more rapidly adds to the complexities of
society, the art of living will need to be remastered in less time, perhaps every single generation.
If the evolution of the art of living fails to keep pace with the technique of existence, humanity
will quickly revert to the simple urge of living— the attainment of the satisfaction of present
desires. Thus will humanity remain immature; society will fail in growing up to full maturity.”
(1772.4) 160:1.3

KNOWING GOD AS A FATHER
“Jesus is the spiritual lens in human likeness which makes visible to the material creature Him
who is invisible. He is your elder brother who, in the flesh, makes known to you a Being of
infinite attributes whom not even the celestial hosts can presume fully to understand. But all of
this must consist in the personal experience of the individual believer. God who is spirit can be
known only as a spiritual experience. God can be revealed to the finite sons of the material
worlds, by the divine Son of the spiritual realms, only as a Father. You can know the Eternal as a
Father; you can worship him as the God of universes, the infinite Creator of all existences.”
(1857.4) 169:4.13