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..(The Baha'i) legal structure has not come to the community as a result of external necessity, but was given by its founder Baha'u'llah as an integral part of His teaching. It is the first time in religious history that the legal structure of the community has not been put in the hands of men but has been given in documented form as part of the divine Revelation. Baha'u'llah is "the Judge, the Lawgiver and Redeemer of all mankind" and also "the Organizer of the entire planet". He has given His community its unchangeable and unconditional legal form and has thus made sure that a dispute over the right kind of structure cannot split the community of God as has so often happened in religious history. (46:1) The necessity for some formal organization is obvious. To be able to assert itself and be active in this world, which is a world of order, the community of God must have a legal structure. For this is the only guarantee of the unity of the believers, the only protection against the community breaking up and becoming divided. And were it not for this unity , the spiritual impulse bestowed upon mankind through the Revelation of Baha'u'llah would be dispersed and the spiritual forces latent within the Word of God would be dissipated before they could even take effect. This protection against schism and sect-forming is guaranteed through the authenticity of the constitution of the Baha'i community.
(46:2)
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