God’s life

2. GOD’S LIFE
God’s Life in Man – The Life of the Holy Trinity If the spiritual life is the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit in the US, then it can be said that it is God’s or divine life in man. 1 Greek Fathers often say 1 called. The people (theopoiesis) gladly refer to the statement of the Gospel: And it is not written in your law: «I said, are you gods? » (John 10:34). Western authors were more afraid that the statement would be misinterpreted, so they rather spoke of God’s “grace”. Thus, spiritual life is a «life of grace», «a supernatural life». Both statements have advantages and disadvantages, as our language can only be approximate and only partially secret. If we say that we have a supernatural gift of “God’s grace”, we can easily understand that we have it in varying degrees, with thousands of differences, and that there is constant growth or decline, gain or loss. The expression «God’s Life in Us» has its merits. From Christian Revelation, we know that God is the Holy Trinity. It should not be forgotten, therefore, that Christian «sanctification» has a «Trinidadian» character; “As we have been instructed,” writes Basil, “we were baptised, and as we were baptised, we believe and confess. For it is the seal of our faith; thus, faith is the approval given to God in the Trinity. But Christianity is a monotheistic religion that believes in a single God. However, it is in three persons. How does this supreme mystery of God manifest in our lives? According to a well-known statement, which we read, e.g., from St Cyril of Alexandria: «All good comes to us from the Father – through the Son – in the Holy Spirit.» On the contrary, our ascent to God happens «In the Holy Spirit – through the Son to the Father». The word ‘God’ in Scripture, especially in the New Testament, predominantly means the first divine person – the Father who is in heaven (Mt 6: 9). But it is in the true and full sense of God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1: 3), but that He also became our Father who wants to show us all good and who loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son to one who believes in him, but he has an eternal life (John 3:16). His redemptive work then became the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in the US (1 Cor 6:19). But it is in the true and full sense of God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1:3), but that He also became our Father who wants to show us all good and who loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son to one who believes in him, but he has an eternal life (Jn 3:16). His redemptive work then became the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in the US (1 Cor 6:19). But it is in the true and full sense of God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1: 3), but that He also became our Father who wants to show us all good and who loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son to one who believes in him, but he has an eternal life (John 3:16). His redemptive work then became the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in the US (1 Cor 6:19).
In Jesus Christ (Eph 3:21), even pagan philosophy concluded that all happiness can only be found with one who has all perfection, that is, with God. The philosopher Celsius (whom Origen writes against), however, mocks Christians who want to come to God in a strange, artificial way, under the leadership of an instructed Nazareth carpenter. But Christians believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt 16:16); that no one has ever seen God, only the begotten Son of God revealed Him (John 1:18); and that he is the Only Gateway to the Father. 7). So perfection cannot be different from and according to Christ. «Every act and every word of the Saviour,» writes St. Thomas. Gregor Nazianzen, «is the rule of piety». In one sentence, John Chrysostomus summarises our duties: It is sometimes argued that the notion of “following Christ” is not entirely complete, that it means something external, as if a beginner in painting makes a copy of a classic work. It is better to speak of “life in Christ” than “according to Christ”. This objection seems clever, but it is superficial. One who does not live in Christ and with His grace can never truly imitate Him; conversely, Christ’s life and grace will be given to those who truly seek to imitate His deeds and thoughts. Nicely written by Byzantine author Nikolas Kabasilas in the book Life in Christ: «Who Decides to Live in Christ; he must unite with his heart, connect with him as a head (the minuscule does not come life); this connection is not possible without the unification of will. We must therefore adapt to him … »But it would make no sense to follow Christ only outwardly, go to Palestine, walk wherever he went, and so on. These are inferior things. Much more important is knowing how to get into his mind and acquire his spirit. Asking questions about the problems of daily life in this light: «What would Christ do or advise me in today’s situation?» For this, however, it is not enough to read the gospel superficially but to contemplate it, to experience it.