The Orthodox Faith – The Symbol of Faith (5)

Some people accuse Christianity of having a negative view of human beings, seeing humanity only as poor, wretched sinners. However, in fact Christianity has a quite positive view of human beings. The Book of Genesis tell us that we are created “in the image and likeness of God” (Gen1:26). Human beings have fallen into sin, of course, but this does not destroy the image and likeness of God within us. We can say that Jesus Christ came into the world to restore and renew the image of God within us.​After the creation of the material world, including flora and fauna, God creates humanity and says that human beings are given dominion, or authority, over the material world. This does not mean that humanity can abuse the natural world, but rather humanity is called to make God present in the world to reflect His love for the world and finally, to offer the good things of this world, in gratitude to God. Actually, human beings are higher than angels. It is humanity that was given authority of the world. Only human beings are made in the image and likeness of God. Finally the Son of God became a human being, not an angel.
As a matter of fact, the Fathers of the Orthodox Church wrote that “God became a human being so that human beings can become God”. Now this is a bold saying but we should not misunderstand it. God is God by nature. But we become like God through grace. Or to put it another way, Jesus Christ is the Son of God by nature, but we become sons and daughters of God through adoption in the sacrament of baptism. The only thing that hinders this process is sin, but God has given us through the church, the forgiveness of sins so that we can overcome this.
​This is a process that will continue through all eternity. Some people imagine heaven as a static world, but in fact we will be growing into God’s beauty, truth and goodness forever. We can never exhaust the riches of God.
​In fact, we learn what it means to be a human being by looking at the Holy Trinity. The Trinity teaches us that we are not made to be “rugged individualists”. Rather we are made to be persons in loving relationships with other persons, both divine and human. God is not an isolated monarch, but rather exists as a Trinity of loving persons. There is a difference and even hierarchy in the Trinity. The Trinity is One, but God the Father is the source and cause of the person of the Son and Spirit, but they are equal to each other. This is how we human beings should relate to other people. We share a common nature with the rest of humanity but as persons we are unique. To be human means to be in relationship with other persons, divine and human. As human beings we are not homeless parts of a collective, nor are we isolated individuals. This means there can be differences and hierarchy among humans, but we are all equal to one another. Or to put it another way, Christ said in Luke 22:25-27
“…… “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.”
​In other worlds, Christ tells us that among Christians there should be no tyranny of one over another, but rather to be a Christian leader is to be a humble servant.
​So let us continue that path we are on, growing in knowledge and love of God through eternity, existing in relationship with the person of the Trinity and other human beings.

Fr. John

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