Moreover, someone with a clear awareness of themselves and the transitory nature of earthly life—empowered by a lasting fear of God—will not harm others. When suffering wrongs from others, such a person refrains from seeking revenge, instead patiently awaiting divine assistance, marveling at God's forbearance toward the unrighteous, while remaining dedicated to producing the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Thus, we need the divine illumination that grants us the grace to behold God. What is this illumination? As Christ declared, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). The Apostle John similarly notes, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). John the Baptist elaborates, stating, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). Anyone who disobeys even one commandment displays unbelief in Christ, for “whosoever shall break one of these least commandments... shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:19). The person unfaithful in small matters is unfaithful in larger ones (Luke 16:10). What consequences await such individuals? They inherit the curse that fell upon Adam for disobeying God's command—namely, corruption and death. Those who remain in corruption and death will find their destiny in hell. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ declares, “His commandment is eternal life” (John 12:50), and “If anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death” (John 8:51). Regardless of their claims, those who neglect God’s command rob themselves of eternal life.
Thus, it is crucial first to believe in Christ, the light of humanity, in order to see God. How can one perceive God? Through the creation of God—the heavens, the earth, the seas, and especially humanity, imbued with reason and marvel. Any person who contemplates this divine image cannot help but revere the Creator. Anyone who has such fear naturally respects Him, lives in accordance with His commandments, and conducts themselves according to His law. It follows, then, that those who do not align their lives with God’s law do not possess a genuine fear of Him. Without this fear, they cannot perceive God, and devoid of sight, they lack the divine light within them. If one does not carry this light, they do not believe in Christ; without faith in Christ, there is no life within them. They display the absence of the foundational fear of God that ignites wisdom, leaving them blind and lifeless. John the Evangelist asserts that “whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him” (1 John 3:6).
The prophet Jeremiah illustrates this truth well, stating that those who do not know God are those who engage in immorality, who speak falsehoods, and who lack sincerity. Such individuals do not wish to know God, as the Lord declares: “These have not known Me” (Jeremiah 9:3-8). If this is how one could be characterized as lacking knowledge of God, how do they differ from those who do not confess Christ? If a person claims to be a Christian but does not believe in Christ, what kind of Christian are they? True belief in Christ leads to adherence to His commandments, and failure to do so reveals a lack of genuine faith. Thus, those who are labeled Christians…but do not uphold His law and commandments should realize that they have not truly believed in Christ, regardless of their confessions of faith.
For anyone who genuinely believes in Christ refrains from living outside His commandments. Just as one instinctively avoids falling into a chasm upon realizing its presence, so should a Christian naturally avoid sin. Those searching earnestly for faith in Christ must commit to living righteously, inviting the divine light into their lives to encounter God, to fear Him properly, and to obtain the beginning of wisdom, which is rooted in the awe of God. Faith without action is as lifeless as a body without a spirit. Faith devoid of works lacks God, who infuses life into it, rendering it dead because it fails to discharge what Christ promises: “He who loves Me will keep My commandments, and I and My Father will come to him and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23). This presence is intended to awaken the soul from its dead state and breathe life into those who can truly receive it. Thus, faith without works is dead, as are those who possess it without corresponding actions.
Those who dwell in Christ embody His nature; those who do not possess His disposition are spiritually dead, and they should not deceive themselves, for Christ cautions, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Lacking life manifests as inactivity; those who are spiritually dead are similarly inactive. Therefore, those who do not live in accordance with God are spiritually lifeless, and their existence does not hold genuine meaning. It would be better for such individuals not to exist at all than merely to experience biological life akin to that of other animals. Yet it is the rational soul that must encounter the life that God provides—being the light of humanity granted from above. One devoid of this divine life exists like irrational creatures and faces condemnation alongside malevolent spirits, experiencing eternal death or relentless suffering in hell.
In conclusion, it is evident that our paramount endeavor is to lead a life pleasing to God. Christians who do not reflect this Christian vocation are weak in their essence, strength, and actions. The power of Christianity lies in our ability to receive complete blessings from God through Jesus Christ, who bestows existence. Those incapable of living as they ought concerning God and their fellow human beings have not sought to reclaim the good lost due to Adam’s original sin. A Christian who does not follow Christ’s teachings bears the title of Christian in vain. Their lives lack fulfillment, either due to a complete absence of belief in Christ, a neglect of faith, or because they have not been properly instructed in recognizing the profound grace offered.
Existence, gifted initially by God according to the creation laws, no longer comes directly from Him, as men are now born through the union of a husband and wife, which God ordained as, “the two shall become one flesh”—a union that gives rise to children. Similarly, well-being is a collaborative gift from God and humanity, as it cannot be solely His work; otherwise, all people would possess it. Our role is to acknowledge that well-being is beyond our grasp without divine intervention. Since the time of Adam, no one has secured well-being by their own efforts, regardless of their wisdom or rationality. The prophet Isaiah laments, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight” (Isaiah 5:21). Thus, just as our very being emanates from God’s creative power, so too must well-being originate from Him. Our existence is inherently elevated, for existence without purpose leads only to decay.
As the Almighty God initially created humankind, He no longer bestows existence outside of a marital union, as it would be lacking in sanctity. Similarly, He does not grant well-being unless an individual earnestly desires it with their heart and mind, preserving the inherent dignity of human nature. Therefore, whoever yearns for true well-being should earnestly seek it from God, as exemplified by Christ. In His humanity, Christ fervently prayed and supplicated to God for deliverance, as noted in the Apostle’s words: “He, during His earthly days, offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death... and was heard because of His piety” (Hebrews 5:7). What is this salvation that He offers? It is the profound well-being resulting from the Holy Spirit, characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, as the Apostle Paul delineates; against such virtues, there exists no law (Galatians 5:22-23).
To the righteous, the law holds no burden (1 Tim. 1:9). The Word of God, the Son of God, took on human form to bestow genuine well-being upon humanity. He incarnated, suffered, and died so that believers could receive this well-being as a natural part of their lives—a life filled with love, joy, patience, benevolence, mercy, faith, and temperance, which are the very traits that delineate well-being. Those lacking in this essential well-being bestowed by Christ find themselves bereft of the ultimate good for which God Himself became man, faced death, and triumphed over it. The absence of this well-being renders one worse off than those who outright reject Christ. Let us then ensure we do not miss out on this precious gift in Christ Jesus, to whom glory is eternally due. Amen.
THEOSIS