The likeness of God in man. Front repeater. The image of God is to be sought in the soul, not in the body of man. It has nothing to do with the division into husband and wife.

1. What is the image and likeness of God

The image of God in man is the essence of his soul, an inalienable and indelible property of the nature of his soul, it is displayed in its many different powers and properties: in the immortality of the human spirit, in the mind, capable of knowing the truth and striving for God, for the good, in free will, autocracy, in domination over the earth and over everything that is on it, in creative forces, as well as in trinity of the main spiritual forces: mind, heart and will, which served as a kind of reflection of the divine trinity. We receive the image of God from God along with being.

The likeness of God in man is the ability of a person to direct the forces of his soul to likeness to God, this is the opportunity given to man by God to become godlike through his free personal efforts, it consists in the spiritual perfection of man, virtues and holiness, in the acquisition of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We must acquire the likeness ourselves, realizing God-given ability of will. “[God] bestowed ... the abilities of the will - goodness and wisdom, so that the creature through communion becomes what He Himself is in essence (St. Maximus the Confessor). Achieving god-likeness is the goal of human life. The fulfillment of this task depends on the free will of man.

Saint Basil the Great He speaks of high dignity man made in the image of God Himself:

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Earlier, by the way, it was indicated, and, moreover, quite thoroughly, what these words are and to whom they are addressed. The Church gives them an explanation; moreover, she has a faith that is stronger than explanation. "Let's make a man." It is from this moment that you begin to know yourself. Such words were not addressed to any of the creatures. There was light, and the command was simple, God said, "Let there be light!" The sky arose, but without the will. The luminaries began to exist, but there was no prescription for them. The seas and boundless oceans were called into existence by command. By order, different types of fish appeared. The same with animals, wild and trained, swimming and flying: he said - and they were born. But then there was neither a person, nor an expression of will about a person. He did not say, as about the rest: "Let there be a man!" Realize your dignity. He did not proclaim your appearance as an order, but expressed God's reflection on how a worthy being should appear in life. "Let's create!" The wise man thinks, the Creator thinks. Does He leave art unattended? Does not He strive with all diligence to make His beloved creation perfect, complete and beautiful? Does He want to show you that you are perfect in God's eyes?

... The creation of man rises above everything: above the light, above the sky, above the stars, "The Lord God took." He deigned to fashion our body with his own hand. He did not give an order to the angel about this, and it was not by itself that the earth spewed us out like grasshoppers, and God did not order the forces serving him to do this or that. But he took the land with his own - skillful - hand. If you look at what was taken, what will a person be? If you think about the One who created, then how great man appears! So, on the one hand, he is insignificant as matter, on the other hand, he is great in the honor given to him.

Remember how you were created. Reflect on the workshop of this nature. The hand that took you is the hand of God. And what God fashioned should not be defiled by vice, should not be perverted by sin; don't fall out of the hand of God! You are a vessel created by God, descended from God; glorify the Creator. After all, you did not appear for the sake of anything else, but only in order to become an instrument worthy of the glory of God. And this whole world for you is like some kind of written book, telling about the glory of God, proclaiming to you the secret and invisible greatness of God, to you, who have the mind to know the truth. So, carefully remember what has been said.

St. John Chrysostom writes about the high honor of being the image of God:

Man is the most excellent of all visible animals; it is for him that all this was created: the sky, the earth, the sea, the sun, the moon, the stars, reptiles, cattle, all dumb animals. Why, you say, was he created after, if he is more excellent than all these creatures? For a fair reason. When the king intends to enter the city, then it is necessary for the armor-bearers and all the rest to go forward so that the king enters the halls already after they have been prepared: so it is now that God, intending to establish, as it were, a king and ruler over all earthly things, first arranged all this adornment, and then he also created the lord, and thus actually showed what honor He bestows on this animal. ... To whom is it said: let us make man, and to whom does the Lord offer such advice? This is not because He needed advice and reasoning; no, by this mode of speech he wants to show us the extraordinary honor that he shows to the created person.

2. Holy Scripture about the image and likeness of God

The Bible says that God created man in His image and likeness:

And God said, Let us make man in our image and after our likeness, and let him possess the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, (and the beasts) and cattle, and all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. And God created man, in the image of God create him: male and female make them.
(Gen. 1:26-27)

This is the book of the life of man, on the same day God created Adam: in the image of God create him, husband and wife create them; and called their name Adam, on the same day create them.
(Gen. 5:1-2)

The Lord created man from the earth and returns him to it again. He gave them a certain number of days and times, and gave them authority over everything that was in it. According to their nature, He clothed them with power, and created them in His own image, and put the fear of them into all flesh, to have dominion over the beasts and birds. He gave them meaning, tongue and eyes, and ears and a heart for reasoning, filled them with insight of the mind...
(Sir. 17, 1-6)

Whoever sheds human blood, his blood will be shed by the hand of man: for man is created in the image of God.
(Gen. 9, 6)

God created man for incorruption and made him the image of His eternal existence.
(Wind 2:23)

With it we bless God and the Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. (James 3:9).

So the husband should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God; and the wife is the glory of the husband.
(1 Cor. 11:7)

About the acquisition of the lost likeness of God, Holy Scripture says:

But you didn't know Christ that way;
because you have heard of Him and learned in Him, because the truth is in Jesus,
to put aside the former way of life of the old man, decaying in seductive lusts,
but be renewed in the spirit of your mind
and put on the new man, created according to God, in righteousness and holiness of truth.
(Eph. 4:20-24)

Only this I found that God created man upright, and people embarked on many thoughts.
(Eccl. 7:29)

8 And now you lay aside everything: anger, wrath, malice, slander, foul language of your mouth;
9 Do not tell lies to one another, putting off the old man with his deeds
10 and put on the new, who is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who made him,
11 where there is no Greek, no Jew, no circumcision, no uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free, but Christ is all and in all.
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering,
13 forgiving one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against anyone: just as Christ forgave you, so do you.
14 But above all, put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
(Col. 3)

3. The essence of the image and likeness of God

St. John Chrysostom:

“Having said: “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness,” (God) did not stop there, but in the following words he explained to us in what sense he used the word image. What does he say? “And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So, image He supplies in dominion, and not in anything else. And in fact, God created man as the ruler of everything that exists on earth, and there is nothing on earth above him, but everything is under his dominion.

“Let us make,” says God, “man in Our image, in Our likeness.” Just as He called the image of dominion “image”, so “likeness” is that we, as much as possible to a man, become like God in meekness, humility and virtue in general, according to the word of Christ: “Be the sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5, 45) ".

St. Basil the Great writes about the image and likeness of God:

““Let us make a man, and let them rule” (mean): where the power of power is, there is the image of God.

... There is a person sentient creation God, created in the image of his Creator. …Man is created in the image of God.

“And God created man; created him in the image of God." Have you noticed that this testimony is incomplete? "Let us create man in Our image and likeness." This declaration of will contains two elements: "in the image" and "in the likeness." But creation contains only one element. Having decided one thing, did the Lord change His plan? Did He develop repentance in the course of creation? Isn't this the weakness of the Creator, since He plans one thing and does another? - Or is it nonsense? Maybe this is the same as: "Let's create a man in the image and likeness"; for here He said "in the image," but He did not say "in the likeness." Whatever explanation we choose, our interpretation of what is written would be wrong. If we are talking about the same thing, then it would not be worth repeating the same thing twice.

To claim that there are empty words in Scripture is dangerous blasphemy. Indeed, (Scripture) never says (anything) empty.

So, it is undeniable that man is created in the image and likeness.

Why is it not said: "And God created man in the image of God and after the likeness." What then, the Creator is powerless? - Wicked thought! Well, the Organizer repented? The reasoning is even more unholy! Or did he first say and then change his mind? - Not! Scripture doesn't say that; The Creator is not powerless and the decision was not empty. So what's the point of default?

"Let us make man in Our image and likeness." One we have as a result of creation, the other we acquire by our own will. At the original creation, we are granted to be born in the image of God; by our own will we acquire being in the likeness of God. That which depends on our will, we dispose of in full force; we get it for ourselves thanks to our energy. If the Lord, when creating us, had not predestinedly said: “Let us make” and “in the likeness”, if we had not been given the opportunity to become “in the likeness”, then by our own strength we would not have acquired the likeness of God. But the fact of the matter is that He made us capable of becoming like God. Having endowed us with the ability to become like God, He left us to be laborers in likeness to God, so that we would receive a reward for (this) work, so that we would not be inert things, like portraits created by the hand of an artist, so that the fruits of our likeness would not bring praise to someone to another. In fact, when you see a portrait that accurately conveys the model, you do not praise the portrait, but admire the artist. So that the admiration should be for me and not for anyone else, He left it to me to take care of achieving the likeness of God. After all, “in the image” I have the existence of a rational being, “in the likeness” I become, becoming a Christian.

St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) talks about the properties of the image and likeness of God:

“God created man in His own image and likeness. By the word "image" one must understand that the very essence of man is a snapshot (portrait) of the Being of God; and "likeness" expresses the similarity in the very shades of the image or its qualities. Obviously, the image and likeness, conjugated together, constitute the completeness of the similarity; on the contrary, the loss or distortion of the likeness violates the whole dignity of the image. God created man in His own image and likeness; therefore, He created him in His perfect image..Man was the imprint of the Divine not only in his essence, but also in moral qualities - in wisdom, in goodness, in holy purity, in constancy in goodness.. Evil or defect could have no place in man: in spite of his limitations, he was perfect; despite his limitations, he had a full resemblance to God. The completeness of similarity was necessary in order for a person to satisfy his purpose - the purpose of being a temple of the All-Perfect God. The mind of man was to be the Mind of God (1 Cor. 2:16), his word was to be the Word of God (1 Cor. 7:12; 2 Cor. 13:3), his spirit was to be united with the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 6 , 17), his qualities should be God-like (Matt. 5, 48). The indwelling of God into man is at the same time the closest union of God with man; the man-creature becomes a partaker of the Divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4)! A person who has reached this state is called a god by grace! We are all called to such a state by the Creator at creation, in our forefathers, as the Creator Himself proclaimed: “Az rech: bozi este” (Ps. 81, 6). Our forefather was in such a state immediately after his creation, so that the words spoken by him about his wife, the Savior of the world directly called the Words of God (Gen. 2, 24; Matt. 19, 4, 5).

…God, being life, self-life, shed life from himself into everything living and existing. The life of the world is a reflection in it of self-life - God. And the spirits, and man, and all other creatures came out of the hands of the Creator perfect, perfect in relation to their limited nature, full of whole good, without the slightest admixture of evil. Goodness in creatures, corresponding to their nature, was a reflection of the infinite goodness of the infinite Creator. The limited perfection of creatures was a reflection of the all-perfect perfection, which is the property of the single Creator. Spirits and man have become among the creatures the nearest and clearest reflection of God. In their very being the Creator has inscribed His image; He adorned this image with qualities similar to those qualities that in their infinity and totality constitute the essence of God. God is goodness: He also made rational creatures good. God is wisdom: He also made intelligent creatures wise. In a decisive shade of likeness, He bestowed His Holy Spirit on rational creatures, - by this He united their spirit, their whole being with Himself.

Divine truth appeared to mankind in Divine mercy, and commanded us to become like God in perfect mercy (Matt. 5:48), not in any other virtue.

Mercy condemns no one, loves enemies, lays down the soul for friends, makes a person God-like. This state is again bliss (Matthew 5:7).

A heart embraced by mercy cannot have any thought of evil; all his thoughts are goodness.

That heart in which only good moves is a pure heart, capable of seeing God. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8).

What does a pure heart mean? asked a great teacher of monastics. He answered: “a heart, in the likeness of the Divine, moved by an immeasurable feeling of mercy towards all creatures (St. Isaac of Syria, Word 48)”.

The peace of God descends into a pure heart, unites hitherto separated mind, soul and body, recreates a person, makes him a descendant of the New Adam.

Rev. Efrem Sirin:

“And God said: let us make man in our image (Gen. 1:26), that is, that he should be powerful if he wants to obey Us. Why are we the image of God? Moses explains this in the following words: "Let him have the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and the cattle, and all the earth" (Genesis 1:26). Therefore, the dominion that man has taken over the earth and over everything that is on it is the image of God, possessing things above and below.”

St. Gregory the Theologian:

“... the artistic Word creates a living being, in which both are brought into unity, that is, invisible and visible nature, creates, I say, a person; and taking a body from already created matter, and putting life from Himself (which is known in the word of God under the name of the soul and image of God), creates, as it were, some kind of second world, great in small things ... "

Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose):

« What is the image of God? Different holy fathers emphasized different aspects of the image of God in man: some mentioned the dominion of man over the lower creation (which is specifically mentioned in the book of Genesis); others are his mind; while others - his freedom. Most clearly sums up the meaning of the image of God is holy. Gregory of Nyssa:

“He does not create human life according to anything else, not only because He is good. And being such, and because of this, striving to create human nature, He showed the power of His goodness not half - giving something of His own but enviously refusing to partake of Himself. On the contrary, the perfect form of goodness consists in bringing a person from non-existence into existence and making him abundant in blessings. And since the detailed list of blessings is large, it is not easy to comprehend it in number. Therefore, the Word in His voice collectively signified all this by saying that man was created in the image of God. This is the same as saying that man was created by nature a participant in every good thing. If God is the fullness of good things, and that one is His image, then the image in this has likeness to the prototype to be filled with every good" (On the constitution of man, ch. 16).

“The first (in the image) - argues St. Gregory of Nyssa- we have according to creation, and the last (according to likeness) we do according to our will.

Rev. John of Damascus:

“God from visible and invisible nature with His hands creates man in His image and likeness. From the earth He formed the body of man, but gave him a rational and thinking soul by His inspiration. This is what we call the image of God, for the expression: "in the image" - indicates the ability of the mind and freedom; while the expression: "in the likeness" - means likeness to God in virtue as far as humanly possible.

So, God created man blameless, upright, loving goodness, free from sorrow and worries, adorned with every virtue, abounding in all good things, as if some second world - small in the great - like a new angel worshiping God - created him mixed from two natures, a contemplator of the visible creation, penetrating the secrets of the mental creation, reigning over what is on earth and subject to the highest power, earthly and heavenly ... created it - which is the limit of the mystery - by virtue of its inherent attraction to God, turning into God through communion with divine illumination, but not passing into the divine essence [ Gregory the Theologian, words 38 and 45].

He created him by nature sinless and free by will.

Saint Maxim the Confessor:

“God, bringing into being a rational and spiritual essence, by His highest goodness told her four Divine properties, through which He holds everything together, protects and saves those who exist: being, ever-being, goodness and wisdom. The first two properties [God] bestowed on the essence, and the other two on the faculties of the will; that is, He gave being and ever-being to essence, and goodness and wisdom to the faculties of the will, so that through communion the creature would become what He Himself is in essence. Therefore, it is said that man was created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). "According to the image" - as the existing [image] of the Existing and as the perpetual [image] of the Eternal: although it is not without beginning, it is infinite. "In the likeness" - as good, [likeness] of the Good and as wise, [likeness] of the Wise, being by grace what [God is] by nature. Every rational being is in the image of God, but only the good and wise are in the likeness of [His].”

Prot. Mikhail Pomazansky:

“What is the image of God in us? The Church teaching only inspires us that man is generally created “in the image,“ but what part of our nature is this image in itself, does not indicate. The Fathers and teachers of the Church answered this differently question: some see it in the mind, others in free will, still others in immortality.If you combine their thoughts, then you get a complete idea of ​​what the image of God is in man, according to the instructions of the holy fathers.

First of all, the image of God must be seen only in the soul, and not in the body. God, by His nature, is the purest Spirit, not clothed in any body and not participating in any materiality. Therefore, the concept of the image of God can only apply to the immaterial soul: this warning is considered necessary by many Church Fathers.

A person bears the image of God in the highest properties of the soul, especially in its immortality, in free will, in reason, in the ability to pure selfless love.

a) The Eternal God endowed man with the immortality of his soul, although the soul is immortal not by its very nature, but by the goodness of God.

b) God is completely free in His actions. And he gave man free will and the ability, within certain limits, to free actions.

c) God is wise. And man is endowed with a mind capable of not being limited only to earthly, animal needs and the visible side of things, but to penetrate into their depth, to know and explain their inner meaning; a mind capable of ascending to the invisible and directing its thought to the very originator of all that exists - to God. The mind of man makes his will conscious and truly free, because he can choose for himself not what his lower nature leads him to, but what corresponds to his highest dignity.

d) God created man in His goodness and has never left and never leaves him with His love. And a person who has received a soul from the inspiration of God strives, as to something, to himself, to his supreme Beginning, to God, seeking and thirsting for union with Him, which is partly indicated by the exalted and upright position of his body and turned upward, towards the sky, his gaze. Thus, the desire and love for God express the image of God in man.

Summarizing, we can say that all the good and noble properties and abilities of the soul are such an expression of the image of God.

Is there a difference between the image and likeness of God? Most of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church answer that there is. They see the image of God in the very nature of the soul, and the likeness - in the moral perfection of man, in virtue and holiness, in the attainment of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, we receive the image of God from God along with being, and we must acquire the likeness ourselves, having received only the opportunity for this from God. To become "in the likeness" depends on our will and is acquired through our corresponding activity.

Prot. Seraphim Slobodskoy:

"St. The Church teaches under the image of God, one must understand the powers of the soul given by God to man: mind, will, feeling; and by the likeness of God one must understand the ability of a person to direct the forces of his soul to become like God- to improve in the pursuit of truth and goodness.

It can be explained in more detail like this:

Image of God: is in the properties and powers of the soul. God is an invisible Spirit Who permeates everything in the world, animates everything, and at the same time He is a Being independent of the world; the human soul, which is present in the whole body and animates the body, although it has a certain dependence on the body, nevertheless remains to exist even after the death of the body. God is eternal; the human soul is immortal. God is wise and omniscient; the human soul has the power to know the present, remember the past, and even sometimes predict the future. God is good (i.e., kind, merciful) - and the human soul is able to love others and sacrifice itself. Almighty God, creator of all things; the human soul has the power and ability to think, create, create, build, etc. But, of course, there is an immeasurable difference between God and the powers of the human soul. The powers of God are unlimited, but the powers of the human soul are very limited. God is an absolutely free Being; and the human soul has free will. Therefore, a person may wish, but may not wish to be the likeness of God, for this depends on the free desire of the person himself, on his free will.

The likeness of God depends on the direction of spiritual abilities. It requires the spiritual work of man on himself. If a person strives for the truth, for the good, for the truth of God, then he becomes the likeness of God. If a person loves only himself, lies, is at enmity, does evil, cares only about earthly goods and thinks only about his body, and does not care about his soul, then such a person ceases to be the likeness of God (i.e., similar to God - His Heavenly Father), but becomes like animals in his life and can finally become like an evil spirit - the devil.

Saint Theophan the Recluse writes about what the image of God is in us:

“In v. 4 on p. 34, Basil the Great solves the questions: “what are we, what is around us?” And he answers: "soul and mind are we." His soul and mind are not like one in the other, but are identical (vol. 5, p. 390). Therefore, that which recognizes itself in us as us, and not as something else, our distinctive, characteristic part, is the soul - the mind. But who ever considered the mind to be a body, or anything material? According to Basil the Great, what is mind? " The mind is, he says, something beautiful, it is what makes us created in the image of God."».

St. Theophan the Recluse writes about the likeness of God:

“You are doing charitable work. Help you Lord. This is the hardest work and the most disturbing, though always accompanied by deep consolation. They say about some kind of paint that it penetrates so deeply and tenaciously into the substance being dyed that it remains forever ... This is how charity stains the soul! It most of all reflects the light of Godlikeness. Help you, Lord!

Abba Dorotheos:

“... when God created man, He instilled virtues in him, as He said: “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness” (Gen. 1, 26). It is said: “in the image”, since God created the soul immortal and autocratic, and “in the likeness” refers to virtue. For the Lord says: “Be merciful, therefore, for even your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36), and in another place: “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). Likewise, the Apostle says: “be kind to one another” (Eph. 4:32). And the psalm says: "The Lord is good to all" (Ps. 144:9), and the like; That's what "like" means.

Archimandrite Anthony (Amphitheaters) talks about the image and likeness of God in the first created man, as about his main perfection and gives the following information about their difference:

“The image and likeness of God, as the main and highest perfection of the primordial man, according to the explanation of the Holy Fathers of the Church, differ from each other in that the image refers to the properties and abilities of the human soul, bestowed on man in creation itself and constituting the essence of his spiritual nature, which are: spirituality , as an image of the most perfect simplicity of the being of God; freedom as an image of the infinite freedom and independence of God; immortality, as an image of God's eternity; reason, as an image of the infinite mind of God; a will capable of loving the good and being holy, as an image of the will of God, which is the highest love and holiness; the gift of the word, as an image of the Hypostatic Word. The likeness of God signifies the state of these abilities and forces given to man in creation - god-like and wholly directed towards God, these are: rightness of mind, integrity and holiness of will, purity of heart, and other virtues and moral perfections, as pointed out by the holy Apostle Paul, when the Ephesians want to “put on the new man, created according to God, in righteousness and holiness of truth” (Eph. 4:24), and that not only belongs to the original man by creation, but also had to depend on his will and activity.

Archpriest Nikolai Malinovsky draws the following conclusion about the image and likeness of God in man:

“So the image of God in man is an innate and constant resemblance to the Prototype in our soul, although it can be obscured under the influence of sin, and the likeness is the task or goal of human life, which can be achieved through active exercise and improvement of the natural properties and abilities of a person according to the commandment Savior "be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).

Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov) says in "Orthodox-Dogmatic Theology":

“Is there a difference between the image and likeness of God in man, or not? The majority of the Fathers and teachers of the Church answered that there is, and said that the image of God is in the very nature of our soul, in its mind, in its freedom; and the likeness is in the proper development and improvement of these forces by man ... "

P. V. Dobroselsky:

“... although both the image and the likeness mean a certain similarity (analogy) with God and include the same abilities of the soul, however, we are talking about different types of this similarity and different aspects of these abilities. The fact is that the mind (the ability to think), the heart (the ability to feel) and the will (the ability to execute decisions) are, in fact, spiritual vectors, that is, they are characterized, on the one hand, by magnitude (development), and on the other, by spiritual orientation.

Thus, the difference between the image and the likeness of God in a person lies in the fact that the image lies in the actual ability of a person to think, feel, fulfill his decisions, as well as in the immortality of the soul, and the likeness lies in the direction of the mind, heart and will to God. … Likeness and image are not interconnected by a one-to-one relationship, any person has the image of God, but not everyone has the likeness of God, but the presence of similarity necessarily implies the presence of an image.

Archimandrite Cyprian (Kern):

“Almost the majority of church writers wanted to see the image of God in rationality (spirituality). Some allowed, along with spirituality or rationality, free will as a sign of the image of God. Others see the image of God in immortality, in the dominant or commanding position of man in the universe. The image of God in man is also understood by the teachers of the Church as holiness, or, more precisely, the ability for moral improvement.

A number of writers of the Church saw the image of God in the ability to create and produce in various areas of spiritual and worldly life. God the Creator imprinted on His creation the god-like ability of creativity.

Priest John Pavlov:

“... what is it - the image and likeness of God in man? Where should I look for them, and is there any difference between them?

Yes, there is a difference between them. According to the holy fathers, the image of God is the Divine gifts given to human nature, which are a reflection of the perfections of our Creator and Creator Himself. For example, God is eternal - and man has an eternal, indestructible existence, God is wise - and man is given reason, God is the King of heaven and earth - and man has royal dignity in the world, God is the Creator - and man has the ability to create. All of these gifts are manifestations of the image of God in man. The image of God is given to all people without exception and is indelible in them. This image can be defiled, smeared with the dirt of sin, but it is impossible to erase it in a person.

What is the likeness of God? Likeness is such God's perfections that are not given to man from birth, but which he must acquire himself. These are qualities that make a person like God, such as love, humility, sacrifice, wisdom, mercy, courage. If the image of God is given to all people, then very rare of them have the likeness of God - those who have labored and fought to acquire it.

Let us explain the difference between the image and likeness of God by the example of the relationship between children and parents. After all, God is our Heavenly Father, and therefore the relationship of a person with God is like the relationship of children with their parents. So, it should be said that children are always the image of their parents, but the likeness is far from always. What is the image of the parents? These are the basic properties of human nature that parents pass on to their children. The son is the image of the father, because he has two arms, two legs, a head, two eyes, two ears, and everything else that the father has. All this is the image of the father. The likeness of the father is not given to the son from birth, but it must be acquired in the process of upbringing and life. By likeness one should understand the positive personal qualities of the father. When the son becomes as kind, wise, generous, brave, generous and pious as his father, then we can say that he became like his father, acquired his likeness. And of course, the son should strive in every possible way to acquire such a positive likeness.

4. Distortion of the image of God by the fall, loss of likeness

Created by God in His image and likeness, man, having fallen, lost his god-likeness and distorted, disfigured the image of God in himself.

Rev. John of Damascus writes that man was created both in the image and likeness of God, full of perfections:

“He created him in His own image - reasonable and free, and in likeness, that is, perfect in the virtues (as much as it is available to human nature). For such perfections as the absence of worries and anxiety, purity, goodness, wisdom, righteousness, freedom from every vice are, as it were, features of the Divine nature.

“God ... created man in His image and likeness ... God created man blameless, right, loving goodness, alien to sorrows and worries, shining with all perfections, abounding in all blessings, as if some kind of second world - in a great small one, like another Angel worshiping God ; created a mixed of two natures, a contemplative of the visible creature, a secret of the creature, comprehended by the mind, the king of everything that is on earth, subordinate to the Supreme King, earthly and heavenly ... "

Rev. Macarius the Great writes about the spiritual perfection of the created man, who possessed the likeness of God, which he lost due to the fall:

"The man was in honor and purity, was the lord of everything, starting from heaven, knew how to distinguish between passions, was alien to demons, pure from sin or vice - God was likeness".

“Look, beloved, into the intelligent essence of the soul; and don't go too far. The immortal soul is a precious vessel. See how great heaven and earth are, and God did not favor them, but only you. Look at your dignity and nobility, because he did not send angels, but the Lord himself came as an intercessor for you, to call on the lost, wounded, to return to you the original image of pure Adam. Man was the master of everything, from heaven to earth, knew how to distinguish between passions, was alien to demons, pure from sin or vices, was the likeness of God, but died for a crime, became ulcerated and dead. Satan has darkened his mind."

“For the soul is not of God’s nature and not of the nature of evil darkness, but is a clever creature, full of beauty, great and wonderful, a beautiful likeness and image of God, and the deceit of dark passions entered into it as a result of a crime.”

Saint Gregory of Nyssa also believes that man was originally created both in the image and in the likeness of God ... the likeness, as well as the image, according to the Nyssa Hierarch, was originally bestowed on a person created in the fullness of holiness and perfection, that is, sanctified from the beginning. Moreover, both the image and the likeness - as qualities of human nature - already belonged to our nature during creation.

The created man, as St. Gregory of Nyssa writes, "was the image and likeness ... of the Power that reigns over all that exists."

St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) writes that man was created in the image and likeness of God, possessed a host of virtues and the perfection of godlikeness, but because of the fall he lost his godlikeness and distorted the image of God:

“It is obvious that the image and likeness, conjugated together, constitute the completeness of the similarity; on the contrary, the loss or distortion of the likeness violates the whole dignity of the image. God created man in His own image and likeness: therefore, He created him in His perfect image. Man was the imprint of the Divine not only in his essence, but also in moral qualities - in wisdom, in goodness, in holy purity, in constancy in goodness. Evil or defect could have no place in man: in spite of his limitations, he was perfect; despite his limitations, he had a full resemblance to God. The completeness of similarity was necessary in order for a person to satisfy his purpose - the purpose of being a temple of the All-Perfect God. The mind of man was to be the Mind of God (1 Cor. 2:16), his word was to be the Word of God (1 Cor. 7:12; 2 Cor. 13:3), his spirit was to be united with the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 6 , 17), his qualities should be God-like (Matt. 5, 48). The indwelling of God into man is at the same time the closest union of God with man; the man-creature becomes a partaker of the Divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4)! A person who has reached this state is called a god by grace! We are all called to such a state by the Creator at creation, in our forefathers, as the Creator Himself proclaimed: “Az rech: bozi este” (Ps. 81, 6). Our forefather was in such a state immediately after his creation, so that the words spoken by him about his wife, the Savior of the world directly called the Words of God (Gen. 2, 24; Matt. 19, 4, 5).

... The repetition of the breath of the incarnated God during the re-creation of man explains the breath of God during the creation of the human soul. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, having completed our redemption and preparing mankind for the reception of the Holy Spirit, stood among His disciples after His Resurrection, “breathed” and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20, 22), which soon descended on them with a noise from heaven, as if from a rushing strong breath of the wind (Acts 2, 2). This second breath explains and indicates that at the first breath there was a descent of the Holy Spirit. Divine Grace poured out abundantly on the soul of the primordial at its very creation; the soul of the primordial was predominantly alive, as moved, enlightened and controlled by the Holy Spirit. This is convincingly proved by the very events that followed the creation of the first man. St. Macarius the Great says: “As the Spirit acted in the Prophets and taught them and was inside them, and appeared outside them: so in Adam’s reasoning, he was always with him and taught him ... All of him was the Word, and as long as he remained keep the commandment, you were a friend to God."

... The Lord brought before Adam all the beasts and cattle of the earth, all the birds of the air: a man, penetrating the properties of each animal through the action of the Holy Spirit, gave them names (Gen. 2, 19). Saint Macarius the Great says: “As long as the Word of God was with him (Adam) and (he) kept the commandment, he had everything. For the Word itself was his inheritance, it was clothing and glory that covered him, and was his instruction. name them all: this he called the sky, the other the sun, this the moon, the other the earth, this the bird, the other the beast, and the other the tree. , name it." It is difficult in our state of fall to get a clear idea of ​​the state of perfection in which our forefathers were created, in soul and body. It is impossible for us to conclude about their holy body and holy soul by our soul and body, stricken and killed by sinful death. They began to exist blameless and holy; we begin to exist defiled and sinful. They were immortal in soul and body; we are born mortified in soul, with the seed of death in the body, which must sooner or later, but certainly bear its fruit - the death of the body that we see. They were in unceasing peace with themselves, with everything that surrounded them, in unceasing spiritual pleasure, in contemplation of the graces of the universe, in contemplation of God, in vision of God; we are agitated and torn apart by various sinful passions, shaking and tormenting both soul and body, we constantly struggle with ourselves and with everything that surrounds us, we suffer and suffer or find pleasure in the pleasures of cattle and animals; everything around us is in the most terrible confusion, in unceasing and for the most part in vain labor, in plinth-making and pharaoh's slavery. In a word, we are fallen and lost from our very birth, they were holy and blessed from their very creation. All the conditions of our existence and the original existence of our forefathers are far, far different.

... The Holy Fathers teach us that the soul has three powers: the power of speech, the power of desire, or will, and the power of courage, calling this last the power of rage; in common usage we call it character, energy, fortitude, courage, firmness. In the power of literature, the image of the Trinitarian Deity is predominantly printed. "What is the image of God, if not the mind?" - says St. John of Damascus (Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, book 3, ch. 18). The human mind incessantly generates in and out of itself a thought, or an inner word that is inseparable and inseparable from thought, cannot be without it, and constitutes a manifestation of verbal power separate from it, as if its separate face, since thought again constitutes a separate manifestation of this the same strength, its other face, being at the same time inseparable from the mind. Mind is invisible and incomprehensible in itself; appears and opens in his thought; Thought, in order to be revealed in the land of matter, must be embodied, so to speak, in sounds and signs. The third manifestation, or face of the same power, is seen in our spirit, which is the verbal or intellectual feeling of the heart, proceeding from and depending on the mind, contributing to and conforming to thought. In this verbal feeling, the Creator placed the consciousness of good and evil, which is called conscience. The government of man belongs to verbal power, which, in an immaculate state, acted in accordance with the power of the will and the power of courage or firmness. The will aspired to God; the strength of firmness kept man constantly in his right striving; by the power of the word man was in uninterrupted union with God. The thought floated, as a famous ascetic put it, in the Word of God, in the All-Holy Truth, and the Spirit of God, as the Spirit of the Word of God and the Spirit of Truth, rested on the human spirit; the mind of man was the mind of God, just as the Apostle Paul said: “We are the minds of Christ, imams” (1 Cor. 2:16). The whole man was in wonderful harmony with himself; his forces were not scattered in their action; they fell apart after our fall. As they fell, they began to fight and bicker among themselves. Our very spirit has become a detractor of its origin - the mind, subjected to clouding, struggles with thoughts, leads them to heterogeneity and inconsistency, and itself is carried away by deluded thoughts. Praying and complaining about our many shortcomings, we pray for deliverance from the evil conscience.

... The great plague is the death of the soul; irreparable is the decrepitude that occurred after the loss of the Divine likeness! The Apostle calls the great plague “the law of sin, the body of death” (Rom. 7:23, 24), because the mortified mind and heart have completely turned to the earth, slavishly serve the corruptible desires of the flesh, have become darkened, weighed down, have themselves become flesh. This flesh is no longer capable of fellowship with God! (Gen. 6:3). This flesh is not capable of inheriting eternal, heavenly bliss! (1 Cor. 15:50). A great plague has spread over the entire human race, has become the property of the ill-fated of every person.

... But the essential execution of the fallen man consisted in spiritual death, which struck him immediately after the transgression of the commandment. Then man lost the Holy Spirit that dwelt in him, which constituted, as it were, the soul of the whole human being, and was left to his own nature, infected with sin and entered into communion with the nature of demons. From the subjection of death and sin, the constituent parts of a person became separated, began to act one against the other: the body resists the soul; the soul is in a struggle with itself; her powers bicker; the person is in complete disorder. The force of desire turned painfully into a sensation of insatiable lusts; the strength of courage and energy turned into various types of anger, from frenzied rage to refined memory of malice; the power of literature, estranged from God, has lost the ability to control the power of will and the power of energy and to direct them correctly. This is not enough: the soul itself is enslaved to sin, it brings unceasing sacrifices to it by deceit, hypocrisy, lies, self-conceit; it struggles and bickers within itself, with itself, agitating the whole being of a person with various wrong and unbridled thoughts, arousing the most painful sensations, vainly convicted by the consciousness of the spirit or conscience, devoid of both strength and truth. The image and likeness of God in man changed after his fall. The similarity, which consisted in the complete alienation of evil from the qualities of a person, the knowledge of evil and the communication of it to these qualities, was destroyed; when the likeness was destroyed, the image was distorted, made obscene, but not completely destroyed. “Yes, ubo, says St. Dimitry of Rostov, as if the image of God is in an unfaithful person’s soul, but the likeness is only in a virtuous Christian: and when a Christian sins mortally, then only the likeness of God is deprived, and not of the image: and even in torment eternal condemnation, the image of God is the same in it forever, but the likeness can no longer be. And the Church sings: "I am the image of Thy inexpressible glory, if I bear the plagues of sins, but even to the likeness raise up with ancient kindness to be imaginary."

Rev. Justin (Popovich):

“With the transfer of ancestral sinfulness to all the descendants of Adam by birth, all of them at the same time are transferred to all the consequences that befell our first parents after the fall; disfigurement of the image of God, clouding of the mind, corruption of the will, defilement of the heart, sickness, suffering and death.

All people, being the descendants of Adam, inherit from Adam the godlikeness of the soul, but the godlikeness darkened and disfigured by sinfulness. The whole human soul is generally saturated with ancestral sinfulness. “The crafty prince of darkness,” says Saint Macarius the Great, “even at the beginning enslaved a person and clothed his whole soul with sin, defiled her whole being and all of her, enslaved her all, did not leave in her free from his power not a single part of her, not a thought , neither mind nor body. The whole soul suffered from the passion of vice and sin, for the evil one clothed the whole soul in his evil, that is, in sin. But although the image of God, which is the integrity of the soul, is mutilated and darkened in people, it is still not destroyed in them, because with its destruction that which makes a person a man would be destroyed, which means that a person would be destroyed as such. The image of God continues to be the main treasure in people (Gen. 9, 6) and partially manifests its main features (Gen. 9, 1-2), the Lord Jesus Christ did not come into the world in order to re-create the image of God in fallen man , and in order to renew it - "Yes, His packs will renew the image, decayed by passions"; May it renew "our nature corrupted by sins." And in sins, a person nevertheless reveals the image of God (1 Cor. 11, 7): “I am the inexpressible image of Your glory, if I also bear the plague of sins.”

St. Theophan the Recluse:

“Since man was created in the image of God, his main need, and behind it aspiration, should be the thirst for God and Divine things. “What do we have in heaven, and what do I desire from you on earth, O God of my heart, and my portion, O God, forever” (Ps. 72:25).

In a person, in an innocent state, there was this rightness in the heart or will, but through a fall, a transformation had to take place in him and really happened. Where did his will go? As can be seen from the circumstances of the fall - to himself. Instead of God, man loved himself with infinite love, set himself as an exclusive end, and everything else as a means.

5. Ways to achieve the likeness of God

Rev. Justin (Popovich) indicates the way to restore the god-likeness of a person:

The New Testament economy of salvation just provides fallen man with all the means so that, with the help of grace-filled ascetic labors, he transforms himself, renews the image of God in himself (2 Cor. 3:18) and becomes Christlike (Rom. 8:29; Col. 3:10). ).

Saint Basil the Great instructs that the likeness of God is achieved by a person in Christianity:

“... “in the image” I have the existence of a rational being, “in the likeness” I become, becoming a Christian”:

““And God created man; created him in the image of God.” Have you noticed that this testimony is incomplete? “Let us make man in Our image and likeness.” This declaration of will contains two elements: “in the image” and “in the likeness”. But creation contains only one element. Having decided one thing, did the Lord change His plan? Did He develop repentance in the course of creation? Isn't this the weakness of the Creator, since He plans one thing and does another? - Or is it nonsense? Perhaps this is the same as: “Let us create man in the image and likeness”; for here He said "in the image," but He did not say "in the likeness." Whatever explanation we choose, our interpretation of what is written would be wrong. If we are talking about the same thing, then it would not be worth repeating the same thing twice. To claim that there are empty words in Scripture is dangerous blasphemy. Indeed, (Scripture) never says (anything) empty. So, it is undeniable that man is created in the image and likeness. Why is it not said: "And God created man in the image of God and after the likeness." What then, the Creator is powerless? - Wicked thought! Well, the Organizer repented? The reasoning is even more unholy! Or did he first say and then change his mind? - Not! Scripture doesn't say that; The Creator is not powerless and the decision was not empty. So what's the point of default? "Let us make man in our image and after our likeness." One we have as a result of creation, the other we acquire by our own will. At the original creation, we are granted to be born in the image of God; by our own will we acquire being in the likeness of God. That which depends on our will, we dispose of in full force; we get it for ourselves thanks to our energy. If the Lord, when creating us, had not predestinedly said: “Let us make” and “in the likeness”, if we had not been given the opportunity to become “in the likeness”, then by our own strength we would not have acquired the likeness of God. But the fact of the matter is that He made us capable of becoming like God. Having endowed us with the ability to become like God, He left us to be laborers in likeness to God, so that we would receive a reward for (this) work, so that we would not be inert things, like portraits created by the hand of an artist, so that the fruits of our likeness would not bring praise to someone to another. In fact, when you see a portrait that accurately conveys the model, you do not praise the portrait, but admire the artist. So that the admiration should be for me and not for anyone else, He left it to me to take care of achieving the likeness of God. After all, “in the image” I have the existence of a rational being, “in the likeness” I become, becoming a Christian. “Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Now I understand what the Lord gives us (being) in the likeness? "For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." If you become an enemy of evil, forget past grievances and enmity, if you love your brothers and sympathize with them, then you will become like God. If you forgive your enemy with all your heart, you will become like God. If you treat your brother who has sinned against you in the same way that God treats you, a sinner, you become like God with your compassion for your neighbor. Thus, you possess that “in the image”, being a rational being, “in the likeness”, you become, acquiring goodness. “Put on mercy and goodness, that you may put on Christ.” By the deeds with which you put on mercy, you put on Christ and, thanks to closeness to Him, become close to God. Thus, history (creation) is the education of human life. "Let us make man in the image." Let him from the moment of creation own that which is "in the image," and let (himself) become that which is "according to the likeness." God gave him the strength to do so. If He created you “in the likeness,” then what would be your merit? What are you crowned for? If the Creator would grant you everything, how would the Kingdom of Heaven be revealed to you? And so one thing is given to you, and the other is left unfinished, so that you improve and become worthy of the reward that comes from God.

How, then, do we achieve that which is “according to the likeness”?

Through the gospel.

What is Christianity?

This is likeness to God to the extent that it is possible for human nature. If by the grace of God you have decided to be a Christian, hurry to become like God, put on Christ. But how can you put on without being sealed? How will you put on if you are not baptized? Without putting on the garment of incorruption? Or do you refuse the likeness of God? If I told you: “Come on, become like a king,” would you not consider me a benefactor? Now, when I invite you to become like God, will you really run away from the word that adores you, will you stop your ears so as not to hear saving words?

St. Gregory of Nyssa:

“How are we made - “in the likeness”? Through the gospel. What is Christianity? Likeness to God, as far as possible for human nature. If you have decided to be a Christian, then try to become like God, put on Christ.”

Saint Maxim the Confessor He speaks:

“In the image of God there is every rational being, in the likeness of the same - only good and wise.”

Rev. Macarius the Great speaks of achieving godlikeness through the acquisition and assistance of the Holy Spirit:

“The Lord wants all people to be honored with this birth; because he died for all and called all to life. And life is a birth from God from above. For without this birth it is impossible for the soul to live, as the Lord says: "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). And therefore, all those who believed in the Lord, and having approached, were honored with this birth, they bring joy and great joy in heaven to their parents who gave birth to them. All Angels and holy Forces rejoice in the soul, born of the Spirit and made spirit. For this body is the likeness of the soul, and the soul is the image of the Spirit; and just as the body without the soul is dead and cannot do anything, so without the heavenly soul, without the Spirit of God, the soul is dead for the kingdom, and without the Spirit it cannot do what God does.”

St. John Chrysostom:

“Let us make,” says God, “man in Our image, in Our likeness.” Just as He called the image of dominion “image”, so “likeness” is that we, as much as possible to man, become like God in meekness, humility and virtue in general, according to the word of Christ: “You will be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5, 45) . Just as on this vast and spacious earth some animals are more meek, others more ferocious, so in your soul some thoughts are unreasonable and bestial, others are bestial and wild; they must be conquered, overcome and subjugated by the power of reason. But how, you say, is it possible to overcome a brutal thought? What are you saying man? We defeat lions and pacify their souls, but you doubt whether it is possible for you to change a brutal thought to a meek one? Meanwhile, in the beast, ferocity is by nature, and meekness is against nature; but in you, on the contrary, meekness is by nature, and brutality and ferocity are against nature. Are you, then, who destroys in the beast what is in him by nature, and communicates to him what is against nature, are you not able to keep what is in you by nature? What condemnation deserves this! But what is even more surprising and strange: in the nature of lions there are, besides this, other inconvenient properties. These beasts have no mind, and yet we often see gentle lions being led through the squares. And many of those who sit in the shops give the owner (the lion) money as a reward for the skill and skill with which he tamed the beast. And in your soul there is both reason, and the fear of God, and various aids: so do not present excuses and excuses. You may, if you wish, be meek, quiet, and submissive.”

Abba Dorotheos:

“But God created man with His own hands and adorned him, and arranged everything else to serve him and calm him, who was appointed king over all this; and gave him the sweetness of paradise for enjoyment, and what is even more amazing, when a person was deprived of all this through his sin, God again called him by the blood of His Only Begotten Son. Man is the most precious acquisition, as the Saint said, and not only the most precious, but also the most proper to God, for He said: “Let us make man in Our image and likeness.” And again: “God created man, in the image of God create him… and I will blow into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7). And our Lord Himself came to us, took on the form of a man, a human body and soul, and, in a word, in everything except sin, became a man, so to speak, assimilating this person to Himself and making him His own. So, well and decently said the Saint, that "man is the most precious acquisition." Then, speaking even more clearly, he adds: "Let us render to the Image what was created in the image." How is it? -Let us learn this from the Apostle, who says: “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit” (2 Cor. 7:1). Let us make our image pure, as we received it, wash it from the filth of sin, so that its beauty, which comes from virtues, will be revealed. David also prayed about this beauty, saying: “Lord, by Your will give strength to my goodness” (Ps. 29, 8).

So, let us purify in ourselves the image of God, for God requires it from us in the same way that He gave it: having neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor anything of the kind (Eph. 5:27). Let us render to the Image what was created in the image; let us remember in whose image we are created, let us not forget the great blessings bestowed upon us by God solely by His goodness, and not by our dignity; Let us understand that we are created in the image of God who created us. "Honor the Prototype". Let us not offend the image of God in which we are created. Who, wanting to paint an image of the king, dares to use bad paint on it? Will he not dishonor the king and be punished? On the contrary, he uses for this expensive and brilliant colors, worthy of the royal image; sometimes he applies gold itself to the image of the king, and tries to present all the royal clothes, if possible, in the image in such a way that, seeing the image, embracing all the distinguishing features of the king, they think that they are looking at the king himself, at the very original, for the image is majestic and gracefully. So we, who were created in the image of God, will not dishonor our Archetype, but will make our image pure and glorious, worthy of the Archetype. For if the one who dishonors the image of the king, visible and servile to us, is punished, then what should we suffer, neglecting the Divine image in ourselves and returning, as the Saint said, the image to the unclean?

"So, let us honor the Archetype, let us understand the power of the sacrament and that for whom Christ died." The power of the sacrament of Christ's death is this: since we lost the image of God in ourselves through sin and therefore became dead through our fall and sins, as the Apostle says (Eph. 2:1), then God, who created us in His image, had mercy on His creation and His Thus, for our sake, he became a man and raised death for all, so that we, the mortified, could be raised to the life that we lost for our disobedience, for He ascended the Holy Cross and crucified sin, for which we were expelled from paradise, and “captured captivity ", as the Scripture says (Ps. 67:19; Eph. 4:8). What does it mean: "captured captivity"? - The fact that, according to the crime of Adam, the enemy captured us and held us in his power, so that the human souls, which then proceeded from the body, went to hell, for paradise was concluded. When Christ ascended to the height of the holy and life-giving Cross, He delivered us with His blood from captivity, by which the enemy captured us for a crime, that is, again snatched us from the hand of the enemy and, so to speak, captured us back, defeating and deposing the captive us, which is why the Scripture says that He “brought captive into captivity.” Such is the power of the sacrament; For this purpose Christ died for us, so that, as the Holy One said, we might be brought to life after we were mortified.

And so, we have been delivered from hell by the love of Christ, and it is up to us to go to heaven, for the enemy no longer rapes us, as before, and does not keep us in slavery; only let us take care of ourselves, brethren, and keep ourselves from real sin. For I have told you many times before that every sin committed in deed again enslaves us to the enemy, inasmuch as we ourselves voluntarily depose ourselves and enslave him. Is it not a shame, and is it not a great calamity if, after Christ has delivered us from hell with His blood, and after we hear all this, we go again and cast ourselves into hell? Are we not worthy in such a case of even the strongest and most cruel torment? May God, who loves mankind, have mercy on us and give us attention, so that we can understand all this and help ourselves, in order to gain us at least a small mercy.

St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov):

“… Beloved brother! guard your conscience with all possible attention and diligence.

Keep a conscience in relation to God: fulfill all the commands of God, both visible to everyone and invisible to anyone, visible and known only to God and your conscience.

Keep a conscience in relation to your neighbor: do not be content with one plausibility of your behavior towards your neighbor! seek from yourself that your very conscience be satisfied with this behavior. She will then be satisfied when not only deeds, but also your heart will be placed in relation to your neighbor, commanded by the Gospel.

Keep a conscience to things, avoiding excesses, luxury, neglect, remembering that all the things that you use are God's creations, God's gifts to man.

Keep a conscience to yourself. Do not forget that you are the image and likeness of God, that you are obliged to present this image, in purity and holiness, to God Himself.

“Prepare yourself for confession and Holy Communion with tears! Wash, soften, enliven the heart field with them; clarify the Divine image with them, renew the likeness, darkened and disfigured by wrong features and dirty colors. He who accepted the tears of a harlot and loosened her sinful bonds, will also loosen your shackles. He who sheds His sacred tears for Jerusalem, who stubbornly rejected the salvation that came down to her from God, and blindly strove for destruction, will rejoice in your tears, which you shed, desiring to acquire salvation. Shedding His holy tears at the news of the death of His friend Lazarus, resurrecting Lazarus, a dead man four days old and already stinking, will graciously look at your tears, resurrect your soul from sinful death, even if it was tied around all members with funeral robes, even if it already stinks from deep-rooted long-term sinful habits, at least a heavy stone of bitterness and insensitivity was nailed to the entrance to the heart. He will command to roll away the stone, to resolve your thoughts and feelings bound by death, so that you march towards spiritual prosperity and dispassion [Ps. L, 19].

Rev. John of Damascus:

“But after we darkened and distorted the features of the image of God in us through the transgression of the commandment, then we, having become evil, lost communion with God, for what communion of light with darkness (2 Cor. 6, 14), and, being outside of life , succumbed to the decay of death. But since the Son of God has given us the best, and we have preserved it, He accepts (now) the worst - I mean, our nature, in order to renew the image and likeness through Himself and in Himself, and also to teach us a virtuous life, making it easily accessible to us through Himself, free us from corruption by the fellowship of life, becoming the firstfruits of our resurrection, renew the vessel that has become useless and broken, in order to deliver us from the tyranny of the devil, calling us to the knowledge of God, to strengthen and teach us to overcome the tyrant with patience and humility.

So the service to the demons ceased; the creature is sanctified by divine blood; altars and temples of idols are destroyed; theology was planted; the Trinity is revered consubstantially, the uncreated Deity, the one true God, the Creator of everything and the Lord; virtues govern; through the resurrection of Christ, the hope of resurrection is given, demons tremble before the people who were once under their power, and, which is especially worthy of surprise, all this is done through the cross, suffering and death. The gospel of theology has been preached all over the earth, putting the opponents to flight not by war, not by weapons and troops, but a few unarmed, poor and unlearned, persecuted, tormented, slain, preaching the Crucified in the flesh and the Dead, defeated the wise and strong, for they were accompanied by the almighty the power of the Crucified. Death, once very terrible, is defeated and, once terrifying and hated, is now preferred to life. These are the fruits of the coming of Christ. Here is the proof of His power! For [here] not as [once] through Moses He saved one people from Egypt and from the slavery of Pharaoh, dividing the sea, but, much more than that, he delivered all mankind from the corruption of death, the cruel tyrant of sin, without forcibly leading to virtue, not opening up the earth, not scorching with fire, not commanding the stoning of sinners, but by meekness and long-suffering persuading people to choose virtue, for it to struggle in labor and find delight in it. For once sinners were punished and, despite this, nevertheless clung to sin, and sin was for them like a god, but now people, for the sake of piety and virtue, prefer reproach, torment and death.

O Christ, God's Word and wisdom and power, God Almighty! How shall we, the poor, repay You for all this? For everything is Yours, and You do not require anything from us except our salvation, You Yourself granting it too, and, according to Your inexpressible goodness, showing favor to those who receive it (salvation). Thanks be to Thee, Who gave birth, bestowed bliss, and, by His inexpressible condescension, returned to it (bliss) those who fell away from it.

Priest John Pavlov:

“We carry the image of God in ourselves from birth, but the likeness we must acquire, acquire! From birth, this likeness is not given to us. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, had both an image and a likeness. However, through original sin they lost the likeness of God. The image was preserved in them, but the likeness was lost. Therefore, all their offspring, that is, the entire human race, does not have this likeness. The likeness of God all people must certainly try to acquire for themselves.

Without the likeness of God, communion with God is impossible. In order to approach God and unite with Him, one must certainly become like Him, for it is known that like is known only by like. It is no coincidence that we call saints and righteous people reverend. Rev. Sergius of Radonezh, Rev. Ambrose of Optina, Rev. Mary of Egypt... Rev. - these are people who, by the feat of Christian life, restored in themselves the likeness of God lost by Adam and therefore proved worthy to approach God, unite with Him, have communion with Him.

All of us, brothers and sisters, are called to such communion with God. But in order for it to become possible, each of us must certainly restore in ourselves the likeness of God. Signs of this similarity are indicated to us in the Gospel. This is love for enemies, humility, mercy, purity and all other commandments of Christ. Those who keep these commandments restore in themselves the likeness of God lost by the human race and become true children of God, kindred in spirit to their Heavenly Father. They enter into the heavenly family of God, and all the holy celestials who please God become their brothers and sisters. Let us labor, brothers and sisters, to enter into this heavenly family, so that we too may be vouchsafed their Grace, their kinship with God, their enduring heavenly glory. Amen".

6. The image of God should be sought in the soul, and not in the human body. It has nothing to do with the division into husband and wife.

St. John Chrysostom:

“Let us make,” he says, “man in our image, in our likeness.” But here again other heretics rise up, distorting the Dogmas of the Church, and say: “Behold, He says: according to our pattern,” and as a result they want to call God humanoid. But it would be extremely insane to bring down the One Who has neither image nor form, and Who is unchangeable into a human image, and give features and limbs (bodily) to the incorporeal.

… Having said: let us make man in our image and after our likeness, (God) did not stop there, but in the following words he explained to us in what sense he used the word image. What does he say? “And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So, He sets up the image in dominion, and not in anything else. And in fact, God created man as the ruler of everything that exists on earth, and there is nothing on earth above him, but everything is under his dominion.

But if, even after such a disclosure of words, those who love to argue will say that the image of the external appearance is understood, we will say to them: so (God) means that he is not only like a husband, but also like a wife, because both have the same image? But that would be ridiculous."

St. Basil the Great:

“Let us make man in our image and likeness.” We are created in the image of God. How exactly in the image of God? Let us purify our coarse heart, ill-mannered perception, discard ignorant ideas about God. If we are created in the image of God, as it is said, then our structure (συμμορφος) is the same. God has eyes and ears, a head, hands, a sitting part - after all, it is said in the Scripture that God sits - also the legs on which He walks. Isn't God like that? But remove from the heart obscene inventions (representations). Throw away thoughts that do not correspond to the greatness of God. God has no outlines (ασχηματιστος), He is simple (απλους). Do not fantasize about His building; do not underestimate, in the Jewish manner, the One who is great; do not lock God into your bodily representations; do not limit Him by the measure of your mind. He is unlimited in His power. Think of something great, add to it more than what you thought, and to this something even greater, and make sure that in your reasoning (philosophy) you will never reach that which is infinite. Don't try to imagine. His external outlines (αχημα) - God is known in power, His nature is simple, greatness is immeasurable. He is present everywhere and over all; He is intangible, invisible. He is that which eludes the perception of your mind; It is not limited by size, does not have (lit.: not covered) external outlines, is not commensurate with any force, is not bound by time, is not enclosed in any boundaries. What is applicable to us does not apply to God.

In what sense, then, does Scripture say that we are created in the image of God?

Let us examine what concerns God, and we will know what concerns us, namely, that we do not have the image of God, if we understand it in the bodily sense. External outlines are (only) in a body subject to death. The immortal cannot be contained in the mortal, and the mortal cannot be the image of the immortal. The body grows, shrinks, ages, changes; it is one in youth, the other in old age; one in good health, the other in sickness; one in fear, the other in joy; one in contentment, the other in need; one in peace, the other in battle. …

“Let us make man in Our image and after our likeness, and let him have dominion over the fish.” Body or mind? What is the basis of power: in the soul or in the flesh? Our flesh is weaker than that of many animals. What comparison can there be in the flesh between a man and a camel, a man and a bull, a man and some wild beast? Human flesh is more vulnerable than animal flesh.

But what is the basis of power? In the superiority of reason. As far as (man) is inferior in bodily strength, so much superior in the structure of the mind. With what help does a person move huge weights? With the help of the mind or physical strength?

"Let us make man in our image." Of the inner man it is said, "Let us make a man." However, you will say, “Why doesn’t He tell us about the mind?” He said that man is (created) in the image of God. Mind is a person. Listen to what the apostle says: “If our outer man smolders, then our inner one is renewed from day to day.” In what way? I distinguish between two people: one who appears, and the other who hides under the appeared, i.e. invisible; this is the inner man. So, we have an inner man in us, and we are in a sense double and, to tell the truth, we are an inner being. “I” refers to the inner man. What is outside (me) is not personally "I", but it is "mine". The hand is not "I", but "I" is the rational beginning of the soul. The hand is part of a person. Therefore, the body is (as it were) an instrument of man, an instrument of the soul; the word "man" denotes the soul as such.

“Let us create man in Our image”, i.e. Let's give him the upper hand.

"And let him rule." It is not said: “Let us create a man in Our image, and let them (people) show their passion, desire, sorrow.” Passions are not contained in the image of God, but reason, the lord of passions.

... The main thing that is intended for you is the power of power. You are a human being, a being that rules. Why are you enslaved by passions? Why do you neglect your dignity and become a slave to sin? Why are you turning yourself into the property of the devil? You are called to be the lord of creation, but you reject the nobility of your nature.

… Therefore, “Let us make a man, and let them rule” (mean): where the power of power is, there is the image of God.

... "And God created man in his own image." “A person,” says the wife, “but what does that have to do with me? The husband was created, - she continues, - after all, God did not say: “She who is a man”, but by the definition of “man”, He showed that we are talking about a male being. - Far from it! So that no one unknowingly thinks that the definition of "man" refers only to the male sex, (Scripture) adds: "male and female he created them." The wife, along with the husband, has the honor of being created in the image of God. The nature of both is equal, their virtues are equal, rewards are equal, and retribution is the same. Let (a woman) not say: "I am powerless." Powerlessness is inherent in the flesh, but strength is in the soul. Since the image of God is, of course, equally honored in them, let the virtues of both of them and the manifestation of good deeds be equally honored. There is no excuse for anyone who pleads bodily weakness. But is the body really that weak? On the contrary, with compassion, it shows endurance in deprivation, vigor in insomnia. How can the masculine nature compete with the feminine, leading a life of deprivation? How can a man imitate a woman's endurance during fasting, her perseverance in prayer, her abundance of tears, her diligence in good deeds?

A virtuous woman has that which is “in the image.” Pay no attention to the outer man: it is only an appearance. The soul is, as it were, under the cover of a weak body. It's all about the soul, and the soul is equal; the difference is only in the cover.

Jerome. Seraphim (Rose):

“In the very passage from the book of Genesis, which describes the creation of man, it is said that God “made them male and female.” In that case, isn't this difference part of the image of God?

holy Gregory of Nyssa explains that Scripture here refers to the dual creation of man:

"Something else happened in the image, and something else is now disastrous. "Make God," says, "man, in the image of God, make him." The creation of the created in the image comes to an end. make them a wife." I think everyone can see that this is understood outside the prototype: "O Christ Jesus," as the Apostle says, "there is neither male nor female" (Gal. 3:28). But the Word says that man is divided into male and female. Consequently, the constitution of our nature is somehow dual: one in it is likened to the Divine, and the other is separated by this difference. For something like this is hinted at by the Word in the order of the written, first saying: "God create man, in the image of God create him." , then he adds to what has been said: "Make them male and female", which is different from what is known about God. Therefore, I think that in what is spoken by Divine Scripture some great and exalted teaching is taught. And this teaching is such. Human nature is the middle between two extremes and, separated from each other, by divine and incorporeal nature and wordless and bestial life ... Indeed, in the human composition, one can see both of the above: from the divine - verbal and intelligible, which does not allow separation into male and female, but from the wordless - bodily disposition and disposition, divided into male and female. After all, both of these are necessarily present in everything that participates in human life. But, as we learned from the one who told in order about the origin of man, the smart takes precedence in him, and with him communication and affinity with the dumb are born to man ...

He who brought everything into being and, by His own will, formed the whole person in His image ... He foresaw by visual power that, according to his will, she (i.e. human nature - approx. Per.) will not go straight to the beautiful and therefore falls away from the angelic life; then, so that the multitude of human souls would not be reduced by the loss of the way in which angels multiply to a multitude, He arranges in nature such a method of reproduction, which corresponds to that which has crawled into sin, instead of angelic nobility, having planted in humanity the bestial and wordless way of mutual succession "(On the organization of man , ch.16, 17) *.

[* That is, the entire sexual function (in man) is seen as taken from animal creation. This was not intended to be the case in the first place.]

So, the image of God, which, as St. Fathers, to be sought in the soul and not in the body of man, has nothing to do with the division into husband and wife. In God's idea of ​​man, one might say - man as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven - there is no distinction between husband and wife; but God, knowing in advance that man would fall, arranged this distinction, which is an inseparable part of his earthly existence. However, the reality of sexual life did not appear until the fall of man. Commenting on the passage of Genesis: "Adam knew Eve his wife, and conceived gave birth to Cain" (Gen. 4, 1) - what happened after the fall - St. John Chrysostom says:

“After disobedience, after expulsion from paradise, then married life begins. Before disobedience, the first people lived like angels, and there was no question of cohabitation. And how could this be when they were free from bodily needs? Thus, in the beginning, life was virgin; but when, through the carelessness of the first people, disobedience appeared, and sin entered the world, virginity flew away from them, since they became unworthy of such a great good, and instead the law of matrimony came into force "(Conversations on the book of Genesis, XVIII, 4 , pp. 160-161).

BUT teacher John of Damascus writes:

“In Paradise, virginity flourished... After the crime... marriage was invented so that the human race would not be wiped off the face of the earth and destroyed by death, so that through childbearing the human race would be preserved intact.

But, perhaps, they will say: so, what does the saying want (to clarify): "husband and wife ..."; and this: "Grow and multiply"? To this we say that the dictum "grow and multiply" does not necessarily mean multiplication through marriage. Both God could multiply the race of people in another way, if they kept the commandment intact to the end. But God, who, in consequence of His foreknowledge, “knew everything before their being” (Dan. 13:42), knowing that they would be in transgression and be condemned, in advance created “man and wife” and commanded them to grow and multiply” ( Accurate Statement of the Orthodox Faith, IV, 24, pp. 260-261).

In this, as in other respects, as we shall see later, man - like the rest of creation - before the fall was in a state somewhat different from that into which he came after the fall, although because of God's foreknowledge of the fall between these two states and there is succession.

One should not, however, think that any of St. Fathers looked at marriage as a "necessary evil" or denied that this state is blessed by God. They regard it as a good thing in our present fallen state, but this good thing is secondary to the higher state of virginity in which Adam and Eve lived before the fall, and which even now is shared by those who followed the advice of the Apostle Paul to be "like I am" ( 1 Corinthians 7:8). holy Gregory of Nyssa, the same father who so clearly teaches that marriage has its origin in our affinity with animals, also defends the institution of marriage in the clearest way. Thus, in his treatise On Virginity, he writes:

“No one ... should conclude that we reject the establishment of marriage: for it is not unknown to us that he, too, is not deprived of the blessing of God ... We, on the other hand, think about marriage in such a way that we should prefer care and care for the Divine, but not to despise one who can use the institution of marriage temperately and moderately...

Those who return to Christ (should) leave first of all, as if the last night, marriage, since it turns out to be the last limit of our removal from paradise life "(On virginity, ch. 8, 12, Creation, part 7, M , 1868, pp. 323, 326, 347)".

St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov):

Sacred Scripture presents God conferring with Himself before the creation of man. “Let us make man,” said the Incomprehensible Deity in an incomprehensible way, “in Our image and likeness; and let him have the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and the wild beasts, and the cattle, and all the earth, and every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth” (Genesis 1:26). In these words, which preceded the creation of the wondrous image of God, the property of the Prototype Himself - God, is revealed, the Trinity of His Persons is revealed. The Council of the Divine, which preceded the creation of the man-husband, preceded the creation of the man-wife. “And he said,” says the Scripture, “the Lord God: it is not good for man to be alone: ​​let us make him a helper for him” (Genesis 2:18). A wife, like a husband, is created in the image and likeness of God; her creation, like the creation of her husband, is honored by a meeting in which the Three Persons of the One Godhead appear and pronounce the majestic “Let’s create”, depicting the one will and the same dignity of the Persons of the All-Holy Trinity, acting inseparably and unmerged. The trinity of the Persons of the Divine, with the unity of the Divine Essence, was also imprinted on the image of God - man - with amazing clarity. The husband was appointed as the representative of mankind, its agent: for this reason, the Holy Scripture mentions him alone when taking a person into paradise and when a person is expelled from paradise (Gen. 2, 15; 3, 22, 23, 24), although it is clear from the same The Scriptures that the wife also participated in both circumstances. It fully participates in the dignity of man and in the dignity of the image of God: “God create man, in the image of God create him: male and female make them” (Genesis 1:27).

7. The soul is God's creation, not a part of the Divine

The human soul, being the image of God through the reflection of God's perfections in its powers, by its nature is in no way similar to God. She is completely a creation of God and does not have the essential properties of a deity in herself, but can only partake of God's grace, having acquired the likeness of God. In this sense, the image of God in man is like a mirror reflection of a thing, which, being similar to the original, does not have its essential characteristics, its nature.

St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov):

“The pagans believed that the human soul is a particle of the Divine. The thought is false and very dangerous, as containing blasphemy! We considered it necessary to dwell on it in order to protect our brethren from it: because many members of modern society, having learned from the Book of Genesis that "God breathed into the person of man the breath of life", rashly conclude from this about the divinity of the human soul by its very creation, therefore, by its very nature. Holy Scripture directly testifies that man is completely God's creation (Genesis 1:27; Matt. 19:4). “Your hands create me, and create me” (Ps. 118, 73), this intelligent creature prayerfully cries out to its Creator, at the suggestion of the Holy Spirit, the only one who can reveal to man his beginning and the image of this beginning. Of course, this cry of prayer - the cry of the soul interceding for itself and for its body - is by no means the cry of one body. The Orthodox Eastern Church has always recognized man as a being created according to soul and body, but capable both in soul and body of being a partaker of the Divine Nature, of being God by grace. The Monk Macarius the Great says: “O God’s inexpressible goodness, as if the tuna of Himself gives Himself to believers, so that in a short time they would receive God as their inheritance and God would dwell in the human body and make it a good dwelling for Himself! As if God created heaven and earth, for man to dwell on them, he created such a human body and soul in His dwelling, in order to live and rest in the body, as in His house, with a beautiful bride, that is, with a beloved soul, in His image created. Cor. 11, 2), - says the Apostle, - "Present the pure virgin of Christ to the One Man." so the Lord in His house, that is, in the soul and body, collects and deposits heavenly spiritual wealth.Below wisdom with their wisdom, below understanding with their mind, they could understand the subtlety of the soul, or tell how it exists, except for those who through the Holy Spirit comprehension is open and the exact soul is known nie. But you think here, judge and listen, and hear that it is. That one is God, but she is not God; That is the Lord, and she is a slave; He is the Creator, and this creature; That Creator, and she is a creature: there is no similarity between the nature of That and the sow. But God, out of His boundless, inexpressible, incomprehensible love and kindness, was pleased to choose this very intelligent, precious and fair creature for His dwelling, as the Scripture says: “In a hedgehog be to us as a firstfruits a certain creation of His” (James. 1, 18), to speak wisdom, and His message, to His own dwelling, and to a pure bride. "Saint John of Damascus, a writer of the 8th century, in his book" An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith "collected the opinions of the most famous Holy Fathers who preceded him on subjects Christian Theology, why, citing here his teaching on the soul, we cite together the teaching of St. Gregory the Theologian, Athanasius the Great, Basil the Great, Maximus the Confessor and other greatest teachers of the Church. there are angels and all the heavenly orders, whose nature is, without a doubt, reasonable and incorporeal, that is, incorporeal in comparison with gross matter. For the Deity alone is in the proper sense immaterial and incorporeal. God also created sensible nature, that is, heaven, earth, and everything in between. And He created the first nature close to Himself, for rational nature, which is comprehended by one mind, is close to God; and the other, as subject to the senses, he created in all respects very far from Himself. But it was necessary to appear a being mixed from these two natures, which would show the great wisdom and generosity of the Creator to one and the other, and, as the bodacious Gregory says, was, as it were, a kind of union of nature visible with invisible. Here, by the word "should" I mean the will of the Builder: for it is the charter and the most appropriate law for God ... Thus, from the visible and invisible nature, God created man with His own hands in His image and likeness; from the earth He formed a body, and the soul, gifted with reason and mind, informed man by His inspiration... The body and soul are created together...»

Rev. Macarius the Great:

"... the soul is not of God's nature and not of the nature of evil darkness, but is a clever creature, full of beauty, great and wonderful, a beautiful likeness and image of God, and the slyness of dark passions entered into it as a result of a crime."

8. The basis of Christian love is the veneration in the neighbor of the image of God

St. rights. John of Kronstadt teaches to love every person as the image of God:

“Love every man, despite his sins. Sins are sins, but there is only one basis in man - the image of God. Sometimes people's weaknesses are obvious when, for example, they are spiteful, proud, envious, greedy. But remember that you are not without evil, and perhaps you have more of it than others. At least with regard to sins, all people are equal: “all, it is said, “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3, 23); we are all guilty before God, and we all need His mercy. Therefore, we must endure each other and forgive each other, so that our Heavenly Father will forgive us our sins (see Matt. 6:14). Look how much God loves us, how much He has done for us and continues to do, how He punishes slightly, but generously and mercifully has mercy! If you want to correct someone from shortcomings, do not think to correct him by your own means. We ourselves spoil more than help, for example, with our pride and irritability. But cast "your cares on the Lord" (Ps. 54:23) and pray to Him with all your heart that He Himself would enlighten the mind and heart of man. If He sees that your prayer is imbued with love, then He will certainly fulfill your request, and you will soon see a change in the one for whom you are praying: “here is the change in the right hand of the Most High” (Ps. 76, 11).

Remember that man is a great and dear being with God. But this great creature after the fall became weak, subject to many weaknesses. Loving and honoring him as the bearer of the image of the Creator, endure also his weaknesses - various passions and unseemly deeds - as the weaknesses of a sick person. It is said: “We who are strong must endure the infirmities of the weak and not please ourselves... Carry one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2).

Abba Dorotheos:

But in times of confusion, when your brother resists you, hold back your tongue so as not to say anything with anger, and do not let your heart rise above it; but remember that he is your brother, and a member in Christ, and the image of God, tempted by our common enemy. Have pity on him, so that the devil, having stung him with irritability, does not captivate him and kill him with rancor, and so that the soul for which Christ died does not perish from our inattention.

St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov):

“Holy love is pure, free, all in God.

It is the action of the Holy Spirit acting in the heart as it is purified.

Rejecting enmity, rejecting addictions, renouncing carnal love, acquire spiritual love; “turn away from evil and do good” (Ps. 23:15).

Give respect to your neighbor as the image of God - respect in your soul, invisible to others, visible only to your conscience. May your activity be mysteriously in accordance with your spiritual mood.

Give respect to your neighbor without distinguishing between age, sex, class, and gradually holy love will begin to appear in your heart.

The cause of this holy love is not flesh and blood, not the desire of the senses, but God.

Those who are deprived of the glory of Christianity are not deprived of another glory received at creation: they are the image of God.

If the image of God is cast into the terrible flames of hell, and there I must honor it.

What do I care about flames, hell! The image of God is cast there according to the judgment of God: my task is to preserve reverence for the image of God, and thereby save myself from hell.

And the blind, and the leper, and the mentally crippled, and the infant, and the criminal, and the pagan, I will honor, as the image of God. What do you care about their infirmities and shortcomings! Watch over yourself so that you do not lack love.

As a Christian, pay homage to Christ, Who said for instruction to us and will say again at the decision of our eternal fate: “If you do it to the least of these My brethren, do it to me” (Matt. 25, 40).

In your dealings with your neighbors, keep in mind this saying of the Gospel, and you will become a confidant of love for your neighbor.

… Beloved brother! Seek to reveal in yourself spiritual love for your neighbors: having entered into it, you will enter into love for God, into the gates of resurrection, into the gates of the kingdom of heaven. Amen".

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The Image of God and His Likeness in Man

1. The doctrine of the image and likeness of God

The core part of Christian anthropology is the doctrine of man as the Image of God and His likeness. The famous religious anthropologist Vasily Vasilyevich Zenkovsky argued that “it is necessary to see in people the primacy of the spiritual principle, and for this it is necessary to recognize the teaching about the Image of God in man as the cornerstone of religious psychology, and then the main attitude towards a person should be an attitude of joy, love and faith into him." (Zenkovsky V.V. On the image of God in man. Paris, 1930, p. 39).

In this teaching, what is striking in the first place is that it elevates man to an almost Divine height in comparison with other creatures created by God - not only animals, but also angels. Let's start with the fact that even the very way of creating a person was fundamentally different from how other creatures were created. Blessed Theodoret of Kirr pointed out: “Describing creation, the great prophet notices that God created all kinds of creatures with a word, and formed man with His hands” (quoted from the book “Seraphim (Rose), hieromonk. Orthodox understanding of the book of Genesis. M., 1998, p. 87"). At the same time, man took the highest place in the hierarchy of all creatures. Here is how the Bible tells about it: “And God said: let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing, reptiles on the ground. And God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them: Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:26-28 ).

2. Image and likeness - synonyms or separate concepts?

The key words in this text are undoubtedly "In Our image", "In Our likeness". Not a single creature was created according to such incomprehensible "patterns". Obviously, there are two of them - an image and a likeness. But it must be said that some researchers do not make a distinction between image and likeness, but consider these words to be synonyms (they believe these concepts are identical). For example, the modern religious scholar Petr Vladimirovich Dobroselsky writes: "... Cyril of Alexandria does not approve of this difference (the difference between image and likeness - P.D.), considering both words to have the same meaning." (P.D. Dobroselsky "Introduction to Orthodox Psychology", ed. "Blagovest", 2008).

Also, according to Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov), “the image and likeness of God does not need to be explained as two different things: because in the word of God one of these words is often used in the same meaning as both together” (Filaret ( Drozdov), Metropolitan, "Notes leading to a thorough understanding of the Book of Genesis, containing the translation of this book into the Russian dialect. Part 1. - M., 1867. - S. 21".

St. Basil the Great was of a different opinion: “If we are talking about the same thing, then it would not be worth repeating the same thing twice. To claim that there are empty words in Scripture is dangerous blasphemy. Indeed, (Scripture) never says (anything) empty. So, it is undeniable that man was created in the image and likeness. (Basil the Great "Conversations on the Six Days", conversation 10.)

What is the image of God in man?

Many Fathers and Doctors of the Church believe that the Image of God is in the very nature of our soul, in its mind, in its freedom. We receive the image of God from God together with the creation, at the moment of “inspiration” by God into Adam of the Holy Spirit. P.V. Dobroselsky in the mentioned work writes: “Archimandrite Sylvester (Malevansky) considers the image of God an essential belonging of the human soul: “... we first and most directly come to the need to recognize the soul, as its essential and inalienable belonging, that most important and significant feature, which, in the words of the Writer, man was different and exalted before all earthly creatures, that is, the image of God.

Some of the Church Fathers, such as Gregory of Nazianzen (Gregory the Theologian - P.D.) and Damascus directly called the human soul the image of God, and vice versa, the soul - the image of God, by which, of course, they clearly expressed the conviction that the image of God is so internal and inseparable merged with the soul, which constitutes one inseparable unity with it, or, which, too, constitutes the very human soul” (P.D. Dobroselsky “Introduction to Orthodox Psychology”, ed. “Blagovest”, 2008).

3. Features of the Image of God

What exactly is the image of God in man? The Fathers and Doctors of the Church singled out the following features:

the mind - “is the image of God and knows God, and the only one of everything in the world, if it wishes, becomes God” (Gregory Palamas, vol. 3. 1993, p. 131); “The mind is His image precisely because it is capable of comprehending God and being His partaker. Such a great blessing is not possible otherwise than by the fact that he is the image of God” (Blessed Augustine, 2004, p. 332-324); right in the mind Augustine saw the main difference between man and animals;

the image of God in man is reason and freedom (John of Damascus, 1992, p. 201);

“God, as a Spirit, also has the essential properties of the spirit - mind, freedom, and by its very nature is immortal: therefore, in particular, it is possible to believe the image of God, together with some teachers of the Church, in the human mind; together with others - in his free will; together with the third - in the indestructibility of his soul and immortality ”(Makariy (Bulgakov). T. 1. 1999, p. 455).

“The bearer of the image of God in man is his soul. More specifically, the image of God lies in the ability of the soul to think, feel, fulfill the decisions made, as well as in its immortality (as the impossibility of destruction or annihilation).

From this, in turn, it follows that the image of God:

is present in a person regardless of his spiritual state. In other words, the image of God is inherent in both the righteous and the sinner;

enters into human nature. In other words, it is given to a person for free, without his knowledge, and, in this regard, is not a merit of a person ”(Boris Levshenko, Cleric of the Church of St. Nicholas in the Kuznetsk Sloboda - Moscow. “Katachesis”, Published by the Orthodox St. Tikhon Theological Institute, 1997 G.)

So, we can distinguish at least five main features of the image of God in man: rationality (thinking and speech), free will (freedom), immortality, dominion (domination) and creativity.

4. What is the likeness of God in man?

A fundamentally different quality in this context is the concept of "similarity". Basil the Great wrote: “Let us make man in Our image and likeness.” One we have as a result of creation, the other we acquire by our own will. At the original creation, we are granted to be born in the image of God; by our own will we acquire being in the likeness of God. That which depends on our will, we dispose of in full force; we get it for ourselves thanks to our energy. If the Lord, when creating us, had not predestinedly said: “Let us make” and “in the likeness”, if we had not been given the opportunity to become “in the likeness”, then by our own strength we would not have acquired the likeness of God. But the fact of the matter is that He made us capable of becoming like God. Having endowed us with the ability to become like God, He left us to be laborers in likeness to God, so that we would receive a reward for (this) work, so that we would not be inert things, like portraits created by the hand of an artist, so that the fruits of our likeness would not bring praise to someone to another. In fact, when you see a portrait that accurately conveys the model, you do not praise the portrait, but admire the artist. So that the admiration should be for me and not for anyone else, He left it to me to take care of achieving the likeness of God. After all, “in the image” I have the existence of a rational being, “in the likeness” I become, becoming a Christian. (Basil the Great "Conversations on the Six Days", conversation 10.)

St. Gregory of Nyssa had a similar opinion: “In my very creation, I received - in the image, but by choice I am - in the likeness ... One is given, and the other is left incomplete, so that you, having perfected yourself, became worthy of reward from God. How are we made - in the likeness? Through the gospel. What is Christianity? Likeness to God, as far as possible for human nature. If you have decided to be a Christian, then try to become like God, put on Christ.” (St. Petersburg: Aksioma, 1995.).

5. The practical significance of the Orthodox teaching about the Image and likeness of God in man

likeness image of God sacred

Important practical conclusions are drawn to Christians from the doctrine of the Image and likeness of God in man by the already mentioned Boris Levshenko, a cleric of the church of St. If reason, which is inherent in man, belongs to the image of God, then, naturally, the development of reason is the task of man, and development is such that would bring man closer to God. The development of love in a person makes him closer to God. The will, if it is directed towards God, also brings a person closer to Him. The task of approaching God, becoming like God is the task of our life.

The likeness of God in a person is, in fact, the righteousness (holiness) of a person, due to his best features, in particular: the desire for God, a clear conscience, virtue, selfless love. Similarity is given to a person only in potency (as an opportunity). In other words, a person is not given a ready-made likeness of God, but only the opportunity to achieve it, that is, the opportunity is given to move from godlikeness to godlikeness (likeness to God).

From this it follows that the likeness of God, in contrast to the image:

inherent only to the righteous, that is, it is present in a person only in a certain spiritual state;

does not enter into the nature of man, is achieved by him by his labor (in spiritual warfare) with the help of God (that is, in cooperation, or in the synergy of two wills: God and man) and, in this regard, is the merit of man and the result of his victory in the spiritual fight." (Boris Levshenko, Cleric of the Church of St. Nicholas in the Kuznetsk Sloboda - Moscow. "Catachesis", Published by the Orthodox St. Tikhon Theological Institute, 1997)

The doctrine of the Image and likeness of God is very important for upbringing and education. After all, the very word “education” initially implies education in the image and likeness of God.” True, in recent times this has been substantially forgotten by our domestic school, which should certainly be corrected.

This teaching is no less important for everyday life - as the basis of relationships between people. After all, only an approach to a person as the image of God makes love for any person possible and real, regardless of personal attitude towards him. This is the love for enemies that Jesus Christ spoke about: “You have heard that it was said: love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44).

Literature

1.Lorgus A. Orthodox Anthropology. Lecture course. Issue. 1. - M.: Graf-Press, 2003.

2.Zenkovsky Vasily, professor, archpriest. Principles of Orthodox anthropology // Pages of Russian foreign press. M. 1990

.Hierotheos (Vlachos), Metropolitan. Orthodox psychotherapy. Holy Trinity Lavra, 2004. - 367 p.

.Boris Levshenko, Cleric of the Church of St. Nicholas in Kuznetskaya Sloboda - Moscow. "Catachesis", ed. Orthodox St. Tikhon Theological Institute, 1997

.Basil the Great Conversations for the Six Days.

.P.D. Dobroselsky "Introduction to Orthodox Psychology", ed. Blagovest, 2008

Gospel.

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The animal image in man does not at all mean resemblance to the beast, God's beautiful creation. It is not the beast that is terrible, but the man who has become a beast. The beast is immeasurably better than the bestial man. The beast never comes to such a terrible fall as a man comes to. There is an angelic quality in the beast. He also carries within himself the distorted image of an angel1, just as a man carries the distorted image of God. But in the beast there is never such a terrible distortion of his image as in man. Man is responsible for the condition of the beast in this world, but the beast is not responsible... If there is no God, then man is a perfected and at the same time degraded animal...

Questions and tasks: 1. What is the main idea of ​​this fragment? 2. Does the proposed fragment have meaning only for a believer or also for a non-religious person? Explain your point of view. 3. Do you agree with the statement: “It is not the beast that is terrible, but the man who has become a beast”? How do you understand it? 4. What is the meaning of the statement: “In order to be completely like a man, you need to be like God”? What traits of humanity characterize the image of God? Can we say that God is the ideal of man?

T e c s t 3. What is a person?

E. Fromm (1900-1980) - German-American sociologist and psychologist. Some believe that people are sheep, others consider them predatory wolves. Both sides can make arguments in favor of their point of view. Anyone who considers people to be sheep can at least point out that they easily follow the orders of other people, even to the detriment of themselves ...

The great inquisitors and dictators based their systems of power precisely on the assertion that people are sheep...

However, if most people are sheep, why do they lead a life that is completely contrary to this? The history of mankind is written in blood. It is a story of never-ending violence, since people almost always subjugated their own kind with the help of force ... Do we not encounter everywhere the inhumanity of man - in the case of ruthless warfare, in the case of murder and violence, in the case of the shameless exploitation of the weak by the stronger?

Maybe the answer is simple and is that a minority of wolves live side by side with a majority of sheep? The wolves want to kill, the sheep want to do what they are ordered... Or maybe we should not talk about an alternative at all? Is it possible that a man is both a wolf and a sheep at the same time, or is he neither a wolf nor a sheep?

The question of whether a person is a wolf or a sheep is just a pointed formulation of the question ... is a person essentially evil and vicious, or is he inherently good and capable of self-improvement.

Questions and tasks: 1. Do you agree with the author's opinion? 2. How would you answer the questions posed by E. Fromm? Give examples from history, or from literature, or from your own experience, or from modern life. 3. Compare the questions of E. Fromm with reflections on the humanity of other philosophers. Who is closer to the ideal of humanity - a human being or a wolf man? Maybe neither one nor the other? Explain your findings.

Text 4. The foundation of humanity From the book of modern Russian philosophers In whatever region of the globe we get, we will meet human beings there, about whom it is legitimate to say at least the following:

They know how to make tools with the help of tools and use them as a means of producing material goods;

They know the simplest moral prohibitions and the absolute opposition of good and evil;

They have needs, sense perceptions, and mental skills that have developed historically;

They can neither form nor exist outside of society;

The individual qualities and virtues they recognize are social definitions that correspond to one or another type of objective relations;

Their life activity is not initially programmed, but consciously volitional, as a result of which they are beings who have the ability of self-coercion, conscience and consciousness of responsibility.

Questions and tasks: 1. What features that characterize a person have you seen in other texts? What features did you meet for the first time in this text? 2. Are these features peculiar only to humans or other creatures too? Express your opinion on each of these traits separately and justify it. 3. Which of the following do you think is the most important and why? 4. How do you understand the words “foundation of humanity”? What human qualities would you build on this foundation? 5. Which of the above signs is not entirely clear to you? Ask the teacher to explain it.

Text 1. Need and need Ya. L. Kolominsky - a modern psychologist, academician of the Belarusian Academy of Education In psychology, need and need are distinguished. A need is an objective necessity that a person himself may not experience or be aware of. For example, a newly born child objectively needs an adult (he will die without him!), but he himself, subjectively, not only does not realize this, but also does not feel, does not experience ...

The human body constantly needs oxygen, which enters the blood through breathing. But this need becomes a need only when there is some kind of deficiency: the respiratory organs get sick, the oxygen content in the atmosphere decreases. In this case, a person suffers from a lack of oxygen, takes some action to eliminate it, rejoices when he can take a deep breath.

The objective state - need - was transformed into a psychological state - need ...

Needs that reflect the needs of our body are called organic;

needs related to the needs of personality development - spiritual or sociogenic (generated by society). Organic needs (for food, oxygen, water, procreation, self-preservation) are present in both humans and animals. But even these human needs have significantly changed over the course of history, transformed, so to speak, humanized. The historical development of needs in this case is expressed in the fact that the objects and methods of satisfying the need change.

Unlike animals, man himself produces products that satisfy his needs.

Questions and tasks: 1. Based on the text, explain how the objective state - need - differs from the psychological state - need. 2. What needs reflect the needs of the human body? What are the needs associated with personal development? Using the texts of the textbook and the document, give examples of those and other needs. 3. What are the needs of both man and animal? 4. Is there any reason to assert that the organic needs of people are humanized? In answering this question, consider with what and in what way a person satisfies them.

T e c s t 2. What can a person always have?

Epictetus (c. 50 - c. 140) - Roman philosopher Know and remember that if a person is unhappy, then he himself is to blame. People are unhappy only when they desire what they cannot have; they are happy when they want what they can have.

What, then, cannot people always have, although they desire it, and what can they always have when they desire it?

It is not always possible for people to have what is not in their power, does not belong to them, what others can take away from them - all this is not in the power of people. In the power of people is only that which no one and nothing can interfere with.

The first is all worldly goods: wealth, honors, health. The second is our soul, our spiritual self-improvement. And in our power is just everything that we need most for our good, because nothing, no worldly goods give true good, but always only deceive. The true blessing is given only by our efforts to approach spiritual perfection, and these efforts are always in our power.

Questions and tasks: 1. What human needs are mentioned in the document? Which of them are material, which are spiritual, which are social? 2. Satisfaction of what needs, according to the author, makes people happy? Do you share this point of view? 3. Based on the text, try to determine what were the value orientations of Epictetus. 4. How would you answer the question that is the title of the document?

Text 3. Business is a source of satisfaction S. T. Shatsky (1878-1934) - Russian teacher I am looking for at least a small business, but one that, in its essence, if you delve into it, could give satisfaction. I want to learn how to understand how to seek and find purpose and meaning in a matter, even if it is relatively insignificant, because a grandiose, bright, eye-catching business, clear to everyone, creating fame, which we always dream of while we are young, consists of many minor activities.

After all, the strength lies not in capturing more, being satisfied with fame and finding a reward in this fame (and then, getting used to doing things only for the sake of this very glory), but in firmly, disinterestedly doing the real life work for its own sake.

Questions and tasks: 1. What needs does the author write about? What kind of needs can it be attributed to: material, social or spiritual? 2. What do you think is the meaning of each word of the expression "real life's work"? 3. In what does the author see the power of man? Give examples to support his point of view.

Text 4. The importance of labor for human life K. D. Ushinsky (1824-1870 / 71) - Russian teacher Father, a man who has paved his own way, works, fights with all his might to save his children from the need to work , and finally leaves them a secured state. What brings this condition to children? It very often not only causes immorality in children, not only destroys their mental faculties and physical strength, but even makes them positively unhappy, so that if we compare the happiness of a father who has made a fortune by hard hard work, and children who live it without any labor, then we will see that the father was incomparably happier than the children ...

From all these examples, we see that labor, proceeding from man to nature, acts back on man not only by satisfying his needs and expanding their range, but by his own, internal, inherent force to him alone, regardless of the material values ​​\u200b\u200bthat he delivers. . The material fruits of labor constitute human property, but only the inner, spiritual, life-giving force of labor serves as a source of human dignity, and at the same time morality and happiness. This life-giving influence has only personal labor on the one who labors. The material fruits of labor can be taken away, inherited, bought, but the inner, spiritual, life-giving power of labor cannot be taken away, inherited, or bought with all the gold of California: it remains with the one who works.

Questions and tasks: 1. What does the passage say about the impact of labor on a person? 2. What needs does a person satisfy with the help of labor: material or spiritual? Please provide pieces of text to support your answer. 3. What do you think, is it possible for the manifestation and satisfaction of material and spiritual needs to be absolutely independent of each other?

Choose examples to clarify your point of view.

Text 5. About value orientations L.P. Bueva - a modern philosopher, academician of the Russian Academy of Education In the system of value potentials that characterize the moral atmosphere of society, such values ​​as money, things, power are brought to the fore...

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Let us now consider in more detail the question of the image and likeness of God in man.

“... Cyril of Alexandria does not approve of this difference (the difference between image and likeness - P. D.), considering both words to have the same meaning, especially since it was customary for Jews to place synonymous words against each other ...” (61: 412. See notes to the 2nd book, to chapter 12, item 2).

Archimandrite Cyprian (Kern) writes: "Athanasius (St. Athanasius of Alexandria - P. D.), apparently, does not distinguish between image and likeness" (81: 142).

“According to Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov), “the image and likeness of God should not be explained as two different things: because in the word of God one of these words is often used in the same meaning as both together” (111: 24 with reference to: "Filaret (Drozdov), Metropolitan. Notes leading to a thorough understanding of the Book of Genesis, containing the translation of this book into the Russian dialect. Part 1. - M., 1867. - S. 21".

St. Basil the Great holds a different opinion: “And God created man; created him in the image of God.” Have you noticed that this testimony is incomplete? “Let us make man in Our image and likeness.” This declaration of will contains two elements: “in the image” and “in the likeness”. But creation contains only one element. Having decided one thing, did the Lord change His plan? Did He develop repentance in the course of creation? Isn't this the weakness of the Creator, since He plans one thing and does another? - Or is it nonsense? Perhaps this is the same as: “Let us create man in the image and likeness”; for here He said "in the image," but He did not say "in the likeness." Whatever explanation we choose, our interpretation of what is written would be wrong. If we are talking about the same thing, then it would not be worth repeating the same thing twice. To claim that there are empty words in Scripture is dangerous blasphemy. Indeed, (Scripture) never says (anything) empty. So, it is undeniable that man is created in the image and likeness. Why is it not said: "And God created man in the image of God and after the likeness." What then, the Creator is powerless? - Wicked thought! Well, the Organizer repented? The reasoning is even more unholy! Or did he first say and then change his mind? - Not! Scripture doesn't say that; The Creator is not powerless and the decision was not empty. So what's the point of default? "Let us make man in our image and after our likeness." One we have as a result of creation, the other we acquire by our own will. At the original creation, we are granted to be born in the image of God; by our own will we acquire being in the likeness of God. That which depends on our will, we dispose of in full force; we get it for ourselves thanks to our energy. If the Lord, when creating us, had not predestinedly said: “Let us make” and “in the likeness”, if we had not been given the opportunity to become “in the likeness”, then by our own strength we would not have acquired the likeness of God. But the fact of the matter is that He made us capable of becoming like God. Having endowed us with the ability to become like God, He left us to be laborers in likeness to God, so that we would receive a reward for (this) work, so that we would not be inert things, like portraits created by the hand of an artist, so that the fruits of our likeness would not bring praise to someone to another. In fact, when you see a portrait that accurately conveys the model, you do not praise the portrait, but admire the artist. So that the admiration should be for me and not for anyone else, He left it to me to take care of achieving the likeness of God. After all, “in the image” I have the existence of a rational being, “in the likeness” I become, becoming a Christian. “Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Now I understand what the Lord gives us (being) in the likeness? "For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." If you become an enemy of evil, forget past grievances and enmity, if you love your brothers and sympathize with them, then you will become like God. If you forgive your enemy with all your heart, you will become like God. If you treat your brother who has sinned against you in the same way that God treats you, a sinner, you become like God with your compassion for your neighbor. Thus, you possess that “in the image”, being a rational being, “in the likeness”, you become, acquiring goodness. “Put on mercy and goodness, that you may put on Christ.” By the deeds with which you put on mercy, you put on Christ and, thanks to closeness to Him, become close to God. Thus, history (creation) is the education of human life. "Let us make man in the image." Let him from the moment of creation own that which is "in the image," and let (himself) become that which is "according to the likeness." God gave him the strength to do so. If He created you “in the likeness,” then what would be your merit? What are you crowned for? If the Creator would grant you everything, how would the Kingdom of Heaven be revealed to you? And so one thing is given to you, and the other is left unfinished, so that you improve and become worthy of the reward that comes from God.

How, then, do we achieve that which is “according to the likeness”?

Through the gospel.

What is Christianity?

This is likeness to God to the extent that it is possible for human nature. If by the grace of God you have decided to be a Christian, hurry to become like God, put on Christ. But how can you put on without being sealed? How will you put on if you are not baptized? Without putting on the garment of incorruption? Or do you refuse the likeness of God? If I told you: “Come on, become like a king,” would you not consider me a benefactor? Now, when I invite you to become like God, will you really run away from the word that adores you, will you stop your ears so as not to hear saving words? (73. Conversation 10).

Priest John Pavlov

98. About the image and likeness of God

The Bible says that God created man in His image and likeness. “And God said,” we read in the book of Genesis, “Let us make man in Our image and according to Our likeness ...” Everyone knows these words, but not everyone can accurately explain their meaning. So, what is it - the image and likeness of God in man? Where should I look for them, and is there any difference between them?

Yes, there is a difference between them. According to the holy fathers, the image of God is the Divine gifts given to human nature, which are a reflection of the perfections of our Creator and Creator Himself. For example, God is eternal - and man has an eternal, indestructible existence, God is wise - and man is given reason, God is the King of heaven and earth - and man has royal dignity in the world, God is the Creator - and man has the ability to create. All of these gifts are manifestations of the image of God in man. The image of God is given to all people without exception and is indelible in them. This image can be defiled, smeared with the dirt of sin, but it is impossible to erase it in a person.

What is the likeness of God? Likeness is such God's perfections that are not given to man from birth, but which he must acquire himself. These are qualities that make a person like God, such as love, humility, sacrifice, wisdom, mercy, courage. If the image of God is given to all people, then very rare of them have the likeness of God - those who have labored and fought to acquire it.

Let us explain the difference between the image and likeness of God by the example of the relationship between children and parents. After all, God is our Heavenly Father, and therefore the relationship of a person with God is like the relationship of children with their parents. So, it should be said that children are always the image of their parents, but the likeness is far from always. What is the image of the parents? These are the basic properties of human nature that parents pass on to their children. The son is the image of the father, because he has two arms, two legs, a head, two eyes, two ears, and everything else that the father has. All this is the image of the father. The likeness of the father is not given to the son from birth, but it must be acquired in the process of upbringing and life. By likeness one should understand the positive personal qualities of the father. When the son becomes as kind, wise, generous, brave, generous and pious as his father, then we can say that he became like his father, acquired his likeness. And of course, the son should strive in every possible way to acquire such a positive likeness.

In the same way, brothers and sisters, we should strive to acquire the likeness of our Heavenly Father! We carry the image of God in ourselves from birth, but the likeness we must acquire, acquire! From birth, this likeness is not given to us. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, had both an image and a likeness. However, through original sin they lost the likeness of God. The image was preserved in them, but the likeness was lost. Therefore, all their offspring, that is, the entire human race, does not have this likeness. The likeness of God all people must certainly try to acquire for themselves.

Without the likeness of God, communion with God is impossible. In order to approach God and unite with Him, one must certainly become like Him, for it is known that like is known only by like. It is no coincidence that we call saints and righteous people reverend. Rev. Sergius of Radonezh, Rev. Ambrose of Optina, Rev. Mary of Egypt... Rev. - these are people who, by the feat of Christian life, restored in themselves the likeness of God lost by Adam and therefore proved worthy to approach God, unite with Him, have communion with Him.

All of us, brothers and sisters, are called to such communion with God. But in order for it to become possible, each of us must certainly restore in ourselves the likeness of God. Signs of this similarity are indicated to us in the Gospel. This is love for enemies, humility, mercy, purity and all other commandments of Christ. Those who keep these commandments restore in themselves the likeness of God lost by the human race and become true children of God, kindred in spirit to their Heavenly Father. They enter into the heavenly family of God, and all the holy celestials who please God become their brothers and sisters. Let us labor, brothers and sisters, to enter into this heavenly family, so that we too may be vouchsafed their Grace, their kinship with God, their enduring heavenly glory. Amen.