Theology Of Paul

THEOLOGY OF PAUL
M.M.NINAN
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Bishop Maximos Aghiorgiussis writes, "The fathers make a distinction between the image of God in man, and his
likeness to God; image is the potential given to man, through which he can obtain the life of theosis (communion
with God). Likeness with God is the actualization of this potential; it is becoming more and more what one already
is: becoming more and more God's image, more and more God-like. The distinction between image and likeness is,
in other words, the distinction between being and becoming."
Theosis in no way means that human beings "become God" in a pantheistic sense.
concept of theosis.
This is a twisting of the
God is by nature unknowable in His essence. He becomes knowable through His energies, which are the ways by
which He, in His grace, has opened Himself to us. "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who
is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him" (John 1:18). Although not capable of knowing God in His
essence, we are capable of knowing Him through His energies, since He is present in each of His energies.
St. Basil
"We know our God from His energies, but we do not claim that we can draw near to His essence, for His energies
come down to us, but His essence remains unapproachable.“
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