Man become god?

[puzzledtoo]

In a thread in the philosophy section a Christian wrote “In other words, God became man so that men could become god.” Is this Christian teaching? As I was always taught there was one god in Christianity though I’ve never understood how a triple god-head equals one god.
So in your version of Christianity did a supreme God become man so that the rest of us could become lesser gods so to speak?

 

[alphomega]

I belive the quote is “The son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God”
C.S. Lewis

 

[fhansen]

Its a quote from St Athanasius which is cited in the Catechism. It refers to “theosis” or “divinization”, the Church teaching that God has always desired to elevate man to partake in His own nature, experiencing His beatitude or happiness.We don’t become equal to God and yet we’re to become “like God”. This is our purpose or end in fact. God has always, from the moment of creation, wanted the fery best for man. From the CCC:

398 In that sin man preferred himself to God and by that very act scorned him. He chose himself over and against God, against the requirements of his creaturely status and therefore against his own good. Constituted in a state of holiness, man was destined to be fully “divinized” by God in glory. Seduced by the devil, he wanted to “be like God”, but “without God, before God, and not in accordance with God”.279

 

[Vico]

In a thread in the philosophy section a Christian wrote “In other words, God became man so that men could become god.” Is this Christian teaching? As I was always taught there was one god in Christianity though I’ve never understood how a triple god-head equals one god.
So in your version of Christianity did a supreme God become man so that the rest of us could become lesser gods so to speak?

No we do not become God (The Most Holy Trinity), but we may be deified through the Grace of God (Theosis or deification). In that way we may become adopted sons of God. This is different than the person of the Son of God that assumed human nature (made man), in Jesus Christ. There are two types of statements, Old and New Testaments.

Ephesians 1:3-5 Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ: As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity. Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ unto himself: according to the purpose of his will …:

Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 296-373): “For He was made man that we might be made God.” – On the Incarnation, 54.

Psalms 81 [82]:6 “I have said: You are gods and all of you the sons of the most High. 7 But you like men shall die: and shall fall like one of the princes.”

Haydock Commentary

Ver. 6. Gods.

The people look upon you as such, and treat you with respect. But entertain not sentiments of pride on that account. (Calmet)

— If judges, even those whom God condemns, may be styled gods without blasphemy, how much more might Jesus Christ, who was holy and did the works of God? He uses this argument to make the fury of the people abate: but then he continues to prove that he was God in a very different and proper sense, insomuch that the Jews, clearly perceiving his meaning, which Socinians would now mistake, took up stones to throw at him, John x. 34. (Haydock)

— If he had not been God, He would surely have told them plainly, as St. Paul did when people would have offered sacrifice to him, and as St. John the Baptist confessed that he was not the Christ. The sons of Seth, priests, the just, and all the Israelites, were styled sons of God, as well as the angels and judges, Genesis vi. 2., Psalm xxviii. 1., Wisdom v. 5., and Job i. 6. But no individual is called the Son, except Jesus Christ the true God. (Berthier)

— This passage may be understood of all the faithful, (St. Augustine) particularly of bishops: and Constantine the Great was hence deterred from judging them (St. Gregory i. dec. Grat. p. 2. c. 11. q. 1.) or the clergy; (St. Melchiades c. 12. q. 1.) though this name seems inaccurate, as he died before (Glossa) the council of Nice. Amama restrains the text to men in power. (Haydock)

— Their elevated station makes their ignorance and misconduct less excusable. (Menochius)

 

[puzzledtoo]

“No we do not become God…” “I have said: You are gods…” ??? Some of what I’m reading makes sense and seems to clear things up but I’m still getting mixed messages from some of the posts or parts of them.
This is probably why I believe in the divine presence or divinity within when referring to god. While none of us created a universe, multiverse, or anything of the sort, we already partake of the divine nature and are already “like God” in this sense. Unfortunately we experience this divinity too seldom for our own good and the good of others that inhabit the earth with us. That is in my view.

 

[fhansen]

“No we do not become God…” “I have said: You are gods…” ??? Some of what I’m reading makes sense and seems to clear things up but I’m still getting mixed messages from some of the posts or parts of them.
This is probably why I believe in the divine presence or divinity within when referring to god. While none of us created a universe, multiverse, or anything of the sort, we already partake of the divine nature and are already “like God” in this sense. Unfortunately we experience this divinity too seldom for our own good and the good of others that inhabit the earth with us. That is in my view.

The fully realized divinization, as God plans it, won’t be experienced until the next life, with the Beatific Vision. It’s to begin here.

 

[Vico]

“No we do not become God…” “I have said: You are gods…” ??? Some of what I’m reading makes sense and seems to clear things up but I’m still getting mixed messages from some of the posts or parts of them.
This is probably why I believe in the divine presence or divinity within when referring to god. While none of us created a universe, multiverse, or anything of the sort, we already partake of the divine nature and are already “like God” in this sense. Unfortunately we experience this divinity too seldom for our own good and the good of others that inhabit the earth with us. That is in my view.

I am familiar with that view, but it is distinct and contrary to Catholic dogma that mankind cannot by nature overcome sin but requires the grace of God, and that God must make the first movement of grace. In Christianity, God’s creation and creatures are not extensions such would be pantheism or panentheism.