Men made gods?

[waanju]

So, I’m a little bit confused about this passage from the CCC. I feel like I’m misunderstanding it, because it seems a little problematic and gives me a bad “gut feeling” the way I’m interpreting it, so I know my interpretation is either wrong or my “gut feeling” is. Can anyone help?

460 The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”:“For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.” “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.” “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.”

It doesn’t mean that we’ll be made god gods, right? Just that we’ll be restored to pre-fall status and be really in the image and likeness of THE God, right? Or something? I really want to understand.

The surrounding text doesn’t help me very much.

Thanks in advance!

PS Hope this is the right forum.

 

[porthos11]

So, I’m a little bit confused about this passage from the CCC. I feel like I’m misunderstanding it, because it seems a little problematic and gives me a bad “gut feeling” the way I’m interpreting it, so I know my interpretation is either wrong or my “gut feeling” is. Can anyone help?

It doesn’t mean that we’ll be made god gods, right? Just that we’ll be restored to pre-fall status and be really in the image and likeness of THE God, right? Or something? I really want to understand.

The surrounding text doesn’t help me very much.

Thanks in advance!

PS Hope this is the right forum.

No, we will not become god gods, but we will be made even better than pre-fall status.

Think of it this way, when you die, can you legally leave your wealth to your dog? I would think not. And why is this? Because your dog is not your heir. And why is he not your heir? Because he cannot be deemed your son or daughter. And why not?

Because your dog does not share your nature.

Well, Scripture tells us that God has given us a spirit of adoption, enabling us to call him Father. But how can God possibly adopt us when we’re father from his nature than a dog is from ours? For God to adopt us, he had to send his Holy Spirit to actually transform us, so that we became partakers in the divine nature (1 Peter 1:4), that is, to have some share in his divine life. In that way, have have become “God” because God has to initiate a change in our very natures to for us to become adoptable by him.

 

[fredystairs]

So, I’m a little bit confused about this passage from the CCC. I feel like I’m misunderstanding it, because it seems a little problematic and gives me a bad “gut feeling” the way I’m interpreting it, so I know my interpretation is either wrong or my “gut feeling” is. Can anyone help?

It doesn’t mean that we’ll be made god gods, right? Just that we’ll be restored to pre-fall status and be really in the image and likeness of THE God, right? Or something? I really want to understand.

The surrounding text doesn’t help me very much.

Thanks in advance!

PS Hope this is the right forum.

Interesting that you should ask that question, as I am taking a course in Moral Theology and was reading the chapter in “The Christian Life” (Francis L. B. Cunningham, OP) on grace.

The way that is it explained, is that by grace we participate in God’s nature. Further, grace is a “communication of that intimately divine life shared only by the Father, and by the Son and by the Holy Spirit.” (page 279) He also quotes St Thomas “The only begotten Son of God, wishing to make us partakers of his own divinity, took upon himself out human nature. that having become man he might make men gods.” (Page 279-280)

However, we will not be equal to God, which is the question that I think you are asking. Father Cunningham explains that when we take on the divine nature, “what is communicated is not fully and adequately what God is, but rather only partially, incompletely, inadequately so…a lesser realization, an imiatation, a duplication.” (page 278)

We will share God’s nature, but we will still be his creatures.

I hope that helps!

 

[waanju]

Interesting that you should ask that question, as I am taking a course in Moral Theology and was reading the chapter in “The Christian Life” (Francis L. B. Cunningham, OP) on grace.

The way that is it explained, is that by grace we participate in God’s nature. Further, grace is a “communication of that intimately divine life shared only by the Father, and by the Son and by the Holy Spirit.” (page 279) He also quotes St Thomas “The only begotten Son of God, wishing to make us partakers of his own divinity, took upon himself out human nature. that having become man he might make men gods.” (Page 279-280)

However, we will not be equal to God, which is the question that I think you are asking. Father Cunningham explains that when we take on the divine nature, “what is communicated is not fully and adequately what God is, but rather only partially, incompletely, inadequately so…a lesser realization, an imiatation, a duplication.” (page 278)

We will share God’s nature, but we will still be his creatures.

I hope that helps!

Okay, maybe I’m thick headed or I expect to wrap my mind around this better than it’s actually possible to do, but I still don’t understand the way I want to! WOuld an (imperfect) analogy be that we’re like muddy puddles of water reflecting God now, and we’re made nice clean mirrors? If so, would it be possible to know in what way? I don’t mean the how so much as the “what would that look like”. Again, I’m not sure if it’s even possible for me to grasp with my limited understanding, but if it is, I’d sure like to know.

 

[fredystairs]

Okay, maybe I’m thick headed or I expect to wrap my mind around this better than it’s actually possible to do, but I still don’t understand the way I want to! WOuld an (imperfect) analogy be that we’re like muddy puddles of water reflecting God now, and we’re made nice clean mirrors? If so, would it be possible to know in what way? I don’t mean the how so much as the “what would that look like”. Again, I’m not sure if it’s even possible for me to grasp with my limited understanding, but if it is, I’d sure like to know.

I think your analogy is correct and I think the following verse from Scripture supports your understanding:

1 Corinthians 13: 12 “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

Now we are like muddy puddles — then we will be clean mirrors.

As far as in what way, I do not think we can fully know. However, Scripture says it will be wonderful.

i Corinthians 2: 9
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

I hope this helps. Perhaps someone with more knowledge than I can provide additional insight.

Peace

 

[waanju]

I think your analogy is correct and I think the following verse from Scripture supports your understanding:

1 Corinthians 13: 12 “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

Now we are like muddy puddles — then we will be clean mirrors.

As far as in what way, I do not think we can fully know. However, Scripture says it will be wonderful.

i Corinthians 2: 9
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

I hope this helps. Perhaps someone with more knowledge than I can provide additional insight.

Peace

Thanks! I’m going to keep hoping for a better understanding, but you helped me to be slightly less confused than I was before!