What is the purpose of human life. Appointment of a person. Draw a diagram of the three-part nature of man
Priest Grigory Dyachenko
1. In relation to God, the purpose of man is to know his Creator and glorify him. Accordingly, the Savior commanded us: “So let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew V, 16). The ancient holy fathers of the church also pointed to this goal of man as the most important.
Basil the Great: “You, well-ordered vessel, who received existence from God, glorify your Creator. For only for this purpose were you created, to be a worthy instrument of the glory of God, and for you this whole world is like a living book, which preaches the glory of God and proclaims to you, who have reason, about the hidden and invisible greatness of God, so that you may know God of truth. Keep firmly in your memory what I said.”
Gregory the Theologian: “It was necessary that the worship of God should not be limited to those on high, but there should also be some worshipers below, and everything would be filled with the glory of God (because everything is God): for this purpose man is created, honored by the handiwork and image of God” (“word on St. lights of the manifestations of the Lord, in St. Fathers III, 262-263).
John Chrysostom: “God gave us sight, lips and hearing so that all our members would serve him, so that we would say and do what was pleasing to him, we would sing unceasing songs to him, and send thanksgiving to him” (Conversations on Matthew II, 4, p. 33. - M., 1843).
2. In relation to man’s relationship to himself, his purpose is that he, as created in the image of God with moral powers, should constantly try to develop and improve these powers through exercising them in good deeds and, thus, become more and more like his Prototype: “ Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew V, 48).
The Holy Fathers clearly speak about this goal of man:
a) Gregory the Theologian: “We were created for good deeds, to glorify and praise the Creator, and to imitate God as much as possible.”
b) Basil the Great: “The structure of your body is a school for you about the purpose for which you were created; You were created upright so that you would not drag out your life on earth, but would look at heaven and the God who exists there, and so that you would not pursue bestial pleasure, but, in accordance with the mind given to you, would live a heavenly life.”
c) Chrysostom: “We were not born to eat, and drink, and put on clothes, but so that, having accepted divine wisdom, we should avoid evil and strive in virtue; for, when creating man, God said: “Let us make man in our image and likeness,” and we are not made like God when we eat, drink, and put on clothes (because God neither eats, nor drinks, nor puts on clothes) , but when we observe the truth, show love for mankind, are forgiving and meek, have mercy on our neighbors and adorn ourselves with every virtue.”
3. But since, as a person succeeds in virtue, he achieves bliss, which is the consequence of good deeds and the reward for them, according to the teaching of the Savior himself about the beatitudes (Matthew V, 16), then it can be expressed that a person created on good deeds (Eph. II, 10), at the same time created for bliss, and that, therefore, bliss is one of the goals of man, considered in relation to himself. And the holy fathers sometimes pointed to this goal of man.
a) Gregory the Theologian: “We received existence in order to prosper; and prospered after they came into being; paradise was entrusted to us to enjoy; the commandment was given to us, so that by keeping it we might earn glory.”
b) Gregory of Nyssa: “It was necessary that man, created for the enjoyment of divine blessings, should have in his nature something akin to what he would enjoy, therefore he is endowed with life, and reason, and wisdom, and all god-like properties.”
c) John of Damascus: “Being good, God created us not to punish, but so that we could be partakers of his goodness.”
4. Then, the purpose of man in relation to all the nature surrounding him is clearly defined in the words of the Creator Himself: “Let us make man in our image and likeness, and let him have power over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and the beasts, and the cattle, and all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth" (Gen. I, 26) . As the image of God, as a son and heir in the house of the heavenly Father, man is appointed to be, as it were, a mediator between the Creator and the earthly creature. The Holy Fathers and teachers of the church spoke about this appointment of man to be the king and ruler of the nature surrounding him very often, especially when deciding the question, why man was created last. Here, for example, are the words:
a) St. Ambrose: “According to his dignity, (man) appeared last, as the goal of nature, created for truth, to be a herald of truth among other animals; rightly he appeared last, as the crown of all creation, as the cause of the world, for which everything was created.”
b) Gregory the Theologian: “If the last person to appear in the world was a man honored by God’s handiwork and image, then this is not at all surprising: for for him, as for a king, it was necessary to prepare a royal monastery, and then bring the king into it, accompanied by all creatures.” (Word for the New Week, in the text of the Holy Fathers IV, 144);
c) blessed. Theodoret: “The God of all, after creating visible and invisible creatures, finally produced man, placing him, as if some kind of His image, among inanimate and animate creatures, visible and invisible, so that inanimate and animate creatures would bring him benefit, as a kind of tribute, and invisible natures, having care for man, thereby testified to their love for the Creator” (on the book of Genesis, issue 20, in “Christian Reader,” 1843, III, 348).
5. “The last goal of man,” says the Right Reverend Theophan, “is in God, in communion or living union with God. Created in the image and likeness of God, man by his very nature is in some way of the Divine race. Being of the race of God, he cannot help but seek communication with God, not only as his beginning and prototype, but also as the supreme good. That is why our heart is content only when it possesses God and is possessed by God. Nothing but God calms him down. Solomon knew much, possessed much, and enjoyed much; but all this, finally, had to be recognized as vanity and ruin of the spirit. There is only one peace for man in God. What I have in heaven and what I desire from You on earth; My heart and my flesh are gone, O God of my heart, my portion, O God, forever. “Life is in God,” teaches Basil the Great, “alienation and distance from God is an evil more intolerable than even the future torment of Gehenna, the most grievous evil for a person, like the deprivation of light for the eye and the taking of life for an animal” (“Chronicles”, 1824 g., part XIII. God is not the author of evil). And again: “What was the primary benefit for the soul? Being with God and uniting with him through love. Having fallen away from him, she began to suffer” (Tv. St. from. Vas. Vel., vol. 4, p. 154).
But our goodness does not lie in this one aspiration of all desires towards God. Thirst without quenching, hunger without satiation, need without satisfaction is sorrow, illness, torment. Seeking God, we want to find him, we want to possess him and be possessed by him, to sincerely partake of him, to be in him and to have him in ourselves (Macarius the Great message... at the beginning. - Moscow, 1852. P. 429). This living, internal, direct communication of God with man and man with God is his final goal.
This is how this communication is depicted in the word of God. Thus, God himself says about some: “My spirit shall not abide in these men, for they are flesh” (Gen. VI. 3), and promises others: “I will dwell in them and walk around” (1 Cor. VI. 16). “Listen,” says St. Chrysostom, who dwells in you? You carry God within you.” The Savior promises something internal, a certain dwelling of God in the human heart when He says: We will come to him and make our abode with him (John XIV, 23). St. John the Theologian teaches that when someone abides in love, then not only he abides in God, but God also abides in him (1 John IV, 16). At St. fathers, living communication with God is elevated to the deification of man. So St. Gregory the Theologian depicts man as “a living being who, through striving for God, achieves deification.”
Theodore, Bishop of Edessa, teaches this about the purpose of man:! “The goal of our life is bliss, or, what is the same, the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God, which consists not only in seeing the royal, so to speak, Trinity, but also in receiving divine influence and, as it were, accepting deification, and in this influence finds the fulfillment and perfection of all shortcomings and imperfections. This is what the food of mental powers consists of, i.e., the fulfillment of shortcomings through the Divine influence.” At St. Macarius in almost every conversation one can find a reminder of the living communication of one soul with God. Thus, in the 46th conversation, he teaches that “God created the soul of man in such a way that he could be his bride and accomplice, and that he could be with her one dissolution and one spirit.” Therefore, “if the soul cleaves to the Lord, then the Lord, moved by mercy and love, comes to it and cleaves to it, and so there is one spirit, and one dissolution, and one mind there is a soul and the Lord.” “For a person it is necessary,” he says in another place, “that not only he himself should be in God, but that God should also be in him.”
No one would think, however, that a living union with God is the disappearance of the soul in God with the violence of its independence and freedom. No, although the soul, indeed, stands under Divine influence, touches God in some way and is imbued with His power, however, it does not cease to be a soul, a rationally free being, just as red-hot iron or coal, penetrated by fire, does not cease to be to be iron and coal. Only through this communication does she acquire the fullest and fastest power to act according to the will of God freely, but also unquestioningly.
On the other hand, it would be wrong if anyone began to think that when communion with God remains the last goal of a person, then a person will be granted it after, for example, at the end of all his labors. No, it must be an everlasting, continuous state of a person, so that, since there is no communication with God, since it is not felt, a person must admit that he is outside his goal and his purpose. The state in which a person realizes that the true God is his God, and he himself is God’s, that is, he says in his heart to God: My Lord and my God (John XX, 28), like the Apostle Thomas, and to himself himself: I am God’s, I am God’s (Ex. XLIV, 5), such a state is the only true state of man, is the only decisive sign of the presence in him of the beginning of a truly moral and spiritual life.
So, far from the truth are those who make the last goal of man himself, no matter how pompous names they decorate it with, the development, for example, of spiritual powers or the desire for improvement. With such a goal, people are separated by caring only about themselves and get used to turning everything into a means, not even excluding God Himself, whereas, in fact, man, like everything created, is a means in the right hand of God for the purposes of His Divine providence.
It is unfair that a person’s last goal should be the good of his neighbors, that is, people, even in the sense that all his concern should be directed to the well-being of society. Contributing to the common good is unquestionably a person’s duty, but not the first and not the exclusive one. If we put this as the first duty, then every person will turn his thoughts and hearts to others, and not to God, and, therefore, everyone will collectively leave the society of people, closed in themselves, but with a soul cut off from God. It will be a body without a head. On the contrary, during Communion with God, all people, converging on this single goal, are united not only in thought, but in deed itself, and all, filled with one spirit and one strength, form a single, living and triple body. It is only under this condition that a true and reliable union between people can be created.
Source: From the realm of the mysterious. A simple speech about the existence and properties of humanity as a god-like entity. Part 1. Compiled by priest Master Grigory Dyachenko. - M., 1995.
NOTES
In another place (in the XXXI conversation on St. John) St. John Chrysostom speaks about the purpose of man: “God did not bring us into this life and the soul blown into us so that we would use only the present, but so that we would do everything for the future life, for only the dumb were created for one present life. And we received an immortal soul in order to be fully prepared for the future life. If someone asks: what is the purpose of horses, donkeys, bulls and other animals, then we will say that it is not difficult, just so that they serve us in this life. But this cannot be said about us, for us there is a better state after this life, and we need to do everything in such a way that we can shine there, rejoice with the angels, and stand before the King of Heaven always, to endless ages. For this reason, our soul was created immortal, and our body will be immortal, so that we can enjoy endless benefits.”
Despite the loss of power over nature, animate and inanimate, after the fall, man, nevertheless, regains this power over it if, with the assistance of the grace of God, he achieves holiness. Here are some examples of man's obedience to inanimate and animal nature.
I. St. John the Baptist, while still a baby, hid from Herod with his mother, the righteous Elizabeth, in one mountain; over this mountain grew a date tree with fruits, and when they felt hungry, it bowed its branches to the ground so that they could conveniently pick chips, and when they satisfied the feeling of hunger, it raised its branches up again (Chet Min., June 24 ). Rev. Onuphrius had nothing to eat in the desert, and so, through his prayer, a date tree with 12 branches grew near his cave, each branch fed it with fruits for a month, and then became barren, and this lasted 30 years, until the death of the saint of God (Thu-Min., Jul 12).
In the spring, near the city of Meletin, the river flooded so widely that it sometimes flooded many houses. The residents turned to St. Akaki with a request to help them in this grief. Akaki took a stone, laid it on the river bank and said that the river should not overflow beyond the stone, and the river obeyed his word (Chet-Min, April 17).
Rev. Julius needed to cross one deep river: he spread his mantle over the water, and on it, like on a boat, he swam where he needed to go, using his staff instead of an oar (Chet Min., June 21). What seems more insensitive than stones? And they listened to the saints: according to the word of St. Jacob of Nizib, the stone fell into pieces and turned into dust (Chet Min., Jan. 13); according to the word of St. Gregory of Neocessaria, the stone moved from its place (Chet Min., Nov. 17); Rev. Anthony the Roman swam on a stone from Rome to Novgorod (Chets. Min., Aug. 3). In the world, such events not only do not happen, but even seem incredible, but in the desert they were repeated more than once, and who knows, maybe they are repeated in our time, only unknown to the world. Thus, nature, by the will of Almighty God, served and serves the saints (from the book “Minutes of Leisure Pastures” by Bishop Hermogenes, volume II, pp. 14-17).
II. The great saints, who clarified the image of God in themselves to the highest degree through their thoughts of God and strict life, interacted amazingly with animals. Sometimes one glance at the beast tamed their brutal ferocity. Here, first of all, we must remember Noah: the righteous Noah for such a long time was surrounded in the ark by a whole kingdom of animals and did not suffer any danger from any of them.
The saints forced the animals to bring water for themselves (Meadow of Spirits, ch. 106). We ourselves warmed ourselves near them in the winter when we spent the night (ibid., ch. 166). When they met animals on the road, the animals gave them way, and at the same time sometimes moved away in such a cramped place that special intelligence was required to disperse. So with St. Dionysius (he was a priest) met a lion between the fences, where a man could barely pass without any burden. The saint did not run back from the beast, but the beast, due to the cramped space, could not turn back or make room at all. And so, the beast stood on its hind legs and made an intense tilt of its body to the side. Then the saint passed by, touching the beast with his back (Meadow spirit, ch. 179).
The animals served them even after they died, and as a result, the image of God was no longer so vividly or clearly reflected in them; for example, Anthony V. did not have either a shovel or an ax to dig a grave for the saint. Paul of Thebes, and suddenly, two demonic lions approached and with their claws dug a grave for the dead man (Chets. Min., 15th).
The holy martyr Neophytos, distinguished by his extraordinary piety from early childhood, once in his youth came to Mount Olympus, entered a cave there, where a huge lion met him. The neophyte said to the lion: “Get out of here and find yourself another cave, but the Lord ordered me to live in this one.” And the lion immediately left the cave. But this is not the only example. St. Pachomius the Great swam along the rivers on crocodiles (May 15). Ioannikis and St. Pachomius lived and slept in caves of poisonous snakes and hyenas (November 4).
The animals gathered in whole herds to the martyr Mamant and remained with him until they received orders to disperse (Sept. 2).
Rev. Sergius of Radonezh and Blessed Seraphim of Sarov fed the wild bears that came to them from the forest from their own hands.
One day, St. Zosima of Phoenicia set off on the road, taking with him a donkey, on which he loaded all the luggage. A lion met him on the road and, grabbing the donkey, dragged him into the desert. Etc. Zosima calmly followed the lion, overtook him at the place where he was eating a donkey, and addressed him with the following words: “Well, friend, my journey has stopped; I am weak from old age, and cannot carry the load that was on the donkey. Carry my burden to the place, if you want me not to bother you.” The lion allowed things to be placed on him and carried them after the saint with the obedience characteristic of a domestic animal.
The biographers of the saints, citing similar examples of the power of the saints over the beasts, reason: “This does not mean that the beasts had a rational soul, but that somehow they were in complete obedience to Adam” (Lug spiritual, ch. 106).
From this it is clear that man has not unconditionally lost power over animals and can regain it. Through what? Obviously, through turning to the state in which the first man was before the Fall, through turning to purity, truth, piety. How did Adam maintain power over the animals while living in paradise? Of course, by the purity of your soul, by your stay in truth and truth. He was the last to betray him and lost his power. And from this it is clear that if a person returns the purity of his soul, be faithful to the truth, power will return.
Every living thing on Earth has its own Purpose: animals, plants, and insects. They fulfill their assigned role in life. Man differs from all living beings in that he has freedom of choice.
A person himself is free to choose ways to achieve his goals and can change the Fate given to him by the Higher Powers, “rewrite” it. At the same time, he can achieve any striking successes in the outside world, for example, material ones. The result of his activities is his realization in society, but there is no happiness or harmony.
Why is this happening?
A person’s purpose in life and the meaning of his existence
The main task of any person is to be able to understand his divine destiny and realize the potential given by the Higher Powers, the so-called talents. And in order to achieve success in life, while gaining the notorious harmony and happiness, you need to know cosmic laws of the universe and follow them.
Unfortunately, at the birth of a person, the Higher Powers “do not give him” the most precise instructions on how to realize his Destiny. Therefore, the meaning of life can be considered the search and discovery of one’s purpose “by trial and error.”
But, often, a person himself “closes his own Path” through a selfish attitude towards the world and others, through pride.
How to understand what the meaning of life is and which path to follow?
We are so used to solving all our problems, all our tasks only with our minds, logically building all the moves and exits, that we simply don’t hear our hearts.
Ask yourself: “What is the meaning of my life?” Look for clues, divine signs in everything that surrounds you. After all, we meet everyone and everything on our life’s path for a reason. Everything that happens has its own sacred meaning.
Learn to trust the World, the Universe.
To trust means to clearly understand, to realize that the World is fair, that it itself will determine how and what should happen in your life. Then all fears in your life will disappear - through Trust.
Ask the Higher Powers to reveal the highest meaning for you, expect miracles, meditate.
Be attentive to everything that happens to you. Ask yourself: “Why do I need this or that situation? What should I understand?
And changes will come as manifestations of the Highest Divine Mind, as manifestations of the Highest Divine powers. Perhaps unexpectedly.
When you feel that a miracle has happened, begin to act. Any active actions trigger a cascade of fateful changes in your life.
And constantly watch yourself: what emotions do your decisions evoke in you? Feel with your heart. If you feel joy, satisfaction, harmony, then you are on the right path.
Don't be afraid of mistakes and obstacles. And remember that significant success in life combined with a feeling of harmony and happiness in the Soul is the main criterion that you do not violate cosmic laws, that you live in harmony not only with your Soul, but also in harmony with the Universe.
The highest (main) purpose of man
I would like to touch on one more aspect of Purpose.
Remember the phrase: “Man was created for woman, and woman for man.” It is important to understand one simple truth that a man and a woman are not halves of each other, they “do not add up together”, forming a single whole. It's a delusion. According to the divine plan, we are not meant for each other: “woman was created for God and man was also created for God.”
Every person, whether man or woman, is created in the image and likeness of God, the Creator of all things.
And the Main Purpose of a person is to manifest the divine qualities in himself, to learn to be the Creator of his reality, his own Destiny. To become an integral Personality - to “polish” yourself as a person, to realize yourself as a Woman or as a Man, to manifest your nature: for a woman - feminine, for a man - masculine.
We did not come into this world as a Man and a Woman in order to unite and make each other whole.
Any relationship is a path for intense spiritual growth (of course, with a certain degree of awareness). Relationships only “complete” us, but do not make us “complete.”
Yes, now many sources write that creating a space of Love between a Man and a Woman is one of the main tasks of a person, that a Woman, first of all, is responsible for this very space, for relationships, for the manifestation of feelings in a couple.
But let's not forget that while walking along the path of life we are constantly developing as a Personality, as a Man and a Woman, we meet partners in Love (as we think, in Love), we grow spiritually together or separately.
On our path, we often encounter more than just love relationships. They are given to us to become whole.
At each stage we solve certain problems, and the creation of a space of Love is like an epilogue to all our relationships, a manifestation of true Love between two whole individuals who have healed their Souls.
And almost every person, before acquiring this very “integrity,” is faced with a whole range of unsolved problems that prevent him from achieving it.
No one has abolished the law of karma.
First of all, our karmic partners from previous incarnations come into our lives in order to correctly go through relationships and solve their problems in accordance with cosmic laws, perhaps to repay some debts to each other. There may be one, two, three.
Karmic partners are given for awakening and intense spiritual growth, when through suffering, pain, negative emotions we seek answers to our question: “How to find Happiness?”
We go to psychologists, astrologers, psychics, fortune tellers.
We are gradually, bit by bit, building ourselves up as an PERSON. We show ourselves as a MAN OR WOMAN.
And then it emerges that everyone has their own life scenario, intrauterine fears, complexes imposed by parents, teachers, friends.
And we begin to heal ourselves, our “wounded” Soul, and repay debts to the Higher Powers from the karma of past lives.
Spiritual true purpose of man
And when the soul is healed, and debts are paid off, all cosmic laws are observed, ONLY THEN A PERSON IN A RELATIONSHIP, WHEN CHOOSING A LIFE MATE, BECOMES FREE IN HIS CHOICE, finding true Love - Reasonable Love. He either remains in a couple - also a choice (provided - if both have developed), or higher powers provide the opportunity to leave the karmic relationship.
P.S. When meeting a karmic partner, the choice in his favor occurs on the basis of our subconscious. The subconscious mind remembers our past lives.
Human Life Purpose
So, if we talk about human destiny, then before revealing all of his potential capabilities and talents, a person needs to become whole, to become a creator creating his own reality.
For many of us, the main task of our whole life becomes to find and find a partner, thus we run away from ourselves, our Soul, our fears, loneliness, our imperfection.
I repeat, “woman is created for God and man is also created for God.” Therefore, the main task of a person is to heal all his internal imperfections (whether accumulated in past or this life) on the path to the TRUTH.
Methodologically, in the question of the purpose of man, Christian anthropology distinguishes three aspects: the purpose of man in relation to God, the purpose of man in relation to himself, and the purpose of man in relation to the rest of creation.
The purpose of man in relation to God there is knowledge of God, union with God, service to Him.
A person's purpose in relation to himself quite different in materialist and Christian anthropology.
A psychological approach to a person is a view of a person as a being, in general a very good being, for a happy life does not need Divine help, since a person himself has everything that is needed for self-discovery, self-realization, and personal flourishing , to achieve a harmonious and happy life here on Earth.
The idea of eternal life is rejected and devalued. All attention is focused on this temporary life: to have time to live, to have time to experience as many different sensations and experiences as possible, to take “everything” from life - comfort, respect and fame in society, pleasure from creative work, pleasant relationships with friends; warmth and pleasantness of the family hearth. If you haven’t achieved this, then you are a failure, you don’t know how to live, life has passed you by.
In Christian anthropology, the approach to man is completely different. Man is a creature created by God for eternity, and temporary earthly life is like a test of what a person is good for. Either to life with God or to non-existence (since without God there is no life, for God is life). For this reason, the goal of our current, short human life is to decide whether to live or not live, to be or not to be, and if we live and be, then prepare for eternal life, unite with the Lord now and not be separated in eternity.
In other words, the purpose of a person in relation to himself is essentially to achieve, through the revelation of strengths and abilities, through active aspiration and approach to his Prototype, the full measure of godlikeness possible for a finite being, ᴛ.ᴇ. the closest unity with God, to become a “participant of the Divine nature,” a son of God by grace, and at the same time achieve the opportunity to participate in Divine bliss.
Holy Scripture speaks of the purpose of human life as achieving perfection in God and glorifying him. For example, in the Gospel of Matt. 5:16 it says: “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” In the Gospel of Matt. 5:48: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Elsewhere in the Holy Scriptures, man's purpose in relation to himself is spoken of as growth in love, through which man is united with God and achieves eternal bliss. For example, in 1 John. (4, 16): “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him,” and in 1 Cor.
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2, 9: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
A person sold to sin (cf. Rom. 7:14) recognizes only himself and becomes the center of everything. The more a person is captivated by sin, the more a person feels the gap between himself and his neighbors. He sees only himself and nothing else around him. Everything around him is for him, and he himself is like a self-proclaimed god. The all-good God-man and Savior of the world, Christ, who took upon himself the sin of the world, washed away with his love the leprosy of individualism and taught us to love one another everywhere (cf. John 13:34). The apostles and disciples of Christ taught the same thing: Seek no one his own, but each one the benefit of another (1 Cor.
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10:24), Each of us must please our neighbor for good, for edification (Rom. 15:2), Bear each other’s burdens (Gal. 6:2) - as a sign of unity and fellowship. Only in the divine-human life and consciousness is a person saved from egoistic isolation, from destructive individualism, which is nothing more than wayward Satanism. Satan is the most isolated being in the entire universe due to self-interest and self-isolation, due to being closed in on himself. Whoever is carried away into egocentrism will discover all the satanic properties in himself, his self-awareness and sensations will be cut off from other people, from the benefit of his neighbors, he will care and think only about himself.
Archimandrite Cyprian (Kern) quotes the words of St. Gregory Palamas on the appointment of a person. This - deification. This is what St. says. Gregory: “Everyone has come from God and goes to God... so that, having put off the flesh and opposing debility, he becomes God and spirit, becomes in the rank of the radiant angelic face... This is the goal of life.” And further: “If you think lowly about yourself, then I will remind you that you... are a created God, going through the suffering of Christ into imperishable glory.” “Created by God” is repeatedly called by St. Gregory the man. This excludes any false ascetic approach to man. Asceticism does not consist in killing the body and in no way in humiliating human purpose, but in helping a person fulfill this purpose. True spirituality is expressed not in contempt for the body, but in the spiritualization of the entire psychophysical composition of a person.
So, we can say that the purpose of a person in relation to himself in Christian anthropology is the most responsible. It gives human life high meaning and inspiration.
The purpose of man in relation to the impersonal creation essentially consists in the fact that the way of being of the world, its state depend on the spiritual and moral state of a person. The Holy Scripture tells us about this: “... the creation waits with hope for the revelation of the sons of God... in the hope that the creation itself will be freed from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now” (Rom. 8, 19-22). Holy Scripture and patristic tradition see in man a mediator capable of leading the entire world created by God to the realization of its ultimate goal: the communion of the created nature of the life of the Divine, the existence of God.
Let us summarize briefly on the topic of the purpose of man on earth. Christianity says that salvation is possible only if a person acquires humility in love or humility and love, ᴛ.ᴇ. that god-like state, those qualities that God Himself possessed, having become, in order to save people, also a man, and who Himself, having reached Golgotha, showed the greatest love and the greatest humility towards man.
However, the main goal of Christian life is to achieve humility and love, or, better said, humble love. Not even the achievement of Paradise, not the achievement of bliss, but the achievement of that state, which is God-like, and which allows man to be one with God, since He Himself is God, and not some place, is the greatest Good. Christianity also says that this unity is possible only if a person humbles himself to the limit - humility is the door through which God can freely, without suppressing human will, enter into a person.
Christianity says interesting things: “Where there is pride, there is a wall.” Moreover, there is a wall on the human side, or a closed door through which God cannot pass. He never gives up trying and always knocks on this door, but it opens only from the inside, a humble person who has felt the utmost importance in God. God cannot save us without us, he does not need slaves or captives, he does not force the human will, in this regard, it is entirely up to man to understand the love of God and consciously open or not open this door of his soul, but it opens with humility and only humility. Why humility? Because in Christianity, the main center of hope is Christ the Savior, and, therefore, those who have not yet realized themselves as perishing (ᴛ.ᴇ. having a need for a Savior) do not need Christ as a Savior. It is worth saying that for him Christianity is simply faith in a good God or good morality, but not in Christ the Savior, because The lost need Christ, ᴛ.ᴇ. to someone who actually sees himself as such. And Christians are not looking for Heaven (as some kind of place) and not for eternal blessings (in the sense of some gifts from God), but are looking for God himself and unity with Him, the possibility of which Christ gave us. It is no coincidence that the goal of Orthodox Christian life is “deification” (in Greek “theosis”) - the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, since only God Himself is the highest good and being, and it is Him that Christianity seeks - God, not God, not some distant Paradise, but God Himself.
Human purpose - concept and types. Classification and features of the category “Purpose of a person” 2017, 2018.
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Man is the only creature on earth capable of thought, reflection and the ability to make logical conclusions. Therefore, the question of its purpose on earth is not philosophical, but rather personal, deeply individual for everyone. The question of purpose concerns the most significant aspects of human existence, and it cannot but worry every thinking person. Moreover, the question of appointment of a person– this is a sign of the real human way of life, its key problem. It is difficult to call someone who has never been faced with the question of his own purpose as a person.
Living means independently answering questions that arise in different situations and do not have ready-made solutions. Questions about the purpose of man were raised in all historical eras and resulted in legends, myths, treatises, religious teachings, and philosophical teachings. Philosophy sees the answer to the question of the purpose of man in determining those powers and abilities that are inherent in him alone. Only man is distinguished by the presence of a spiritual and value world.
Human spirituality. What is the concept of human spirituality? Any animal relates to the world from the standpoint of usefulness for itself, but a person tries to comprehend the deep essence of every thing and phenomenon. To do this, he needs to disconnect from reality, rise above his interests, and not consider a thing or phenomenon from the standpoint of personal gain. Any intellectual activity is a spiritual activity of a person.
In addition to conscious activity, spirituality is determined by the knowledge of ethical values. Ethical values ultimately determine the extent to which a person’s activities correspond to his internal concepts and life attitudes.
Spiritual abilities are given to a person to perform actions and without application they remain only possibilities. A person decides for himself whether to remain in the world of things or rise to the heights of spiritual life. The answer will be the choice of goals and objectives in life.
World of values. All objects and phenomena of the material world have a human value assessment. Values are a category to which the word “should” applies. If the value is positive, then it should be in a person’s life; if it is negative, then it must be eliminated. Thus, values become the engine of rational human activity. The world of values gives the final answer to what a person’s purpose is: spirituality opens the way for a person to ethical values and the opportunity to live a life of value.
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Moral behavior is each person’s understanding of the realities of the world around them, which results in a system of actions. Behavior is the implementation of moral...Warning: Use of undefined constant ” - assumed "”" (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/vh322158/data/www/site/wp-content/plugins/execphp.php(44) : eval()"d code on line 8
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Compared to burial, that is, the traditional burial of a coffin with the body of the deceased in the ground, cremation in Russia is a rather rare phenomenon. Indeed, according to Orthodox religious traditions, it is not customary to burn the dead; they are buried in coffins, giving great importance to the appearance of the deceased’s final resting place.Warning: Use of undefined constant ” - assumed "”" (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/vh322158/data/www/site/wp-content/plugins/execphp.php(44) : eval()"d code on line 8
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They write and talk about the ethical side of this problem no less than about the social or medical one. For example, the church considers even abortion due to the undesirable gender of a child or a congenital disease to be completely immoral. This refers to any type of abortion, including medical termination of pregnancy as early as possible.Warning: Use of undefined constant ” - assumed "”" (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/vh322158/data/www/site/wp-content/plugins/execphp.php(44) : eval()"d code on line 8
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Methodologically, in the question of the purpose of man, Christian anthropology distinguishes three aspects: the purpose of man in relation to God, the purpose of man in relation to himself, and the purpose of man in relation to all other creation.
The purpose of man in relation to God there is knowledge of God, union with God, service to Him.
A person's purpose in relation to himself quite different in materialist and Christian anthropology.
A psychological approach to a person is a view of a person as a being, in general a very good being, who does not need Divine help for a happy life, since a person himself contains everything that is needed for self-discovery, self-realization, personal flourishing, to achieve here on Earth a harmonious and happy life.
The idea of eternal life is rejected and devalued. All attention is focused on this temporary life: to have time to live, to have time to experience as many different sensations and experiences as possible, to take “everything” from life - comfort, respect and fame in society, pleasure from creative work, pleasant relationships with friends; warmth and pleasantness of the family hearth. If you haven’t achieved this, then you are a failure, you don’t know how to live, life has passed you by.
In Christian anthropology, the approach to man is completely different. Man is a creature created by God for eternity, and temporary earthly life is like a test of what a person is good for. Either to life with God or to non-existence (since without God there is no life, for God is life). Therefore, the goal of our current, short human life is to decide whether to live or not live, to be or not to be, and if we live and be, then prepare for eternal life, unite with the Lord now and not be separated in eternity.
In other words, the purpose of a person in relation to himself is to, through the disclosure of strengths and abilities, through active aspiration and approach to his Prototype, to achieve the full measure of godlikeness possible for a finite being, i.e. the closest union with God, to become a “participant of the Divine nature,” a son of God by grace, and at the same time achieve the possibility of participating in Divine bliss.
Holy Scripture speaks of the purpose of human life as achieving perfection in God and glorifying him. For example, in the Gospel of Matt. 5:16 it says: “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” In the Gospel of Matt. 5:48: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Elsewhere in the Holy Scriptures, man's purpose in relation to himself is spoken of as growth in love, through which man is united with God and achieves eternal bliss. For example, in 1 John. (4:16): “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him,” and in 1 Cor. 2:9: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
A person sold to sin (cf. Rom. 7:14) recognizes only himself and becomes the center of everything. The more a person is captivated by sin, the more a person feels the gap between himself and his neighbors. He sees only himself and nothing else around him. Everything around him is for him, and he himself is like a self-proclaimed god. The all-good God-man and Savior of the world, Christ, who took upon himself universal sin, washed away with his love the leprosy of individualism and taught us to love one another everywhere (cf. John 13:34). The apostles and disciples of Christ taught the same thing: Seek no one his own, but each one the benefit of the other (1 Cor. 10:24), Each of us must please our neighbor for good, for edification (Rom. 15:2), Bear each other’s burdens (Gal. 6:2) - as a sign of unity and communication. Only in the divine-human life and consciousness is a person saved from egoistic isolation, from destructive individualism, which is nothing more than wayward Satanism. Satan is the most isolated being in the entire universe due to self-interest and self-isolation, due to being closed in on himself. Whoever is carried away into egocentrism will discover all the satanic properties in himself, his self-awareness and sensations will be cut off from other people, from the benefit of his neighbors, he will care and think only about himself.
Archimandrite Cyprian (Kern) quotes the words of St. Gregory Palamas on the appointment of a person. This - deification. This is what St. says. Gregory: “Everyone has come from God and goes to God... so that, having put off the flesh and opposing debility, he becomes God and spirit, becomes in the rank of the radiant angelic face... This is the goal of life.” And further: “If you think lowly of yourself, then I will remind you that you... are a created God, going through the suffering of Christ into imperishable glory.” “Created by God” is repeatedly called by St. Gregory the man. This excludes any false ascetic approach to man. Asceticism does not consist in killing the body and in no way in humiliating human purpose, but in helping a person fulfill this purpose. True spirituality is expressed not in contempt for the body, but in the spiritualization of the entire psychophysical composition of a person.
So, we can say that the purpose of a person in relation to himself in Christian anthropology is the most responsible. It gives human life high meaning and inspiration.
The purpose of man in relation to the impersonal creation lies in the fact that the way of being of the world, its state depend on the spiritual and moral state of a person. The Holy Scripture tells us about this: “... the creation waits with hope for the revelation of the sons of God... in the hope that the creation itself will be freed from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now” (Rom. 8, 19-22). Holy Scripture and patristic tradition see in man a mediator capable of leading the entire world created by God to the realization of its ultimate goal: the communion of the created nature of the life of the Divine, the existence of God.
Let us summarize briefly on the topic of the purpose of man on earth. Christianity says that salvation is possible only if a person acquires humility in love or humility and love, i.e. that god-like state, those qualities that God Himself possessed, having become, in order to save people, also a man, and who Himself, having reached Golgotha, showed the greatest love and the greatest humility towards man.
Thus, the main goal of Christian life is to achieve precisely humility and love, or, better said, humble love. Not even the achievement of Paradise, not the achievement of bliss, but the achievement of that state that is God-like, and which allows a person to be one with God, since He Himself is God, and not some place, is the greatest Good. Christianity also says that this unity is possible only if a person humbles himself to the limit - humility is the door through which God can freely, without suppressing human will, enter into a person.
Christianity says interesting things: “Where there is pride, there is a wall.” Moreover, there is a wall on the human side, or a closed door through which God cannot pass. He never gives up trying and always knocks on this door, but it opens only from the inside, a humble person who has felt the need for God. God cannot save us without us, he does not need slaves or captives, he does not force the human will, therefore it is entirely up to man to understand the love of God and consciously open or not open this door of his soul, but it opens with humility and only humility. Why humility? Because in Christianity, Christ the Savior is affirmed as the main center of hope, and, therefore, those who have not yet realized themselves as perishing (i.e., having a need for a Savior) do not need Christ as a Savior. For him, Christianity is simply faith in a good God or good morality, but not in Christ the Savior, because... The lost need Christ, i.e. to someone who actually sees himself as such. And Christians are not looking for Heaven (as some kind of place) and not for eternal blessings (in the sense of some gifts from God), but are looking for God himself and unity with Him, the possibility of which Christ gave us. It is no coincidence that the goal of Orthodox Christian life is “deification” (in Greek “theosis”) - the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, since only God Himself is the highest good and being, and it is Him that Christianity seeks - God, not God, not some distant Paradise, but God Himself.
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