Seek to be like God
The main aim of all rational creatures, defined by many philosophers as the greatest good, is to become like God. Actually this is not so much a discovery of the philosophers as something derived from Holy Scripture.
The book of Genesis illustrates it when it describes the original creation of the human race….that the human race received the dignity of God’s image at the beginning of its creation, whereas the perfection of God’s likeness is reserved for the end. Human beings must achieve it by imitating God in his works. The possibility of perfection is there right at the beginning by virtue of the image. In the end, human beings will reach perfect likeness by means of their work.
This idea has been put forward in a clearer form by the Apostle John. ‘Beloved, we are God’ children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.’ [1 John 3:2] He refers to the end of all things and, while imply admitting that the end is as yet unknown, he expresses the hope that we shall be made like God by virtue of our good deeds. Thanks to his intercession for us, we shall proceed from likeness to unity, since in the end ‘God will be all in all’. [1 Cor. 15:28]
Origen, Principles, 3, 6 (PG II, 333)
The Christian is Body, Soul and Holy Spirit
The human being, who conforms to the model of the Son, gives glory to God because of having been made by the Father by means of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, the whole person is like God and not just a part: the whole person, soul and body, receives the Spirit of the Father. This is the perfect human being.
When the Spirit is united with the soul and with the body, then we have the spiritual person, the perfect person, the human being in the image and likeness of God.
If, on the contrary, the soul does not have the Spirit, we would have a carnal and imperfect being. Such a person in having been created would be in the image of God, but would have no likeness to him.
Likeness to God comes only from the Spirit,
Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 5, 6 (Harvey II, p. 333)
~Thomas Spidlik, Drinking from the Hidden Fountain: A Patristic Breviary, Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World
