Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
The problem is, in the case of God, what is the difference, really, between his life/nature and his person? Is there a part of his nature which does not contain his person? Is there some unconscious "God stuff" that constitute the essence of his being but which does not include his consciousness?
This is hard to imagine. The Bible does say we partake of the divine nature. But how is that different, really, from partaking of God himself? I don't think there is a difference. It's just another way of looking at the same thing.
So also with "life." Jesus said "I am the life." The "I" is a person, by definition, and the person is the life. So there is no difference between the person and the life. It's just another way of looking at our relationship with him. The person himself is life to us.
So saying you can be one with God in life and nature but not in person contradicts what the Bible teaches. It also simply does not make sense when considering the essence of God.
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God's life and nature might better be described as God's breath. Christ breathed on the disciples and they received the Spirit. Obviously they did not receive Christ's person, as he was standing in front of them.
It's the difference between God is in heaven, God is in you, God is everywhere. We could say that everything in creation is one with God (Acts 17:28). But not with God's person, or life or nature.