Chapter 6: To know God is to become like Him. To really know God is to be molded after His image and likeness. The one who is intimate with God imitates God in every way possible. He misses none of the things that contribute to his being like God. He practices self-control and endurance. He lives righteously and rules his own emotions. To the extent possible, he gives what he has to others, as he does good in both word and deed.
For it is written, "He is the greatest in the kingdom, who is both a doer and a teacher." Matthew 5:19. Such a person imitates God by blessing others, for God's gifts are for the common good. It is written, "Whoever attempts to do anything with presumption provokes God." Numbers 15:30. Haughtiness is a defect of the soul. We should repent of it the same as we repent of other sins.
There are three parts of our body that we need to adjust in order to grow spiritually: the mouth, speech, the heart, the power to will, and the hands, action. It has been beautifully spoken of those who repent, "This day you have chosen God to be your God. In this day God has chosen you to be His people." Deuteronomy 26:17-18. God, the self-existent One, adopts the person who pleases Him and who is quick to serve Him. Even though such a person is only one in number, he's honored equally with the rest of the church.
For since he is a part of the church, he makes the body of Christ complete. True nobility. True nobility is demonstrated by choosing and practicing that which is best. The status of one's birth makes no difference. After all, how did it benefit Adam to have his noble origin? His father was no mere human; rather, he himself was the father of all men. Yet he readily chose that which was dishonorable, following the lead of his wife. He neglected that which was true and good.
As a result, he traded his immortal life for a mortal one, but not forever. In contrast, Noah, whose origin was not as lofty as Adam's, was saved by divine care, for he dedicated himself to God. Look also at Abraham. He had children by three different ways. I don't think he did this for the indulgence of pleasure, but for the purpose of multiplying mankind during the early period of the human race. Nevertheless, despite his many children, he was succeeded by only one, who was the heir of Abraham's blessings.
The rest was separated from the family. Similarly, Abraham's son Isaac fathered twins. Of these twins, the younger won his father's blessing and received his prayers. So he became the heir, and his older brother served him. This was actually to the older brother's benefit, for the greatest blessing one can give an unrighteous man is to prevent him from being his own master. All these things were symbolic and prophetic.
Scripture clearly indicates that all things belong to the wise, saying, "Because God has had mercy on me, I have all things." Genesis 33:11. So Scripture teaches that we are to desire only one thing: divine wisdom. All other things stem from this, and the worthy receive what has been promised. Accordingly, through divine wisdom, a righteous man becomes an heir of the kingdom. Scripture thereby views him as being a fellow citizen with the righteous ones of old.
The deeds of these ancient ones, who lived according to law both before and after the law was given, have become examples to us. Scripture teaches that the wise man is, in effect, a king. For example, it mentions that foreigners said to Abraham, "You are a king among us before God." Genesis 23:6. Those foreigners obeyed the good man Abraham of their own accord because they admired his moral excellence.
Even Plato the philosopher taught that the goal of happiness is to become molded into the image of God to the extent possible.