[Kolokotronis]

“I don’t know anywhere in scripture that says we will become God.”

Its (theosis) a hard concept to explain in English. Try reading +Athanasius the Great On the Incarnation. Its full of scriptural references. In the meantime, look at John 10:34-35, I Cor. 15:28; I Cor.12.27; Genesis 1:27; Rom. 8:15-17; Rom. 8:29; I Peter 4:6; John 14:12. The list goes on, HD. For me, I think Genesis 1:27 lays it right out and fully explains what is meant by the later scriptures. For us to become by grace what Christ is by nature is the whole point, HD.

“Yes, the soul is immortal.”

Oh, I was afraid you would say that. That, HD is one of the earliest and most deadly of heresies. All sorts of error stems from it, as Origen, among others found out. The human soul is not at all immortal by nature. Immortality is a gift offered by God which we can accept or reject as rational and free creatures. I thought that Calvinism might, given its theology, of necessity hold with the idea that the soul is immortal.

[stfassisi]

“”I think Genesis 1:27 lays it right out and fully explains what is meant by the later scriptures. For us to become by grace what Christ is by nature is the whole point, HD.””

Matthew 5:48 spells this out very clearly as well

Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.(Matt 5:48 Douay Rheims)

This is our Christian goal.It does not make us equal to God because only God can give Grace, it allows us to be in union with God, so He can use our human nature .

[HarleyD]

Try reading +Athanasius the Great On the Incarnation. Its full of scriptural references. In the meantime, look at ...

While I'll have to do a more careful analysis of +Athanasius the Great On the Incarnation, I don't necessarily agree with some of his argument and certainly think the amount of scriptural references are lacking. Most of the references are not used to support his argument but simply references.

As far as your references, with the possible exception of John 10:34-35, I don't believe any of them support us being on the same par as God the Father. I was thinking about this as I was mowing the grass. According to the Orthodox understanding of the fillique of the Nicene Creed, there is God the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from God the Son, who proceeds from God the Father. If I'm not mistaken the Orthodox sees a very pronounce organizational structure in the Godhead. (Personally I agree with this interpretation btw.) Now, which level of the Godhead would you say we are to become like.

That, HD is one of the earliest and most deadly of heresies. All sorts of error stems from it, as Origen, among others found out. The human soul is not at all immortal by nature. Immortality is a gift offered by God which we can accept or reject as rational and free creatures.

Origen believed in the pre-existence of the soul and that those existing souls were imparted to people as they were born. I didn't make that claim. I said the soul was immortal-not eternal. Once a soul is born it does not die. It goes either to heaven or to hell. Immortality is a gift of God whether we want it or not-just like all God's gifts. But a soul is not eternal and has not always existed as Origen mistakenly claimed.