Catechism book #4: Soul Perfection

Not David

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"The life in Christ originates and begins in this life, but is perfected in the life to come, when that [last] day comes. It cannot attain perfection in men's soul in this life, nor can it in the life to come unless it begins from here... It is this world which carries within it the new inner man which was created according to God [Eph. 4:24]. When he has been shaped and formed here, then he is born perfect into that perfect world which grows not old..."
(St. Nicholas Cabasilas)

What's there that prevents us from achieving perfect here? And how do we get to know whether our perfection started or not?
 

Not David

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the Resurrection is what perfects man, because we are created for the life of the age to come.
Does that mean that our current bodies are the reason we cannot achieve perfection? Because they are corrupted?
 
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ArmyMatt

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Does that mean that our current bodies are the reason we cannot achieve perfection? Because they are corrupted?

yep, although our bodies in the age to come are our bodies, just not corrupted.
 
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AMM

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because it's death that leads to resurrection
like wheat, right? In John 12:24?

A subdeacon at a Romanian church once explained that to me which is why in the romanian tradition (and maybe elsewhere) they have a special leavened wheat bread they offer when someone dies - it represents the death and coming resurrection
 
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ArmyMatt

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like wheat, right? In John 12:24?

A subdeacon at a Romanian church once explained that to me which is why in the romanian tradition (and maybe elsewhere) they have a special leavened wheat bread they offer when someone dies - it represents the death and coming resurrection

yep, it's called kolyva.
 
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