As I understand neoplatonism within Christianity (from this answer ) all people are envisioned as being on a 'path', with a relationship with Christ at one end and the opposite at the other end. Where one is and what direction one is heading on that 'path' is indicated or determined somewhat by what one does and more so by why one does it. The foundation seems to be (as the answer explains) that > "In the neoplatonist tradition, all goodness comes from God, and to be good or do good, in any sense, is to participate in God's goodness" therefore "to do good is to serve Christ, whether or not you know you are doing it, and to do evil is to go against Christ, even if--or especially if--you do that evil in Christ's name.". Therefore there is, for the Christian neoplatonist, just one path and everyone is on it either serving Christ or opposing Christ whether they know it or not. At Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus says the following: > "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.", and He appears to be delineating two different 'ways' and two different entry points to those 'ways'. Way, here, is *hod-os'* (see [interlinear of Matt 7:13](https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/7-13.htm)) which is the common Greek word for road or street. **How does Christian neoplatonism understand Jesus' apparent delineation of two different ways, or roads, or paths having two different entry points?**

In Genesis 2:16–17, God commands Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil: >"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'" (ESV) This tree seems to serve no immediate nutritional or practical purpose for Adam and Eve, yet it is placed prominently in the garden. Given this, I’m wondering whether God’s primary purpose for establishing the tree was to present a moral choice — a test of obedience — that would foster spiritual maturity, trust, and relational depth with Him. Was the tree intended as a tool to develop spiritual growth through obedience?

I would like to delve into the Christian perspective on whether God can be credited for the healing process of an individual who, initially not a Muslim, converts to Islam and undergoes genuine spiritual renewal, or at least claims to undergo such a renewal, based on their self-reported experience. One can find many such testimonies on the web ([example 1](https://youtu.be/4-l7cemjwyI?t=605) , [example 2](https://youtu.be/nwjJS6wfv-s?t=547) , [example 3](https://youtu.be/Ertxy9kMB7M) , [example 4](https://youtu.be/8jNuBgSqYks) , [example 5](https://www.youtube.com/@MuslimConvertStories)) . I want to understand the Christian viewpoint regarding divine involvement in the well-being and spiritual growth of individuals who undergo a religious transformation, particularly in the context of the conversion of a non-Muslim to the Islamic faith. Is it conceivable that God plays a role in the spiritual development of a Muslim convert? **Are there any Christian denominations that believe this is possible in principle?** Or are all Christians denominations necessarily committed by theological reasons to ascribe any improvement and healing experienced by a Muslim convert to psychology, sociology, the influence of deceptive spirits, or any combination of these factors? *Note*: While this question can be broadly applied to individuals reporting healing and spiritual growth in various religions, my primary focus is on Islam, given its close association as an Abrahamic faith, alongside Judaism, with Christianity.

Are the notions of [theosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theosis_(Eastern_Christian_theology)) and [spiritual gifts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_gift) privileges that only saintly monks immersed in ascetic lifestyles can attain? Is there hope for the ordinary person, amidst the distractions and pressures of modern life, to attain them as well? I ask this question impressed by the examples of saints such as [Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyrios_of_Kafsokalyvia) , of whom books have been written, including e.g. [*Elder Porphyrios Testimonies and Experiences*](https://www.amazon.com/dp/9606890236) : > *"Elder, where can we find the solution to our problems?"* > > *"Only holiness will solve your problems."* > > The realm of the sacred and the transcendent, as expressed by that > child of God and true man, Elder Porphyrios, belongs to the category > of the unbelievable. It can however become believable because, «sin > does not prevail where grace abounds”. Elder Porphyrios was a person > filled with grace, a bearer of the power of the Holy Spirit, a child > of the Kingdom, a genuine and true tree of paradise. > > Whoever wishes to speak about the inner spiritual life of a saint, > must be a saint himself. We, the writers of this book, are not saints. > We are confined to what we saw and what we heard. We are amongst those > many others, who, as St. Luke the Evangelist says, have “taken in hand > to set in order a narrative.” We are not trying, with our poor and > futile speech, to describe the life of a contemporary saint, but > rather we are falteringly trying to express our joy in having met a > saint; our joy that Christ lives yesterday, today and forever; our joy > that holiness is not a thing of the past, that grace can be felt next > to us, that our hands touched a “little father” who really lived the > expression “I no longer live, for Christ lives in me.” > > Until the Lord reveals the servant who was Elder Porphyrios’ > eye-witness, who observed him throughout his life and in all his works > and will write about his life accurately and fully, we are forgiven. > For we have only seen “in part.” We describe, write about and speak of > the miraculous things that God did for us through His servant, > Porphyrios. One of the reviewers of the book said: > His life was a Jesus Christ's life. He was living the Theosis, loving without limits and expectation above all Jesus Christ and all humans. He was there 24/7 for all those who everyday were waiting to receive his blessings his advice and his healing power through the Holy Spirit. He used to tell me, I love all people and they love me, after that I gently bring them to Jesus Christ. A Wonderful book with a lot of little stories from people who met him and learned or were helped by him. Another example is [Saint Paisios of Mount Athos](https://www.amazon.com/dp/9608976456) : > Saint Paisios of Mount Athos (1994) is perhaps the greatest and most revered Elder of the Orthodox Church of our time. Even though he lived the monastic life in obscurity on the Holy Mountain of Athos in northern Greece, he became a shining light for thousands of faithful who flocked to see him. His life, miracles, and teachings continue to touch the hearts of people throughout the world to this day. Unquestionably, this present biography (written by his spiritual disciple Elder Isaac), which is the most authoritative account of his life, will inspire readers forevermore. Given the challenges of a modern lifestyle, is there any hope for the average busy or distracted individual, who lacks access to full-time dedication to a monastic life, to even dream of reaching this level of holiness and spirituality? **Note**: All denominations that believe in theosis and spiritual gifts are in scope.

Are these synonymous? My question is based on the point of already being a Christian. I’m open to any ideas and eager to hear them. Please note, I’m not looking for definitions of these terms. I’ve read many from various sources, and they are so minute that it renders them nearly identical. I am asking if the idea of relationship and fellowship (with God) is the same? If not, what are the differences? Does exegesis of biblical ideas exists, and if so what is the term for it? Of course any Bible verses that detail the differences in meaning of these ideas would be extremely helpful. I don’t know enough about Greek to figure that out on my own. I’m not asking out of mere curiosity, I’m studying to learn about these things for my personal growth.

Recently I've been partaking in multiple discussions regarding the concept of free will on this site (for the curious, see [here](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/95960/61679) , [here](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/95956/61679) , [here](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/95981/61679) , [here](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/95830/61679)) , mainly because of its relevance in the context of the [free-will defense against the problem of evil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Plantinga%27s_free-will_defense) , and through these exchanges I've noticed that the concept of *character* is very important for at least some of its proponents. To illustrate this, let me quote this [answer](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/a/95831/61679) : > The "missing link" here is ***character.*** God has free will, and is fully capable of being tempted and enticed to do evil, but consistently chooses to use that free will in benevolent and righteous ways. Or this [answer](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/a/95957/61679) : > One attribute of **perfect character** is having free-will and always > using it to choose not to sin. (Sin is defined as breaking God's > law, choosing to go against God's will. But since one can't use > free-will to go against *one's own* will, God is by definition > incapable of sinning.) > > If God *created* a being that is totally incapable of sinning it would > by definition not have free-will (with respect to sin). **And without** > **free-will, it would not have perfect character**. So God cannot *create* > a being with free-will that is incapable of sinning. > > Yet it *is* possible for a created being to have free-will and at the > same time be incapable of sinning (i.e. to have this attribute of > **perfect character**). > > **Perfect character** is something that a created being must develop over > time, by learning to choose not to sin. Eventually, choosing not to > sin becomes part of one's nature, while choosing to sin becomes > impossible. > > **Christians have free-will, but their purpose in life is to develop** > **perfect characters that *always freely choose* not to sin**. They can > *develop* this God-like character, but by definition no one can be *created* with it. Note: I'm not endorsing these answers. I'm just showing them as examples of Christians who believe in the existence of some kind of mysterious interaction between *character* (the main topic of this question) and *(libertarian) free will*. Just to make sure we are on the same page, I understand (libertarian) free will as an [agent's ability to choose otherwise](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/freewill/#FreeDoOthe) , that is, having more than one course of action available to them, when making a choice at time *t*, given a fixed past up to *t*. Essentially, the rejection of [causal determinism](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/determinism-causal/) when it comes to a person's ability to make decisions. And I think most people usually mean the same thing when they talk about (libertarian) free will. Yet, the concept of *character* still puzzles me. First of all, because I'm not aware of any definition of libertarian free will where *character* is an essential part of the definition. I see *character* as a rather foreign concept in this context. And so when people pull out the *character* card in discussions about free will, to me it sounds like they are mixing concepts in a handwavy fashion, without providing any rigorous definitions, without clarifying how the concepts are supposed to make sense together in the same sentence. What is *character*? Is there a rigorous definition of *character* in Christianity? Does *character* exist as a "thing" in the first place (i.e., what is the ontological status of *character*)? Does *character* have any measurable or detectable causal effects on reality? For example, does an agent's *character* influence said agent in a way that determines or narrows the range of options available to them when making a decision at time *t*, and if so, how? And what is the relationship between an agent's *character* and the laws of physics? Is *character* nothing but an emergent property of the laws of physics, in the sense that the concept of *character* is a convenient high-level abstraction, but ultimately adds nothing new to what the laws of physics can already explain? Is a person's *character* nothing but the current state of the neural wiring of their brain? Is *character* nothing but brain chemistry? Or is *character* something beyond the laws of physics, not reducible to them, and different from free will at the same time? And if *character* goes beyond the laws of physics, where is the information of this *character* stored? Can it change/be updated over time? Does it obey its own "character update rules"? In short, is there a rigorous definition of *character* in Christianity, and how is this definition reconciled with the laws of physics, how the brain works, and how libertarian free will works? --- Regarding my sub-question about the relationship between *character* and the laws of physics, this question is closely related: [How do defenders of libertarian freewill reconcile it with constraints imposed by the laws of physics?](https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/q/30415/66156)

Who said that the smallest spiritual progress of a religious merit s more than that of a thousand laymen? I seem to remember it was by or about St. Teresa of Ávila.

Can Spirit-filled Christians be found in non-JW denominations, according to Jehovah's Witnesses? ___ Related: - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/87038/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/86632/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/84049/50422

This question is similar to this one ("How is spiritual progress described in eastern monastic traditions?") . But mine is directed towards Protestants, and includes how they even speak of this topic. It seems that the language I'm used to as a Catholic isn't the norm for Protestants. Catholics can generally "speak the same language" in regards to advancing in the spiritual life. But the spiritual theology of the Church is also diverse enough to provide for the needs of people from different walks of life at different stages of the spiritual life. But the common elements usually include: * What virtues one has, how they have increased or decreased in the individual * Regular reception of the Sacraments * Regular and frequent examinations of conscience * Spiritual direction from a priest * Increasing prayer, esp. the Rosary, or the Divine Office, or other devotions What is the equivalent in Protestantism, if there can even be said to be such?

# Question According to Trinitarians, can a Christian who lacks a belief in the Trinity still live the Christian life to its full potential? In other words, can non-Trinitarians experience spiritual rebirth, regeneration, sanctification, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, live a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led life, etc.? Another way to phrase the question: according to Trinitarians, if someone lacks a belief in the Trinity, will their rejection of the Trinity inevitably become a road block to their spiritual growth? _____________ ## Appendix 1: On the salvation of non-Trinitarians. My question (which is about spiritual growth) has arguably some overlap with the related question on the salvation of non-Trinitarians (which is about soteriology). Note that the latter deals with a stronger claim. Of course if non-Trinitarians cannot be saved, then they cannot be expected to achieve full spiritual maturity in Christ, because only saved people can reach that level. However, note also that the opposite direction is not necessarily true: it could be the case that someone doesn't achieve full spiritual maturity (e.g. because their spiritual growth is impaired by their rejection of the Trinity), yet God in His mercy might still grant them salvation. (This is, by the way, the reason why this question is not a dup of [this one](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/81070/50422).) That said, at the very least the subset of Trinitarians who subscribe to the *Athanasian Creed* must, by necessity, believe that belief in trinitarianism is essential for salvation, and, by logical implication, it follows that they must also believe that non-Trinitarians' spiritual growth is severely compromised from the get-go. However, this still doesn't answer the question in the case of Trinitarians who do not (fully) subscribe to the Athanasian Creed. For further reading on this, please see https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/49022/50422 ___________ ## Appendix 2: On the spiritual growth of non-Trinitarians, from the non-Trinitarian perspective. If lack of belief in the Trinity impairs the spiritual growth of non-Trinitarians, we should be able to find evidence of this across the board in non-Trinitarian denominations. One possible way to check this would be to conduct interviews with a representative sample of non-Trinitarians of different denominations. Another way is to analyze a representative sample of testimonies from dedicated non-Trinitarians and former non-Trinitarians (for a balanced view) and compare them with those of Trinitarians to see if there are any notable differences in terms of spiritual growth. And another option is to see what each non-Trinitarian faith group claims to be possible in this regard, doctrinally speaking. The last alternative is the easiest to implement of the three, so that's what I did, and below are a few examples. As a summary, non-Trinitarians hold doctrines about spiritual growth which, at least in principle, give them no disadvantage with respect to Trinitarians. They believe to have as much access to salvation, sanctification, spiritual growth and the power of the Spirit as Trinitarians claim to have for themselves. #### Jehovah's Witnesses According to this article https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-august-2017/fruitage-of-the-spirit-love/ : > First, ask God for his spirit, which produces love. Jesus stated that Jehovah gives “holy spirit to those asking him.” (Luke 11:13) **If we pray for holy spirit and endeavor to “keep walking by spirit,” our actions will become more and more loving**. (Gal. 5:16) For instance, if you are an elder in the Christian congregation, you can ask for holy spirit to help you to give Scriptural counsel to others in a loving manner. Or if you are a parent, you can request that God’s spirit help you to discipline your children, not in anger, but in love. And according to this article: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1967360 > Why is this Word of God so alive, so powerful? Because it is the very essence of truth **and because its penmen were filled with the spirit or active force of the Creator, Jehovah God, the omnipotent One**. Its words are truly spirit and life, even as God’s Son, Jesus Christ, said. (John 6:63) **Those who drink in the words of truth found in the Bible with open minds and honest hearts are bound to receive some of God’s powerful active force or spirit**. **Further, that Word of God imparts faith to those who receive it in good and honest hearts; a faith that enables them to do many valiant and mighty works**. (Hebrews, chapter 11) More than that, the Word of God imparts strength to truth-hungry and open-minded readers by its very honesty and candor as well as by its emphasis on righteous principles. It also imparts strength for righteousness by its revelation of the all-wise, all-mighty and perfectly just Creator, the one who, above all others, is the proper object of fear. #### Biblical Unitarians The following comes from the article titled *The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be Like Christ*: https://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/holy-spirit/the-gift-of-holy-spirit-the-power-to-be-like-christ > The subject of the Holy Spirit is one of the most misunderstood subjects in Christendom. Yet the gift of holy spirit is one of the greatest gifts God has given to mankind. Moses had it, and when he needed help administering the millions of Israelites, God took of the spirit that was upon Moses and gave it to the elders of Israel so they could rule with him. God gave His gift of holy spirit to the Judges of Israel, such as Deborah and Samuel. He gave it to kings such as David and Hezekiah. He gave it to prophets such as Elijah, Isaiah, and Daniel. John the Baptist had holy spirit from birth. Even Jesus was anointed with holy spirit before he started his ministry. **Now we can walk in the power of holy spirit**. This book will answer such questions as: > > - What is the difference between Holy Spirit and holy spirit? > - Why is “holy spirit” sometimes referred to as “he” and other times referred to as an “it”? > - What are the manifestations (sometimes called “gifts”) of holy spirit? > - What is speaking in tongues, and why is it valuable for Christians? > - What is “slain in the spirit”? > > **This book shows that each Christian is sealed with God’s gift of holy spirit the very moment that he is saved. Furthermore, it shows that each Christian can manifest, outwardly show, that spirit in the nine ways spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12, including speaking in tongues. When we understand the gift of holy spirit and why God gave us such a wonderful gift, then we can take advantage of it in our lives. We can walk in the power of the holy spirit, and become more like Christ in attitude and action**. ### Latter-day Saints The following comes from https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/sanctification?lang=eng : > **Sanctification** > > The process of becoming free from sin, pure, clean, and holy through > the Atonement of Jesus Christ (Moses 6:59–60). > > God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, > 2 Thes. 2:13. > > We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus, Heb. > 10:10. > > Jesus suffered that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, > Heb. 13:12. > > High priests were sanctified and their garments were washed white > through the blood of the Lamb, Alma 13:10–12. > > Sanctification cometh to those who yield their hearts unto God, Hel. > 3:33–35. > > Repent that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, 3 > Ne. 27:20. > > Sanctification through the grace of Jesus Christ is just and true, D&C > 20:31. > > Jesus came to sanctify the world, D&C 76:41. > > Sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, D&C 88:68. >

Not much to add to the title. Can Spirit-filled Christians be found in other denominations, according to Biblical Unitarians? ___ Related: - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/86632/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/84049/50422

According to Catholicism, if a Christian lacks devotion to Mary and the Saints, is he or she spiritually "handicapped" or "missing out" spiritually? For example, let's suppose that a Christian has devotion to the Father, the Son and and the Holy Spirit (or possibly subsets of them in the case of non-Trinitarians). Let's say also that this Christian only prays to God in the name of Jesus, his mindset is constantly set on becoming a better disciple of Christ and he constantly seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit. However, he has no devotion to Mary or the Saints, to the point that he doesn't even think of them at all, they are just not part of his daily thoughts. His only devotion is God, and God alone. **According to Catholicism, would such a Christian be able to live a spiritually fulfilled life and achieve full spiritual maturity?** Or on the contrary, due to his lack of devotion to Mary and the Saints, would such a Christian inevitably encounter a road block to his spiritual growth, which will become evident to him as a feeling of *"I feel like I'm missing something but I'm not sure what it is"*? ***Note:** For those interested in the Protestant perspective on this issue, please see https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/87520/50422*

Love is, without question, the most fundamental virtue and principle of Christianity. The Apostle John makes this very clear: > 7 Beloved, let us love one another, **for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God**. 8 **Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love**. [1 John 4:7-8, ESV] The Apostle Paul seconds this in 1 Corinthians 13: > If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, **but have not love**, **I** > **am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal**. 2 And if I have prophetic > powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have > all faith, so as to remove mountains, **but have not love**, **I am nothing**. > 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be > burned, **but have not love, I gain nothing**. > > 4 **Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant** 5 **or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;** 6 **it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.** 7 **Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.** > > 8 **Love never ends**. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for > tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For > we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect > comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like > a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I > became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror > dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know > fully, even as I have been fully known. > > 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; **but the greatest of these is love**. And how to forget Jesus' own words in Matthew 22: > 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, **“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind**. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: **You shall love your neighbor as yourself**. 40 **On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets**.” [Matthew 22:34-40, ESV] With love being such a fundamental and central core principle of Christianity, a question that one should naturally ask next is: *how to have this kind of love?* Is *love* (the Christian concept of *love*) a quality that can be cultivated, developed and increased over time? If so, *how*? Are there **concrete spiritual practices** that can increase a Christian's capacity to experience and express *love*? Assuming that different denominations might answer these questions differently, I'd rather play it safe by requesting an **overview** of spiritual practices.

According to Word-of-Faith movement , Jesus suffered both physical and spiritual death. They mean by spiritual death that he suffered in hell after dying, before resurrection. And suffering in hell means separation from God. I ask what is the separation from God?, What does it mean? Hence, I ask: Does spiritual death mean loss of faith or doing mortal sin (or sins) or what? The Term separation from God is unclear to me.

Many times we try to ask questions not to challenge the Christian faith but rather to know more and perhaps draw closer to God. How can one get the confidence in trying to explain to and convert a learned and highly educated unbeliever who always has strong reasons from philosophy, logic, psychology etc to support his rigid stand? The bible actually seem to halt us in seeking to know more from God. > who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? ([Romans 9:20](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+9:20&version=KJV) , KJV). [Romans 14:5](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+14:5&version=KJV) also says: > Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. And then we have this: > For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. [...] so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. ([Isaiah 55:8–9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+55:8-9&version=KJV)) . These and many more make me feel incapable of winning souls for Christ and often leaves me hanging and tongue-tied myself. How do we manage this as Christians?

Hypothetically, if you are going through a painful situation: * Is it because God is trying to grow you/redirect you? * Or is it a result of sinful actions?