How Do We Know God? (Part 2)
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III continues explaining that true knowledge of God must be real, not distorted or theoretical. Many people misunderstand God—some blame Him for their problems, others fear Him as harsh, while others think He limits freedom. In truth, God is a loving and merciful Father, who sanctifies, guides, and draws His children with love.
🔸 1. Do Not Blame God for Everything
We must not hold God responsible for every hardship. Evil often has human or worldly causes. God only allows what brings good in the end.
🔸 2. Teaching God Through Love, Not Fear
Children should not grow up seeing God as always angry. Instead, they should know that God grieves for them, not at them, because He loves and wants to save them.
🔸 3. God Purifies Desires, Not Destroys Them
God does not forbid joy; He purifies pleasure to make it holy. True joy is not in sin but in spiritual life.
🔸 4. Beware of a Harsh Image of God
Overemphasis on punishment distances people from God. The right way is to draw hearts to Him through His love before His judgment.
🔸 5. God as the Loving Father
Christ revealed God as the Heavenly Father—kind, compassionate, forgiving, yet just. Like David said: “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.”
🔸 6. The Vine and the Branches
Christ used the image of the vine and branches: God is the vine, and we are its branches. Through this union, divine life flows in us.
🔸 7. Knowing God Through the Saints
The saints are living reflections of God. Walking “in the steps of the flock” (Song of Songs) means following the examples of the holy ones who walked with God.
🔸 8. Knowing God Through Nature
Nature proclaims God’s beauty. The heavens and the earth reflect His majesty, leading us to love the Creator through His creation.
🔸 9. Knowing God Through Meditation on His Attributes
Meditate on God’s mercy, holiness, humility, and generosity. These are not mere doctrines but living realities that nourish the soul.
🔸 10. Purity as the Path to Knowledge
Only the pure in heart truly see God. The more the heart is cleansed from material distractions, the more clearly it perceives the divine.
“For better translation support, please contact the center.”
