Partners of the Divine Nature – Washed with Precious Blood
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III addresses a brief warning and clarification of a number of theological matters that believers may encounter, focusing on correcting meanings and not taking wrong interpretations.
First — Partners of the divine nature
He explains that the phrase “partners of the divine nature” is misunderstood by some; the intended meaning is partnership in work with God (service and spreading salvation) and does not mean participation in the essence or theology of God. Participation in the divine theology would produce impossible results for man (such as infallibility or immortality) and this is rejected.
Second — “Washed by the Precious Blood”: the correct meaning
His Holiness explains the phrase “washed by the Precious Blood” in a disciplined way: the true washing is linked to three indispensable things — faith, baptism, and repentance — and these are three integrated steps to obtain forgiveness of sins.
Third — Brief scriptural evidences
He cites the verses that link faith and baptism and the giving of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37–38, John 3:5, and Paul’s epistles) to show that redemption by the blood appears and is obtained by baptism, faith and repentance, and that the blood shed by Christ is given to us as a symbol in the water of baptism and in the bread and wine of the Eucharist.
Fourth — Sequence of elements and the integration of the sacraments
He warns that the salvific work is clear as a coordinated process: the redemptive blood, the washing of baptism, the anointing of chrism, repentance and faith, and all of them complete each other in the life of the believer and the phrase “washed by the blood” is not reduced to a mere claim of instantaneous innocence.
Spiritual conclusion
He concludes with a call for a balanced theology: to preserve accuracy in concepts, to cling to the Church’s sacraments as means of redemption, and to avoid easy interpretations that mislead true faith.
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