Divine Illumination: Embracing the Ultimate Union
Knowledge and vision of divine matters essentially reveal to a person the true meaning of existence, showing that the purpose of being lies in establishing a deep, immediate union with God. This union serves as the final perfection, an all-encompassing light that illuminates the inner order and creative force of all reality.Thus, as stated in one of the sources, “This highest state—the state of union with God and deification (θέωσις)—is the goal of all movements of being, it is its τελείωσις, the final perfection. The meaning of life for all beings is to strive for union with God by receiving high mysterious illuminations from Him. Streams of these illuminations eternally flow into the world from an inexhaustible source of divine generosity…” (source: link txt). This quote emphasizes that through acquiring divine knowledge and insight, every being finds its purpose, with existence itself permeated by the idea of striving toward a bright, higher union.Another source explains that the knowledge of God combines both the spiritual and moral transformation of a person: “In other words, Christianity, as the highest form of wisdom, encompasses… the pinnacle of all human effort—God-knowledge. And Christian doctrine… enables one to comprehend many mysteries of existence. And he who has attained this, through all manners of bodily exertion, fasts, prayers, and other ascetic labors… finds himself ‘at the peak of knowledge’” (source: link txt). Here, the emphasis is on the fact that divine knowledge is inextricably linked to inner transformation, allowing one to differentiate the true, eternal from the temporary, worldly forms.It is also clear that knowledge itself is a creative act of the mind: “In knowledge, the creative, value-establishing factor is the Logos, the great mind, the meaning and sun of the world. The activity of the Logos… implies that in knowledge there is not passive reflection but active, solar mastery. Knowledge, therefore, is the life of being itself…” (source: link txt). Here, knowledge appears as an active process through which the mind comprehends existence, illuminating its internal structure and establishing a connection with the divine source.And finally, the direct vision of God, which is described as the gift of eternal life, offers the possibility to apprehend the essence of God directly: “Eternal life consists in the knowledge of the one true God. Not in this mediocre, abstract knowledge… but in direct and immediate vision, in a clear vision of the Divine essence…” (source: link txt). This indicates that such a vision, bestowed upon man, can reveal the profound depth of existence’s meaning, allowing one to experience and comprehend reality on its most divine foundation.Thus, the knowledge and vision of divine matters enable one not only to intellectually understand the structure of the world but also to feel how all parts of existence harmoniously relate within the single design of the Creator. This knowledge is both a means and a result of spiritual transformation, in which a person becomes a participant in a higher reality, finding the meaning of life through a connection with the Almighty.