Spiritual Journey Beyond Earthly Constraints

The answer can be formulated as follows: approaching God is not limited solely to the traditional view of salvation through marriage and the bearing of children. From the perspective of the spiritual path, what is more important is faith, love for one's neighbor, the desire to live by God's commandments, and to become like Christ. In other words, salvation (and drawing closer to God) is achieved through personal knowledge and life experience, when a person struggles against sin and purifies his heart.

For example, as stated in one source, “Through experiential knowledge of God, a Christian can become like God, acquire holiness and righteousness.

What then motivates a person to strive for the knowledge of God and to emulate Him?
Divine love. It is through love that we come to know God: God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him…” (source: link txt). This passage emphasizes that the path to God lies in inner spiritual development and love, rather than in specific earthly actions.

Furthermore, another author warns against a narrow understanding of salvation, noting: “One of the most frightening substitutions in consciousness is the substitution of the ultimate goal. A person begins to believe that salvation is possible only through one particular, say, earthly act, plan, or action. Allegedly, salvation can be achieved only by following a specific line of behavior. However, the path to salvation is the path of faith, love for one's neighbor, following Christ, and living according to the commandments” (source: link txt). This clearly indicates that limiting the possibility of drawing closer to God solely to marriage and having children is a mistake.

Thus, if a person chooses another path – one based on faith, the desire to know God, and constant spiritual growth – he still has the opportunity for close communion with God. The key lies in the sincerity of the heart and the ceaseless pursuit of spiritual perfection.

Supporting citation(s):
“Through experiential knowledge of God, a Christian can become like God, acquire holiness and righteousness.
What then motivates a person to strive for the knowledge of God and to emulate Him?
Divine love. It is through love that we come to know God: God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7). A person truly, and not just in a ghostly sense, comes to know God when he feels Him directly, when God becomes for the person the beginning that animates and rebirths him. This knowledge of God can be called life, eternal life. However, true knowledge of God is given only to those who strive to be like God, who fight against sin, who purify their hearts: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. The closer a person comes to the image of God, the more fervently he will long to have an intimate communion with God. Communion with God, the knowledge of God, is the vision of the divine life within oneself.” (source: link txt)

“One of the most frightening substitutions in consciousness is the substitution of the ultimate goal. A person begins to believe that salvation is possible only through one, say, earthly act, plan, or action. Allegedly, salvation can be achieved only by following a specific line of behavior. However, the path to salvation is the path of faith, love for one's neighbor, following Christ, and living according to the commandments.” (source: link txt)

Spiritual Journey Beyond Earthly Constraints

What then motivates a person to strive for the knowledge of God and to emulate Him?

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