Entering the kingdom of God: Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, 2 Timothy 2:22
The Kingdom of God is a path towards the inner transformation of man. The aim of spirituality is to achieve the likeness to God, said in a practical way, to be pure of heart, whole, fully developed as persons; some people, instead, what they do is continuously feed that inner child and they never reach maturity, because they are subject to the temporal, to what belongs to the world: "For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.", 1 John 2:16.
This is why the apostle Paul warns us that we must live the purifying virtues that keep us away from erroneous passions and desires, the inner child acts fundamentally on a whim, following passing desires: "Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.", 2 Timothy 2:22.
Passions are involutive and delay our development: "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness", 2 Timothy 2:19.
The purifying virtues are progressive and therefore are the basis of the spiritual asceticism of man: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.", 2 Corinthians 4:16; and also: "Be renewed in the spirit of your minds", Ephesians 4:23.
These virtues lead us to the highest virtues which are the love of God and eternal life, the new birth of water and spirit: "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.", John 3:3.
God is faithful, knows those who are like him, and shares his glory with us: "That they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory", 2 Timothy 2:10.
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