--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Created man cannot become a son of God…" description: "\"Created man cannot become a son of God and god by grace through deification, unless he is first through his own free choice begotten in the Spirit by m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/maximus-the-confessor-7435_choices_created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-a_1501835.jpg" --- # Created man cannot become a son of God and god by grace… ![“Created man cannot become a son of God and god by grace through deification, unless he is first through his own free choice begotten in the Spirit by means of the self-loving and independent power dwelling naturally in him.” quote by Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/maximus-the-confessor-7435_choices_created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-a_1501835.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/maximus-the-confessor-7435_choices_created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-a_1501835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/maximus-the-confessor-7435_choices_created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-a_1501835.jpg) > “Created man cannot become a son of God and god by grace through deification, unless he is first through his own free choice begotten in the Spirit by means of the self-loving and independent power dwelling naturally in him.” [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human beings can become divine through grace only after freely choosing spiritual self‑love and independence. **In simple terms:** Divinity requires free, self‑loving choice. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner freedom and love for spiritual growth. Themes spirituality free will divinity Mood contemplative serene Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - monastic life - personal meditation - ethical living Key Concepts self‑actualization theology Questions to Reflect On - What does self‑love mean to you spiritually? - How can you practice independence in daily life? A Different Perspective Human frailty may resist such transformation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice Begotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-begotten-5507667/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Created Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-man/) [Deification Unless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deification-unless-5507668/) [Dwelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dwelling/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Free choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-choice/) [God grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-grace/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Grace Deification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-deification-5507666/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-loving/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Son of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son-of-god/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) ## Related quotes > [My God is the God that created Man and Woman, and give them the free Will we Call free Choice. He is Awesome!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/my-god-is-the-god-that-created-man-and-woman-and-give-them-the-free/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Our forefather Adam... used his freedom to turn toward what was worse and to direct his desire away from what had been permitted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/our-forefather-adam-used-his-freedom-to-turn-toward-what-was-worse/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [“What you will find is the Law of Love, and that law, that One Law speaks in such a manner as to say: Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-solomon/what-you-will-find-is-the-law-of-love-and-that-law-that-one-law/) [Paul Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-solomon/) > [“She held herself until the sobs of the child inside subsided entirely. I love you, she told herself. It will all be okay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-raven-rose/she-held-herself-until-the-sobs-of-the-child-inside-subsided-entirely/) [H Raven Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-raven-rose/) > [“When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn't healthy. This meant people, jobs, my own beliefs and habits - anything that kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-mcmillen/when-i-loved-myself-enough-i-began-leaving-whatever-wasn-t-healthy/) [Kim McMillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-mcmillen/) > [SOLO' is a fun, self-loving song. Through it, I wanted to show different sides of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie/solo-is-a-fun-self-loving-song-through-it-i-wanted-to-show-different/) [Jennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie/) > [“Self-loving choices look like health and they taste like freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-eaton/self-loving-choices-look-like-health-and-they-taste-like-freedom/) [Bethany Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-eaton/) > [Justice, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/justice-like-beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“When you find yourself drowning in self-hate, you have to remind yourself that you weren’t born feeling this way. That at some point in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-keopke/when-you-find-yourself-drowning-in-self-hate-you-have-to-remind/) [Danielle Keopke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-keopke/) > [I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salma-hayek/i-say-that-the-most-liberating-thing-about-beauty-is-realizing-that/) [Salma Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salma-hayek/) > [I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to-be-true/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“No one can ever love us quite so much as we love ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/no-one-can-ever-love-us-quite-so-much-as-we-love-ourselves/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [My willingness to be intimate with my own deep feelings creates the space for intimacy with another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-gawain/my-willingness-to-be-intimate-with-my-own-deep-feelings-creates-the/) [Shakti Gawain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-gawain/) > [You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bindi-irwin/you-don-t-need-to-be-accepted-by-others-you-need-to-accept-yourself/) [Bindi Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bindi-irwin/) > [I hate my self for loving you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananditha-krishna/i-hate-my-self-for-loving-you/) [Ananditha Krishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananditha-krishna/) ## More by Maximus the Confessor > [When what has been created in time according to the temporal order has reached maturity, it ceases from natural growth. But when what has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/when-what-has-been-created-in-time-according-to-the-temporal-order/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [There are lots of those who speak but few who do. However, no one should distort the word of God by his own negligence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/there-are-lots-of-those-who-speak-but-few-who-do-however-no-one/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [If you make provision for the desires of the flesh and bear a grudge against your neighbor on account of something transitory, you worship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/if-you-make-provision-for-the-desires-of-the-flesh-and-bear-a-grudge/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [The Logos came down out of love for us. Let us not keep Him down permanently, but let us go up with Him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/the-logos-came-down-out-of-love-for-us-let-us-not-keep-him-down/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [Whatever a man loves he inevitably clings to, and in order not to lose it he rejects everything that keeps him from it. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/whatever-a-man-loves-he-inevitably-clings-to-and-in-order-not-to-lose/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [A passion is a contranatural movement of the soul or an irrational love, or an blindfold hatred toward any material thing, or because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/a-passion-is-a-contranatural-movement-of-the-soul-or-an-irrational/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [Unclean spirits increase the passions in us, making use of our negligence, and inciting them. But the angels decrease our passions, inciting us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/unclean-spirits-increase-the-passions-in-us-making-use-of-our/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [For him who is perfect in love and has reached the summit of dispassion there is no difference between his own or another's, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/for-him-who-is-perfect-in-love-and-has-reached-the-summit-of/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [Peace is truly the complete and undisturbed possession of what is desired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/peace-is-truly-the-complete-and-undisturbed-possession-of-what-is/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [A Christian receives divine wisdom in three ways: by the commandments, teachings, and faith. The commandments free the mind from passions. Teachings lead it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/a-christian-receives-divine-wisdom-in-three-ways-by-the-commandments/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [Whoever sees in himself the traces of hatred toward any man on account of any kind of sin is completely foreign to the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/whoever-sees-in-himself-the-traces-of-hatred-toward-any-man-on/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [As we have borne the image of the earthy, let us also bear the image of the heavenly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/as-we-have-borne-the-image-of-the-earthy-let-us-also-bear-the-image/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > ['The long-suffering man abounds in understanding' (Prov. 14:29), because he endures everything to the end and, while awaiting that end, patiently bears his distress.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/the-long-suffering-man-abounds-in-understanding-prov-14-29-because-he/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [If everything that exists was made by God and for God, and God is superior to the things made by Him, he who abandons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/if-everything-that-exists-was-made-by-god-and-for-god-and-god-is/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [The person who truly wishes to be healed is he who does not refuse treatment. This treatment consists of the pain and distress brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/the-person-who-truly-wishes-to-be-healed-is-he-who-does-not-refuse/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) [Explore all 91 Maximus the Confessor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Created man cannot become a son of God and god by grace through deification, unless he is first through his own free choice begotten in the Spirit by means of the self-loving and independent power dwelling naturally in him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maximus the Confessor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-and-god-by-grace-through/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-and-god-by-grace-through/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/maximus-the-confessor-7435_choices_created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-a_1501835.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/maximus-the-confessor-7435_choices_created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-a_1501835.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/maximus-the-confessor-7435_choices_created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-a_1501835.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Created man cannot become a son of God and god by grace through deification, unless he is first through his…” — Maximus the Confessor", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Maximus the Confessor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Created man cannot become a son...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-and-god-by-grace-through/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/created-man-cannot-become-a-son-of-god-and-god-by-grace-through/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```