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The Spiritual Man, book by H. H. Pope Shenouda III

37- The dogma

St-Takla.org Image: Jesus, the Sacrifice of the Eucharist, Coptic art صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: المسيح، ذبيحة الافخارستيا، فن قبطي

For the ordinary person, it could be just theological and intellectual matters that may become for him a subject of argument with other sects. As for the spiritual person, the dogma is faith that runs in his blood and has its effect on his spirituality.

Baptism, for example, as he believes that it is being buried with Christ then life with Him (Rom 6:4,8). In it, the old man is crucified (Rom 6:6,4). He makes sure to keep the old man crucified. And as he knows that Baptism is a new birth (Jn 3:8) (Tim 3:5), he remembers the saying of the Apostle that whoever has been born of God does not sin; and cannot sin because he has been born of God (1 Jn 3:9). So, whenever he sins, he rebukes himself and tries to live in the effectiveness of Baptism...

And so with the other sacraments of the church.

He realizes the grace that is in each sacrament, and lives in it...