The call to holiness is a call to participation in God. The Bible offers a sufficient number of passages about human participation in God for it to be taken as an important image of human salvation. But perhaps it does not speak about it as much as our Eastern Christian faith.

Two biblical texts are important: 2 Peter 1:4 and Psalm 82:6 which Jesus cites in John 10:34-36a:

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:4)

“I said, ‘You are ‘gods’” (Ps 82:6)

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’?” If He called them ‘gods.’ to whom the word of God came – and the Scripture cannot be broken – what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? (Jn 10:”34-36a)

This all speaks to the meaning and purpose of earthly life. We are here to accomplish one thing: To become like Jesus through personal transformation!