On the Incarnation of the Word 5 – God Gives Life, Man Seeks the Corruption of Death

In the next chapter, Athanasius emphasize that God not only created us from nothing, but freely gives us life.

For God has not only made us out of nothing; but He gave us freely, by the Grace of the Word, a life in correspondence with God. … “God made man for incorruption, and as an image of His own eternity; but by envy of the devil death came into the world.” But when this was come to pass, men began to die, while corruption thence-forward prevailed against them, gaining even more than its natural power over the whole race, inasmuch as it had, owing to the transgression of the commandment, the threat of the Deity as a further advantage against them.

As we embrace death and corruption in place of life, our appetite knows no bounds.  And as our passions grow, so does our slavery to death and sin, not just individually, but corporately.

And as to corruption and wrong, no heed was paid to law, but all crimes were being practised everywhere, both individually and jointly. Cities were at war with cities, and nations were rising up against nations; and the whole earth was rent with civil commotions and battles; each man vying with his fellows in lawless deeds.

Our problem is a human problem, not some private, individual matter. I think sometimes we forget that.