There are birthing’s occurring through us each moment of every day, of attitudes, actions and even manifestations of God’s presence, or the presence of Satan, depending on what we allow to go through our mind. The Lord made man and woman on the sixth day and told them to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). However, this isn’t speaking of natural childbearing as there was no physical childbearing in Paradise. It wasn’t until Adam and Eve were removed from Paradise that there was physical childbearing. Being fruitful and multiplying in our lives has to do with multiplying the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
Origen has an enlightening discourse on the process of birthing that transpires through our soul. Our Soul is married to the bridegroom of the Word, Jesus Christ, and by adhering to the words that are spoken we will birth His character and virtues.
Thus, if the soul conceives from Christ in this way, it generates sons for whose sake it can be said of her that “she will be saved through the generation of sons, if they continue in faith and love and holiness with sobriety” (1 Timothy 2:15) even if the soul seems to have first been seduced as Eve had been. (1)
Origen is expounding on what Paul said in 1 Timothy 2:15 regarding the woman who is saved by childbearing, and only saved through birthing sons. If we take this literally, women who are barren, or have only birthed daughters are not saved. The woman the Apostle Paul is referring to is our soul. Origen goes on to further say:
And so, it is a truly blessed offspring when the soul has had intercourse with the Word of God and when they have embraced one another. From there will be born a noble lineage from there will arise chastity; from there will issue justice, patience, gentleness and love and the venerable offspring of all virtues.
By our soul having fellowship, intercourse, with the Word of God, it will produce the virtues and character of God. “The tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind” (Genesis 1:12). Now if someone is hearing the Word of God and is not producing the character of God, there is no fruit in their lives. That either constitutes them barren, or they keep aborting that seed. As we see these are the good attributes, the righteous things that we birth. However, there are demonic attributes, vices, that can be birthed as well.
But if the wretched soul abandons the holy nuptials of the divine Word and, deceived by their seductions, hands herself over to the adulterous embraces of the devil and the other demons, doubtless she will generate sons from this, but those about whom it is written: “But the sons of adulterers will be imperfect, and the seed of unlawful intercourse will be banished” (Wis 3:16). Thus, all sins are sons of adultery and the sons of fornication.
And so, it is shown that in everything we do, our soul gives birth and generates sons, namely, its thoughts and the works that it does. And if what it does is in accordance with the law and in accordance with the Word of God, it gives birth to the Spirit of salvation, and for that reason “it will be saved through generation of sons” (1 Timothy 2:15). And its sons will be like those whom the prophet says: “Your sons are like young olive plants around the table” (Psalm 128:3). But if what it does is contrary to law and is sin, doubtless it gives birth to evil offspring as a result of a conception from a hostile spirit. For it bears the sons of sin. And these are the accursed generations on account of which some of the saints even curse “the day on which they were born.”
Therefore, there is never a time when the soul is not giving birth; the soul always gives birth, it always generates sons. But that generation is blessed which is generated buy a conception from the Word of God, and that is a generation of sons through which “it will be saved.” But if, as we said, it conceives from a contrary spirit, it is certain that it gives birth to “sons of wrath prepared for destruction” (Romans 9:22).
The salvation of our souls is based on what we birth. What we birth comes to manifest through our thoughts, words, and deeds. All three reveal who our father is, which seed our soul is conceiving to. Our actions and our mindsets are the paternity test that tells us who our father is. Yahushua shows this by rebuking Jews who were professing to be sons of Abraham (by physical lineage) which means nothing in the kingdom of heaven. “You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false” (John 8:44). What we do and speak, and how we think need to be sanctified through intercourse with the Divine Word. We cannot change by our own strength and the last time I checked; it takes two people to have a baby. We do our part, through our obedience. To God be the glory, Amen!
References:
1. Origen Homily on Numbers Homily 20