The concepts of actuality and potentiality originate from Aristotelian philosophy and metaphysics. They refer to the current state of something versus what it could potentially become. When applied to theology and the Bible, actuality and potentiality provide a framework for understanding God’s nature, human nature, and spiritual growth.
Actuality refers to the current state or reality of something. It is what something is right now. Potentiality refers to what something could become in the future. It is the inherent potential within something to change, grow, or develop. Together, actuality and potentiality describe the dynamic nature of being and becoming.
God’s Actuality and Potentiality
For God, actuality and potentiality take on unique meanings. God is understood to be a perfect, unchanging being. Therefore, God has no potentiality – God simply is who God is. Theologians refer to this as God’s “pure actuality.” As 1 John 4:8 states, “God is love.” This is God’s eternal, unchanging actuality.
At the same time, God possesses infinite possibilities, abilities, and creative potential. Yet because God exists outside of time, this potential does not represent future possibilities that have not yet come to be. Rather, it refers to God’s limitless power and transcendence. As Jeremiah 32:17 declares, “Nothing is too hard for you.” God possesses simultaneous actuality and potentiality.
Human Actuality and Potentiality
For humans, actuality and potentiality follow a progressive timeline. We are imperfect beings moving through time and space. At any given moment, we exist in a particular state of being – our actuality. But we also have inherent talents to cultivate, virtues to realize, sins to overcome. This is our potentiality.
Sanctification is the process of bringing our potential into actuality, as we cooperate with God’s grace to grow in holiness. As 1 Corinthians 15:10 explains, “By the grace of God I am what I am … I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” Salvation in Christ enables us to bridge the gap between actuality and potentiality.
Actuality in the Christian Life
Several biblical principles relate to the concept of actuality:
- We must accept our current condition – Through humility and sobriety, we recognize our actual state as flawed but redeemed sinners (Romans 3:23-24).
- We live in the present moment – Setting past regrets and future anxieties aside, we seek God in the here and now (Psalm 46:10).
- We embrace reality as it is – Accepting difficulties and disappointments rather than escaping through denial or wishful thinking (John 16:33).
- We acknowledge the truth – No matter how painful, we admit the honest truth about ourselves and our circumstances (John 8:32).
- We make real amends – We take concrete actions to set right our wrongdoings through confession, restitution, and changed behavior (Luke 19:8-9).
As Christians, we are called to live in the reality of the present moment, aligned with God’s will. This prevents us from dwelling in the past or striving after an imaginary future. As Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith roots us in God’s actuality.
Potentiality in the Christian Life
Several biblical principles relate to the concept of potentiality:
- We are a new creation in Christ – Through God’s power, we become a new person with new potentials (2 Corinthians 5:17).
- We have unique gifts to employ – As part of Christ’s body, we all have spiritual gifts to use for God’s glory (Romans 12:6-8).
- We are called to growth and service – Our potential includes growing in Christlikeness and advancing God’s mission (Matthew 28:19-20).
- We await future redemption – Our brokenness is temporary; a perfect future awaits us in eternity (Revelation 21:4).
- We envision life’s possibilities – Using wisdom and discernment, we can envision and work toward positive potentials in this life (Proverbs 4:18).
As Christians, we are empowered to realize the incredible potentialities made possible by God’s grace and Christ’s redemption. We are no longer constrained by past failures or limitations. We joyfully press on toward the upward call of God (Philippians 3:13-14).
Harmonizing Actuality and Potentiality
Actuality and potentiality may seem opposed, but the healthiest spiritual life integrates both. Overemphasizing either one leads to problems:
- Focusing only on actuality tempts us toward complacency, fatalism, or hopelessness about improving our situation.
- Focusing only on potentiality tempts us toward groundless optimism, fantasies, or denial about the realities of our present condition.
True Christian spirituality embraces the dynamic interplay of actuality and potentiality:
- We accept the reality of where we are now, while still believing by faith that improvement, growth, and redemption are possible through God’s power.
- We take concrete actions to make amendments and positive changes here and now, while still relying on God’s grace to enable our efforts.
- We are thankful for the present gifts we enjoy, while still striving and hoping for greater virtues and blessings in the future.
- We acknowledge our current weaknesses and limitations, while still eagerly developing our talents and abilities to fulfill God’s purposes.
This balance provides stability and motivation to keep making progress on our spiritual journey. With eyes wide open to actuality, and hearts full of hope in potentiality, we walk the path of sanctification.
Actuality and Potentiality in Salvation
The concepts of actuality and potentiality shed light on the theology of salvation:
- Justification – This is salvation in actuality. Through Christ, we are now reconciled and righteous before God (Romans 5:1).
- Sanctification – This is salvation in potentiality. We are progressively being transformed into Christ’s image through the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).
- Glorification – This is salvation in ultimate actuality. When Christ returns, we will be made fully whole and sinless in reality (1 John 3:2).
Even though we are already justified through faith, sanctification is the process of actualizing our righteousness in thoughts, words, and actions. Our ultimate glorification will forever bridge the gap between actual and potential in our sanctified state.
Implications for the Church
Actuality and potentiality also have implications for the mission and ministry of the church:
- The church must meet people where they are in actuality, rather than where the church wishes they were.
- At the same time, the church proclaims the hope of transformation into greater Christlikeness.
- Effective discipleship fosters spiritual disciplines needed to actualize potential growth.
- Prophetic witness confronts the church with its failure to live into its own divine potential.
- The church is a catalyst for social reform by awakening potentialities for justice, peace, and human flourishing.
A church in touch with spiritual actuality and potentiality is neither complacent nor wishful. It ministers in the reality of the present while working toward the possibilities of the future. It follows Paul’s example: “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:13-14).
Conclusion
Actuality and potentiality are philosophical concepts that deeply resonate with Christian theology. They encapsulate the unfinished and evolving nature of human existence. For the Christian, actuality represents the definitive change in status effected by Christ’s atonement. Potentiality represents the ongoing process of sanctification empowered by the Holy Spirit. Actuality grounds us in the concrete truth of justification. Potentiality propels us forward into increasing holiness. Grasped together, they provide a fuller picture of God’s purposes at work in redemption. By holding actuality and potentiality in tandem, the life of Christian faith maintains its earthy roots while reaching toward heaven.