Jesus’ disciples are those who have chosen to be with him to learn to be like him. All they have necessarily realized at the outset of their apprenticeship to him is, Jesus is right. He is the greatest and best. Of this, they are sure. That initial faith is God’s gift of grace to them. So they have him. They do not yet have it. Living as his apprentices, they are increasingly getting “it.” And as they move along they do indeed attain, by increasing grace, to an “advanced spiritual condition.” They increase in the amount and quality of grace (interaction with God) they have in their real life.
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