Matthew 24:51

Let us examine what it is to be cut in two (Matthew 24:51). When Adam came to be in the beginnings of punishment — God, giving nature its most complete beauty, makes him sharer of his own Spirit. For “he breathed into his face a breath of life” (Genesis 2:7); for what truly gives life is the Spirit of life, that is, of Christ. But since he slipped from deceit into sin, the Spirit was removed. When God and Father was pleased “to recapitulate all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10) and to bring human nature back up into its ancient beauty, we received back through grace what the intrusion of sin had damaged in us. For Christ breathed into us after the resurrection, renewing us into the ancient beauty: “Receive,” (John 20:22) he says, “holy Spirit.” So the Spirit is united to us; for “the one cleaving to the Lord is one spirit.” (1 Corinthians 6:17) Therefore, if we are found at the end in efforts according to piety, we receive back the fullness — now having the Spirit as in the order of a pledge — but if we are accused in sins we are damaged even of the Spirit’s pledge itself; for it is cut off and departs, as it were, at the time of judgment. And this, we say, is the cutting in two of which he speaks here; for it is not possible for someone to be given over to punishment together with the Spirit.