Theosis is the process of becoming like God, or becoming “partakers of the divine nature” as 2 Peter 1:4 says. The idea of theosis, or deification, is that through Christ we can become increasingly godlike and holy. Theosis is a key concept in Orthodox Christianity and is the goal of the Christian life.
Biblical Basis for Theosis
There are several biblical passages that point to the concept of theosis:
- 2 Peter 1:4 – Through Christ we can become “partakers of the divine nature.”
- 1 John 3:2 – We will be like Christ when we see him face to face.
- Romans 8:29 – We are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18 – We are being transformed into the glory of the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 – We are being transformed into Christ’s likeness.
- Galatians 2:20 – Christ lives in us.
- Colossians 3:10 – We are being renewed in knowledge after the image of our Creator.
These verses indicate that through Christ, we can gradually take on godlike attributes and become more like Him. The goal is to become like Christ in His glorified state. As 1 John 3:2 says, “when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”
Stages of Theosis
Theosis is an ongoing process with stages of growth. The typical stages are:
Purification
This stage involves cleansing ourselves from sin and passions through prayer, repentance, and participation in the sacraments. We turn from sin and toward God.
Illumination
At this stage we receive spiritual wisdom and greater knowledge of God. Through prayer and participating in the divine life, our minds are enlightened.
Deification
As we draw ever closer to God, we take on His attributes. We become increasingly filled with the Holy Spirit and our wills become conformed to God’s will. We grow in holiness, love, peace, patience, and goodness.
Full deification comes in the next life when we see God face to face. As 1 John 3:2 says “we will be like Him, for we will see Him just as He is.” But the process of being transformed begins in this life.
Means of Theosis
The Orthodox Church teaches that there are several ways we can pursue theosis:
The Sacraments
The sacraments are critical means of grace for spiritual transformation. They are God’s gifts to heal and transform us.
- Baptism – We die to sin and are born again in Christ.
- Chrismation – We receive the indwelling Holy Spirit who empowers us for godly living.
- Eucharist – We feed on Christ spiritually and unite with Him in communion.
- Confession – We receive forgiveness and are reconciled after repenting of sin.
Prayer
Prayer is vital to theosis. As we pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and seek God, we draw closer to Him. Prayer changes and transforms us.
Fasting
Fasting disciplines both the body and spirit. It brings self-control over passions and desires. It also intensifies prayer.
Almsgiving
Generous giving softens the passions and makes us more godly as we become less selfish and more loving.
Participation in God’s Energies
The Orthodox teach that God has two energies: essence and energies. In His essence He is unknowable, but His divine energies reach out to transform creation. As we participate in the divine energies through the sacraments and spiritual disciplines, we are deified.
Ascetic Struggle
The spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, silence, solitude, self-denial, etc. train the body and soul for godliness. Ascetic struggle aims to purify the passions.
Theosis is About Becoming by Grace
An important clarification about theosis is that it is about becoming like God by His grace – it is not about becoming God in His essence. That would be impossible. Humans remain creaturely even as they become increasingly filled with divine energy, light, and life by the Spirit. The gap between Uncreated God and created humans remains. But the human persona is elevated by divine grace.
As 2 Peter 1:4 explains, we become “partakers of the divine nature.” The word “partakers” indicates that we share to some degree in God’s energies, but we do not become identical to God in His transcendent essence. Theosis involves being transformed into Christ’s image, not becoming Christ. We remain humans, though glorified and gloriously sanctified by the Spirit.
Theosis Leads to Salvation and Life
The ultimate goal of theosis is eternal life and salvation. As Romans 6:22 explains, holiness leads to eternal life: “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”
And Jesus said, “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17). Keeping God’s commandments enables theosis. As we grow in godly obedience, we are transformed spiritually.
Eternal life is not just length of years, but a qualitative state of sharing in the transcendent life of God. Theosis leads to this glorification and participation in the divine life. Salvation is not just forgiveness of sins but transformation of nature.
Theosis as the Core of Salvation
For Orthodox Christianity, theosis is the core of salvation. Christ restores human nature and redeems it from sin and death. Salvation is not just a legal transaction of justification by faith, but involves the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit transforming the believer into Christ’s image. While Protestantism has focused more on justification, Orthodoxy stresses theosis.
The ultimate goal is to share by grace in the glory, life, and immortality of the Trinity. This begins now through the process of theosis and will be completed in the resurrection. Salvation restores what was lost in the fall – not just morally but ontologically.
Deification Does Not Mean Pantheism
An important distinction regarding theosis is that it does not mean humans become absorbed into the being of God or the universe in a pantheistic way. We do not become subsumed into the Divine Essence or become literally gods. That would be pantheism – the idea that everything is God.
Rather, in theosis humans maintain their created personhood. We remain finite creatures while participating by grace in infinite divine life through Christ. The Creator/creature distinction remains intact even as humans experience deeper mystical union with God.
Theosis and The Fall
To understand theosis, we must go back to the fall described in Genesis 3. Originally, Adam and Eve lived in pristine communion with God. But after eating the forbidden fruit, sin distorted human nature. Created in God’s image, humans now experience mortality, sickness, corruption, temptation, and weakness. Created for divine life, we now struggle with sin and death.
Christ’s incarnation, death and resurrection save us from sin and death and begin the process of restoring human nature to what God originally intended for it. Theosis is the process of redemption from the fall and restoration to communion with God.
Theosis in the Early Church
The concept of theosis was present early in Christian history. Second century bishops like Irenaeus taught that “God became what we are in order to make us what he is himself.” The saying of Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria in the 4th century, is well known: “God became human so that humans might become God.”
Church fathers used theosis language to explain the profound Christian vision of salvation in Christ. This wasn’t fully developed as a doctrine, but the idea is present in the early centuries of church history. The details about the distinction between God’s essence and energies developed later.
Theosis and Other Religions
The concept of humans becoming divine is also present to some degree in Hellenistic religions and eastern faiths like Hinduism and Buddhism. This has led some critics to charge that theosis is basically “Christianized pantheism.”
However, there are key differences between theosis and concepts of divinization in other faiths:
- Theosis requires grace – we cannot attain it through our effort.
- It retains the Creator/creature distinction.
- It sees embodied life as good, not something to be escaped.
- It understands the Trinitarian God as ontologically distinct from creation.
So while there are similarities to other faiths, the Christian doctrine is unique. Theosis does not collapse God and the universe into a monistic whole.
Theosis in Roman Catholic and Protestant Theology
Theosis is a major focus in Eastern Orthodoxy. But what about Western branches of Christianity?
Roman Catholicism affirmed a vision of divinization but did not develop the essence/energies distinction as thoroughly. Catholic theology focused more on justification and merit than ontological change. Various Catholic mystics pursued deep interior union with God.
In Protestantism, theosis has often been downplayed or even viewed with suspicion. Critics see it as too mystical, meditative, synergistic, progressive, or Catholic. However, many scholars note that reformers like Luther had a robust vision of “progressive justification” where God’s grace transforms a believer over time. Some modern Protestants are rediscovering theosis as an important forgotten element in salvation.
Objections and Responses on Theosis
Some objections have been raised about the doctrine of theosis:
It Denies Justification by Faith Alone
Some argue that theosis contradicts justification by faith alone apart from works. However, the Orthodox see no tension between justification and theosis. Justification is the beginning step that lays the foundation for theongoing process of inner change by the Spirit. We cooperate with God’s grace for sanctification.
It Makes Humans Too Divine
Critics claim theosis encourages human pride by making us “little gods.” But the doctrine actually emphasizes God’s grace – we are divinized only by His power, not our own efforts. And we remain finite creatures, not demigods. Theosis exalts God’s glory in redeeming human nature.
It Distorts the Creator/Creature Distinction
A thoughtful understanding of theosis retains clear ontological boundaries between God and humanity. We share by grace in divine attributes but never become God in His fundamental otherness and transcendence. The doctrine avoids collapsing God and man into a monistic whole.
It Leads to Mystical Experiences
Some evangelicals are wary of mysticism implied in theosis. But a biblical mysticism rooted in God’s word provides balance. Intimacy with God should be nurtured along with right doctrine about God. The Spirit illuminates our mind and empowers our life.
It Focuses Too Much on Salvation as Process
While some see tension between theosis and forensic justification, both have biblical basis. Salvation certainly includes a decisive moment of grace through faith. But Scripture also describes inner renewal by the Spirit in holiness and growth in Christlikeness. Salvation has both instant and progressive aspects.
Key Points About Theosis
In summary, here are some key points about theosis:
- It means becoming like God by participating in His grace and energies.
- It involves a process of inner change by the Holy Spirit into Christ’s image.
- It is based on Christ’s incarnation which united God and humanity.
- It is about sharing in divine life and attributes, not mystical absorption.
- It retains the distinction between God’s essence and energies.
- It upholds the Creator/creature distinction.
- It emphasizes God’s grace and glory in restoring human nature.
- It provides a robust vision of salvation as both forensic and transformational.
The doctrine of theosis preserves both divine transcendence and immanence. It avoids the extremes of pantheism and hyper-separatism. Theosis offers a rich, biblical vision of God’s plan to redeem and glorify human beings through Christ by the Spirit. Salvation encompasses justification, regeneration, and transformation of nature. The process of being conformed to Christ’s image begins now and is completed in the resurrection. One ancient theologian summed it up poetically: “He became human that we might become divine.”