Persons of sacred worth
Submitted by Dirk Gently on November 28 1999 at 03:20:44
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A while back, I posted some thoughts on the Trinity, and indicated that I'd post a follow-up shortly. Well, life is busy, but I'm taking the time now. I'm looking forward to FOD's response, since earlier he wrote Jesus talks about his unity with the Father in the context of the unity of the disciples, "that all of them may be one". But then he also adds "may they also be one with us...I in them and you in me". Does this mean the Eastern religions have caught a grain of Truth? Is Heaven, that which we are waiting for, the union of God with man? Will "Trinity" become "Multinity"? I hope this answers some of your questions. Jules, I'm sure you'll be able to provide some enlightening feedback, too. And Chris-man, I've been meaning to write this all out ever since I first saw one of your posts on our identity in Christ. :^) Theosis is the technical term used in the Orthodox Church to describe the process of sanctification which is available to all Christians. As you'll see, it goes beyond the traditional Western view of sanctification -- so much so that some fundamentalist Christians have accused Orthodoxy of being "New Age." This is rather odd, since these teachings have been part of the formal teaching of the Church since the 4th century. I'd like to begin talking about theosis in the context of creation, fall, and redemption. (The context doesn't get much larger than that, does it?) St. Irenaeus taught that Adam and Eve were created good, but not perfect. They were to be perfected through obedience, just as Christ in His humanity was. Unfortunately, they fell into sin before their "probation" was completed. They were created "very good", but since part of being in the image of God is possessing actual freedom, it was possible for them to choose their destiny. If they had remained faithful, at the right time, God would have led them to the Tree of Life which is Christ, they would have eaten, and they would have become like God by partaking of Him in loving obedience. This would have confirmed and sealed their being. Of course, we know that they ate of the (temporarily) forbidden fruit. In His mercy, God kept them from the Tree of Life. The early Church interpreted all of this using the notion of "essence" to discuss how precisely Adam's actions could be transmitted to his descendants. We're not talking "guilt by association", we're talking fundamental change in the human being. Our humanity now inclines to evil, and not to good. The communion with God and one another that was to have been constitutive of our being has been replaced by the individual determination of being. In trying to be like God, we succeeded in a sense. We can say, "I am what I am", but in our case, this is a tragedy, since none of us are self-sufficient. I'm trying here to summarize St. Athanasius' teaching from ON THE INCARNATION OF THE WORD OF GOD. The incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and glorification of Christ is far more than "Jesus died for my sins." I've come to realize the irony of the typical Calvinist position: they say that we are totally depraved, and yet they don't talk about anything other than a juridical justification. God ignores our sins because he's taken his anger out on Jesus, but the fundamental problem of the sin nature isn't addressed. (Yeah, this is a crude caricature of the Calvinist position, but it's probably not far from what you'd get if you asked the average pew-warmer.) Theosis is an inextricably Trinitarian doctrine. That's why St. Athanasius was able to appeal to it successfully in his battle against those who denied the deity of Christ. The 4th century Church accepted the definition of salvation which St. Athanasius was using, which is why he was able to argue from it to the logical conclusion that Christ must be "very God of very God". According to St. Athanasius, "God became man that man might become god." Hence, theosis is sometimes referred to as deification. It is through the Incarnation that we have been objectively reconciled with the Father. Our fallen nature has been assumed by Christ, and put to death on the Cross. But we must appropriate the new nature which is in Christ. This appropriation begins at baptism, because "as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection". (Romans 6:3-5) Baptism, of course, is both the physical sacrament with water, and the corresponding birth from above by the Spirit. If the Incarnation is the basis for our salvation, it is only realized in us through Pentecost, the indwelling of the Spirit, for it is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. The amazing thing is that although now we see in a mirror, dimly, then it will be face to face. Now we know in part, but then we shall know just as we also are known. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is as we are strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; and that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. This is the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them (and us) God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in us, the hope of glory. (Phil. 2:13, 1 Cor. 13:12, 1 John 3:1-2, 2 Cor. 3:17-18, Eph. 3:16-19, Col. 1:26-27) "The hope of glory." This is the glory which Christ was talking about in the high priestly prayer of John 17 when he prayed, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." This is the glory which was revealed on the Mount of Transfiguration, which has been manifested to and in many saints over the past two thousand years. Most of us will not attain to this degree of splendour, for there is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. However, there is a book on the life of St. Seraphim of Sarov (d. 1833) which bears witness to the vision of the Uncreated Light in relatively modern times. The saints are those who have begun the process in this life, but the doctrine of theosis is as much a part of eschatology as it is soteriology. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 13:12, 1 John 3:1,2) I'll leave you with the words of St. Paul to the Ephesians. "I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power." Amen. |