SALVATION – BECOMING GODS

CONTENTS

Introduction and thesis statement...............................................................................................4

Development of theosis..............................................................................................................4

Definition of theosis ...................................................................................................................5

A process view of salvation .......................................................................................................6

Purpose of theosis ......................................................................................................................8

Cruciform nature of theosis .......................................................................................................9

Pneumatology in theosis ..........................................................................................................11

Integrating together ..................................................................................................................14

Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................15

Biblography..............................................................................................................................16
 INTRODUCTION AND THES IS STATEMENT

Western theologies usually approach salvation through the juridical lenses of

justification during conversion and moral improvement during sanctification. This paper
seeks to examine the Eastern Orthodox view of theosis or deification and articulate ways
through which a more holistic perspective of God's salvific plan for mankind can be achieved
by using biblical metaphors of image and glory to redefine and repurpose salvation as a
present process rather than a single-point conversion or remote future Parousia. Additionally,
a cruciform Christology and experiential Pneumatology are employed to deepen one’s union
with Christ and hence augment a more holistic view of deification and provide for an
assurance of salvation deeper than outward ritual or lackadaisal profession. As early church
father Athanasius said, “God became man so that men might become gods”.1 Such a biblical
high view of man, necessarily demands man’s present participation in the Kingdom of God.
For simplicity, the terms “theosis” and “deification” will be interchangeably used. All biblical
quotations will be taken from the English Standard Version unless stated otherwise.

DEVELOPM ENT OF THEOSIS 2

Many of the early church fathers wrote about theosis. It was first surfaced in the
writings of Irenaeus of Lyons in the 2nd Century where the intimate relationship between
Christ and mankind is established where the incarnation of Jesus, God made man, was linked
with man’s adoption as sons of God. This concept was developed further by Origen and
Clement of Alexandria which further emphasized the Christological nature of theosis in the
3rd century. In the 4th century, Athanasius popularized the famous maxim, “God became man
in order that man might become God in him.” This was afterward often quoted by many
patristic theologians. Also, in the same century, Gregory of Nazianzus, one of Cappadocian
fathers, reiterated humanity’s adoption through Christ which enables humans to participate in
the divine life. In the sixth and seventh century, Maximus the confessor draws upon the
language by Irenaeus and Athanasius and began to use the language of hypostasis and
perichoresis (reciprocal interpenetration) to describe the soteriological union of God and
man.3 This use of hypostasis served to illustrate that the trinitarian power and intimacy of the
Godhood is engendered analogously in the deification of man. Finally, in the fourteenth
century, a monk Gregory Palamas advocated the hesychast tradition which links theological
thought with spiritual formation involving the pursuit of divine mystical encounters through
monastic and ascetic lifestyles and through prayer.

1
Richard T Harrison, “Orthodox and Wesleyan Perspectives on Deification,” Journal of Theta Alpha
Kappa 38, no. 2 (2014): 52–70.

2
Ibid.
3
James D. Gifford, Perichoretic Salvation: The Believer’s Union with Christ as a Third Type of
Perichoresis (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2011).
 DEFINITION OF THEOS IS

The creation story serves as a good context and kick off to imagine a concept as
marvelous as theosis. Theosis or deification involves the recapturing and restoration of the
original God image that God intended for mankind which sin had destroyed. In Genesis
1:26-28, God created man in his own image. The use of “let us” in verse 26 indicate that the
trinitarian relational communion amongst God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, is
mirrored in the creation of man. This is again emphasized in verse 27 which reinforce the
perichoretic character of this trinity by linking God’s image with the concept of male and
female. This language is solidified in the New Testament through John 17:21-23 where Jesus
prays to the father that his divine relationship of oneness experienced with the father, may be
reflected and transmitted to mankind in both their relationship with one another and in the
oneness that Christ shares with humanity.

The language of image and glory is frequently discoursed in Pauline soteriology. In

Romans 8:29-30, salvation appears to take the form of mankind being conformed to the
image of Christ. Man will also ultimately be glorified. Again in 1 Corinthians 11:7, man is
stated to be the image and glory of God. Of interest to note is that the famous verse of
Romans 8:23 articulates that sin results in a falling short of God’s glory, corresponding to a
broken image of God. This apophatic approach in understanding salvation is further
illustrated when spiritual blindness, and hence a lack of salvation, is orchestrated by Satan by
concealing the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Cor 4:4).

In Romans 8:14-17, mankind on receipt of the spirit, are adopted as sons of God and
as a result, are co-heirs with Christ. This exalted glorified status is illustrated further in the
book of Hebrews Chapter 2. The phrase in verses Hebrews 2:6-8, quoted from Psalms 8,
reads, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?
7
You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory
and honor,[a]8putting everything in subjection under his feet.” In verse 10-11, the imagery of
present humbling and future exaltations applies not only to Christ but is extended to mankind.
Further in Psalms 82:6 and corroborated by Jesus in John 10:34, men are meant to be gods.
This presents a surprisingly high view and destiny of humanity despite their lowly
circumstances right now. C.S. Lewis’s view was that God is not merely restoring a status quo
of pre-fall Adamic condition, but redeemed humanity is something more glorious than
unfallen humanity because this super-added glory will in true vicarious union with Christ,
exalt man and earth to a destiny infinitely greater. 4 A high view of man as gods, a familial
relationship with Christ as sons of God and an inheritance as future co-heirs and rulers of the
world paints a glorious future for deified mankind.

The Old testament depictions of the glory of God points to it being the manifested
presence of God. The proof text can be found in Exodus 24:17 and Exodus 33 when God’s
presence is correlated to God’s glory. It was not the righteousness of the people but the very
presence of God amongst the Israelites that distinguish them from amongst the nations (Ex
33:16). Further, in close association with God’s distinguishing presence, Moses made a bold
request for God to show him His glory (Ex 33:18). What is instructive here is found in

4
Myk Habets, “Walking in Mirabilibus Supra Me: How C. S. Lewis Transposes Theosis,” Evangelical
Quarterly 82, no. 1 (January 2010): 15–27.
Exodus 33:20 and expanded in Exodus 5:24-26, suggests that proximity to God’s glory and
greatness results in an acute fear of death amongst mankind. In other words, the presence of
God’s glory near mankind evocates an instinctual awareness of impending divine retribution.
Here, it is appropriate to borrow from Erickson the conception of God’s goodness and
greatness5 and equate them to His glory; His goodness could not tolerate the sin of man and
His greatness which includes His power to enforce justice, behooves him to obliterate man. In
the light of this animosity, it is no wonder that Moses face had to be veiled; punishment was
withheld albeit with the Israelite’s hearts remaining unchanged from the law (2 Cor:14). But
the momentous journey of Christ’s death and resurrection has obliterated this separation from
God’s presence due to sin, such that mankind can gain access to God’s sanctifying presence
and gain the transformative power (2 Cor 3:18) needed to conform oneself to the image of
Christ. That’s why the temple of God, which correlates with God’s presence and glory can
now be hosted within man’s bodies in close communion (1 Cor 3:16) and empower the good
work of circumcising and perfecting mans’ hearts (Heb 12:2, Heb 12:23).

With the presence of God now within man, it becomes possible for man to be one in
spirit with God together with the spirit of God (1 Cor 6:17). Borrowing the language of
Maximus, such a union is reminiscent of the hypostatic and trinitarian union within the
Godhood.6 Theosis provides a theological vehicle to understand that the call of man is not
just to escape the flames of hell and narrowly understand salvation as citing the sinner’s
prayer, but heed the high call of deification (transformation into gods). Whilst believers in
Israelite’s times were kept distant from God, the tabernacling of the Holy Spirit within man
now implies that the power and “energies” of God can now be directly accessed to transform
man’s hearts. Theosis does not seem to begin only in the rapture but starts in the present.

A PROC ESS VIEW OF SALVATION

Traditional western theologies tend to segmentize salvation into the neat compartments of
conversion/justification, sanctification and glorification. However, the Eastern Orthodox
notion of theosis sees salvation in a more unitive manner where the lines between these
western categories are blurred. In particular, the ministry of the spirit in 2 Corinthians 3:8
depicts the present ministry of the Holy Spirit as being far more glory compared to Moses’
period where only the law, “carved in letters on stone” was present. Hence, it is of the
concept of glorification cannot be confined to the Parousia but must necessarily be a present
indication of the work of the Holy Spirit. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul went on to
articulate mankind’s transformation into God’s image from one degree to another through the
power of the Holy Spirit. Salvation and glorification must be seen integrally in one’s path
towards deification. Non exhaustively, the below verses illustrate the biblical basis to see
salvation as a process:

i. John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom you have sent.”
ii. Romans 5:10 “much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

5
Millard J Erickson, Christian Theology, Third Edition. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic,
2013).
6
Harrison, “Orthodox and Wesleyan Perspectives on Deification.”
 iii. Romans 5:21 “so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through
righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
iv. Philippians 2:12 “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”

There is however some merit to define salvation as a milestone, given that a more
ambiguous and all-encompassing definition of salvation according to theosis would leave
new believers confused and uncertain. Perhaps a better approach is to consider a both/and
perspective instead of an either/or where salvation is both initiated and progressively
experienced to a deeper degree. Having said that, the traditional simplistic view of just
defining conversion as an utterance of sinner’s prayer or undergoing a rite of church
membership and baptism is insufficient in ascertaining salvation. The critical question on
assurance of one’s salvation needs to be answered. Attempts have been made by the Calvinist
to solidify an objective view of God’s predestination. 7 This might provide assurance from a
cognitive level but is an inadequate substitute compared with the context of a genuine
personal and spiritual relationship between an individual and God. The Eastern Orthodox
idea of theosis brings this salvific and deification process further by imbuing mystical and
experiential components of uniting with Christ to supercharge one’s doctrinal convictions.
After all, the esoteric notion of being one in spirit with God, cannot just be conceived within
the physical bounds of human rationality and cognition, but must go beyond deeply into the
heart to make this not just a theoretical concept but a certain spiritual and salvific experience.
The strength of one’s assurance of salvation would also correlate with his or her experiential
relationship with God. When posed with the question on the basis of one’s salvation, a
Christian might answer tepidly that the bible says so or, alternatively, he can directly hear
from the Holy Spirit that the bible is God’s word and that his salvation and relationship with
the divine is sure and secure. In this way, theosis upgrades the view of conversion to include
a mystical experiential union with Christ mediated by the Holy Spirit. While it invariably
raises the standards of and blurring the milestone of “conversion”, the genuine witness,
assurance and convictions that entail would be superior in defining the relationship between
man and God. Also, in this way, a process view of salvation can be sustained in theosis
because there is a mystical experiential dimension that authenticate and mutually
communicate an ongoing divine-human relationship. Where a genuine relationship exists,
then so too would there be no room for doubts. Secondarily, perhaps the practical implication
of this is the need to reconceive the idea of evangelism towards those in church but remain
lukewarm and uncertain as to their future spiritual destiny. More will be discussed on the role
of pneumatologies in theosis at a later stage.

7
Ullrich Kleinhempel, “Spiritual Experience in Orthodoxy and the Pentecostal Concept of the Works
of the Holy Spirit. A Comparative Study” (n.d.), accessed November 10, 2019,
https://www.academia.edu/12832567/Spiritual_Experience_in_Orthodoxy_and_the_Pentecostal_Concept_of_th
e_Works_of_the_Holy_Spirit._A_Comparative_Study.
 PURPOSE OF THEOSIS

In his seminal book “The Unseen Realm”, Michael Haeser asserts in Genesis 1:26-27 that
God’s purpose for human beings is to image God.8 This purposive element is elaborated
further in Genesis 1:28 and 9:1 by what theologians call “the dominion mandate” that
indicates the purpose that God intends for man on earth – to create more imagers (“be fruitful
and multiply…fill”) in order to oversee and rule over the earth. 9 Godly authority and rule are
an integral element of imaging God. This comports well with the idea of deification and
theosis where redeemed human nature, participating in the very life of God, reflects the glory
of the Lord and are being transformed into image from glory to glory.10

In Hebrews 1, Jesus, who was described as the radiance of the glory of God and upholds
the universe by the word of his power, was further contrasted with the spiritual position of
angels in verses 5 to 7 before finding culmination in verse 8, where the idea Jesus kingship
and Godly rule is distinguished (something that angels do not have). In Hebrews 2:5-9, the
contrast between angels and Christ continues where the lowly position as a human being now
is contrasted with the future of royalty (crowned with glory), godly authority and rule
(subjected everything under his feet). It is seen in Pauline verses like 2 Timothy 2:12 that the
kingship of Christ is extended to all mankind – man is called to reign with Christ! This
correlates well with the previous discourse that men are known as gods. A curious phrase of
“morning star” or star appear to describe man in the bible is found in:

i. Job 38:7 “when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for
joy”
ii. Numbers 24:17 “…a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of
Israel”
iii. Revelations 2:26-28 “ The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end,
to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron,
as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority
from my Father. And I will give him the morning star”

In combination these cosmic star language convey the idea of a messianic divine being
who would one day not only return but grant sonship, deity status and joint rulership to
mankind.11 Theosis however, distinguishes the communion within the trinity involving the
essence of God and the participation of mankind in the divinity through Christ involving the
energies12 of God; such a theological position enables man to unite with Christ without
affecting God’s unique, uncreated and transcendent nature.

8
Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, Kindle
Edition. (Lexham Press, 2015).

9
Ibid.

10
Ibid.

11
Ibid.
12
James R Jr Payton, “Keeping the End in View: How the Strange yet Familiar Doctrine of Theosis
Can Invigorate Christian Life,” Christianity Today 52, no. 10 (October 2008): 66–68.
 Man’s role as God’s representatives on earth is given further meaning in Numbers
14:20-24 and Habakkuk 2:14 where the earth will be filled with the glory of God. It is not
just heaven and the Parousia where God’s glory is manifested, but in the present age where
mankind is called to make a difference on earth. Such a thinking will impact evangelical
understanding of soteriology and missions as man is not just called as missionaries to convert
souls, but to bring the mandate of heaven to effect godly rule on earth in the workplace,
families and ecclesiastical institutions. The purpose of theosis is hence to image God (reflect
God’s goodness and greatness) and spread the glory of God throughout the nations through
disciple making (Mt 28:18-20) and godly rule on earth.

CRUCIFORM NATURE OF THEOSIS

Popularly, the cross of Jesus is known as a physical torture device, an act (Jesus was
crucified) and an event prologue to his death and resurrection. Contemporary interpretations
of the cross often tend to stress its application and relevance to the church and individual, as
an invitation towards self-denial and abnegation. In 1 Cor 2:2-5, Apostle Paul’s purpose of
knowing nothing except Christ crucified (v. 2), is further elaborated to consist of both
“weakness and in fear and much trembling” (v. 3) and that of demonstrating (and hence
evidencing) the Spirit and power (v.4 4), so that our faith might not rest on human (natural
wisdom) but on the supernatural power of God (v. 5). It appears here that the usual meaning
where carrying the cross meant to crucify our flesh and humanly desires (Rom 6:11), is
extended to include a larger definition of the cross as a metaphor and essence of the gospel,
consisting of both weakness and power lived out in Paul’s life. The power of God here is not
to be hermeneutically restricted to be the concept of sanctification of the believer’s heart
(intrinsic work), but also encompass the demonstratable acts of extrinsic, supernatural signs
and wonders that was common in Paul’s life and authenticated his apostolic ministry. The
resurrection power that the Holy Spirit applies to raise Jesus Christ is also at work in
demonstrable signs through Paul. A similar theme of the cross is seen where God’s weakness
is stronger than men (1 Cor 1:22-25), where the “crucified in weakness” is simultaneously
associated with living in power (2 Cor 13:4). In fact, Green interprets Jurgen Moltmann on
this issue, that theologically, the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings and becoming like him in
his death (Phil 3:10) and the power of his resurrection (Phil 3:11) are to be experienced
simultaneously.13

It is not just dying, but the kind of humbling, abject death that Jesus went through on
the cross (Phil 2:8) that prompted God to correspondingly raise him up with the highest
exalted glory and authority (Phil 2:9-10). Also, Apostle Paul emulated Christ to experience
ontologically in his own life (Phil 3:10-11) and encourage all other believers to do the same
thing (Rom 5:10). The crucified life is once again demonstrated amongst all the Apostles,
who move in signs and wonders (2 Cor 12:12) but historically, face martyrdom as a common
fate despite their supernatural powers. Could the Lord not save and heal the Apostles since he
had already used them to effect supernatural healing and salvation for others? In Galatians
6:14-17, the cross language was once again utilized to describe Paul’s vicarious identification
with Christ on the cross through the marks of Jesus; he sought not to boast in his fleshly
achievements but in his sufferings that represents the marks of Jesus. Again, in Revelations
11:4-11, two witnesses were given supernatural power and prophetic revelation but again,

13
Chris E Green, “The Crucified God and the Groaning Spirit: Toward a Pentecostal Theologia Crucis
in Conversation with Jürgen Moltmann,” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 19, no. 1 (2010): 127–142.
met a grisly end just like Jesus and the Apostles. A pattern of the cross is becoming
increasingly apparent in God’s way of salvation.

Blackwell posits that deification involves a participatory relationship in Christ; being filled in
Christ entails the individual’s participation in Christ’s death and resurrection life. 14 Christ’s
death and resurrection were sufficient to defeat and reestablish control over evil spiritual
forces as well as afford the power to assist in crucifying sinful flesh in humanity; however,
believers only access release from these powers by submitting to the power of God in Christ,
through “dying and rising” with Christ.15

The foundation of moral instruction in Colossians is the community’s participation in

the cross and resurrection of Christ where believers in the present, embody and identify in
Christ’s death and resurrection. Soteriology is hence not merely about the reconstituted
individual but the reconstituted community16 thus reflecting the corporate character of what
Christ said of the cross in John 12:32, which reads “And I, when I am lifted up from the
earth, will draw all people to myself”. Further, it is seen in Ephesians 2:16 that God’s cross is
the uniting factor that breaks down the wall of hostility between the Jew and the Gentile,
reconciling both to God in one body through the cross. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 and Colossians
1:24 also convey the idea that Paul can share in Christ’s afflictions on behalf of the church.
What is experienced by an individual has corporate ramifications on the rest of the body as
the church shares in the death and resurrection life experience of Jesus on the cross.

As can be seen, salvation here is an all-encompassing life experience of identification

with Christ crucified through his death and resurrection, apprehending both his glory and
suffering and providing the answers and solutions to a transitionary, fallen world of
distortion. Additionally, it is not just totally an individualist profession, but consist of a
dynamic, spiritual and interactive force within the body of Christ.

14
Benjamin C Blackwell, “You Are Filled in Him: Theosis and Colossians 2-3,” Journal of
Theological Interpretation 8, no. 1 (2014): 103–123.

15
Ibid.
16
Ibid.
 PNEUMATOLOGY IN THEOSIS

The Eastern Orthodox brand of theosis embraces a mystical union and spiritual
experience engendered by the hesychast tradition which stresses on encountering and uniting
with God through a holy, ascetic living and a continuous prayer tradition known as “prayer of
the heart”. 17 This prayerful communion process allows one to grow in cultivating the
presence of the Lord, or rather, in one’s ability to perceive God in spirit and allow
correspondingly, one’s mind to be filled with God’s spiritual light. 18 It is observed that such
praxis share much similarities with the devotional masters of the west such as Francis of
Assisi, St. John of the Cross and Brother Lawrence. Even modern-day spiritual formative
practices appear to have some degrees of similarities. However, the distinguishing trait of
hesychasm seems to be uniting with Christ through a focus on holy living, mysticism
experience and prayer, which involves God’s communication of “uncreated energies” to the
worshipper. 19 The fruits of such practices includes experiencing God’s proximity and unity
through visions, dreams, trances and even tangible manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Examples include experiencing a transfiguration-like experience in St Seraphim or the
sighting of angels by St. Sergious of Radonezh. 20 Both the experience of the phenomenon and
its perception by witnesses are dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit. 21 To quote Angela
Doekson, “theosis is a doctrine that addresses spiritual experience: the presence of God
dwelling in man, and man’s awareness of that presence.”22

Ulrich Kleinhempel finds much similarities in the pneumatologies of both the Eastern
Orthodox conception of theosis and emergent Pentecostalism. In terms of man’s salvation, he
posits that Pentecostalism arose as a reform movement to remedy the consequences of
objective theory of salvation in Protestantism in its twin doctrines of justification by faith and
predestination.23 The practical outworking of such theologies had resulted in those of less
earnest disposition to falsely believe that salvific entry to heaven is a merely a cognitive
belief of God’s forgiveness in Christ during conversion without the attendant need to work
out one’s salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12). It does violence to the covenantal
understanding of the New Testament (NT) and falsely paints a “low-effort” Christianity when

17
Kotsonis John, “OrthodoxyToday.Org | Unceasing Prayer,” accessed November 15, 2019,
http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/view/kotsonis-unceasing-prayer.

18
Ibid.

19
Kleinhempel, “Spiritual Experience in Orthodoxy and the Pentecostal Concept of the Works of the
Holy Spirit. A Comparative Study.”
20
Ibid.

21
Ibid.

22
Angela Doerksen, “West Meets East Evangelicals, Theosis and the Presence of God” (2017),
accessed November 16, 2019,
https://www.academia.edu/36603003/West_Meets_East_Evangelicals_theosis_and_the_presence_of_God.
23
Kleinhempel, “Spiritual Experience in Orthodoxy and the Pentecostal Concept of the Works of the
Holy Spirit. A Comparative Study.”
contrasted with the picture of a “high-effort” Old Testament (OT). The reality is that
salvation is not necessarily easier in the NT compared to OT but it is now not just a matter of
outward religious ritual obeisance but a deeper matter of inward heart circumcision (Rom
2:29). The insightful question to pose to those afflicted by such distorted understanding is to
question them on their assurance of salvation. What is the basis of their conviction? How sure
are they that their faith level in God is not just intellectual assent like the demons (James
2:19), but of a salvific character? Are there any extrinsic spiritual experiences that can
augment their intrinsic faith in God and evidence the authencity of their relationship with
Him?

The concept of theosis can answer this question of assurance of salvation because of
the additional component of mysticism and experience. Although it brings an element of
subjectivity, the witness of the Holy Spirit within one’s heart, in addition to objective
scriptures, is perhaps one of the most powerful and personal experience. In fact, Romans 8:15
testifies that the Holy Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
This cannot be a cognitive autosuggestion technique to forcibly indoctrinate one’s mental
faculties, suppressing honest doubts just to generate a modicum of assurance. But rather, it
must be a genuine work of the Holy Spirit leading to a palpable experience in the spiritual
dimension and at the level of the inward heart. John 3:8 illustrates that man needs to be born
of the spirit to enter the kingdom of God and the nature of this spirit is like the wind where
one can feel it but cannot visibly see or grasp it. Again. John 4:24 articulates that God is spirit
and that true worshippers must worship him in spirit and in truth. Henceforth, if both God and
man has an invisible spiritual component, it is vital for us to delve into such pneumatological
experiences in order to fully understand the inner workings of this invisible realm where
spirit interacts with spirit.

Pentecostalism shares similar roots with Hesychasm in the pursuit of the tangible
presence of God through divine encounters and experiences. It expands on these experiences
with some unique characteristics of its own, including non-exhaustively, the concept of (i)
baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by tongues, (ii) supernatural spiritual charismata as well
as the idea of (iii) God’s presence and revival. The evidential nature of these experiences
develops the idea of theosis. For example, the presence of tongue speaking amongst
adherents signify receipt of the Holy Spirit and the born-again nature of one’s spirit as
implied in many early church narratives in Acts. This outward audible experience is fully
aligned with scriptural precedent. Despite its subjective nature, speaking in tongues is an
additional powerful witness to the reality of one’s salvation. The gift of tongues is not just a
one-off experience, but a lifelong evidential reminder of one’s salvation secured through the
deposit guarantee of the Holy Spirit. Further, tongues as a private language in prayer
comports with 1 Corinthian 14:13-15 when believers are encouraged to pray in both natural
cognition in the mind and tongues in the spirit. Apostle Paul himself speak in tongues more
than anyone in the Corinthian church (1 Cor 14:18), possibly because it edifies the spirit (1
Cor 14:4). There appears to be a mystical dimension when discussing about tongues and it
relates more to the spirit than to the mind. The supernatural quality of tongues and spiritual
charismata (e.g. miraculous healing, accurate prophecies, casting out of demons) indicates
divine presence and manifest God’s glory.
 The reason why these evidential and supernatural giftings are vital is because of the
seeming hiddenness24, distance and absence of God in the physical realm. By default, divine
intervention and revelation on earth is a rarity in comparison to the natural occurrences.
Hence, such veritable signs of God can be conceived as God’s presence and glory pouring out
from heaven into earth to shower grace on the specific groups of believers who are blessed
enough to experience it. Such divine encounters facilitate a language of intimacy; every time
a believer speaks in a tongue, his spirit speaks mysteries to God as enabled by God’s spirit (1
Cor 14:12). Every time a prophetic utterance is fulfilled, people are brought close to the
reality of God and His salvation. Every time God answers prayer, the red sea parted (Moses),
the drought and rain arrived (Elijah) and the sun stood still (Joshua). And if Christ drives out
demons by the spirit of God, the kingdom of God has come upon earth (Mt 12:28). So too,
would those who had faith, be able to experience all these divine power and revelation (Mark
9:23).

One of the fruits of such supernatural encounters is that it aids in power evangelism
and revival. According to Ulrich, it’s a style of forceful preaching and liturgical action to
convey the “energy” of the Holy Spirit.25 In a literal exegesis of Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5:

“…I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or
wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him
crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and
my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the
wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

The use of the phrases “demonstration” and “power of God” seem to imply an
extrinsic show of something supernatural that only God can do and not man. Testament to
this exercise of divine power are the waves of Pentecostal and Charismatic revivals that
brought large communities to know the saving grace of God. In a paraphrase of the epic
question posed by Moses to God (Ex 33:14) - if God’s presence/glory does not go before
man, how then will man know that they are God’s chosen and favoured people? Revival then
is a community-wide salvific heart cry of man to God and His responsive display of glory in
the form of mass conversions and transformation in the body of Christ. This is very much like
the early Acts church. It is in these ongoing revivals and accelerated growth rates that further
distinguishes between Pentecostalism and Eastern Orthodoxy; whereas the latter’s experience
was more limited to elite monks or clergyman, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the former
seems to be widespread across the church masses. According to David Barrett, the current
Pentecostal and Charismatic population amounts to 614 Million in 2010, claims more than 25
percent of all Christians in 2000, and had been the largest protestant grouping since 1982. 26

Tyler M Taber, “Revealed but Hidden?: Plantinga, Sin, and the Hiddenness of God,” Criswell
24

Theological Review 12, no. 1 (2014): 69–80.

25
Kleinhempel, “Spiritual Experience in Orthodoxy and the Pentecostal Concept of the Works of the
Holy Spirit. A Comparative Study.”
26
Vinson Synan, Spirit-Empowered Christianity in the 21st Century, Kindle Edition. (Charisma House,
2011).
That’s an incredible work of God considering the growth rate and timeline of merely a
century.

INTEGRATING TOGETHER

A sole focus on glorification in revivalistic theosis is incomplete. In its eagerness to

experience the fulfilled eschaton of heaven on earth, Pentecostals in some regions tend to be
afflicted with imbalanced tendencies that includes triumphalism, presumption and
megalomania as well as a predisposed susceptibility towards a “prosperity gospel”. A focus
on solely outward manifestations of the spirits without a corresponding daily discipline to die
to one’s flesh would also make a mockery of any revival and impugn God’s name. A more
holistic way to apprehend deification is to identify with Christ crucified. This was somewhat
corroborated in Hebrews 11:35 where some refused to be released from torture to receive a
better resurrection. If Christ in heaven, carries on this identification with the cross as the lamb
that was slain (Rev 5:6), how much more should mankind as God’s imagers take heed to
carry the cross as commanded of his disciples (Lk 14:17). In fact, in Romans 8:17, Christians
are deemed as co-heirs with Christ, with a condition that they suffer together with Him that
they can glorify with him in the Parousia. Romans 8:18-21 provides further clarity on the
dynamics of glory and suffering in the cross – that creation was subjected to suffering in the
hope that it will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain glory of the children of
God. This human identification with Christ through the act of dying and resurrection life is
the essence of theosis. 27 In fact, Blackwell further argues that this soteriological experience is
christomorphic as it conforms man to Christ; theosis is Christosis.28

The Christian thus partakes in identification with Christ’s death and resurrection in
successive and increasing levels with different states and degrees of participation in the Holy
Spirit.29 This corroborate well with Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” in spite of this surpassing glory
of divine revelation (Rom 12:7) and his frequent suffering and affliction (2 Cor 11:23-33) in
spite of demonstrations of signs and wonders, and his apostolic martyrdom in spite of his
spiritual authority and power. It is the Apostle Paul who bears on himself the cruciform
“marks” of Jesus (Gal 6:17). This cruciform character of theosis is crucial because it is God’s
transformative antidote to a transitional world afflicted with contradictions in the external and
corruption within. It allows for “a kenotic less of me and a more of God” exemplified by John
the Baptist in John 3:30, and in contradistinction with the Satan’s self-glorification and man’s
self-centered ambition in the story of Babel (Gn 11:1-9). Cruciformity also jives with the
concept of faith in salvation vis-a-vis works because the former keeps its focus on God’s
headship and glory (1 Cor 11:7) while the latter’s morality ascribes glory to self through
boasting (Eph 2:9).

27
Kleinhempel, “Spiritual Experience in Orthodoxy and the Pentecostal Concept of the Works of the
Holy Spirit. A Comparative Study.”

28
Blackwell, “You Are Filled in Him.”
29
Kleinhempel, “Spiritual Experience in Orthodoxy and the Pentecostal Concept of the Works of the
Holy Spirit. A Comparative Study.”
 CONCLUSION

Finally, a reconceived idea of Eastern Orthodox theosis supplemented by cruciform

Christology and Pentecostal pneumatology provides for a much more robust definition and
experiential conviction of salvation. This multi-faceted perspective of a salvific journey sees
the calling of mankind as deities-to-be, imagers of God who through mystical union and
encounter with the crucified Christ, become empowered and transformed from one degree of
glory to another. If theosis can be juxtaposed together with the Westminster Shorter
Catechism, then perhaps a restatement of man’s salvific purpose could be – The chief end of
man is to unite with God and image His glory forever.
 BIBLOGR APHY

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