Theosis is what salvation actually is. It’s the process of becoming more like God through His grace, being transformed from glory to glory until we share in His divine life.
If that sounds strange, you’re not alone. Most people who walk through our doors in Beaumont have never heard this word. They’ve heard about being “saved” or “born again” or “going to heaven when you die.” And those aren’t wrong exactly, but they’re incomplete. They’re like describing a marriage as “signing a legal contract” or describing a meal as “consuming nutrients.” True, but missing the point entirely.
What the Scriptures Say
St. Peter writes that God’s divine power has given us “exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). Partakers of the divine nature. Not just forgiven. Not just declared righteous on paper. Actually sharing in God’s own life.
That’s theosis.
The Church Fathers loved this passage because it says plainly what they’d experienced: God became human so that humans could become divine. St. Athanasius put it bluntly in the fourth century: “He was incarnate that we might be made god.” Not gods with a small ‘g’ like we’re starting our own religions. But filled with God’s own life, transformed by His grace, sharing in everything He is except His essence.
How This Differs from What You Might’ve Heard
If you grew up Baptist or at one of the big non-denominational churches around here, you probably learned that salvation happens when you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. You pray a prayer, you’re saved, and that’s that. Maybe you get baptized later as an outward sign. Maybe you try to live better. But the main event already happened.
Orthodoxy doesn’t work that way.
We don’t think salvation is a one-time legal transaction where God declares you “not guilty” and you get a ticket to heaven. That’s not what the Bible describes and it’s not what the early Church believed. Salvation is healing. It’s transformation. It’s a lifetime of being changed from the inside out by God’s grace until you actually become the person God created you to be, someone who shares His life, who loves like He loves, who shines with His light.
St. Maximos the Confessor said you become “all that God is, except for an identity in being.” You don’t become God Himself. You remain a creature. But you’re filled with His energies, His grace, His life. Like iron in a fire becomes fiery without ceasing to be iron.
The Three Stages
The Fathers describe theosis as happening in three stages, though they overlap and aren’t always neat.
First comes purification. You can’t fill a dirty cup with clean water and expect it to stay clean. So we start with repentance, with Confession, with learning to see our sins clearly and turn away from them. This isn’t about earning anything. It’s about removing the barriers we’ve built between ourselves and God.
Then comes illumination. As we’re purified, we start to see more clearly. We understand Scripture differently. Prayer becomes real conversation instead of reciting words. We catch glimpses of God’s presence in the Liturgy, in creation, in other people. The Fathers call this theoria, vision of God.
Finally comes union. This is theosis proper, though we use the word for the whole process too. It’s what the saints experience, total participation in Christ, being so filled with God’s grace that His light shines through you. Think of the Transfiguration, when Christ’s face shone like the sun. That’s the light we’re being transformed into.
But here’s the thing. This process doesn’t end. Not in this life, not in the next. Theosis goes on forever because God is infinite. There’s always more of Him to know, more of His love to receive, more transformation ahead.
How It Actually Happens
You don’t achieve theosis by trying really hard or being really good. That’s not how grace works. But you do have to cooperate with God’s grace. The Fathers call this synergy, working together with God.
The Mysteries are central. When you’re baptized, you die and rise with Christ. When you receive the Eucharist, you’re united with His Body and Blood. When you confess, you’re healed and restored. These aren’t just symbols or reminders. They’re actual means of grace, ways God pours His life into you.
Prayer matters too. Not because God needs to hear from you, but because you need to be in His presence. The Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me”, is one way people have practiced this for centuries. You pray it until it becomes part of your breathing, until you’re praying without ceasing like St. Paul says.
And you need the Church. You can’t become like God alone because God isn’t alone. He’s Trinity, eternal communion of love. We become like Him by living in communion with His Body, the Church, learning to love each other the way the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit love each other.
What This Means for You
If you’re exploring Orthodoxy, this might be the biggest shift in your thinking. Salvation isn’t about making a decision and then waiting to die so you can go to heaven. It’s about being transformed right now, today, into someone who already lives in God’s kingdom because God’s kingdom is wherever He is.
That’s harder in some ways. There’s no moment where you can say “I’m done, I’m saved, I can relax now.” But it’s also more hopeful. Every day is a chance to grow closer to God. Every Liturgy, every prayer, every act of love is part of your transformation. You’re not just killing time until heaven. You’re already becoming heavenly.
Come to Liturgy on Sunday and you’ll see what I mean. We’re not just remembering what Jesus did two thousand years ago. We’re participating in it right now, being united with Him, receiving His life. That’s theosis. And it’s what you were created for.
