Paul writes to Titus, “Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and by the renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). Many consider this text a summary of Paul's theology: not by works, but by grace, are we saved. Here “works” is defined as keeping the laws of the Old Testament, and sometimes it is interpreted in preaching as also referring to good works like social programs, alms-giving, and standing up for justice.

One can hardly read Paul without concluding that salvation comes not by works, but, conversely, that works can even get in the way of what is needed for salvation by giving false hope to those doing and depending on their works. Paul's Gospel is bad news to those who think their good deeds will get them into heaven. “All our righteousness is as filthy rags,” Isaiah the prophet says, as though anticipating Paul (Isaiah 64:6).

Faith Without Works Is Dead

Nevertheless, James writes, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17 and 20). Indeed, James adds, “Yes, a man may say, ‘you have faith and I have works; show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works’” (2:18) and even, “a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” Having already written in the margin of his Bible the word alone next to Paul's “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law,” (Romans 3:28, compare Romans 5:1 and Galatians 3:24) Martin Luther was sorely vexed by James's epistle and labeled it “an epistle of straw” or “a right strawy epistle,” depending on how you translate his German.

James explains that Abraham demonstrated his faith by taking Isaac to the mountain to sacrifice him to God as God had ordered, his work thus proving his faith. All of James's “works” fall under obedience to God and his Christ. The apostolic church has traditionally advocated works or, as discussed in Chapter 10, “violence,” or force, to “take” the Kingdom of God. This work — ascesis — is prayer, bolstered by fasting and more prayer, known as keeping vigil or praying all through the night. Fasting is also accompanied by alms-giving or giving help to the poor, but the alms-giving without the faith demonstrated in prayer with fasting is not advocated as a good work.

Sanctification or Divinization

Catholics, traditional Protestants, and the Orthodox alike profess that salvation is primarily a relationship with God through Christ. Though there is much tongue-wagging about “a personal relationship with Jesus,” a formula most often uttered by American evangelicals, no genuine Christian prayer life exists without connecting in prayer with God through the God-man, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between Creator and created, Eternal and temporal, the Sinless and the sinful.

Divine Nature

Athanasius, the saint described in Chapter 11 as leading the opposition to the heresy of Arianism, wrote that God “gave himself to us through his Spirit. By the participation of the Spirit, we become communicants in the divine nature. … For this reason, those in whom the Spirit dwells are divinized.” Athanasius is referring to the Apostle Peter's second epistle: “By his divine power [he] has given to us all things needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who has called us to glory and virtue, by which are given to us very great and precious promises that by these you may be participants in the divine nature, having escaped the corrupting lusts of the world” (see 2 Peter 1:3, 4).

Divinization, as Athanasius called it, is more commonly known as theosis. Theosis is the goal of salvation in Orthodoxy, and is also taught but not widely known in Catholicism. It means that the human nature is intended to be united with the divine nature in heaven, through what Protestants call sanctification and the Orthodox call theoria, the process of becoming holy.

Theosis

The most famous summary of the doctrine, also from Athanasius, is, “The Son of God became man that we might become God.”Orthodox theologians say that theosis takes believers in Christ beyond the perfection of Adam and Eve before the Fall and on to what Adam and Eve were intended to attain, had they obeyed God.

Several passages in the Old Testament refer to the judges of Israel as “gods”: “You shall not revile the gods nor curse the ruler of your people” (Exodus 22:28); “God stands in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the gods. … I have said, ‘You are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes,” (Psalms 82:1, 6–7). Jesus refers to these passages when he says, “Is it not written in your law, I said, ‘You are gods?’” (John 10:34).

Immortal Creatures

C. S. Lewis affirmed this aspect of salvation in Mere Christianity when he said any of us can become “immortal creatures” whom God calls “gods.” In all cases, this “divinization” is distinct from pantheism and far eastern religions, which believe that eventually we become one with the totality of the universe, or “god.” Nor is it similar to “progressive divinization” as taught in Mormonism, in which human beings become part of the godhead. But as “immortal creatures,” we will be Lords over worlds Christ has gone ahead to the Kingdom of Heaven to prepare for us.