ST. SIMEON ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Jesus himself, quoting Psalm 81 said this very thing in John Chapter 10;  34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, I said, "You are gods "'?35 "If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 "do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world," (Joh 10:34-36 NKJ)   

St. Peter says the same thing: "3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature"(2Pe 1:3-4 NKJ) This "divine power" that Peter says He gives us is not a created substance but consists of His very Divine presence through what we call the Divine Energies.  Another word for energies is grace. Although they are not completely synonymous they refer to the same principal- God's Divine Presence acting in us. 

 

So we see that our calling as Christians is great- a much greater vision that either the Roman Catholics or Protestants generally emphasize. We are called to perfection (Matt 5:48) and yet only God is perfect.  That is why this scripture is puzzling to those who try to understand this outside of  church tradition.  We are called to participate in God's very holiness and perfection- to become by His Divine Energies and presence in us, what He is by nature.  This is what Jesus meant when He said “the Kingdom of God is within you.” This is not simply a metaphor. We understand the Kingdom of God as the very presence of the King in us.  As a metal rod placed in the fire takes on all the properties of fire and begins to glow and become searing hot, without becoming fire itself (and remaining metal)- so we too take on all of the properties of Divinity- holiness, perfection, love, while remaining human and created.  It is His very presence that “divinizes us”. This is what St. Paul meant when he said "it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Gal 2:20 NKJ)."  

 

So we see that as Christians we are not merely called to "be saved" but to become like God.  Union with God is what Theosis is, and when we are united to God through His Divine Energies- we become like God or "gods". In this context then, the Gospel begins to makes sense- i.e.  12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. (Joh 14:12 NKJ) This, of course is not an instantaneous process but one that begins here on this earth and continues for eternity. It is not a process that we are even aware of, for "the Kingdom of Heaven spreads without observation (Luk 17:20 NKJ)."  If we are aware of it, we are still bound by our pride and cannot draw close to God. It can only progress if we live in a state of continual and progressive repentance.  This is the essence of our life here on this earth.  Hope this helps.  God bless you.  

Fr. George