Christosis: Participation in Christ and Imitation of ChristSample

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” – John 14:1 (NLT)

Jesus is seemingly delivering troubling news here, but upon closer examination, he’s actually delivering good news about what is going to take place. John 14–16 contains Jesus’ last words—his final thoughts. And he is revealing something beautiful.

Let me teach everyone a new word today:

Christosis.

This devotional, titled Christosis, explores this concept through the lens of John 14–16—Jesus’ Farewell Message.

What exactly is Christosis?

Well, Christosis comes from a term called Theosis, which reaches back to the 2nd-century Church Father Irenaeus.

Irenaeus essentially said this:

“God became like us so that we could become like him.”

One important note about this idea:

We must maintain the creator-creature distinction. Notice the word like—it’s essential in our understanding of this concept. We do not become God, but God desires for us to become like him.

Which brings us to our word: Christosis. We’ll define Christosis as follows:

Jesus became like us, so that we could be with Him and become like Him.

Today, our focus is on John 14:1 14, and Jesus reveals some helpful insights about Christosis in this text.

The Promise of Being With Jesus (John 14:1–4)

Let me set the scene for a moment. Jesus just told his disciples that he’s going to depart from them (13:21), that one of them will betray him (13:21), and that another will deny him (13:38). Not exactly the most exciting and inspiring words from a guy who was just being praised on his entrance into Jerusalem.

And after Jesus shares this unsettling news, here’s how he begins his teaching:

1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” – John 14:1–4 (NLT)

Jesus states:

“I’m going to get a place ready for you.”

He is thinking about his followers. He has a role for his followers.

He says he will:

“Take you to be with me.”

This future hope that Jesus is talking about is not about royal living; it’s about being with him. Jesus is promising that death will not keep his followers from being with him.

And he says:

“You know the way.”

In other words, you know the path, or you know how to get there. It seems as if Jesus is just as concerned about the path as he is about the destination.

Jesus is revealing something about the life to come: the life to come is a life with Jesus. Jesus has promised that you can be with him.

The Path to Being With Jesus (John 14:5–6)

One of Jesus’ disciples, Thomas, interjects with a question:

5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
– John 14:5–6 (NLT)

Jesus is building on what he said in verse 4: “You know the way.”

And Jesus declares that he is the way, the truth, and the life.

This is both an exclusive statement and a way of life statement.

Jesus is saying that he is the exclusive way to the Father, and that the way of truth and life is a life of following him.

In other words, Jesus is truth itself and the one who reveals the path to truly living.

The Peace of Being With Jesus (John 14:7-11).

This leads us to Philip. Philip keeps the conversation going:

7 “If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” – John 14:7-8 (NLT)

Philip makes a funny point.

I take Philip as saying, “Hey Jesus, you keep talking about the Father… show us the Father!”

Or maybe Jesus’ followers were missing Jesus’ oneness with God because Jesus was so out of the ordinary. Look at what happened right before this in John 13:

3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. – John 13:3–5 (NLT)

Jesus had all the power, authority, and glory. So what did he do? He didn’t demand that his subjects bow before him. Instead, he washed their feet. Jesus is revealing what God is truly like, but we humans miss this God.

We are expecting a “power over” God.

Or we are expecting a God who wouldn’t set such an example (because that means we have to do the same).

Because Jesus is God, he washed feet.
Because Jesus is God, he became flesh.
Because Jesus is God, he went to the cross.
Because Jesus is God, he loves you.

Jesus goes on to say this in response to Philip:

9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.” – John 14:9-11 (NLT)

Therefore, when Jesus says, “I want to be with you”—

God is saying, “I want to be with you.”

Jesus came to reveal to us what God is truly like.

Being with Jesus brings peace, because when we are with him, we are with God, who created all things.

Look at Jesus, and you will see how much God wants to be with you.

Jesus wants to be with you. Will you make time to be with him?