Theological Musings on Christian Discipleship

Part 4, From the Forensic to Participatory

I've argued that the Protestant Reformation tipped soteriology toward justification over sanctification. This isn't a new observation. For example, Dallas Willard called out what he described as "Vampire Christianity," Christians who only want Jesus for his blood. That is to say, Christians so focused upon the atoning death of Jesus that they fail to pursue or call each other to holiness and sanctification. Vampire Christianity is an example of the soteriological distortions I've been talking about, views of salvation that, due to historical debates, came to privilege justification over sanctification.

But if that is so, how are such distortions to be remedied? What should Vampire Christianity be replaced with?

Let me suggest, along with many others, that we move from forensic to participatory understandings of salvation. 

By forensic views of salvation I mean the penal, judicial, crime and punishment framework that tends to dominate how we think about justification. To be "justified" is to be declared "innocent." 

While the Greek word-group typically translated as "justify" and "justification" have these forensic meanings, Biblical scholars have long pushed back on this thin view of justification. Still, simplistic forensic understandings of salvation predominate. "Being saved" means moving from "guilty" to "forgiven." And while this is certainly true, reducing salvation to forgiveness has a distorting effect upon the gospel. Forgiveness becomes all we desire or seek, and this tips us into Vampire Christianity.  

We might be better able to avoid such distortions if we viewed salvation less as a judicial issue than as participation in the life of God. What might that mean? Consider 2 Peter 1:4 

By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.

Salvation is "sharing in the divine nature." In the language of Romans 12.1-2, salvation is a "transformation." In the gospel of John, salvation is "abiding" in Christ as Christ "abides" in us. Theologically, we are shifting here back to the ancient of idea of theosis over the forensic view of salvation that came to dominate soteriology after the Protestant Reformation. 

Central to salvation-as-participation is envisioning salvation as a developmental journey. Salvation is a process of maturation. The Christian mystical tradition has described this development as progressing through three stages: the purgative, the illuminative, and the unitive. At the start of the journey we are focused on mastering sinful impulses, attempting to acquire basic habits of holiness, establishing the virtues in our lives. After this purgation, the soul becomes increasingly responsive to God's guidance and leading. There is a sense of God's presence and we experience spiritual growth. Finally, during the unitive stage, the soul becomes increasingly united with God in will, desire, thought, and purpose. Mystical union with God deepens as the soul reaches its end in God.

Personally, I feel pretty stuck in the purgative stage. But I'm also aware that my sensitivity to and dismay at my sin is a sign of spiritual maturity. My conscience is pretty sensitive, and I recognize that as a fruit of holiness. 

The point here is viewing salvation less as a forensic declaration of "innocence" than a deeper and deeper participation in the life of God. Seeking union with God. Coming to share in the divine nature.

In contrast to forensic perspectives, this participatory view of salvation is better equipped to support spiritual formation efforts.