I Am Chrīstós

Few theatrical scenes evoke the power of solidarity as potently as the movie Spartacus. A multitude of slaves in ancient Rome risked crucifixion to save one soul. Each prisoner stood and declared to the Roman army, “I am Spartacus.”

The word Christ comes from the Greek χριστός (chrīstós), meaning “anointed one.” Chrīstós is used in the Septuagint for the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Mašíaḥ, messiah), meaning “[one who is] anointed.” But this message isn’t about Christ’s anointing; it’s about yours.

An anointing is an endowment of power and alignment. It’s a connection or reconnection with who we are. And, though it often goes unrecognized, an anointing was given to all.

Moses brought the sons of Aaron to the door of the tabernacle and anointed them that they might enter the edifice (Exodus 40) in likeness of every soul being anointed to enter their tabernacle of flesh. Birth is an anointing. We are all chrīstós.

God anointed Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38), but Christ made the anointing about more than himself. He promised his followers an anointing (John 14:16), and his apostle John later pointed out to his followers, “you have an anointing” (1 John 2:20). Christ didn’t reserve the anointing to himself. He urged all to be chrīstós.

Photo by Chelsea shapouri on Unsplash.

“The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor,” Isaiah said. “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners . . . [and] to comfort all that mourn.” (Isaiah 61:1-2).

Many view Isaiah’s words as a Messianic prophecy. Others apply them to every soul who is anointed through birth. We are all anointed to speak words of healing, to free souls from darkness and mourning. That’s our purpose on earth.

I don’t say this to be blasphemous or to diminish the Christ Christians regard as their Savior. I say it to elevate every soul of any faith tradition to embrace the anointing of their birth. You are chrīstós.

Just as a fictional multitude saved a soul by standing and declaring, “I am Spartacus,” we save souls when we stand together and own our anointing (see 1 Timothy 4:16 ). Every soul is chrīstós.

It begins with the courage to say, “I Am Chrīstós.”