Participation in the Divine Nature (2 Pe 1:4) - {See Update at End}

He has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire - 2 Pe 1:4

As the famous formula of the Church Fathers goes, God incarnated so that man might be divinized.

This language pushes the boundaries of the theological comfort zones of most Western Christians, but it is indeed the language of the Ancient Church.

It is also the language of the Apostle Peter.

He says that through the promises of God, humans have gained the ability to become partakers (koinōnoi) of the divine (theias) nature.

This does not mean that we cease being human or lose our creatureliness. It does not mean that we lose our identities and get absorbed into an impersonal cosmic divinity.

It means rather, in the words of Scripture, that "when He appears, we shall be like Him" (1 John 3:2)

It means that - while remaining entirely ourselves - we at the same time become so intimately united with God that His nature becomes our nature.

As Paul says, " he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him."

Jesus did not step down from glorious perfection in heaven merely to give us a path to better moral behavior. He did not endure torture at the hands of His own creation simply to give us a better afterlife. He did not incarnate into our world just to teach us information about a distant God.

He did so much more than this.

He became a participant of our nature so that we could become participants in His. God became like man so that man could once again become like God.

He came so that, as we behold His glory, we may be transformed into His same divine image from one degree of glory to the next.

John tells us, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."

Every being capable of reproduction reproduces according to its kind.

Chickens give birth to chickens. Dogs give birth to dogs. Humans give birth to humans.

What does God give birth to?

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?" - John 10:34

"And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven." - Matt 23:9

Of course, these passages can and have been taken out of context by those who seek to usurp the supremacy of God as revealed in the distinct person of Jesus Christ, but we mustn't water down the gospel out of fear that the Truth will be misinterpreted by some.

The Gospel - the good news - is far more good and far more newsworthy than we have yet understood.

Its depths have yet to be plumbed and its peaks have yet to be summited.

Jesus Christ is in His very person the perfect union of God and man, and He invites us to partake of this glorious union.

In the words of the great evangelical mystic A.W. Tozer:

The new birth is, however, not an end but an inception, for now begins the glorious pursuit, the heart’s happy exploration of the infinite riches of the Godhead. That is where we begin, I say, but where we stop no man has yet discovered, for there is in the awful and mysterious depths of the Triune God neither limit nor end.

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For the past 4+ years, I have posted a weekly reflection on various passages of Scripture that the Lord has highlighted to me in one way or another.

I began this journey simply writing Scripture reflections for myself, helping me remember key insights that were being revealed to me that were having tangible, transformational effects on my life.

I felt prompted by the Spirit to make them public, as I felt that if they were helpful for me, perhaps they could be helpful to others.

I committed to the Lord to post every single week - regardless of whether I wanted to, or how many people read them - until I felt His nudge to stop.

I feel that this nudge has just been given, and at least for the time being, this will be the last Scripture reflection posted here.

There are other writing endeavors that I feel I must direct more of my efforts toward over the next few months. I do, however, plan to post more things on this website in the future as the Spirit leads.

If you are one of the few who have been following along since near the beginning, thank you for your support, and I pray these short reflections have blessed you in some way.

Stay tuned for what is coming next!

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:36