2nd Peter 1:3-9 THESE THINGS The faith which we have received by the gracious provision of God beginning with our personal trust in our Savior Jesus Christ, also provides for, and produces, "life and godliness." "Divine power" has given us all the things we need to be able to participate in the divine nature. When one is born into the family of God by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we are complete - a complete person in the same way a baby is as complete as an older person. We are probably immature but completely a new creation in Christ with all the things we need for living for Christ and growing in the Lord.
It is God who from the eternal storehouse of His own being, has not held anything back that we need to sustain us and make us successful in our life for Him. Our access to these things is through our knowledge of Him. The power to grow and mature doesn't come from within us but from God whose "glory" expresses the perfections of His attributes, and the excellence of His personal essence - who He is. His "virtue" is the inherent "goodness" of the things He does. There is excellence in everything God does. We are saved because of His glory and virtue.
Because of who our Lord is, He has called us to virtue in our character and conduct in this world. By His grace He has given us what we need to participate in the divine nature because we have been given the Holy Spirit within us. Our humanity and our Lord's deity will always be distinct, but even with our human limitations we are able to not only enjoy the "great and precious promises" but also satisfy our longing for freedom from sin's bondage. By the nature of these promises they separate us from the world and unto God. It is our Lord's moral goodness that gives us the power to escape the evil desires and defilement that comes from the world. When the new nature is nurtured and the practices of godly living are cultivated, there will be spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is not automatic so we must diligently use the grace given us by faith, discipline and cooperation with our Lord.
Faith is more than belief in certain facts. Faith takes action rather than fearful waiting with doubts as to the outcome of a matter. Godly living, developing Christian character and moral discipline all testify to real faith.
It is to this kind of faith the seven characteristics of godly living are linked. A tree generally produces several branches at once, each one different and each one finds the source of life in the trunk of the tree. That same principle is what takes place when these seven characteristics are added to faith. These are natural developments as we participate in the divine nature, rather than things we add one at a time. It is similar to a young child and a father working together on the same project. Both are engaged in the same work and by diligence and practice the young person becomes more and more proficient and engaged in the same work as the mature person.
The first on the list is "virtue." Some versions of the Bible use the word "goodness" but it is really more than that. It goes to the strength of character and spiritual valor that produces "excellence." When something is "excellent" it does what it is supposed to do and is capable of doing well. This is not honing our human capabilities but is reproducing divine qualities that make us more like our Savior. In our faith we exhibit virtue and also knowledge that is maturing. In applying this to our life experiences, it indicates by participating in the divine nature there will be the ability to discern what is the will of God. When we are obedient to the will of God our emotions and intellect will work together as well as our character and knowledge. These things will function effectively as we conduct our lives in a godly fashion.
Apparently false teachers were saying "temperance" was not all that important because deeds do not help us. Self-control is an action of faith that comes as a result of exercise of heart and discipline. Not only are leaders of the Lord's people to be temperate, but all of God's children need to display the characteristics of our heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. This happens when we have a controlled tongue, controlled mind, controlled speech and controlled practices. In a sense, temperance has to do with "pleasure," and "endurance" has to do with the problems we face and the pressures that are applied to seek to conform us to this ungodly world. "Patience" does not easily give up. Actually, patience adds to the whole person the strength of calmness and the persistence to wait for the best without compromising anything. Such trials as we may have to face can work for us rather than against us when patience is doing "its perfect work."
Many believers will not say of themselves that they are godly. "Godliness" is a characteristic that lets a believer live above all the pressures and passions that control the natural man. Godliness involves being unselfish and at the same time uncompromising. There is piety and reverence in one who is like God. Godliness is a very practical thing that can make right decisions and at the same time have lofty goals. Godliness does what is right because it is right - even if it leads us through trials and pain.
"Brotherly kindness" has to do with our affections toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is family love that begins with our Father, and then assures us of who we are. "We know we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." This is an on-going attitude toward others with their well-being as the motive behind it. There is another kind of love, "charity," that is the kind of love God showed toward us when we were in our sins. Brotherly kindness is love because we are like the objects of our love. "Charity" - love, means we love others in spite of differences we might have. This will include sacrifice for the benefit of others without expecting them to reciprocate. The value of the person in the sight of God is the motivating factor for charity.
When all of the characteristics are being developed, that growth because of being "added" to faith, produces the effect of a whole person living by faith in a way that reflects the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. The life of such a person who participates in the divine nature of Christ, gives God all praise and glory for anything that produces the image of our Lord. When these things are in use, we will not be unfruitful or unproductive. "Barren" (idle) people are ineffective and unfruitful.
That happens to those who are deliberately blind because they choose to close their eyes to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We remain ourselves in personality even though we are made like Christ. If we try to imitate other people, we lose that uniqueness that God gave us and we lose the ability to be like our Lord by choosing to be like another person. Like parents, God is not duplicating Himself in us, but is reproducing us to be like Him and still be ourselves. Our faith goes beyond what we believe, to being part of what we do. Salvation goes farther than changing our eternal destination to producing spiritual fruit and spiritual maturity. Faith produces good deeds as God works in us to do "His good pleasure."
2Peter 1:4. “Whereof are given to us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
DIVINE NATURE. What are those promises that help me think like my God?
Those promises enumerated so plainly in His Word? Those promises that draw me much closer to my Lord? Those that are so foreign to the world?
I am a son, not a stranger, not an alien to Him. My life is now Christ, I’m not a servant to sin. There is a new kind of joy since this life did begin. Since the day this new life entered in.
Not just now to live, but to live with a reason; Not only today, but in every season; For I am in Christ, and truly want to please Him; Gives meaning to this new life I live.
There is the Spirit within who was given by promise. There is a nature that’s new that wants to be honest. There is spiritual power to do all that God wants us, To show others true evidence of grace.
My name is heaven written in God’s record book, Since the Savior of sinners, I most willingly took. There is evidence of His love, everywhere I look, And these promises are never removed.
Some promises are evident, I have already experienced them. Other will be realized: God reserves them till then. Some are in heaven, and I am able now to claim Because I have a nature like His.
“I know, Father, that I am not able to fully grasp the awesomeness of the divine nature to its fullest, but I do enjoy the reality of it in so many ways already. When I worship the Lord by myself or with others, there is no difficulty recognizing the evidence of the divine nature. We are able to appreciate so much of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, that it can only have come from God. I read what You have said about Him, and I can not help but say my personal, “Amen.” He is altogether lovely!”