I have been stuck In 2 Peter chapter one for a couple of weeks now.  It is a rich chapter and also a bit difficult to understand in certain places.  I don’t like to leave a chapter until I have sucked all the meat out of it that I think is possible .  Thus I am still I this chapter.  It’s amazing how you can spend so much time in one portion of scripture, reading it and rereading it, and about the time you think you are ready to leave it, something jumps out and surprises you. That happened a couple of days ago.  I was surprised by divine nature.  Peter tells hos readers that God has promised we are participants in God’s nature.  I had read that verse a dozen times and never thought much about it.  This time it stunned me to think that God wants me to participate in his divine nature.  To be his servant , sure , that’s obvious.  To obey his commands, of course.  To be a part of his kingdom and to work for it, I think all Christians understand that.  But to participate in his divine nature?  That is definitely out of this world.  I can much more readily identify with Paul when he says that he is the worst sinner (I thought I was);  I know where the guy is coming from who said “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief”;  it is easier for me to understand King David and his foibles  then to imagine God wants me to participate in his divine nature.

So what on earth could Peter possibly mean about participating in God’s divine nature?  Peter says in the previous verse that God has promised us this.  I have been reading the bible for at least 45 years, and I couldn’t recall any promises to this effect.  I was mentally seeking out these promises and was drawing blanks.  One promise I do remember is that those who seek will find.

The next morning, during the regular devotion time we have at the home for needy children where I participate here in Oaxaca,Mexico, the person that was speaking had us look at the gospel of John, chapter 14.  There they were, a whole bunch of promises from the very lips of Jesus.  He promised his followers that the father would dwell in them, Jesus himself would be in them, and if that wasn’t enough, they would be filled with the Holy Spirit.  The whole trinity is in me! How’s that for participating in the divine nature?

John 14 promises – I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever…

                                        I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

                                         If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.  My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Also John 15 – If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit.

                               If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

So there it is – God has decided that us frail, mortal, weak, humans can participate in His Divine Nature.  God certainly loves us and wants us to be happy!  Enjoy God and His Divine Nature, today and everyday!

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Jesus was now in charge; he was already, now, calling the nations to account.  And he was going to do so through his followers, those to whom he had given his Spirit.  This, whether we like it or not, is where we come in.”  N.T. Wright, Simply Jesus

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Next blog – Released From Prison

 

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