APRIL 2019 MONTHLY LETTER
“Believe that you have been born of me and a partaker of my Divine Nature, says the Lord” …
2 Peter 1:1-4
Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Through Jesus, the Father has given the believer exceedingly great and precious promises and above all that, the Father made you and me partakers of His Divine Nature. Isn't that wonderful!!! It happened when we were born again.
1 Peter 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever
John 1:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Embrace your New Nature (Divine Nature) it empowers you to escape from the lust of the flesh in this world.
Those who receive the promise of the Gospel, partake of the Divine Nature. They are renewed in the spirit of their mind after the image of God in Knowledge, righteousness and holiness; their hearts are set for God and to serve Him in His Kingdom.
Ephesians 4:22-24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone
is in Christ,
he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new
man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
As we behold the Glory of the Lord, we are continually transformed into the same image by the spirit of the Lord. We become what we hold.
Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined
to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
This is the continued work of the Holy Spirit in us, to become like Jesus.
God wants transformation that comes from the inside, not from a behavior modification.
Let’s go back to 2 Peter 1:5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge.
But also, for this very reason that it has been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, and that we are partakers of God’s Divine Nature. Peter exhorted to add, mature, or grow in what verses 6-7 say.
verse 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
verse 8 For if these things are yours and abound,
you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If we walk in this, it is proof and fruit that we know HIM spiritually and in an intimate way. This is the evidence that we have embraced our New Nature.
verse 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
It is important to grow or walk in the moral virtues, listed in verse 7. These virtues help the believer to not fall back into his old sins (old nature). Remember our old nature is dead. The flesh or our minds remembers sinful habits- it must be crucified.
Galatians 5:23-24 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those
who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
We always have to choose the new nature, the old, the spirit or the flesh.
Don’t forget, we are born again children of God, Partakers of His Divine Nature.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
These promises have become reality in our lives, as believers, God dwells in us, He is our Father, we have His nature, should motive us to Holiness.
Romans 8:19-20 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected
it in hope.
The creation wants to see the revelation of the mature sons and daughters of God. Those who have embraced who they are in Christ are partaking now of the Divine Nature (New Nature).
Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Continue in unbroken fellowship with Christ and live your life for Him by the power of the New Nature (Divine Nature) the Grace of God is available for you.
