Partakers Of The Divine Nature

 

“His divine power has given us everything we need for godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us great and precious promises, so that through them you may be partakers in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world by evil desires.”                                                                                                                                                    - 2 Peter 1:3-4

I pondered this verse wondering what it means. Can we as sinful humans be partakers of God’s holy nature? Seems impossible. One commentator said that regarding our partaking is “that we do not become God, but we possess the righteousness that comes from God and share fellowship with the Godhead.”             

It is true. We who are in Christ are partakers of God’s nature because we are born again. It is the only way we can be accepted as children of God. Without God’s Holy Spirit we are dead husks. Understand the reason we have God’s Spirit is so that we can conform into Christ’s image (Romans 8:29). We were saved not to live unto ourselves, but to be holy and blameless in Christ (Ephesians 1:4).  

Being partakers of the divine nature means we have been transformed. We have gone from death to life. Wickedness to righteousness. From spiritual darkness to children of light (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13;2 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 12:36). As partakers of the divine nature, we are new creations in Christ Jesus. The old man has died with his deeds. God has retrofitted the new man and woman to serve God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The work of the new man is to always meditate on God’s word so that the truths of scripture do not become and dull and lose their vigor in one’s life. God’s word is the power unto salvation and that same word is what continues to cause us to look more like Christ when applied to our lives. I heard one person say a long time ago, “wisdom is knowledge applied.”  How does that axiom apply to us as believers? When we read and understand the word of God that is knowledge. When we put Godly knowledge to practice in our lives that is wisdom or being wise. Proverbs 1:7 says, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

As partakers of the divine nature, we have been lavishly graced. God has lovingly favored us with His own Spirit! This was an easy gift for God to give to us because Christ did the hard work when He died for our sins. In Romans 8:31 Paul says, “what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will he not also with Him graciously give us all things?”

Because of Jesus we have an eternal relationship with the Godhead and all the Saints forever.

 

 

Abraham Isaac and Ishmael

 A friend of my oldest daughter was reading the book of Genesis last month. When she reached Chapters 21-24, she had questions, so she texted me what she wanted answers to. Her questions were very challenging, insightful, and honest. I’ll summarize them here. 1) Why did Abraham abandon Ishmael? 2) Why did God say to Abraham that Isaac was his only son when Ishmael was also his son, his firstborn?

The reason Abraham had to send Ishmael and his mother Hagar away was because Ishmael was mocking Isaac (the mocking may have been over a period of time), and Sarah became angry and said, “Cast out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.” Abraham is distressed over this. God speaks to him and tells him to listen to his wife. Isaac was Abraham’s heir, the son that was promised to them. Ishmael was not the son of promise, but God would bless him for Abraham’s sake because he was Abraham’s descendant (Genesis 21:9-14).

Islamic tradition claims Hagar and Ishmael settled In Mecca in Arabia. The Bible says Ishmael settled in the wilderness of Paran (Genesis 21:21).   

In Genesis 22 God tests Abraham. God commands him to take his only son and go to Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering. Why would God say that Isaac was Abraham’s only son when Ishmael was also his son? Isaac was the only heir, the son of the Abrahamic covenant. It’s not that God dismissed Ishmael. God was with Ishmael and made him a great nation. Ishmael had 12 sons (Genesis 21:18; 25:12-16), but he was not the chosen son of promise. It is also important to recognize that when Abraham and Isaac went to Mt. Moriah, it was a three day journey. Once they arrived there, Abraham prepared the wood and fire, bound Isaac, placed him on the altar and prepared to kill his son. God called to Abraham and told him not to harm Isaac. This was all to test Abraham’s faith in the Lord (Genesis 22:1-18).

Also, the test was prophetic and symbolic. Abraham was symbolic of God the Father, and Isaac was representing Christ as the one being offered. The three day’s journey represents Jesus’ death and resurrection which occurred in three days. The symbolism is clear. Figuratively, Abraham and Isaac were portraying the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How do we know this? After Abraham receives Isaac back figuratively from the dead, he names the place “Jehovah Jireh”, In the mountain of the Lord it will be seen (Genesis 22:14; Hebrews 11:17-19). What will be seen? Two thousand years later from that time, on the same mountain, the Father God will offer up His only Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:22).

Why did Jesus call a Woman a dog?

 

Jesus travels to the cites of Tyre and Sidon north of Galilee on the Mediterranean coast. This area is Gentile country out of the Hebrews’ jurisdiction. A Canaanite woman (a Syrophonecian) begs Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus ignores her. The disciples are annoyed by her asks that she be sent away. Jesus initially refuses her request and says, “I was commissioned by God and sent only to the lost sheep of the house Israel." That is a strange reply considering that He said in Luke 4:18-19 that He was sent to release those who are captive. The woman continues to beg Jesus. Jesus replies in what on the surface seems to be a very disrespectful statement. He says, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26). The woman said yes Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the Master’s table. Jesus impressed with the woman’s faith in Him said your request is granted; her daughter was healed that instant (Matthew 15:28).

Now, why in the world would Jesus seemingly say something as crass as calling this woman a dog? All she wanted was for Him to heal her daughter. She knew He was only one who could. What do we learn from this foreign woman? 1) She was desperate and knew she had no right to demand anything of Jesus, so she humbled herself. 2) There was no one else in the world who could help her other than Jesus. 3) When Jesus called her a dog, she did not take offense but exercised her faith and declared although I’m a dog, I’ll grab the crumbs that fall from the Master’s table. Her persistence in faith is what Jesus responded to.

The word dog in the Greek consists of two words. The first one is kuon. This is a rabid scavenger dog. This is what Jews called Gentiles. Why? Because Gentiles were unclean and pagan. They worshipped false gods. So, the Jews were repulsed by them. Jesus used a different word for dog when addressing this woman; kunarion. This means a household pet and not a scavenger. However, anyway you want to slice it, Jesus called her a dog which no doubt she was used to being called – a kuon instead of kunarion That didn’t matter to her. If she couldn’t receive a piece of bread, she was willing to get anything from Jesus, even crumbs. Because of her faith she received bread – her daughter was healed.

Obviously, Jesus knew He would encounter this woman before He met her. But there are two important lessons we need to observe here. 1) Jesus was testing the woman’s faith in Him by initially denying her request. 2) Jesus did this for the benefit of His disciples. Although Jesus was sent specifically to the lost sheep of Israel, anyone that comes to Him genuinely, humbly realizing they are not worthy to even be in His presence with faith for what they need, God will grant it to them.

So that I am clear, God is not going to give everybody anything they want. God is not a cosmic Jeanie in a bottle that grants wishes! Most people desires are evil. The meeting with this woman was a divine encounter. Once again, it was for the benefit of His disciples – showing them that He was merciful to all people; even sheep not of the Israelite fold (John 10:16), and it was recorded for our learning (Romans 15:4).

This woman did let go until Jesus blessed her. We must exhibit the same kind of tenacious faith. God is merciful and will meet our needs if it is according to His will (1 John 5:14-15).

Was Jesus Killed Or Did He Willingly Give Up His Life?

In John 10:14-18 Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know Me. Just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So, there will be one flock, one Shepherd. For this reason, the Father loves Me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Jesus declared in several passages that He would be killed by His enemies (Matthew 16:22; 17:23; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22).

So, which is true? Jesus laying down His life or was He killed? The answer is both. Jesus was killed because he laid down His life. It was according to the Father’s will – to lay down His life and take it up again. Generally speaking, people that are killed are not laying down their lives willingly unless they are sacrificing it for the benefit of another; like a loved one, or like brave soldiers in war.

I point this matter out to defend against anyone that would say Jesus is contradicting Himself. Jesus was not confused when He said no one takes My life from Me. There were several occasions when the religious leaders wanted to kill Him, but each time He would escape. Why? Because His time had not yet come (Luke 4:24-30; John 7:30; 8:58-59).

Jesus’ time came in John 17 when He prays to the Father. He gives thanks to God for allowing Him to fulfill His mission on earth.

The very end of His mission is when He is crucified and requests the Father receive His spirit (John 19:30). Jesus declares, “It is finished.” Meaning sin’s debt had been fully paid through His blood.

If it Is the will of God how can man be culpable?

 Perhaps the greatest dynamic in the world and heaven is the interplay between the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. The prophet Isaiah tells us this, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done, saying ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose’, calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.”’

These two verses tell us that God is in complete control of everything that ever happens in this world from beginning to end. Now on the surface that seems like a complete contradiction at best, and a flat out lie at worst. Why? Well look around you! Mankind is getting worse and worse every day! It is not a lie because God said He is in control. The problem is man is out of control due to his evil. It appears God is nowhere to be found in the melodrama here on earth. He does not appear to care, at all. You see, God gave man an incredible gift; the gift of free will- the ability to choose good or evil. And because God never violates the will of man, he allows them to make wicked, heartbreaking choices, even to their own destruction.

Amazingly somehow these tragic decisions are interwoven into the sovereign plan of God. Man does not get off the hook for them, but God uses the wickedness of man to fulfill His will in the earth. In this way, God is glorified because He makes all things turn out for good (Romans 8:28). At the same time man is punished for his wickedness. As Numbers 32:23 says, “Your sin will find you out!”

A couple of examples of God’s sovereignty and the will of man appears in Genesis 50:19-20. Joseph is the Prime Minister of Egypt. The time in history would be approximately 1859 B.C. Their Father Israel (Jacob) has died. Joseph’s older brothers are afraid that Joseph will take revenge on them for the evil they did to him earlier when he was a boy. Joseph told them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive as they are today.”

The second account appears in the NT. Peter on the Day of Pentecost, the birth of the Church said this, “This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:23).

In both of these accounts, men meant evil in what they did, but God meant good. The ones committing the evil had no idea that God’s will was being fulfilled through their evil hence they are culpable for their actions. Why? Their sole intent for doing what they did was based on their evil hearts.

God has pre-planned all of history from beginning to end. For reasons that are His alone, He decided to sovereignly fulfill his will in the earth through what we do – good and bad. That is God’s providence. In the end times God will personally deal with man in a series of eschatological judgments described in the Book of Revelation.

 

The Father's Good Pleasure

 

What I discovered that is wonderful about Christ is that he knows the mind of the Father. Jesus told the disciples to not be afraid little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32). The verse prior to that Jesus commands that we are to seek the Father’s kingdom and we will have everything we need. It should be a great comfort to us all that God desires for us to be in his kingdom. The greatest gift of the kingdom is salvation, the reality that our sins are forgiven, and we have peace and communion with the Father God and Jesus Christ and the dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

We are saved because God through Christ willed it to happen. Nothing God has determined to do will ever be thwarted. So, if God decides to bestow good will upon someone it will happen. In this case God decided to grant the kingdom to those who seek it.

The reality that Jesus entered the world two thousand years ago to save sinners is a clear demonstration of God’s love for sinners. Jesus is the ultimate evangelist. Jesus told Zacchaeus, I came to seek and save those who are lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus was sent by God the Father to rescue his chosen people from their sins. Once a person repents and believes that Jesus is Lord and that he is the only one that can save them, they are taken out of the devil’s grip and placed in the kingdom, the Father’s kingdom, forever. All of the chosen the Father gave to the Son, the Son will seek and save without fail. Listen to the salvific language of our Savior, “All that the Father gives to me will (emphasis added) come to me, and he that comes to me I will in no wise cast out (or turn away). For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me but raise it up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:37-40).

It was and is the will of God for everyone to believe on the Son. For this is the only way one can be saved and enter into the kingdom of heaven while still on earth. The promise Jesus makes is that all those who he saves will be raised (resurrected) on the last day.

 

Limited vs Unlimited Atonement - Another Look

   There have been centuries of debate regarding these two schools of thought, and there will be debates for years to come. I want to analyze both again and provide  arguments for each one.                                                                                                                                   

I want to start with the unlimited atonement view. Unlimited Atonement teaches us that when Christ died on the cross, he died for everyone that will ever live. In other words, Jesus died for the sins of the entire world, for all time. What this has to mean is Jesus paid the sin debt for everyone – even those who die in sin and are lost forever. In the unlimited atonement view, Jesus died for those who he knew beforehand would never believe in him. So, in this sense, Jesus died to make men only savable, but did not guarantee their salvation. The unlimited atonement view lays out God’s plan of salvation, sinful man surveys it through the preaching of the gospel and decides (on his own) to accept or reject the offer. Man decides if salvation succeeds or fails in the unlimited atonement view.                  

Why?                                                                                                         

Because God is not choosing man first, man is choosing God first. If man has the power and moral resolve to incline him/herself to faith in God – man is choosing God, then it “frees” God to react to man’s faith to choose and save him. What has happened is the faith of man has dictated the choosing or election of him. In the unlimited view, God chooses man after man chooses him. God is at the “mercy” of man’s choosing or rejection of him. Limited atonement teaches that God has chosen those who he wants to be recipients of his saving grace. The Bible refers to these people as the elect of God. Jesus refers to them as his sheep (John 10:27-30). Those that are chosen are predetermined by God before creation (Ephesians 1:4). In other words, there is nothing that man does good or bad that determines God’s choice of who he wants to save. God’s choosing is un-influenced. It is what scholars call a monergistic[1] work.                                                                            

 A deeper analysis of each                                                                                          

Some including the writer see unlimited atonement as a man centered doctrine. Why?  Because man is the initiator of the process. If Jesus washed away everyone’s sins, then   everyone goes to heaven. There would be no hell. We know that is not true. What the majority report (i.e., unlimited atonement) is telling us is that we have countless souls suffering in hell right now for whom Christ died. Christ dies for the sins of those who go to hell, and the condemned also pays for the same sins in a Christless eternity – a double payment for sins. The Bible never teaches a dual punishment for sins. Either Christ pays your sin debt if you’re saved, or the unredeemed pays their own sin debt for eternity.       What this means if one dies in unbelief, Christ did not pay your sin debt. His provision is available, but one has to repent and believe for the atonement to benefit you.                  

 Question, did the Father send the Son to suffer and die for those he knew would never believe in him?                                                                                                                                 

There are others including myself that see limited atonement as a God/Christ centered doctrine. Limited atonement teaches God decided to choose before time began those who he decided would be saved. God choosing before hand is also called predestination and divine election which by the way is the minority report. It is the minority report because in the minds of many predestination seems unfair. Why would one have the audacity to teach that God chooses some and passes by others? Why would God save some and condemn others?   Here is my reply. Number one God is never obligated to show mercy and grace to an evil humanity. If he were, it’s no longer mercy and grace, it’s a debt God owes to man. We all deserve eternal damnation. God has every right exercise his justice and destroy us all right now. But, because he is so rich in mercy, and he loves us so much, he devised a plan before creation to rescue mankind. He sends Jesus Christ to come and die the death we deserved. For those who repent and believe they will be saved, for those who reject Christ’s love, they will be condemned (John 3:17-19).                                                                      

Now, limited atonement teaches the atonement is limited to whom it extends, the elect, but it is unlimited in its power to save the elect – redeeming them. The difference in unlimited atonement is that it teaches that it is unlimited in its reach but is limited in its power to save anyone. Why? Because it leaves the decision to sinful man alone to decide to repent and believe in Christ which the sinner will never do. Why? Man is dead (spiritually) in his trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13). Like I said earlier in unlimited atonement, man must choose God in order for God to react and choose him for salvation. In the limited view, God chooses man in eternity past, and at the precise moment in time the chosen hears the gospel, God will regenerate (make them alive or born-again John 3:3) they will repent and believe and be saved. All those whom God chooses will be saved -guaranteed (Matthew 1:21).                                                                                                                 

Here is the sum of the matter. Everyone who is a real Christian believes in a limited and an unlimited atonement. The question is in what manner do you believe these doctrines? If you say Christ died and washed away the sins of all people for all time, then you have to believe that all will be saved, and hell does not exist. That would be the doctrine of Universalism, everyone goes to heaven.                                                                                            

 If one leans toward limited atonement, then you will be labeled a Calvinist because your view is considered narrow regarding who Jesus came to die for – the elect or chosen of God alone. This view is considered not fair because it supposedly leaves the non-elect out in the cold. The question is often asked, why won’t God save all? The reason this question is asked because many believe what God does for one, he has to do for everyone. The better question we should ask is, why God saves anyone since none deserve it?                         

So, in the final analysis the Lord is displaying tremendous grace by deciding to save throughout history an enumerable number of souls. God is not preventing anyone from coming to him. All one has to do is repent of their sins and believe.                                    

              

 

     

 

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[1] Monergistic means it is a work of God alone