We may have a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord because we have received of God’s divine power all things relating to life and godliness. Second Peter 1:3 says, “As His divine power has granted to us all things which relate to life and godliness.” In this verse the word “divine” denotes the eternal, unlimited, and almighty divinity of God. Hence, divine power is the power of the divine life related to the divine nature. The word “granted” here means imparted, infused, planted. All things which relate to life and godliness have been imparted to us, infused into us, by the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit who has regenerated us and who indwells us (2 Cor. 3:6, 17; John 3:6; Rom. 8:11). The divine power has afforded us all things pertaining to the growth in life.
All things relating to life and godliness are the various aspects of the divine life typified by the riches of the produce of the good land in the Old Testament. These are the substance of our faith’s substantiation allotted to us by God (2 Pet. 1:1) as our portion for our inheritance. Life is within for us to live, and godliness is without as the outward expression of the inward life. Life is the inward energy, the inward strength, to bring forth the outward godliness, which leads to glory and results in glory.
The believers’ having a rich entrance into the Lord’s eternal kingdom is also related to their having received precious and exceedingly great promises for them to partake of, to enjoy, the divine nature. Second Peter 1:4a says that God “has granted to us precious and exceedingly great promises, that through these you might become partakers of the divine nature.” According to this verse, God has granted to us precious and exceedingly great promises for a specific purpose. This purpose is that through the promises we become partakers of the divine nature. Through the precious and exceedingly great promises, we, the believers in Christ, become partakers of His divine nature in an organic union with Him. To partake of the divine nature is to enjoy what God is. In order that we may enjoy all that He is, God will do many things for us according to His promises. This will enable us to enjoy His nature, what He is.
To be a partaker of the divine nature is to be a partaker of the elements, the ingredients, of God’s being. The divine nature refers to the riches of what God is. Whatever God is, is in His nature. Therefore, when we partake of the divine nature, we partake of the divine riches. Having received the divine life through regeneration, we must go on to enjoy what God is. When we partake of God, the aspects of what He is become our enjoyment. For example, we partake of His righteousness, holiness, kindness, love, compassion. This is to enjoy the constituents of the divine nature. God’s purpose in giving us the precious and exceedingly great promises is that we may become partakers of the divine nature.
As believers in Christ, we have the position, the ability, and the provision to become partakers of the divine nature. As we enjoy God’s nature, a part of this nature becomes our holiness, and other parts become our humility, love, kindness, and other virtues. Eventually these excellent virtues will consummate in glory.
In 2 Peter 1:5-11 we have the development of excellent virtues through the enjoyment of the divine nature for a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Second Peter 1:5 says, “And for this very reason also, adding all diligence, supply bountifully in your faith virtue, and in virtue knowledge.” The Greek word rendered “adding” literally means “bringing in besides.” Besides, along with, the precious and exceedingly great promises given to us by God, we should bring in all diligence to cooperate with the enabling of the dynamic divine nature for a rich entrance into the Lord’s kingdom through God’s fulfillment of His promises.
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