Now we can know the way to experience the multiplication of grace. We need to realize that all things which relate to life and godliness have already been given to us, and that inwardly we have the divine life with the divine nature. Through the promises given in the New Testament, we can become partakers of the divine nature. We simply need to open the Word and pray-read the promises. If we take the Word in this way, we shall experience the multiplication of grace.
It is not sufficient simply to learn about the multiplication of grace. We need to partake of the divine nature through the precious promises. Then grace will be multiplied to us. If we are faithful to take in the Word by drinking it as pure milk (1 Pet. 2:2), we shall experience an inward spiritual multiplication of grace. This is growth in grace.
The proper way to take the milk of the Word is to drink it. When we drink in the milk of the Word, it will then be digested and assimilated into our being. In this way, it will become part of us, and grace will be multiplied in us. The Lord is rich to all who call upon Him (Rom. 10:12). If we would partake of the riches of Christ, we need to call on His name and pray His Word into us. In this way grace will be multiplied within us.
Everything pertaining to life and godliness has been given to us by the divine power, and the precious promises have also been given to us. If we simply call on the name of the Lord and pray-read the word of His promises, eating and drinking of Him, we shall experience the multiplication of grace. This is the way to have a true Christian life which produces the genuine church life.
We have seen that in verses 1 and 2 there are two crucial points each. But in verse 3 there are at least six crucial matters: the divine power, all things, life, godliness, full knowledge, and being called to glory and virtue. It would be very good if we could have a full message on each of these matters to cover them adequately.
We have pointed out that the divine power in verse 3 is the power of the divine life related to the divine nature. It is beyond our ability to measure this divine power. In the realm of human power we are impressed by the kind of power it took to land a man on the moon. But how much more power was necessary to raise Christ to the third heaven, to the center and height of the universe!
Paul speaks clearly of this divine power in Ephesians 1 when he prays that we would know “what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the operation of the might of His strength, which He wrought in Christ in raising Him from among the dead, and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenlies” (Eph. 1:19-20). This divine power has exalted Christ over all and has put everything under His feet. Now Christ is seated on the highest peak of the universe, far above everything on earth and “far above all rule and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named” (Eph. 1:21). In Ephesians 1 Paul goes on to indicate that this divine power has been applied to us (v. 22). Hallelujah, the very power, the divine power, that raised Christ from among the dead and seated Him at God’s right hand in the heavenlies, far above all, has been applied to us!
I am not speaking something that is legendary or mythical, nor am I teaching something of philosophy. On the contrary, I am speaking according to the divine revelation in the holy Word. This revelation tells us that the divine power described in Ephesians 1 has been applied to us. In 2 Peter 1:3, Peter says that this divine power has granted us all things which relate to life and godliness. This means that all these things have been imparted, infused, and implanted into us by the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit, who has regenerated us and now indwells us (2 Cor. 3:6,17; John 3:6; Rom. 8:11). Praise the Lord for what He has infused into us and implanted into us!