2 Peter 1:2-4 “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 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, 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.”

 

In Athens, Paul contrasted the idols of the heathen with the true eternal God. “Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising” Acts 17:29. The Divine nature is not of human form nor is it fashioned with the hands of men. They are not images of gold or silver, but are Divine. Gold and silver are worldly. Notice the prayer Jesus taught the disciples in Matt. 6:9, is addressed to “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” The Divine nature has to do with things that have their origin with God. In 2 Peter 2:2-4, Peter credits the divine power of God as giving us “all things pertaining to life and godliness.” It is by these precious promises that we become partakers (companions) of the divine nature by escaping worldly corruption. As we gain knowledge of God’s Word, we become more and more like God. It is as if we look into a mirror and see the image (spiritual) of Jesus looking back at us. “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 from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Cor. 3:18. The apostle Paul said it this way, Eph. 4:22-24 “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” He tells us we have put off the old man which grows corrupt, and put on the new man which was created according to God. Both apostles show that the Christian has been fashioned in the image of God. Therefore we are partakers of the divine nature. As we grow in this nature we become more like God through Jesus Christ. Let’s examine Col. 3:7-10, where Paul compares our old self with our new self, “In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its evil practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Paul teaches us that one is transformed by the renewing of the mind, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Rom. 12:2. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” Rom. 13:14.

As one grows in the knowledge of God and enjoys the precious promises of the scriptures he becomes like Christ, thus being a companion of the divine nature.