Divine Nature

The gospel gives us the hope of partaking of divine nature while we are in our earthly body. Jesus consecrated this way while here on earth in a body of the seed of David. And the knowledge of Him gives us this hope.

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3. The apostle is referring to baptism here, which is mentioned in chapter 2:11-12.

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1 John 3:1.

As God’s children we live by faith and not by our reasoning. Jesus’ own family couldn’t understand Him either. Mark 3:21. Those under the law had earthly promises. And they had to believe in God’s blessing in order for it to remain over them; but all this was temporal and visible. Deuteronomy 15:7-11. We, on the other hand, have a heavenly calling; and we are exhorted to consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, and the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 3:1 and 12:2.

The Colossians were baptized—they had signed their contract of apprenticeship, as it were—and had been raised to newness of life, the life that Jesus lived. They were exhorted to seek those things that are above, and not the praise and honor of man. By the law and the ritual sacrifices the people living in the old covenant were cleansed for the purifying of the flesh; that was the cleansing of the water. But Jesus offered Himself through the eternal Spirit. Hebrews 9:13-14. He says, “for I have come down from heaven, not to do my will, but the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38. This was an inner, hidden sacrifice in which the blood of the covenant came forth. And the Spirit bore witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 1 John 5:6-10. In this sacrifice there was no honor of man; rather, it was God Himself who bore witness.

“If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has borne witness to his Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne to his Son.” 1 John 5:9-10. We know how much the testimony of men means to people. That is why they live an outward life and struggle to keep up a good appearance. They think very little about the hidden sacrifice, which would give them the testimony which God witnessed concerning His Son. Such people are not God’s children. They are not born again, and in all their sacrificing they never partake of divine nature. Such souls are always in bondage.

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:14-16.

When we have it like this, we have come to the sacrifice of Jesus: “Not my will but thine be done.” Then we have the testimony of the water, the blood, and the Spirit. This is the hidden life with Christ in God, and we have the testimony, which God has witnessed concerning His Son. In this hidden sacrifice we come to divine nature. Then the death of Jesus is active in our bodies, and the life of Jesus is manifested in our mortal flesh. The Hebrews had not obtained the testimony of the blood, which is why they had not grown spiritually. Hebrews 12:4 and 5:11-13.

“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:4. This must be sufficient for us. We read further about “putting off” and “putting to death.” We cannot give the kind of exhortations that follow to anyone other than disciples, to those who are born again: “The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.” Romans 6:10-12.

“Alive to God in Christ Jesus,” it said. You will never partake of divine nature if you are not alive to God; you will not have the witness of the Spirit with your spirit that you are a child of God. We read, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Hebrews 9:14. “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become servants of God, you have your fruit unto sanctification and its end, eternal life.” Romans 6:22.

What are “dead works”? They are good works that I do in order to please God; but when I receive honor for doing them, they do not result in sanctification, and so they become dead works. Nothing those under the law struggled to do resulted in sanctification. You can read about that in Matthew 23 in the parable about the Pharisee in the temple. The Pharisees boasted about what they did and sought the testimony of men. They were not living before God. And so it is today with most religious workers and their work. No inward sacrificing takes place that would make them spiritual and enable them to bring others to the life that Jesus prayed about: “. . . that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:21. Of what value is all this work when Jesus” prayer is not answered? They have “. . . a form of godliness but deny the power of it. Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy 3:5.

What was the result of Jesus doing the Father’s will? It was simply this: “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9. By doing God’s will, the fullness of the Father came to dwell in Him. The Word was the Father, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. Our consciences are to be cleansed from dead works, which are commandments and ordinances. When our conscience tells us to do these things the result is bondage—dead works. It is written of Jesus, “. . . by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace.” Ephesians 2:15. One does not become a new man by doing dead works, though one might possibly have many things to boast of. By becoming servants of God and serving Him, we have our fruit unto sanctification. Then we truly become “a new man,” and our works become living.

Jesus gives us a strong warning and a powerful word of exhortation: “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1. Imagine that! They actually sounded the trumpet when they gave alms. Jesus calls such people hypocrites. Everyone who serves with eyeservice is a hypocrite. Divine nature never results from such serving; and if we do not obtain divine nature, our ministry has no eternal value.

“Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:22-24.

People often ask us, “Are you a full-time worker?” What they mean by full-time worker is someone who doesn’t have any earthly employment, who just travels around preaching, or someone who is a paid pastor. Such a question shows their lack of understanding of what it means to serve God. These full-time workers are actually full-time servants of people! They do not serve God at all. Every work done in singleness of heart for the Lord results in divine nature and in the reward of the inheritance.

“Were you a slave when called? Never mind. But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity. For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:21-23. You are a slave of everyone you try to please, but it is Jesus who has redeemed us; He is our Lord. Therefore, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17.

When we think of a slave doing religious work, and being a full-time worker, we see clearly that he would be severely restricted. But if such work was so crucial, then why did Paul write, “Never mind”? We can conclude from this that the issue is not at all the things you do, but the fruit you gain from them. If these things produce divine nature in you, you will gain eternal glory together with Jesus. Then you truly partake of the gospel.

“Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not any better than man nor man any better than woman.” 1 Corinthians 11:11. Our ministries here in life vary, but we cannot say that one person’s ministry is greater than another’s. The question is, simply, do you do what you do for the Lord, or do you do it before the face of man? Do you seek your own honor, or God’s honor? Is the fruit of your works sanctification, or the gratification of your flesh?

Many preachers and their wives reason like this: “If we were to have many children, we would not be able to serve the Lord.” There are even some who leave their children with relatives so they can serve on the mission field. I have read newspaper articles describing how much they have sacrificed for God. But God entrusted them with the children they have, and children are a gift from the Lord. Those who leave their children behind like this understand very little about the gospel!

Paul writes, “Yet woman will be saved through bearing children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.” 1 Timothy 2:15. Mothers that have many children don’t have much time to get involved in religious work. But do they not have a golden opportunity to win their children for God? Yes, of course; but this doesn’t have the same honor attached to it as serving on the mission field. It is easier to be in the limelight when out on the mission field. Paul didn’t just write that a woman will be saved through childbirth; he adds, “if she continues in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.”

We can apply the same thing to the slave—and to every ministry, for that matter. These things give our ministry value; without them there will be no divine nature. Only divine nature is of any value in the resurrection. The actual circumstances under which you gained divine nature will be of no consequence.

“For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who re tempted.” Hebrews 2:18. Sufferings produce temptations, but James writers: “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various temptations, for you know that the testing of your faith produces patience. And patience shall lead to perfect works, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4.

As long as temptation produces patience, there is no problem; the result will be anything but committing sin. But for temptation to produce patience, the death of Jesus must be active in my body. In temptation the sin in my flesh that has not yet been put to death is aroused, giving me an opportunity to be sanctified. This is the hidden life with Christ in God.

“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer by human passions but by the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:1-2. It says, ceased from sin! Indeed, this is the gospel. To live according to the will of God for the rest of my time in the flesh brings eternal glory. But for that to take place, the death of Christ must be at work in the time of temptation.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:12-13. How many people have heard such preaching?

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to god, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18. It was this work that brought Him to “. . . all he riches of assured understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:2-3.

Let us follow Him; he is our forerunner. When we become servants of God and begin to serve Him, we too have the same possibilities in the time of temptation. Paul writes to Timothy, “Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; hold to that, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 timothy 4:16. Those who do this are truly workers and can led people to God.

“. . . because we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:30-32. “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16. Here we see what a great calling we have been given. We are not only to be one spirit with Him, but also one flesh. But then we must also walk in the Spirit, so that the work, which took place in Him, can also take place in us.

What kind of flesh did Jesus have? He had a flesh in which sin was condemned; “. . . and the Word became flesh, and they beheld His glory.” The Word was God. They could not see the glory of Jesus in any other way than by the Word becoming flesh in Him. “He who has seen me has seen the Father,” Jesus said. John 14:9. We become one flesh with Jesus in the same way and become His bride, after having suffered death according to the flesh, being made alive in the spirit, and partaking of the same knowledge and wisdom that He had. This is our heavenly calling through the gospel.