| The Christian Life | April 1943 |
The Divine Nature
“His divine power has granted to us all things relating to life and piety, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue; on account of which very great and precious promises have been bestowed on us, so that through these you might become partakers of a divine nature, having fled away from the corruption that is in the world through lust.”—II Peter 1:3,4 Diaglott
THIS message of the Apostle Peter, addressed to “those who have obtained an equally precious faith with us, by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ,” is so full of meaning to the child of God, the disciple of Jesus Christ, that it is well for us to dwell at considerable length upon it. In fact, the first fifteen verses of this Epistle of St. Peter might be said to cover the entire divine purpose for the Gospel dispensation in relation to those who have been called to run for the “prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:1; Phil. 3:14) A study of these first fifteen verses discloses eight points of particular interest, even as there are eight essential qualities to be developed to insure success in the attainment of the divine nature. Let us review these eight points of particular interest, noting their comprehensiveness with relation to the plan of God.
Fleeing From the Corruption in the World
The first point of interest is in connection with the statement of the fourth verse, which according to the Diaglott rendering, reads: “Having fled away from the corruption that is in the world through lust.” This discloses the first and important requirement of all who would aspire to the “high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” and the attainment of the divine nature. Not until one can see the undesirability of perpetuating the generally unsatisfactory conditions surrounding us and in us, can he make any headway in his desire to become Godlike and attain the divine nature. So long as a person is satisfied with present conditions and achievements, both outside and inside himself, he cannot make much progress in knowledge and character essential to the Christian. That this is not merely a passive acknowledgment of the imperfections of the present, but an active cooperation with the design and purpose of God for this age, is indicated by the statement, “having FLED AWAY from the corruption that is in the world through lust.” It is not enough that we acknowledge such a state of affairs, but that we take action accordingly, and get as far away as possible from “the weak and beggarly elements of the world.”—Gal. 4:3,9
The second point of particular interest is found in this same fourth verse under consideration. It is the fact that God has given to us the “greatest” (original Greek) and “precious” promises as a means to a very definite end—that we might be enabled thereby both to know and to do of His good pleasure, and have the full assurance of faith to ultimately receive the most glorious reward possible for God to bestow and for anyone to receive—the divine nature. We shall see how the promises of God work to this glorious end.
Constant Application Necessary
The third point is found in the fifth and tenth verses. It is to the effect that we should constantly and unremittingly apply ourselves to the acquirement of the definite: qualities of mind and heart enumerated—faith, fortitude, knowledge, self-control, patience, piety, brotherly-kindness, and love. (Diaglott) Aside from meeting our essential human obligations and responsibilities, we are to make this our “all out” endeavor and concern—“using ALL DILIGENCE.”—Diaglott
The fourth point is found in the eighth verse: “For these things being in you and abounding, they will not permit you to be inactive nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Some, with good reason, have spoken of these essential qualities enumerated by St. Peter, as the “graces of the Holy Spirit.” It is inconceivable how anyone having developed to any considerable degree in these “graces” of Christlikeness could be “inactive” or “unfruitful” in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. These graces are not merely the veneer often displayed by the worldly and unregenerate, but the real thing—the characteristics so prominently displayed throughout the life of Jesus and to which end we are to be sedulously employed. As we shall see, the tests and trials of life often determine whether these qualities are real, or merely assumed. Failure to demonstrate them, indicates their lack.
This brings us to the fifth point found in the ninth verse; namely, their lack. St. Peter, in this ninth verse, writes: “For he who is not possessed of these things is blind, closing his eyes, having become forgetful of the purification of his old sins.” (Diaglott) Those who fail to see the ALL-IMPORTANCE of thus becoming Christlike in word and deed, no matter what else they might accomplish, the apostle says are both short-sighted (original Greek) and blind. In giving too much consideration to their present temporal advantages of one kind and another and not enough to this, for them, all-important occupation they show short-sightedness. To them, present advantage is worth too much to achieve success in the divine way, and they thus disclose a blindness akin to the world; for they are more or less conformed to it.
Qualities Demonstrable
The sixth point is brought to our attention in the tenth and eleventh verses and has been suggested foregoing; namely, that a demonstration of these qualities in their real, true sense, and not merely as a veneer, will assure us of being successful in the attainment of the divine nature and a place in Christ’s Kingdom—“for thus richly will be furnished to you the entrance into the aioonian Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
The seventh point is indicated in the twelfth to the fifteenth verses—that St. Peter wrote this message as a constant reminder of the seriousness and importance of this matter of Christian development, even though they already knew it and were established in the present truth, and that after his departure from this life, it might continue to be mentioned. This is a tacit rebuke to those who are constantly employed in the search for what they mistakenly call “new light,” but which more often than otherwise proves to be darkness rather than light.
The eighth and last point is that, according to the original Greek text, we cannot dwell too much upon this subject of developing Christian character and thus becoming more and more copies of God’s dear Son; and the fact that we have grown in Christian stature to some extent is no warrant to cease applying ourselves in that direction; for so long as we are in the flesh, we can never hope to reach absolute perfection of being. The best we can hope to attain now is the perfection of mind and heart, of intent, desire, and purpose. However, from these and other Scriptures, we can see that God desires to prove our fitness, our readiness for so high and glorious a reward and position with His dear Son, by having us demonstrate these qualities under stress and trial—“except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20) The fact that we can never hope to reach perfection of being this side the veil should keep us humble.
Knowledge Essential
The question naturally arises, what can we know of so transcendently great and exalted a nature, as the nature of God—a nature far above angels, principalities, power, might, and dominion. We can be certain that whatever we can learn about it will be that much of a stimulus to our faith and hope of ultimately attaining thereto. Furthermore, the more we can learn about the divine nature in its every aspect, the more intimate will be our knowledge of Him, whom to know thus intimately, the Master said in His prayer recorded in the Gospel according to St. John, 17th chapter, 3rd verse, would mean life eternal. While we cannot fully grasp with our finite minds that which is infinite, we have considerable information in the Bible relating to the divine nature; and it is some of this information that we wish to explore.
Divine Nature—Spiritual, Not Material
First, the divine nature, being the nature of God, is the very highest form of life imaginable. Only God possessed it originally, and, since His resurrection, our Lord has possessed it; and the promise of God’s Word is that we, too, if faithful to our covenant by sacrifice, shall be possessors of it. (Psalm 50:5) As God is declared in the Scriptures to be a Spirit, the divine nature must be of a spiritual or ethereal character. Nothing of a material character, therefore, could adequately indicate to us just exactly what it is. (John 4:24) We do not know the exact nature of electricity, a physical force, much less could we know the exact nature of the divine life. While we have learned a lot about electricity, and for convenience, speak of it as being composed of certain elements called electrons, yet there is much about it that is still mystifying, just as the exact nature of life itself is still a great mystery.
But a failure to define life in no serious way hinders our successful study of the characteristics and activities of living things as they are revealed in elementary botany and zoology. Likewise, while we cannot know exactly what the divine nature is, we can, with profit, study its characteristics and activities as they are disclosed to us by His Word. Moreover, it is not essential that we know its exact nature now. What is necessary to be known now is what its characteristics are that we may the better conform ourselves thereto, and how this conformation may be best accomplished; and St. Peter, in our lesson, provides us with the formula for its accomplishment.
While we cannot know just what the divine life actually is, St. Paul assures us in I Corinthians 13:12, that if we now manifest the infinite quality of love, we shall know even as we are known; and though now we see but vaguely, we shall see face to face. Surely, that will be glory for us! St. John, also, in I John 3:1-3, writes, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”
St. John also tells us that the world doesn’t know us because it didn’t know Him. In what way didn’t the world know Him and still does not know Him nor knows us? They didn’t know Him as the Son of God, their Messiah, sent of God to redeem and deliver them from the curse of sin and death; and neither do they know us to be His associates in the promise made to the seed of Abraham. Neither the Jewish nor the Gentile world knows Jesus as the “man Christ Jesus,” in the sense of His human perfection being an offset to the perfect man, Adam; and neither do they know Him now as the divine Christ.
The nominal Christian world regards Jesus as still the man Christ Jesus in heaven; whereas, He is now that glorified “Spirit” being in heaven at the right hand of God, a reflected glimpse of whose glory caused Saul of Tarsus to become blind. Notwithstanding that St. Paul wrote in II Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is that Spirit,” and in I Corinthians 15:50, wrote that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God,” and St. Peter wrote in I Peter 3:18, that He was “put to death flesh, but quickened (made alive) Spirit,” (Greek) and that our Lord is recorded as saying (Luke 24:39), “a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have,” they claim that He is the same flesh and bone being that He was at His first advent, In fact, they claim that then He was both human and divine and attribute Him as being His own Father and that He raised Himself from the dead and gave Himself the divine nature and “all power in heaven and in earth.”
It is inconceivable how any intelligent person can believe such a conglomerate mass of contradiction and think that this physical organism that we now know could be adaptable to, and at home in, an ethereal realm like heaven is indicated to be. Moreover, St. John’s statement that “it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is,” would be meaningless if He were still in the flesh which He said He would give for the life of the world. (John 6:51) Surely, if He were still the man Christ Jesus in heaven, we would know what we shall be if we are to be like Him, as the Scriptures attest. In one way another they all deny the vicarious or substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus, the just for the unjust, the perfect One, Jesus, for the perfect one, Adam, who sinned and brought condemnation upon all.—Rom. 3:23; 5:12,18,19; I Pet. 3:18
Divine Life—Inherent, Immortal
In John 5:26,27, our Lord is recorded as saying, “For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have Life in Himself.” From this statement we gather that the divine life is inherent, self-contained, independent of any and every source or means of sustenance. It is also said to be an immortal life, meaning not mortal, impervious to decay, deterioration, corruptibility; deathless, eternal. Immortality is original only with our Heavenly Father. It was the reward of Jesus at the time of His resurrection; and it is promised to His faithful, footstep followers. (I Tim. 6:16,17; 1:17; I Cor. 15:53,54; Rev. 2:10,26,27; Heb. 12:23; I Tim. 3:15) Immortality is not inherent in humanity. According to the Scriptures, it is the hope of the Christian and is conditional, provisional. St. Paul in Romans 2:7, writes: “To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.”
Another promise to the faithful followers of the Master is that they shall share in Christ’s resurrection, which is shown to be the first resurrection. Over these the second death will have no power, “but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and reign with Him a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:6) Humanity in general has no such hope held out to it, proving again that human life is not immortal, for it is subject to the see and death, annihilation, upon failure to obey “that prophet” foretold by Moses. See Acts 3:19-23; Rev. 20:12-15. Nowhere in the Scriptures is either human or angelic life said to be immortal, death-proof.
Qualities of Infinitude Essential Now—Divine Life Future
God is shown by the Scriptures to possess the qualities of infinite Wisdom, Justice, Love, and Power, and these same qualities have been the possession of our Lord Jesus Christ since His resurrection. The church, also, as sharers with Jesus in His resurrection, will be possessors of these same qualities since they are qualities of the divine life. After our Lord’s resurrection, He said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” (Matt. 28:18) This was no longer a delegated power, as in the past, but His very own, to possess to all eternity. With such outstanding greatness as to possess “all power,” and with such a high exaltation as to be next the Father on His right hand, henceforth to execute justice and judgment, it is not to be wondered that so many have the mistaken idea that Jesus was and is God Almighty Himself.
It seems almost beyond reality that the church, taken out of the fallen human family, are to be associates in this greatness. Yet such is the unmistakable promise of God’s Word. We can see from this that it is primarily essential that we have the proper understanding of the character and disposition of our Heavenly Father and His now divine Son. Much of the wrong that has been perpetrated in the name of justice, in the name of God, in the name of His Son, has been due to the misunderstanding and misconception of the qualities that underlie His character of holiness and righteousness.
Many also, realizing the high standards of righteousness and truth established by our Lord and Master, and feeling themselves unequal to the attainment of such high ideals, have fallen into the notion that, after all, it may only be a matter of concept and not reality. Living in a world of more or less debased standards of righteousness, in a world of degenerate reality, it seems inconceivable to them that any could even approach such a high level of morality and civilization. This attitude has given rise to the thought with many that everything is merely a matter of thought, of mental concept. Even the materiel realm is so considered by some claiming to be students of the Bible. Therefore to them God is not a personality, Satan is not a personality, but merely abstract principles—the principle of good and evil: But such a blind force could hardly be capable of governing such a vast and, diversified universe as our latest telescopes disclose it to be. Nor could such a blind, unintelligent force be capable of creating the varied and diversified forms of life which we know. Surely the Creator of all these must be superior to the things created.
Our Lord’s Power—Past and Present
Our Lord, the source of our light and truth, possessed a great power and glory before the world was, and it was this glory that He desired, in His prayer recorded in the 17th chapter of John, to have restored to Him for His faithfulness even unto the death of the cross. But this greatness and glory was of a delegated character. He always did those things that pleased and honored His Heavenly Father. When He was here on earth as the man Christ Jesus, He possessed powers through the Holy Spirit of God, beyond the human. Others before His coming and since, have had similar delegated powers from on high. But since His resurrection, He is possessed of “all power,” not in a delegated sense, but as His very own. Such tremendous power vested in any being implies God’s implicit confidence in the personal integrity and responsibility of the one to whom it is given. From this we can readily understand why the crucial tests are applied and how these determine suitability and fitness. Only those who can exercise that complete faith and trust in God, even where they cannot trace Him, can expect the full reward promised. And only such as demonstrate their faithfulness under the pressure of adverse circumstances could be entrusted with such exceedingly high honors and such great power as to be able to execute the judgments written, and to recreate the dead and dying.
Only divine Power could accomplish so great a thing as this, and only once before had it been done—in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. But now Jesus possesses this power and His church is to possess it with Him, not only for the duration of His coming Kingdom on earth, but for all eternity. It is almost beyond us even in thought, much less its reality. Nevertheless this is our heritage and it is vouchsafed to us by the Almighty Himself. Surely we can sing with mind and heart Hymn 174:
“My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine;
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away;
Oh! let me from this day
Be WHOLLY THINE”
Two Great Factors—God’s Part, Our Part
There are two great factors which enter into the consideration of our subject from the standpoint of its attainment which we cannot overlook: and they are, God’s part and our part. We can rest perfectly assured that God will do His part and even more than we can think or ask, but the question of attainment remains with each one of us to fulfill his or her part of the obligation. We can do much to help one another in this respect, but after, all said and done, each one has to make his own calling and election sure. No matter how good the teacher or how effective the teaching, it is for the pupil, the disciple, to apply himself unto wisdom, and to make the proper application of that wisdom; otherwise the learning, the ‘education, the training has been in vain. And this is no less true in the Christian way of life.
In our lesson, St. Peter tells us how this so great a life and reward may be attained, and, while proper thinking is essential, it alone will not assure success; for St. Peter writes, “since by DOING THESE THINGS, you will never fall; for thus richly will be furnished to you the entrance into the aioonian Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (II Pet. 1:10,11, Diaglott) Every means of grace is supplied us to this end. It is up to each one to male use of them. Our Lord set us a notable example in this respect, for not only did He seek on every suitable occasion, to learn the will and purpose of His heavenly Father, but He utilized all His time and energy in the execution of that will and purpose. He set us the example of avoiding all other themes but this gospel of the Kingdom.
The carrying out of that will cost Him His all, even to the cruel death on the cross. If the following on to know Him, “and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformable unto His death,” as St: Paul writes in Phil. 3:10, means the loss of all things, then let us rejoice. The promise of the Master is vouchsafed to us in the beatitudes of Matthew 5—that according to the amount of suffering endured for His name’s sake, for righteousness’ sake, will be the reward. We are assured by St. Paul, that, while all may receive the same kind of life, there will be different degrees of honor and glory and position in the Kingdom.—Matt. 5:10-12; I Cor. 15:41,42
The Means of Attainment—The Precious Promises
St. Peter further tells us that the very great and precious promises of God’s Word are the means or incentive for the cultivation of the “graces of the Holy Spirit,” the cultivation and demonstration of which assure that there can be no failure, but an abundant entrance into the Kingdom. In the light of St. Peter’s statement, let us examine some of these very great and precious promises of God. Assuming that we have “fled away from the corruption that is in the world through lust,” and that we have taken the preliminary steps of consecration and are now sanctified, or set apart for God’s service, the first of these precious promises is that of our acceptance in the Beloved One, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—the promise of the relationship as sons—not human sons to be sure, but spiritual sons, begotten of God’s Holy Spirit to the divine nature.
Isn’t it a fact that most of our troubles, difficulties and besetments are along the lines of our flesh, our present imperfect earthly state? Even though we were perfect, like Jesus was, we would still be tried and tested and this would bring suffering and persecution for His name’s sake; yet, like Jesus, we would feel better prepared to cope with any and every situation, even like He was able to do. But in our imperfect condition, we are inclined to feel so impotent, unequal to what we ordinarily would consider from the natural standpoint, an arduous, almost impossible task—the task of becoming like our Lord and Head, Christ Jesus. But it is right here at this point where the promises of God play such an important part in our lives—that we may come to the throne of grace and find the means of grace in our every time of need.—Heb. 4:16
Sometimes we do not fully realize this spiritual relationship to God and to one another and judge each other from the standpoint of the human equation instead of as New Creatures in Christ Jesus. (II Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15) We are ever prone to forget that we are “not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in us.” (Rom. 8:9) Some might be inclined to say, Yes, I know we are in the Spirit, but we are still here upon this imperfect plane of existence and have to live accordingly. While we are dedicated to God, His service and the spiritual interests, nevertheless we have to spend considerable time and energy providing the wherewithal for ourselves and families. Yes, that is true, and God is aware of that fact, too, and suggests that we make proper provision therefore, but right there our responsibility, our life according to the flesh, should cease.
But even in making the necessary provision as suggested by St. Paul, this should be done in the same spirit and with the same conscientiousness, of all the thoughts and acts of a Christian—that God’s glory may be sought and not ours. (I Tim. 5:8; II Cor. 8:21 Rom. 12:17) When St. Paul writes that we shouldn’t make provision for the flesh, he goes on to say, “to fulfill the lusts thereof.” The word “lusts” in this text means “inordinate desire” or longing for something forbidden, and doesn’t refer to the normal, reasonable requirements of the flesh, as clearly shown by a number of Scriptures. (Rom. 13:14; Eph. 5:29) Aside from these normal, necessary requirements, all our thoughts, our aims, our ambitions, our considerations of one another in the body of Christ should be in the realm of the Spirit and not according to the flesh and its interests.
The next precious promise of importance to us in a world torn by hatred and strife is God’s willingness and ability to furnish us with the grace to help in our time of need. It would appear from the Scriptural testimony that all who are controlled by God’s Holy Spirit, which is in conflict with the spirit of the world, will be misunderstood, denounced, persecuted. St. Paul in II Tim. 3:12, writes, “All who will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Is it because they are busybodies in other men’s matters that they incur this hatred and persecution? No, for if they are controlled by God’s Holy Spirit they will know from His Word that such practice is condemned. The reason they are looked upon with suspicion, rejected, and denounced, is because they are committed to such a high code of ethics, to the standard of divine righteousness, that it naturally condemns their ways and practices. They ever seek to bring the Christian down to their standards of unrighteousness, to utilize their consecrated time and energy in other pursuits than the Glad Tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.—Luke 2:10
It is the easiest thing to become enmeshed by the seductive suggestions of the world to heartily cooperate with them in the overthrow of the evils that are in the world and the abortive plans and schemes for a new and better world order. While we can sympathize with every effort and endeavor in those directions, we know that God has other plans and it is for each one of His children to conform their lives and interests to that divine program. If others wish to divide loyalties and interests and employ their time and energy in social reforms, in the various and sundry good works that pertain to the present rapidly disintegrating order of men and fallen angels that is their responsibility. But as for us—those truly desirous of following the Master wheresoever He leads—let us say with Joshua of old, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” and Him alone.—Joshua 24:15
The third promise of note is that of corrective and disciplinary instruction, training—that if we do not have these set-backs, chastisements, etc., we can discount our loyalty and obedience as spirit-begotten sons. (Heb. 12:6-13) Did St. Paul’s experiences of rebuff, beatings and scourgings, feebleness of vision, etc., discourage or deter him from employing all of his time and energy in the divine service? No, assuredly not! These experiences kept him humble and made him the more resolute and determined than ever to enter into the sufferings of Christ, that he might also attain unto “the resurrection out of the dead ones (original Greek).”—Phil. 3:7-11
The Supply of All Our Needs in Christ Jesus
St. Paul, writing to the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi (4:19), informs them that, “my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” And our Lord said (Matt. 6:33): “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things [temporal things, the necessities of life] shall be added unto you.” Does this mean that we may never suffer temporally or physically? O, no! The history of the Gospel age is one of suffering in these respects for the people of God. And St. Paul relates in II Cor. 11:23-28 how he suffered in both respects.
But does not the Prophet Isaiah (33:16) write: “bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure”? And does not the, Psalmist recount that, “He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence:” that “thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday”? (Psa.91:3,5,6) Yes, all that is true, but in applying these Scriptures to ourselves let us remember that we are no longer counted in with the condemned human race, but are now new creatures in Christ Jesus; and even as He put tests of faith and faithfulness on His people of old, He may see, in His infinite Wisdom, that being deprived of these necessities for a time may result to our spiritual profit and to His own praise and glory in thus fitting and preparing us for so high a station in the future. Then too, there are other plagues no less real and potent than the physical ones, such as the isms, creeds, traditions, superstitions, and theories of men that have deceived many and blinded them to the reality of God’s promises.
God is just as willing and able to supply our every need now—both temporal and spiritual—as He was in the past, when He supplied the needs of His prophet, Elijah, at the brook Cherith, sending ravens to feed him there, and again, when he fled for his life from Queen Jezebel. But if we Should suffer for the want of the necessities of this physical, human life, we may know that He has some important lesson for us to learn, and it is for us to learn to trust Him even where we cannot trace Him, even as His servant and prophet, Job did. For his fidelity under those trying circumstances, God richly rewarded him and there is still the richest reward reserved for the future—perfection of being with glory and honor.—Hebrews 11:13,38-40
Spiritual Blessings for Spirit-Begotten Sons
In this age of grace and the Spirit’s administration, the promise to God’s people is of a spiritual character; and they should be glad to relinquish the normal, natural, earthly things and even the future restitution hopes of human perfection and an earthly glory, to be in a position to properly appreciate and to receive the peace and joy of the Lord. Being reconciled to God through the precious blood of His Only Begotten Son, we can have a rest and peace of mind and heart that others who have not “fled away from the corruption that is in the world through lust” nor taken advantage of the provision made for them, cannot realize. Only when we have given ourselves unreservedly to the Lord and are committed to the doing of His will can we have the real peace and joy of the Lord. The peace and joy that are dependent upon outward circumstances that are dependent upon the transitory things of the present, are not of an. enduring character and sooner or later will fail. Unless we have a rich measure of this peace and joy of the Lord, we will be unable to stand in this great time of trouble which is to try every man’s work of what sort it is.—I Cor. 3:13; Rom. 5:1,11; Phil. 4:6,7
Finally, we have the promise that if faithful unto death, we shall receive the crown of life, see Him as He is, the Lord of glory, sharing it with Him as His joint-heirs, not only for the thousand years of His reign on earth, but forever. What an incentive to faithfulness and to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ! We cannot stand for a better cause, and no amount of suffering for His name’s sake, should be able to keep us from demonstrating the fullness of our faith and love, by being transformed into His likeness. God has promised to supply all our needs, the panoply, armor and equipment are all there for us to put on and use. Therefore, let us gird up the loins of our minds and determine that from henceforward we shall battle for the Lord and for Him alone, pressing on until our goal is reached, the victory won and the crown of glory received. May these very great and precious promises quicken our thoughts, energize our bodies and develop our beings into His glorious likeness that we may receive the crown of life—the divine nature.