Partakers of the Divine Nature

PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE Holy Spirit, as an especially beloved disciple of Christ, Peter had many unique experiences that enabled him to become a leading figure in the Early Church. On one occasion, along with James and John, he was taken into a high mountain and, in a vision, he witnessed the glorified Christ along with Moses and Elijah. This was an illustration as to how God’s kingdom will bless the human family in the future.—Matt. 17:1-9

In today’s encouraging lesson, Peter indicates that believers will receive increasing manifestations of God’s peace and favor based upon our faith in the redemptive merit of Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary. Additionally, by virtue of our accompanying knowledge of the Heavenly Father through study, prayer, and by the influence of the Holy Spirit, we have been called to moral excellence and a glorious hope.—II Pet. 1:1-3

Our Key Verse indicates that we have been given a series of “exceeding great and precious promises” to impel us towards our attainment of the divine nature. To reach that goal, however, Peter tells us of certain qualities which we must develop. “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity [love].”—vss. 5-7

The apostle’s exhortation continues by reminding us to be earnest in our efforts to develop the needed graces of the Holy Spirit. To be of God’s elect we must possess and maintain these character attributes until the end of our consecrated walk. All who are faithful in this regard will be rewarded with glory, honor and immortality.—vss. 10,11; Rom. 2:7

Such a prospect is almost unfathomable to the human mind, but if we are obedient to the divine instructions contained in God’s Word, the promise given by our risen, glorified Lord will surely be our portion—“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Rev. 3:21) Fully devoted followers of the Master have been invited to the wedding of Christ and his church—his bride—not merely as spectators, but as participants. (Rev. 19:7,8; 21:2,9) The Heavenly Father and his Son, Christ Jesus, desire that we become a part of the divine family.

Perilous conditions in the earth imply that the kingdom for which faithful Christians have long prayed is imminent. May the urgency of the moment bring renewed vigor to apply in our lives those principles that will enable us to live the words of Paul, who expressed the following conviction near the end of his Christian walk. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”—II Tim 4:7,8