God has given us His all in Christ. This why the Bible says, “… you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” (Col 2:10). There is absolutely nothing we lack in Christ, for “… the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,… has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Eph 1:3-4). Furthermore, “… 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,” (2 Pet 1:3). This is our positional reality in Christ.
Though “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Pet 1:3 NIV), our enjoyment of this reality in experience is not automatic. We have a part to play if our position in Christ is to become our experience in life. Consequently, “… he [God] has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Pet 1:4 NIV).
God wants us to go beyond just having the divine nature to participating in it. Everyone who is born again has the nature of God, but not all participate in it. The word “Participate” according to the dictionary is “To join in, to take part, to involve oneself (in something).” It is clear then that to participate in the divine nature is not a passive thing; it is rather an active exercise, that requires focus and diligence. God does not call any of His children to be a spectator in the arena of life in His kingdom. Only our forbears, who now occupy the grandstands of the unseen realm as witnesses to the life of faith, have that privilege. And this is because they have run and finished their course on earth. “… thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers [not spectators] of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” (Col 1:12).
In order to participate in the divine nature, we need to know those very great and precious promises which God has given us. And the only way we can do this is by spending time in the Bible. Those promises are between the covers of the Bible. Whatever it will cost us to keep God’s word in sight, until we are familiar with its precious promises, is worth it. The promises of God in the Bible are the valid basis upon which, we can exercise faith in God to access the provisions of His grace for us. Shalom.
