Participation of the divine nature

[chuckd]

It is our participation of the divine nature that gives us an escape from the pollutions that are in the world through lust.
John Owen, Mortification of Sin, Ch. 2

What does Owen mean by “participation of the divine nature” here?

 

[TheInquirer]

I would guess all the sanctifying, indwelling, and empowering work of the Holy Spirit.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

"4. This is one main reason why the Spirit and the new nature is given unto us, — that we may have a principle within whereby to oppose sin and lust. “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit.” Well! and what then? Why, “The Spirit also lusteth against the flesh,” Gal. v. 17. There is a propensity in the Spirit, or spiritual new nature, to 13be acting against the flesh, as well as in the flesh to be acting against the Spirit: so 2 Pet. i. 4, 5. It is our participation of the divine nature that gives us an escape from the pollutions that are in the world through lust; and, Rom. vii. 23, there is a law of the mind, as well as a law of the members. Now this is, first, the most unjust and unreasonable thing in the world, when two combatants are engaged, to bind one and keep him up from doing his utmost, and to leave the other at liberty to wound him at his pleasure; and, secondly, the foolishest thing in the world to bind him who fights for our eternal condition, [salvation?] and to let him alone who seeks and violently attempts our everlasting ruin. The contest is for our lives and souls. Not to be daily employing the Spirit and new nature for the mortifying of sin, is to neglect that excellent succour which God hath given us against our greatest enemy. If we neglect to make use of what we have received, God may justly hold his hand from giving us more. His graces, as well as his gifts, are bestowed on us to use, exercise, and trade with. Not to be daily mortifying sin, is to sin against the goodness, kindness, wisdom, grace, and love of God, who hath furnished us with a principle of doing it."

We are united to Christ by the Spirit. In the Spirit's work of uniting us to Christ, we are given the power to resist and overcome the flesh.

"III. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome: and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

 

[chuckd]

I’m sorry, I just realized he’s quoting 2 Pet. 1:4 that he references immediately prior.

 

[Jack K]

Calvin is good on "partakers of the divine nature" in 2 Peter 1:4.

[The apostle] shows the excellency of the promises, that they make us partakers of the divine nature, than which nothing can be conceived better.

For we must consider from whence it is that God raises us up to such a height of honor. We know how abject is the condition of our nature; that God, then, should make himself ours, so that all his things should in a manner become our things, the greatness of his grace cannot be sufficiently conceived by our minds. Therefore this consideration alone ought to be abundantly sufficient to make us to renounce the world and to carry us aloft to heaven. Let us then mark, that the end of the gospel is, to render us eventually conformable to God, and, if we may so speak, to deify us.

But the word nature is not here essence but quality. The Manicheans formerly dreamt that we are a part of God, and that, after having run the race of life we shall at length revert to our original. There are also at this day fanatics who imagine that we thus pass over into the nature of God, so that his swallows up our nature. Thus they explain what Paul says, that God will be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28), and in the same sense they take this passage. But such a delirium as this never entered the minds of the holy Apostles; they only intended to say that when divested of all the vices of the flesh, we shall be partakers of divine and blessed immortality and glory, so as to be as it were one with God as far as our capacities will allow.

This doctrine was not altogether unknown to Plato, who everywhere defines the chief good of man to be an entire conformity to God; but as he was involved in the mists of errors, he afterwards glided off to his own inventions. But we, disregarding empty speculations, ought to be satisfied with this one thing, — that the image of God in holiness and righteousness is restored to us for this end, that we may at length be partakers of eternal life and glory as far as it will be necessary for our complete felicity.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Calvin is good on "partakers of the divine nature" in 2 Peter 1:4.

Wonderful quote, redirecting from "essence" to "quality."

When I partake of (or participate in) and ingest a bit of fish-filet, I don't experience a merger with fish-nature and grow things like gills, fins, and scales. Yet, I in my own nature am nourished and strengthened by that which the fish-nature has bestowed by the eating. To the extent that what I have partaken of helps eliminate the unhealthy in me and establish what is beneficial, I am brought into the ideal human frame fit for good labors.

Returning to the soul's nourishment and development, the divine purpose would have me brought to conformity to the measure of Christ. What I now partake of in the spiritual realm, if godly, has the power to purge me of sin and death, and draw me heavenward by restoring me to "the image of God in holiness and righteousness" until I am perfectly able to participate in "eternal life and glory" as far as my human/created "capacities will allow."

 

[TheInquirer]

I dont know about everyone else’s experience, but in mine, I have found this topic to be criminally neglected. Christians I know don’t know how to or don’t prioritize, growing into the image of Christ.

+1 on Calvin’s distinction between essence and quality, that is money.

 

[arapahoepark]

I dont know about everyone else’s experience, but in mine, I have found this topic to be criminally neglected. Christians I know don’t know how to or don’t prioritize, growing into the image of Christ.

+1 on Calvin’s distinction between essence and quality, that is money.

From my reading it seems to be a lack of discussion about union with Christ that is the cause.

 

[Jack K]

The immediate context of 2 Peter 1:4 is that God has called us to his own glory and excellence, since we are people who have escaped the corruption that is in the world due to sin. An author I recently worked is the one who pointed me to Calvin on this. He also helped me see that Peter has in mind the entire heavenly life that is supplanting this corrupted life. As "partakers of the divine nature," we will be immortal like God, we will be morally perfect like God, and we will be eternally happy like God.

More than that, Peter says we already have this life. Clearly, he means we have it in an already-but-not-yet form, since he writes later of entrance into Christ's kingdom as an event still to come. But the whole theme of being called to God's own glory and excellence is worth much reflection.