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Partakers of the Divine Nature, February 4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that
by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust.
2 Peter 1:4
.
A healthy Christian is one who has Christ formed within, the hope of
glory. He loves truth, purity, and holiness, and will manifest spiritual vitality,
having love for the Word of God, and seeking communion with those who
are acquainted with the Word, in order that he may catch every ray of light
that God has communicated to them, which reveals Christ and makes Him
more precious to the soul. He who has sound faith finds that Christ is the life
of the soul, that He is in him as a well of water springing up unto everlasting
life, and he delights to conform every power of the soul to the obedience of
his Lord. The Holy Spirit with its vivifying influence ever keeps such a soul
in the love of God.
To the Christian it is written: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you
through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his
divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby
are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye
might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is
in the world through lust. And besides this, 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. For if these things be in you, and
abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind,
and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old
sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and
election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance
shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (
2 Peter 1:2-11
).—
The Review and Herald,
December 11, 1894
.
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