Be it to us according to our faith, is what I believe. Or, of course, by the sovereign gift from God.
Much love!
The Way/Theosis/entire sanctification.
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Much love!
Yes you are right. I was thinking that the holiness doctrine in the West avoids that. George Fox was much nearer to my views and of course the early church.
I know you have a strong aversion against commentaries-Question: Are we gods or Gods? How are we partakers of His divine nature?
2Pe 1:3 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:
2Pe 1:4 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.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 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.
In a relative or actual sense?
that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature; not essentially, or of the essence of God, so as to be deified, this is impossible, for the nature, perfections, and glory of God, are incommunicable to creatures; nor, hypostatically and personally, so as the human nature of Christ, in union with the Son of God, is a partaker of the divine nature in him; but by way of resemblance and likeness, the new man or principle of grace, being formed in the heart in regeneration, after the image of God, and bearing a likeness to the image of his Son, and this is styled, Christ formed in the heart, into which image and likeness the saints are more and more changed, from glory to glory, through the application of the Gospel, and the promises of it, by which they have such sights of Christ as do transform them, and assimilate them to him; and which resemblance will be perfected hereafter, when they shall be entirely like him, and see him as he is:
Gill.
Would you agree that we are partaking in the essence of God or that we are partakers by way of resembling and likeness?
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Unanswered yet seemingly answered by the ECF.
I don't know what "essence" means related to God, however, as I understand what you are asking me, we are changed by His unification with us in rebirth, so that we are different because God shares Himself with us, and that difference is the fact that our lives are no longer "individual", but are shared between He and us.
2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
"out of glory, into glory", that is, what is His glory becomes our glory as we are transformed into His image, as he works within us.
Much love!
Hi Mark,
This just came up in my alerts and I haven't been following along.
The question about essence, however, is interesting.
No. We cannot have God's essence -- if we did, we would be God, having His nature.
essence
noun
es·sence ˈe-sᵊn(t)sSynonyms of essence
1
a
: the permanent as contrasted with the accidental element of being
b
: the individual, real, or ultimate nature of a thing especially as opposed to its existence
a painting that captures the essence of the land
c
: the properties or attributes by means of which something can be placed in its proper class or identified as being what it is
2
: the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person
the essence of the issue
3
: one that possesses or exhibits a quality in abundance as if in concentrated form
she was the essence of punctuality
source: Definition of ESSENCE
Are we partakers of God's moral and spiritual attributes or ousia.
Terminology: The phrase "partakers of the divine nature" is often the focal point of this discussion. The Greek term used here for "partakers" is koinōnoi, which implies sharing or having fellowship with something. "Divine nature" (theias physeōs) refers to God's qualities or attributes, rather than His essence (ousia), which is a technical term used in theology to describe God's fundamental being.
Participation, Not Identity: In this context, being a "partaker of the divine nature" does not imply that believers share in God's essence or become divine themselves. Instead, it suggests that believers participate in God's moral and spiritual attributes, such as holiness, love, and immortality, through the process of sanctification and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Theosis in Eastern Orthodox Theology: The Eastern Orthodox tradition interprets this concept through the lens of theosis or divinization. Theosis refers to the transformative process by which believers become more like God through union with Christ. However, this does not mean that believers become God in essence, but that they share in God's life and attributes by grace.
Distinction Between Creator and Creature: Christian theology traditionally maintains a clear distinction between God's essence and created beings. God’s essence is unique and unshareable; only God possesses it. Believers, while they may partake in the divine nature through grace, do not become divine in essence. This distinction is crucial to avoid pantheism or the blurring of the Creator-creature distinction.
Moral and Spiritual Transformation: The passage in 2 Peter focuses on the transformation of believers' moral and spiritual lives. By partaking in the divine nature, believers escape the corruption of the world and are progressively conformed to the image of Christ. This transformation is a work of God's grace and the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to reflect God's character.
Anyways I am tired now, you may resume your conversation with the other member.
Just saw the above....
Great explanation.
Sometimes I think some get being IN THE IMAGE of God
or SHARING in His attributes mixed up with God's essence.
Only God has God's essence!
I don't see these levels as you do. I think we are in varying states of spiritual maturity, each in a unique relationship with God, wherein He works with us according as we each need.
Much love!
This is true and reminds me of a great book I read by Saint Teresa, but I forget which one. (Avila maybe)
I think I mentioned this to you in a different thread.
It's about the 7 rooms of a castle and each room represents a different spiritual part of our journey.
If I remember, you had stated that the rooms are not necessarily in an on-going progression of spirituality,
but different rooms represent different points of maturity.
We each have a unique relationship with God and, although our belief systems might be the same (and not all are even that) I don't believe any two Christians could be exactly the same.
I do believe, however, that our basic beliefs should be the same, SHOULD BE the same,
even though I see from these forums that this is not true.
Unfortunately for Christianity.
I don't believe in two levels either. We are in the ark or outside of it. I am just trying to grasp what you said about being in a spell where you were delivered from sin.
On essence, the early church denied that we share in the essence but share in God's energies.
That pretty much sums it up for me. This is the first time I've received a direct answer on "deification," @GodsGrace, and I completely agree with your explanation.
God bless you.
Johann.
Yes it was Avila and l have read it. She went against St John of the Cross l believe with that idea whose view was more of the early church with three stages ending in union.
I have the quotes from the early church and you are correct-they did make a distinction between God's ousia and attributes.
As for the "deliverance from sin" in word, thought and deed and the smallest member, the tongue, that would be a denial in 1 John-but I'll leave that between you and @marks.
Shalom.
J.
