4. DIVINE NATURE, the

THREE./   THE DIVINE NATURE -

The Divine Nature lends itself to experience; but, not readily.

1st./  THERE ARE IMPERATIVES TO CONSIDER..........   


A./  WE HAVE BEEN CALLED UNTO PEACE AND THANKFULNESS; AND UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS !

Colossians 3:15;
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

   1./   THE PEACE OF GOD MUST RULE WITHIN ONE'S LIFE !

        a./   THE PEACE OF GOD IS A NATURE THAT IS DIVINE !
                A PRINCIPAL ASPECT OF THE DIVINE NATURE !

Hebrews 12:14;
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:...

James 1:20;
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

   2./   THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD MUST RULE WITHIN ONE'S LIFE !
            

Matthew 5:20;
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

        a./   THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS A NATURE THAT IS DIVINE !
                  A PRINCIPAL ASPECT OF THE DIVINE NATURE !

B./  THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS FOUND, where ?

Romans 1:16-18;

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

   1./   THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST !!! IS THE POWER OF GOD !!!! UNTO SALVATION !!!!


       a./   FOR, THEREIN IS RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD REVEALED !!!

   2./   and, it is a process !

faith to faith - Romans 1:17;
day by day - 2 Corinthians 4:16;
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

glory to glory - 2 Corinthians 3:18;
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.

C./  " faith, hope, charity, these three;... "

1 Corinthians 13:13;
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Hebrews 11:6;
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Romans 8:24;
For we are saved by hope:...

1 Corinthians 13.
" ...the greatest of these is charity. "

D./  THEN, " adding to your faith " 

2 Peter 1:3-11;   ...that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,...

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:

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.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

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.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

   1./   1st having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

   2./   2nd giving all diligence, add to your faith 

   3./   3rd give diligence to make your calling and election sure:

   4./   4th 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.

2nd./  "...into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. "

A./  "...the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. "

   1./   IS A NATURE THAT IS DIVINE

   2./   IS A 1ST PRINCIPAL ASPECT OF THE DIVINE NATURE !


Matthew 6:33;
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.


Acts 17:27;
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.


Hebrews 11:6;
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

FOUR./   BEHOLD NOW THE KINGDOM OF GOD !!!! -