Friday, January 25, 2019

Partaking of Hatred For Unrighteousness.


 Chapter 8 -- PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE

Peter wrote that in the provision of God's power, there has been given "unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness," even "great and precious promises: that by these [we] might be partakers of the divine nature," and thus escape "the corruption that is in the world through lust."  1  

This participation in the "divine nature" is referred to as a divine culture that brings perfection. The servant of the Lord has stated: Divine culture brings perfection. If in connection with God the work is carried forward, the human agent, through Christ, will day by day gain victory and honor in the battle. Through the grace given he will overcome, and will be placed on vantage ground. In his relation to Christ he will be bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh, one with Christ in a peculiar relationship, because Christ took the humanity of man. He became subject to temptation, endangering as it were, His divine attributes. Satan sought, by the constant and curious devices of his cunning, to make Christ yield to temptation. Man must pass over the ground over which Christ has passed. As Christ overcame every temptation which Satan brought against Him, so man is to overcome. And those who strive earnestly to overcome are brought into a oneness with Christ that the angels in heaven can never know.

The divine culture of men and women will be carried forward to completion only as they are partakers of the divine nature. Thus they may overcome as Christ overcame in their behalf. Through the grace given, fallen man may be placed on vantage ground. Through toil, through patient trust and faith in Jesus Christ, through faithful continuance in well-doing, he may rise to spiritual victory.  2 

This experience is also referred to in the Spirit of Prophecy as a science "which is life unto eternal life." Note these words: Christ was invested with the right to give immortality. The life that He had laid down in humanity, He now takes up again, and gives to humanity. "I am come," He said, "that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 …

All who are one with Christ through faith in Him, by the agency of His Holy Spirit, He carries through the science of that experience,
p 57 -- which is life unto eternal life ... Christ became one in flesh with humanity, that humanity might become one in spirit and life with Him. 3

In partaking of the "divine nature", there is an experience to be realized now by the believer, which is designated as "life" - real living, and a future experience - "eternal life", which is to follow. But the very essence of the future life is to be realized in the presently earthly experience. "Those who see Christ in His true character, and receive Him into the heart, have everlasting life. It is through the Spirit that Christ dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received into the heart by faith, is the beginning of the life eternal."  4  "As through Jesus we enter into rest, heaven begins here. We respond to His invitation, Come, learn of Me, and in thus coming we begin the life eternal."  5

Life eternal begins now; eternal life follows. One is quality; the other is quantity. Unless it can be demonstrated that an individual has yielded his life to the Holy Spirit for the impartation of the "divine nature", God cannot trust that person with eternal life. A change of character must precede a change of being.

Paul declared that in Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."  6  Paul also prayed that the believer might "be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man," that Christ might dwell by faith in the heart, and that he "might be filled with all the fulness of God."  7  What Christ possessed, we are to have and experience now even the fullness of the Godhead! It is written: In Christ dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily. This is why, although He was tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world, from His first entrance into it, untainted by
p 58 --corruption, though surrounded by it. Are we not also to become partakers of that fullness, and is it not thus, and thus only, that we can overcome as He overcame?  8
That fullness that Christ possessed was the "divine nature" of which we are also to partake, if we are to overcome as He overcame. Carefully consider the following concepts:  Christ came to be our example, and to make known to us that we may be partakers of the divine nature ... Christ by His own example, made it evident that man may stand in integrity. Men may have power to resist evil - a power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master; a power that will place them where they may overcome as Christ overcame. Divinity and humanity may be combined in them.  9

Scarcely can the human mind comprehend what is the breadth and depth and height of the spiritual attainments that can be reached by becoming partakers of the divine nature.  10
In creation, Christ gave to humanity an existence outside of Himself. In redemption, He takes humanity unto Himself. He makes it a part of His own being. We become one with Him, as He is one with God. The Holy Spirit, which proceeds from the only begotten Son, binds the believer, body, soul, and spirit to the divine-human nature of Christ. Finite man is united to the manhood of Christ. Through faith human nature is assimilated to Christ's nature. We are made one with God in Christ.  11

It is at this point that we stumble and fall; our faith doesn't even attain to the proverbial grain of mustard seed; our perception "blacks out." We throw up our hands in dismay and question - "divine nature" in us? "Divinity and humanity" combined in man? In order to understand this goal, we must ask ourselves another question, and understand the answer. What makes God, God? In answering -this question, we need to reconsider carefully the pre-existence and incarnation of our Lord. In His pre-Bethlehem identity, He was in the "form of God". At Bethlehem, He accepted the "form of a slave", yet He was "the fulness of the Godhead bodily." His position as God was not lost, though He changed forms. But in the change, He "veiled the demonstrations of Deity" and
p 59 -- "relinquished" the glories that are inherent in the form of God.  12  This is evident from the prayer request of John 17. He asked to be glorified with the very self-identification with God, which He had possessed "before the world was."  13   Yet when the Word was made flesh, His disciples saw a glory in Him as "the only begotten of the Father."  14
What is the difference between these glories?

As the pre-existent God, Christ was immortal; as the Son of man, He was mortal . 12 

As the One who shared the Throne of the Universe, He possessed infinite power; as a member of the human family, He declared, "I can of mine own self do nothing." 15 

Yet He possessed a glory that was the glory of God. That glory was the fullness "of grace and truth.   14 

One was the "quality" of God; the other the "quantity" of God.

One was the "life eternal"; the other is "the eternal life."

We might ask the primal question - "Which of these aspects of God did Lucifer call into question?" Not the "quantity" of God - His power, His immortality - for Lucifer desired these. But the character of God, the "quality" of God, the devil did not want.

The great controversy concerns the law of God, which is but a transcript of God's character - not a transcript of the "form of God." This differentiation must be clearly understood. 

God's character is as much a revelation of Himself as in His form. Only as His character is the essence of truth and righteousness could He use the powers inherent in His form for the welfare of His creation.

When Christ relinquished "the form of God" and took "the form of a slave" to save men, "He brought into His human nature all the life-giving energies that human beings will need and must receive."  12  With these "life-giving energies" He demonstrated that fallen human nature was no excuse for sinning, that the law
p 60 -- of God can be kept by man.

"It is through His intercession that we, through faith, repentance, and conversion, are enabled to become partakers of the divine nature, and thus escape the corruption that is in the world through lust."  16 

For its accomplishment in us, Christ has obtained the highest of all gifts that heaven can bestow - the Holy Spirit. This Gift "would come with no modified energy, but in the fulness of divine power ... Through the Spirit, the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature."  17  The Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ - "the life-giving energies" - and ministers these to the repentant believer.  18   In this Christ is glorified, for in the acceptance of these life-giving energies, man is enabled to reflect the image of Jesus fully, and thus the purpose of Jesus' mission is realized. What then are these life-giving energies - these energies solely of heavenly origin - by which man may possess the "divine nature.

Truth -- One of the glories which the disciples beheld when the Word was made flesh, was truth.  14   This was the basic issue of the conflict which began in heaven. Lucifer did not want to abide in the truth.  19  But truth is essential that man might be freed from the bondage of sin. Of truth as an energy solely of divine origin, it is written: Truth is sacred, divine. It is stronger and more powerful than anything else in the formation of a character after the likeness of Christ.... When it is cherished in the heart the love of Christ is preferred to the love of any human being. This is Christianity. This is the love of God in the soul. Thus pure, unadulterated truth occupies the citadel of the being.  20
No man can of himself originate truth. It is divine. It is a part of the fullness of the Godhead. When man, therefore, accepts truth, he is
p 61 -- partaking of the "divine nature". "All truth is to be received as the life of Jesus. Truth cleanses us from all impurity, and prepares the soul for Christ's presence.  Christ is formed within, the hope of glory.  21
Truth and our relationship to it is the basis for the message of righteousness by faith. Speaking of those who did not accept the message of 1888 which came to the Seventh-day Adventist church, the servant of the Lord indicated that the reason was they were "not willing to exchange their own righteousness, which is unrighteousness, for the righteousness of Christ, which is pure, unadulterated truth."  22

Even the disciples of Christ did not comprehend the truths which Christ taught during His years of earthly ministry. They failed thus to partake of His life, and manifest His character. They were weak and vacillating, doubting and perplexed. But when the Holy Spirit came upon them, truth dominated their life and experience. Of this transformation, it is written:         Christ was the revealer of truth to the world. By Him the incorruptible seed - the word of God - was sown in the hearts of men. But many of the most precious lessons of the great Teacher were spoken to those who did not then understand them. When, after His ascension, the Holy Spirit brought His teachings to the remembrance of the disciples, their slumbering senses awoke. The meaning of these truths flashed upon their minds as a new revelation, and truth, pure and unadulterated, made a place for itself. Then the wonderful experience of His life became theirs.  23

The Holy Spirit is the minister of the divine energy of truth. Jesus had promised that when "the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth."  24  This is possible because "the Holy Spirit ... is the truth."  25  "The impartation of the Spirit is the impartation of the life of Christ."  26  It is the impartation of "His fulness,"  27  "the soul of His life"  28  - those very "life-giving energies" that man must have and must receive, if he is to experience the
p 62 -- divine culture that brings perfection.

John the Baptist promised that Christ would baptize the believer "with the Holy Ghost and with fire."  29   In this hour when much excitement is being generated by folk who claim to have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, one is hesitant to confess that he has indeed been baptized by the Holy Spirit and fire, as has been promised in the Word of God. This hesitancy results from the fact that we do not understand what this experience really is. In the prophecy of Zechariah, the experience is described in the symbolism of the two olive trees which empty themselves of the golden oil through two golden pipes.  30  This oil is defined as "the Word of the Lord." This is declared to be "the baptism by the Holy Spirit with fire."   31  "The word of God - the truth - is the channel through which the Lord manifests His Spirit and power."  32  If then, the powerful energy of truth has filled one's life, he has been baptized by the Holy Spirit with fire. When the Day of Pentecost came, the Spirit symbolized by tongues of fire, representing the organ of articulation, awakened the slumbering senses of the recipient, not only permitting truth to find its way into his life, but also enabling him to speak truth that pierced the stubborn hearts of the murderers of Christ, and lifted the darkness from their minds.  33 

Jeremiah the prophet had received much abuse because he had spoken unflinchingly the word of the Lord to disobedient Israel. The burden had become so heavy that he decided the best course to follow was to keep his mouth shut and say nothing more. This he could not do for the word of God - the truth - according to his own testimony, "was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forebearing, and I could not stay."  34  This is the baptism by fire so needed today, and can only become real, when men and
p 63 -- women open their hearts to the life-giving energy of truth, which Christ wants to impart in unlimited power through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus declared, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  35   In the transforming power of truth, by which the divine nature is brought to us, there are those who would make this experience almost akin to a surgical heart transplant. They would have us believe that there must be an eradication of what is termed the "stoney heart", and an implantation of a "new heart." But this life-giving energy of truth restores the powers of the mind by removing the darkness which sin has brought. Of this experience it is stated:  The truths of the Word of God are the utterances of the Most High. He who makes these truths a part of his life becomes in every sense a new creature. He is not given new mental powers, but the darkness that through ignorance and sin has clouded the understanding, is removed. The words, "A new heart also will I give you," means, "A new mind will I give you." A change of heart is always attended by a clear conviction of Christian duty, an understanding of truth. He who gives the Scriptures close, prayerful attention will gain clear comprehension and sound judgment, as if in turning to God he had reached a higher plane of intelligence.  36  Truth does not destroy or eradicate the mind by which eternal decisions must be made, but it restores the mind to its original capacity to discern the deceptive temptations of the enemy so that the trauma of Eden need not be repeated.

Grace -- Along with truth, the disciples beheld the fullness of the grace of God manifest in the Word made flesh.  14 This grace was not a passive energy, but rather active. Paul declared:          For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.  37

p 64 -- God's grace is not something by which He winks at man's transgressions, but His grace teaches us that we should deny ungodliness and lusts which war against the soul. That this may be accomplished in us, we must accept the promises of the powerful energies heaven has provided whereby we can escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. The grace which Christ implants in the soul through the Holy Spirit does something specific for the recipient. The Spirit of Prophecy states:       It is the grace that Christ implants in the soul which creates in man enmity against Satan. Without this converting grace and renewing power, man would continue the captive of Satan, a servant ever ready to do his bidding. But the new principle in the soul creates conflict where hitherto had been peace. The power which Christ imparts, enables man to resist the tyrant and usurper. Whoever is seen to abhor sin instead of loving it, whoever resists and conquers those passions that have held sway within, displays the operation of a principle wholly from above.   38

Grace does have a negative aspect. It creates hatred of, an abhorrence for, and an enmity against sin. This enmity is supernatural , wholly of divine origin. In this it reflects the very nature of Jesus. Of Him it is written, "Thou has loved righteousness, and hated iniquity."  39 

When Christ became an inhabitant of this earth, this enmity reached its highest degree of development. "Never before had there been a being upon the earth who hated sin with so perfect a hatred as did Christ. He had 'seen its deceiving, infatuating power upon the holy angels, and all His powers were enlisted against it." 40 

Genuine grace was the means of God's direct intervention in the fall of man to offset the advantage obtained by the enemy. Had not God intervened, man would have formed a firm alliance with Satan against heaven. "In the statement, 'I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed,' God pledged Himself to introduce into the hearts of human beings a new principle, - a hatred of sin, of deception, or pretense, of everything that

p 65 -- bears the marks of Satan's guile.  41

We hear much today about how easy it is to be a Christian; just believe and the grace of God will do all that needs to be done. But the implantation of the true grace of God in the soul - hatred of sin - is the beginning of a life-long struggle marked by tedious battles and severe, bitter contests.

It is written: The evil tendencies of mankind are hard to overcome. The battles are tedious. Every soul in the strife knows how severe, how bitter, are these contests. Everything about growth in grace is difficult, because the standard and maxims of the world are constantly interposed between the soul and God's holy standard. The Lord would have us elevated, ennobled, purified, by carrying out the principles underlying His great moral standard, which will test every character in the great day of final reckoning.  42 

Love -- Truth brings love, even the love of God.  20  The Bible declares that God is love.  43  It is His very nature. This love was revealed in the life of Christ. "In the light from Calvary it will be seen that the law of self-renouncing love is the law of life for earth and heaven; that the love which 'seeketh not her own' has its source in the heart of God."  44  The love which Christ manifested in His life is now to be implanted in the hearts of the believer "by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."  45

This genuine love, however, is not a love-sick sentimentalism which indulges sin, or the sinner. It is written:  True love seeks first the honor of God and the salvation of souls. Those who have this love will not evade the truth to save themselves from the unpleasant results of plain speaking. When souls are in peril, God's ministers will not consider self, but will speak the word given them to speak, refusing to excuse or palliate evil.  46

Christ's heart "overflowed with love for the whole human race, but He was
p 66 -- never indulgent to their sins. He was too much their friend to remain silent while they were pursuing a course that would ruin their souls, - the souls He had purchased with His own blood. He labored that man should be true to himself, true to his higher and eternal interest."   47

Summary --  48  Only through the impartation of the life-giving energies - the divine nature - can one realize the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

To be baptized by the Holy Spirit with fire - which is the truth as it is in Jesus; to be impregnated with supernatural enmity against sin - which is the grace which Christ implants; and to be imbued with the self-renouncing love which leads one to seek first the honor of God and the salvation of souls, is to be possessed with a power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master. Divinity and humanity is thus combined in such an one.


1    II Peter 1:3-4
2    Ellen G. White, Letter 5, 1900 (7BC:926)
3    Ellen G. White, Ms. 131, 1897, Andreasen Collection #2
4    Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 388
5    Ibid., p. 331
6    Colossians 2:9
7    Ephesians 3:14-21
8    Ellen G. White, Ms. 16, 1890 (7BC:907)
9    Ellen G. White, Review & Herald Feb. 18, 1890
10  Ellen G. White, Letter 43, 1895 (7BC:943)
11  Ellen G. White, "The Word Made Flesh", Andreasen Collection #2
12  Ellen G. White, Review & Herald, June 15, 1905 (5BC:1126)
13  John 17:5
14  John 1:14
15  John 5:30
16  Ellen G. White, Ms. 29, 1906
17  Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 671
18  John 16:14-15 
19  John 8:44
20  EIlen G. White, In Heavenly Places, p. 140
p 67 --
21  Ellen G. White, Ms. 103, 1902 (7BC:957)
22  Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 65
23  Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 520
24  john 16:13
25  Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 122
26  Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 805
27  Ellen G. White, Education, p. 95
28  Ellen G. White, Our High Calling, p. 150
29  Luke 3:16
30  Zechariah 4:11-14
31  Ellen G. White, Ms. 109, 1897 (4BC:1180)
32  Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 520
33  Acts 2:3-4, 36-37
34  Jeremiah 20:9
35  John 8:32
36  Ellen G. White, Review & Herald December 18, 1913
37  Titus 2:11-12
38  Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 506
39  Hebrews 1:9
40  Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, bk i, p. 254
41  Ellen G. White, Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 2, p. 6
42  Ellen G. White, The Faith I Live By, p. 135
43  1 John 4:16
44  EIlen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 20
45  Romans 5:5
46  Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 141
47  Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 356
48  See Appendix B

In the Form of a Slave

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant (KJV)

But Himself He made void a form of a slave taking Philippians 2:7 (Translated from Greek)

Php 2:7 But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave… (LITV)

William H. Grotheer
January, 1974


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