Question 48: If the human nature is not present wherever the divine nature is, are not the two natures in Christ thus separated from one another?

 

Question 48: If the human nature is not present wherever the divine nature is, are not the two natures in Christ thus separated from one another?

Answer: Not at all. Since the divine nature is incomprehensible and present everywhere, even though it is outside the human nature it has assumed, it is personally united to it within it.

Jesus Christ was both the Son of God and the Son of Man. Therefore, divinity and personality coexisted. Although divinity and personality coexist in Jesus, they are not mixed, and personality does not influence divinity. Jesus' humanity allowed God to personally experience humanity in flesh, experiencing the fragility of the human body. Therefore, God showed compassion for repentant humanity.

Church people are making the mistake of believing that diligent effort can develop a person into a god. A person cannot become divine through effort. 2 Peter 1:4, "Through these he has granted us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires."

Epankelmita (ἐπαγγέλματα) is a promise, a promise to give the kingdom of God as an inheritance. 『Deias (God) Koinonoi (participate) Physeos (nature) θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως』 should be corrected to mean participation in the divine nature (divinity), not participation in the divine nature.

Because the translated Bible translates it as "divine nature," most people think of it as a personal concept. Godhead (divinity) is God's power itself. Therefore, divinity and personality must be distinguished. However, when we become one with God in Christ, we become participants in God's divinity.

While character is a changeable aspect, divinity is an unchanging aspect. Therefore, some church pastors connect the divine nature to the image of God. They argue that divinity is given from God in Christ, and that they must strive to restore the divine nature.

2 Peter 1:5-7 “Therefore, making every effort, add to your faith virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”

Spude (σπουδὴν) means desire, a desire to participate in the divine. Eight virtues appear here, presented as if they must be achieved in stages: in faith there is virtue, in virtue there is knowledge, in knowledge there is temperance, in temperance there is patience, in patience there is godliness, in godliness there is brotherly kindness, and in brotherly kindness there is love.

The word "add" is translated in the NIV as "make every effort to add." Of course, the King James Version translates it as "given."

This is not achieved through human effort, but rather, the Bible says that when we become one with God, divinity is revealed in this way. Through faith, virtue (excellence) arises, and through knowledge (our relationship with God), we receive gifts, which can lead to pride. Those who realize this become self-controlled. This leads to patience (hypomone). Hypomone is abiding at the Lord's throne. This is how piety (eusebeian: loving God) is achieved. This is how brotherly love and agape love are realized.

Those in Christ possess both personality and divinity. They possess a physical body, making them personal, but they are also divine because they are led by the Holy Spirit. Believers should base their identity on the divine nature guided by the Holy Spirit. However, believers tend to place their identity in their fleshly personality, preventing the divine nature from manifesting itself. Consequently, they are constantly feeling a sense of stability. The divine nature is revealed through the death and resurrection of the cross. This state is achieved when we are united with Jesus Christ. However, when spiritual growth is lacking, they fail to perceive this grace of God.