Partakers in the nature of God

In 2 Peter, Peter writes that believers are 'partakers in the divine nature.'  This is a beautiful statement, profound both for its directness but also in its significance.  Perhaps there is no more important Christian doctrine than the fact that we are partakers not only in the Gospel of Christ but, by that virtue, we are also partakers in His divine nature too!

The reality of faith is that it is not merely a passive attitudinal change in reference to God.  No.  Faith is an actual change of person.  It is a constitutional transformation of character from a life of sin in the flesh to a life free of sin in the Spirit.  This means that the believer is not merely who they were before belief; rather, they are altered.

There is a metamorphosis that takes place in the person as a person turns from unbelief to faith.  The irony is that this change is not a change to something 'new' as much as it is a change to something meant to be.  The pervasiveness of sin has so marred humanity that our origins, our original constitution, have been damaged to such a degree that a complete overhaul is in order.  Enter Jesus.

It is thus not enough to speak of redemption from sin as merely a matter of cleansing.  Though this being wholly good and true, when we speak of redemption we must also consider that we are redeemed in restoration, mainly that we are restored, renewed in the image of our Creator in Christ Jesus.  In the end, we are partakers in the nature of God in the very sense that we belong to Him as He is our God.