Saturday 25 July 2009

How do trinitarians equate divine nature

2 Peter 1:4: 
4For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent (A)promises, so that by them you may become (B)partakers of the divine nature, having (C)escaped the (D)corruption that is in (E)the world by lust.   (NASB)
The conservative Evangelical definition of the Trinity is the standard, the
orthodox doctrine. They are:

a.. Separate in person
b.. Equal in nature
c.. Submissive in duty
Nicene Creed of 325, which basically teaches that:

* the Son (Jesus) is God
* the Father is God
* the Holy Spirit is God -

yet -

* the Son (Jesus) is not the Father
* the Father is not the Holy Spirit
* the Holy Spirit is not the Son

All three persons distinct individuals, yet all equally God. They are of the
same substance (homoousia).

They are separate persons, all holding the position of being God, but one being.
There are three persons in one being.
There is also the Oneness trinity - which says that Jesus is God, and that Jesus
is also the Father. There are no distinct personages in the Oneness version.
Jesus is everything in that version.

The mistaken view is that there are three persons, but one person, for this
would be self-contradictory.
If Peter says that those with the heavely hope aquire such divine nature, does that mean that these individuals will be part of the godhead? How do trinitarians equate this scripture in relation to the godhead once those in heaven aquire this divine nature?

1 comment:

  1. Travelingman 1352 knows to tel us:

    I did some looking up on that scripture and found some excerpts that hopefully you may find useful:

    "In the Christian Greek Scriptures, certain words derived from the·osì (god) appear and relate to that which is divine. The related words theiìos, thei·oìtes, and the·oìtes occur at Acts 17:29, Romans 1:20, Colossians 2:9, and 2 Peter 1:3, 4." (Insight Book; "Divine" pp.2)

    "Finally, at 2 Peter 1:3, 4 the apostle shows that by virtue of "the precious and very grand promises" extended to faithful anointed Christians, they "may become sharers in divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world through lust." Elsewhere in the Scriptures, Christians are referred to as `sharing' with Christ in his sufferings, in a death like his, and in a resurrection like his to immortality as spirit creatures, becoming joint heirs with him in the heavenly Kingdom. (1Co 15:50-54; Php 3:10, 11; 1Pe 5:1; 2Pe 1:2-4; Re 20:6) Thus it is evident that the sharing of Christians in "divine nature" is a sharing with Christ in his glory." (Insight Book; "Divine" pp.8)

    "Divine Nature. Also, there is a different nature belonging to those in heaven, spirit creatures of God. The apostle Peter speaks to his fellow Christians, spiritual brothers of Jesus Christ, of "the precious and very grand promises, that through these you may become sharers in divine nature [phyìse·os]." (2Pe 1:4) That this is a sharing with Christ in his glory as spirit persons, Peter shows in his first letter: "God . . . gave us a new birth [a·na·gen·neìsas he·masì, "having generated us again"] to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance. It is reserved in the heavens for you." (1Pe 1:3, 4) "Divine nature" requires a change in nature through death and resurrection, as made plain by the apostle Paul at First Corinthians chapter 15. He explains that the Christian must die and must be resurrected in a different body, a spiritual one, which requires a change.—1Co 15:36, 38, 44, 49, 51." (Insight Book; "Nature" pp.3)

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