A true believer / follower of Christ is a partaker of Christ. This involves salvation, holiness, fellowship, worship, service, and a future kingdom and glory (Hebrews 3:14). Our series is covering these areas of which we partake (share / participate):

• His gospel call / promise - Hebrews 3:1; Ephesians 3:6


• His nature / holiness / power - II Peter 1:4; Hebrews 12:8-10


• His people / unity, fellowship, and grace - Philippians 1:7; I Corinthians 9:19-23


• His gospel work / fruitful labors - John 15:1-8, 16; Philippians 1:11; 4:13


• His sufferings - II Timothy 1:7-8; II Corinthians 1:3-7; I Peter 4:12-14


• His kingdom & glory - I Peter 5:1; Colossians 1:12-13, 25-27


• His warnings - Ephesians 5:1-21 (vs. 7); I Timothy 5:22; II John 1:11; Revelation 18:1-4

This lesson will focus on being a partaker of His nature / holiness / power.

II Peter 1:1-11 - Partakers of the Divine Nature

II Peter 1:1-2 - The righteousness of "our God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (Compare KJV with other translations - See Titus 2:13) has provided saving faith for us (Ephesians 2:8-10). Our salvation is a righteous salvation (Romans 5:21; 8:2-4; I John 2:1). The knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord causes grace and peace to be multiplied unto us (Romans 1:7; I Corinthians 1:3, etc. . - almost every book in the New Testament, from Romans to Revelation, opens with a blessing of "Grace and Peace").

II Peter 1:3 - Divine power supplies all that we need for spiritual life / godly life, as we gain the knowledge of Him (Christ). It is Jesus Christ who has called us to glory and virtue / goodness / excellence, and has called us by His glory and virtue / goodness / excellence.

The Greek preposition "dia" can mean "to" - "For this cause / purpose" or "by" - "by means of."

See "to" - Romans 8:18,29; Colossians 1:27; I Peter 5:1

See "by" - Matthew 11:28-30; Romans 2:4; II Corinthians 5:21; 8:9; I Peter 1:18-25; 2:2-3.

II Peter 1:4 - That divine power, which comes through the knowledge of Christ (II Peter 3:18; Romans 16:25-27; II Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:8-10; I Thessalonians 2:13), is packed with promises that enable us to be freed from the corruption of the world and to become partakers of the divine nature (John 8:30-36; 14:12-23; 15:4-5,7,11; 16:33; Ephesians 4:20-24). Without that knowledge, we are corrupted by lust (i.e. selfish natural instincts and desires - I John 2:15-17). 

Note how many references to "promise / promises" are made in Galatians 3:13-29; 4:21-28. See also I John 2:18-25.

II Peter 1:5-11 - We are to "add / richly, abundantly supply / supplement" important things to our faith (i.e. "minister" to our faith). In turn, you will be "richly / supplied and ministered to," so that you will be welcomed into God's "everlasting / eternal kingdom". (vs. 5 & vs. 11 = same Greek word)

As a partaker / participator, you are interacting with God's promises and appropriating things that you can only have by diligently seeking God's grace ("giving all diligence / be … diligent / make every effort" - II Peter 1:5, 10 cp. Hebrews 11:6; II Timothy 2:1,15).

Hebrews 12:1-10 - Partakers of His Holiness

Hebrews 12:1 - The Christian life is like running a race. We are not competing with fellow Christians. We are competing with Satan and the spirit of this world. We are competing with our own fleshly weaknesses that weigh us down. See I Corinthians 9:19-27; II Timothy 2:5; Philippians 3:14 cp. I Peter 5:8-9; Ephesians 4:27; James 4:7; Romans 12:1-2; I John 2:15-17; Romans 13:14; I Peter 2:11.

Hebrews 12:2-4 - Keep your focus on Jesus. His example and His living priestly ministry to you is vital to winning your race. See John 15:1-8; Philippians 4:13; II Timothy 2:1; Hebrews 4:14-16.

Hebrews 12:5-10 - Understand that the Lord's chastening in our lives is His way of showing His love for us and His determination to save us from ourselves and to make us holy (i.e. to make us like His Son). See Proverbs 3:1-8, 11-18; Psalm 119:67,71,75; Revelation 3:19; Romans 8:28-29; Ephesians 2:10; II Corinthians 3:18; I Thessalonians 4:7; I John 3:1-3.

Other Scriptures that point to us being partakers of His divine nature
(i.e. Christ living His life through us):

• Romans 5:10
• The humble Christ imputes His righteousness. "…Reconciled by His death…"
• The resurrected Christ imparts His righteousness / His nature. "… Saved by His life."


• Romans 15:18


• II Corinthians 5:14-17; 12:7-10


• Galatians 2:20; 6:14-18


• Colossians 1:27; 2:6-10