8 Steps to Build Our Divine Nature Part 4

2 Peter 1:3–11 ESV

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Introduction:

This is the 4th part of the building your Divine Nature which is the last part of Know your Tools series. The other three parts have been about developing ourselves. The first six layers or steps are all about transforming us. It is all personal and individual. It has been focused upwards in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. This would have a natural effect on those around us. Now it is time to grow outside of ourselves and reach out.

Brotherly Kindness:

This word for brotherly kindness is the word philadelphia. According to Strong’s concordance, in the New Testament the love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren. Do we have this brotherly kindness towards each other? A lot of churches struggle with this. Church should be the one place where brotherly kindness does abound. We should have like faith and build each other up. We should be bearing each others burdens.

Galatians 6:2 ESV

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Many times we can look to instances of the military to see this played out. One such scene is at the

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. --

Darkness looms over the recruits as they crawl under tangles of barbed wire through muddy trenches. As the recruits scream encouragements amongst one another to complete the obstacle. One will not leave the other behind.

We should be the same way. We are in the army of God and we have a close bond with each other. We know we have a traded our citizenship of the this world

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Revelation 21:11 ESV

having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

Revelation 21:16 ESV

The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.

Revelation 21:18 ESV

The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

Revelation 21:21 ESV

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Charity:

Charity/love in this portion of scripture is the word agape. It is a noun. This is different form of the word used in John 21 when Jesus asks Peter if he agapos (loves) Jesus. This is the verb form. We are looking at the noun form of love. This is defined in Merriam-Webster dictionary as unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: such as the fatherly concern of God for humankind We are now at the point of looking out, not just looking up.

A noun is a person, place, or thing.

John 13:35 ESV

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This is a possession. It is something we wrap ourselves in. It is not natural. It has to be developed. It is like when you first moved into your home. It is a possession like love. You could just live in it without hanging any pictures. You could live in it without any decorations or any personalization at all. But it would just be a building without being a home. The same wouold be calling ourselves a Christian but not being a Christian is. This is what this last layer of the divine nature is all about. We can say we have love, but if still have strife with our neighbors, then we are not developing this layer. This is where we get beyond ourselves and are concerned about our fellow mankind as Christ was. This is where we are more concerned with the salvation of our neighborhood than other things

Philippians 1:9 ESV

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,

Conclusion

Brotherly kindness is all about reaching out to your fellow Christians and loving each other. To value this bond greatly. Sometimes this is a bond greater than family bond when your family are not Christians. This is where you come to be encouraged, fed, and challenged. There is no greater family than the family of God. We are not reaching out as we are are building our divine nature for the first six layers. Now we are building out with the last two layers.

Charity is the final step in developing our divine nature. We now are looking out to a lost and dying world and do not want any to perish but for all to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 5:14 ESV

Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, her revelers and he who exults in her.

It is very important to develop our divine nature. It will transform us closer into the image of Christ. It will develop us in ways we never thought possible. We need this. We must be the shining light in this dark world that points to the cross. The cross is where the bridge to almighty God is at. We must not and can not give up on those around us.