The Foundation and Purpose of the Divine Nature
With
David Kenebrew, Th.D.
This week in Sunday Fellowship we take a look at “The Foundation and Purpose of the Divine Nature.” The intro verses for this message are 2Pet 1:3-4.
2Pe 1:3-4 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, 4 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.
Let’s stop here for a moment and review a few things revealed to Peter. First, in verse 3 it states “His” being God, the Father’s Divine Power has given us all things with the destination to His Life and Godly character through His knowledge (which is His Faith in operation). Next, we have the call to His Own Glory. Think about that for a minute; His Glory is our own glory as well. It is the same Eternal Glory! Jesus said: “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was.” Jhn 17:5. Verse 4 continues with what He (God, the Father) has already provided and promised to all who receive His Spirit. All those who receive will become partakes of His Divine Nature!
NOTE: I researched which word most translations used instead of “partakers” for the Greek word used in this verse: koinōnos- (koy-no-nos’); masculine noun: a partner, associate, comrade, companion; sharer, in anything; fellowship (communion); Root: koinos (koy-nos’); adjective: common; Root: soon; preposition; A primary preposition denoting union; In composition it has similar applications, including completeness.
In 47 translations the translation breakdown:
partakers: 35 – share: 4 – sharers: 4 – participate: 2
These last two were excellent translations of the Greek word used with all of its meanings, including communion/common union and completeness.
– his nature would become part of us (CEV) – we might have our part in God’s being (BBE)
Now we will specifically focus on the wording in verse 4.
A few weeks ago, brother Dwight Davis’s message on “The Spiritual Truth About the Divine Nature” provided extensive Spiritual insight on the Divine Nature. Dwight said this concerning the Divine Nature.
As SPIRITUAL SONS of THE FATHER we have been given ABSOLUTE EQUALITY THROUGH THE DIVINE NATURE already completely given to us by our Father. As SPIRITUAL SONS we are now are part of the NEW FAMILY of the GODHEAD in ABSOLUTE EQUALITY with THE FATHER and THE HOLY SPIRIT.
These words perfectly describe the Father’s purpose, intent and plan for our Spiritual Union, Oneness and Identity of “Absolute Equality” with Him in the Divine Nature.
What is the Divine Nature?
What is the source and foundation of the Divine Nature?
What is the purpose of the Divine Nature?
While the understanding shared in brother Dwight’s message will be included in our message today, he did not cover the complete scope and depth of the Divine Nature, as this discussion will seek to accomplish.
Very few in the churches of man-made religion talk about or discuss the Divine Nature as a specific topic or a subject pertaining to our Salvation. But why not? Very simply, you can’t give what you don’t have, or teach what you don’t know or have learned. The subject of the Divine Nature is Spiritual and cannot be addressed academically or intellectually. It must be revealed by God, the Holy Spirit. The Divine Nature is identified and revealed as one of the “deep things of God” Paul discusses in 1 Corinthians chapter 2.
1Co 2:10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
Paul continues.
1Co 2:13-14 These things (deep things of God) we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man (anyone living according to their original biological flesh identity: which has nothing to do with their salvation) does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
Here are a few other verses which reflect “the deep things of God”.
1Pe 1:12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
NOTE Here Are A Few OT Verses:
Job 11:7 “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
Job 12:22 He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings the shadow of death to light.
Dan 2:22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what [is] in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.
For this reason, the Divine Nature is not understood by churches and fellowships as it should be. Revelation knowledge is absent because fear has captured the hearts and minds of far too many Spiritual birthed Sons and faithful church goers. They are captives in man-made religious silos designed to keep them comfortable, entertained, and ignorant of anything Spiritual that might liberate them from the comforts of AI (Artificial identities) in their original flesh identities. Listen, the average preacher, Bible teacher, pastor, and missionary still does not know or understand that the ONLY Salvation of God is through God’s Spiritual birth, because Spiritual birth is Salvation. They don’t comprehend the meaning of receiving the “Spirit of God” and becoming another person Spiritually. Without this knowledge of Spiritual birth and Salvation, the Divine Nature has little or no meaning at all! FULL STOP!
The Revelation of The Divine Nature
Any discussion dealing with the Divine Nature must begin at the beginning, in the Spirit. What is the revelation of the Divine Nature? The Divine Nature is both Spirit and Spiritual. It is without “Beginning or Ending.” It is Eternal. It is Life. It is the “Oneness” of the Godhead (The Trinity) Itself. It contains the complete identity (DNA) of the Eternal Family of God. You could say that the Divine Nature is all-inclusive.
Let’s begin with the revelation of the Divine Nature in the gospel of John.
Jhn 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
Jhn 1:1-2 provides our first look at the “Original Family of God and Eternal Godhead.”
Jhn 1:1-2, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (the Father and the Holy Spirit), and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.”
As you should know, God or the “Godhead” has no “beginning.” What was the “beginning” to which John was referring? It was the beginning of the revelation of the “Original Family of God and Eternal Godhead!” This was before creation, as revealed in verse 2. This was also the Eternal event which laid the foundation for the introduction of the “Divine Nature” of the Eternal Godhead!
Somewhere in Eternity an Eternal Event took place, a Spiritual decision made by the Eternal Godhead – The Father, The Word and The Holy Spirit – in the Spiritual Oneness of the Divine Nature. This Original Family was a Family of Givers. They needed to give themselves to complete and fulfill their Divine Nature as Givers. The Eternal decision to express themselves as givers outside of their Original Family structure and Spiritual Composition. But the Givers of what? The Givers of their own Eternal Divine Nature!
This decision of giving their Divine Nature came with a cost, not just any cost, but an Eternal cost and an Eternal price tag. This act of Love would end their Original Eternal Family Identity and Godhead and the Divine Nature as they knew it. There would no longer be an Eternal Family Structure and Identity as The Father, The Word and The Holy Spirit! There’s a Spiritual Transformation (metamorphoō) or Exchange of the Original Eternal Family of God to a New Eternal Family of God, and Oneness of the Divine Nature!
The Cost and Price to Become a New Eternal Family Identity and Giver of the Divine Nature!
Remember, “Cost” is the value something possesses, while the “price” is the amount one is willing to pay for it. The Original Eternal Family and Godhead knew the Eternal cost to be able to give and express their Divine Nature as Spiritual Givers. Being omniscient, they knew the price to become this New Eternal Family of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit! The price for this New Family was death to their Original Spiritual Identity as a Family. With this Eternal decision they opened the door to Spiritual Equality with themselves through Spiritual Birth. This provided an exchange of Identity with a new member, the Son of God, with the Father’s Divine Nature, revealing the “New Eternal Family of God and Godhead.”
The Divine Nature has within it an unending depth of Spiritual knowledge and understanding of the very purpose, intent, and plan of God. This plan is to become the Father of all Spiritually birthed as Sons. The Spiritual dynamics of the new exchanged Family identity with the Divine Nature, flows into Eternity, which is the foundation and purpose of creation! This God idea is revealed as Spiritual Union, Oneness and Identity.
Jesus, The Christ, The First Son with The Father’s Divine Nature
It was in Jesus, the Christ, the Father’s first begotten Son where the Divine Nature first appeared! Through the Son others would have access to become Sons of God with the Divine Nature of the Father.
Gal 4:4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 That he might make them free who were under the law, and that we might be given the place in Sonhip.
Rom 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren.
Col 1:15, 18 He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; … 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent.
Heb 1:6 And again, when he brings the first-born into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
What is the Foundation of the Divine Nature?
The Divine Nature is the very heart of the Trinity and Godhead. The Oneness in the “Original Family of God” is not found in their Deity. In the Original Family of God, they were all God and Deity in Eternity, which is their Eternal abode. In the Original Family structure and identity as The Father, the word, and The Holy Spirit each Family member is God and Deity with the Same Spiritual DNA (Divine Nature Availability). The Divine Nature is where they are One and live in Oneness. The Divine Nature is where they are related to each other in the Godhead! The Divine Nature is Spirit. It is Spiritual; it is Eternal; it is Eternal Life. It has no beginning and no end. Yet, the Divine Nature is NOT omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence and Sovereignty. These are all associated with the Deity of the Original Family, and Godhead. The Father and the Holy Spirit are the source of the Divine Nature in Spiritual birth. This is the source of Eternal Life to all who are born of God, the Father. This is where our Spiritual DNA makes each of us who are birthed by Him, “Related” to Him as Father and us as Son!
Salvation is Spiritual Birth, because Spiritual Birth is Salvation.
Let’s say it a little differently,
Salvation is receiving the Spirit of God with His DNA (Divine Nature Availability), because receiving the Spirit of God with His DNA (Divine Nature Availability) is, Salvation.
This is a powerful and wonderful Eternal act of Love which flows from His Spiritual DNA to each person born of Him! Remember, He cannot give us His Deity of omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence and Sovereignty. What we get is who He is as Father, by the Divine Nature!
Jesus and His Divine Nature Availability (DNA) from the Father
Paul gives us the mystery of Jesus’ DNA and Sonship. Through Jesus’ Spiritual identity as the first (begotten) Spiritual birthed Son of God the Father, now He is able to have many spiritually birthed Sons. As previously stated, the right for God to give Spirit birth and mankind to receive spiritual birth came at a significant cost to the Godhead!
First, the Word of God had to die (yes, I said die, the first death took place in Eternity) and exchange His Original God Identity. He was emptied of His Deity (the Eternal loss of His omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence and Sovereignty) and became a man after the flesh.
*Phl 2:5-7 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself (loss of Deity), by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
*Heb 2:14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
Jhn 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
*Rom 1:3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh
Rom 8:3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
Next, The Word, as a part of the Eternal Godhead, (the Trinity: The Father, The Word, and The Holy Spirit) was removed and exchanged for a New Godhead and Trinity with the Identity of the Word exchanged to the Son. This act provided a whole New Eternal Family, with a position in the Trinity now called the Son of God. This position only came with the Divine Nature (Spiritual DNA) of the Father without His Deity. Again, this Eternal exchange of Original Family Structure to the New Family Structure came by death to the one! This was the first revelation of “death” from an Eternal point of view! Please, please keep this in mind, all of this took place before anything or anyone was created. This Event took place in Eternity!
Last, there was a “second” and final death. This time it was death as the Son of God. This death of the Son did not change the structure or make up of New Family of God but provided a process to enter the New Family by being Spiritually born into the Oneness of the Divine Nature.
*Phl 2:8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
*Rom 6:10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God, the Father.
*Rev 2:11 He who has ears, let him give ear to what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not come under the power of the second death.
Through death and resurrection of the Son, the Father provided mankind access to His Spiritual DNA (Divine Nature Availability). The DNA of the Father made Jesus and the Father “One” with each other Spiritually. This is why Jesus made the following declaration in the gospel of John and in Paul’s epistles.
*Jhn 10:30 I and [my] Father are one.
Jhn 17:11, 22-23
*11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we [are].
*21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
*22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
*23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
*Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
NOTE: Paul said “there is neither” which means there are no:
Jew nor Greek: This includes Ethnicity/Race/Religious Identities
Slave nor Free: This includes Social/Educational/Political Status’s or Identities
Male nor Female: This includes Sexual or Gender Identities
These verses clearly explain the power of the Divine Nature we receive from the Father’s DNA at Spiritual Birth! We are all One with the Father as the Son of God personally and the Sons of God as members in the New Family Structure and Identity of the Godhead and Trinity!
The Power of the Seed in Releasing the Father’s DNA Into the Spirit of Humankind
There is an outworking of our New DNA (Divine Nature Availability) through Spiritual birth. Many who receive the Spiritual DNA of the Father remain ignorant of who they are Spiritually, as the Son. Many are unaware that Salvation is Spiritual birth and that Spiritual birth is Salvation (this is Only salvation provided by God. The receiving of His Spirit). Satan through man-made religion has trapped them in a doctrine of living in the world of AI(Alternative Identities) in the flesh. Sadly, day after day, many try to live their AI from the outside in!
*Jhn 1:13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
1Jo 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
1Jo 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1Jo 5:1, 4, 18 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his Sons as well. … 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. … 18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.
Conclusion
What does mankind receive with the Spirit of God from the Father through Spiritual Birth? Several Spiritual things come with His Fatherhood and DNA.
- We receive His (Spiritual DNA) Divine Nature, the same (Spiritual DNA) Divine Nature as Jesus.
This is not to be misunderstood as the Father’s Deity as God with omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence and Sovereignty.
2Pe 1:4 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.
- We receive Spiritual Equality with God as Father, becoming heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. How? Through the His Divine Nature (DNA)
Phl 2:6-7 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;
- We receive His Eternal Life.
Eternal Life is Not Separate from the Father Himself. He is Eternal Life and it is the Divine Nature.
*Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
*1Jo 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
Jhn 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
- We receive the Spiritual Identity as The Son of God: In Sonship
Rom 8:14-16 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of Sonship as Sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are Sons of God,
Gal 3:26 For ye are all Sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 4:6 And because you are Sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
- We receive a New Spiritual and Eternal Body, free from any and all identity in human DNA.
This is most difficult to comprehend for the fleshly minded.This new body aligns with the DNA of our Spiritual Father.
2 Cor 5:1-5 We know that if the earthly tent we live in is torn down, we have a building in heaven that comes from God, an eternal house not built by human hands. For in this one we sigh, since we long to put on our heavenly dwelling. Of course, if we do put it on, we will not be found without a body. So, while we are still in this tent, we sigh under our burdens, because we do not want to put it off but to put it on, so that our dying bodies may be swallowed up by life. God has prepared us for this and has given us his Spirit and DNA as a guarantee of the new body!
1Co 15:44, 46, 49-50 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. …But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. … Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50 I tell you this, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
- We receive the position of the Son in the New Eternal Family Structure and Identity of God and Godhead.
Jesus was the first born of God, creating the new position, structure and identity in the Family as the Spiritual Son.
Col 2:9-10 For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power:
*Eph 2:19 So then you are no longer as those who have no part or place in the kingdom of God, but you are numbered among the Sons, and of the family of God,
*1Jo 3:1 See what great love the Father has given us in naming us the Sons of God; and such we are. For this reason, the world does not see who we are, because it did not see who he was.
Finally, we finish with an excerpt from a 2018 message from brother Kurtis Luckinbill to better understand why so little is discussed about “The Divine Nature.”
July 1, 2018, “The Graveyard of Religion.” In the introduction Kurtis said,
“Steeples rise like headstones above the graves of the world’s greatest denominations, revivals and moves of God. Every week, congregations will meet wearing suits labeled ‘new’, ‘reformed’, ‘apostolic’, ‘evangelical’, ‘united’, ‘international’ and ‘universal’. They will sit in pews labeled ‘election’, ‘grace’, ‘free will’, ‘assurance’, ‘second blessing’, ‘inerrant’, ‘full submersion’ and ‘justification’. As I peer through the windows, I ask myself, why and how did the greatest revelations of God become religion, and what can we learn from what we see?”
These words shine the “Light” on why the most powerful and loving event and act of God goes without a sound and without a voice. Brother Kurtis asked this question “why and how did the greatest revelations of God become religion? What are the “greatest revelations?” They are the revelation of salvation of Spiritual birth and becoming one with God the Father through His Spiritual DNA (Divine Nature Available). Why do they become religion? Very simply, they are still buried in the “Graveyard of Religion!”
What is this Graveyard of Religion? My knowledge and understanding are somewhat different now than in 2018. Today I see the “Graveyard of Religion” much more clearly. It is a place where man-made religions bury their people with their doctrines, and cover them in Artificial and Alternative Identities prepared and fitted for the dead.
These are the “steeples that rise like headstones above the graves of the world’s greatest denominations…”
This revelation that Spiritual birth is Salvation and the receiving of the Father’s Divine Nature will raise them from death to Life as the Son!
Amen!
