Participants of the Divine Nature – Part 5

Ministry in Word

Participants of the Divine Nature – Part 5

与神的性情有分-第五部

Based on Charles H. Spurgeon’s Morning & Evening devotional

2 Peter 1:3-4

彼得後书1:3-4

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
「神的神能已将一切关乎生命和虔敬的事赐给我们，皆因我们认识那用自己荣耀和美德召我们的主。因此，他已将又宝贵又极大的应许赐给我们，叫我们既脱离世上从情欲来的败坏，就得与神的性情有分。」

We Are Sanctified Through Resisting Sin
我们藉着抵挡罪使我们成圣

We see that we are sanctified by the word of God, and by the work of God and the Holy Spirit. Do we remain passive and have no part in our sanctification? Apostle Paul did not think so. We are also sanctified through resisting sin ourselves. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians and said, “It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” (1 Th 4:3-7) If it is God’s will for us to avoid sins and have self control, to deal rightly with our brothers, and to live a pure and holy life, it ought to be our will to do so as well. If we are participants of the divine nature, God’s will becomes our will, and we pray that “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Mt 6:10)

我们了解是神的道、神的工作和圣灵的工作使我们成圣。我们是否完全被动，在我们成圣的功夫上无份呢？使徒保罗认为并非如此。我们也藉着抵挡罪使我们圣。保罗写信对帖撒罗弥迦人说，「神的旨意就是要你们成为圣洁，远避淫行；要你们各人晓得怎样用圣洁、尊贵守着自己的身体。不放纵私欲的邪情，像那不 认识神的外邦人。不要一个人在这事上越分，欺负他的弟兄；因为这一类的事，主必报应，正如我预先对你们说过，又切切嘱咐你们的。神召我们，本不是要我 们沾染污秽，乃是要我们成为圣洁。」〔帖前4:3-7〕如果是神的旨意要我们远避 罪和有自制，公道地对待我们的弟兄，和过一个圣洁的生活，那也该是我们的旨意去如此行。如果我们是与神的性情有分的人，神的旨意就成为我们的旨意，而我们祈祷「愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。」〔太6:10〕

Conclusion
结语

Let me recall for us Apostle Peter’s words in today’s Scriptures: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

让我为大家复述使徒彼得在今天经文中的话：「神的神能已将一切关乎生命和虔敬的事赐给我们，皆因我们认识那用自己荣耀和美德召我们的主。因此，他已将 又宝贵又极大的应许赐给我们，叫我们既脱离世上从情欲来的败坏，就得与神的性情有分。」

All that we need for living a godly life have been given us, we don’t need anything any more. God invites us to be participants of the divine nature through our knowledge of Him, through our personal relationship with Him, and in our alignment of our will with  His will. Through His own glory and goodness He called us into His great and precious promises. The purpose of these promises is to get us to participate in the divine nature
and avoid the corruption in the world.

一切所需来过虔敬生命的事都已赐给我们了，再不需要什麽了。神邀请我们藉着我们对他的认识、藉着我们与他的个人关系，以及藉着我们旨意与他的旨意一致 来成为与神的性情有分的人。他以自己的荣耀和美德召我们进入他宝贵又极大的 应许中。他的应许的目的是要叫我们与神的性情有分和脱离世上的败坏。

The Bible says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever" (Ps  107:1). So at times when we are not feeling like it in our own nature, if we will just give praise and worship to God according to the divine nature we are participating in, even the sacrifice of praise, it can be a powerful testimony to a lost and watching world that God is good and His love endures forever!

圣经说，「你们要称谢耶和华，因他本为善；他的慈爱永远长存！」〔詩107:1〕 所以有时当我们在我们的性情中不想称谢和敬拜神，如果我们照着神的性情如此 行，什至献上颂赞的祭，那可以成为对失丧和在观望的世界的一个有力的见证，这见证就是神本为善，他的慈爱永远长存！

May the word of God, the work of God and the Holy Spirit, and our resisting sin sanctify us from the corruption in the world, through our participation of the divine nature.

愿神的道、神与圣灵的工作，和我们抵挡罪，藉着我们与神的性情有分，使我们 从世上的败坏分别为圣。

Tom and Tehwan Tso
仲谋与德菀


“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9
“信心的果效， 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1：9