SDA are silly. They eat beef, wipe their mouth and say, "We are vegetarians. That cow ate only grass." They walk at noon with candle in hand, gravely pointing to its light. They have forsaken the word of God for mountains and mountains of text.

About "partaking of the Divine nature": Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." (John 6:53-56) Later he explains himself saying, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. THE WORDS that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe." (V.63-64)

Therefore, according to Jesus Christ himself, "partaking of the Diving nature" is to believe in him, to do as he says, and to act like him. As a child imitates his parent and knows nothing except what his parent says because he abides (lives) in his parent's house, so we also, by learning what is written in the Bible, endeavouring to live accordingly and seeking the company of fellow Christians, become daily more and more like sons of the Living God. See, even the psalmist declares, "YOUR WORD I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11)

But if we run after that which does not profit, we shall surely die, not knowing at all what the Master of the House has said on any particular issue, but continually shouting, "Mystery! Mystery! And no one can understand it!"

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quote=James Peterson SDA are silly. They eat beef, wipe their mouth and say, "We are vegetarians. That cow ate only grass."
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D replies: Of course that is being silly, real vegetarians do not eat beef or anything that was born or hatched.
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JP: They walk at noon with candle in hand, gravely pointing to its light. They have forsaken the word of God for mountains and mountains of text.
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D replies: Are you sure you three fingers aren't pointing back at yourself as you point at others?
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JP writes: About "partaking of the Divine nature": Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." (John 6:53-56) Later he explains himself saying, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. THE WORDS that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe." (V.63-64)
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D replies: I can agree with the above statement.
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JP writes: Therefore, according to Jesus Christ himself, "partaking of the Diving nature" is to believe in him, to do as he says, and to act like him. As a child imitates his parent and knows nothing except what his parent says because he abides (lives) in his parent's house, so we also, by learning what is written in the Bible, endeavouring to live accordingly and seeking the company of fellow Christians, become daily more and more like sons of the Living God. See, even the psalmist declares, "YOUR WORD I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11)
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D replies: But you have now left out the most important ingredient.
Without that ingredient you end up switching the whole thing into self works --
Believe, imitate, search scriptures, live as they say, fellowship with others.
All important in their own right BUT they are not the keys.
All our imitating and trying to live right falls far short if one leaves out the most important ingredient, and that is what MM was trying to share.

"Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord." Zech 4:6
Romans 7 and 8 says it well, even though we want to live according to God's law, we fail, because sin reigns in our flesh, who can save us from this body of death? Ah-- the Holy Spirit!
A power beyond ourselves changes us from within.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

It is as we humble ourselves in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide us that the Bible comes "alive" as the "Word of God" to change our hearts and minds.

We need the Divine Presence -- only then can we partake of any Divine Nature.


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JP wrote: But if we run after that which does not profit, we shall surely die, not knowing at all what the Master of the House has said on any particular issue, but continually shouting, "Mystery! Mystery! And no one can understand it!"
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D replies: If we do not reach out for Divine presence, praying for the Holy Spirit (even though we do not really understand everything about Him) then we will surely die, for we need the Divine Presence to live out and comprehend the spiritual realities of God's Word.

You are like a murderer who, caught red-handed, pleads insanity, crying in defense, "The devil in me did it. I can't be held responsible. And if you sentence me to death, you will be guilty of innocent blood."

Go figure.

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Again, what you just described requires the supernatural assistance of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Believing the "word of God" in and and of itself is not sufficient.

What do you think? When Romeo climbed the wall (which was a very dangerous thing to do) JUST to see Juliet out on her balcony:

1. was it HIS love for her, OR
2. was it HER spirit in him enabling him to do so?

John 15:9-14 says, "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." --- Jesus Christ

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Eze 36:27 And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments and do them.

How many strings have you got by which you are made to move? Or do you not see that God was communicating in figures of speech?

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James, I don't understand what you're saying. It sounds like you're saying obedience is the fruit of knowledge and will power.

That's a rather interesting observation: of knowledge and will power, yes. But more importantly, of love. It is your understanding of who God is and what He has done for you, that causes you to respond in kind; and thereby, reflect His character within you. You become motivated by a kindred spirit, HIS SPIRIT of self-less love and compassion and faith.

Paul put it this way. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." (1 Cor. 13:1-3)

Later on he goes on to explain what is THIS LOVE.

And it is the reason too, when Jesus Christ was asked what was the greatest commandment, he said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Mat. 22:37-40)

To love someone, to truly love someone, is a wonderful thing to experience, especially when that person loves you in return. You live in their hearts and shape their lives and cause them to run to you when they see you. They would do anything for you. Is your spirit living in them and giving them the strength to do the impossible for you? Sure, but only in a figure of speech. Yet, the experience is VERY real and powerful!

Isaiah 42:1, "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles." O that SDA would read the word of God for themselves: how wonderful a vision of heaven they would see! But now it is hidden from their eyes in dark sayings.

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James, I am sorry, but I still do not understand what you are saying.

1.Are you saying obedience is the fruit of love, knowledge, and will power?

2. Are you saying we do not need the supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit to miraculously empower us to use our faculties of mind and body to resist temptation, to grow in grace, to mature daily in the fruits of the Spirit?