In the doctrine of the Trinity, the divine nature of God is not the Spirit since that would be saying God's divine nature is the third person of the Trinity. Rather, the divine nature in Trinitarian doctrine is a list of attributes made up by Trinitarians. The divine nature is most certainly NOT the Holy Spirit in the doctrine of the Trinity. However, in the Bible, the divine nature is God most certainly IS the Holy Spirit.

Partakers of the Divine Nature

When the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts, we become partakers of the divine nature since the Holy Spirit IS God's divine nature.

His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4).

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit... (Hebrews 6:4).

When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit poured into our hearts. In this way, we are partakers of God's divine nature.

The Fullness of Deity

In the Bible, we read about being FILLED with the Holy Spirit.

And the disciples were continually filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:52.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18.

The Greek word in the above verses is pleroo, the verb form of the noun pleroma. The word means to be filled up in its verb form and fullness in its noun form.

to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he inherited God's divine nature; he received the Spirit from the Father as his own (Ac 2:33) to pour out on us; he was BODILY raised "life-giving Spirit." His crucified body was clothed and consumed in the Holy Spirit of God. For this reason, Paul while discussing the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the Corinthians, says that the Lord Jesus IS the Spirit.

But their minds were hardened; for to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because in CHRIST the veil is taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds; but when a man turns to THE LORD the veil is removed. Now THE LORD is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of THE LORD is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of THE LORD, are being changed into the same image from glory unto glory for this comes from THE LORD, the Spirit.... if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of CHRIST, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but CHRIST JESUS as LORD. (2 Corinthians 3:14-4:5).

Therefore we read that all the fullness was pleased two dwell in the risen Jesus and that fullness is the Holy Spirit of God, the divine nature.

... the firstborn out of the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in Him. Colossians 1:19.

For in Him all the FULLness of deity dwells in bodily form and you have been made FULL in him. Colossians 2:9-10.

We are made full in him who has all the fullness dwelling in him bodily. We have the Holy Spirit in us and are made FULL in him who was raised life-giving Spirit, the fullness of deity. The Holy Spirit is God's divine nature.

A son of Adam is one who has inherited the same human nature of Adam. And to be a true son of God one must share in his Father's nature and being. And Jesus inherited his Father's divine nature in his resurrection. And so will all the faithful servants of God when they are raised from the dead. They are partakers of the divine nature, the Holy Spirit. And this way, they are made true sons of God.

Walk According to the Human Nature of the Divine Nature

In the Scriptures we also read about walking according to the Spirit as opposed to walking according to the flesh. The obvious contrast is walking according to the divine nature as opposed to walking according to the human nature.

John 4:23-24

There is only ONE Spirit. Jesus teaches that God the Father is Spirit. Since there is only one Spirit, the Holy Spirit, Jesus is telling us WHAT God is. The Holy God is Holy Spirit by nature. That is His divine nature, the Spirit of Truth in which we must walk and worship.

Partakers of the Divine Nature

When the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts, we are FILLED with the FULLNESS of God, the FULLNESS of deity. We become partakers of God's divine nature since the Holy Spirit IS God's divine nature.

His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4).

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit... (Hebrews 6:4).

Created: November 15, 2011
Last Update: November 15, 2011