Spurgeon applies “partakers of the divine nature” to daily life as a call to live out a new God‑given nature in holiness, visible separation from corruption, and loving conduct toward others.[1][2][3][4] ## 1. New birth and new nature – He insists that partaking “is not, of course, to become God,” but to be “made in a yet diviner sense in the image of the Most High” by the renewal of the Holy Spirit.[5][1] – The believer is “as certainly partakers of the divine nature by the new birth as we were partakers of the human nature by the old birth,” so daily life must reflect this new, holy pedigree.[4] ## 2. Union with Christ and continual dependence – Spurgeon stresses union: “One with Jesus—so much so that the branch is not more one with the vine than we are a part of the Lord.”[1]
Spurgeon explicitly denies that “partakers of the divine nature” means becoming God and uses the phrase instead for likeness to God and union with Christ that shows itself in holiness.[1]
### Not becoming God
– “To be a partaker of the divine nature is **not, of course, to become God. That cannot be. The essence of Deity is not to be participated in by the creature. Between the creature and the Creator there will always be a fixed gulf in terms of essence**.”[1]
– He insists that God’s **essence** remains incommunicable; participation is real, but never ontological elevation into deity.[1]
### Becoming like God in character and union
– As Adam was made in God’s image, believers are “by the renewal of the Holy Spirit, in a diviner sense made in the image of the Most High and are ‘partakers of the divine nature’,” which he unpacks as becoming loving, truthful, and good like God.[1]
– He then pushes to the highest level short of deification: we are members of Christ’s body, share his life, and are “one with Him,” like branch with vine—yet still not “absolutely divine.”[1]
### Practical implication
– Because we partake of the divine nature in this non‑essential sense, Spurgeon says we must “display this high and holy relationship” in our conduct and “make it evident in [our] daily walk” that we have escaped worldly corruption.[1]
Sources
[1] What Does Partake Mean? – C. H. Spurgeon Devotional from Truth … https://www.truthforlife.org/
[2] Partakers of the divine nature through god’s grace – Facebook https://www.facebook.com/
[3] [PDF] Second Peter 1:1-2 A Godward Greeting Introduction: Right now, I … https://cloud.sermonaudio.com/
[4] Knowing God – Real Life Church: Ankeny, IA https://www.reallifeankeny.
[5] [PDF] Free Grace Broadcaster Issue 246 Adoption – Chapel Library! https://www.chapellibrary.org/
[6] Substitution – Spiritual Wrestlings https://spiritualwrestlings.
[7] I was contemplating on this today. About partaking in Gods divine … https://www.facebook.com/
[8] Jesus_Christ-Union – Grace Quotes https://gracequotes.org/topic/
[9] [PDF] Romans: Paul’s Covenant Theology – Personal Thoughts https://www.johnhking.com/wp-
[10] In the new testament we do go to the Holy of Holies, we come from … https://www.facebook.com/
[11] #ShowersOfHope *Living By God’s Provisions* By his divine … https://www.facebook.com/
[12] [PDF] The Trinity, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit https://www.gci.org/wp-
[13] You are a partaker of His divine nature – Facebook https://www.facebook.com/
[14] [PDF] Love God With All Your Mind – Monergism https://www.monergism.com/
[15] Young EGM https://youngegm.yolasite.com
