What a Promise
Dearly beloved of God and highly favored in His sight, by God’s Divine power He has given us great and precious promises, that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature. He gave us the promise of life in Christ Jesus.
Our birth into this world was by nature after the flesh. We were born with a physical body and soul life. In II Peter 1 we read that through God’s promise it is available to become partakers of the divine nature; His nature, which is spirit. Jesus Christ came to make this available.
Before Jesus Christ began his ministry, John foretold that Jesus Christ would baptize people with the holy spirit. Read the records in Matthew 3:11-17, and John 1:29-34 for the details. This is the means by which people could receive the divine nature.
After God raised Jesus from the dead and before he ascended into heaven, he said, “And, behold, I [Jesus Christ] send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49
What is this promise of the Father that Jesus Christ would send, and which would endue them with power from on high? Acts 1:4 and 5 gives us more information about it.
“And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [pneuma hagion: holy spirit] not many days hence.”
Jesus Christ told them that he would send that which was promised by the Father in a few days from then. God sent His Son to this end; to make the holy spirit, the divine nature available to His people.
Previously, in John 3, Jesus referred to this as being born again. He said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” To be born of God’s spirit is the means by which we may see and enter the kingdom of God. He said, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, You must be born again.”
Acts 2: 1-11 records when Jesus Christ sent what was promised by the Father. The Apostle Peter is explaining what had just occurred to the crowd in the Temple and what it meant. He said:
“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost [holy spirit], he [Jesus Christ] hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” Acts 2:33
The promise of the Father was finally available. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost [pneuma hagion, holy spirit]. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:38,39
In Acts 10 and 11 we learn that the gift of the holy spirit was poured out on the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house as Peter preached Christ unto them. The word spread to the apostles and brethren in Judea and Peter went to Jerusalem and told them exactly what occurred.
“And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost [holy spirit] fell on them, as on us at the beginning [on the Day of Pentecost]. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [pneuma hagion: holy spirit]. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?” Acts 11:15-17
Peter and the others had to change their minds and believe what God made available to the Gentiles. He gave the Gentiles “the like gift as he did unto us [the 12 apostles and the Israelites] who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Galatians 3 reveals that Jesus Christ was crucified so: “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit [holy spirit] of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13 and 14
We were sealed for the inheritance of eternal life with the holy spirit, the promise of the Father. The holy spirit is the down payment of our inheritance. Today we are born of God's spirit, we are sealed for eternal life, and when Christ returns he will transform us to have glorious bodies like his glorious body, and much, much more.
Dearly beloved, the promise of life is in Christ Jesus. He sent what God promised; the new birth spirit. Christ Jesus our Lord gave us the spirit of life and delivered us from death dealing sin.
Dearly beloved, Jesus Christ came so that we could receive the promise of the Father, spirit life, eternal life. Now we are partakers of the divine nature by being born again of God’s spirit and we will inherit eternal life when Christ returns.
Rejoice forevermore! Even better things are coming!