Our Journey to Bethlehem – Day 9 I Jesus came to make us Partakers of the Divine Nature

God’s plan was to make us partakers of the divine nature in Christ. “…by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” 2 Peter 1: 4. “The Word became flesh to make us ‘partakers of the divine nature.  ‘For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.’ (St. Irenaeus). ‘For the Son of God became man so that we might become Like God.’ (St. Athanasius).

To become partakers of the divine nature is to participate in His life, is to not be conformed to this world, but to be conformed to the image of His Son. Jesus wants us to receive the promise of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit so we can become partakers of His divine nature. Christ came in order that we might have “eternal life,” (Jn. 3: 16, 36) but ‘eternal life can be granted only to those who become partakers of the divine nature’ – THEOSIS.