God's Life vs. God's Nature

God's Life vs. God's Nature

1 John 5:11-12 "God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."

Revelation 22:1-2 regarding the tree of life and river of water of life

 

Aspect	God's Life	God's Nature
Meaning	God's eternal life, imparted to believers at the time of faith	God's being, including all His constituent elements and attributes
How Obtained	One-time: received at the moment of believing in the Lord	Continuous: obtained through constant enjoyment and experience
Temporal Quality	Once and for all	Continuous and ongoing, unto eternity
Examples	- Regeneration to become God's children - Receiving eternal life	- Continuously enjoying God's attributes like eating food - Tree of life and river of water of life
Manifestations	- Right to become God's children - Position as God's children	- Holiness, love, righteousness, kindness, purity and other divine attributes - These attributes become believers' virtues
Application	- Received by faith - Living by God's promises	- Daily enjoying God's nature - Experiencing God's attributes in various circumstances
Key Verses	- John 1:12-13 "But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God."	- 2 Peter 1:4 "Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature."
Relationship Between Both	1. Life is the foundation, nature is the expression 2. Having God's life enables enjoyment of God's nature 3. Life produces nature, nature expresses life 4. Mutually complementary: life enables participation in God's nature, nature brings full expression of God's life

 

Note: Although we are the same as God in life and nature, we do not possess deity and should not be worshipped as God. We are God's children but will never become objects of worship.

 

*Please refer to the 2024 Thanksgiving International Blending Conference for God’s Economy, Living the Christian Life and the Church Life under God’s Administration, Chapter 6 Participating in the Divine Nature and Developing the Divine Life and the Divine Nature , enter the eternal kingdom with abundance