Divine Life

Ye are gods.

-John 10:34

As He is, so are we.

-1 John 4:17

Definitions:

  1.    In one sense the term, Divine life, is equivalent to the terms, eternal life, everlasting life, and to live forever.  Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 3:36) and receive Him  (1John 5:12) have everlasting life.  However, the term as being used by some really refers to the development of the spiritual life of a person, being made like Him.
  2. “Ye are gods”  (small “g”) (John 10:34).  This was spoken by Jesus to those who were about to stone Him.  It therefore applies to unbelievers as well as to believers.  To believers it has a great significance.  In general, it signifies God’s estimate of the race He created.
  3. “As he is, so are we” (1John 4:17).  This applies only to the believers.  In what sense are we as He is?  What is the scope of this passage?

What is man?

     And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life’ and man became a living soul.

-Genesis 2:7

    Saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

-Zechariah 12:1

Of what substance was the spirit of man formed?  I was formed of the same substance of which angels are made.  It is a spirit and it is a heavenly substance (Hebrews 1:14).  So man is a spirit, soul, and body.  (See 1 Thessalonians 5:23.)

Since man is spirit, soul, and body does each have its own will and mind?

Does the soul of man have its own will and mind?

Des the physical body of man have its own will and mind?

Plainly, the answer is no.  Man is a unit with his spirit, soul, and body under the control of a single will and mind,

Was man’s spirit involved in the fall?

The whole man rebelled as a unit.  It is shown in 2 Corinthians 7:1,

Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

It is further shown in Proverbs 16:32,

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

The spirit and soul, the inner man, is the real you.  Proverbs 16:32 speaks of self-control.  Salvation, in the vastness of its scope, involves the whole man as a unit.

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”

(John 10:34)  He was quoting from Psalm 82:6.  Why is such a statement made in the Word of God?  For one thing, it shows God’s true estimate of the race He created and still loves.  For another thing, God created man a little lower than himself but far above the animals.

“Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels “ (Psalm 8:5).  The word “angels” is translated from the Hebrew word Elohiym, which is one of the prevalent names of God in the Old Testament.  That is why the Creator[manuscript ends here].