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BBS To Robert - Partial Answer

Regrettably, I don't have Bible Scholar's original post and it is no longer available on the Trinity Board server.  I will attempt to reconstruct it from one of my responses, which I believe contained his comments in their entirety.

 

Hello, Robert :-)

 

ROBERT:  God's Nature is Unique

 

BBS:  I maintain that this is not the case. The term "divine nature" appears only once in the Bible, and in that instance it is used in reference to humans "partaking" of it.

The Greek word rendered "partakers" is "koinonos" - Strong's Greek#2844, which he defines as "a sharer, IE an associate". It is a form of "koinos" - Strong's#2839, which he defines as "shared by all or several". "Koinonos" is variously rendered in the KJV as "companion, partner, fellowship - as well as "partaker".

 

So in the only instance of the usage of the term "divine nature" in scripture, it is not characterized as being "unique to God" as you have suggested, but rather saved and resurrected (transformed) humans are said to be partners in it, associates in it, sharers of it, to hold it in common, companions or fellows in it - in short, to "partake" of it.

 

ROBERT:  Now, if God is a SINGLE personal entity (i.e., one of a kind), then logically His Nature must be unique to Him.  If so, the major premise is not in dispute.

BBS:  OK, that makes sense to me. I am sorry to say that, in all of this ensuing discussion, I have lost my grasp on your definition of "divine nature" and "nature". In light of the fact that saved humans will share in this nature, would you please give me a definition that I can consider?

:-) BBS

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