Living in God’s Divine Nature #1 — Add to Your Faith Virtue

Living in God’s divine nature means leaving the earth-cursed way of thinking you were born into and taking on the nature God gives you in Christ. In this message, Pastor Paul Hohman teaches from 2 Peter 1:1–11 that God’s divine power has already given us everything for life and godliness, and that we take hold of it with diligence: adding to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control and more. His surprising key is the word virtue itself, which he shows is the same word Jesus used when healing power went out of Him.

Below you will find the full video, a structured summary of the sermon, the Scripture behind each point (linked to the New King James Version on Bible Gateway), a timestamped outline, and practical steps for walking in the divine nature this week.

Sermon at a Glance

This message was preached at NTC Ministries and posted in January 2023. Pastor Paul Hohman, son of senior pastor Dr. William P. Hohman, opens with a simple contrast: we are born into an earth-cursed system, but when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we come out of that nature and into the divine nature God gives His family.

He is not there to beat anyone over the head with a heavy Bible, he says; the word is for him too. His goal is to show what changes when a believer applies 2 Peter 1 at home, at work and in the community.

From Earth-Cursed Living to the Divine Nature

Pastor Paul starts with salvation. Becoming a Christian begins with a prayer: if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, you will be saved (Romans 10:9–10). We ask the Father to forgive and cleanse us, and we are made the righteousness of God through Jesus, not by our works or special words. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The problem is that we still live surrounded by the old system. Anyone who watches the news for five seconds hears fear and negativity, the enemy’s tactics to hold us back from our true potential. So the divine nature calls for discipline. If the old way was not good enough and we needed Jesus to save us, doing the same things and expecting different results makes no sense.

God has given us His Word to study and apply. We are to be diligent to present ourselves approved to God, workers who do not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Pastor Paul hears that as applying the Word to his own life and seeing results.

The earth-cursed system says nothing is good enough: how will I make these payments, what if I get this disease? Instead we dwell on God’s faithfulness. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised (Psalm 48:1). By my God I can run against a troop and leap over a wall (Psalm 18:29). He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Reading it is great, he says, but you have to believe it and apply it.

What you put in is what comes out, which is why he recalls hearing “garbage in, garbage out” as a youth. He also quotes his father, Dr. Hohman: “change is not change until there’s change.” Wanting change is not enough; you have to choose it.

Grace and Peace Multiplied: The Apostles’ New Nature

The text is 2 Peter 1:1–11. Peter writes “to those who have obtained like precious faith with us,” which Pastor Paul says includes every believer today. The word is not only for the people standing next to Peter; we all go through the same things, and we all take on the same new nature.

In verse 2 Peter prays, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Pastor Paul notes that the apostles always wrote to bless people, wanting to see them increase and enjoy God’s unmerited favor. That was their heart because they had taken on the nature of Jesus, so our nature should be to see others blessed and helped too.

He brings it home to life in the north woods in winter. How many times have we driven past someone stuck in the ditch with a tow rope in the truck? Jesus healed all who were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38) and did not take a day off. Aren’t you glad He did not skip the day you received Him?

The disciples were not that way at first, but they spent time with Jesus and watched compassion pour out of Him. Pastor Paul compares it to children who come home with habits picked up from friends: we take on the nature of those we spend time with. So, building on the teaching on worship Dr. Hohman had been giving, he urges the church to give the Father the time He deserves. Every joint supplies something to the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:16), and every part is to do what God has called it to do.

His Divine Power Has Given Us All Things

Verses 3 and 4 say His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, and through His exceedingly great and precious promises we may be partakers of the divine nature. Pastor Paul stresses that it is His power, not ours. It does not matter, he says, that his name is Paul Hohman, or whether you are male or female, where you work or what side of the tracks you grew up on.

God’s power provides everything we need for a godly life through our relationship with Jesus. That means reading His Word every day and praying, not only asking for things but thanking Him for who He is and that your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Pastor Paul prays to know the width, length, depth and height of His love (Ephesians 3:18), and to see God not only show up in his life but show off, because He is a miracle-working God, not an idol on a shelf.

That relationship changes how we see difficult people. We have need of everybody, he says, so he asks to see them through Jesus’ eyes of compassion: not to judge, just to love. Some people stay stuck in hoping something might happen. In the divine nature you move past hoping to knowing, because God sets captives free, opens blind eyes and makes the lame walk.

The same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead dwells in you and will give life to your mortal body (Romans 8:11). What a lowly existence, he says, to wake up just trying to get by. Devotion to Jesus supplies what we need for godliness, and strong devotion comes from an unwavering commitment to His Word. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

He believes Christ is returning for a glorious church without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27). So come out from among them and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:17). Arise and shine, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon you (Isaiah 60:1). Be the salt and the light (Matthew 5:13–14), so people see Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Living by Faith, Not Feelings

God’s Word is every Christian’s source for how to think. When doubt and unbelief come, we cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). The Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). Pastor Paul says he is who he is today because he applied the Word, and like Paul he can say, imitate me, just as I imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

A relationship with Jesus takes more than knowledge, but knowledge matters when trouble comes. He points to Psalm 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. He admits he needs help a lot, and that verse reminds him he can run to God and be safe.

Peter says we escape the corruption in the world through lust. Pastor Paul sees it everywhere: people living by feelings rather than faith. But the just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17), and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). The thought that something must be fine because it feels right has led many lives into ruin, he warns.

When we accepted Christ, we died with Him and are no longer our own. Even Jesus was tempted after forty days of fasting, when Satan suggested He turn stones into bread. Jesus answered that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

If you have been coming to church without truly giving your life to Christ, Pastor Paul says, God wants a great change in you. Do not settle for mediocre living. God chose you for such a time as this (Esther 4:14), so reject the lies that say you are inadequate because of how you look or how you grew up. In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).

Add to Your Faith Virtue: The Power Jesus Felt Leave Him

Verse 5 says, “giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue.” Diligence, Pastor Paul explains, means doing things with excellence, giving a hundred percent, working heartily as to the Lord and not to men (Colossians 3:23). Rest and vacations have their place, but halfway effort is no longer our nature. We are soldiers in the army of God who run and do not grow weary, walk and do not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

So we should live with high expectation of what God will do at work. Even when fear grips people through disease and wars, he chooses God’s goodness, because God so loved the world (John 3:16). God has given each of us a measure of faith (Romans 12:3); our part is to receive it, apply it and add to it.

Usually virtue means moral excellence, integrity and honesty. But Pastor Paul opens Luke 8:43–48. A woman who had bled for twelve years and spent everything on physicians pressed through the crowd and touched the border of Jesus’ garment. In the King James wording he reads, Jesus said somebody had touched Him, for He perceived that virtue had gone out of Him. That word virtue, he notes, is rendered power in other translations: healing power flowed out of Jesus into a person ready to receive.

So adding virtue to faith means more than good behavior. It is the divine power that allows the miraculous to flow, the power by which believers lay hands on the sick and see them recover. He wants it in his own life, and says rivers of living water flow from those who believe (John 7:38). When that power flows in you, fear and anxiety cannot get in.

He then reads Proverbs 31:10–31, the virtuous woman, and applies it to everyone. The table below follows the picture of virtue he draws from it.

That is why the church motto is “I serve.” Jesus lived with determination, passion and concern for others. Many people commit to a step of faith and lose interest when they see the work involved. If God tells you to do something, Pastor Paul says, do it with all your might. Take on His nature, and he guarantees it will change your life, your thinking, your workplace and your relationships.

Eyes Opened to the Exceeding Greatness of His Power

Pastor Paul says he still prays daily for God to open his eyes, because his old nature keeps trying to take over. In this world we will have trouble, but Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). He asks to know the Shepherd’s voice and not follow a stranger’s (John 10:5). If a thought does not line up with the Word, it is not God. Without His nature, life is a roller coaster of ups and downs; with it, he is “steady Eddie.”

God will not tell you how bad you are. He says you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), the very hairs of your head are numbered, you are loved, and you were empowered for such a time as this. Rise up, son and daughter, and do not let mediocrity have any place.

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:15–21 asks for the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that the eyes of our understanding are enlightened to know the exceeding greatness of His power, the power that raised Christ. Revelation sometimes takes hearing the same truth a dozen times before it clicks. Romans 6:6–11 adds that we were crucified with Him, so we reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. Do not compromise; sin only weighs you down.

Returning to 2 Peter 1:5–11, he reads the full list: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. If these abound, you will not be barren or unfruitful. Be diligent to make your call and election sure, and you will never stumble.

This is for now, not only for heaven. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20–21), what his father calls a “triple super superlative.” We are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood, called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Living in the Divine Nature This Week

Pastor Paul closed by praying for fresh revelation, eyes to see as Jesus saw, and ears closed to the voice of the stranger. Practical steps drawn from the message:

• Choose to change. Name one habit from your old nature and decide what you will do differently.
• Guard what goes in. Cut down on the news and feeds that feed fear, and add daily time in the Word.
• Spend time with Jesus. Pray to thank Him for who He is, not only to ask for things.
• Bless someone in a ditch. Look for a practical way to help someone stuck this week.
• Work with excellence. Do your job diligently, as to the Lord, expecting Him to move at work.
• Check thoughts against the Word. If a thought contradicts Scripture, refuse it the time of day.

Timestamped Outline

• 0:00 Out of the earth-cursed system into the divine nature
• 0:54 A brand-new creation in Christ
• 1:54 Discipline and studying the Word
• 2:48 Introducing 2 Peter 1:1–11
• 3:42 Garbage in, garbage out
• 4:41 “Change is not change until there’s change”
• 5:38 Reading 2 Peter 1:1–11
• 7:52 Grace and peace multiplied
• 8:46 Helping the one stuck in the ditch
• 10:53 We take on the nature of those we spend time with
• 11:52 His divine power has given us all things
• 14:02 From hoping to knowing
• 16:21 Devotion and the glorious church
• 18:49 Psalm 46: a very present help
• 19:45 Living by faith, not feelings
• 22:12 Chosen for such a time as this
• 23:27 Verse 5: giving all diligence
• 26:45 What virtue usually means
• 27:58 The woman with the issue of blood
• 29:58 Virtue means power
• 32:13 Proverbs 31: the virtuous woman
• 35:11 “I serve” and doing it with all your might
• 36:20 Lord, open my eyes
• 39:42 Ephesians 1: the spirit of wisdom and revelation
• 41:54 Romans 6: dead to sin
• 44:56 Finishing 2 Peter 1:5–11
• 46:14 Ephesians 3:20–21 and 1 Peter 2:9
• 47:27 Closing prayer

Divine Nature Series

This is the first of two messages on this theme at NTC Ministries. Continue with the next message:

• You are here: Living in God’s Divine Nature #1 — Add to Your Faith Virtue
• Next: Living in God’s Divine Nature #2 — Evil Company Corrupts Good Habits

Frequently Asked Questions

Does living in the divine nature mean never resting?

No. Pastor Paul says plainly that there is a time for rest, relaxation, vacations and rejuvenation. What he rejects is a mediocre, halfway attitude toward whatever God has given you to do. Diligence means doing things with excellence and giving your best, the way a soldier on the front lines would want the person beside him to stay at his post rather than take time off in the middle of the battle.

How can I tell whether a thought is from God?

Pastor Paul’s test is the Word. The more you know how God talks and what He says, the easier it is to recognize His voice. If a thought does not line up with Scripture, it is not Him, however strongly you feel it. He also notes that God will not tell you how bad you are; He tells you that you are loved, fearfully and wonderfully made and empowered by His Spirit.

What does “partakers of the divine nature” mean in practice?

As Pastor Paul teaches it, you share God’s nature by spending time with Him, the way children take on the habits of the friends they are with. In practice that looks like compassion for people, blessing others, refusing thoughts that contradict Scripture, expecting God to move and letting His power flow through you to the sick and needy. It is God’s power, not self-improvement.

Scripture References

All passages open in the New King James Version on Bible Gateway:

• 2 Peter 1:1–11 — partakers of the divine nature
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 — a new creation
• Luke 8:43–48 — virtue went out of Him
• Proverbs 31:10–31 — the virtuous woman
• Ephesians 1:15–21 — the exceeding greatness of His power
• Romans 6:6–11 — dead to sin, alive to God
• Ephesians 3:20–21 — exceedingly abundantly above all
• 1 Peter 2:9 — a chosen generation
• 1 John 4:4 — greater is He that is in you

How this summary was made: written with AI assistance from the sermon’s own transcript and checked against the Scriptures listed above.

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