~
When I was a young guy coming of age, it occurred to me that it would be
the cat's meow if I were as naturally pleasing to God as His son Jesus always
is, because then it would be very easy to attain to Heaven, and to stay in
Heaven, without fear of being kicked out:
"He that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I do
always those things that please Him." (John 8:29)
I was very surprised, and excited, upon discovering that something very
similar to the very thing I wished for is contained in a promise that God
made to Moses' people.
● Ezek 36:24-27 . . I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you
home again to your land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you
will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship
idols. And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will
put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a
new, obedient heart. And I will put My spirit in you so you will obey My laws
and do whatever I command. (cf. Jer 31:31-33)
That benefit was originally intended for the Jews but anon became available
to Gentiles too.
● Isa 49:5-6 . . And now The Lord says-- he who formed me in the womb to
be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I
am honored in the eyes of The Lord and my God has been my strength --He
says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of
Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light
for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
(cf. Eph 2:11-19)
And sure enough, the benefit is reiterated in the New Testament per 2Pet
1:3-4 which says:
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness
through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.
Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that
through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the
corruption that's in the world."
I should think it goes without saying that the divine nature would be a whole
lots more successful at producing an acceptable level of piety than the
human nature could ever hope for because even at its best the human
nature is corrupt; which is translated from a Greek word basically pertaining
to damaged goods, i.e. broken.
_