The Two Natures of Christ

At the heart of Christian confession stands a singular, glorious mystery: Jesus Christ is one person with two natures—fully God and fully man. He is not half of each, nor a blend of both, but truly God and truly man in one undivided person. This is the doctrine of the hypostatic union, and it is essential for the gospel to be true.

From eternity, the Son of God has existed in divine perfection—equal with the Father and the Spirit, possessing every divine attribute (Jn. 1:1; Col. 1:15–17). In the fullness of time, He took to Himself a true human nature, being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary (Jn. 1:14; Phil. 2:6–8). The divine did not absorb the human, nor did the human dilute the divine. Rather, Christ assumed humanity “without confusion, without change, without division, without separation,” as the Chalcedonian Definition rightly states. He is now—and forever—the God-man.

Each nature retains its properties. According to His divine nature, Jesus is omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal (Col. 2:9). According to His human nature, He grew, learned, suffered, and died (Lk. 2:52; Heb. 2:14). These are not contradictions but distinct expressions of the two natures acting through one person. The divine nature did not suffer or die, but the person of Christ did—through His humanity. This is how the infinite One could truly bleed.

This union is necessary for salvation. Only one who is truly God can bear the full weight of divine wrath and offer infinite righteousness. Only one who is truly man can stand in the place of sinners as a representative and substitute (Rom. 5:18–19; Heb. 2:17). If Christ lacked either nature, He could not reconcile God and man. If the natures were mixed or divided, He would be a different Christ altogether.

Some argue that Christ’s humanity requires the possibility of error. But error is not intrinsic to humanity; limitation is. Jesus, in His humanity, was limited in knowledge and strength—but never in holiness, truthfulness, or obedience. His sinlessness and perfect submission were not in spite of His humanity, but the very fulfillment of it (Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:22).

The doctrine of the two natures is the bedrock of our redemption. Only the God-man could stand in our place, bearing wrath and granting righteousness. Only the God-man could reconcile heaven and earth. Only the God-man could save—and He has.

Verses for Further Reflection

• John 1:14
• Philippians 2:5–11
• Hebrews 2:14–18
• Colossians 2:9
• Luke 1:35