Study Guide: The Two Natures of Christ
(Use this study guide for deeper study of sermon preached on June 1, 2025)
The word “doctrine” refers to the body of teachings or beliefs that are considered authoritative and foundational to the Christian faith. These teachings are based on the Bible and help guide the beliefs and practices of Christ followers. Doctrines are essential for maintaining the integrity of the Christian faith and they help to ensure unity among believers because they reflect the core truths of Christianity.
The doctrine of the dual nature of Christ, being both fully God and fully man, is foundational to our understanding of His role in salvation. As fully God, Jesus is eternal, unchanging, and omnipotent (all powerful). Yet He willingly took on human flesh to live among us. In John 1:14, it says, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." Jesus' divinity is the assurance that He is the perfect revelation of God and the one who has the power to redeem humanity. His divine nature ensures that His sacrifice on the cross is sufficient to atone for the sins of the world.
At the same time, Jesus' humanity is essential to His work of salvation. As a man, He fully understood the struggles and temptations that we face, which is why He is described in Hebrews 4:15 as "one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin." Jesus' perfect humanity makes Him the perfect representative and mediator between God and humanity. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He demonstrates how we can live in obedience to God and provides the perfect model for us to follow. Without His humanity, Christ could not have experienced the depths of human suffering, and His sacrifice would not have been fully representative of our condition.
The duality of Christ highlights the depth of God's love for humanity and His perfect plan for salvation. By being fully God and fully man, Jesus bridges the gap between us and the Father, making it possible for us to have eternal life. As Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus." His dual nature ensures that He is both a perfect sacrifice and a reliable advocate, showing us that we can approach God with confidence, knowing that Christ understands both our weaknesses and our need for redemption.
Study Outline
Take some time to look up and read these verses in your Bible, highlight, or spend time reflecting as you read.
1. Jesus Christ as Fully God
John 1:1-14 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
This passage highlights the divinity of Jesus (the Word) who existed from the beginning and was God. His incarnation shows His divinity merging with humanity.
Colossians 1:15-19 - “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation... For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.”
Here, Paul emphasizes that Jesus embodies the fullness of God, affirming His divinity.
John 10:30 - “I and the Father are one.”
This statement of Jesus confirms His divine nature and equality with God the Father.
Titus 2:13 - “We wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Jesus is directly referred to as both God and Savior.
Hebrews 1:3 - “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”
This speaks to the full divinity of Christ as the image of God, sustaining the universe by His will.
2. Jesus Christ as Fully Man
John 1:14 - “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
This verse highlights the humanity of Jesus, who took on human nature and lived among people.
Philippians 2:6-8 - “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”
Jesus willingly humbled Himself, becoming human and taking the form of a servant.
Luke 2:52 - “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”
This passage shows Jesus experiencing growth and development like any other human child.
Hebrews 4:15 - “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
This affirms that Jesus, in His humanity, experienced temptation and struggles but remained sinless.
Matthew 4:2 - “After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”
A simple but powerful reminder of Jesus’ physical humanity, experiencing hunger like all humans.
3. The Two Natures in Unity: The Hypostatic Union
The term “Hypostatic Union” refers to the theological concept that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, united in one person. This union is mysterious but fundamental to Christian understanding of who Jesus is.
Colossians 2:9 - “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”
This affirms the idea that the fullness of God (divinity) resides in the physical body of Jesus (humanity).
Romans 1:3-4 - “Regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This verse speaks to Jesus’ earthly lineage (humanity) and His resurrection (divinity).
John 14:9-11 - “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father... Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”
Here, Jesus explains His unity with the Father, affirming His divine nature while also being present physically in the world.
4. Why the Dual Nature Matters
Understanding that Jesus is both fully God and fully man is essential to the Christian faith because:
1. Atonement: Only a fully divine Jesus could provide the perfect sacrifice for sin, and only a fully human Jesus could represent humanity and take on human sin.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 - “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.”
2. Empathy and Intercession: Jesus, as fully human, can empathize with our struggles and temptations. As fully divine, He can intercede for us before God.
Hebrews 7:25 - “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
3. Salvation: Christ’s dual nature allows believers to experience the fullness of God’s salvation—eternal life through His death and resurrection.
John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
5. Practical Implications of Jesus’ Dual Nature
Relationship with God: Because Jesus is both God and man, He bridges the gap between humanity and God, making it possible for humans to have a personal relationship with the Creator.
Model for Christian Life: Jesus’ life serves as the perfect model of how to live as both a spiritual being and a human being. His balance of divinity and humanity shows how to navigate the struggles of life while remaining in communion with God.
Hope in Suffering: Because Jesus is fully human, He understands human suffering. He is not a distant, uninvolved deity but one who has experienced pain, loss, and difficulty. This offers hope to Christians in their own suffering.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
The following questions can be used for personal reflection, small group discussions, Bible studies, or for journaling.
Why is it important for Christians to believe that Jesus is equal to God the Father (John 10:30)?
In what ways does Jesus’ divinity impact His authority and ability to save humanity?
Why is it significant that Jesus experienced human emotions, physical needs, and temptations (Hebrews 4:15, Matthew 4:2)?
How does Jesus' human experience make Him more relatable to believers today?
Why is it difficult for some people to grasp the idea that Jesus is both fully God and fully man?
How would you explain the “Hypostatic Union” to someone who is unfamiliar with the concept?
How does Jesus’ ability to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25) affect the way we approach prayer and our relationship with God?
What would be the consequences if Jesus were only divine and not human? Or only human and not divine?
How can Jesus’ life serve as a model for how we live our daily lives?
How does the belief in Jesus’ dual nature strengthen our faith and deepen our worship?