CHRIST'S
TWO NATURES

Tom Elseroad
1990

Errors Concerning Christ's 2 Natures

S

Error Name

Belief

Denial

Biblical Refutation
B= Belief refuted
D= Denial refuted

Arianism

1. God beget or created Christ

1. The Divine nature
2. Christ's preexistence (i.e., before the incarnation)

D1 Co.1:29 "In him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily."

D2 Jn.8:58 "Before Abraham was I am."

Unitarianism

1. The trinity, thus
2. The deity of Christ

D1 (See Mt.28:19; Jn.15:26; Ac.2:33; 20:28; 1Co.12:4-6; 2Co.13:14; 1Pe.1:2; 3:18; etc.

D2 (See Co.2:9; Ph.2:6; Jn.1:1, 14; 18:4-6; etc.

Corinthians

1. Christ's deity until His baptism

D1 Jn.8:58 "Before Abraham was, I am."

Ebionitism

1. Christ had a relationship with God after His baptism

1. Christ's deity

B1, D1 Lk1:47 "My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior" (Mary recognized Christ as God before His baptism).

B1 Lk.1:35 "That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Christ was called "the son of God" before His baptism).

Nestorianism

1. The 2 natures of Christ are 2 persons (i.e., God dwelt in the man Jesus Christ)

1. Christ as God (because God merely dwelt in Christ)

B1, D1 The Father truly was in Christ (Jn.10:37-38; 12:45; 14:8-10) but Christ was a distinct and separate Person from the Father. Christ, as a person always was fully God (Co.1:29;Ph.2:6; Jn.8:58; Is.9:6; Mi.5:2; etc.

S

Christian
Science

1. The humanity of Christ

D1 1Jn.4:1-3 v.3 "Every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist"

Docetism
(2^nd Cen.)

1. Christ possessing a human body (i.e., Christ's humanity)

B1, D1 1Jn.4:1-3 v.3 "Every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist"

Apollinarianism

1. Christ possesses an incomplete human body (i.e., sin is sown in the soul of mankind --God has no sin --Christ had no soul --thus had an incomplete human body

B1 Christ was 100% man (He.2:14; 16-17, etc.)

S

Eutychianism

1. The 2 natures made 1 new nature

B1 Christ is unique having both a divine and a human nature, but He was 100% God (Co.2:9; Ph.2:6; Jn.10:30; 18:4-6; 1:1, 14) and 100% man (He.2:14, 16, 17; etc.)

Monothelitism

1. Christ had 2 natures but only 1 will

Millennial
Dawnism

1. The personal existence of Jesus Christ

D1 This position would deny the scriptures altogether. The purpose of this work is to demonstrate what the scriptures teach, not whether the scriptures are God's Word or not. The whole theme, and necessity of scripture, is that Jesus Christ existed, died, and rose from the grave for the sins of the world.

Christ is 100% God and 100% man at the same time. The fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him. He is God. Jesus Christ was fully man. He has a body, soul, and spirit.