The God-Man—Two Natures, One Christ (Chapter 8, Paragraph 2)

“The Son of God, the second Person in the Holy Trinity…”

This paragraph begins with Christ’s divine identity. He is not a created being, nor a lesser deity. He is eternally God, the second Person of the triune God. John 1:1 affirms, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

“…being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father’s glory…”

Hebrews 1:3 calls Christ “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.” He shares the divine essence fully and eternally. He is not part-God or temporarily divine. He is, by nature, truly God.

“…of one substance and equal with Him who made the world…”

This statement affirms the Son’s full equality with the Father (cf. John 10:30; Phil. 2:6). He is of the same substance—the ancient phrase is homoousios, meaning “of one essence.” The Creator of the universe is none other than the Christ who walked the earth.

“…who upholdeth and governeth all things He hath made…”

Colossians 1:17 reminds us, “In Him all things hold together.” Even while He walked as a man, He remained the sustainer of all creation. This is a profound mystery: the One cradled in a manger held the cosmos together.

“…did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man’s nature…”

Galatians 4:4–5 declares, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman…” This is the incarnation—the eternal Son took on human nature. He did not cease to be God, but added humanity to His divinity.

“…with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin…”

Christ became truly human—not merely appearing as a man, but possessing a true body and a reasonable (rational) soul. He experienced hunger, fatigue, sorrow, and suffering. Hebrews 4:15 declares, “He was tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sin.” His humanity was full, but unfallen.

“…being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her…”

This emphasizes the miraculous nature of Christ’s conception. Luke 1:35 explains that the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, ensuring that Christ would be born holy. This virgin birth both fulfills prophecy (Isa. 7:14) and safeguards Christ’s sinlessness.

“…and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was made of a woman, of the tribe of Judah…”

These words root Christ’s incarnation in history and genealogy. He was born of Mary, descended from Judah, and fulfilled every Messianic requirement (cf. Gen. 49:10; Matt. 1:1–3). He is not a mythological figure but a real man from a real lineage.

“…of the seed of Abraham and David according to the Scriptures…”

Jesus is the promised offspring of Abraham (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:16) and the Son of David whose kingdom will never end (2 Sam. 7:12–14; Rom. 1:3). His coming is not incidental—it is the fulfillment of divine promise.

“…so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one Person…”

This is the heart of Christology: Jesus is one Person with two natures—fully divine and fully human. These natures are not blended or confused, but united without separation. This union is permanent and personal. It is what theologians call the hypostatic union.

“…without conversion, composition, or confusion…”

These three denials guard against ancient heresies:

• No conversion – His divine nature was not changed into human nature.

• No composition – He is not a mixture of God and man.

• No confusion – The two natures remain distinct.

“…which Person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.”

Jesus is not two persons, but one Person: Christ, the God-man. Only such a Mediator could reconcile God and sinners. He is sufficient, unique, and glorious.

Application for the Believer:

Worship the wonder of the incarnate Christ! In Him, God and man are united forever. A lofty angel or exalted man does not save you, but by the God-man, Jesus Christ. His full humanity means He sympathizes with your weakness; His full deity means He can conquer sin and death. Rest in the fact that your Mediator is both compassionate and omnipotent. When you pray, He understands. When you sin, He intercedes. When you despair, He reigns. Trust Him fully—He is not half-Savior but the complete Redeemer, the perfect Mediator, the eternal Christ.