Aug 15
15
Two natures in one person.
| The eternally begotten Son of God necessarily from eternity possesses the divine nature – that of His Father. When the Son of God in His incarnation became Son of Man, He received the human nature (but not its imputed sin). He did not cease to be the Son of God. Nor did He become devoid of the divine nature. Nor was the divine nature changed into the human nature. Rather, He remained one person but now had two natures: the divine nature as the Son of God, and the human nature as the Son of Man.
Likewise, naturally begotten sons of men necessarily from birth possess the human nature – that of their fathers. When sons of men in their regeneration become sons of God, they receive the divine nature (but not its essential deity). They do not cease to be sons of men. Nor do they become devoid of the human nature. Nor is the human nature changed into the divine nature. Rather, they remain one person but now have two natures: the human nature as sons of men, and the divine nature as sons of God. This is the state of all who have become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). They now have within their one person two natures: both “the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” and “the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22, 24). These two natures in man are in constant conflict with each other (Romans 7:15-25) – for the old nature can do nothing but sin, and the new nature can do nothing but righteousness. But the child of God delights in knowing that in the sight of God “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed [the divine nature] remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9). – Daniel E. Parks |