Nature
Nature usually means the essential qualities or character that make something what it is. In theology it can refer to God’s nature, human nature, or, in Christology, the divine and human natures of Christ.
At a Glance
Nature usually means the essential qualities or character that make something what it is. In theology it can refer to God’s nature, human nature, or, in Christology, the divine and human natures of Christ.
Description
In theology, nature refers to the essential qualities or characteristics that belong to a being and explain what it is. The Bible does not always use the word in a technical sense, but the idea helps summarize biblical teaching about God, humanity, and Christ. Christians speak of God’s nature as holy, righteous, good, and unchanging; of human nature as created good in God’s image yet affected by sin after the fall; and of Jesus Christ as possessing both a full divine nature and a full human nature in one person. Because the term can be used in different ways across doctrines, a safe definition should stay general and let the surrounding context show whether the subject is God’s nature, human nature, sinful nature, or the two natures of Christ.