Human nature

Human nature is created by God

God created humanity

Ex 4:11; Is 45:12

See also Ge 1:26–27; Ps 95:6; Ps 100:3; Pr 22:2; Je 27:5

God created human beings as male and female

Ge 1:27; Ge 5:2

See also Mk 10:6

God created human beings in his image and likeness

Colossians 3:9–10 NASB95

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—

See also Ge 1:26–27; Ge 5:1; Ge 9:6; Jas 3:9

Human nature is created inferior to God himself

Psalm 8:3–5 NASB95

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty!

See also Nu 23:19; Ps 144:3; Ho 11:9

Human nature is given life by the Spirit of God

Genesis 2:7 NASB95

Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

See also Job 12:10; Job 27:3; Is 42:5; Is 57:16; Je 38:16

Human beings are dependent upon God

Jeremiah 10:23 NASB95

I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.

See also 2 Ch 20:12; Ps 16:2; Mt 4:4; 2 Co 3:5

Human beings have freedom to choose between good and evil

Deuteronomy 11:26–28 NASB95

“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.

See also Dt 30:15–16; Dt 30:19; Jos 24:15; 1 Ch 28:9; Je 26:3; Eze 18:21–23

The components of human nature

The soul

Ps 116:7 The Hebrew and Greek words for “soul” are translated in various ways by the NIV, including “breath” and “life”. It refers chiefly to the principle of life.

See also Mk 8:35–37; Lk 1:46; 1 Pe 1:9; 1 Pe 2:11

The spirit

Jas 2:26 The Hebrew and Greek words for “spirit” are translated in various ways by the NIV, including “breath”, “heart” and “mind”. It often refers to the identity-giving aspect of human nature.

See also Job 34:14; Ps 77:3; Ps 142:3; Mt 26:41; Lk 8:55; Ac 7:59; Ro 8:16; Heb 4:12

The flesh

Je 17:5 The Hebrew and Greek words for “flesh” are translated in various ways by the NIV, including “body”, “flesh” and “human nature”. The term can refer specifically to the frailty of human nature or to human nature in opposition to God.

See also Ge 6:3; Job 10:4; Ps 78:39; Mt 26:41; Php 3:3–5

Human nature became corrupted by sin

Sin has its origins in the disobedience of Adam and Eve

Ge 2:16; Ge 3:1–6; Ro 5:12–19; 2 Co 11:3; 1 Ti 2:14; Jas 1:13–15

Sin affects human nature universally

Isaiah 64:6 NASB95

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

See also Job 25:4; Je 17:9; Jn 3:19; Ro 3:23

Human nature is trapped in its sinful condition

Romans 7:24 NASB95

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

See also Ge 6:5; Jn 8:34–36; Ro 6:16–17; Ro 7:5; Eph 2:3; 2 Pe 2:18–19

Sin hardens human nature

1 Samuel 6:6 NASB95

“Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had severely dealt with them, did they not allow the people to go, and they departed?

See also Ex 8:15; Ex 8:32; Ps 95:8; Pr 28:14; Heb 3:8; Heb 3:15; Heb 4:7

Human nature is mortal on account of sin

Ro 5:12; Ro 8:10

See also Ge 6:5–7; Job 14:1–5; 1 Co 15:22; 2 Co 5:1; 2 Ti 1:10

Human nature can be redeemed through Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ took human nature upon himself

John 1:14 NASB95

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus Christ mediated between God and humanity in his human nature

1 Timothy 2:3–6 NASB95

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

See also Heb 8:6; Heb 9:15; 1 Jn 2:1

Jesus Christ makes possible the reversal of Adam’s disobedience

Romans 5:19 NASB95

For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

See also Ro 5:12–17

Jesus Christ makes possible a sharing in God’s nature

2 Peter 1:4 NASB95

For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.