The belief that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man is called the
Hypostatic Union.
Here's a breakdown of what that means:
* Fully God: Jesus possesses all the attributes of God. He is eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and possesses the divine nature.
* Fully Man: Jesus took on a complete human nature. He experienced human emotions, hunger, thirst, pain, and eventually death. He was born of a woman, lived a human life, and had a physical body.
* One Person: These two natures, divine and human, are united in the single person of Jesus Christ. He is not part God and part man, nor is he a combination of the two natures, but rather the two natures exist distinctly and perfectly within one unified person.
* Hypostasis: This is a theological term that refers to the individual reality or subsistence of a person. In the case of Jesus Christ, it means that there is one "who" (person) who exists in two "whats" (natures).
The doctrine of the Hypostatic Union is central to Christian theology and is considered essential for understanding the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is rooted in Scripture, particularly passages like John 1:1, 1:14, Philippians 2:5-11, and Colossians 2:9.
It is a complex and often debated doctrine, and different Christian traditions may emphasize certain aspects of it. However, the core belief that Jesus is both fully God and fully man in one person remains a foundational tenet of Christian faith.