Following, then, the holy fathers, we unite in teaching all men
to confess the one and only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
This
selfsame one is perfect both in deity and in humanness; this selfsame
one is also actually God and actually man, with a rational soul (meaning
human soul) and a body. He is of the same reality as God as far as
his deity is concerned and of the same reality as we ourselves as far as
his humanness is concerned; thus like us in all respects, sin only
excepted. Before time began he was begotten of the Father, in respect
of his deity, and now in these "last days," for us and behalf of our
salvation, this selfsame one was born of Mary the virgin, who is
God-bearer in respect of his humanness.
We
also teach that we apprehend this one and only Christ-Son, Lord,
only-begotten -- in two natures; and we do this without confusing the
two natures, without transmuting one nature into the other, without
dividing them into two separate categories, without contrasting them
according to area or function. The distinctiveness of each nature is not
nullified by the union. Instead, the "properties" of each nature are
conserved and both natures concur in one "person" and in one reality (hypostasis).
They are not divided or cut into two persons, but are together the one
and only and only-begotten Word <Logos> of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thus
have the prophets of old testified; thus the Lord Jesus Christ himself
taught us; thus the Symbol of Fathers (the Nicene Creed)
has handed down to us.
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