Do We Have Two Natures?

Ephesians 4:22-24 NLT

throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. [23] Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. [24] Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy.

The good dog and bad dog theory still exist among many Christians. They believe there is a civil war inside of them.It is a civil war between the good self and the bad self or the old nature(identity) and the new nature(identity).They believe that what they feed the most determines their true identity.

This idea seems to be a big obstacle and contradiction to the biblical idea of our true identity. What then is our true identity then according to the bible?

John 3:3 NLT

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."

Our true identity is that we are born-again believers who had been crucified with Christ.We too had been buried together with Him.That old self has gone. However, as real as the old self has died, the new self has been a New Creation when Christ rose from the dead.

Romans 6:8 NASB95

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

Some believers are pursauded of the 2 dog theory because of reading this portion of Ephesians out on context.

Ephesians 4:22-24 NLT

throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. [23] Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. [24] Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy.

Definitely this portion of Ephesians are pertaining to the old behavior before salvation. It was not about 2 selves or 2 nature or 2 identity. As believers we are New Creations.