Why the Virgin Birth Is Essential to Our Faith

The Christmas story is not just a sweet story about a little baby in a manger born in Bethlehem. For this baby grew up and was crucified because He claimed to be God. And He could make this claim truthfully because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin (see Matthew 1:18-23).

The virgin birth is miraculous, supernatural, and unique.

If this were not the case—if Jesus had not been God in flesh—His teachings would have been fraudulent, and the Bible, no more sacred than today's newspapers. If Jesus had not been the Son of God—the full expression of God the Father, born of a virgin and therefore untouched by original sin—then Calvary would have been for nothing, and we would truly be lost fools. This is why Jesus' virgin birth is essential to our faith.

The virgin birth is miraculous, supernatural, and unique. We must not dismiss it simply because it is impossible with man. If we dismiss the birth narratives of the New Testament, how can we trust the records of the resurrection? We must hold fast to Scripture and take God at His Word. He is, after all, Almighty God. But He also graciously gives us more evidence to consider in His Word.

CONSIDER THE EVIDENCE

Mary did not hide in shame. In Mary's community, the penalty for sex outside of marriage would have been stoning, ordered by the high priest according to Levitical law. But after the angel Gabriel visited her, Mary hurried to her cousin Elizabeth—running straight to the home of Zechariah, the high priest!
The Holy Spirit validated the virgin birth. At the temple, the Holy Spirit came upon Simeon, and he prophesied that this newborn baby with Mary and Joseph was the Son of God. Years later, at the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus as He was baptized, and a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). God does not make mistakes.
Mary did not recant as Jesus died on the cross. Because He claimed to be God, Mary saw her holy Son crucified. Yet Mary did not try to save Jesus by saying, "I lied; He wasn't virgin-born. We made that up to hide our sin." She refused to deny the miracle.

Sometimes Christians have said, "It doesn't matter whether you believe in the virgin birth or not." But it is absolutely essential. If Jesus were just another man, we could never be forgiven, have peace with God, nor claim victory over sin. But because Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, He is the God-man, mighty to save. His infinite, divine life sacrificed on the cross atones for the infinite debt of our sin and rebellion against God. His perfect, sinless life as a man who did not inherit original sin from Adam ransoms us from the punishment we deserve.

You see, as followers of Jesus Christ, we must live in the realm of the impossible; our very salvation rests in the supernatural. For, "What is impossible with man is possible with God" (Luke 18:27).

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