Jesus’ Virgin Birth
“…Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
Jesus’ virgin birth and Deity are fundamental Christian truths. If Jesus had been born of earthly parents, He would have been just a man, not the Son of God. Jesus was virgin-born, as Isaiah 7:14 clearly states. When Gabriel told Mary she would be the mother of Jesus, she even asked, “How shall this be, seeing I know not [in the sense of sexual relations] a man?” (Luke 1:34) Jesus’ conception was an act of God.
The term “Son of God” (capital S) in the Bible also refers only to Jesus. To say He is the Son of God is to say He is God Himself. Matthew 1:22-23 says, “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet [Isaiah], saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Jesus was and is that “Emmanuel.” He is literally God with us.
To say Jesus was anything less than God would mean His followers were idolaters. Matthew 14:33 says, “Then they [Jesus’ disciples] that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” To worship someone is to give him honor that rightly belongs to God alone. If Jesus were not God, the disciples committed idolatry by worshipping Him.
After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to his disciples. Thomas was not there. The others told him they had seen the Lord, but “doubting Thomas” did not believe them. The next time Jesus appeared to them and Thomas was there, he said to Jesus, “My Lord and God.” (John 20:28) If Jesus were not God, Thomas was committing idolatry by referring to Him that way.
If Jesus were not the virgin-born Son of God, many Scriptures also would not be true. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The term “the Word” (capital W) refers to Jesus. If He were not God, that Scripture would be untrue. 1 Timothy 3:16 would also be untrue, which says, “…God was manifest in the flesh,” 1 John 3:16 would likewise be untrue, which says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:”
2 Corinthians 5:21 would also be untrue, which says, “For he [God the Father] hath made him [God the Son, Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin;” If Jesus were not God, this Scripture would be untrue because Jesus would have known sin by personal experience. We would also have no hope for eternity.
To say that Jesus was less than God would also mean He was a blasphemer. The religious leaders had accused Him of blasphemy: “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” (John 5:18)
Yet Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30) If He were not God, He would have been a blasphemer, His death on the cross would have meant nothing, and we would have no eternal hope.
If Jesus were a sinner, He also would not have risen from the dead. A holy God would not raise a sinner and blasphemer from the dead. “But God raised him from the dead:” (Acts 13:30) Jesus appeared to His disciples after He arose, and “…he shewed unto them his hands and his side.” (John 20:20) They saw the wounds and knew it was He: “Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.” (John 20:20)
Christmas is a celebration of the birth of the One who would later die for our sins, be buried, and rise again. Please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?” to see how to have forgiveness of sins and eternal life by receiving the Lord Jesus as your personal Saviour.
Brian Miller 12/19/2024