100 BIBLE LESSONS - ALBAN DOUGLAS - LESSON # 8 - VIRGIN BIRTH OF CHRIST

                                         100 BIBLE LESSONS - ALBAN DOUGLAS
                                          LESSON # 8 - VIRGIN BIRTH OF CHRIST


                                                INTRODUCTION

     Jesus did not have a human father for the Holy Spirit was His Father. Mary was the mother but did not pass on a sin nature to the baby Jesus.


                              I - THE VIRGIN BIRTH FORETOLD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

     Genesis 3:15 was the first promise of the Redeemer given to man after his fall into sin.
2 Samuel 7:8-16, the Savior to be born of the family of David; to be a "son of David."
Isaiah 7:14, the actual prophecy, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His Name Immanuel." This is repeated in Matthew 1:23.


                             II - THE HISTORIC FULFILLMENT OF THIS PROPHECY

     Matthew 1:18-25 records the story as does Luke 2:4-7.
Mary was engaged to Joseph but they were not married yet. Christ was born of a virgin but a betrothed virgin so that she could be married to protect her good name. Mary's conception was definitely from the Holy Spirit and not from her fiance Joseph or any other man whatsoever. God guarantees this to give us a perfect Savior. Matthew 1:25 tells us that though Joseph and Mary were married, they never lived together as husband and wife until after the birth of the Savior.


                            III -  THE VIRGIN BIRTH IS TAUGHT IN SCRIPTURES

     Isaiah prophesied of the Savior's birth 740 years before it actually happened. Matthew explicitly states that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Matthew 1: 18, 20, 23.  Luke carefully explains the unusual conception in Luke 1: 27, 31, 34, 35.
Luke 1:34, Mary asks the sensible question of the angel, How can I have a child when I am not married and inferred that she was a pure virgin abhorring immorality.
Luke 1:35, the angel carefully explained that the Holy Spirit would be the Father.


                           IV -  THE PURPOSE OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH

1. TO REVEAL GOD: John 1:18, Jesus came to declare and reveal the Father to humanity.
2. TO BRIDGE THE CHASM BETWEEN GOD AND MAN: 1 Timothy 2:5,"For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus."
3. TO SAVE MEN: Hebrews 2: 14, 16, this was the basic purpose that brought Christ to earth.
4. TO RESCUE THE WHOLE CREATION: Romans 8 :19-23, "We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now...waiting for ...redemption..."


                         V -  THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH

     Modernists and liberals attack this doctrine today as they attack the doctrines of the total depravity of man, the deity of Christ and the inspiration of the Scriptures. If man is totally depraved the he needs a Savior to redeem him. Jesus Christ is the only possible Savior of the world. The only way that Jesus could become a man without a sin nature is by the virgin birth.

1. IT IS UNDENIABLE TRUTH. It is definitely taught in the Bible.
2. IT IS UNCHANGEABLE TRUTH. This doctrine stands with the Scriptures and does not change with the changing times, thoughts and theories of mankind. Hebrews 13:8.
3. IT IS URGENT TRUTH. This doctrine is essential to the plan of salvation. Without a virgin-born Savior, the salvation of one soul is utterly impossible.
4. IT IS INDISCERNIBLE TRUTH. It is a mystery hidden in God. There is a sense in which all life and birth is a mystery.
5. IT IS UNCONDITIONAL TRUTH. I believe that this truth must be accepted as supreme.
6. IT IS USEFUL TRUTH FOR THE ALMIGHTY GOD HAS NOW ENTERED THE WORLD AS A MAN- but a sinless man, a man without a sin nature, a man who can save others. "Emmanuel" means God with us.
7. IT IS UNAVOIDABLE TRUTH for we face it yearly as we hear the Christmas story.


                            VI -  THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH

     Jesus Christ was not a phantom. He was a real human being, truly man, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. Philippians 2:7, He has become our "elder brother."Jesus Christ was also God and remained God because of the Holy Spirit conception. Jesus Christ was sinless because He was virgin-born without inheriting a fallen sinful, corrupt human nature. He was without original sin.


                           VII -  OBJECTIONS TO THIS DOCTRINE
1. IT IS ONLY FOUND IN A FEW PLACES IN SCRIPTURE. One Scripture is sufficient but it is confirmed by Isaiah, Matthew and Luke, three inspired writers.
2. JESUS DID NOT PERSONALLY CLAIM TO BE VIRGIN-BORN. He infers it in John 6:51.
3. SCIENTISTS DO NOT ACCEPT IT FOR IT IS NOT BIOLOGICALLY TRUE. Jesus did not come by natural conception but by a miracle conception.
4. OTHERS REJECT IT BECAUSE IT IS MIRACULOUS.  All life is a miracle, wonderful, mysterious'
5. LIBERAL THEOLOGIANS DO NOT ACCEPT THE DOCTRINE.  That does not alter the fact that it is true, for it is taught in the Holy Scriptures in prophecy and history.


                                         CONCLUSION

     Make much of Christmas to teach this wonderful truth to our children and students. Let us thank God that He found a way to bring the Savior into the world without the taint of original sin.




                   SOURCED FROM 100 BIBLE LESSONS by ALBAN DOUGLAS