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9DECEMBER2014BODYOFCHRISTNEWSBeholdthevirginshallbewithchildandbearaSonandtheyshallcallHisnameImmanuelwhichistranslatedGodwithus.Matthew123NKJVTheIncarnationofJesusChristthatisGodcomingtodwellamonghumankindinhumanfleshisbothamysteryandamiracle.IfwetrytoexplainHisvirginbirthweloseourreason.Ifwediscreditaltogetherthisini-tialmiracleofChristianityweloseoursoulfornoonecanclaimtobeaNewTestamentChristianwhoclaimsthatJesushadahumanfatheraswellasahumanmother.HeistheonlyBabetheworldhaseverknownwhodidnothaveafatheraftertheflesh.NexttothecrucifixionandresurrectionofChristperhapstheoneeventofhislifethathasreceivedthegreatestamountofattentionisthevirginbirth.Certainlynexttotheresurrectionitisthemostdebatedandcontroversial.Whatwearespeakingofhereisreallythevirginconception.BythiswemeanthatJesusconceptioninthewombofMarywasnottheresultofsexualrelationship.WhatwefindinMatthewandLukeisnotthestoryofsomesortofsacredmarriageoradivinebeingdescendingtoearthandintheguiseofmanmatingwithahumanwomanbutratherthestoryofamiraculousconceptionwithoutaidofanymandivineorotherwise.TheGospelstoryisratherhowMaryconceivedwithoutanyformofintercoursethroughtheagencyoftheHolySpirit.AlthoughwemaynotunderstandhowsuchathingmightoccurweaccepttheseasfactonthebasisoftheWordofGod.WhatisthesignificanceofthevirginbirthWhydidJesuschoosetobringJesusintotheworldthiswayWhydidGodsubjectMarytothisprecariouspositionJesusbirthwasrepresentativeofournewbirth.TheVirginBirthIsSignificantSimplyBecauseWeAreToldThatItOccurredThevirginbirthissignificantsimplybecausewearetoldthatitoccurred.IfwedonotholdtothevirginbirthdespitethefactthattheBibledeclaresitthenwecompromisetheauthorityoftheBibletheWordofGodandthereisinprinciplenoreasonwhyweshouldholdtoitsotherteachings.Ifwedontbelieveinthevirginbirthwecannotevenbegintounderstandandbelievethespiritualideaofbeingborn-againofbeingnewcreaturesinChristJesusofputtingofftheold-manandputtingonthenew.IfGodisnotpowerfulenoughtocauseavirginconcep-tionandvirginbirthhowcanheenterandchangeyourlifeTheVirginBirthWasNotEssentialToTheSinlessnessOfJesusAlthoughtherearemanythoughtsonJesusbeingbornsinlessmostwillagreethatinorderforJesustobebornsinlesshecouldnotbeborntheresultofnormalhumanreproductivesexualactivity.ThatistosayifJesushadbeenborntheresultofJosephandMarysreproductiveactivitythesinnatureofhumanitywouldhavebeenmanifestedinhim.ThatJosephwasnotincludedintheprocessofJesusconceptioncouldseemtosuggestthatwetoowouldbesinlessifwedidnothaveamaleparent.Andthisinturnwouldmeanoneoftwothingseither1thefathernotthemotheristhesourceofsinanotionwhichineffectimpliesthatwomendonothaveasinfulnatureoriftheydotheydonottransmititor2asinfulnaturecomesnotfromthenatureofourparentsbutfromthesexualactbywhichreproductiontakesplace.Butthereisnoth-inginScripturetosupportthelatteralternative.Hebrews134MarriageishonourableinallandthebedundefiledbutwhoremongersandadulterersGodwilljudge.Weareleftthenwiththeformeralternativenamelythatthetransmissionofsinisrelatedtothefather.Butthisdoesnothaveanyscripturalgroundingeither.Therearenosignsofgreatersin-fulnessamongmenthanamongwomen.Romans323tellsusForallhavesinnedandcomeshortofthegloryofGod.TheproblemofasinnaturewasnotjustwithJosephbutMaryalso.InthebookofJobJobasksthequestionHowcanhebecleanthatisbornofawomanChristwasbornofawomanGalatians44andofawomanborninsinandshapenininiquitylikeanyotherwoman.Sothisisnotavalidargument.IfJesushadpossessedboththatwhichthemothercontributesandwhatthefathercontributeshewouldhavehadadepravedandhencesinfulnatureliketherestofus.IfallthatbetruethequestionarisesIfallthehumanraceistaintedbytheoriginalsinwouldnotMaryhavecontributedsomeofitsconsequencestoJesusHowthencouldJesusbebornsinlessAswehavealreadyindicatedwecannotaccountforthesinlessnessofJesusifwerejectHisbirththroughavirginbytheHolySpirit.AsMarywastrulyHismotheranadditionalmiraclemusthavebeennecessarytopreventthetransmissionofthetaintthroughherandthissubsidiarymiracletookplacewithinherwomb.Inthemomentofconcep-tionitseemslikelythattheinfluenceoftheHolySpiritwassopowerfulandsanctifyinginhiseffectthattherewasspecialsanctifyinginfluence.TheHolySpiritlaidholdofthatpartoftheVirginsfleshoutofthebodyofJesuswastobeformedandpuri-fieditmakingpossiblethefulfillmentofGabrielsreferencetothatHolyThingthatshallbebornoftheeLuke135.ItwouldseemthatMarywasnothingmorethanvesselthathadbeenpurifiedbythepresenceandpoweroftheHolySpiritinwhichtheincorruptibleseedofGodwasplaced.NowiftheHolySpiritpreventedcorruptionfrombeingpassedfromMarytoJesusifhesanctifiedtheirfleshcouldhenothavepreventeditfrombeingpassedonbyJosephaswellOnthatbasisweconcludethatJesussinlessnesswasaidedbutnotentirelynotdependentuponthevirginconception.Godcouldhavedoneitinadifferentway.InthemomentofconceptiontheHolySpirittookdeityandhumanityandfusingthemtogethermak-ingpossibletheLordJesuswhocameastheGod-Man.TheHolySpiritwasthelove-knotbetweenourLordstwonatures.InsuchamiracletherewasnoviolationofthelawsofnaturebuttheintroductionofanewAgent.TheHolySpiritsuppliedtheseedwhichJosephwouldhaveifMaryandhehadbeenmanandwife.TheVirginBirthIsAReminderThatOurSalvationIsSupernaturalActivityOfTheHolySpiritJesusintellingNicodemusaboutthenecessityofnewbirthsaidthatunlessoneisbornofwaterandtheSpirithecannotenterthekingdomofGod.ThatwhichisbornofthefleshisfleshandthatwhichisbornoftheSpritisspiritJohn35-6b.JohninhisgospelstatedthatthosewhobelieveandreceiveauthoritytobecomethechildrenofGadarebornnotofbloodnorofthewillofthefleshnorofthewillofmanbutofGodJohn113.Theemphasisisthatsalvationissupernaturalanddoesnotcomethroughoureffortnorisitouraccomplishment.Soalsothevirginbirthpointstoourhelpless-nesstoinitiateeventhefirststepintheprocessofoursalvation.NotonlyareweunabletosecureoursalvationbutwecouldnotevenintroducetheSaviorintohumansociety.Thevirginbirthisevi-denceoftheHolySpiritsactivity.TheVirginBirthIsAlsoAReminderThatGodsSalvationIsFullyAGiftOfGraceTherewasnothingparticularlydeservingaboutMary.TherewereprobablycountlessJewishgirlswhocouldhaveservedtogivebirthtotheSonofGod.CertainlyMarymanifestedqualitieswhichGodcouldusesuchasfaithanddedicationLuke13846-55.Butshereallyhadnothingspecialtooffernotevenahusband.WhileMarywastheonewhogavebirthtotheSaviorshewouldnothavebeenabletodosoevenwiththeaidoftheJosephiftheHolySpirithadnotbeenpres-entandatwork.ThevirginbirthisareminderthatoursalvationthoughitcamethroughhumanityistotallyofGod.Itisunearnedundeservedandunmerited.TheVirginBirthIsEvidenceOfTheUniquenessOfJesusTheSaviorAlthoughtherecouldhavebeenanincarnationwithoutavirginbirththemiraculousnatureofthebirthoratleasttheconceptionservestoshowthatJesuswasattheveryleastahighlyunusualpersonsingledoutbyGodinparticularwaysPhil26-11.ForsomeofustheChristmasseasonhasnomeaningbeyondthegivingandreceivingofgifts.IfwewilltakethetimetostopandthinkaboutwhatGodhasdoneforuswewillrecognizeamiracleonourbehalfhasbeendoneforusandthatGodwantstodoinus.Godwasabletoworktheseem-inglyimpossibleinthematterofthevirginbirthissymbolicofhisabilitytoaccomplishtheseeminglyimpossibletaskofgrantinganewbirthtosinners.AsJesushimselfsaidconcerningsalvationWithmenthisisimpossiblebutwithGodallthingsarepossible.Matthew1926.IfGodcouldcausehisSontobebornofavirginisitanygreatermiracleforhimtotransformyourlifeByRev.WilliamT.GolsonWilliamT.GolsonJr.MDivisPresidentoftheGreaterMetroDenverMinisterialAlliance.Rev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.TheSignificanceoftheVirginBirthSERMONTheCenterisourheartandmind.Asweknowthemindisthedevilswork-shopwherehehasastrongholdonourchildren.TheBibleteachesusfromtheOldTestamenttotheNewTestamenthowtotrainourchildrentofeartheLordourGod.ImnotspeakingagainsttechnologyIbelieveitisagreatthing.ButfromtheGameBoytotheInternetwehaveforgottenthatGodsWordsaysthatwenottheInternetshouldtrainupourchildren.TheycanusethistechnologytolearnabouttheworksofGod.MynephewaskedmeaquestionaboutsomethinghefoundontheInternetaboutEbola.HesaidhereadthepeoplewhohavediedfromEbolaarecomingbackaszombiesandtheyareroamingtheearth.WhataretheyreadingandbelievingWiththeguid-anceoftheHolySpiritweshouldguardourminds.ItoldhimaboutamannamedLazarusandtherichmanwhodiedandopenedhiseyesfromHellandwantedtoreturnsohecouldwarnothersnottocometothisplaceandtochangetheirlives.ButtheangeloftheLordsaidNo.ThenItoldhimGodhasappointedonedeathformanandthenjudgment.SoIencouragedhimtoconnecttheBibleonhiscomputerandreadtheTruthofGodsWord.LetstakethathourwithGodandourchildrenandusetheInternettoglorifytheNameofJesusandguardtheirheartsandmindsfromtheNetthedevilhasforthem.WewillwinthewaroverourchildrenandtheywillbeGreatWarriorsforChristJesus.INTERNET...frompage8