Why Believe in the Virgin Birth?

 

Introduction.  (Matthew 1:18)  This text clearly teaches that Jesus was born without the ordinary natural human conception of a man and a woman.  Mary was found to be with child “of the Holy Spirit.”  Some Deny The Virgin Birth

• Some claim Mary was a “sexually questionable woman.”
• The birth narratives are “the atmosphere of legend, not of history.”
• It runs “against the laws of nature.”
• It was “based on pagan myths.”
• “It is only taught in Matthew & Luke.”
• It is “not essential to the Christian faith.”

 

What is the Truth? In this lesson we will seek to answer the question, why believe in the virgin conception?

 

I.  It was prophesied (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; Genesis 3:14-15).

1. Is the Woman of Isaiah 7:14 a virgin? Hebrew  (almah) “young woman of marriageable age”  It is never used of a married woman!  The Greek OT (LXX) used the Gr. (parthenos) defined as “a virgin.” This tells us that Jews before Jesus thought it was a virgin.

 

II.  It is Taught in All of the New Testament (Matthew 1:16; 18-24; Luke 1:26-38; Galatians 4:4-5; John 8:23; 19:26-27; John 1:1-3; 14; note: the phrase “only begotten”).

 

III. Without it Jesus is not God (Colossians 2:9-10; Hebrews 1:1-4; John 20:26-29).  If Jesus was simply to natural son of Joseph and Mary, there would be no clear proof that Jesus was God in the flesh.

 

IV. Without it Scripture is not Inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).  To deny the virgin birth we must deny that Scripture was given by Divine inspiration.  If this is not accurate what else is inaccurate?  Salvation?  Hell?  Life after death? 

 

V. What is the alternative? How else can it be clear that Jesus is the Son of God?  The virgin conception makes it clear that Jesus is of Divine origin.

 

Conclusion.  What About the Charges?

1. The Jews claimed Mary was a “sexually questionable woman” but Scripture teaches she was “highly favored” & “had not known a man” (Luke 1).
2. The birth narratives are presented as history (Luke 1:1-4).
3. A miracle itself sets aside “the laws of nature”— “No event like this had ever occurred before,…how do we know but that it was the natural way for divinity to become humanity?” (Boles, p. 31).
4. It is true that many pagan myths described pagan gods taking human women (Caesars, Alexander, Pharaohs, etc.)—yet there are distinct differences:

• Pagan myths portray deities subject to carnal weakness.
• Scripture describes no such foolishness.
• All the supposed offspring of pagan divine couplings are dead.
• Jesus conquered death and ever lives!

 

Matthew 1:20-21  teaches that Jesus’ birth by virgin conception was connected with the promise that. “He will save His people from their sins.”  This is the real issue.  Jesus is God in the flesh, born of a virgin, in order to bring salvation.  The challenge is will we accept this salvation or not?