Truth of the virgin birth

I was working on an article about truth being stranger than fiction with a few real life examples when I realized that my next article would come out right at Christmas Day.

So, thinking quickly as if on my feet while I sat at my desk, I developed a Christmas article with a similar theme because the real-life events of Jesus’ birth include some aspects that are truth stranger than fiction. Actually, his whole life was a matter of truth stranger than fiction, but it was all prophesied centuries before. So no one during his lifetime should’ve been surprised if they’d studied the Old Testament Scriptures they claimed to know (John 5:39-40; 9:35-41; Matthew 22:23-29).

The virgin birth is a truth stranger than fiction many have tried to explain away by interpreting the word, “virgin,” as referring to any young woman and not necessarily a true virgin. They do this to make Jesus fully man, although a good man and teacher but not God. That way, they can accept or reject his teachings as those of a man with no divine authority. But the Bible clearly states Jesus was both fully man and fully God with divine abilities and facing all the human sensations of life (Colossians 1:9: 2:9; Hebrews 1:3; 2:14-18; 4:15; 5:7-9; John 11:35; 19:28).

The Bible also clearly states Mary was a virgin, again, as prophesied long before Jesus was born (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:26-35). The passage in Luke also shows Jesus’ father was not human. Besides being a virgin at the time of conception, Mary remained a virgin until after Jesus was born; hence, the description as a virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-25). She actually remained a virgin until they offered a sacrifice for her purification after childbirth at which time they also presented Jesus to God as a firstborn son and redeemed him, both according to Mosaic Law (Luke 2:21-24; Leviticus 12:1-8; Exodus 13:1-2; Numbers 18:14-17).

A fiction stranger than truth about Jesus’ birth is some, even today, continue to claim Mary remained a virgin throughout her life. As you read in Matthew 1:25, Joseph waited until after Jesus’ birth to consummate his marriage to Mary, but the marriage was consummated. The proof of that truth is found in Matthew 13:54-56, which says those who watched Jesus grow up knew he had brothers and sisters, even naming his brothers, mother and supposed father.

Jesus’ birth has never been denied, only the facts of Mary’s virginity and, consequently, Jesus’ divinity. Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God who died for your sins and was raised again? If so, be sure you offer yourself as a living sacrifice by crucifying your sinful nature as you are united with Jesus’ in his death, burial and resurrection through baptism (Romans 12:1-2; 6:3-5). That will bring about your rebirth as a child of God (John 3:3-8; Acts 2:38-39; 22:16; Titus 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:3, 22-23). That’s no lie!

Merry Christmas!

Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected]