During this Advent season we reflect upon the supernatural power that was displayed through the virgin birth. The Christian faith has always had the miraculous power of God weaved in throughout its stories, beliefs and practices. Many struggle with doubts around this teaching and have lots of questions. When Mary expressed her reasonable questions about how she would conceive and deliver the Son of God, while being a virgin the Angel responded:
“And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” Luke1:35ESV
One theologian wrote this about this crucial doctrine: “ The virgin birth is posted on guard at the door of the mystery of Christmas; and none of us must think of hurrying past it. It stands on the threshold of the New Testament, blatantly supernatural, defying our rationalism, informing us that all that follows belongs to the same order as itself and that if we find it offensive there’s no point in proceeding further. Donald MacLeod, The Person of Christ (pg37)
The Apostles Creed, which summarizes essentials that Christians believe declared the truth virgin birth: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary…”
Another theologian wrote about this glorious mystery: “God, and his wisdom, ordained a combination of human and divine influence in the birth of Christ, so that his full humanity would be evident to us from the fact of his ordinary human birth from a human mother, and his full deity would be evident from the fact of his conception in Mary’s womb by the powerful work of the Holy Spirit.” Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology. (pg530)
Let us respond in faith like Mary to to hearing God’s extraordinary plan to bring rescue through miraculous means. The life of Jesus was filled with miracles from beginning to end. There virgin birth was a miracle, the healing of sick, paralyzed, blind, deaf and demonized people was a display of the supernatural power of God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was a mind boggling miracle. Do you believe it? With Him all things are possible!
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