1. We know that Jesus was born of a virgin.

2. We know that Jesus was born of a virgin. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (Mt 1:22-23, ESV).

3. We know that Jesus was born of a virgin. Mt 1:22-23. And Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin? 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 holythe Son of God (Lk 1:34-35, ESV).

4. However, this narrative has come under great scrutiny.

5. However, this narrative has come under great scrutiny. A virgin birth goes against the laws of nature.

6. However, this narrative has come under great scrutiny. A virgin birth goes against the laws of nature. Obviously, a virgin birth would not be impossible for the God who created all that is!

7. Why does scripture record a virgin birth?

8. The Virgin Birth is not: the most important doctrine in Scripture.

9. The Virgin Birth cannot be the most important doctrine in Scripture, for only Matthew & Luke record it.

10. The Virgin Birth cannot be the most important doctrine in Scripture, for only Matthew & Luke record it. That is not at all a denial of the Virgin Birth.

11. The Virgin Birth cannot be the most important doctrine in Scripture, for only Matthew & Luke record it. That is not at all a denial of the Virgin Birth. The central doctrine of Scripture is the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ.

12. I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve (1 Cor 15:3-5, ESV).

13. The Virgin Birth is not: a devaluation of sex in marriage.

14. Many have said that Jesus Virgin Birth says something is evil with sex.

15. Many have said that Jesus Virgin Birth says something is evil with sex. Scripture presents a high view of sex in marriage.

16. Come, my beloved, let us go out into the fields and lodge in the villages; let us go out early to the vineyards and see whether the vines have budded, whether the grape blossoms have opened and the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love (Song of Solomon 7:11-12, ESV).

17. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does (1 Cor 7:3-4, ESV).

18. The Virgin Birth is not: an attempt to get around original sin in Jesus.

19. For those who accept original sin, Jesus Virgin Birth only partially gets around the problem.

20. For those who accept original sin, Jesus Virgin Birth only partially gets around the problem. Would Mary not have passed original sin?

21. For those who accept original sin, Jesus Virgin Birth only partially gets around the problem. Would Mary not have passed original sin? Pope Pius IX: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.

22. For those who accept original sin, Jesus Virgin Birth only partially gets around the problem. Would Mary not have passed original sin? Pope Pius IX: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. How could Mary be born without original sin when her parents werent?

23. For those who accept original sin, Jesus Virgin Birth only partially gets around the problem. Would Mary not have passed original sin? Pope Pius IX: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. How could Mary be born without original sin when her parents werent? Where would the cycle end?

24. The doctrine of original sin is found nowhere in Scripture.

25. The doctrine of original sin is found nowhere in Scripture. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself (Ez 18:20, ESV).

26. The doctrine of original sin is found nowhere in Scripture. Ez 18:20. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more (Rm 5:18-20, ESV).

27. Rm 5:18-20. Those who believe in original sin point often to this text.

28. Rm 5:18-20. Those who believe in original sin point often to this text. The text does say, One trespass led to condemnation for all men.

29. Rm 5:18-20. Those who believe in original sin point often to this text. The text does say, One trespass led to condemnation for all men. If the text teaches that all are sinners because of Adam, it also teaches that all are saved because of Christ.

30. Rm 5:18-20. Those who believe in original sin point often to this text. The text does say, One trespass led to condemnation for all men. If the text teaches that all are sinners because of Adam, it also teaches that all are saved because of Christ. One act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

31. Rm 5:18-20. Those who believe in original sin point often to this text. The text does say, One trespass led to condemnation for all men. If the text teaches that all are sinners because of Adam, it also teaches that all are saved because of Christ. One act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. I am aware of no group that teaches both original sin & universal salvation.

32. There are reasons why Scripture does record the Virgin Birth.

33. The Virgin Birth shows Jesus relationship to the Father & the Spirit.

34. 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 holythe Son of God (Lk 1:35, ESV).

35. 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 holythe Son of God (Lk 1:35, ESV). Notice that the Father & the Spirit are both involved in Jesus conception.

36. 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 holythe Son of God (Lk 1:35, ESV). Notice that the Father & the Spirit are both involved in Jesus conception. This shows that Jesus was always the Son of God.

37. The Virgin Birth shows that a new day had dawned.

38. Simeon: Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel (Lk 2:29-32, ESV).

39. Just as Jesus birth was different, so is the age he brought.

40. Just as Jesus birth was different, so is the age he brought. No more would men be bound by the Law of Moses.

41. Just as Jesus birth was different, so is the age he brought. No more would men be bound by the Law of Moses. No more would men offer sacrifices that could not take away sins.

42. Just as Jesus birth was different, so is the age he brought. No more would men be bound by the Law of Moses. No more would men offer sacrifices that could not take away sins. No more would Gentiles be excluded from the people of God.

43. The Virgin Birth shows that salvation is by grace.

44. The Virgin Birth shows that God was actively bringing salvation into the world.

45. The Virgin Birth shows that God was actively bringing salvation into the world. Its not that Jesus was conceived naturally & then God decided, Theres the one Ill use to take away sin.

46. The Virgin Birth shows that God was actively bringing salvation into the world. Its not that Jesus was conceived naturally & then God decided, Theres the one Ill use to take away sin. God was actively involved in bringing salvation into the world.

47. The Virgin Birth happened!

48. Many scholars have removed the Virgin Birth from Scripture.

49. Many scholars have removed the Virgin Birth from Scripture. I fail to see why the apostles would have invented this story.

50. Many scholars have removed the Virgin Birth from Scripture. I fail to see why the apostles would have invented this story. For centuries, people have scoffed at the Virgin Birth.

51. Many scholars have removed the Virgin Birth from Scripture. I fail to see why the apostles would have invented this story. For centuries, people have scoffed at the Virgin Birth. The only logical reason for the apostles to record the narrative of the Virgin Birth is that it happened.

52. This sermon was adapted from a class lecture by Joel Stephen Williams.

53. For more quality sermons, check out: http://www.justinimel.com