By: Jani Salokangas, ICEJ Arise Intl. Director

The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is a highlight during the Christmas season, but is it that important?

The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is a highlight during Christmas season, but is it that important? Why was it central that Mary was virgin when Jesus was conceived and born? Why is it fundamental that Jesus did not have a biological father?

Back in the Garden of Eden, God promised that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). Throughout the Old Testament, posterity is kept track of through the man or the couple. But in Genesis 3:16 the promise stands alone because it emphasizes that the Messiah would be the seed of the woman alone, at least apart from a man. This is the first reference to the virgin birth of the Messiah.

To begin with, the virgin birth highlights the supernatural nature of Jesus as God. On one end of Jesus’ life lies his supernatural conception and birth; on the other, his supernatural resurrection and his ascension to God’s right hand. Jesus’ authenticity was attested to by the supernatural working of his Father.

An underlying reason for Jesus’ virgin birth is that it identified Him as the Messiah. In the prophecy found in Isaiah 7:14 it says that a virgin would be with child. Ever since that prophecy, Jews had waited for that specific sign. God has often used miracles to validate His messengers. A virgin birth is a mighty validation.

Another reason for the virgin birth is that having a biological father would have directly cancelled Jesus’ divinity. He could not have been the son of Joseph and the Son of God at the same time. Every person born of man has inherited Adam’s sinful nature (Romans 5). It was only as God that Jesus could be the perfect sacrifice for sin, so it was the Holy Spirit who conceived Jesus (Luke 1:35).

Those who reject the virgin birth also reject the divinity of Jesus, the sin nature of man, and the inspiration of the Word of God. Therefore, a denial of the virgin birth is opposing to the Christian faith. God is all-powerful. Jesus is God. The Bible is God’s Word. These are key points in the Christian faith, and they make a virgin birth a very simple matter.

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.”

Matthew 1:18

If the Virgin Birth did not happen, then:

1. The New Testament narratives are proven false, and the Bible’s authority is robbed.
2. Mary, instead of being blessed among women, is a fornicator, an adulteress, and must be identified as unclean, for Joseph asserted that Jesus was not his son.
3. Jesus becomes the ordinary child of sinful parents with the corruption of original sin. Consequently, His preexistence never happened, and therefore He is not God, but also, He is not able to redeem us, and is not worthy of our worship and adoration.