How Was Jesus Conceived

Christ Conceived by the Holy Spirit

A messenger from God was dispatched to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. This occurred in the sixth month, and the messenger was an angel named Gabriel. And when he got up to her he said, “Hail, O beloved one, the Lord is with you! ” This nevertheless caused her tremendous distress, and she contemplated in her mind what kind of welcome this would be. “I’m sorry,” she said. And the angel spoke to her by saying, “Never be afraid, Mary, since you have won favor with the Almighty.

And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to the glory of his kingdom.” “How will this be possible, given that I have no husband?” Mary inquired of the angel.

As a result, your kinswoman Elizabeth, who is in her advanced years, has also conceived, with the birth taking place in the sixth month of her pregnancy with her who was previously considered barren.

His ministry is to draw attention away from himself and onto the wonders of God theSon and God theFather.

When Jesus promised the Spirit (in John 16:14), he stated, “He will glorifyme, for he will take what is mine and disclose it to you.” In other words, the Spirit will honor Jesus.

When we turn our gaze toward him, he takes a step back and propels Jesus Christ forward.

Pursuing the Holy Spirit Indirectly

To be filled and strengthened by the Spirit, we must thus follow him in an indirect manner—we must turn our attention to the marvel that is Jesus Christ. If we turn our gaze away from Jesus and instead seek the Spirit and his power on our own, we will find ourselves stuck in the muck of our own subjective feelings. The Holy Spirit does not make himself known. Christ is revealed by the Holy Spirit. Our concentration on Christ brings us into fullness with the Spirit, which is the fullness that he provides us.

The pleasure of the Spirit is the happiness we experience as a result of the promises of Christ.

Spend your time seeing and experiencing the magnificence of God’s love in Jesus Christ, and you will be in such perfect harmony with the Holy Spirit that his power will flow strongly through your life and into the lives of others.

It is an emotion with objective content, and the objective content is the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The quiet, reserved member of the Trinity accomplishes great things, but he never seeks attention for himself. In a sense, he is the spotlight that brings God the Father’s characteristics and the person of Jesus Christ into vivid focus.

The Quiet Work of the Spirit in the Incarnation

Because of this, when it was necessary for the eternal Son of God to be sent into the world by his Father, the activity of the Holy Spirit was a peaceful, inconspicuous job in the service of the Father and the Son. Through him, the Father was able to bring about the conception of the Son in Mary, the virgin. Since the commencement of Christ’s incarnation, the Holy Spirit has silently carried out the tasks that must be completed in order to establish Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and therefore, as the Saviour of mankind.

Predictably, the Son’s majesty is given the highest honor.

And he will be happy if we experience a renewed feeling of awe at the magnificence of Christ.

God’s Works and God’s Word

‘In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a city in Galilee named Nazareth,’ according to verse 26 of the Bible. The “sixth month” refers to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John the Baptist, which was the sixth month of her pregnancy. The significance of this will become clear in verse 37. Other than this, Gabriel appears just twice in the Bible: once in Daniel as an interpreter of visions, and once in Luke 1:19 as the messenger who announced the birth of John the Baptist.

  • This is the pattern that is repeated over and over in the Bible: first a word, then a deed.
  • I believe this is due to God’s desire for his works to be understood, as well as his desire to ensure that he receives credit for them.
  • The word of God explains the activity of God and removes any ambiguity from the situation.
  • 1) When there is no unambiguous word of Scripture to guide your interpretation, be cautious about interpreting exceptional meaning into atypical situations.
  • 2) The second lesson is that we should never be content with just bearing witness to Christ in silence.
  • According to verse 27: “Gabriel was sent from God to a virgin who had been promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was from the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.” There are two critical factors to remember in this situation:
  1. This is all we know: Mary was a virgin, and Joseph was from the family of David.

The Virginity of Mary

It is significant for two reasons because Mary was born without sin. Her Sexual Puritya) This phrase refers to the fact that she is sexually pure. She has not had sexual relations with her fiancé or with any other man. That would have been adultery, because God despises fornication in all of its forms. Of course, not every lady descended from Jesus is as pure as she appears. There was Bathsheba, the adulterous woman, and Tamar, the woman who seduced her husband’s father. As many of you have realized, these things are forgivable and may be forgotten.

When God picked a mother for his Son, he chose a virgin as the mother of his Son.

2.

God want to make it clear that the conception of Jesus in the womb of a woman was entirely the work of God and not of any man. As a result, he picked a virgin. And a virgin gave birth to a child whose Father was God, rather than a human father.

Joseph’s Davidic Lineage

But even so, it was critical that Joseph was a descendant of David because the legal relationship he had with Jesus placed Jesus in the Davidic line and enabled him to carry out the promises that had been given to the Son of David, as we will see in a minute.

A Gift of Grace in a Perplexing Package

The following verse states, “And came to her and said, “Hail, O beloved one, the Lord is with you!” There is just one other instance of the term “preferred” in the New Testament (in Ephesians 1:6), and it refers to the free bestowal of grace. To Mary’s surprise, the very first thing Gabriel speaks to her tells her that she is about to receive a free gift of God’s favor. She is not deserving of this recognition. It is the grace of God. There are more virgins in Nazareth besides Mary and Martha.

  • All boasting is eliminated by grace.
  • What’s more, suppose one of your offspring happens to be the Son of God.
  • “Mary, the Lord is with you in a way that you cannot comprehend.
  • Verse 29: “But she was considerably concerned by the saying, and contemplated in her mind what type of greeting this may be.” I’m willing to bet that you’ve learned the hard way in your own life that grace does not always arrive with a smile on its face.
  • Grace might be difficult to understand.
  • The grace of healing may come in the form of a hypodermic needle or a surgeon’s knife, among other things.
  • The grace of humility may appear to have a defeated expression.
  • Instead like her we ought to wait and “ponder in our minds” how this unexpected incident can constitute grace.
  • Verse 30: “The angel spoke to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have won favor with God.'” He reasserts the important term.
  • I bring grace, Mary.
  • And here is the grace I bring (verses 31–33): “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

This is where the shy member of the Trinity (who inspired this Scripture) does his best work. He magnifies Jesus, not himself.

Five Descriptions of Mary’s Child

“And he came to her and said, ‘Hail, O beloved one, the Lord is with you!'” verse 28. There is just one other instance of the term “preferred” in the New Testament (in Ephesians 1:6), where it refers to the free bestowal of grace. To Mary’s delight, the very first thing Gabriel speaks to her informs her that she is about to receive a free gift of God’s favor. She is unworthy of such recognition. Grace is what it is. The town of Nazareth is home to several additional virgins. There was a possibility that God had prepared them in advance.

  1. It’s common for parents to extol the virtues of their children.
  2. In order to go on, Gabriel must first extinguish the flame of pride.
  3. It is important to remember that this is a favor, a gratuitous gift of grace from the Lord.” She was extremely worried by the statement, and she thought in her mind what kind of greeting this may be.
  4. Even the most exalted and priceless gifts from God do not often arrive in brightly colored wrappings.
  5. Grace has the ability to scare.
  6. When faced with difficulty, patience’s grace may shine brightly.
  7. Our lesson from Mary is that we must refrain from becoming angry with God because of the terrifying forms of grace that he has bestowed upon us.

God will frequently make his point crystal clear.

He reaffirms the importance of the key word.

I’m here to bring you grace, Mary.

Also included in verses 31–33 is the grace I am able to offer: “Take note: you will conceive and give birth to a son, whom you will name Jesus, after the Savior of the world.

This is the area in which the most reserved member of the Trinity (who was responsible for the inspiration of this Scripture) does his greatest work.

How Can a Virgin Conceive?

When Mary has recovered her composure, she instead of ridiculing the impossibility, she respectfully inquires (in v. 34), “How can this happen, considering that I have no husband?” She was willing to accept the possibility that she would give birth to the Messiah, but the idea that she would give birth as a virgin was beyond her imagination. However, because of her humble and open demeanor, Gabriel was able to respond to her to the extent that he was permitted. As stated in verse 35, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; as a result, the child who is about to be born will be referred to as holy, the Son of God.” The answer to Mary’s query, “How?” came from Gabriel.

  1. The revelation does not continue beyond this point.
  2. How is it possible for a human infant to be the divine Son of God?
  3. It is extremely crucial to note that the word “therefore” appears in Luke 1:35.
  4. Furthermore, it demonstrates that Jesus’ divine sonship is contingent on his virgin birth.
  5. However, this is a fallacious argument.
  6. In response to the question, “How does a virgin get pregnant?” “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, and as a result, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God,” Jesus adds in the passage.
  7. 35) and the Son of the Most High (v.
  8. It is an incomprehensible marvel that all of the fullness of god should come to live bodily in Christ (Colossians 2:9).
  9. In addition, it should make us grin with delight that the modest member of the Trinity has been entrusted with the delicate, marvelous, and secret task of inducing conception in the virgin, resulting in the conception of One whose magnificence, in turn, he will enhance for all time.

Nothing could be more nicely suited to the occasion.

With God the Holy Spirit Nothing Is Impossible

In verses 36 and 37, Gabriel provides Mary with evidence that “with God, nothing is impossible.” The conception of barren Elizabeth is used as proof that “with God, nothing is impossible.” The Holy Spirit may be reserved, yet he is also omnipresent and almighty. The fact that an omnipotent part of the Trinity exists to enhance Jesus Christ’s glory is a wonderful testimony to him. In such case, let us end as Mary does: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; grant that it be done unto me according to your word” (v.

  • Is it possible for you to say, “Let the Holy Spirit do with me whatever he pleases”?
  • Do you have enough faith in the Spirit to say, “I am your slave; take me,” and mean it?
  • Because he exists to bring the majesty of Jesus Christ to the forefront of public discourse.
  • Live and talk in such a way that men and women from Minneapolis to Morocco to Mongolia will understand that Jesus Christ is a great Savior, the Son of the Most High, and the King of kings who will reign forever.
  • To be overflowing with that is to be overflowing with him.
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The Virgin Birth of Christ: What the Bible Says about the Conception of Jesus

Part 2 of The Bottom-Line Guide to Christian Doctrine (The Bottom-Line Guide to Christian Doctrine). When it comes to Jesus Christ, the Apostles’ Creed asserts that he “was born of the virgin Mary.” Through church history, the concept that Jesus was conceived and born of a virgin has been a component of traditional Christian theology, and it is currently recognized as official teaching by the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and the historic Protestant denominations. Is this, however, correct?

  • Although Mary, Jesus’ mother, had never had sexual contact with any man before to the birth of Jesus, the teaching holds that Jesus was conceived and born as a result of such relations.
  • God the Father was not the physical father of Jesus, as some believe; he was not the biological father of his flesh or body, as some believe.
  • Throughout her life, Mary was a virgin, both before to and following the conception of Jesus in her womb, which occurred via the intervention of the Holy Spirit, who miraculously led her to become pregnant (Matt.
  • At the very least, she remained a virgin until the birth of Jesus (Matt.
  • The idea of the Virgin Birth should not be confused with the belief held by some that Mary remained a virgin for the remainder of her life, despite the fact that she was married to Joseph at the time of her birth.
  • None of these concepts can be found in the Bible at any point.
  • Because of the nature of the case, Mary was the sole “eyewitness” to the event, and we were unable to obtain independent confirmation of the fact even if we had several independent eyewitnesses.

Let us begin by acknowledging that the virgin birth of Christ is improbable—unless there is a supernatural being.

After all, God is the creator of all life.

Anyone who doubts the notion of the Virgin Birth is essentially rejecting that God is the Creator of the universe.

They were aware of “where kids come from,” despite the fact that they were ignorant of genetics or prenatal development.

1:19).

The first is that Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father, as is often believed.

For example, Mark writes that people in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth referred to him as “the son of Mary” while he was a child (Mark 6:3).

This phrase was most likely intended to make a reference to Jesus’ apparent lack of legitimacy.

The second well-known detail about Joseph that we should take into consideration is that he took Mary as his wife despite the fact that she was pregnant.

A cursory reading of their two “infancy tales” leads one to believe that they are based on information gathered from different, independent sources.

Matthew’s account also includes an angel appearing to Mary and the birth of Jesus (Matt.

Among the events recorded in Luke’s account are the announcement to Zacharias of the birth of John (the Baptist), the appearance of the angel to Mary (and Mary’s subsequent visit and stay with Elizabeth), John’s birth, Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem (and the visit of the shepherds there), Jesus’ circumcision, and his return to Jerusalem twelve years later (Luke 1:5-2:52).

  1. Despite this, they agree on a great number of points: (1) When Mary got pregnant, Joseph and Mary were engaged but had not yet tied the knot.
  2. (3) The conception, according to an angel, was the result of the Holy Spirit’s labor.
  3. (5) Jesus was a descendant of David, according to tradition.
  4. (7a) Although Jesus was born in Bethlehem (in Judea), he was reared in Nazareth (in Palestine) (in Galilee).
  5. While there are alternative possibilities, this fact lends credibility to the explanation provided in Matthew, which is that he recognized her pregnancy as the work of the Holy Spirit.
  6. The fact that it was known throughout the lifetime of the apostles is a given, and the most likely explanation for the many versions is that they came from different eyewitnesses, one of whom was most likely Mary herself, which is the best explanation for the various narratives.
  7. Most skeptics believe that the early church got the notion of the Virgin Birth from paganism, which is the most prevalent skeptical approach to the subject.

As depicted in paganic literature, gods are anthropomorphic masculine entities that physically impregnate female beings.

These Gospels represent a theological and cultural outlook that is utterly incompatible with such pagan tales and that is essentially Judaic.

To recap: the well-known historical facts are that Jesus was born of Mary, that Joseph was not the biological father but accepted Mary as his wife, and that belief in Jesus’ virgin conception and birth was formed during the first generation of the Christian religion.

Recommendations for Further Reading Machen, J.

The Birth of Christ as a Virgin.

Baker Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, 1930. Classic justification of the virgin birth that has never been equaled. According to Mark D. Roberts, “The Birth of Jesus: Myth or History?” (2004). Excellent post in response to news headlines expressing disbelief about the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ/ FAIR

Table of Contents for the FAIR Answers Wiki

The conception of Jesus Christ

  • Does the Mormon Church believe that Mary was still a virgin when Jesus was born? Question: “21 Questions Answered About Mormon Faith,” Fox News
  • “Peculiar Questions Briefly Answered,” Improvement Era
  • “21 Questions Answered About Mormon Faith,” Fox News

Question: Do Mormons believe that Mary was still a virgin when Jesus was born?

Many Latter-day Saints believe Jesus was created through sexual intercourse between God the Father and Mary, which means that Mary was no longer a virgin at the time of Jesus’ conception. Also said is that Latter-day Saints reject the “Evangelical doctrine” that “Christ was born of the virgin Mary, who miraculously conceived the prophesied messiah when the Holy Ghost came upon her,” as well as other claims. There are a number of utterances by early LDS leaders, such as Brigham Young, that either directly or indirectly support this theory, and these are frequently cited as proof.

Mary was a virgin both before and after Christ’s conception, according to official Church doctrine, and Jesus is actually the son of God (this is not a symbolic or metaphorical term).

The angel asked Mary how she would be able to have a child, given that she did not know any men.

(Luke 1:34; the word “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse in the Greek language; see also Luke 1:35.) In the same way, Nephi referred to Mary as a virgin (1 Nephi 11:13-20), and Alma 1 portrayed her as such (Alma 7:10).

Latter-day Saints believe Jesus was the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh

It is the belief of Latter-day Saints that Jesus Christ was truly the Son of God, rather than the son of Joseph or even the son of the Holy Ghost, when he was born. (See 2 Ne 25:12 and DC 93:11 for further information.) As Ezra Taft Benson put it, “the testimonies of assigned witnesses leave no doubt as to the paternity of Jesus Christ.” The testimony of appointed witnesses, as expressed by Ezra Taft Benson, “leaves no doubt as to the paternity of Jesus Christ.” In His fleshly tabernacle, God was the Father, and Mary, a human woman, was the mother of that Father.

As a result, he is the only person who has ever been born who can legitimately claim the title “the Only Begotten Son of God.”

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What the Church has not taken a position on ishowthe conception took place, despite speculations by various early Church leaders

The canonical scriptures are silent on the manner in which Mary became pregnant—even Nephi’s vivid vision of the then-future Messiah is obscured throughout the portion of the story in which Mary becomes pregnant (1 Nephi 11:19).

Some early leaders of the Church felt free to express their beliefs on the literal nature of God’s Fatherhood of Jesus’ physical body

For example, in a speech made on the 8th of July, 1860, Brigham Young stated the following: “Herein is the flaw: there isn’t a single act, no principle, no power attributed to God that isn’t completely philosophical in nature. The birth of the Saviour was as natural as the births of our own children; it was the outcome of natural causes and circumstances. He ate flesh and blood, just as we were born of our ancestors, and he was begotten of his Father.”

Jesus shared God’s genetic inheritance without necessarily requiring a sexual act to combine that inheritance with Mary’s mortal contribution

But are these kinds of remarks considered official Church teaching, and are they expected to be accepted by all believing Latter-day Saints? In fact, they were never even considered for ratification or canonization by the Church. As already stated (see Statements of general authority as scripture), Some critics have pointed out that this phrase, as well as others like it, might be interpreted as implying that there was sexual intercourse involved in the conception of Jesus, which is incorrect.

Fortunately, modern technology has developed alternate techniques of creating children—for example, in vitro “test tube” babies—that do not need sexual interaction.

God is undoubtedly capable of conceiving Christ by other methods while yet remaining his physical father, and this is not beyond his capacity.

Mary, his mortal mother, was referred to as a virgin both before and after she gave birth to him.

(See 1 Nephi 11:20 for further information.) With regard to Jesus’ divine birth, Benson emphasizes the literalness of the event, as well as the fact that Mary’s virginal state continued long after she had conceived and delivered Jesus.

Church leaders’ statements on the literal paternity of Christ were often a reaction to various ideas which are false

  • But are these kinds of remarks considered official Church teaching, and do they have to be accepted by all practicing Latter-day Saints? In fact, they were never even considered for ratification or canonization by the Catholic Church in the first place. As previously stated (see Statements by general authority as scripture), According to some critics, the meaning of this phrase, and similar ones in the Bible, might be understood to imply that Jesus’ conception was the result of sexual encounters between a man and woman. No matter how far this conjecture goes beyond the textual evidence, some current Latter-day Saints may hold that Brigham Young’s position is valid in that Jesus was literally and physically the Son of God, just as any children are “of our fathers,” regardless of the textual evidence. Today’s science has developed non-sexually transmitted techniques of creating children, such as in vitro “test tube” infants, that do not require sexual contact. In other words, even if methods such as artificial insemination were unknown to Brigham at the time of his utterances and thus not included in them, it does not necessarily follow from a modern viewpoint that the conception had to be the consequence of a literal sexual union. God is undoubtedly capable of conceiving Christ by other methods while yet remaining his physical father, and this is not beyond his abilities. (Said another way, Jesus shared God’s genetic inheritance, if you will, without the necessity of a sexual act in order to unite that inheritance with Mary’s mortal contribution. He was the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father in the flesh, as taught by Ezra Taft Benson, and the only child whose mortal body was begotten by our Heavenly Father. Even before she gave birth to him, Mary was referred to as a virgin by those around her. See 1 Nephi 11:20 for further information. Both the literalness of Jesus’ divine birth and the fact that Mary retained her virginity even after conceiving and giving birth to Jesus are emphasized by Benson in his writings.

But are these kinds of comments considered official Church teaching, and do they have to be accepted by all believing Latter-day Saints? In fact, they were never even considered for ratification or canonization by the Catholic Church. As already stated (see Statements of general authority as Scripture), Critics have pointed out that this phrase, as well as others like it, might be interpreted as implying that there was sexual intercourse involved in the conception of Jesus, which is incorrect.

As a consequence, even if methods such as artificial insemination were unknown to Brigham and hence unlikely to have been included in his words, it does not necessary follow from a modern perspective that the conception had to be the product of a literal sexual union.

(To put it another way, Jesus shared God’s genetic inheritance, if you will, without necessarily necessitating a sexual act to unite that inheritance with Mary’s mortal contribution.) In the words of Ezra Taft Benson, “He was the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father in the flesh,” meaning “He was the only child whose mortal body was begotten by our Heavenly Father in the flesh.” He was born to a mortal mother, Mary, who was referred to be a virgin both before and after her conception.

(See 1 Nephi 11:20 for further information.) Both the literalness of Jesus’ divine birth and the fact that Mary retained her virginity even after conceiving and giving birth to Jesus are emphasized by Benson.

Harold B. Lee was clear that the method of Jesus’ conception had not been revealed, and discouraged speculation on the matter

“We are deeply disturbed that some of our Church professors appear to be enamored with the concept of teaching doctrine that cannot be proven and making statements that go beyond what the Lord has truly spoken,” Harold B. Lee stated. You inquired as to the Savior’s birth, and I responded. I’ve never mentioned the possibility of sexual encounters between Deity and Mary, the mother of the Savior. It is possible that instructors, if they were intelligent in their explanation of this issue, might base their discussion on only the lines recorded in Luke 1:34-35, which are the Lord’s very few comments regarding it: “Then Mary inquired of the angel, “How shall this happen, knowing that I do not know a man?” That is why that holy thing who shall be born of thee shall be known as the Son of God.

We don’t have to question how He goes about accomplishing His goals.

Because, just as the skies are higher than the earth, my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” Allow the Lord to put His case to rest with this proclamation and wait until He deems it appropriate to share further information with us.

The Church does not take an official position on this issue

This is one of a number of problems on which the Catholic Church does not take a formal position. The following is an excerpt from a lesson given by President J. Reuben Clark on assignment from the First Presidency: “Here we must keep in mind—must remember—that only the President of the Church, the Presiding High Priest, is sustained as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator for the Church, and he alone has the right to receive revelations for the Church, whether new or amendatory, or to give authoritative interpretations of scriptures that shall be binding on the Church.” Any man, other than the President of the Church, who takes on the task of proclaiming one unsettled doctrine, such as among two or more doctrines in dispute, as the settled doctrine of the Church, can be assured that he has not been “moved upon by the Holy Ghost,” unless he is acting under the direction and with the authority of the President of the Church.

  • We may be certain of these truths with complete confidence, knowing that there is no room for question or quibbling.
  • Lee was certain that only one person could speak on behalf of the Church: he said: “What does the Church think about this or that?” you’ll be asked all around the Church, and it’s a good question.
  • “Can you tell me what the Catholic Church thinks about the civil rights legislation?” “Can you tell me what they think about the war?” “What do they think about drinking Coca-Cola or Sanka coffee?” says the researcher.
  • “What do they think of the Democratic Party or the Democratic ticket, or what do they think of the Republican ticket?” Did you ever hear someone say something like that?
  • Almost all of them, in fact.
  • You’re not the one who determines the policies of the Church, after all.
  • “For I have made up my mind not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified,” he explained (1 Corinthians 2:2).

You’re supposed to be an authority on the subject matter.

It is expected that you will provide testimony.

If the stance of the Church has not been proclaimed by the President of the Church, then you should refrain from looking for an explanation elsewhere.

A single remark made by a single leader on a particular occasion frequently expresses a personal, albeit well-considered, point of view, but it is not intended to be binding on the entire Church as an official declaration.

It is contained in the four “standard works” of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price), as well as official declarations and proclamations, as well as the Articles of Faith.

Answering a question from a letter “received at the office of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” in 1912, Charles W.

” We do not trust in the infallibility of human beings, as an answer. The truth is revealed by God when he discloses anything, and the truth cannot be falsified. Neither Pope nor any other head of state ever claimed infallibility.

Fox News, “21 Questions Answered About Mormon Faith”

Fox News, CNN, etc (18 December 2007) We don’t know how Jesus was conceived, but the Church considers the Bible and Book of Mormon, which both mention Jesus being born of the Virgin Mary, to be correct.

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Click here to view the complete article

The Improvement Era, by Charles W. Penrose (September 1912) Question 10: Do you believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, as described in Matthew 1:18-20 and Luke 1:35? If you do, please explain why. In response to your question, we believe that Jesus of Nazareth “was the only begotten of God.” Both of the cited texts make no mention of him being “begotten of the Holy Ghost,” and in fact, Luke 1:35 describes him as being the polar opposite of that. Mary was overshadowed by the “might of the Highest,” and Jesus was referred to as “the Son of the Highest” in the Bible.

To see the citations to the critical sources for these assertions, please visit this page.

Notes

  1. Brigham Young, “Character of God and Christ, etc.,” (8 July 1860)Journal of Discourses8:115
  2. Ezra Taft Benson, “Five Marks of the Divinity of Jesus Christ,”From a fireside lecture given at the University of Utah Special Events Center on December 9, 1979
  3. The teachings of Harold B. Lee (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1966), 742
  4. Bruce R. McConkie,Mormon Doctrine, 2nd edition, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1966), 822
  5. And Ezra Taft Benson, “Joy in Christ,”Ensign(March 1986), 3–4. (emphasis added)off-site

The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ

According to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ was born as a virgin, rather than through the regular, physical process of conception and conception. Instead, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary, making him one of a kind. When the eternal Son of God became incarnate as a completely human being, he did so via the miracle of the virgin birth. He was born of Mary with a real body and a rational soul, and he is the son of Mary. The virgin birth is also the manner by which Jesus was born spotless and blameless, in contrast to all other children born naturally since Adam, and it is a source of inspiration for Christians.

In what follows, I will address some of the scriptural foundations for the virgin birth, the virgin birth throughout church history, and some practical ramifications of the virgin birth.

Some clarifications are in order: I will not debate (1) Mary’s everlasting virginity, nor will I discuss (2) the doctrine of the immaculate conception, which claims that Mary herself was protected from original sin.

Biblical Basis for the Virgin Birth

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke are the most explicit sources for teaching the virgin birth since they are the only two places in Scripture where the birth of Christ is recounted. Therefore, it is crucial that both of these scriptures refer to Jesus’ birth as the son of a virgin. The Gospel of Luke has the greatest information regarding the birth of Jesus, followed by the Gospel of Matthew. In the narrative of the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary (Luke 1:26–38), the virginity of Mary is expressly acknowledged in Luke 1:27 (Greek:parthenos), and it is addressed again in Luke 1:34, when Mary wonders how she could be pregnant when she has never met a man before.

Instead of the regular method of reproduction, Gabriel informs Mary that the child who will be born of her will be brought into the world via the intervention of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).

Luke 1:31–33 describes how Mary’s son will ascend to the throne of his father David and rule over a kingdom that will never come to an end.

Also included in the Gospel of Matthew is a description of Jesus’ birth.

According to Matthew 1:23, the title virgin is assigned to Mary, as it is in Luke, but this time it is via the use of Isaiah 7:14, which is mentioned in Matthew 1:23: A son will be born to the virgin, and they will name him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’) after the angel who announced his conception.

Despite the fact that Isaiah’s usage of the term virgin has been highly contested, Isaiah does appear to be speaking about a virgin1, and Matthew plainly understands Mary to be a virgin as well.

The Virgin Birth Elsewhere in the New Testament

The Holy Spirit is recognized as the agent of Mary’s pregnancy in the two biblical passages that explicitly recount the birth of Christ, and Mary is characterized as a virgin in both of these biblical writings. These straightforward texts assist us in navigating the more ambiguous materials. However, although if the virgin birth is not expressly referenced in any other New Testament book, it is clearly not disputed, and the New Testament’s focus on the Son of God’s preexistence is a perfect fit with the virgin birth.

  1. 17:5), is established as the first and foremost theme.
  2. It’s probable that John is making a reference to the virgin birth as well.
  3. Although many people believe that Jesus is the Son of Joseph, this is not the case (see John 6:41–42 and 8:41; see.
  4. It is not an issue that the Gospel of Mark does not mention the virgin birth of Jesus because the Gospel of Mark does not contain any story about Jesus’ childhood.
  5. Jesus enters onto the scene as an adult with a sense of urgency and immense force (Mark 1:9).
  6. As a genuine man (Gal 4:4; 1Cor 15:21), Jesus was descended from the line of David (Rom 1:3–4) and existed prior to his incarnation (e.g., Phil 2:6; Col 1:15–20), as Paul teaches in the New Testament.
  7. Adam was the first man, and it was through his representative deeds that sin and death spread to all of humanity and all of creation.
  8. In Romans 5, Paul deals with two covenant leaders of mankind, Adam and Christ, who are both mentioned in the book of Genesis.
  9. Even if Paul did not believe in the virgin birth, it is difficult to see how Paul’s Adam-Christ analogy would hold up, and how Jesus would not have been entangled in Adam’s guilt, if Paul did not believe in the virgin birth (cf.
  10. 2 Aside from John the Baptist, no other New Testament writer specifically acknowledges Jesus’ virgin birth; yet, throughout the Bible, both the preexistence and divinity of Jesus are emphasized, as is his taking on flesh and blood (cf.

Heb 1:2–3, Jas 2:1, 2Pet 1:1, Jude 5, 1John 1–4; Rev 1:17–18). This should be interpreted as a tight relationship between the Son of God’s preexistence and his birth from a virgin.

The Virgin Birth in Church History

From the earliest known Christian literature outside of the New Testament onward, believing in Jesus’ virgin birth has been a hallmark of orthodox Christian theology and has served as a confirmation of the scriptural testimony to his conception. The Apostle’s Creed, which has its origins in the early church, affirms the virgin birth as a fundamental truth. It is possible that the church leader Ignatius of Antioch wrote about the virgin birth as early as A.D. 110–117, although his writings are not conclusive.

A.D.

A.D.

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Practical Implications: The Virgin Birth and Salvation

In spite of the long-held belief in the virgin birth and its scriptural foundation, it has frequently been criticized as a “pastoral premise” that does not hold up under modern-day scientific analysis. Fundamentalist and Modernist debates about the virgin birth were one of the hottest topics in the early twentieth century, and it was a flashpoint in this debate. Recent arguments have asserted that maintaining the virgin birth would devalue the common humanity between Jesus and sinful mankind, because it would imply that Jesus did not participate in the process of development, which would be counterproductive.

  1. As a last point, I’ll highlight a few of practical considerations.
  2. Despite the fact that Jesus was born supernaturally, this does not in any way distinguish him from the rest of humanity (Hebrews 2:10–11).
  3. If Jesus had been born with a sinful nature, he would not have been the sinless Savior that he is today.
  4. Second, the virgin birth presupposes that Jesus was already a divine son prior to his birth.
  5. Our Savior is not just a man, but he is also the divine Son of God, as revealed in the Bible.
  6. He is Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matt 1:23).
  7. Lev 26:12).
  8. Salvation is a gift from God.

God’s plan, on the other hand, is carried out according to his schedule and in his way. The might and power of God are contrasted with the frailty and impotence of human people when it comes to achieving long-term redemption.

Conclusion

The belief of the virgin birth is not a stand-alone doctrine; it is intimately linked to the person and activity of Jesus Christ. For just as death is brought about by a wicked man, the resurrection of the dead is brought about by a sinless man (cf. 1Cor 15:21). “If one does not recognize Christ’s birth from a Virgin, how can one accept His resurrection from the dead?” said the church father Irenaeus, in one of his most famous quotes. 7

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 1:18-25 – New International Version

It was in this manner that Jesus the Messiah was brought into the world: His mother Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph, but the Holy Spirit revealed to them that she was pregnant before they were able to tie the knot together. A)”>(A) 19Because Joseph, her husband, was true to the law, but he did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her B) despite the fact that he was faithful to the law “>(B)e quiet, please. 20However, after he had given this some thought, an angel C) appeared to him “He had a dream in which the Lord appeared to him.

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, who will be known as Immanuel.”H) “>(H), which stands for “God with us.” 24When Joseph awoke, he followed the instructions of the angel I) “>(I)of the Lord had ordered him, and he returned home with Mary as his bride.

And he gave him the name Jesus as a result of this.

New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 byBiblica, Inc.®Used with permission.

The New International Version (NIV) Reverse Interlinear Bible provides translations from English to Hebrew and from English to Greek.

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