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The Virgin Birth, Essential to the Gospel
December 24, 2025
On Christmas Eve, millions celebrate the birth of Christ, yet many overlook or question one of Scripture’s clearest teachings, that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Far from being a peripheral detail, the virgin birth is foundational to the identity of Christ and the truth of the gospel.
Question: Why is the virgin birth essential to the gospel?
The virgin birth fulfills God’s promises in Scripture
Isaiah 7:14 foretold, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Matthew 1:22–23 explicitly connects Jesus’ birth to this prophecy. The virgin birth is not myth or symbolism, it is the fulfillment of God’s Word. If the prophecy failed, the gospel would collapse. But God keeps His promises, and Christ’s birth proves it.
The virgin birth protects the sinlessness of Christ
Every child born of Adam inherits a fallen nature (Romans 5:12). But Jesus is not conceived in the ordinary way. He is conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), bypassing Adam’s guilt while still truly entering humanity.
- Jesus is fully human.
- Jesus is fully sinless.
- Jesus is the spotless Lamb able to make atonement for sinners.
Without the virgin birth, Jesus could not be our Savior.
The virgin birth reveals Jesus as both fully God and fully man
In one miraculous act, God joined humanity without ceasing to be God. The virgin birth is the means by which the eternal Son entered the world, taking on flesh while remaining fully divine.
- If Jesus is not fully man, He cannot represent us.
- If He is not fully God, He cannot save us.
The virgin birth makes both realities true.
The virgin birth shows that salvation is from God, not from man
We contribute nothing to our salvation. Just as Christ’s conception was entirely the work of God, so is the new birth of every believer. The gospel is not, “Help yourself and God will help you.” It is, “God saves those who cannot save themselves.” The virgin birth highlights the sovereign grace of God.
The virgin birth affirms the uniqueness of Christ’s person and mission
Jesus is not like any other religious teacher or moral leader. His birth is supernatural. His nature is divine. His mission is redemptive. He entered the world to do what no one else could, redeem sinful humanity through His perfect life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection.
The virgin birth confronts unbelief with the power of God
The incarnation is miraculous because salvation is miraculous. If we deny the virgin birth, we deny the authority of Scripture, the nature of Christ, the holiness of God, the reality of redemption, and the truth of the gospel. To reject the virgin birth is to reject Christianity itself.
The virgin birth invites us to worship Christ with awe
On this night, we remember that God became man, the eternal took on flesh, the Author entered His story, the Creator stepped into creation, and the Holy One came into a sinful world to save sinners. The virgin birth is not merely a doctrine to affirm, it is a wonder to behold.
Friend, as you celebrate Christmas Eve, remember this, the virgin birth is not a footnote in the gospel. It is the glorious doorway through which God entered our world to redeem us. Rejoice in the Savior who came in power, purity, and perfect love, Jesus Christ, God with us.
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