In Touch 12-11-04

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Saturday December 11, 2004
The Reason Behind the Virgin Birth
John 1:29

God had a very specific reason for the way Jesus Christ's unique birth was orchestrated.  Many Christians accept the truth of the virgin birth but have never explored the reason behind it. In our increasingly secular society, many of us will have to answer the question, Why do you believe in a virgin birth?

The answer is simple. God required a perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind. The Lord told Moses that sacrificed animals must be "without defect." There is nothing vague about those words. God refused to accept anything less than excellent because His name was defiled by blemished offerings. (Malachi 1:12) The commands relating to sacrifices were a foreshadowing of what was to come.

At the incarnation - even the very moment Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit - God became flesh in the form of Jesus. He was completely God when He was in heaven, and He remained completely God in the womb. No corrupted seed of man was part of the process. The virgin birth underlined what God had taught the Hebrew people from the earliest days of their relationship with Him. The "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" must be flawless - in other words, sinless.

The virgin birth is so significant in God's plan that He clearly stated its impending importance through the prophecies of the Messiah. (Isaiah 7:14) Furthermore, He preserved the idea in the New Testament genealogies. (Matthew 1:16, Luke 3:23) The virgin birth was a miraculous event with a deliberate purpose. As Christians, we are responsible for telling others about that awesome plan.

Need gift ideas? The 2004 In Touch Christmas Catalog is here. Visit the In Touch online bookstore for more information.
http://www.intouch.org/cc/christmas2004/index2_39287503.html

Teen Connection is the official teen outreach of In Touch Ministries. Be sure to tell your teen about this cutting-edge web site filled with practical content for teenagers of all spiritual maturity levels. The featured interview for December is best-selling singer/songwriter Bebo Norman. Check out Teen Connection today!
http://www.teen-connection.net