The Virgin Birth, The Natural Birth, The New Birth
At Christmas we focus on the miracle of the Virgin Birth—the God of creation came to Earth and was “manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). But the Virgin Birth isn’t the only miracle we should think about this season. Our natural birth and the new birth are also miracles.
Each natural birth in its own way is a miracle, considering the delicate changes taking place over the nine-month journey a child takes toward birth. The new birth is another miracle when the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts.
But why was there a Virgin Birth? Why was it necessary?
Nicodemus, one of the most important religious leaders in Israel, had questions for Jesus. He’d seen Him open blind eyes. Nicodemus needed answers. Jesus’ response confounded Nicodemus: “You must be born again” (John 3:5-7). If you want to understand miracles, you need to become one. It must have been a shock to hear one birth wasn’t enough.
Jesus revealed the Father.
We’re born with a sinful nature. It binds us to a sinful world. Jesus came to Earth in human flesh, conceived by the Holy Spirit (John 1:14), the virgin-born Son of God, to reveal what the Father is like.
Many people shut out the Gospel because they know they’ll have to change their lifestyle, and they love darkness rather than light (John 3:19-20).
Jesus redeemed us.
When Adam sinned, he dragged the entire human race down with him. We received his sinful nature by our natural birth. Here’s where the Virgin Birth comes in: Jesus could not physically be a son of Adam, having Adam’s sin nature, for a sinner is nobody’s Savior. He had to be sinless. Therefore, He was born of a virgin, sired by the Holy Spirit of God.
But Jesus also had to be a human being to pay the sin debt, “for without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin” (Hebrews 9:22). God couldn’t simply say to us, “Are you sorry? Okay, I forgive you.” Therefore, Jesus had to be the God-man.
He was born of a virgin to be sinless. He was sinless to die for our sins. A sinner could die for nobody else’s sin but his own. He was our substitute “so we might become sons and daughters of God” (1 John 3:1). He came to earth that we might go to heaven, for “whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). He was born of a virgin that we might be born again (John 3:15-18).
The Virgin Birth is the foundation stone of our faith.
Jesus restored more than we lost.
Jesus bought back more than Adam ever lost. God imparts to you the righteousness of Christ. We have more in Christ than we ever lost in Adam (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21).
The Completeness of the New Birth
When you’re born again, God doesn’t create life in you; He transfers life to you. His life comes into you (John 10:10). His character is reproduced in you. We partake of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). It is supernatural. We aren’t just nicer people—we are new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The new birth means:
- a new start.
Your sins are in the grave of God’s forgetfulness, every stain washed whiter than snow by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
- a growth process.
We come just as we are.
- a new family.
We become a part of the family of God and a Heavenly Father.
- a love for Jesus and His Word.
- a desire for holiness and to share Jesus with others.
The Virgin Birth, the natural birth, and the new birth are what Christmas is all about— three miracle births and God in human flesh.
