The Sinless Child

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. (Luke 1:26-28)

There is a tendency among Protestants to play down the role of Mary, but this tells us that she was highly favored. In the same breath, however, let me say that she was blessed among women, not above women. She is not lifted above women; she lifted up womanhood. It is so easy to say that a woman brought sin into the world, but remember, it was a woman, and not a man, who brought the Savior into the world.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest…. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (vv. 30-32, 35)

No man had anything to do with the birth of Jesus Christ. We are told in the Book of Leviticus that the birth of a child caused a woman to be unclean because she brought a sinner into the world. Mary is told that she is not bringing a sinner into the world; He is holy. The union of man and woman can only produce a child with a sin nature. By the virgin birth is the only way God could get that “holy thing” into the human family. In Psalm 51:5 David said, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Mary’s Son would be different. He would be virgin born.

Do you know why this baby is going to be called the Son of God? Because He is the Son of God. Dr. Luke approaches his gospel from the scientific point of view. He states that he examined Jesus of Nazareth, and his findings are that Jesus is God.