How ought one approach the idea of The Virgin Birth?

[andid]

To All Christian Members,

The Nicene Creed as posted at:

Christian Forums - FAQ: Christian Forums Rules / Terms of Service

has it that;

"...Jesus Christ...
came down from Heaven,
and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary...".

How can one approach believing that this miracle occurred?

 

[visionary]

what do you find hard about it? We can start from there.

 

[andid]

Hi visionary,

Our understanding of biology informs us of the usual way in which humans procreate; other ways are similarly 'understood'. The Virgin Birth seems unique.

 

[visionary]

Not so unique when you consider it is God who is doing this. He is the creator, so how hard would it be for Him to procreate.

 

[98cwitr]

Here ya go:

http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/virginbirth.html

 

[andid]

Not so unique when you consider it is God who is doing this. He is the creator, so how hard would it be for Him to procreate.

Is this a question to me?

Here ya go:

Is the Virgin Birth Scientifically Impossible?

Thank you for the link 98cwitr. So in answer to me are you saying that there is a scientific explanation; we just don't know yet what it is?

 

[ephraimanesti]

"...Jesus Christ...
came down from Heaven,
and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary...".

How can one approach believing that this miracle occurred?

You approach it on your knees, my brother, on your knees.​

ephraim

 

[Van]

Hi Andrew, I guess your question is how to view the story of the virgin birth, if you do not believe God performs "creative miracles." Jesus performed many miracles, and even said, if you do not believe my words, believe my miracles, for they authenticated what Jesus claimed. When John the Baptist sent disciples to ask if Jesus was who he had been looking for, Jesus told them, "tell him the blind can see and the lame walk." This was code for Jesus was the Christ because it was prophesied that Christ would cause the blind to see and the lame to walk.

Which is easier - to say your sins are forgiven, or (to a lame man) to say get up and walk? The fact that folks could see that Jesus perform miracles authenticated what He claimed - to be the Christ, the Son of God.

If you are unwilling to believe in creative miracles, that the physical structure of living tissue could be altered and formed by the power of the Holy Spirit, then basically you really do not believe in the God of the Bible. So the virgin birth is the least of your worries.

 

[Sketcher]

I believe that God is capable of all manner of miracles. Therefore, it's not that hard to believe in the virgin birth.

 

[ebia]

Hi visionary,

Our understanding of biology informs us of the usual way in which humans procreate; other ways are similarly 'understood'. The Virgin Birth seems unique.

Isn't that the whole point? We don't need modern science to tell us where babies come from or that virginal conceptions do not happen - Joseph, Matthew and Luke knew that perfectly well.
To say "it does not ordinarly happen, therefore it did not happen" is not a very good counter assertion to what is supposed to be a uniquely exceptional event.

Of course the virginal conception of Jesus isn't in any way critical to Christianity - take it away and you loose 2 chapters of the gospels with no impact on anything else. If you are going to worry about an exceptional event, make it the one all Christianity hangs off - the resurrection of Jesus.

 

[andid]

...To say "it does not ordinarly happen, therefore it did not happen" is not a very good counter assertion to what is supposed to be a uniquely exceptional event.

I do not counter assert. I do not hold that The Virgin Birth did not happen.

Of course the virginal conception of Jesus isn't in any way critical to Christianity...

It seems to be a necessary assertion to be made at Baptism.

 

[ebia]

I do not counter assert. I do not hold that The Virgin Birth did not happen.

Okay.

It seems to be a necessary assertion to be made at Baptism.

It doesn't need to be. "Jesus is Lord" or better "Jesus is risen and is Lord" would be a suffient creed for baptism.

 

[andid]

This is new to me. In which Christian Church would this apply?

 

[Sketcher]

Of course the virginal conception of Jesus isn't in any way critical to Christianity - take it away and you loose 2 chapters of the gospels with no impact on anything else. If you are going to worry about an exceptional event, make it the one all Christianity hangs off - the resurrection of Jesus.

This is wrong. If Jesus was born in the ordinary way, he was not the Son of God. Being the Son of God is central to the Christian faith.

 

[98cwitr]

Is this a question to me?



Thank you for the link 98cwitr. So in answer to me are you saying that there is a scientific explanation; we just don't know yet what it is?

no, im just saying that with the Holy Spirit it was possible without sperm being involved.

if you are asking about actual conception, well all the Holy Spirit would have to do in start the meiosis process on her egg, the rest of the requirements are met.

 

[ebia]

This is wrong. If Jesus was born in the ordinary way, he was not the Son of God.

There are all sorts of reasons why that does not follow.

 

[andid]

"Jesus is Lord" or better "Jesus is risen and is Lord" would be a suffient creed for baptism.

This is new to me. In which Christian Church would this apply?

Not quite new to me: I do remember now. Thank you for your help.

 

[ebia]

Not quite new to me: I do remember now. Thank you for your help.

In case I haven't been clear, the apostle's creed is the one normally used with baptism, but there is no biblical reason why it has to be - after all it was only compiled a couple of centuries after Jesus' death and resurrection.

 

[freeport]

To All Christian Members,

The Nicene Creed as posted at:

Christian Forums - FAQ: Christian Forums Rules / Terms of Service

has it that;

"...Jesus Christ...
came down from Heaven,
and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary...".

How can one approach believing that this miracle occurred?

If you can not believe that, how can you believe God created the Heavens and the earth?


Jesus did greater miracles then a virgin birth...

 

[andid]

I have asked a question. I have taken Christianity seriously. Surely you would not deny that people sometimes struggle with the faith.

That the universe exists we can believe because we live in it. Claims about historical events are less easy to assess.