Archive for September, 2022

Behold a Virgin

 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7: 14    In Isaiah the Hebrew word translated virgin is “alma.”

“ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.”   Luke 1: 26, 27

In Luke as in Matthew the Greek word translated virgin is “parthenos.”

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, ‘God with us.’” Mat. 1:23

In Matthew as in Luke the Greek word translated virgin is “parthenos.”

According to Scripture was Mary simply a young woman or a virgin?

The Greek word for virgin in Isaiah, “alma,” can be translated young woman or virgin. Which can only be determined only by context. 

Critics say it should be translated “young woman,” and it refers to Ahaz’s son. Behold, a virgin shall be with child,…. These words are rightly applied to the virgin Mary and her son Jesus, for of no other can they be understood; not of Ahaz’s wife and his son Hezekiah, who was already born, nor of any other son of Ahaz by her or any other person since she was no longer a virgin, nor of the wife of Isaiah, and any son of his, who never had any that was king of Judah. 

The prophecy is distinctly Messianic, but the sign in Isaiah is not so much concerned with the manner of the child’s birth, but with the name, and the deliverance which should happen in his infancy. Therefore, the weight of the reference is to the name “Emmanuel” and to “the true Son of David.”

Emmanuel was not used of any ordinary child born in the time of Isaiah.

Emmanuel shall save from sin. No one other than Jesus could do so.

Mary knew she was a virgin. She said, “I have never known a man.”

The angel in Matthew put emphasis on virgin and considered  Mary to be a virgin.

Discrediting the concept of Mary being a virgin is essential for critics because if their criticism is true Jesus had no divine nature, He would have been only a human like all of the race, and inadequate as our infinite savior. 

For Him to fulfill His role as Mediator He had to have a divine and human nature. To be a mediator the one has to be equal to both parties and able to represent both equally. 

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (I Timothy 2:5)

By faith you can engage Him to be your personal Mediator before the Father. That is what He is when you pray in His name and will be in the judgment.

Salvation Pure and Simple

A new year is a very good time to assess our spiritual life. This is offered for those needing a spiritual transformation.

Hopefully all who are reading this have experienced what it means to be saved.

Scripture tells us salvation is the gracious, undeserved gift of God (Ephesians 2:5, 8), and the only path is through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). We receive salvation through faith, first by hearing the gospel. The next step is when we decide to believe and trust the Lord Jesus (Romans 1:16).

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14: 6)

Some say this is being narrow-minded, bigoted, and opinionated. Marvel not there is only one way. Rejoice there is a way.

This is not a trait peculiar to Christians. Every faith professes their proposed way is the way. 

If you were going to make a counterfeit $20.00 bill what would you make it look like? Logically it would be the real thing, an actual $20.00. If you were going to make a fake of Christianity what would you make it look like? In order to deceive persons it logically would be made to look like the real thing.

In the final analysis there are only two ways proposed for salvation. Christianity proposes it is by grace through faith. We are saved “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us….” (Titus 3:5) This is based on what Jesus has done.

All others propose another way with different versions and it is “works.” That is, what we must do to be saved. Scripture notes:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2: 8, 9)

It is impossible to work, earn, or merit God’s favor.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved….” Acts 16: 31

Believe is a little word full of much meaning. As often used in the Bible it calls for action.

Faith is belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one’s life. Belief is to place one’s trust in God’s truth. A person who believes is one who takes God at His word and trusts in Him for salvation. 

After the initial act of faith comes new life resulting in a lifestyle of obedience to His will and way of life. We are not saved by works, but to work.

If you have trusted Jesus for salvation, pause now and thank Him for it.

If you haven’t, pause now and ask Him for forgiveness of sin and the gift of salvation.