Who Was Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary
Read John 1:1,14
The mystery of the Incarnation is the perfect and complete union of deity and humanity, the fullness of both in one personhood.
“Some of God’s attributes are so incompatible with humanity that God the Son had to temporarily suspend the exercise of some of his attributes.”1
Why is the Holy Spirit conception and the virgin birth necessary? To break the chain of Adam’s sin.
Read verse 3 of Charles Wesley’s hymn, And Can It Be That I Should Gain. Note the lyrics “Adam’s helpless race”
We are sinners…
– because we commit sinful acts
– because we inherit the guilt of Adam’s rebellion
Read Romans 5:12-14,19 and 1 Corinthians 15:21-22,45
Read Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:15-16
What encouragement do you find in the thought that Jesus understands our weaknesses and our challenges?
Additional scripture references: Luke 1:26-27; Isaiah 7:14; John 14:6-9
- Foundations of the Christian Faith: A Resources for Catechesis and Disciple-Making, by Timothy C. Tennent ↩︎
The Winding Path 