Teaching the world a method for studying God's Word
to learn and comprehend the meaning of Scripture
DWJD Ministries = doing what Jesus did
68 "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people."
- Luke 1:68
fig. 3
How to be Saved (Step Five)
Step Five
Step Five is realizing that God loved you so much that He took action to save you. Talk is cheap, but action is what counts. God Almighty, sent His only Son to earth, for the sole purpose of dying on a cruel cross of pain (See fig. 1). I cannot fathom the deep love God must feel for each of us. But, it was enough for Him to send Jesus down to earth. The action God took to save us involved Him sending His only son to die in our place.
The Bible explains the way God did it. The books of Matthew and Luke give us the details. Mary (the mother of Jesus) was engaged to be married to Joseph (Jesus' earthly father). But, before they consummated their marriage, Mary was discovered to be pregnant [Matt 1:18]. Just as it would be today, having one's fiancée become pregnant before they ever had sex, would be a disgrace. We know this because the Bible clearly tells us Mary was a virgin [Luke 1:27]. But, Joseph, being a good man and clearly in love with Mary, elected to send her away to have the child secretly [Matt 1:19]. But, before Joseph could take action, an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream. The angel told him; "Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child who has been conceived in her is the result of God's Holy Spirit." [Matt 1:20]
Now, there are many people today who scoff at the fact that Mary was a virgin. Let's take a look at the language in Luke's account. First of all, the Apostle Luke was a physician. He knew well exactly what a virgin was. The Greek word he used in Luke 1:27 is parthenon [par-THEN-non]. It's a word used only 5 times in the Bible, and each time it only means 'virgin.' Even the famous building in Greece, the Parthenon, is a temple dedicated to a fabled virgin goddess. There can be no doubt about what Luke was saying.
Even Mary, when approached by an Angel of the LORD became perplexed at being told she would bear God's Son. In her innocence she replied; "How can this be, since I have not known a man?" [Luke 1:29-34]. Notice, Mary does not call herself a virgin. Instead, she explains to the angel that she has not been with a man sexually. The Angel explains that the Holy Spirit would come over her she would then become pregnant. To prevent confusion, even after Mary and Joseph were married, Joseph kept her a virgin until after Jesus had been born [Matthew 1:25].
Thus, God had His Holy Spirit impregnate Mary, she in-turn gave birth to Jesus. Jesus came to Earth as the long-prophesied Messiah. Messiah is a Hebrew word which means ‘savior.’ The Greek word used is christos, which means 'anointed one.' The evidence is clear: no other person born in the recorded history of mankind has had such a strong influence on society. Do you believe that Jesus was born from a virgin, being conceived by the Holy Spirit? It is even more remarkable when you understand that Jesus was prophesied to be born of a virgin 700 years before His birth by the prophet Isaiah (See fig. 2).
Jesus, born as the Son of God from out of the womb of Mary, was, is and forever remains God (See fig. 3). Accepting that God the Father, made a way through Jesus His Son to redeem us, is a necessary step to realizing that God has the power to redeem us. And not only that, but God has the will to do it. This action was done for the sole reason that Jesus would pay your sin debt. Jesus took your place on that wooden cross. It’s time for more admission and acknowledgment.
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
- Isaiah 7:14
fig. 2
9 This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
- 1 John 4:9
fig. 1
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