"And she
brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of
iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne."
(Revelation 12:5)
"And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest
in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto
the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1
Timothy 3:16)
"Who is he
that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son
of God? And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the
Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are
one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit,
and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we
receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is
the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that
believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that
believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the
record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God
hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He
that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath
not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on
the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life,
and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:5-13)
There is
only one way to overcome Satan's world system that is dragging the
majority of mankind to Hell (1 John 5:18-19, cf. 1 John 3:8-9).
It is through faith in His broken body and shed blood, and one's
testimony concerning God's Truth that gives us the victory (1 John
5:4-5; Rev 12:11). The overcomer has received the Truth and has
this witness in himself! God promises, "... He that
overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." (Rev
2:11) "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I
will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and
unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and
sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the
lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
(Rev 21:7-8)
There are
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghost. This is the Triune God. It is he who bears witness
through his Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost witnesses on earth
through the Bible.
The word
"water" in 1 John 5:8 is symbolic for the Bible. Note the
following passages that prove this:
Ephesians
5:25-27: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved
the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and
cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might
present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle,
or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
John
17:17: "Sanctify [cleanse] them through thy truth: thy word is
truth."
Isaiah
55:10-11: "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven,
and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring
forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the
eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it
shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I
please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
It is by
this "washing of water by the Word" that one receives "the washing of
regeneration" or new birth.
Titus
3:5: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost."
John
3:5: "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God."
Again our
above passage says in part:
"This is
he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only,
but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth
witness, because the Spirit is truth. ... And there are three that bear
witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these
three agree in one." (1 John 5:6, 8)
God the
Holy Spirit bears witness by His written Word (water) as to the holy
blood of Christ. Jesus came by water, by the Word of God, as the
fulfillment of prophecy. He also came by blood. Prior to
his birth Christ did not have flesh and blood, but at his incarnation
he took all the physical attributes of a man including blood. The
Holy Spirit bears witness both to the fact of Christ's virgin birth,
and his shedding of his holy blood as a sacrifice for our sins.
God says, "... without shedding of blood is no remission." (Heb
9:22) "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have
given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for
it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." (Lev
17:11)
Now on to
Biblical facts concerning Jesus Christ's birth, why he was born, and
the gift of God.
JESUS
CHRIST'S BIRTH
"And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest
in the flesh ..." (1 Timothy 3:16)
"In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things
were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was
made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. ... And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and
truth. ... No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." (John
1:1-4, 14, 18)
"For there
are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the
Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (1 John 5:7)
"Therefore
the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah
7:14)
"But ...
that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he
shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet,
saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted is, God with us. " (Matthew 1:20-23)
"But thou,
Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in
Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."
(Micah 5:2)
"But when
the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a
woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the
law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:4-5)
"For it is
not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away
sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,
Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared
me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no
pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it
is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. ... By the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for
all." (Hebrews 10:4-7, 10)
"
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,
as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition
from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a
lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was
foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in
these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that
raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and
hope might be in God." (1 Peter 1:18-21)
WHY WAS
CHRIST BORN?
"Pilate
therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou
sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause
came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every
one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (John 18:37)
"This is a
faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15)
"Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression
of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our
sins; and in him is no sin." (1 John 3:4-5)
"For God
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not
condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he
hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and
men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."
(John 3:17-19)
"He that
committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he
might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)
The Lord
Jesus Christ gave these statements concerning His entry into the world:
"And no
man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even
the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted
up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life." (John 3:13-16)
"Think not
that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven
and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the
law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one
of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called
the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach
them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter
into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20)
"For I
came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him
that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me,
that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should
raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him
that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him,
may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
(John 6:38-40)
"... For
judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see;
and that they which see might be made blind." (John 9:39)
"I am come
a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness." (John 12:46)
"Think not
that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a
sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father,
and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against
her mother in law." (Matthew 10:34-35)
"... They
that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I
came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke
5:31-32)
"For the
Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. ..." (
Luke 9:56)
"For the
Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke
19:10)
John
10:10: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and
to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might
have it more abundantly.
Mark
10:45: "For ... the Son of man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
THE
GIFT OF GOD
"... If
thou knewest the gift of God ... thou wouldest have asked of him, and
he would have given thee living water." (John 4:10)
"For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John
3:16)
"In this
was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his
only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10)
"For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
"Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until
the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no
law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over
them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression,
who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the
offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one
many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which
is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as
it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one
to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto
justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one;
much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came
upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall
many be made righteous." (Romans 5:12-19)
"For by
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians
2:8-10)
"Every
good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from
the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of
turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that
we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. ... Wherefore lay
apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with
meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. " (James
1:17-18, 21)
"He came
unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John
1:11-13)
CONCLUSION
"... I
believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come
into the world." (John 11:27)
"This is a
faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (1 Timothy 1:15)
So now we
have seen that:
1) God
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
2) Christ
came to fulfill the law and the prophets.
3) God was
manifested to destroy the works of the devil.
4) He came
to call sinners to repentance.
5) He came
to give his life a ransom for many.
6) He was
manifested to take away our sins.
7) He was
born to be our King.
"And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest
in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto
the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1
Timothy 3:16)
"Thanks be
unto God for his unspeakable gift." (2 Corinthians 9:15)