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THE KING’S BUSINESS
“ The credibility and significance o f Chris tianity are in no way affected by the doc trine o f the Virgin Birth, otherwise than that the belief tends to puj a barrier be tween Jesus and the race and to make Him something that cannot properly be called human. Like many others, I used to take the position that acceptance or non-accep tance o f the doctrine o f the Virgin Birth was immaterial, because .Christianity was quite independent o f it; but later reflection has convinced me that, in point o f fact, it operates as a hindrance to spiritual religion and a real living faith in Jesus. The simple and natural conclusion is that Jesus was the cjiild o f Joseph and Mary and had an uneventful childhood.” “It is a dangerous and fallacious dilem ma that the idea o f the God-Man stands or falls with the Virgin Birth.”—Harnack. “Good Christian men may take opposite sides of this question without giving up that which is vital or cardinal to the faith. No doctrinal use is made o f it (the doc trine o f the Virgin Birth) in the New Tes tament.’^—Ropes. It is clear from these statements o f rep resentatives o f the opponents to this doc trine that it is not only a matter o f indif ference whether we accept the doctrine o f the Virgin Birth or not, but that it is a positive hindrance to spiritual religion and a real living faith in Jesus, and that it is virtually a sin against the Holy Ghost. As sertions like these force upon us the neces sity o f considering this doctrine o f the Christian faith. POSITION OF ADHERENTS The adherents to the doctrine claim that it matters much and affects Christianity and the Christian life greatly whether we believe in the Virgin Birth or not. They maintain that the life o f Christ cannot be considered in a fragmentary manner, but as a whole. The Virgin Birth is but a fragment o f the Christian story, and the denial o f it is but an attempt to rule out the supernatural from the entire life o f Jesus. It is not a question o f one, but of all the miracles, that is at stake. I f we begin by denying the supernatural charac
ter o f Christ’s entrance into the world and then deny His Resurrection from the dead, it will not be long before His sinless and spotless life will be challenged, for a sin less human being in history is as much a supernatural fact as a Virgin Birth or a Resurrection. It is maintained that the Virgin Birth cannot be denied and the other facts o f Christ’s life stand valid and provide a firm basis for faith and hope. The life o f Christ cannot be considered piecemeal. The doctrine of the Virgin Birth is a foundation stone and it cannot be removed without pulling down some part o f the building with it. I. The Record of the Evangelists, Matthew and Luke— The Scriptural Data for the Doctrine of the Virgin Birth. “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, o f whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. . . . Now the birth o f Jesus Christ was on this w ise: When as his mother Mary was espouse a to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child o f the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not will ing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel o f the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son o f David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy w ife: for that which is conceived in her is o f the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name J esjjs : for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, thatN it might be fulfilled which was spoken o f 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. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel o f the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his w ife : And knew her not till she had brought forth her first born son : and he called his name J esus .”— Matthew 1 :16, 18-25. “ And in the sixth month the angel Gab riel was sent from God unto a city o f Gali lee, named Nazareth. To a virgin espoused
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