John the Baptist
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I Don’t Believe the Virgin Birth Doctrine
For months now I have been compiling two Biblical Study Guides on “The Birth of Jesus Christ”, one according to Luke-Acts, and the other according to Matthew. The intent of this project has been to encourage others to study the Bible for themselves regarding this subject. But I’ve been chomping at the bit to talk about what I’m personally seeing in the Bible as it relates to this matter. I don’t believe the Virgin Birth Doctrine. So many think the Bible puts forth the notion that Jesus was conceived and born of a virgin, without having been known by a man, but I firmly believe that is not the case…
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Nothing Shall Be Impossible With God
Many in the Virgin Birth Doctrinal claim camp understand the statement, nothing shall be impossible with God in Luke 1:37 is specifically pertaining to Mary and the child she will conceive. But is Mary to whom the messenger was referring? Read Genesis 18:10-14 in the Septuagint: And he said, I will return and come to thee according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha thy wife shall have a son; and Sarrha heard at the door of the tent, being behind him. And Abraam and Sarrha were old, advanced in days, and the custom of women ceased with Sarrha. And Sarrha laughed in herself, saying, The thing has not as yet happened to…
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The Birth of Jesus Christ Bible Study
A Free Remote Round-Table Style Bible Study Class on: “The Birth of Jesus Christ“ Starts at 8:00 PM EST each Thursday night starting May 11, 2017. Classes are not in session presently; they will begin again in mid-October, 2017 I’ve put together Bible Study Guides for each person to download and work through independently over the course of the study, and I’ve secured a room through Zoom.us for us to meet each week to share what we’re learning. Each week’s assignment will be made available the previous week. In order to participate in the following week’s round-table discussion each participant will be expected to complete that week’s assignment. While I will be…
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Announcing the Virgin Birth in Luke 1
Oftentimes people meld the accounts in Matthew 1 and Luke 1 to form the basis for the Virgin Birth Doctrine. However, these accounts are speaking of two different episodes in time. First Things First Despite the fact that Matthew appears first in the New Testament, the first chapter of Luke describes events that happen prior to those described in the first chapter of Matthew. Luke 1 lays out a visitation from the angel to the virgin Mary before she is pregnant. She is identified as being espoused to Joseph, and therefore attached to him. She is his woman, and he is her man. Matthew 1 lays out a visitation from…
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The Great Deviation: The Virgin Birth Doctrine
Biblical Model for Conception In Genesis 4:1 we’re told, “Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and brought forth Cain and said, I have gained a man through God.” This provides a model for us: a man knows a woman, and with the help of God, she conceives and brings forth a child. MAN + WOMAN + GOD’s HELP = CHILD We see examples of this model being played out throughout the Bible in the young and old, or more specifically in the old and young.
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In the Beginning Was the Word – Part 2
This is the second installment of a two-part series on John 1:1-18. If you have not read part one yet, please do so now. 😉 Since we already explored the foundation laid for chapter 1 of John in Part 1 of In the Beginning Was the Word, let’s consider the structural base that is built upon it by delving into verses 6-18.
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Looking at Luke From the Beginning
I had a bit of an “aha!” moment earlier this week when discussing the virgin birth doctrine with some friends on Facebook. I was explaining how the account given in the book of Luke where Mary is confronted by an angel of the Lord took place before she became pregnant, whereas the account given in the book of Matthew where Joseph is confronted by an angel of the Lord took place after Mary became pregnant. (I realized this two years ago when I began to challenge the Virgin Birth doctrine for myself.) In the case of the book of Matthew, I had explained the need to start reading from the…