Daily Devotions with Greg Laurie – Monday,
9 December 2013 – “Why the Virgin Birth of Jesus?”
"That is why I said that you will
die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will
die in your sins.”—John 8:24
Larry King once said that if he could
choose one person to interview from the course of human history, he would
choose to interview Jesus Christ. King said that he would like to ask Jesus
"if He was indeed virgin-born." He added, "The answer to that
question would define history for me." Larry King understands that the
Virgin Birth is a big deal.
If you are a Bible-believing Christian,
then you can't dismiss what the Scriptures teach on this topic. I would even
take it further and say that if you don't believe that Jesus was supernaturally
conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, then you can't really be a Christian.
This is an essential part of Christian
doctrine. If Christ was not conceived in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit,
if His biological father was indeed Joseph, then He was a sinner. And if He was
a sinner, then His death on the cross did not atone for my sins or yours.
The fact is that because Jesus was
supernaturally conceived in Mary's womb, He was fully God, yet He was also
fully man. Jesus said, "Unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be,
you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). In other words, "If you don't
believe that I am God, then you are not really a believer."
I AM is God's own statement about
Himself. When Moses wanted to know what to say when people asked who had sent
him, God told him, "I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM
has sent me to you" (Exodus 3:14).
That is why the Virgin Birth is such an
essential teaching. Christ was not God because He was virgin-born; He was virgin-born
because He was God.
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1 Timothy Duties toward Believers
5: Do not speak harshly to an older
man,[a] but speak to him as to a father, to younger men as brothers, 2 to older
women as mothers, to younger women as sisters—with absolute purity.
3 Honor widows who are really widows. 4
If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn their
religious duty to their own family and make some repayment to their parents;
for this is pleasing in God’s sight. 5 The real widow, left alone, has set her
hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day; 6 but the
widow[b] who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give these
commands as well, so that they may be above reproach. 8 And whoever does not
provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied the faith
and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Let a widow be put on the list if she
is not less than sixty years old and has been married only once;[c] 10 she must
be well attested for her good works, as one who has brought up children, shown
hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself
to doing good in every way. 11 But refuse to put younger widows on the list;
for when their sensual desires alienate them from Christ, they want to marry,
12 and so they incur condemnation for having violated their first pledge. 13 Besides
that, they learn to be idle, gadding about from house to house; and they are
not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not
say. 14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, and manage their
households, so as to give the adversary no occasion to revile us. 15 For some
have already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If any believing woman[d] has
relatives who are really widows, let her assist them; let the church not be
burdened, so that it can assist those who are real widows.
17 Let the elders who rule well be
considered worthy of double honor,[e] especially those who labor in preaching
and teaching; 18 for the scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it
is treading out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves to be paid.” 19 Never
accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three
witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of
all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of
Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you to keep these instructions
without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality. 22 Do not
ordain[f] anyone hastily, and do not participate in the sins of others; keep
yourself pure.
23 No longer drink only water, but take a
little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
24 The sins of some people are
conspicuous and precede them to judgment, while the sins of others follow them
there. 25 So also good works are conspicuous; and even when they are not, they
cannot remain hidden.
6: Let all who are under the yoke of
slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God
and the teaching may not be blasphemed. 2 Those who have believing masters must
not be disrespectful to them on the ground that they are members of the
church;[g] rather they must serve them all the more, since those who benefit by
their service are believers and beloved.[h]
False Teaching and True Riches
Teach and urge these duties. 3 Whoever
teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus
Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, 4 is conceited,
understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for
disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base
suspicions, 5 and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of
the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.[i] 6 Of course, there
is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for we brought nothing
into the world, so that[j] we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food
and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich
fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that
plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of
all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away
from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
The Good Fight of Faith
11 But as for you, man of God, shun all
this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12
Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you
were called and for which you made[k] the good confession in the presence of
many witnesses. 13 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of
Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good
confession, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until
the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the
right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord
of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable
light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal
dominion. Amen.
17 As for those who in the present age
are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the
uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything
for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous,
and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good
foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really
is life.
Personal Instructions and Benediction
20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted
to you. Avoid the profane chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called
knowledge; 21 by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith.
Grace be with you.[l]
Footnotes:
1 Timothy 5:1 Or an elder, or a presbyter
1 Timothy 5:6 Gk she
1 Timothy 5:9 Gk the wife of one husband
1 Timothy 5:16 Other ancient authorities
read believing man or woman; others, believing man
1 Timothy 5:17 Or compensation
1 Timothy 5:22 Gk Do not lay hands on
1 Timothy 6:2 Gk are brothers
1 Timothy 6:2 Or since they are believers
and beloved, who devote themselves to good deeds
1 Timothy 6:5 Other ancient authorities
add Withdraw yourself from such people
1 Timothy 6:7 Other ancient authorities
read world—it is certain that
1 Timothy 6:12 Gk confessed
1 Timothy 6:21 The Greek word for you
here is plural; in other ancient authorities it is singular. Other ancient
authorities add Amen
Titus Salutation
1: Paul, a servant[a] of God and an
apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and the
knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness, 2 in the hope of
eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began— 3 in due
time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been
entrusted by the command of God our Savior,
4 To Titus, my loyal child in the faith
we share:
Grace[b] and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Titus in Crete
5 I left you behind in Crete for this
reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should
appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: 6 someone who is blameless,
married only once,[c] whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery
and not rebellious. 7 For a bishop,[d] as God’s steward, must be blameless; he
must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy
for gain; 8 but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright,
devout, and self-controlled. 9 He must have a firm grasp of the word that is
trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to
preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.
10 There are also many rebellious people,
idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; 11 they must
be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid
gain what it is not right to teach. 12 It was one of them, their very own
prophet, who said,
“Cretans are always liars, vicious
brutes, lazy gluttons.”
13 That testimony is true. For this
reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith, 14 not
paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the
truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving
nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They
profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable,
disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Teach Sound Doctrine
2: But as for you, teach what is
consistent with sound doctrine. 2 Tell the older men to be temperate, serious,
prudent, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.
3 Likewise, tell the older women to be
reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to
teach what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their
husbands, to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, chaste, good
managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the
word of God may not be discredited.
6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be
self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in
your teaching show integrity, gravity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be
censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of
us.
9 Tell slaves to be submissive to their
masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back,
10 not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything
they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior.
11 For the grace of God has appeared,
bringing salvation to all,[e] 12 training us to renounce impiety and worldly
passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright,
and godly, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the
glory of our great God and Savior,[f] Jesus Christ. 14 He it is who gave
himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself
a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
15 Declare these things; exhort and
reprove with all authority.[g] Let no one look down on you.
Maintain Good Deeds
3: Remind them to be subject to rulers
and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak
evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy
to everyone. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray,
slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy,
despicable, hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of
God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of any works of
righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the
water[h] of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 This Spirit he poured out
on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified
by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8
The saying is sure.
I desire that you insist on these things,
so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote
themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to
everyone. 9 But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and
quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 After a
first and second admonition, have nothing more to do with anyone who causes
divisions, 11 since you know that such a person is perverted and sinful, being
self-condemned.
Final Messages and Benediction
12 When I send Artemas to you, or
Tychicus, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend
the winter there. 13 Make every effort to send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on
their way, and see that they lack nothing. 14 And let people learn to devote
themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs, so that they may not be
unproductive.
15 All who are with me send greetings to
you. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with all of you.[i]
Footnotes:
Titus 1:1 Gk slave
Titus 1:4 Other ancient authorities read
Grace, mercy,
Titus 1:6 Gk husband of one wife
Titus 1:7 Or an overseer
Titus 2:11 Or has appeared to all,
bringing salvation
Titus 2:13 Or of the great God and our
Savior
Titus 2:15 Gk commandment
Titus 3:5 Gk washing
Titus 3:15 Other ancient authorities add
Amen
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