“For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)
Do you remember the context in which that statement was made?
The Angel Gabriel paid a visit to Mary to let her know that she would bear the Baby Jesus. Since Mary was a virgin, she asked how such a thing could happen. Gabriel reminded her that her no one thought her cousin Elizabeth could bear a child either, even though she was now in her sixth month. That’s when Gabriel told Mary that nothing is impossible with God.
One of the tenets of our Christian faith is that Jesus was born of a virgin, which means that His father was not Joseph, but God Jehovah. So if you don’t believe that a virgin birth could be possible, then you can’t believe that Jesus was the Son of God, which means He didn’t die for our sins. In other words, we weren’t saved by Jesus’ death on the Cross.
The truth is there are more than a few “Christians” who question the virgin birth. In fact, George Barna of Barna Research reports that fifteen percent of Christians in America do not believe in the virgin birth. Many of them argue that it was nothing more than religious myth used to make Christianity more competitive with contemporary Pagan religions that were frequenting the Mediterranean region. It just couldn’t happen, scientifically impossible, they will tell you.
Well science finds itself catching up with God every day. Just last week, scientists in Detroit were left scratching their heads over the unexpected births of three baby sharks at a Detroit aquarium. That’s because the female whitespotted bamboo shark gave birth at the Belle Isle Aquarium hasn’t been near a male shark in at least six years.
The Detroit Free Press reports the rare “virgin birth” is one of a few known occurrences at an accredited U.S. zoo or aquarium. Interestingly, scientists have tried to come up with a more plausible explanation, but admit that virgin births do happen. In fact, they gave it a name: Parthenogeneis. So you see Gabriel was right all along. Indeed, nothing is impossible with God.
Science has proven that one of the fundamental truths of our faith happens today. I can’t wait when they admit that resurrection is possible, too, because there are a lot of Christians out there who don’t believe in the resurrection either. For example, another Barna Research survey revealed that one third of all lay leaders in the Church does not believe that Jesus has a physical resurrection.
The Apostle Paul faced the same kind of doubters as he planted churches throughout the Mediterranean region. In fact, he told the Church at Corinth not to listen to such things. “If Christ is not risen,” he wrote, “your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
But Paul didn’t stop there. He knew what he was talking about because he had seen the risen Christ with his own two eyes, which is why he concluded, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
Who knows? Maybe a whale will wash up on the beach dead one morning just so scientists can find it alive in the morgue the next day. Until then, I am going to step out in faith and believe in resurrection. After all, it was my faith that saved me, and it is my faith that will sustain me. Nothing is impossible with God.
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