Is Jesus God – Part II When Eve and Adam sinned, death entered. It is at this point that God revealed His plan of redemption. This is the greatest rescue operation in the whole of the Scriptures. Simply put, it means that the death we had to die was circumvented by God, who came down to this earth and died for us. He paid the penalty of sin for all humanity. The sinless Jesus Christ died on the Cross of Calvary and was resurrected on the third day, by virtue of which He defeated death. God became man to save man from death. About seven hundred years before Christ, the prophecy concerning the birth of the Lord is given in Isaiah 7:14 says: “The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and will bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel.” Matthew 1:18 tells us how the virgin birth prophesied in Isaiah: 7:14 was fulfilled:” When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” The incarnation of Jesus in Luke unfolds the mystery. The angel Gabriel visited Mary and announced the virgin birth of Jesus. Luke 1:30-32 “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:” This is no abstract myth, but an announcement of historical events that really happened, about how God really did enter into our world. In verse 31 Gabriel tells her that her child will be named “Jesus,” which means “YHWH saves.” Even in his name we already see that he is the God who saves. Although Christ was physically born of Mary, He was a child of the Holy Spirit. The birth of Christ was directly of the Holy Spirit. Mathew 1:20 “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” His source was the Holy Spirit, and His element was divine. Through the virgin Mary, He put on flesh and blood, the human nature, taking the likeness of the flesh (Romans 8:3), the likeness of men. Philippians. 2:7 “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” Though Jesus was born as a child with flesh and blood, His source was the Holy Spirit. The virgin birth of Jesus, which is more accurately labelled the virginal conception of Jesus, teaches that Jesus Christ was born apart from the normal process of procreation, but was supernaturally conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of her, without sin. Each of the synoptic gospels tells of Jesus’ baptism. At His baptism, a voice is heard from heaven (God speaking): “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him, I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). This is also the testimony throughout the gospel accounts., In Mark 2:23-3:6, there are two indicants regarding Jesus and the Sabbath. Jesus says in Mark 2:28, “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” In other words, Jesus says that He is the Lord of the Sabbath, and yet in the Old Testament it is God who gives the Sabbath and gives instruction about it. How can Jesus here claim to be “Lord of the Sabbath” unless He has the same authority as God, or, for that matter, is God. Dr Ashwin Drummond laddertoheaven.co.in