Bible Study - verse by verse - 2

Matthew 1:18 Why is the virgin birth important to the Christian faith? Jesus Christ, God's Son, had to be free from the sinful nature passed on to all other human beings by Adam. Because Jesus was born of a woman, He was a human being; but as the Son of God, Jesus was born without any trace of human sin. Jesus is both fully human and fully divine. Because Jesus lived as a man, we know that He fully understands our experiences and struggles (Hebrews 4:15-16). Because He is God, He has the power and authority to deliver us from sin (Colossians 2:13-15). We can tell Jesus all our thoughts, feelings and needs. He has been where we are now, and He has the ability to help us.
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Matthew 1:18-25 Joseph was faced with a difficult choice after discovering that Mary was pregnant. Although he knew that taking Mary as his wife could be humiliating, Joesph chose to obey the angel's command to marry her. His action revealed four admirable qualities: discretion and sensitivity; responsiveness to God; and self-discipline.
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Matthew 1:19 Perhaps Joseph thought he had only two options: divorce Mary quietly, or have her stoned. But God had a third option - marry her. In view of the circumstances, this had not occurred to Joseph. But God often shows us that there are more options available than we think. Only God's guidance helped him make the right decision. When our decisions affect others, we must always seek God's wisdom.