The Purpose of the Birth of Jesus

by Terry Wane Benton

Jesus was born to bring about our salvation and reconciliation with God by means of His death and resurrection. He was born to provide a pardon for sin on condition of repentance of sin and baptism into union with Him, which begins a walk of fellowship with Him (Acts 2:37-41; Romans 6:1-23). So, one cannot honor the birth of Jesus (the reason He came to earth) if one ignores the death, resurrection, ascension, and call of Jesus to a reconciled and holy life of service in Him (Romans 12:1-3).

One misses the point of His birth and incarnation if it does not bring us to the cross of Jesus for forgiveness and reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:17f). God is not at all interested in a yearly tip of the hat to practically distort the reason for His birth and the story of it if the daily cross of service to Him is missing. There is no way that an arbitrarily selected birthday party for Jesus brings any pleasure to God. The birth was joyous because it meant that the means of salvation from sin had arrived. Still, if the soul is not saved through His death, resurrection, ascension, and call of the gospel, then a lost soul means that He was born and died in vain as far as that person is concerned, yearly party notwithstanding.

Perhaps the Spirit did not give us a date for the birth of Jesus because He knew we would take the birthday and separate it from the cross (the message of the cross is what saves (I Corinthians 1:18f), not a mere celebration of His birth). Let Earth receive the King daily. If He is not just as special every day as our King, then there is no honor. To truly honor the king, we will honor the call of the King to a reconciled and daily life of holy living and holy service. That will be a daily living sacrifice that is acceptable to the Lord. It is not about a yearly seasonal celebration of a baby but of daily joy and commitment to the One Who loved us and gave His life for us, expecting that we are crucified with Him and raised with Him.