Christmas is a big deal in our culture. For the better part of a month, we put an enormous amount of time and energy into celebrating the birth of Christ. But how do we know it is true? How do we know that the Son of God was really born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago?

Here are 5 reasons to believe in the incarnation of Jesus Christ – that God really became a man.  

The Testimony of Scripture.

All that we know of Christmas comes from the testimony of Scripture. When you eliminate the biblical witness, all you are left with is a few fables and traditions. You have nothing concrete that is grounded in truth. 

Let me give you a couple verses, although there are many we could look at. John 1:14 states, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” This verse articulates how the living God came down to earth and took upon Himself flesh and blood in the person of Jesus Christ.  

Galatians 4:4-5 further explains the incarnation. “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons.” As the apostle Paul explains, at just the right moment, God sent forth his Son in order to save and redeem.   

If there is something I want to leave my readers with, it is that Scripture is trustworthy. You really can trust the Bible. It says in Proverbs 30:5, “Every word of God proves true.” For centuries, critics have been attacking the Bible, but they have always failed in their attempts to discredit Scripture. The Bible is inerrant, infallible, and every word is inspired by the living God. 

• A Virgin Conceived 

One of the most important aspects of the Christmas story is the virgin birth. Let me take that further. One of the most important aspects of the Christian faith, is the virgin birth. Just look at any solid doctrinal statement and you will find a section on the virgin birth. It is essential that we hold to the virgin birth – that Jesus was conceived in no ordinary natural way, but rather in a supernatural miraculous way. Like King David, we were all conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5), but Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 

Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” This prophecy was fulfilled seven centuries later with the birth of Christ. Mary struggled to comprehend how she could have a baby, but the angel Gabriel reassured her this would be the hand of God (Luke 1:26-38). What was Mary’s response? “Let it be to me according to your word.” She was submissive to the will of the Lord. 

• Other Prophecies were Fulfilled 

The virgin birth wasn’t the only prophecy fulfilled in the birth of Christ. Consider Isaiah 9:6-7: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.” Who could ever fathom that a child would become a King? No one. But these details were right there in Isaiah’s prophecy, many centuries before the time of Christ. 

Another well known’s prophecy is Micah 5:2: But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. It was no accident that Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem. It was exactly according to plan. 

• Angels Announced the Birth 

It is no secret that angels had a role in the birth of Christ. The Bible says that the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10). But nothing has ever happened like we read about in Luke 2:13-14. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”    

In the incarnation, God became man. This man would be the Savior of the world! Truly, this was reason to celebrate and God ordained that the heavenly host would participate in this monumental celebration.  

• A Sign Appeared in the Sky 

In the gospel of Matthew, we learn about the most famous star in history. ^“And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:9-10). 

There have been numerous investigations into the star of Bethlehem and there are solid historical and scientific reasons to believe in the star, which was perhaps the brightest star in the history of the world. What matters for our purposes is that it’s there in Scripture, and we can have absolute confidence in the Word of God (2 Peter 1:19). 

God used the star to guide the wise men to Bethlehem and as a sign that the long-awaited Messiah was finally here. Incidently, this star was also in fulfillment of Scripture (see Numbers 24:17). 

In conclusion, you need to know that Christmas is not some made up fable, as some would have us believe. Rather, it is grounded in the truth of Scripture. This year as you enjoy eggnog, Christmas carols, movies, giving and opening presents, family time, games and so much more, remember that it’s all about Jesus. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us! God is here! He has come to heal, save and deliver and we are not alone. Praise God!