Posted on 12/25/2016 2:33:41 PM PST by Gamecock
The pastor of one of America’s largest megachurches stirred up Christmas controversy after preaching that the story of Jesus’ virgin birth is not crucial to the Christian faith.
“If somebody can predict their own death and resurrection, I’m not all that concerned about how they got into the world,” Andy Stanley said in a Dec. 4 sermon at North Point Community Church, which draws 36,000 attendees across six locations in suburban Atlanta. “Christianity doesn’t hinge on the truth or even the stories around the birth of Jesus. It hinges on the resurrection of Jesus.”
“Christianity doesn’t hinge on the truth or even the stories around the birth of Jesus.
= = =
Born Sinless — Sacrificial Lamb.
Slowly surrendering ground to the destructionists, one issue at a time.
YBPDLN Ping List Ping!
No graphics because I am posting from my phone.
Not born under the blood curse of Jeconiah. Yet still a son of David.
His statement is hardly a big deal.
If he refers to the date of birth yes. The resurrection is what is more important for me.
Like so many statements that are misleading, this can be understood in a way that makes it accurate.
1. It is true that, if Christianity has a single "hinge," it is the Resurrection of the Jesus Christ.
2. It is true that Christianity does not depend on the "stories around the birth of Jesus," especially any "stories" that go beyond the texts of the Gospels.
3. And finally (the really slippery part), "the truth ... around the birth of Jesus" is not as much of a critical point as the celebration of Christmas makes it seem. It is Jesus's conception, of a virgin mother by the Holy Spirit, that makes Him true God and true man. His birth is just a move from one place to another.
However, taken all together, the specific events of Jesus's conception, birth, and infancy are both very important as the detailed fulfillment of prophecy and as symbols of what is to come.
Yup.
If He wasn’t born of a woman it rips His humanity from His Diety.
“The real story is the handful of Southern Baptist professors and writers (not so much preachers) who seem to have nothing else to do but listen to bits and pieces of my messages,” he said in his statement to The Post. “Anyone who listens to all three [sermons in the series] will know that I stand firmly within the orthodox Christian tradition regarding the incarnation of Jesus - including the birth narratives as presented [in] Matthew and Luke.”
Stanley also said he believes people can become Christians without knowing the narratives around Jesus’ birth.
Lazarus was resurrected from the dead in front of hundreds on witnesses. That didn’t make Lazarus the Savior to the World.
It hinges on the Resurrection, but their can be no resurrection without a birth.
Don’t read Joel. The other prophets as well.
Which brings me to one of my hobby horses:
We already agree that our calendar is wrong, off by anywhere from 2 to 16 years, depending on who’s doing the reckoning, and further in error because of the absence of a year zero.
The more fundamental point is that God did not intend us to mark His years by the birth of Jesus.
If He had intended this we would have a Biblical fixing of the date.
Further, the day of Jesus’ birth is unremarkable as all men are born.
However, very few return from the dead, that event is remarkable, and it is the defining moment of Christianity, the very moment of proof that his sacrifice was not in vain. And the Bible gives a precise reference for when this happened!
Clearly this was the date the calendar was supposed to start!
For extra points, this makes our calendar off by anywhere from 17 to 30 years. That makes this something like Holy Year 1998 to Holy Year 1985, giving us anywhere from 2 to 15 years to get our affairs in order before the real end of the millennium...
There is something wrong with Andy Standley.
Who raised him?
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Besides, Christianity hinges on His crucifixion and the fact that he gave His life to wash away the sins of the world. So 'pastor' Andy should read up on his Bible a bit more.
I agree. It’s pretty simple really. The Bible is true or it isn’t. The birth of Christ as described in the Bible is clear. The prophesies describing Christ’s birth are also clear. If Andy doesn’t believe them, today would be the last time I attended his mega church.
Word in Atlanta is thay Andy wants to create his own legacy church appealing to successfull yuppies.
Prosperity Gospel.
Jesus being born, and to a virgin, is crucial. There are 308 prophecies regarding his birth, so it must be very crucial. As for the day He was born, if that was crucial then Scriptures would have told us when it was, but they didn’t. We do, however,know when to remember his death on the cross and his resurrection.
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