And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. Luke 1:30
It seems that within the religious circles, the subject of Mary---the mother of Jesus, is one that is often much debated. I want you to know your Bible well enough that when you hear a false teaching, you recognize it as such. Who was Mary...what was she like...and what was she NOT like?
Our text verse explains that Mary found "favor" with God. In simple terms, she was a Godly young lady. The Bible doesn't give Mary's age, but Jewish tradition holds that she could have been a young teen. Certainly, she was an example to all those around her because in Luke 1:28, the angel says, blessed art thou among women.
She was a wonderful young lady who truly followed the Lord with her whole heart. She was obedient to the Lord, submissive to her parents, and willing to be used for the glory of God. However, there are some doctrines about Mary that the Word of God does not teach.
To begin, Mary was a virgin when she conceived our Savior. Although she was betrothed to Joseph, they had not been together in a marital way. Jesus' Father was not Joseph, but instead, He was conceived of the Holy Ghost. However, Scriptures indicate that after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph had a normal marital relationship, with other children the fruit of their union (Mark 6:3). Therefore, the doctrine that Mary was a perpetual (continuing) virgin is not one that is supported by the Bible.
More to come tomorrow about Mary, the one chosen by God to carry within her womb the Savior of the world.
Scripture Reading for the Day:
Proverbs 6
II Corinthians 13
I never thought about teaching Mary's life as an example to teen girls - duh! :) Great points, Mrs. Kim! <3
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