Immaculate Question

This time of year we traditionally begin to think of Christmas more and more. According to songwriters Edward Pola and George Wyle, "It's the most wonderful time of the year." We like to watch It's A Charlie Brown Christmas and love to hear Linus tell us the Christmas story found in Luke 2. But I think we should also turn back a few pages in our Bibles and consider the story of Mary and Elizabeth and what happened in theirs wombs.

Luke 1

Let's start with Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah. They both were very old (v7). Zechariah was visited by an angel (Gabriel) in verse 11 and told that he and his wife were going to have a son (v13). This son, John (and this is huge) would be filled with the Holy Spirit (v15) "before he is born!" Remember THAT before you vote pro-choice.

Six months later (v26) God sent Gabriel to visit Mary, the future Mother of Jesus, and told her she was going to have a baby by the Holy Spirit of God. Then Mary says these words (v46-47) . . .

“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,"

I learned something new this week. Have you ever heard the phrase Immaculate Conception? I always thought it was about Jesus and how the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and Jesus was conceived in the virgin's womb. I have believed that my whole life! If you are feeling brave Google 'immaculate conception' and see what it REALLY means. This is from Wikipedia:

"The Immaculate Conception is the conception of the Virgin Mary free from original sin by virtue of the merits of her son Jesus. The Catholic Church teaches that God acted upon Mary in the first moment of her conception, keeping her "immaculate."

So, according to the Catholic church, Mary too was born without sin. Hmm. I thought Jesus was the only human born without sin.

According to GotQuestions.org, there is nothing in the Bible that says Mary was born without sin. It only mentions Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 3:5, 1 Peter 1:19) as having no sin.

Scroll back up to Mary and Elizabeth (v47). If Mary was born without sin why does she rejoices in God her "savior"? Only sinners need a Savior - her Son, Jesus.

This is from the Catholic church's web site. "The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was officially defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854."

I'm confused, but you know what? I'm sticking with Jesus as the only one who was immaculately conceived. Why? Because I trust the Word of God. And like Franklin Graham said about the Bible, "I don't understand it all but believe is all."

Immaculate Conception and Assumption - Catholic Answers
What Is The Immaculate Conception - GotQuestions.org