“Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death” Hebrews 2:14.

We all get sentimental at Christmas time. Everyone loves a baby, and the sight of that sweet little one wrapped in swaddling clothes and being gazed down upon with the adoring eyes of his parents gets us every time.

But so what? Lots of babies have been born through the centuries. What made that baby so special that everyone celebrates his birthday by wracking up credit card debt every year?
He wasn’t just another baby: he was God incarnate. And he allowed himself to be born into a dirty world for a very specific purpose: to redeem humankind. He modeled how to know and have a relationship with our Creator. And then, in the greatest act of selfless love ever known, he allowed himself to be sacrificed as the Spotless Lamb.

If you believe that being a “good Christian” is enough to get to heaven, then consider the uselessness of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection. It was pointless if human goodness was all that salvation required. The basis of our faith is Jesus Christ, and if his sacrificial death was unnecessary, we might as well cancel Christmas and stay home on Sundays.

Jesus declared in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the father except through me.” If you don’t know him personally, and have never asked for the forgiveness of your sins and invited the Holy Spirit to take up residence within you, I urge you to do it now.