Although it might seem unnecessary to some, answering the question: "Who is Christ?" is one topic we must address. The word Christ means "anointed" and is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah found in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. This was the Bible of Jesus' time, and the one He and the New Testament writers quoted frequently. Christ truly is the anointed of God, His only Son, the One Whom God sent into the world to die on the Cross, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary on the day we celebrate as Christmas.

He surely was anointed, filled, and led by God the Holy Spirit to fulfill the Law, satisfying the requirement of God for a Sinless, Perfect Sacrifice to pay the sin debt of the whole world! Yes, paid in full, your sin and mine if we will only receive by faith this free gift from God. He, and He alone, could satisfy the righteousness of God for He knew no sin, He was not contaminated by indwelling sin, but was indeed as the Perfect Man: "In all points tempted like as we are yet without sin."(Hebrews 4:15)

His necessary suffering and death on the Cross was the only way God could satisfy the requirement of His righteousness, for only a Perfect Man, our Sinless Substitute, God Himself in the flesh, could be "the Propitiation (grounds upon which God set forth His righteousness), through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just , and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:25,26)

So, Christ the Anointed of God was born on Christmas day in Bethlehem the city of David literally fulfilling numerous Old Testament prophecies. "But, thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto Me tha is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. "(Micah 5:2) "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."(Isaiah 9:6)

He was born of a virgin: "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."(Isaiah 7:14) The record of His birth as spoken to Joseph in a dream: "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."(Matthew 1:20-23)

His miraculous virgin birth in Bethlehem was prophecied just as His death on the Cross was also prophecied by the Old Testament prophets, and Jesus Himself, during His earthly ministry. "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed."(Isaiah 53:5) "And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn"(Zechariah 12:10).

"From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples how that He must...be killed, and be raised again the third day."(Matthew 16:21) Jesus said: "The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill Him, and the third day He shall be raised again" (Matthew 17:22,23). He was crucified on the Cross of Calvary, but His prediction of His resurrection the third day was also fulfilled literally, thereby giving us, the born-again Christian, a living confidence that we too will be raised to live eternally with Him! Hallelujah, let us praise His holy name and truly celebrate the magnificent meaning of Christmas!