The doctrine that Jesus was miraculously conceived by a mother who was a virgin, through the power of the Holy Ghost, thus accomplishing the incarnation of Deity in humanity. Seventh-day Adventists accept the virgin birth of Jesus as a literal, historical fact. The means by which the Incarnation was effected is a divine mystery (see 1 Tim. 3:16 ).
The doctrine of the virgin birth rests on the explicit declarations of the Gospel writers. They affirm that Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit ( Matt. 1:18 , 20 ; Luke 1:35 ), not by Joseph ( Matt. 1:20 ), and that Mary was a virgin at the time ( v. 23 ) and remained so at least until after the birth of Jesus ( v. 25 ).
The characterizations of Jesus as the “son of Joseph” ( John 1:45 ) and “the carpenter’s son” ( Matt. 13:55 ), and of Joseph and Mary as His “father and mother” or “parents” ( Luke 2:41 , 48 ), are descriptive of the practical, legal relationship that existed subsequent to His birth, not the manner of conception.
That the early Christian belief in the virgin birth was widespread is indicated in early second-century references by Ignatius of Antioch ( Ephesians 7:2; 18:2; 19:1; Smyrnaeans 1:1), by Justin Martyr ( Apology 1:31, 46, 63), and others. SDA s teach that “apart from the virgin birth there could be no true incarnation” ( SDACom 5:285). SDA s do not share Roman Catholic belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary, primarily because of the wording of Matt. 1:25 ( ibid. 286), but they acknowledge also a complete lack of evidence that she bore other children.
SDA publications have consistently and emphatically stood for the historical reality of the virgin birth. An article entitled “The Virgin Birth” in the Review and Herald for June 2, 1904 (81:9), attacked the higher critical denial of the virgin birth and pointed out that this denial vitiates entirely the power of Christ to save man from sin. As to the union of divinity with humanity in Christ, see SDACom 5:917.