Christmas as Confessed in the Three Forms of Unity:

Compiled using the words of the Canons of Dort, Belgic Confession, and Heidelberg Catechism, with the Scripture texts referenced in these documents.


As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
   Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
   For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
   For the wages of sin is death;....(Rom. 3:10, 19-20, 23, 6:23)

But in this the love of God was manifested, that He "sent His only begotten Son into the world, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (1 Jn 4:9; Jn 3:16). _(Canons - Art. 1&2)

We confess ... that God has fulfilled the promise that He made to the fathers by the mouth of His holy prophets, when He sent into the world, at the time appointed by Him, His only-begotten and eternal Son, who took upon Him the form of a servant and became like unto man, really assuming the true human nature with all its infirmities, sin excepted; being conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit without the means of a man ...
[W]e confess ... that Christ partook of the flesh and blood of the children; that He is a fruit of the loins of David after the flesh; a fruit of the womb of Mary; born of a woman; a branch of David; a shoot of the root of Jesse; sprung from the tribe of Judah;  descended from the Jews according to the flesh; of the seed of Abraham, since he took on him the seed of Abraham and was made like unto his brethren in all things, sin excepted; so that in truth He is our IMMANUEL, that is to say, God with us. _(Belgic, Art. 18)

 Why is the Son of God called "Jesus," that is, Savior?
Because He saves us from all our sins, and because salvation is not to be sought or found in any other.

 What is the meaning of  "conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary?" 
That the eternal Son of God, who is and continues true and eternal God, took upon Himself the very nature of man, of the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary,  by the operation of the Holy Spirit; so that He might also be the true seed of David, like unto His brethren in all things, except for sin.

 What benefit do you receive from the holy conception and birth of Christ?
That He is our Mediator, and with His innocence and perfect holiness covers, in the sight of God, my sin, wherein I was conceived.
(Heidelberg, Q. 29,35, 36)

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O Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin's womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;

(Refrain)

Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace The, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

(Refrain)

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

(Refrain)