Why Does God Allow War?

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. • Matthew 1:18-21, 24-25

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered…. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. • Luke 2:1-16

You left your throne and your kingly crown,
when you came to earth for me;
but in Bethlehem’s home was there found
no room for your holy nativity.

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. • The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. • John 3:17; 1 Timothy 1:15

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him [Jesus Christ] the iniquity of us all. • For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified [made right with God] by his grace as a gift, through the redemption [payment for our wrongs] that is in Christ Jesus...to be received by faith. • Isaiah 53:6; Romans 6:23-25

For Christ also suffered once for [our] sins [when he died on the cross], the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh… [then] through the resurrection… has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. • 1 Peter 3:18,21-22

You came, O Lord, with the living word
that should set your children free;
but with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn,
they bore you to Calvary.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. • [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. • For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. • Romans 6:23; Colossians 1:13-14; Ephesians 2:8-9

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights. • For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. • Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! • James 1:17; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 9:15

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
there is room in my heart for you.

The perfect gift—salvation through Jesus Christ—is available this Christmas for those who will accept it!

(Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version except Matthew 1 taken from the New American Standard Bible.)