The real Spirit of Christmas

Christmas greetings to you all.

We will all be familiar with the phrase ‘the Christmas spirit’. People use it to encourage others to be cheerful and friendly; they try to promote goodwill, kindness and generosity during this special time of the year. Perhaps they are motivated to do a little something extra for someone.

However, the real Spirit of Christmas is no less than the Holy Spirit Himself. The Christmas narrative is a Trinitarian revelation, and the role of the Third person of the Trinity in the Incarnation is hugely significant.

Jesus was supernaturally conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. The New Testament is explicit in declaring that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit not by Joseph.

The Holy Spirit’s involvement affirms the divine nature of Jesus and underscores His identity as the Son of God. The conception of Jesus Christ is an event of profound significance, embodying an unparalleled miracle that serves as the cornerstone of our Christian faith.

The Virgin Birth is not just a footnote in the Christmas story, or a quaint part of the narrative, it is central to the message of the Gospel. This miraculous event signals who Jesus is and how He will save us.

At Christmas we don’t simply celebrate that Christ was born, we also celebrate how He was born. God’s answer to the fall of man is another man, but a sinless, perfect man who was divinely conceived in the womb of Mary without the seed of man. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15 v 47 that the first man (Adam) was from the earth, a man of dust, however, the second man (Jesus) is from heaven.

The Virgin Birth is implied in the Old Testament as early as Genesis 3:15 which promised that the ‘seed of woman’ would overcome Satan and sin. It is then expressly predicted in Isaiah 7:14 where it states ‘a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son’.

The Virgin Birth was a unique historical event. If this was a regular occurrence seen by an obstetrician on a weekly basis, then there would be no difficulty in accepting this event. Everybody would say, ‘Oh here’s another Virgin conception …that’s the 5th one I’ve seen this month, so what’s the big deal?’

That’s what makes the Virgin birth such a game changer. The arrival of Christ in this way is awesome, without the virgin birth His arrival would not stand out, and without it, He would not be different.

There are two detailed accounts of the Incarnation in the New Testament as recorded by Matthew and Luke respectively. Now remember Luke is a Physician, and he opens his Gospel account in verse 3 of Chapter 1 with these words ‘I have thoroughly investigated everything carefully, and my intention is to provide an accurate account’. So here we have a Doctor who would have analysed and scrutinised the events of that first Christmas story with great precision, then submits the compelling evidence for us to joyfully embrace this glorious truth.

Surely if you believe Genesis 1, that once there was nothing, and then God created everything where nothing previously existed, which is truly staggering, then why would you doubt Matthew 1 or Luke 2, that God can create in the womb of a virgin the seed of the Son of God.

The Virgin Birth is not a take it or leave it option of Christianity, rather it’s essential and foundational to the entire narrative of God’s rescue plan. You see if Jesus had been born of Joseph, He would have had original sin, and, therefore, been born under the curse of sin, and unable to assume the role of the ‘second Adam’ as described by Paul in Romans 5. In that case, the Cross would not be a moment of redemption, but simply the passing away of another sinner.

So in this article we emphasise the role of the Holy Spirit during the Incarnation, highlighting the ‘overshadowing presence’ of the Spirit over a teenage girl. However, the third person of the Trinity was the constant companion of Jesus during His earthly mission. We might be familiar with the quote, ‘From the womb to the tomb to the Throne’. At every step in undertaking the great work of redemption, we find the Holy Spirit mentioned. At His birth, His baptism, also when He died to make atonement for our sins, Hebrews 9 v 14 tells us that it was ‘through the Eternal Spirit that He offered himself to God’. Furthermore, when Jesus rose again from the grave, Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that if the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us we shall be quickened’. Moreover, when Jesus ascended back to the Father, having fully completed His mandate, the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) is sent to us.

In conclusion, I love the fact that the Christmas story involves a variety of people from all different backgrounds, all visible characters who we see in Christmas productions in schools, Nativity scenes, etc. Yet, the invisible hand who silently orchestrated all the events of that first Christmas is the Third person of the Trinity. His guidance, revelation and empowering are so prominent in the narrative. Without the Holy Spirit there would be no Christmas as we know it. As a result the Christmas message still retains the ‘Wow’ and ‘Wonder’ factor because of His involvement.

The real spirit of Christmas? It’s One who is neither vague nor tame, One who is all powerful and sovereign, and is constantly working in our lives to form Christ in us.

As we come to the end of another year, I’m sure you will identify the unseen hand and activity of the Holy Spirit in your personal life and the corporate life of your local church , taking the ordinary and turning it into an extraordinary outcome!

A very Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2026.

Much love

Paul Howells.

(December 2025)