No immaculate conception?  Just the thought of such sounds blasphemous and wrong.  However, no where does the Bible teach this heinous doctrine of Immaculate Conception.  Search the scriptures or read the Gospels and you will find absolutely nothing about the Immaculate Conception.  Yes, you will see that the Savior was born of a virgin named Mary (Miriam in Hebrew).  The virgin birth is prophesied in Isaiah and came to pass in Luke 2.  But the virgin birth and the Immaculate Conception are two distinctly different doctrines.  These are two separate ideas. 

Believe it or not, the theology of the Immaculate Conception teaches that for the Messiah to be born sinless, then his earthly mother was sinless.  This Catholic teaching has crept its way into Protestant churches who claim to believe in the Immaculate Conception without exactly knowing what it is.  The Immaculate Conception actually regards the birth of Mary who was "without any stain of original sin, her mother's womb: the dogma thus says that, from the first moment of her existence, she was preserved by God from the lack of sanctifying grace that afflicts mankind, and that she was instead filled with divine grace. It is further believed that she lived a life completely free from sin," says wikipedia.com.  The Catholic Encyclopedia states Pope Pious IX defined this dogma in 1854.  It also states that Mary  was the second Eve, totally sinless, and absolutely pure.  Is this what you believe?  If not then you don't believe in the Immaculate Conception.  Or do you?

Clearly, the deception concerning the conception leads to an unhealthy recognition of Mary.  It also leads to a wrong understanding of the Messiah.  Error leads to error.  It is taught that Mary had to have been sinless in order to give birth to a sinless Savior.  We are also told that since Mary was sinless then she is due homage and worship.  Of course, this idea is far from the truth.

The book of Luke shows Mary being visited by an angel and her response of praise.  She proclaims, "And my spirit has rejoiced in YHWH* my Savior.  For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.  For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.  And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation," Luke 1:47-50.  In verse 47 she clearly acknowledges her own personal need for salvation.  She calls YHWH her Redeemer.  She doesn't say that she is righteous or sinless.  She doesn't do 44 Hail Marys.  She recognized that she was sinful.  (YHWH is the ancient Hebrew name of the Almighty which He gave to mankind. The Scriptures declare that this is His name "forever, unto all generations." Unfortunately, this name has been hidden in English Bibles behind the words "LORD" and "GOD.")

Miriam was a normal human, affected by the sinful nature of Adam.  "By one man sin affected the world," Romans 5:12.  We know that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of YHWH."  This "all" includes "all" of humanity and mother Mary!  "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one," Romans 3:10.

The subject of the Savior's birth is important to consider as it reveals the facts about His nature.  The Messiah did NOT inherit his humanity from Mary.  Miriam was sinful; therefore if Y'shua had a "normal" conception then she would have passed her sinful nature onto Him.  (Y'shua is the Hebrew name of the Savior given to Him by His Jewish parents in Luke 2. He was never called "Jesus" while He was on this earth. )

Miriam was a willing servant but she wasn't sinless.  She agreed to carry and care for the baby in her womb.  Thus, she acted as a surrogate mother of Y'shua.  A surrogate mother is a woman who agrees to bear a child for a couple who are childless, usually due to wife being infertile or unable to carry a baby.  The child grows inside the surrogate mother but has not biological relationship with the mother.  This is exactly what we see with Y'shua and his earthly mother.  YHWH bypassed human sperm and egg and implanted a heavenly body within Miriam.  Hebrews 10:5 states that this was a "body prepared" in Heaven before Y'shua came to earth.    

Miriam agreed to enter into covenant with YHWH and carry the baby in Luke 1:38.  This doesn't make Mary sinless.  She was nothing more than a vessel used by YHWH.  Did you know that Y'shua NEVER called Mary his mother?  Instead, He refers to her as "woman" in several New Testament passages.  On one occasion the Savior is told that his mother and brothers have come to visit, He responded appropriately. He didn't stop what He was doing and rush out for a family reunion.  Rather, He said "who are my mother and brothers?  Whoever does the will of YHWH is my mother and brother," Mark 3:34, 35.  Y'shua simply saw Mary as His guardian and not His biological mother.  Mother and child did not share the same sinful flesh.

Mary was not sinless or anything special.  There was no immaculate conception of her body.  The Savior came with sinless flesh to offer His life as a ransom for humanity.  Put your trust in Him and not in religion or Catholic fables.  Get to know the real Savior - the Son of YHWH and worship Him in Spirit and in truth.