Isaiah 7:14 — "Virgin or Young Woman"

The EFCA affirms Isaiah 7:14 as a messianic prophecy pointing to the virgin birth of Christ. The Hebrew 'almah' is understood in the tradition of the Septuagint and apostolic NT interpretation as referring to a virgin. The virgin birth is a distinctive doctrine affirmed across all EFCA churches and is taught in EFCA Sunday schools and training ministries.

The virgin birth is understood as both a historical event and a theological necessity: Christ's origin cannot be from human generation alone but involves direct divine action. This supports both Christ's sinlessness (he is not descended from Adam's fallen race through male line) and his unique status as God incarnate. The EFCA's conservative evangelical identity is expressed in its firm affirmation of the virgin birth.

The EFCA cites Isaiah 7:14 as one of the clearest OT proofs of the incarnation and Christ's divine nature. The virgin birth is presented in EFCA teaching as a sign of Christ's uniqueness and his role as Savior.