How do we know that Christ had to be born of a virgin?

Christ's virgin birth is essential to the Christian faith, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy found in Isaiah 7:14, which declares, 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.' The necessity of Christ being born of a virgin ensures His divine nature while also providing a real human experience, which was crucial for our salvation. This miraculous conception underlines both the sovereignty of God in orchestrating the birth of Christ and the fulfillment of prophecy, reinforcing the belief that Jesus is the long-awaited Redeemer, fully God and fully man as articulated in theological understanding and reflected in passages like Matthew 1:22-23. Thus, the virgin birth emphasizes God's remarkable plan for redemption and the integrity of Christ’s identity.