It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

It's December, and it's been cold! Music is coming out of the radio that we haven't heard in 11 months. I wonder what all of this could mean?

I'm not even going to answer that question. Let's turn our attention to a different issue very much related to the holiday season. Should Christians even celebrate Christmas at all?

Some will be flabbergasted that such a question would even be posed. Others take it seriously for two reasons. First of all, while the birth of Jesus is well reported in the gospel narrative, the Bible never indicates that this is an event to commemorate in the way that Old Testament feast days are spelled out. Secondly, Christmas as a celebrated holiday has at least as many, maybe more, ties to paganism than to Christianity. Both of these statements are true. How do they impact the answer to the question?

It is an interesting fact that Christians in the early church did not celebrate the birth of Christ in any form. Additionally, no one actually knows the date of Jesus' birth, but those who have an informed opinion believe it would have been in the spring, not December. It was not until 336 AD, after the Roman emperor, Constantine, had co-opted Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, that the Dec 25 date was chosen for an official celebration of Christmas, corresponding to the Roman holidays of Saturnalia and Sol Invictus; feasting, gift-giving, and winter solstice.

By way of contrast, the feasts and "celebrations" of the Old Testament come with specific instructions, including the date. Read Leviticus 23. The Bible doesn't mention Christmas by date nor by practices or traditions. Most of the traditions of Christmas, including the date, are borrowed from paganism.

On the other hand, the Bible does make a big deal of the birth of Jesus. The first two chapters of the gospel of Luke are dedicated to events leading up to, including and shortly after Jesus' birth. The first and second chapters of Matthew add more information. These chapters are where we learn the facts surrounding the birth of Jesus that are written into song, woven into stories, and acted out in plays that are part of our Christmas traditions.

It is a big deal that John the Baptist recognized his earthly cousin, Jesus, while still in Elizabeth's womb. It is a big deal that Gabriel visited Mary to tell her of her selection as the earthly mother of Jesus. It is a big deal that Joseph likewise had a visit to advise him of his situation. It is a big deal that a heavenly host of angels sang in the sky. It is a big deal that shepherds were invited to the manger. It is a big deal that a special star was placed in the sky to lead "wise men from the east" to the very house where Jesus was to be found. It is a big deal that Simeon and Anna spoke about and prophesied regarding Jesus when he was brought to the temple.

Everything about Jesus was/is a big deal. It was such a big deal when Jesus was baptized (see Matthew 3:13-17) that the Holy Spirit appeared in the likeness of a dove on Jesus, and God's voice came from Heaven saying, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." It was such a big deal when Jesus was transfigured in Matthew 17:1-8 that He shone like the sun, His clothes were as white as light, and God's voice again came saying, "This is My beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him."

I am not aware of a verse in the Bible that gives the remotest indication that a day and service set aside to celebrate the fact that the Messiah came to earth to save mankind would be looked on with disfavor by God. Rather, the opposite is true, as indicated by Matt.2:11, Heb 1:6,

Phil. 2:9-11, Psa. 150:1-2, and many more. Granted that our worship, praise, and celebration of Christ are prompted by His death on the cross offering the promise of salvation to sinful man, but John 3:17, "For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world through Him might be saved," inextricably ties the birth of Jesus to the fulfillment of that promise.

But what if that celebration involves paganism? First, let me say that the person who attempts to worship Christ with pagan rituals or traditions is sinning. Mark 7:7-8 is stronger. "And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men." Incorrect worship doesn't have to involve paganism. It can be anything that men insert into (or leave out of) God's teaching.

Secondly, the birth of Jesus can be celebrated in purity without traces of paganism or any other false teaching. That is the only way I personally have ever witnessed a service praising God for sending Jesus to an earth so in need of His saving grace and sacrifice. In fact, there is a dichotomy between Jesus' birth and paganism that manifests itself in Christmas; the spiritual side (the birth of Jesus), and the secular side (the pagan elements.) It is a matter of interest to me that those who are uncomfortable with observing the spiritual side of Christmas, are at ease celebrating with the pagan elements.

The Bible does touch on this subject. In Romans14:1-6 Paul speaks of those who believe it is wrong to observe a day, and those who believe there is nothing wrong with observing a day. It is noteworthy that "day" as used by Paul here must refer either to a pagan or Jewish holy day. Christians have no day other than the first day of the week, and the rest of the religious world can be divided into Jews (those who were at one time God's people,) and pagans (those who have never been God's people.)

Here (Romans 14) are people continuing to hold a day special as they had while pagans. Paul says that is fine because (IF) you are honoring God on that day and are no longer using it as a pagan day. (Note from above paragraph, were they to continue with any pagan tradition they would be sinning.) Some people want no association with a day that was part of their pagan past, and Paul says that is fine because you are honoring God by refusing to keep the day. Sadly, there is no room here, but it would be good to study all of Romans 14, as well as

1 Corinthians 8 concerning our attitude toward such matters.

In regard to the name, a mass is a worship service so Christ-mas denotes service dedicated to the praise and worship of Christ, and the connotation is a special emphasis on His birth that marked His entry into our physical world. That is something worth celebrating, as the angels of Luke 2:13-14 did. In regard to the date, almost everybody agrees it wasn't December 25, but nobody knows when it was, so pick a date and go with it. Pick 12 dates and celebrate the arrival of our Savior into this world of sin and woe once every month. Pick December 25. Or don't do it at all since it is not commanded. But I'm not at all certain that it is preferable to God that we avoid a day of celebrating the fact that His Son brought salvation to this world.

Christmas is a noble holiday in its spiritual manifestation. Sadly, it is a kind of microcosm for some Christians and some churches in that in many cases and ways the secular side has vastly overshadowed the spiritual side. Hopefully, at least individually, some of us can maintain a spiritual outlook on Christmas and the world can be uplifted through its observation. As with Thanksgiving, Christmas shouldn't be an observation that happens one day of the year, although it's good that we at least have that. Instead, it should be an attitude that goes with us everywhere and all the time.