CHRISTMAS-TRADITIONS
There is no
connection between the worship of idols and the use of Christmas trees. We
should not be anxious about baseless arguments against Christmas decorations.
Rather, we should be focused on the Christ of Christmas and giving all
diligence to remembering the real reason for the season.
We must not
observe any religious holiday. We should attach no spiritual, religious
significance to any day. Yet, we do not need to act like super-pious religious
idiots over a day that has absolutely no religious significance. I would never
teach a child that such a thing as Santa Claus exist,
or that Christ was born on Christmas day. But, as Paul said concerning idols,
Santa Claus is nothing and Christmas is nothing. Did you know that every DAY of the week,
every PLANET in the universe, and many of the CARS we drive are named after
pagan gods? Yet, we still call Sunday Sunday, Mars Mars, and a Saturn a Saturn. No one would ever dream of
calling us pagans for doing so. We worship our God on Sunday, and would laugh
at anyone who suggested that we observe the pagan Roman holiday called “Sun’s
Day” in doing so. If your car is a Saturn, use it for the glory of God; and
laugh at anyone who thinks that you are worshipping the Roman god of agriculture
by driving it. We must not, and I trust do not, worship Christmas trees and
lights, or even attach spiritual significance to Christmas day. However, I do
suggest that we seize this opportunity afforded us by Divine providence to tell
people who Christ is, why he came into this world, what he did, and how they
may obtain his salvation. It is no accident that once every year every human
being in the world is confronted with the fact that the Son of God assumed
human flesh and came into the world to save men. Certainly, no one can think
that it is wrong for believers, during this season of the year, to express
thanks and praise to God for his unspeakable gift, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is
never wrong, but always right to think of him, speak of him, and sing his
praise. Rather than not singing Watts’ grand old hymn, Joy To
The World, we ought to sing it year round.
Here are some
reasons it is okay to celebrate Christmas:
1.
The
day itself is not really the day Christ was born. Nobody actually has the exact
day down, but most believe it was not during this time of year at all. Probably
it took place in the spring, not on a “cold winter's night that was so deep.”
2.
Diversity
over the years has taken away much of the “Romish”
flavor to the holiday. Our Catholic friends do as they wish on the night before
and the day of Christmas, that is granted. But we do not have a state church.
There are so many other ways Christmas is celebrated that no one really thinks
about it the way the Puritans did so many years ago. The problem is not so
acute because of so many years of varied expressions. At least this is true in
our part of the world.
3.
God
can be honored in gift-giving and generosity as well as in singing carols and
telling the story. They’re both important if done in the right spirit. We don't
have to make something spiritual out of giving gifts. You may make a birthday
cake to Jesus if you wish, but you don't have to. We do need to be Christian,
however, about everything we do. Emphasizing the giving part of the day can
heal lots of wounds, open calcified hearts, stir up gratefulness, and just be
plain fun. God's not against fun is He?
4.
There
may be better things to be different about. In other words, we might show our
radical difference better in the way we treat other shoppers, the kindness we
show to retail clerks, the warmth of our hearts, the largeness of our generosity,
the thankfulness we express and really feel.
5.
There
are admittedly some great opportunities to make Christ known during Christmas.
With all that is bad about it, we can still make our point. And we will have
some sympathy for our message. For years I've led Christmas Eve services, short
ones of only 45 minutes, but packed with meaning. The building will be full and
all kinds of our friends and family will hear the truth as clearly as we are
willing to express it.
Jim
Elliff
Christmas: Bah Hambug or Gloria in Excelsis? www.ccwonline.org.
Used by Permission.