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.