Christmas Message
Christmas, what about it?
Many Christians keep justifying that Christmas is honoring and focusing on Christ. The intent is pure, but the practice of the feast of the birth of Christ is more on lack of knowledge of the Scriptures, and the ignorance of the Word is more vulnerable to deception. The only way to be granted to the birth celebration is by referencing the celebration if it occurs in the Bible.
If it is in the Bible, there is nothing to talk about, argue about, or even fight from knowledge to knowledge, teeth to teeth. The problem is that God does not say this is acceptable to Him! He commands against it! Keeping Christmas dishonors Christ! He considers it to be an abomination.
Christ even said, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9). If there is a command of God to celebrate the birth of the Son, He should have told us already. In Mark 7:9, we continue what Jesus Christ said, “Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”
The two Scriptures above prove that the celebration is a tradition of men, not a command of God. An unpopular tradition that started in the 2nd century and during the time of Emperor Constantine in the 4th century AD and became a worldwide celebration during the middle age.
**No one knows for sure on what day Christ was born. Dionysus Exiguus, a sixth-century monk, was the first to date history from December 25th, the year of our Lord 1. Other traditions gave dates as early as mid-November or as late as March.
How did Christmas come to be celebrated on December 25th?
Cultures around the Mediterranean and across Europe observed feasts on or around December 25th, marking the winter solstice. The Jews had a festival of lights. Germans had a yule festival. Celtic legends connected the solstice with Balder, the Scandinavian sun god struck down by a mistletoe arrow. At the pagan festival of Saturnalia, Romans feasted and gave gifts to the poor. Drinking was closely connected with these pagan feasts. At some point, a Christian bishop may have adopted the day to keep his people from indulging in the old pagan festival.**
Every year, we celebrate that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. It sounds more like religious exclusivism. Christians should be more open to expressing respect and honor (love) among Christians, especially Christians that do not celebrate Christmas, even non-Christians who do not believe in Christ. We should avoid showing that our belief system is accurate and better than theirs. Not all religions celebrate Christmas, but they do enjoy non-working holidays.
God commanded, “Follow not the way of the heathen.” Those who do not fear God follow their desire, support their action proudly, and make decisions favorable either to him or to others. Human beings are given free will, and without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will likely fail and run short of the glory of God. The plain Word of God is seeking Him, and you will find Him, trust Him, and you can lean on Him.
There is no legitimate scriptural reason to celebrate, how to celebrate, or how not to celebrate Christmas or not celebrate it at all. Whether or not to celebrate Christmas is a personal decision and should not be judged, for God alone is the Judge of all humanity.
Am I against it? I say no on both sides; being alive and witnessing that everyone is happy with this celebration is more than enough to praise you, LORD, in the highest.
Christmas is centered more on buying and giving, receiving and eating, family gatherings, time to make peace instead of resentment, forgive and forget syndrome, and most of all, sharing the spirit of joy and enjoying the things why we celebrate for joy is a commandment. “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11 (WEB)
“This means tremendous joy to you, I know, even though all kinds of trials and temptations temporarily harass you. This is no accident—it happens to prove your faith, which is infinitely more valuable than gold, and gold, as you know, even though it is ultimately perishable, must be purified by fire. This proof of your faith is planned to bring you praise, honor, and glory on the day Jesus Christ reveals himself. And though you have never seen him, I know you love him. At present, you trust him without being able to see him, and even now, he brings you a joy that words cannot express and which has in it a hint of the glories of Heaven; and all the time, you are receiving the result of your faith in him—the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8 (Phi)
Whatever Christians decide to do regarding Christmas, their views should not be viewed as unbiblical, for there is no direct command that prohibits celebrating this national holiday or should be viewed as an achievement of pride derived from one’s own opinion over celebrating or not celebrating.
As always and in everything, we seek wisdom from Him, which gives the gift of discernment, opens new behavior or opinions, and is willing to discard traditional values. Therefore, liberally to all who ask; “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5) and accept one another in Christian love and grace, regardless of our views on Christmas.
Whether we are Christians, Jews, Muslims, and any other religions of this world that share their values in peace, humility, and belief in God’s existence, we have the right to share our views with unbelievers without inducing harm to anyone. Creationists or evolutionists, believers or unbelievers of God, must come again to their senses and realize that we all share this earth to protect it from destruction. The only tool we can use is the commandment of love. We are all chosen people to live on this earth side by side, to respect and honor each other’s existence, especially the helpless nations, with love and compassion; not hatred and conquest; Sharing and giving; not control and acquisition.
A world without love will lead us to the survival of the fittest, the spread of covetousness and lawlessness; nations against nation, and the finality is the extinction of humanity in the hands itself. If we treat Christmas as a celebration for all humanity as a peaceful, humble means of togetherness, we may achieve a more meaningful life. (Christmas Day -Old English: Crīstesmæsse, meaning “Christ’s Mass”) Allow me to give a new approach; as all we know, the Word Christ came from the Greek Word Christos, which means anointed, and the mas(s) part is from the Latin-derived Old English word for Mass for more(group); when you peace it together it means we are a group of chosen or anointed people, anointed by whom? We are chosen or anointed by God.
Christianity did not take place only in the New Testament era. Still, it already existed in ancient biblical times (Deuteronomy 7:6). Jews and Muslims are seeds of Abraham, while the Gentiles become chosen seeds (1Peter 2:9). The epistles to the Galatians explained more that we are also Abraham’s seeds; “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise- (Galatians 3:16). “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you because our gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” 1 Thessalonians 1:4-8 (ESV)
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV)
Can we come together, learned and unlearned, believers or unbelievers, as Brothers and Sisters to celebrate peace and unity this Christmas day as a celebration dedicated to God’s love and mercy and proclaiming His Word in John 3:16-18 New International Version (NIV) 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Merry Christmas to all! To God in the highest.** Source: Christianity.com