Christianity and Christmas
“It’s Christmas time in the city,” and everywhere else for that matter. Christmas is a wonderful time. We take some time off and spend it with our families. Family traditions are formed. Gifts are usually exchanged, and holiday meals and the smells of cookies and candies fill the air. People decorate. Children imagine. Lights are everywhere and more benevolence is done in one month than gets done the rest of the year combined. What’s not to like about Christmas?
Christmas has become a part of our culture. We know it was never something the church of the Bible celebrated. We know it is not commanded in Scripture. But as time went on a mixture of pagan traditions and religious ideas came together and produced Christmas. Now it is so popular that it seems the rest of our annual calendar revolves around it.
Over the years have come the expressions, “Jesus is the reason for the season,” and “Put Christ back in Christmas.” I understand the sentiment behind these statements. For people who have always celebrated this holiday in the religious sense, it would seem wrong to do it any other way. But on the other hand, Christmas is man’s creation, not God’s. Therefore, it is really impossible for Christmas to be bound upon anyone. What one chooses to be thinking about during the Christmas season belongs somewhere in the realm of individual liberty. If people don’t even want to celebrate Christmas on any level – they certainly don’t have to. God simply hasn’t commanded us to celebrate Christmas.
For the Lord’s church to demand that people assemble for a Christmas ceremony is no more appropriate than for us to turn the assembly into a rock concert, or to use fried chicken and sweet tea at the Lord’s table. While this might seem like a ridiculous analogy, we need to learn not to go beyond what is written. It is fine to celebrate any cultural holiday, as long as the observance of said holiday does not violate the commandments of the word of God.
There is really no Biblical link between Christianity and Christmas. Some people will choose to get together and have family time and a Christmas tree and gift giving and Santa Claus. They may never have a nativity scene in their front yard and they may never go to a Christmas church service. People hide Easter eggs and celebrate the Easter bunny tradition, but never associate such with the resurrection. Folks also enjoy other holidays like Halloween and Valentine’s Day but do not connect these holidays in a religious sense.
The reason why liberty exists within the realm of cultural holidays is because of the lack of their authorization. If we had a holy commandment from Scripture that required the celebration of these holidays then they would all be binding and a part of our relationship with God. But we don’t. In fact, it would be safe to say that where no commandment exists, no law exists, and, therefore, no authority or responsibility.
Since Christmas is a man-made holiday, I feel no pressure to celebrate it religiously. Personally, I am thankful that so many people are thinking about the Christ this time of year, since He is too often forgotten the rest of the time. It would be sad if we were to limit our Savior to just December. Jesus is the reason for every season, and we don’t need to put Christ back in Christmas – we need to put Him back on the throne of our hearts.
——————
To Receive Every Post via Email for Free, Click Here
