By Greg Holt

Why should Jesus Christ be celebrated during the Christmas season?  For that matter, why celebrate Him at all?  Christmas is a time of presents, family get togethers, and often drinking.  Isn’t that enough?

 

“Keep Christ in Christmas” seems to be open for debate, even among Christians.  Many a Christian does not even celebrate Christmas.  Of course the atheists want Christ thrown out of Christmas.  Thankfully, we in this country can do as we want to – and this writer wants to keep Christ in Christmas.

I can’t tell anyone else what to do, I can only express my thoughts on the matter, and I think that if one calls partying and get togethers the highlight of Christmas, well one is missing out, and I pity you.

So Jesus Christ was not born on Christmas, so what?  Christmas (Dec. 25^th) is the date that has been chosen to celebrate His birth.  The Bible does not tell us to celebrate Jesus birth, well it doesn’t tell us not to either.  It also bears mentioning here that when Jesus was born, God sent an angel to announce this wonderful event to the shepherds (Luke 2:6-20).

There are plenty of reasons (excuses) not to celebrate Christmas, it’s over commercialized, the Bible does not tell us to celebrate it, and on, and on, and on.  There are also plenty of reasons to celebrate Christmas.

God sent an angel to announce the birth of Christ, seems to me He thought the birth of the Son as a human baby was important – so should we.  There is absolutely no harm in celebrating the birth of Christ, regardless of what some die-hard anti-Christmas person says.  If it was a supreme no-no to celebrate Christ’s birth, I think the Bible would have mentioned that detail, don’t you?

Another excuse is that Christmas and the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree is wrong, because they are both pagan.  Here’s my answer to that foolishness:

Christmas may well have started out as a pagan holiday, according to many.  It may even have been coopted by the Church.  Again, so what?  Celebrating the birth of our Savior, and honoring Him cannot be, and is not wrong to do.  Can anyone truly believe that the Father is going to look upon anyone Honoring His Son and celebrating His birth – with anger and a promise of retribution for doing so?  If anyone believes this nonsense, well that someone is bound in legalism for sure.

It is the same for a Christmas tree, to many it’s a pagan symbol, so what?  What is the Christmas tree to you?  Do you bow down and worship it?  If not, then it is not a pagan symbol for you, nor is it idolatrous.  It is merely a tree, decorated with whatever a person likes, and usually lights.  It’s nice to look at, enjoyable, and it’s certainly not an object of worship.

There is also nothing wrong by extension with any other Christmas decorations, they are fun, and we enjoy looking at them.

Gifts: nothing at all wrong with the giving of gifts.  It is something we do for those we like/love.  As for the over commercialization of Christmas, simply choose not to participate in it – but giving a gift to friends and family does not equal contributing to the over commercialization of Christmas.

There are quite frankly way to many killjoys in the world.  As soon as one finds anything to enjoy, some social justice warrior or other supposed do-gooder comes along and informs us that our enjoyment of activity X is wrong.  If whatever we do and enjoy does not fly in the face of Christ and the Bible, it’s not wrong – period.

Celebrating Christmas, putting up a Christmas tree, lights outside one’s home etc., these things are not wrong to do for the Christian, or for anyone else.  Celebrating the birth of Christ at Christmas is not wrong either; I have yet to see an acceptable explanation of why it is wrong.  I don’t see arguments being voiced against celebrating one’s own birthday (excepting one religion in particular), but because this is Jesus Christ; yup, it’s wrong!

This writer will most assuredly continue to celebrate Christmas, and I will always and forever celebrate the One who gave me new life.

You see, it was the death and resurrection of Christ that paid for our sins – but without the birth of Christ (Messiah) Jesus – there would not be any forgiveness of sin, there would not be any salvation for humanity.  No birth, no death.  No death, no eternal life with God.

I for one will celebrate my Savior’s birth, and honor His death that saved me.  Jesus saved this wretched prodigal at a cost to Himself that no one could possibly understand, least of all me.  I will thank and honor Him at all times of the year, every year – without fail.

Know Jesus, know life.  No Jesus, no life.

Don’t let anyone hinder you from the celebration of Christmas, including the celebration of our Lord’s birth.