Posted February 2007
The power that Christmas holds over people is becoming increasingly evident. Christmas truly is a religion in and of itself. The emotional attachment that people feel about it is profound. When one raises questions about this the reaction from the adherents of this religion is also very emotional.
I have never been one to crusade against Christians taking part in this cultural tradition. I have always recommended that we make the most of every opportunity to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. But, I have recommended that followers of Jesus recognize Christmas for what it is and not be seduced into the religion of Christmas, trusting the Lord for us to somehow be in the world but not of the world.
The religion of Christmas has various factions who zealously battle one another for their view of their religion. But they don’t realize that they are still adherents of the same religion! You have those who promote Santa Claus and/or those who promote materialistic consumerism/corporate marketing and/or those who promote “community” and the “human spirit” and altruism and giving and service and/or the religious icon and relic and mystical aspects of the religion. Even those who promote non-sectarian, multi-cultural holidays or celebration of winter are all still part of this religion of Christmas, because this religion predates Christianity anyway!
This is a religion that is effective in uniting Roman Catholics with Mormons and Freemasons, with corporate-climbing fortune seekers, with drunken hedonists with Unitarian-Universalists and Presbyterians and Methodists and Yule Log Celts and Wiccans and Seeker-Friendly Mega-Churches and agnostic do-gooders, etc. etc. The religion of Christmas is also promoted by those who see it as a front in the culture wars. Both the polarized culture wars within American society and the broader, far more deadly, global culture wars. The battles of this world system are not our battles, brothers and sisters.
Lord Jesus, help us to be YOUR ambassadors in the midst of this corrupt world system. Help us to preach the real Gospel in the midst of all of these counterfeits.
January 2008
Recently a friend asked me the following:
“I had a thought…why is it that many Christians are against Christmas. Some say that It’s pagan, and isn’t about Christ. If that is so, why then are all the atheists, atheist organizations, the ACLU, … liberals … want to stop it? Food for thought…God Bless you all.”
This was my response:
Yes, I am grateful that the Creator of the Universe created us and then became one of us to rescue us.
As to Christ-Mass… Satan works both sides of every worldly fleshly conflict.
The rulers under Satan’s control try to polarize the masses into opposites and then try to control both sides.
The Roman Catholic Empire versus Freemasonry. The Roman Catholic Empire versus Islam.
In the New Testament there are no Holy Days (Holidays) that disciples of Jesus are to keep. We baptize new believers and we take part in the Lord’s Supper to remember what Jesus did for us until He returns.
John 1 tells us that the Word became Flesh, hallelujah! Infinite God was born as a babe.
And yet, our Lord did not tell us to commemorate an annual Holy Day during the Winter Solstice and call it Christ Mass.
The artificial conflict and polarization of those, “for Christmas” and “against Christmas”, is promoted to manipulate people to choose sides. But whichever side one chooses they are being manipulated by the enemies of God.
The athiests and pagans who choose to be against Christmas… it’s obvious that they are also against the real Jesus and the real Gospel.
However, many athiests and pagans DO celebrate Christmas. They’re on both sides. Christmas and the Winter Solstice are easy to make into what ever one wants: A Catholic Christmas, a Freemasonry Christmas, a Unitarian Universalist one, a Mormon one… etc.
Christmas is its own Universal Religion! Someday the world will exchange gifts when the two witnesses are killed.
The Apostle Paul said he did not want to be known for anything but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
We are called to step out of the polarizations of this world system, being in the world but not of the world, being Ambassadors for the real Jesus and His Gospel according to the Bible, not cultural holy days.
And yet, I’m not saying it’s wrong to make the most of every opportunity to witness for Jesus, including in the midst of the world’s celebrations.
As a husband and father, I’ve allowed my family a tree and decorations. But I remind them about the Bible versus the world.
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