December 4, 2006 

The e-mail I received shouted, "The War Rages On! What can YOU do?" The group, Operation: Just Say "Merry Christmas" is putting a call out to all Christians to "Proclaim to the world that you intend to ‘Keep Christ in Christmas!" They say it is long past time for Christians to stand firm in their faith. They are offering wristbands that say "Just Say Merry Christmas" and magnetic car stickers with a nativity cutout with the caption "Keep Christ in Christmas". The cause sounds so noble - what committed Christian wouldn’t answer the call?

It may surprise you to know that the wristbands and car magnets were designed and made by the Knights of Columbus and the Just Say "Merry Christmas" organization is Roman Catholic; however their call is to everyone who calls themselves Christian to join the crusade. Not surprisingly, they are promoting the ecumenical movie "The Nativity Story" that premiered at the Vatican and had Roman Catholic advisors.

In reality, no one has taken Christ out of Christmas because Christ has never been in "Christmas". It is another pagan holiday "Christianized" by the Roman Catholic Church. The word Christmas is derived from Middle English Christemasse and from Old English Cristes mæsse. It is a contraction meaning "Christ's mass".  The mass refers to the Roman Catholic celebration of the Eucharist. The Eucharistic Christ is not the Christ of the Bible. He is conjured up over and over as flesh and blood through the Eucharist via the incantations of the priest. Millions upon millions of dear precious people are led to believe they are ingesting Christ and receiving saving grace through this sacrament.

The idea that December 25 is Jesus' date of birth was popularized by Sextus Julius Africanus in Chronographiai (AD 221)".  He calculated that December 25^th was nine months after Mary conceived Christ and this happened to be the date the Romans celebrated the winter solstice. This is the only account that has any validity as to December 25^th being the birth of Christ, but that is only speculation and lacks practicality as gestation periods vary.

Nevertheless, unlike other pagan celebrations that have been coated with a Christian veneer, Christmas is universally celebrated as a commemoration of Christ’s birth. Most Christians have come to accept it as such and it is often used as an opportunity to bring glory to the Lord. Countless souls have been saved at fundamental evangelical Christmas services as the Gospel is presented to audiences that might never otherwise darken the door of a Bible-preaching church.

Controversy has always surrounded the Christmas holiday. During the Reformation, Protestants condemned Christmas celebration as "trappings of popery" and the "rags of the Beast". The Catholic Church responded by promoting the festival in a more religiously oriented form. The Puritans of New England disapproved of Christmas and celebration was outlawed in Boston (1659-81). Meanwhile, Virginia and New York celebrated freely. 

No one can deny that the major emphasis at Christmas is materialistic and worldly. In fact, it is so secularized that unbelievers have no problem celebrating it. Dominionist types get up in arms when governmental authorities refuse to allow nativity scenes in public areas, but seem to ignore the fact that as private citizens we can still utilize our personal freedoms to display nativity scenes in our front yards. The Magi can be omitted if desired to be biblically correct and the scene need not have a "Madonna with Child" appearance. All the displays would send a powerful message that the households are celebrating the birth of Christ. Too much time, expense and energy is spent wrangling with secular governments and the ACLU on this issue – they are not the enemy. The battle lines have been drawn and the love of Christ is not seen. Demanding our rights is not the answer. Christ was never universally accepted and He never will be. We will never succeed in Christianizing the world at large, and we should not be shocked when the world rejects Him. Saying "Merry Christmas" and displaying a nativity scene has the potential to impact our culture by creating a heightened level of awareness that could lead to open discussion. But unless that opportunity is capitalized upon the effort is an end in itself.

Any discussion of Christmas brings up the question: Should Christians celebrate Christmas given its connections to paganism? Certainly Christmas is not a biblical observance. Sincere believers are lined up on both sides of the discussion. Purists say absolutely not and don’t acknowledge it at all. Others believe in using it as a bridge instead of throwing up a wall.

Pragmatism is certainly a blight on the Church, but can’t truth be honored as we commemorate the birth of Christ even with all the "baggage"? The population is "forced" to think about Jesus during this time and opportunities can arise to share Christ if we are prepared. The average person tolerates the non-threatening Babe in the manger, but the risen Christ and His gift of salvation call for a personal decision and the need to address one’s eternal destiny. This requires a gentle persuasion toward self-examination and repentance which is far from comfortable, but necessary. The Christmas season provides a natural atmosphere to present the Gospel and declare the love of Christ and why He came.

Since the holiday is permanently woven into the fabric of our society, if Christians reject the observance of Christmas it could send a confusing message to a world that does not understand. They simply see it as a day the Christian world remembers the birth of Christ. Christians who opt out may be perceived as strange or legalistic, damaging their ability to witness. It could drive a wedge between family members who do not understand. At this point it is written in granite as a national holiday and proverbially speaking, the horse is out of the barn never to return. Most importantly, every believer must follow their personal conviction and extend grace to one another, not judge each another or allow the issue to become divisive when we disagree.

Christmas is traditionally the time to keep in touch with distant friends and relatives, recapping the activities of the year, sharing both joys and sorrows, giving opportunity to testify of what Christ has done. There are ways to set an example of how to have a Christ-centered observance. For example, one family I know is sending gifts to national pastors and their families in a 3^rd world country in lieu of a family gift exchange. What a wonderful way to stem the tide of materialism in one’s own family. We should not miss the opportunity to glorify the Savior during this window of opportunity when He is center stage.

The Bible is our ultimate authority, but where it is silent, it seems appropriate to consult trusted Bible teachers. I wanted to know what John R. Rice and H.A. Ironside, a couple of my favorites, had to say about Christmas.

Brother Rice comments:

I LOVE the Christmas season. I find great joy in preaching on the Christmas themes of the angels, the shepherds, the manger, the virgin birth, and the wise men. I have great joy in the Christmas carol. There is a joyful, happy note of worship in our home, and thank God, in my heart, through the Christmastime....I love to give gifts, and I rejoice to be remembered by my loved ones and friends. I love the Christmas season….It makes me sad that many people do not enjoy Christmas. Some devoted Christians feel sour, cantankerous, and full of objections about Christmas. To them I would say in the words of Scripture that if you regard the day, regard it unto the Lord. And if you do not regard the day, Christmas, then be sure that you are Christian about it and do it as unto the Lord. But let nobody be judging and criticizing others for honest, worshipful, spiritual and loving attitudes about Christmas. He was familiar with all the pagan connections and addressed it this way:….thank God, all the days belong to Christ now and none of them belong to heathen gods….Why should anybody grieve if I sing Christmas carols, if I have a happy celebration with a feast, and if I go over the Bible story of the birth of Christ and teach it to my children, on Christmas Day? As to the secular celebration of the day, he says," …we would be very foolish if we turned Christmas over to Satan and worldlings. If the world has a Christmas of revelry, let us make it a day of Christian love and fellowship and a day honoring to Christ. Let us make much of the Christmas story in the Bible, of Christmas carols, of Christian love and fellowship…Yes, I love Christmas!...........I like to use Christmas time as a good excuse to get into people’s hearts and win them to Christ. And, thank God, many have been saved because I brought a Christmas message, or because I urged sinners to accept God’s great Christmas gift at Christmas time. 

Dr. Ironside’s devotional for December 25^th from The Daily Sacrifice published in 1948 ends with this poem titled "The Triumph of Christmas". The words, though penned some 58 years ago are timely in our day.

"Can we say ‘Merry Christmas!’
When all around it’s night
When war spreads death and sorrow;
And wrong o’ercomes the right?

Is love the greatest power?
Or is it hate and greed?
If we speak now of Christmas,
Will anyone give heed?

‘Ah, yes!’ comes back faith’s answer;
The hearts of men still cry
For that one Consolation,
To cheer them ere they die.

Then still sound forth the Message
The angel heralds sang:
That o’er the hills of David
In peals of rapture rang.

Then from the lowly manger,
Shall rise a mighty Throne;
The Babe become earth’s ruler:
And men serve God alone."

--Author Unknown

No one has taken Christ out of Christmas – He does not dwell in Christmas. He abides in the hearts of those who have repented, accepted His gift of salvation and invited and welcomed Him into their lives.

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