Last year, around this time, Dr. Ken Neller wrote an article in Harding's newspaper The Bison. I really was blessed by reading it, and hope you will be as well.
Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?
Ken Neller
In a recent airing of the television series “CSI,” a young woman named “Abigail” said to the main character, Gil Grissom, “Surely you don’t believe we’re alone in the universe!” To which Grissom replied, “If there is someone out there, somewhere looking down on us, I’m sure they’re wise enough to have nothing to do with us.”
He was wrong.
One of the most amazing revelations of the Christian faith is that God—the holy Creator of the universe—humbled himself and became a mortal being by being born of a human mother. The Bible is very clear on this, and most followers of Jesus celebrate the day when “God became flesh” on December 25 as if observing Christmas were a natural and necessary part of being a Christian.
Careful students of the Bible, however, know that nowhere in the Bible are Christians commanded to observe Christ’s birthday. There is no example in the New Testament of disciples celebrating Christmas. In fact, the word “Christmas” does not even occur in the Bible! So where does Christmas come from?
The exact date of Christ’s birth is unknown. Suggestions in the early church included March 28, April 2, April 19 or May 20. For a while in the third century, Jesus’ birth was celebrated by some Christians on January 6. The celebration was moved in the fourth century to December 25 to counter a pagan festival day held in honor of “The Invincible Sun.” Thus the church hoped to adapt a pagan celebration and sanctify it for the honoring of God and celebration of Christ’s incarnation (becoming “flesh”). They observed a church service, or “mass,” in honor of Christ’s birth, giving us Christ’s mass, or “Christmas.”
The new Christian festival was slow to catch on. The first clear evidence we have for the celebration of Jesus’ birth on December 25 comes from Rome in A.D. 336. The day began being celebrated in Constantinople (modern Istanbul) in 379. By 386 we hear of Christmas’ being celebrated on December 25 in Antioch (Syria), by 431 in Egypt. Christians in Palestine did not begin observing the birth of Christ on December 25 until the middle of the sixth century. Today, virtually all believers in Christ around the world celebrate December 25 as the day of Christ’s birth.
But a few do not, for two primary reasons: (1) Christmas is not found in the Bible and the first disciples did not celebrate Christ’s birth. Christians are therefore not “authorized” to celebrate Christmas. (2) Christmas is closely connected with paganism in its origin (December 25 and sun worship), and in its current practice (decorated trees and wreaths, mistletoe, and other elements of Christmas can be tied to ancient pagan practices and beliefs). Thus, some Christians have nothing to do Christmas, believing it merely to be a Christianized form of paganism. Others, by way of compromise, believe that Christmas should not be celebrated as a religious occasion (especially in church), but may be observed in one’s private life as a secular holiday, perhaps even including the decorating of a tree, the exchanging of gifts, and the singing of secular songs such as “Frosty the Snowman” and “Deck the Halls.”
Though the principles of these Christians may be admired, their position is not without difficulties. Those who observe Christmas as a religious event reply that while Christmas as a “holiday” is not in the Bible, the event which it commemorates IS. While the exact date for Jesus’ birth is unknown, why cannot one pick a date and celebrate the birth of our Savior? There is nothing in the Bible that would preclude this. As Paul says in Romans 14:5-6a: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord…” Since the Bible is silent on the issue, no one can fault those who choose to dedicate to the Lord a particular day to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Further, while the pagan connections with Christmas are certain, much of our modern world was originally connected with paganism, yet virtually no one—Christian or unbeliever—gives the connections a second thought. For instance, the fact that “Sunday” is named after the pagan Sun god does not prevent Christians from sanctifying the day for the worship of the Lord God Almighty.
Finally, Christians who observe the “day” of Christ’s birth say that the witness of the church must be considered. Surely, the world of unbelievers or uninformed believers would consider it astoundingly strange if Christians did not observe the day set aside by the rest of the world to celebrate their Savior’s birth! Or worse, they might consider Christians hypocritical who observe Christmas in private but not in public, or who advocate “taking Christ out” of Christmas as secularists do!
At the very least, Christians should consider “becoming all things to all men so that by all possible means [we] might save some” (1 Cor. 9:23). Celebrating Christmas, most say, does not violate any biblical principles and is a wonderful opportunity for reaching out with the gospel. There can never be a bad time to celebrate Jesus!
At best, Christians should embrace Christmas as an opportunity to remind an increasingly secular world that the holiday is not about “presents,” but “presence.” We should embody the spirit of Christmas year-round so God can become flesh once again through us.
December, 2005
He was wrong.
One of the most amazing revelations of the Christian faith is that God—the holy Creator of the universe—humbled himself and became a mortal being by being born of a human mother. The Bible is very clear on this, and most followers of Jesus celebrate the day when “God became flesh” on December 25 as if observing Christmas were a natural and necessary part of being a Christian.
Careful students of the Bible, however, know that nowhere in the Bible are Christians commanded to observe Christ’s birthday. There is no example in the New Testament of disciples celebrating Christmas. In fact, the word “Christmas” does not even occur in the Bible! So where does Christmas come from?
The exact date of Christ’s birth is unknown. Suggestions in the early church included March 28, April 2, April 19 or May 20. For a while in the third century, Jesus’ birth was celebrated by some Christians on January 6. The celebration was moved in the fourth century to December 25 to counter a pagan festival day held in honor of “The Invincible Sun.” Thus the church hoped to adapt a pagan celebration and sanctify it for the honoring of God and celebration of Christ’s incarnation (becoming “flesh”). They observed a church service, or “mass,” in honor of Christ’s birth, giving us Christ’s mass, or “Christmas.”
The new Christian festival was slow to catch on. The first clear evidence we have for the celebration of Jesus’ birth on December 25 comes from Rome in A.D. 336. The day began being celebrated in Constantinople (modern Istanbul) in 379. By 386 we hear of Christmas’ being celebrated on December 25 in Antioch (Syria), by 431 in Egypt. Christians in Palestine did not begin observing the birth of Christ on December 25 until the middle of the sixth century. Today, virtually all believers in Christ around the world celebrate December 25 as the day of Christ’s birth.
But a few do not, for two primary reasons: (1) Christmas is not found in the Bible and the first disciples did not celebrate Christ’s birth. Christians are therefore not “authorized” to celebrate Christmas. (2) Christmas is closely connected with paganism in its origin (December 25 and sun worship), and in its current practice (decorated trees and wreaths, mistletoe, and other elements of Christmas can be tied to ancient pagan practices and beliefs). Thus, some Christians have nothing to do Christmas, believing it merely to be a Christianized form of paganism. Others, by way of compromise, believe that Christmas should not be celebrated as a religious occasion (especially in church), but may be observed in one’s private life as a secular holiday, perhaps even including the decorating of a tree, the exchanging of gifts, and the singing of secular songs such as “Frosty the Snowman” and “Deck the Halls.”
Though the principles of these Christians may be admired, their position is not without difficulties. Those who observe Christmas as a religious event reply that while Christmas as a “holiday” is not in the Bible, the event which it commemorates IS. While the exact date for Jesus’ birth is unknown, why cannot one pick a date and celebrate the birth of our Savior? There is nothing in the Bible that would preclude this. As Paul says in Romans 14:5-6a: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord…” Since the Bible is silent on the issue, no one can fault those who choose to dedicate to the Lord a particular day to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Further, while the pagan connections with Christmas are certain, much of our modern world was originally connected with paganism, yet virtually no one—Christian or unbeliever—gives the connections a second thought. For instance, the fact that “Sunday” is named after the pagan Sun god does not prevent Christians from sanctifying the day for the worship of the Lord God Almighty.
Finally, Christians who observe the “day” of Christ’s birth say that the witness of the church must be considered. Surely, the world of unbelievers or uninformed believers would consider it astoundingly strange if Christians did not observe the day set aside by the rest of the world to celebrate their Savior’s birth! Or worse, they might consider Christians hypocritical who observe Christmas in private but not in public, or who advocate “taking Christ out” of Christmas as secularists do!
At the very least, Christians should consider “becoming all things to all men so that by all possible means [we] might save some” (1 Cor. 9:23). Celebrating Christmas, most say, does not violate any biblical principles and is a wonderful opportunity for reaching out with the gospel. There can never be a bad time to celebrate Jesus!
At best, Christians should embrace Christmas as an opportunity to remind an increasingly secular world that the holiday is not about “presents,” but “presence.” We should embody the spirit of Christmas year-round so God can become flesh once again through us.
December, 2005
3 comments:
I enjoyed that. It helps give me articulate my own reasons for wanting to "celebrate" Christmas. Thanks for reprinting that!
I meant, "It helps me articulate..." I guess I should have proofread it before I published it!
I like that! Thanks for sharing.
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