Question:
Dear Greg,
I
appreciate your thoughtfulness in the Question/Answer section of “Ask Greg”
and my impression from your responses is that you are seeking lifelong learning
as you read God’s words and ask for understanding.
For this reason I am comfortable asking you this sensitive question.
I
am wondering about how I might become more accepting of the secular notion of
Christmas without compromising my own integrity.
I personally feel that I should honor Christ’s birth every day and
remember that his sinless life allows me to change and grow in spite of my
mistakes.
In
looking in the Bible I can find only one example of a birthday celebration—the
one that resulted in the beheading of John the Baptist.
So, even though on occasions up until a few years ago I have participated
in the December celebrations, I have always felt uncomfortable about it and have
felt that more should be done each day to share with others and not such a big
deal just on a certain day.
I
know many people who make a huge deal about Christmas but seem not to
acknowledge Christ or attempt to emulate his goodness at any other time of the
year. I know it is not my job to
judge anyone, and that how people choose to acknowledge Christ is personal.
However, more than once when pressed for my opinion I have been compelled
to tell them my true feelings—that I prefer to celebrate Christ every day and
not attach my love of Christ to a commercial event.
I am continually struggling with how to be gentle and non-confrontational
and live by example. Any
suggestions?
Lisa
Answer: Dear Lisa,
Thank
you for your kind words. We do attempt to be open and careful with our responses,
respectful of each individual while firm with what we see as a biblically
balanced answer.
You
are correct in saying that Christmas is, for many, simply a secular observance.
You are correct that Christmas has become commercialized and that here on
this earth materialism and greed has had its way with this celebration.
You
are also correct in saying that John the Baptist was beheaded as a part of a
birthday celebration—but incorrect in saying that is the only example in the
Bible of a negative result happening on a birthday.
You may wish to check examples in the lives of Job and Joseph.
But you will also need to check the rationale and logic behind the
assertion that because something negative happens at a particular time or place
then that time or place is therefore condemned, unbiblical, wrong, etc.
Such an assertion is without basis in biblical fact.
The flood happened—water killed all human life.
What does that tell us about water?
Jesus was crucified on the cross. Is
his death a useless, vain and insignificant event for Christians?
The
“negative things that happened on birthdays recorded in the Bible” argument
is a straw man used by those who do not, for a number of reasons, wish to
celebrate any birthday. It is not
biblically valid and lacks logical foundation.
You
note that you feel that “more should be done each day…and not such a big
deal on a certain day.” Your
statement is both true and false. You
link a true statement with an assertion but fail to invalidate the “big
deal” by your true statement. Apples
and oranges.
For
example, it is true that married couples should really tell each other that they
love each other every day. But that
statement does not mean that they should not make a “big deal” out of their
anniversary.
There
are many people who see Christmas solely as a day to eat too much, to drink too
much, to travel, to watch football on television and to party.
That’s it for them. Many
do that. That is true. But
their behavior and failure to worship God does not invalidate the fact that
Jesus was born.
Some
respond that no one knows when Jesus was born so we can’t celebrate his
birthday. Others say that December
25th is definitely not the “right” or “correct” day.
If
we are Christians, and we acknowledge and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior, then we will celebrate him in every way that we can--his birth, his
life, his death, his resurrection, his first coming and his second coming.
If we believe that December 25th is not the “right” or
“correct” day, then we believe that orthodox Christianity is wrong about
this celebration. We may be correct
but we should have a biblical basis for this view.
Further, if we are Christians and we believe that Jesus was not born on
December 25th, then we will want to establish the “correct” day
when he was born for the purpose of celebrating him in a special way on that
day. BUT—two things. My experience is:
1.
Those who believe that December 25 is the wrong day do not pick another
2.
Those who state that they worship Jesus every day and don’t want to
make a
No
Christian is commanded to have a Christmas tree, to decorate his or her house,
to sing hymns or even to go to church on Christmas.
No Christian must eat a turkey or ham or give any presents at all in
order to worship Christ. But this
is a day and time when many Christians, regardless of denominational
preferences, stop to remember that God, in the person of Jesus, came into this
world to be one of us. To save us.
To be our Savior and our Lord. If
December 25th is particularly offensive and all of the traditions
that have arisen with it, then why not try December 23rd or December
24th—or 26th or 27th.
The Eastern Church (Greek and Russian Orthodox) celebrates a few days
later, in early January. We should
not condemn them for having the “wrong” day, but thank God that they are
worshipping Jesus Christ.
Hope
this helps, Lisa. If you would like
further background, PTM has a booklet on the birth of Christ with questions
about Christmas. If you life in the
U.S. or Canada and would like a copy let me know a mailing address to which you
would like it mailed. May God bless you.
In
the precious name of Christ,
Greg
Albrecht