How Should Christians Celebrate Christmas (Part 1)

Let's face it, most everyone will agree that Christmas, as the world celebrates it, has been commercialized, secularized, and materialized.  It would be hard to argue against that point.  But having said that, does that mean, Christians, are to completely abandon any recognition of Christmas and follow the belief that celebrating the birth of the Savior of the world (Jesus the Christ) is in essence promoting paganism and materialism?  I hardly think so.  I would like to take a reasoned and Biblical approach to examining many of the arguments people present when they are "opposed" to Christians celebrating Christmas.

Argument #1: Christmas is Commercialized and Materialistic
 For the most part, this is true.  But isn't it always the work of Satan to distort and ruin everything in life.  Even the story about the birth of Christ is often distorted, mocked, or misrepresented.  Yet the Bible is very clear that this event was important!  It was prophesied about in the Old Testament and is recorded in three of the four Gospels.  If we use the argument that Christmas is commercialized and materialistic as a legitimate reason for discarding the entire celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas, it would follow that we would end up having to throw out many things that we use and value everyday, Bibles, our spouses, marriage, the church, food, etc. Why?  Because Satan and man distorts and ruins all of these and even more.

We celebrate other holidays and don't consider them to be pagan, yet they are commercialized as much as Christmas.  Holidays such as New Years, Labor Day, Mother's Day, 4th of July, Easter or Resurrection Sunday, etc.  Just because the world distorts something, does not make it evil.  Some will say 1 Thessalonians 5:22 tells us to "abstain from all appearance of evil."  But a quick study of the Greek word for "appearance" shows us that the word really means "form" or "kind" of evil.  We are to avoid not what may "appear" evil, but those things that are genuinely evil according to the Word of God.

If God thought that the birth of the Savior was important enough to include in the Bible, then shouldn't we consider it important enough to recognize and celebrate?  Not as the world does, but as we chose!

Argument #2: Scripture Doesn't Authorize It

There are many, many things, days, and ideas that we embrace every day that the Bible does not specifically authorize.  For example, where in the Bible does it tell us to sing from hymnals, or use a "public address" system, or utilize any form of multimedia?  Where in the Bible does it authorize Christian schools, Sunday School, or service on a Wednesday night? If we only use the Bible for validating special services or seasons, then we would not celebrate Thanksgiving Day or have a "dedication service" for a new building.  Why?  Because the only illustrations of such things are found in the Old Testament and not the New Testament.

Just because "scripture doesn't authorize" something or some celebration, doesn't mean it not legitimate or makes it some how pagan in nature.

Argument #3: Scripture Doesn't Mention Celebrating Jesus' Birthday

This is one of the most basic arguments brought against celebrating Christmas.  Some believe that since the only people in the Bible who celebrated their own birthdays were the evil men, Pharaoh and Herod that God takes a dim view of celebrating birthdays in general.  And therefore, God would not approve of celebrating Jesus' birthday.

First of all, the Bible says nothing against the practice of celebrating birthdays.  What was bad in the cases of Pharaoh and Herod was not that they celebrated their birthdays, but that they did evil on their birthdays.  I can go to a game with friends and there is nothing wrong or evil about it.  But many there may "participate" in what you might say are "evil" activities, but I do not, does that make going to the game "evil?"  Absolutely not!  The issue isn't the game or the observance of Christmas, but the reason, attitudes, spirit, and actions in which it is done.

There is scriptural precedent for commemorating and remembering the birth of Christ:

• The appearance of the angels to announce the birth of Christ (Luke 2:10-12)
• The response of the angels at the announcement (Luke 2:13-14)
• The actions of the shepherds to go to the birth place (Luke 2:15-20)
• The arrival of the men from the east bearing gifts as much as 2 years later after the birth (Matthew 2:1-12)

The early church met on Sunday in celebration of the Lord's resurrection, but scripture doesn't command us to do so.  In fact the believers met daily in the early church.  Does that mean we should do the same?  No, because that is not a "binding" command.  Believers met on Sunday because of its significance and because the early church set a precedent for it, but it was never commanded in the Bible.

Ultimately, the issue is not the season, it's the attitude and reason behind it.

More to come in the next post....