A Defense of Christmas

A Defense of Christmas

First let me state unequivocally that I love Christmas, I believe it is one of the most important days in the Christian Calendar. Its actual calendar date is immaterial and the fact that this date is not mentioned in Scripture does nothing to diminish its role in the life of today’s believer. After all, Easter is not a day mentioned in Scripture and the celebration of the resurrection occurs weekly, not on a specific date based on a lunar calendar. To use Pentecost is another “waving at the wind” argument. True Pentecost is scriptural, but it has never been celebrated by the Church in the manner of the Old Testament tradition.

Christmas is a date to commemorate a happening in the life of the world that never happened before and shall not again. It is much more than the story of the birth of a child, even the child of prophecy. Christmas marks that specific event in the life of humanity when God, the God of the universe, the eternal Logos, became enfleshed; we call that the Incarnation. The story as related by Matthew says, “He shall be called Immanuel, God with us.” The Apostle Paul says, “At the right time, when we were dead in our sins . . .”
Christmas is that date set aside to remember, to celebrate God’s giving to us. John says, “for God so loved the world that he gave his only son . . “ that’s what we mark on the day we call Christmas.

There are those who liken Christmas to a birthday celebration, and I guess it is, but it is more. Jesus said that to enter the Kingdom of God “you must be born again,” or “born form above. . .” Christmas is the commemoration of the possibility of new birth. I would agree that to celebrate New Birth is more significant than our earthly conception; perhaps we would be better to celebrate our Baptism than our birth but that is precisely what the celebration of Christmas leads us to do. Christ, as God’s gift, opens to us the authority to become the children of God, “born of the Father.” Should such a date not be celebrated, should there not be rejoicing that God has prepared the way for us to come home? So we remember the birth of Jesus and in remembering his birth we remember that we too are offered the gift of new birth, a freedom from the effects of sin. Since the angels rejoice, why not us?

Well then what about the excessive gift giving, the selfish need to receive and the sad abuse that is so prevalent during this time? My weakness does not reflect on the powerful goodness of God. Yes Christmas is over commercialized, and yes people abuse this opportunity- but God’s grace is made perfect in my weakness. Just as I should not sin because grace abounds likewise there is no reason to quit rejoicing in God’s love because others abuse the occasion. There is nothing wrong with the simple act of giving a gift. Nor should God’s act of giving be thrown on the scrap heap of history simply because our imitation of that act is so crass. We are the ones needing to repent – the celebration remains sacred.

But, the argument states, the symbolism often comes from pagan cultures. True, but that is not the reason behind a Christian’s use of a Christmas tree or a wreath or candles. It is what is in your heart and understanding that is of most importance, not the origin. There are those who would argue that the Ten Commandments are a restatement of the Code of Hammurabi – should we then discard the Commandments? Truth is often copied and often surfaces in many different cultures and is found in many different belief systems; that does not deny TRUTH,

You see just as God gave us a dynamic and living creation so our faith is dynamic and living. The Scriptures give us direction but are not meant as chains to bind us to a world that has been filtered through history. There are absolutes, but how you celebrate the gift of God’s love is not. What are the absolutes? Perhaps the prophet answers that question best when he says, “What does the Lord require of you but to do Justice, love Mercy and to walk humbly with your God” Jesus rephrases that and says the greatest commandment is “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself.” How we accomplish those absolutes point to the dynamic and living relationship we have with God.

Christmas is the celebration of our living the absolutes of God. So, pick a date – in your celebration rejoice that the God of all creation became flesh and walked among us and we have beheld his grace and truth.

Merry Christmas.