MAY CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?

Bob Myhan

o what extent may Christians participate in Christmas festivities? Is it right or wrong to observe Christmas? To rewrite Shakespeare: "To observe or not to observe - that is the question." But there is another question. "To judge or not to judge." "What should our attitude be toward those whose convictions and actions differ from ours in this matter?"

THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS

ccording to World Book, "Christmas is the day on which Christians celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ…. People take part in religious ceremonies, observing the season of 'Peace on earth, good will toward men.' Many exchange gifts and decorate their homes with holly, mistletoe, and Christmas trees. The word Christmas comes from the early English phrase Christes Masse, which means Christ's Mass…. Mass is the celebration of the Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church. According to Catholic teaching each Mass is a true sacrifice, in which the risen Christ becomes bodily present on the altar as a victim who is offered anew by the Church to God the Father as expiation for the sins of men. The Mass is understood by Catholics to be a renewal, in an unbloody manner, by the mandate of Christ, of the one universally effective sacrifice freely offered by Christ Himself in His Crucifixion, for the redemption of the world…. For many years, people observed Christmas as a religious festival only. But they gradually adopted more and more customs unrelated to the church. Most of the customs originated in cultures that existed before Christianity.... In 1643, the Puritans, who regarded such celebrations as pagan, outlawed the observance of Christmas in England. Colonists in New England copied the English laws…. But immigrants brought Christmas customs from many lands and the old festivities soon were restored."

he exact date of Christ's birth is not known. The early Christians did not celebrate His birth because they considered the celebration of anyone's birth to be a pagan custom. The first mention of the observance of Christ's birthday appears about A.D. 200. For many years, several dates were used. December was first mentioned in A.D. 336.

THE MONTH OF JESUS' BIRTH

here is much disagreement among scholars even as to the month in which Jesus was born. The one thing they seem to be agreed on is that it was not in the month of December for the shepherds would not have been "abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night" during the winter (Luke 2:8). Surely, if God wanted us to commemorate the birth of Jesus, He could and would have told us when and how to do so.

THE SIN OF PRESUMPTION

hen King David told Nathan the prophet of his intention to build a temple to replace the tabernacle that had been built by God’s instructions in the wilderness, God told Nathan the prophet,

   “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: ‘Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?”’” (2 Sam. 7:1-7)

od had said nothing about wanting anyone to build Him a temple; thus King David was guilty of presumption in planning such. And, since God has said nothing about wanting us to celebrate the birth of Jesus, why aren’t those who do so guilty of the same sin?

an is not in a position to devise his own religious activities. “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23). When man first tried to direct his own steps religiously he plunged himself into idolatry (Rom. 1:18-25).

hile God instituted the eating of the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week as a commemoration of Christ’s death, He has not authorized the commemoration of the birth of Christ on any day of the week, month or year.

WHAT IS A HOLIDAY?

ccording to The World Book Encyclopedia, a "Holiday is any day on which people lay aside their ordinary duties and cares…. In the United States, Sunday is the only holiday recognized by common law. Congress has at different times set aside special holidays.... But there are no national holidays as such. Each state has the authority to specify the holidays it will observe. The governor of the state proclaims the holidays for the state. The President and Congress designate the holidays to be observed in the District of Columbia, and by federal employees throughout the country…. Sunday is the first day of the week among Christian peoples. It is the day set aside for rest and for worship of God. Sunday was the day sacred to the sun among the old Teutonic peoples, and its name means the 'day of the sun.' The French call Sunday dimanche, the Spanish call it dominga, and the Italians call it domenica. These three names all come from the Latin words dies dominica, which means Lord's Day."

ay Christians celebrate civil holidays? While Christians may not refuse to work (2 Thess. 3:6-11), it does not violate God’s law for an employer to give his employees a day off for the pursuit of pleasure and/or enjoyment. And if the federal, state or local government fixes a day on which ordinary business is suspended, in honor of a famous event or person, it does not violate God’s law for Christians to take advantage of such, as long as no ungodliness or unauthorized religious activity is connected thereto. While “pleasures of life” can “choke the word” so that we “become unfruitful” (Matt. 13:22; Luke 8:14), the mere pursuit of pleasure and/or enjoyment is not sinful, in and of itself. “God…gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17).

ay Christians follow their family traditions? Yes, provided their traditions do not violate God's law. But to incorporate their family traditions into the local church assemblies would be equivalent to instituting religious activities.

ay Christians read and/or contemplate the biblical account of Jesus’ birth on or around December 25^th? This they may do anytime. However, one should not be critical of those who do not do so. Such criticism is specifically condemned in God’s word (Rom. 14:1-6, 10-13).

ay Christians exchange gifts on or about December 25^th? This they may also do anytime. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), but both are blessed.

oesn’t Jeremiah 10:1-4 specifically condemn Christmas trees? No, it doesn’t. Jeremiah was speaking of cutting down and decorating trees for the purpose of worshiping them (see 10:5-10).

ay Christians perpetuate the myth of Santa Claus? It is wrong to perpetuate myths and fables as facts but not to perpetuate myths and fables as myths and fables (Judges 9:7-15).

rethren, it is one thing to enjoy a civil holiday and quite another to devise one’s own religious activities. “Do not judge [your brother] according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24).