By Steve Savage
There are equally sincere and
committed Christians on both sides of the issue, each with multiple reasons why
or why not Christmas should be celebrated in Christian homes.
But what does the Bible say?
Does the Bible give clear
direction as to whether Christmas is a holiday to be celebrated by Christians?
Let’s look at the reasons why some Christians do not celebrate Christmas. One argument against Christmas is that the traditions surrounding the holiday have origins in paganism. Searching for reliable information on this topic is difficult because the origins of many of our traditions are so obscure that sources often contradict one another. Bells, candles, holly, and decorations are mentioned in the history of pagan worship, but the use of such in one’s home certainly does not indicate a return to paganism.
While there are definitely pagan roots to some traditions, there
are many more traditions associated with the true meaning of Christmas—the
birth of the Savior of the world in Bethlehem. Bells are played to ring out the
joyous news, candles are lit to remind us that Christ is the Light of the world
(John 1:4-9), a star is placed on the top of a Christmas tree to remember the
Star of Bethlehem, and gifts are exchanged to remind us of the gifts of the
Magi to Jesus, the greatest gift of God to mankind.
Another argument against
Christmas, especially having a Christmas tree, is that the Bible forbids
bringing trees into our homes and decorating them. The passage often cited is
Jeremiah 10:1-16, but this passage refers to cutting down trees, chiseling the
wood to make an idol, and then decorating the idol with silver and gold for the
purpose of bowing down before it to worship it (see also Isaiah 44:9-18). The
passage in Jeremiah cannot be taken out of its context and used to make a
legitimate argument against Christmas trees.
Christians who choose to ignore
Christmas point to the fact that the Bible doesn’t give us the date of Christ’s
birth, which is certainly true. December 25 may not be even close to the time
Jesus was born, and arguments on both sides are legion, some relating to
climate in Israel, the practices of shepherds in winter, and the dates of Roman
census-taking. None of these points are without a certain amount of conjecture,
which brings us back to the fact that the Bible doesn’t tell us when Jesus was
born. Some see this as proof positive that God didn’t want us to celebrate the
birth, while others see the Bible’s silence on the issue as tacit approval.
Some Christians say that since
the world celebrates Christmas—although it is becoming more and more
politically correct to refer to it as “the holidays”—Christians should avoid
it. But that is the same argument made by false religions that deny Christ
altogether, as well as cults such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses who deny His
deity. Those Christians who do celebrate Christmas often see the occasion as an
opportunity to proclaim Christ as “the reason for the season” among the nations
and to those trapped in false religions.
As we have seen, there is no legitimate scriptural reason not to celebrate Christmas. At the same time, there is no biblical mandate to celebrate it, either. In the end, of course, whether or not to celebrate Christmas is a personal decision. Whatever Christians decide to do regarding Christmas, their views should not be used as a club with which to beat down or denigrate those with opposing views, nor should either view be used as a badge of honor inducing pride over celebrating or not celebrating. As in all things, we seek wisdom from Him who gives it liberally to all who ask (James 1:5) and accept one another in Christian love and grace, regardless of our views on Christmas.
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