Against "Christmas"

Well, it's that time of year again, and this year I feel compelled to share some thoughts about "Christmas." I offer this meditation in a Berean spirit and pray that it will be received the same way.

Nowhere in the NT is there either a command or a teaching to celebrate the Lord’s birth. Some would call this an argument from silence that consequently proves nothing. Others would say that since there is no teaching about it, we are free to participate in its celebration. However, for me the overwhelming silence about the birth of Christ as something we should celebrate, coupled with the obvious and early Christian recognition of Christ’s death and resurrection, convinces me that we ought not to celebrate His birth.

The overall biblical context about the Messiah is His suffering and death, not His birth; believers are to have a share in that death.

• Psalm 22:16
• Isaiah 53:8-9
• Zech. 12:10
• Rom. 3:24-25; 6:5
• 1 Cor. 4:10
• 2 Cor. 1:5, 9
• Phil. 3:10-11
• 1 Peter 4:13

The NT gives us much teaching in general about how we are to think of Christ.

• 1 Cor. 2:1-2
• 2 Cor. 5:15-16
• Gal. 2:20; 6:14
• Phil. 3:10
• Col. 2:8-12 (esp. v. 12)

The Word of God tells us explicitly that angels are to worship or celebrate the birth of the Messiah, with the implication that we are not to worship Him in the same way.

• Heb. 1:6 (see also Psalms 97:7)

Christ Himself tells us explicitly and decretically how we are to remember Him.

• 1 Cor. 11:23-26

The early, Messianic community did not celebrate Jesus’ birth. It was not celebrated at all for at least two hundred years after His death. In the fourth century, the Church decided His birth occurred on December 25, which was already a pagan solar feast day. Christians who believe Christ was really born on December 25 are acquiescing to a deceit manufactured by the Church.

Only God can determine times of celebration, holy convocations, appointed times, feast days, and so on.

• Lev. 23
• Dan. 2:20-21

Christmas is a celebration promoted by the Congregation of Rome, which became the Catholic Church (see #6 above) and if Rev. 18:2 refers to the Catholic Church (as virtually all non-Catholic theologians and commentators believe), we are told in v. 4 to “come out of her”, that is, to not follow her corrupt teachings.

The two NT ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Table (Communion) are concerned with Christ’s death, not His birth.

• Rom. 6:4
• 1 Cor. 11:26
• Col. 2:12

The Bible tells us that we are to shun anything that we cannot find in, or that contradicts— directly or indirectly— the Word of God.

• Lev. 18:1-4
• Isa. 8:20
• Eze. 20:39
• 2 Cor. 11:1-4, etc.

I purposefully make no reference here to all the various “Christmas traditions” such as the Yule log, stockings, gift exchanging, caroling, the “Christmas” tree and its decorations, holly, mistletoe and of course Santa Claus and his elves. This is because these traditions and many more like them are manifestly of pagan origins. I therefore believe that bible-believing, born-again Christians should have nothing to do with such trappings and indeed should find them abhorrent, even as God does. Yet some would say that the pagan aspect is no longer relevant since society has changed (i.e. become secularized) to such an extent that the very idea of “pagan” is anachronistic. However, I say that we are motivated by the same impulses and guilty of the same sins (at least in our hearts) as the early pagans. Besides which, and just as important, God has never declared a statute of limitations when it comes to sin (which is disobedience). Since He is eternal, so must be His wrath against sin. There will never be a time when God will annul His own righteousness and holiness.

Having said all the above, I realize that most people reading this post will still disagree with my position and either accept the celebration of “Christmas” as normative or else consider it an adiaphoron, that is, a matter of indifference. If it is a matter of indifference for some, then I will not seek to proselytize them by promoting my own position, but such forbearance works in both directions; others should not preach the celebration of “Christmas”, since that constitutes an assault on the Christian liberty of those with differing opinions.

While much more could be said, with many more citations from Scripture, let me end this post with a quote from the Prince of Preachers, CH Spurgeon:

“We have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly, we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas; first because we do not believe in the mass at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sung in Latin or English; and secondly, because we find no scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Saviour; and consequently, its observation is a superstition, because not of divine authority” (From the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 1971, p. 697).

AMEN.