SO THAT WAS CHRISTMAS

There’s a song in which we find the lyrics... “So this is Christmas, and what have we done?” 
Many opinions on Christmas, most, probably, of no ultimate consequence. However, in the present, there is strife.

We have read (and some have learned) that many of our present day Christmas customs and traditions have very debauched, pagan origins. Lots of references to witchcraft, orgies, human sacrifices, anti-Semitism, murder, and the devil himself.

SO WHAT??

It seems to me, there are four perspectives on all this. On one side, there are those that want to ignore, if not abolish, this holiday because of the (inherent??) evil. On the other side, there are those that want to immerse themselves in that very debauchery… as it has been down through the ages. Then there are those that don’t care one way or the other. And then there are those that enjoy the festivities apart from any religious or pagan affiliation.

My concern is with us, the beloved brethren of the Lord Jesus. We, above all others, should be eternally thankful for God’s mercy that Jesus was, in fact, born. Can we, with certainty, know when He was born? Probably not. Does it matter? It shouldn’t. Christmas is, without a doubt, a secular holiday instituted in the United States by President Ulysses Grant and approved by Congress, along with three other holidays. And secular can be “neutral”.

Here is the wording of that act of Congress:

An Act making the first Day of January, the twenty-fifth Day of December, the fourth Day of July, and Thanksgiving Day, Holidays, within the District of Columbia. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following days, to wit: The first day of January, commonly called New Year's day, the fourth day of July, the twenty-fifth day of December, commonly called Christmas Day, and any day appointed or recommended by the President of the United States as a day of public fast or thanksgiving, shall be holidays within the District of Columbia, and shall, for all purposes of presenting for payment or acceptance of the maturity and protest, and giving notice of the dishonor of bills of exchange, bank checks and promissory notes or other negotiable or commercial paper, be treated and considered as is the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, and all notes, drafts, checks, or other commercial or negotiable paper falling due or maturing on either of said holidays shall be deemed as having matured on the day previous. APPROVED, June 28, 1870 by President Ulysses S. Grant.

So… what does the Christian have to lose?

The Apostle Paul said,

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Cor. 6:12

One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. Rom. 14:5-6

If I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:30-31

I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Rom. 14:14

Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. Rom. 14:22

So… who are we (any of us) to judge another (believer) in what day they observe (or not observe), or what food they eat (or abstain from), or whether they have one beer every July, or smoke a cigar after dinner? If after all the historical, scientific, legalistic, religious knowledge out there is shared, and the Word of God applied… who are we to judge if the believer has judged himself/herself?

Christmas is a neutral holiday. For the unbeliever, heathen, pagan, witch, warlock… it cannot be made holy enough to remove the condemnation that was already upon them for rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ. For the believer… there is no inherent evil in putting up a (Christmas) tree, exchanging gifts, or standing under mistletoe. In fact, it should be a tremendous opportunity to share the love of a family, to love your neighbor, to thank God for sending His Son, to thank Jesus for coming, and to be holy in all that. Remember…

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matt. 5:16

Are you going to allow the pagans to win?