There is a difference between Advent and Christmas. And Epiphany for that matter! But I’m not writing about that. I’m asking, Is it biblical to celebrate Christmas?
There are those who emphatically say, “No!” And, Why not? “It’s not commanded or observed in the Bible.”
I will admit at the beginning, they are correct. But, does that make it unbiblical? Are we only to do things explicitly mentioned in the Bible? Think about this. We meet on Sunday, that is according to explicit apostolic practice. But, what time do we start? Not mentioned. Have a song leader or praise team to lead the singing? Not mentioned. Meet in a building? Not mentioned! And then you have TV, computers, internet, Nook Color. None of these are even remotely mentioned in the Bible.
I believe we have three criteria for determining if something is biblical: precept, prohibition, principle. If something is commanded, it is a sin not to do it. If something is prohibited, it is a sin to do it. But what if a matter is neither commanded nor forbidden? Then we apply biblical principles. When there is neither command nor prohibition we have freedom that is guided and guarded by biblical principles and the Holy Spirit.
Is celebrating the birth of Christ commanded? No. Is there an approved example of it? No. Is celebrating the birth of Christ forbidden? No. So then, does celebrating the birth of Jesus our Savior violate scriptural principles? I believe that answer is also, No.
Obviously, there are elements of Christmas celebration that are unbiblical: the parties, the drinking, the carousing, the excess, the profligacy. The rampant materialism is also a huge problem, as well as the debt caused by it. These are simply and undeniably wrong.
Advent and Christmas are part of the Church Year. This is a way of teaching the life of Jesus in an orderly way. The year consists of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, Kingdomtide. In this way, every year you cover the birth of Christ, his baptism, earthly ministry, death and resurrection, the church, and second coming. The church year is not commanded in the Bible, but is there anything wrong with it? Oh I know, it is Catholic. But you know what – GASP - not everything Catholic is wrong or bad. I have never cared for Lent and the Lenten season, but I am persuaded, if evangelical churches followed the church year in their teaching, or at least in their Scripture Readings, their people would be much more biblically literate. (Oh if we could just get all these Bible believing churches to read the Bible and pray in their worship!)
But what about the tree and wreath and lights and candles? Not to mention the Yule log – which I won’t since no one does this anymore! “Surely,” they say, “we can demonstrate that all these were at one time used by pagans in their feasts.” To me, this sounds a lot like the conflict in Corinth, “The meat in the market was dedicated to idols. You cannot buy that and be a Christian.” And the contact then was much closer than the tree and wreath are now. Paul told the Corinthians (1 Cor 8-10) that eating that meat was OK, as long as they didn’t eat it to honor the idol. I think we have a precedent here.
Now, I understand that these elements were taken up by the Church from heathens. (As were the names of each day of the week.) Those pagans were concerned about life (evergreens) and light (candles and fire) and the hope of a new day. They held these festivals in winter in the hope and anticipation that life and light and warmth would return. Does the Gospel not address these concerns? In the depth of our cold, dark, long night of despair caused by sin, Life and Light and Hope have come!
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
I believe this can be a great tool to help us focus on Jesus. And I am convinced that the parties and consumerism/materialism are a much greater danger to our souls than the tree. Advent and Christmas can be a wonderful time to teach the incarnation and blessings of salvation that flow from it, as well as the need to prepare myself for the return of Christ.
Do you choose not to celebrate or in any way observe Christmas? You’re free! But don’t condemn those who do.
Do you choose to celebrate Christmas? You too are free! But don’t judge those who choose not to observe it. And keep your focus on Jesus.
Christmas is such a joyful time. The lights, the tree, the candles, the music. I am persuaded this is a reflection of the “good tidings of great joy.” I think Isaac Watts got it right:
Joy to the world! the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heav'n and nature sing.
Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love.
(Psalm 98 Part 2 C.M. The Messiah's coming and kingdom)
I say, Celebrate the Incarnation of the Son of God. Celebrate Jesus. Celebrate Christmas!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth . . . No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
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