Gospel Bible Baptist Church

Isa. 9:6, Rom. 14:4-6

Introduction

Christmas the most popular holiday has been the subject of ridicule as well as praise. The JW’s and other Christian groups including fellow Baptist preachers have been attacking it, saying that Christmas has its origin as a pagan holiday. Books as well as magazines feature Christmas as if Christians are really celebrating a pagan special day. While it is true that the celebration has become so worldly because of the drinking and partying, and the lies about Santa Claus, I would rather celebrate Christmas. Should we celebrate Christmas? How should we celebrate it? I would take into consideration some the pros and the cons in this short message.

I. Nobody knows when Christ was born, so Christmas celebration is wrong.
A. When was Jesus born? Not on December 25. Though Christians had adopted that date by A.D. 336, Christ was born “when shepherds watched their flocks by night.” In other words, most likely in the spring not on winter.
B. He wasn’t born in the year A.D. also
C. The Bible tells us that Herod the Great ruled Palestine when Jesus was born, and Herod died in 4 B.C.—so Jesus had to have been born not long before that. (Dionysius Exiguus a sixth century monk made a mistake in splitting history into A.D. and B.C. He chose the wrong date.
D. No mention in the Word of God about the exact date when Christ was born. True, but the Bible also doesn’t say anything about not doing something in honor of Christ’s birthday. When the Bible is silent, God’s people have liberty to follow the personal leading of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14). We are not free to make laws for others in such matters, and we are also not free to judge others.
E. The Lord willed that no one will ever know the correct date of His birth but he did not tell us that celebrating his birth is wrong.
F. I have all the list of sins and wrong doings committed by man in the Bible and celebrating Christmas is not one of them
G. The WORD was made flesh and dwelt among us (Jn. 1:14). Christ left His glorious place and came here on earth to save us sinners from our sins and for me it’s worth remembering and celebrating.

II. December 25 was a winter festival, a pagan holiday, so when you celebrate on December 25, it’s as if you are celebrating with the pagans.
A. The names of the days of our week had their origin in pagan beliefs. Sunday and Monday were related somehow to the worship of the sun and the moon. Tuesday stood for Tiw, the god of war. And Wednesday is derived from W oden, the chief god in Germanic mythology. Thursday originally stood for the Germanic god of the sky or of thunder. Friday comes from Fria, the goddess of love. Saturday is from Saturnus, or Saturn.
B. All of these ancient meanings with their beliefs and associations were lost long ago. When Friday comes, we don’t think about Fria, the goddess of love. On Saturday we don’t think about it as Saturn’s day, but our long-awaited day off where we can relax from our routine and demanding jobs be with our family, or do shopping.
C. While it is true that in the olden times December 25 was a pagan holiday, when we celebrate Christmas on the same date, we have in mind the birth of Jesus, the star Bethlehem, the baby in the manger, the shepherds, the angels singing, the wise men
D. The SDA accuse us of worshipping on Sundays, because it’s connected with the worship of the sun, they worship on Saturdays, but it has connection with the pagan worship of Saturn.
E. To make a connection with pagan deities is ridiculous because we never have them on mind now, and we have nothing to do with whatsoever pagan worship or celebration.

III. Celebrating Christmas is not commanded in the Bible.
A. The Bible tells us to remember Christ’s death and resurrection, but there is no command for remembering or celebrating His birth.
B. If we apply this logic, we would need to discontinue the use of Sunday School, DBVS, Men’s/Ladies Fellowship, hymnals, Christian schools, Bible Colleges, Tracting ministry, Church camp, overhead projector, PowerPoint presentations, and many other things. Why? because they are not commanded or even mentioned in the Bible.
C. I would like to add there that two very important Bible Doctrine which we uphold is not even mentioned in the Bible. The word “Trinity” is not mentioned and so is the word “Rapture” yet we believe it and accept it as true Bible Doctrine.
D. This is what we call hyperliteralism. Hyperliteralism (or letterism) is an intense devotion to the details of the Bible in such a way that one misses the essential meaning of a passage. Mountains are made out of mole hills and the truth is missed.
E. The argument of silence is not enough reason for me to forbid the celebration of Christ’s birth as a special season of joy, worship, adoration, giving, thanksgiving, forgiving, and many more. The problem is not the season; it’s the attitude and the distortion and the brainwashing of the teachers and ministers who would never admit that others are also right and condemns others that does not agree with them.

IV. The word Christmas indicates a mixture of Christian and pagan word.
A. The name of Christ and the Catholic “Mass”, put together in one word so as non-Catholics we should not celebrate Christmas.
B. Biblically speaking, the repetitious prayers, the prayers for the dead, the transubstantiation rites, Mary worship, etc., of the Catholics are all wrong. But, when I think about Christmas, I’m not thinking about the mass.
C. In my mind it is the coming of Christ, and I want to celebrate it to honor Him, to thank Him, to praise Him, and to worship Him. The Christmas carols which when I hear brings joy to my heart has nothing to do with the mass.
D. The family reunion, the greetings, the smiles, the reconciliation, the giving of gifts is something no other holidays can have an impact to people.
E. It’s an accepted fact that it’s easier to invite people to go to church during Christmas season than any other time of the year. So, the chances of people hearing the gospel and getting saved is higher.
F. If Catholics celebrate it with their mass, so be it, we non-Catholics will celebrate it with our worship service.

V. They say that Christmas tree and other Christmas decorations is a form of idolatry. They cite Jeremiah 10:3-4 to justify their reasoning. (See also Isa. 44:9-14)
A. There was a time that I really want to have Christmas tree in our house but did not put it just to avoid being criticized by other believers.
B. The truth is Jeremiah speaks of idol making that’s why it mentioned hammer and as well as silver and gold. There is no record that pagans worship any tree. What they are worshipping is their “god of the harvest” not the tree.
C. During Jeremiah’s time, there was no Christmas, and there was no Christmas tree. Jeremiah is not even prophesying about the coming of Christmas tree. If we decorate our house with Christmas tree, it’s just to beautify and to make the holiday season more colourful. I don’t see any wrong with that.
D. Who would worship a Christmas tree now? Nobody!!!
E. If we express our joy that Christ came into the world to save sinners thru decorating our house because friends and relatives are coming, I find no fault in this.
F. The Bible does not say making Christmas tree is a sin. I love to see Christmas lights in various colours flashing, colourful mistletoes and other things that would make this holiday season worth remembering because Christ became man and that’s one of the best thing or events that happened in the earth since God created the world.

VI. Christmas celebration is worldly so let’s not join the world in doing carnal things.
A. Everything God created was good but Satan and man corrupted and distorted it. Everything in this life–the Bible, sex, marriage, the church, food. There’s not one thing that Satan didn’t corrupt or ruin.
B. I would agree that due to lots of drinking, excessive revelry, dancing, carousing, too much commercialism, as well as lies about Sta. Claus, Christmas is corrupted. But it doesn’t mean that because some people have corrupted or misused it, we would stop remembering the coming of our Saviour. Will you throw your KJV Bible just because there were so many new versions now like the NIV, NKJV, NASB, RSV, etc.
C. Lots of people are getting drunk during Sundays than people going to church to attend worship service. It’s a proven fact yet we still continue going to church despite of this.
D. Christmas is a time to tell our children or grandchildren the birth of our Saviour and if other people make Christmas a day of doing fleshly and worldly things, then we set an example of celebrating it decently and spiritually.
E. Some have removed the word Christ in Christmas and substituted it with Xmas. Christ means the Anointed one, or the Messiah. Mas in Greek means gathering of people, religious events. Thus, Christmas means gathering of people of Christ. It is said that some ungodly people who doesn’t believe in Christ removed the name of Christ and put the letter X. In algebra or mathematics, X means unknown. Removing the name of Christ and replacing it with X can mean also that there is no Christ. It can also mean “there is no gathering of Christ’s Followers. Let us not remove the name of Christ and substitute it with letter X. As a Christian don’t use Xmas but use Christmas

IV. Conclusion:
Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. It is a time for remembering the birth of our beloved Saviour. We don’t know exactly when he was born but what is important is it is never wrong to celebrate it. Christmas day had been abused and people are mocking and celebrating it without restraint and without even the thought about Christ. For me it’s a great sin but we as Bible believing Christians should not give up setting an example on how to celebrate it. I find no fault in celebrating Christmas specially if you celebrate it remembering, honoring, worshipping the Lord, showing love to your fellowmen, and avoiding carnal and worldly things.