On (not) Observing Christmas
December 8, 2022 (based on December 3rd sermon)
Ron Saladin
It is officially OK to put your Christmas lights up now.
I saw a survey of some 4000 U.S. homeowners which identified December 1st as the day it is OK to hang those lights, and, I guess, start focusing on the upcoming holiday season. I won’t be doing either of those as I stopped observing Christmas a long time ago. I have had friends and family who just could not grasp why I did not embrace Christmas. Sometimes those failures to understand have deteriorated into harsh words. It can be an emotional subject.
Many see Christmas as an opportunity to proclaim, to draw the attention of the world at large to the birth of Christ. And they have a valid point; each year the birth of Christ is once again focused on, to one degree or another, by most of the world, I suppose. So why not celebrate it? Why refrain from embracing it?
I do not think the answer to those questions is as easy as many would like. Many years ago, the quick answer by some would have been simply it’s pagan.
But not all of it is pagan, right? Some very beautiful and true music is often played during the Christmas season. The birth story of Jesus Christ, His incarnation, His first Advent, is proclaimed. As my mother would often tell me, He was born; what’s wrong with celebrating a birthday for Him?
And yes, there are definitely pagan traditions, but it is hard to avoid all paganism in this age. We are accustomed to using names for the days of the week, which originated from pagan mythology. And in an effort to avoid the pagan traditions of Christmas, some have come to avoid the Biblical narratives of the birth of the Messiah as if the Bible itself is something to be avoided in that area.
And that is not a good response.
In thinking about all of this, I thought it might be good to talk about the celebration coming up which tends to alienate some of us from other professing Christians and put us on the spot, so to speak, of seeming to take a rather bizarre stand against what most see as a good thing. In past years, I have spent weeks digging into this topic; I do not intend to do that this year. Probably just this one study today, so a lot will be left out. I want to concentrate on what I feel is the most important reason.
I do not celebrate Christmas. Why? The reason is the very same one many people use to celebrate Christmas.
I love Christ and wish to honor Him.
Now, it’s important to realize, those reasons are not important to everyone. Some people do not believe in, do not care about Jesus Christ. Some just like the celebration; it is a time to party. It is a bright point in a drab time of the year. To others, Jesus may be a peripheral consideration, a casual part of a tradition which is enjoyable and expected by friends and family to be participated in. To these two groups, what God thinks about celebrating Christmas is either unimportant or simply assumed to be approving. Not a whole lot of thought is given to whether such a celebration actually is what God would want.
Then there are those who really care what God thinks. Many of those celebrate Christmas with a desire to honor the Son of God who laid aside His glory for a while to become a lowly human and Savior of mankind. To them, the traditions are peripheral and the honoring of Christ is central.
We need to recognize that. People observe Christmas for different reasons and some have good intentions.
Some, like me, do not observe Christmas with good intentions.
Good intentions matter to God, but it is quite possible to have good intentions and make poor choices. And poor choices lead to negative consequences. Ignorance of what God wants from us is no free pass. One quick example:
Luke 12:47-48
47And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Those who claim to have a relationship with God have been given much, some more than others. But ignorance is not an adequate excuse to entirely escape God’s chastisement. There is an expectation we are to diligently seek our Lord’s will in all things. After all, that is the path we started on of our own professed will at baptism, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life we are to imitate.
So, how do we know God’s will, His desires, His expectations for us in anything, including Christmas?
That is what His written Word is for. We must, if we care about His will, carefully and honestly seek to understand what He has deemed worthy to preserve in written form.
We must be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in us, those who have the gift promised at baptism.
John 16:13-15: 13However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He [c]will take of Mine and declare it to you.
There is a unity in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, of what the Godhead desires and approves of. We need to carefully discern the leading of the Spirit of God in our lives in all things, regardless of traditions, or what we prefer, or what others prefer for us. This is loving God, loving Christ, above all others. We are to express that love as God indicates, not necessarily as we think it is good to express.
Have you ever given a gift to someone and you later learned that gift was not appreciated, for some reason was not even liked? I know my wife well enough I do not give her chain saws as gifts. I would be delighted to receive such, but not-so-much with her. Nor would I give my daughter the best coffee beans I could buy. She would not be appreciative.
God tells us something in His word that He clearly hates. I’ll get right to the point now: God hates syncretism. Oh, the word does not appear in the Bible. But the practice of it, and God’s response to it, does.
Online, you can find these definitions: Merriam-Webster defines syncretism as “(1) the combination of different forms of belief or practice; (2) the fusion of two or more originally different inflectional forms.”
Wikipedia defines “religious syncretism exhibits the blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation of beliefs from unrelated traditions into a religious tradition.”
Christmas clearly shows the incorporation of beliefs from unrelated traditions into a religious tradition - syncretism, in a word.
Christmas tradition combines the Biblically-accurate account of the incarnation of the Son of God with peripheral traditions that did not come from the Bible. Those “peripheral” traditions either have clear traceable links to other religions or, if not directly traceable, then are uncomfortably similar to other religious traditions. It is very difficult to “spin” all of the non-biblical peripheral traditions into a Biblical narrative. To try to do so is ludicrous.
I’m not going to provide many examples of that as researching Christmas traditions is easy to do online and even the old-fashioned way, in books. Lots of information is out there, and I’ve covered it before.
Rather, I want to look at some of the responses in the Bible to syncretism.
Galatians 1:1-7 1Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 3Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 6I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
There is not another; there is only one gospel.
8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
I believe this is the Holy Spirit in Paul expressing a strong condemnation of tampering with, syncretizing, the Gospel.
Some think what is being referred to here is early Gnosticism, which involved belief in revelations from angelic beings. It is a possibility based on the reference in verse 8. Let’s move on.
10For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Paul is going on to describe another syncretistic threat to the true gospel.
12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
Paul was highly trained, deeply immersed in, the Jews’ religion, Judaism we refer to it. He trained under one of the best, Gamaliel, a leading authority in the Sanhedrin, mentioned both in Biblical and non-biblical history. Paul was exceedingly zealous for the traditions of his fathers, what would later come to be called more commonly, the oral law. The oral law was never the religion of the Old Testament; it was a creation of men. Jesus was frequently in conflict with the Jewish religious leaders over the written law of God vs. the oral law traditions. Judaism, the traditions of the fathers, came to be totally rejected by Paul as an improper addition to the authority of the Word of God. And his opposition to it was strong. Judaism was perceived by Paul as a syncretistic threat to the written Word of God.
OK. Let’s take another look at the Biblical response to syncretism, a bit more closely linked to Christmas perhaps, although I think a bit misunderstood, in my opinion. Jeremiah 10:1-2:1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
It does not take a lot of research to determine pagan religions, unbiblical traditions, have risen from what ancient people saw happening in the sky. The winter solstice, happening in late December in the northern hemisphere, was a time of festival in many pagan traditions, long pre-dating the birth of Christ.
The Bible tells us a lot about the birth of Jesus but does not tell us the date. In fact, it seems to go out of its way to obscure the exact day. Since I believe God inspired what is written, I do not think God wanted the date known, at this time. I can confidently say God didn’t overlook it. God did not forget to tell us something we would have obviously wanted to know.
That seems significant to me. There are hints and attempts to calculate it, but they all fall short of certainty because there are too many variables. If someone claims to have figured out the date of Jesus’ birth to December 25th, I believe the proper response is extreme skepticism.
So, how did we get December 25th? It’s unlikely anyone knows exactly how it came about. I’ve heard a lot of maybes presented as fact over my years of researching the topic.
So instead of taking a position on that, let me just say this: The date of Christmas and many of the traditions done as part of Christmas bear some similarities to pagan religions, you think? I think that is safe to say, even understated. Syncretism? I think so. That’s what I feel the Holy Spirit confirming to me. But not all will see it that way. Each person needs to examine what information is available and listen for the Spirit of God to guide and to lead into truth - those that love God, I’m referring to.
Jeremiah goes on and I think some Bible teachers have missed the mark here and done some damage in trying to make this into a Christmas tree. It sounds similar to a Christmas tree, but in my opinion, it is a mistake to accuse people of worshipping a Christmas tree. This following passage is referring to fashioning a false god, an idol. Jeremiah 10:3-5: 3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
When I was young and my family observed Christmas, we never even thought of attributing any deity to the tree. It was just a nice-smelling, sometimes pretty tradition. Now where the tree tradition originated is disputed, but we would have rejected any accusations of worshipping it. I would not accuse anyone of idolatry because they had a Christmas tree; I just don’t think that is fair. That does not mean the tree doesn’t have some possible shady links in tradition though, pardon the pun. Perhaps Martin Luther had a part in the current Christmas tree tradition, but trees and idolatry go way back beyond Luther. Putting a tree in our house during the winter solstice would have a strange, uncomfortable feel to me based on what I know about the Bible and pagan traditions. It sure would violate my conscience at this stage of my walk with God.
So how does syncretism happen to even sincere, godly people? Through bad reasoning, exposure, and carelessness.
I think a pretty good example of that is when David tried to transport the ark to Jerusalem, described in 1 Chronicles 13. I won’t go there; we have discussed it in detail not too long ago. The Philistines had captured the ark in a battle, but God made it difficult for them while they had it, and they decided to send it back to Israel. They put it on a new cart to do so, and it came back to Israel’s possession. Later, David chose to do the same transportation method, a new cart, instead of the way God had clearly said to transport it - to be carried. A man ended up being struck dead because God’s instructions were not followed. It’s easy to not check God’s word, to like how others relate to God and to imitate them. There may not be anything obviously wrong with an idea other than God said don’t apply that to Me.
There’s lots of other examples, but I think we probably understand what syncretism is. Does the Creator of the universe and all in it have a right to be sensitive to how we relate to Him? Let’s look at a few verses of what God says and then think about why He is so sensitive to syncretism in our relationship with Him.
Deuteronomy 12:29-32: 29When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. 32What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
This extended to even how the ark was to be transported, what many might consider of lesser importance.
Deuteronomy 13:1-2: 1If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
So this person is presenting an argument to at least syncretize, if not to totally abandon following God, and he has some angle of persuasion to get people’s attention, to convince them he might be right.
Deuteronomy 13:3 3Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
So adhering carefully to what God has said, avoiding syncretistic additions to the worship of God, is a love test.
Deuteronomy 13:4: 4Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
Sounds like what Jesus said in the gospel of John: If you love me, keep my commandments.
Why is our love important to God? Because He has an attribute we might find surprising. He is jealous of our relationship. He says so.
Exodus 34:14-16: 14For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: 15Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 16And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.
God likens syncretism to adultery, to sexual immorality.
God’s intimate relationship with His people is consistently referred to throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testaments.
2 Corinthians 11:1-4: 1Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
The Church is the Bride of Christ; purity is a priority with Paul as he oversees God’s people. Like in Galatians, Paul is concerned about other stuff coming into the Corinthian church, perhaps a syncretistic blending they would not even recognize happening.
Ephesians 5:21-32: 21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
So the relationship between God and His people, Christ and His church, is one of intimate love.
So, perhaps we can extrapolate this out to better understand why a Jealous God is so sensitive to syncretism. Most adults, whether now married or not, have experienced a close relationship with another at some point in time. They believed it to be, intently wanted it to be, exclusive of all others, special, intimate, reserved for only the two. You and me separate from the world.
If someone else began to intrude into that special relationship, became a syncretistic third party, jealousy would no doubt be the response. Even seemingly little things become an issue when an outsider threatens an intimate relationship. The intruder’s cologne or perfume, choice of words, clothing items, opinions brought into the intimate relationship between two can create anger, jealousy, and ultimately, even a break-up of the relationship.
What we want in an intimate relationship with another is for that person to focus on us, to learn our ways, our desires, at a special level relationship. And, in turn, we do likewise.
That is God’s special relationship with His people and ours with Him.
Israel and the Church were not prohibited from interacting with others; they could do business, mingle, and even have friends with different beliefs. But when it came to worship and how to live out life, there were to be no syncretistic intrusions into the relationship with God. Rather, pursuing that intimate relationship with God is a lifelong pursuit, continuing to learn from God’s Word at church and at home, changing as we go down the path, the Way.
I grew up with Christmas. I know the attractions and the pulls of human nature to observe it. But I heard of another Way, proclaimed by God Himself in Leviticus 23 and other passages, a different set of holy days to observe. The New Testament reveals those Holy Days, listed in the Old Testament, were designed by God to be about Christ and to be observed by Christians. Nevertheless, it was not easy to make the change to the Sabbath and Holy Days of the Bible, as traditions we learn as children are not easily changed. But I did it because of love, first God’s love toward me and in response, my love toward God.
So, again, I do not observe Christmas. It’s not about legalism or some fanaticism against everything pagan. It’s about love for God.
My little sermon/article probably won’t change many people’s opinion, if any. We all have the right to decide how to conduct ourselves in our intimate relationship with God. Nevertheless, be aware of syncretism. It is all around us in this world.
And we serve a Jealous God.
December 8, 2022 (based on December 3rd sermon)
Ron Saladin
It is officially OK to put your Christmas lights up now.
I saw a survey of some 4000 U.S. homeowners which identified December 1st as the day it is OK to hang those lights, and, I guess, start focusing on the upcoming holiday season. I won’t be doing either of those as I stopped observing Christmas a long time ago. I have had friends and family who just could not grasp why I did not embrace Christmas. Sometimes those failures to understand have deteriorated into harsh words. It can be an emotional subject.
Many see Christmas as an opportunity to proclaim, to draw the attention of the world at large to the birth of Christ. And they have a valid point; each year the birth of Christ is once again focused on, to one degree or another, by most of the world, I suppose. So why not celebrate it? Why refrain from embracing it?
I do not think the answer to those questions is as easy as many would like. Many years ago, the quick answer by some would have been simply it’s pagan.
But not all of it is pagan, right? Some very beautiful and true music is often played during the Christmas season. The birth story of Jesus Christ, His incarnation, His first Advent, is proclaimed. As my mother would often tell me, He was born; what’s wrong with celebrating a birthday for Him?
And yes, there are definitely pagan traditions, but it is hard to avoid all paganism in this age. We are accustomed to using names for the days of the week, which originated from pagan mythology. And in an effort to avoid the pagan traditions of Christmas, some have come to avoid the Biblical narratives of the birth of the Messiah as if the Bible itself is something to be avoided in that area.
And that is not a good response.
In thinking about all of this, I thought it might be good to talk about the celebration coming up which tends to alienate some of us from other professing Christians and put us on the spot, so to speak, of seeming to take a rather bizarre stand against what most see as a good thing. In past years, I have spent weeks digging into this topic; I do not intend to do that this year. Probably just this one study today, so a lot will be left out. I want to concentrate on what I feel is the most important reason.
I do not celebrate Christmas. Why? The reason is the very same one many people use to celebrate Christmas.
I love Christ and wish to honor Him.
Now, it’s important to realize, those reasons are not important to everyone. Some people do not believe in, do not care about Jesus Christ. Some just like the celebration; it is a time to party. It is a bright point in a drab time of the year. To others, Jesus may be a peripheral consideration, a casual part of a tradition which is enjoyable and expected by friends and family to be participated in. To these two groups, what God thinks about celebrating Christmas is either unimportant or simply assumed to be approving. Not a whole lot of thought is given to whether such a celebration actually is what God would want.
Then there are those who really care what God thinks. Many of those celebrate Christmas with a desire to honor the Son of God who laid aside His glory for a while to become a lowly human and Savior of mankind. To them, the traditions are peripheral and the honoring of Christ is central.
We need to recognize that. People observe Christmas for different reasons and some have good intentions.
Some, like me, do not observe Christmas with good intentions.
Good intentions matter to God, but it is quite possible to have good intentions and make poor choices. And poor choices lead to negative consequences. Ignorance of what God wants from us is no free pass. One quick example:
Luke 12:47-48
47And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Those who claim to have a relationship with God have been given much, some more than others. But ignorance is not an adequate excuse to entirely escape God’s chastisement. There is an expectation we are to diligently seek our Lord’s will in all things. After all, that is the path we started on of our own professed will at baptism, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life we are to imitate.
So, how do we know God’s will, His desires, His expectations for us in anything, including Christmas?
That is what His written Word is for. We must, if we care about His will, carefully and honestly seek to understand what He has deemed worthy to preserve in written form.
We must be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in us, those who have the gift promised at baptism.
John 16:13-15: 13However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He [c]will take of Mine and declare it to you.
There is a unity in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, of what the Godhead desires and approves of. We need to carefully discern the leading of the Spirit of God in our lives in all things, regardless of traditions, or what we prefer, or what others prefer for us. This is loving God, loving Christ, above all others. We are to express that love as God indicates, not necessarily as we think it is good to express.
Have you ever given a gift to someone and you later learned that gift was not appreciated, for some reason was not even liked? I know my wife well enough I do not give her chain saws as gifts. I would be delighted to receive such, but not-so-much with her. Nor would I give my daughter the best coffee beans I could buy. She would not be appreciative.
God tells us something in His word that He clearly hates. I’ll get right to the point now: God hates syncretism. Oh, the word does not appear in the Bible. But the practice of it, and God’s response to it, does.
Online, you can find these definitions: Merriam-Webster defines syncretism as “(1) the combination of different forms of belief or practice; (2) the fusion of two or more originally different inflectional forms.”
Wikipedia defines “religious syncretism exhibits the blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation of beliefs from unrelated traditions into a religious tradition.”
Christmas clearly shows the incorporation of beliefs from unrelated traditions into a religious tradition - syncretism, in a word.
Christmas tradition combines the Biblically-accurate account of the incarnation of the Son of God with peripheral traditions that did not come from the Bible. Those “peripheral” traditions either have clear traceable links to other religions or, if not directly traceable, then are uncomfortably similar to other religious traditions. It is very difficult to “spin” all of the non-biblical peripheral traditions into a Biblical narrative. To try to do so is ludicrous.
I’m not going to provide many examples of that as researching Christmas traditions is easy to do online and even the old-fashioned way, in books. Lots of information is out there, and I’ve covered it before.
Rather, I want to look at some of the responses in the Bible to syncretism.
Galatians 1:1-7 1Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 3Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 6I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
There is not another; there is only one gospel.
8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
I believe this is the Holy Spirit in Paul expressing a strong condemnation of tampering with, syncretizing, the Gospel.
Some think what is being referred to here is early Gnosticism, which involved belief in revelations from angelic beings. It is a possibility based on the reference in verse 8. Let’s move on.
10For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Paul is going on to describe another syncretistic threat to the true gospel.
12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
Paul was highly trained, deeply immersed in, the Jews’ religion, Judaism we refer to it. He trained under one of the best, Gamaliel, a leading authority in the Sanhedrin, mentioned both in Biblical and non-biblical history. Paul was exceedingly zealous for the traditions of his fathers, what would later come to be called more commonly, the oral law. The oral law was never the religion of the Old Testament; it was a creation of men. Jesus was frequently in conflict with the Jewish religious leaders over the written law of God vs. the oral law traditions. Judaism, the traditions of the fathers, came to be totally rejected by Paul as an improper addition to the authority of the Word of God. And his opposition to it was strong. Judaism was perceived by Paul as a syncretistic threat to the written Word of God.
OK. Let’s take another look at the Biblical response to syncretism, a bit more closely linked to Christmas perhaps, although I think a bit misunderstood, in my opinion. Jeremiah 10:1-2:1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
It does not take a lot of research to determine pagan religions, unbiblical traditions, have risen from what ancient people saw happening in the sky. The winter solstice, happening in late December in the northern hemisphere, was a time of festival in many pagan traditions, long pre-dating the birth of Christ.
The Bible tells us a lot about the birth of Jesus but does not tell us the date. In fact, it seems to go out of its way to obscure the exact day. Since I believe God inspired what is written, I do not think God wanted the date known, at this time. I can confidently say God didn’t overlook it. God did not forget to tell us something we would have obviously wanted to know.
That seems significant to me. There are hints and attempts to calculate it, but they all fall short of certainty because there are too many variables. If someone claims to have figured out the date of Jesus’ birth to December 25th, I believe the proper response is extreme skepticism.
So, how did we get December 25th? It’s unlikely anyone knows exactly how it came about. I’ve heard a lot of maybes presented as fact over my years of researching the topic.
So instead of taking a position on that, let me just say this: The date of Christmas and many of the traditions done as part of Christmas bear some similarities to pagan religions, you think? I think that is safe to say, even understated. Syncretism? I think so. That’s what I feel the Holy Spirit confirming to me. But not all will see it that way. Each person needs to examine what information is available and listen for the Spirit of God to guide and to lead into truth - those that love God, I’m referring to.
Jeremiah goes on and I think some Bible teachers have missed the mark here and done some damage in trying to make this into a Christmas tree. It sounds similar to a Christmas tree, but in my opinion, it is a mistake to accuse people of worshipping a Christmas tree. This following passage is referring to fashioning a false god, an idol. Jeremiah 10:3-5: 3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
When I was young and my family observed Christmas, we never even thought of attributing any deity to the tree. It was just a nice-smelling, sometimes pretty tradition. Now where the tree tradition originated is disputed, but we would have rejected any accusations of worshipping it. I would not accuse anyone of idolatry because they had a Christmas tree; I just don’t think that is fair. That does not mean the tree doesn’t have some possible shady links in tradition though, pardon the pun. Perhaps Martin Luther had a part in the current Christmas tree tradition, but trees and idolatry go way back beyond Luther. Putting a tree in our house during the winter solstice would have a strange, uncomfortable feel to me based on what I know about the Bible and pagan traditions. It sure would violate my conscience at this stage of my walk with God.
So how does syncretism happen to even sincere, godly people? Through bad reasoning, exposure, and carelessness.
I think a pretty good example of that is when David tried to transport the ark to Jerusalem, described in 1 Chronicles 13. I won’t go there; we have discussed it in detail not too long ago. The Philistines had captured the ark in a battle, but God made it difficult for them while they had it, and they decided to send it back to Israel. They put it on a new cart to do so, and it came back to Israel’s possession. Later, David chose to do the same transportation method, a new cart, instead of the way God had clearly said to transport it - to be carried. A man ended up being struck dead because God’s instructions were not followed. It’s easy to not check God’s word, to like how others relate to God and to imitate them. There may not be anything obviously wrong with an idea other than God said don’t apply that to Me.
There’s lots of other examples, but I think we probably understand what syncretism is. Does the Creator of the universe and all in it have a right to be sensitive to how we relate to Him? Let’s look at a few verses of what God says and then think about why He is so sensitive to syncretism in our relationship with Him.
Deuteronomy 12:29-32: 29When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. 32What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
This extended to even how the ark was to be transported, what many might consider of lesser importance.
Deuteronomy 13:1-2: 1If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
So this person is presenting an argument to at least syncretize, if not to totally abandon following God, and he has some angle of persuasion to get people’s attention, to convince them he might be right.
Deuteronomy 13:3 3Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
So adhering carefully to what God has said, avoiding syncretistic additions to the worship of God, is a love test.
Deuteronomy 13:4: 4Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
Sounds like what Jesus said in the gospel of John: If you love me, keep my commandments.
Why is our love important to God? Because He has an attribute we might find surprising. He is jealous of our relationship. He says so.
Exodus 34:14-16: 14For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: 15Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 16And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.
God likens syncretism to adultery, to sexual immorality.
God’s intimate relationship with His people is consistently referred to throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testaments.
2 Corinthians 11:1-4: 1Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
The Church is the Bride of Christ; purity is a priority with Paul as he oversees God’s people. Like in Galatians, Paul is concerned about other stuff coming into the Corinthian church, perhaps a syncretistic blending they would not even recognize happening.
Ephesians 5:21-32: 21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
So the relationship between God and His people, Christ and His church, is one of intimate love.
So, perhaps we can extrapolate this out to better understand why a Jealous God is so sensitive to syncretism. Most adults, whether now married or not, have experienced a close relationship with another at some point in time. They believed it to be, intently wanted it to be, exclusive of all others, special, intimate, reserved for only the two. You and me separate from the world.
If someone else began to intrude into that special relationship, became a syncretistic third party, jealousy would no doubt be the response. Even seemingly little things become an issue when an outsider threatens an intimate relationship. The intruder’s cologne or perfume, choice of words, clothing items, opinions brought into the intimate relationship between two can create anger, jealousy, and ultimately, even a break-up of the relationship.
What we want in an intimate relationship with another is for that person to focus on us, to learn our ways, our desires, at a special level relationship. And, in turn, we do likewise.
That is God’s special relationship with His people and ours with Him.
Israel and the Church were not prohibited from interacting with others; they could do business, mingle, and even have friends with different beliefs. But when it came to worship and how to live out life, there were to be no syncretistic intrusions into the relationship with God. Rather, pursuing that intimate relationship with God is a lifelong pursuit, continuing to learn from God’s Word at church and at home, changing as we go down the path, the Way.
I grew up with Christmas. I know the attractions and the pulls of human nature to observe it. But I heard of another Way, proclaimed by God Himself in Leviticus 23 and other passages, a different set of holy days to observe. The New Testament reveals those Holy Days, listed in the Old Testament, were designed by God to be about Christ and to be observed by Christians. Nevertheless, it was not easy to make the change to the Sabbath and Holy Days of the Bible, as traditions we learn as children are not easily changed. But I did it because of love, first God’s love toward me and in response, my love toward God.
So, again, I do not observe Christmas. It’s not about legalism or some fanaticism against everything pagan. It’s about love for God.
My little sermon/article probably won’t change many people’s opinion, if any. We all have the right to decide how to conduct ourselves in our intimate relationship with God. Nevertheless, be aware of syncretism. It is all around us in this world.
And we serve a Jealous God.
Should Christians Celebrate Christmas? by Ron Saladin
Christmas has quite a checkered history pertaining to its observance, even being banned at times here in early America. Support for or opposition to Christmas has taken on an added component in the last few years here in the U.S., becoming part of the conflict in our society between religious expression and atheistic and/or secular opposition to such expression, seemingly mainly targeted at anything perceived as Christian. As the battle over personal rights of expression granted by the First Amendment and misused references to separation of church and state become the focus, lost is the original issue which has separated many Christians down through the centuries at this time of year: should Christians celebrate Christmas at all? Over the years, and especially this year, I have spent many hours researching the birth of Jesus, Christmas, and the reasons presented for the season. What follows are some reflections from those efforts.
I say reasons for the season because the Christmas celebration is obviously propelled by more than a pure dedication to Christ. Some people do celebrate Christmas with a deep appreciation for the incarnation of the Son of God. Others celebrate, but really aren’t interested in Jesus or His message of salvation. Some people don’t celebrate Christmas at all, uncomfortable with aspects of it, yet still profess a firm faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Sometimes hostility is detectable between believers who celebrate the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25th and those who don’t, accompanied by sarcasm and partial truths emphasizing their particular viewpoint. Such behaviors are not a positive witness to the maturity of those involved in them, but do demonstrate there is plenty of controversy to be found.
The incarnation is of such momentous importance to mankind, the observation, study, discussion and focus on it would impact people, no matter what day might be selected for its observance. There are many traditions associated with Christmas which are quite pleasant: the smells, special foods, some of the most beautiful music ever written, family reunions, gift giving, and even good charitable efforts done in the name of Christ all seem to provide positive enforcement to honor the great gift the Father gave to mankind of His Son. It is with good intentions many people celebrate Christmas.
Others, with equally good intentions, point out truth matters, especially in matters concerning Him who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”(John 14:6a). It is an accepted fact by the majority of biblical scholars there is very little chance Jesus was actually born on Dec. 25th. There are some which try to make a convincing argument for this date or some other, but the hard evidence simply isn’t there. The best arguments I have seen come apart with careful research and analysis. I can say with conviction and confidence, information accurately and firmly pinpointing the time of Christ’s birth is simply not available to us at this point in history.
Also difficult to pin down is exactly why Dec. 25th was selected for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. In 274 AD the Roman emperor Aurelian chose Dec. 25th to honor the birth of the “Sun” god and in 354 AD Bishop Liberius of Rome set Dec. 25th as the birthday celebration for the “Son” of God. Why Liberius did this is not known for sure. Some think he was attempting to counter the pagan celebration by introducing a Christian celebration along side of it. Others think Liberius may have simply been recognizing a growing Christmas celebration already in progress by some professing Christians. There do not seem to be any conclusive records available from Rome which state clearly why Liberius chose Dec. 25th as the date to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It does seem a bit odd though, that three important festivals set by the Catholic church have ended up coinciding in time with competing pagan festivals. Easter, All Saints Day, and Christmas all have some traditions which have no biblical basis and seem to bear shadowy resemblances to non-Christian sources.
Another question concerning the timing of the birth of Jesus comes from the New Testament accounts of His birth in Matthew and Luke. The birth date is conspicuously missing from both records. Even the detail-conscious, thorough Luke, respected by both secular and non-secular authorities as being a first-class historian, leaves this “detail” out. This is significant for any Christian who believes the Bible is a supernatural book inspired by the Holy Spirit. If the Bible is not inspired by God, leaving out the birth date of Jesus could be a cultural oversight; the early church was not big on birthday celebrations. However, if the Bible is the inspired word of God, it is obvious God did not want that date known. It was not an oversight on His part; for whatever reason, God appears to have carefully hidden the timing of the birth of His Son. For the thoughtful, sincere Christian, that deserves some contemplation. It is commendable to search out a truth hidden in scripture, but to assume an answer which appears to be purposely not provided is another matter altogether.
It is this presuming about the birth of Jesus that makes some people uneasy with Christmas. Throw in questionable traditions and the materialistic pressure of the season, and a number of people have bailed out of the celebration altogether.
Nevertheless, it’s not ever desirable to throw the baby out with the bath water. Both Matthew and Luke give detailed accounts of the birth of Jesus which were intended to be studied as scripture inspired by God. The incarnation is to be rejoiced in; it is incredibly good news for those who belong to God. Without the entry of Jesus into the world as a human baby, there would be no propitiating sacrifice, no atonement and no resurrection for a redeemed mankind. It is an event to be remembered, not avoided or ignored.
This then is the conundrum which divides many sincere Christians. To celebrate Christmas or not to celebrate Christmas is the question and some celebrate to honor Christ, while others don’t celebrate to honor Christ. I think there are people on both sides of this question which deserve some commendation. Many of these Christians are really concerned as to what is appropriate reverence for Christ. That is a valid consideration or Christmas is nothing more than a winter festival with Christ’s name carelessly attached to it.
Interestingly, I happened across some scriptures which may give some important insight into the issue. It’s a passage most Christians probably would not think of in this context. In the 7th chapter of Zechariah a delegation is sent to inquire of God if certain observances should be continued or stopped. The Jews had, at this time, festivals which were given specifically by God and some which were not, certain observances solely instituted by the people. This inquiry in Zechariah was of the latter, certain days which God had not specifically endorsed. The question from the people was if they should continue to observe these days. God, like Jesus did so often in the New Testament, answered a question with a question. Were these observances being done for God or for their own purposes? Then the answer goes on to emphasize a theme which appears in other passages also: any holiday, given by God or not, means nothing if the person observing it is not living right before God. “Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in his heart” is the way the King James reads in Zechariah 7:9-10.
If we are going to observe any date in the name of Christ we need to walk worthy of that name every day or simply sever our celebration from being identified with Him. And in all fairness, many of us who homeschool go to a lot of effort and expense because we desire to walk worthy of His name.
We also need to consider though, the principle behind God’s question: If we observe the birth of Jesus, are we doing it for Him or for us? Birthday parties should be fun for all, but I have never been to one in which gifts were exchanged among the guests and the person being honored was the lesser focus. I am all for gift giving, but if we observe a birthday celebration for someone, it seems reasonable the gifts should all be directed to that person. A common complaint concerning Christmas is the commercialization of it and the spending spree many people feel obligated to do. If enough Christians would simply make Christ the main focus of their giving at Christmas time, think what an impact that would have for “the widow, the fatherless, the stranger and the poor” around the world. Such a move done by enough people would definitely be economically felt and noticed since so many commercial enterprises rely on Christmas spending for a huge part of their profits. In fact, it would be a tremendous shock to our economy and would undoubtedly be a more powerful witness to truth and the sincerity of Christians than the celebration of Dec. 25th is now.
As the author of this article, I feel I should be open about where I stand. Although I may participate in some good charitable efforts going on at Christmas time, I don’t observe the Dec. 25th birth date anymore. I believe the most convincing arguments for a season of Christ’s birth point to the fall of the year. That’s my personal opinion. As a family we aim at the autumn to remember and review the scriptures concerning the first coming of Jesus and this fall we offered Him a gift through the ministry of “Shoeman”, a ministry dedicated to drilling wells in some of the most desperate areas of the world, providing clean water for the poorest of the poor.
That is what we as a family do, but I am not anticipating much of an endorsement of our position. However, we that homeschool are pretty independent thinkers (thank God), and I think the majority of Christian homeschoolers can agree on this: adding the name of Jesus Christ to any celebration is a game-changer. Our obligation then becomes to honor Him in that celebration in appropriate ways acceptable to God. That is something I believe we would all do well to remember regardless of what we celebrate.
To celebrate or not to celebrate Christmas has to be a personal choice based on each person’s conviction. I believe there are issues all around us which are more important; issues of freedom, truth and morality which the Bible speaks clearly to. As Christians, we are called to take a stand in a hostile society and we need to be very careful as to what we allow to damage our relationship with each other. We are called to discern between right and wrong but judging the heart of another is not our right. I like how James Moffatt translates what Paul wrote in Romans 14:5&6, “Who are you to criticize the servant of Another? It is for his Master to say whether he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Master has power to make him stand. Then again, this man rates one day above another, while that man rates all days alike. Well, everyone must be convinced in his own mind;”.
Just thinking about Christmas. What do you think?
Christmas has quite a checkered history pertaining to its observance, even being banned at times here in early America. Support for or opposition to Christmas has taken on an added component in the last few years here in the U.S., becoming part of the conflict in our society between religious expression and atheistic and/or secular opposition to such expression, seemingly mainly targeted at anything perceived as Christian. As the battle over personal rights of expression granted by the First Amendment and misused references to separation of church and state become the focus, lost is the original issue which has separated many Christians down through the centuries at this time of year: should Christians celebrate Christmas at all? Over the years, and especially this year, I have spent many hours researching the birth of Jesus, Christmas, and the reasons presented for the season. What follows are some reflections from those efforts.
I say reasons for the season because the Christmas celebration is obviously propelled by more than a pure dedication to Christ. Some people do celebrate Christmas with a deep appreciation for the incarnation of the Son of God. Others celebrate, but really aren’t interested in Jesus or His message of salvation. Some people don’t celebrate Christmas at all, uncomfortable with aspects of it, yet still profess a firm faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Sometimes hostility is detectable between believers who celebrate the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25th and those who don’t, accompanied by sarcasm and partial truths emphasizing their particular viewpoint. Such behaviors are not a positive witness to the maturity of those involved in them, but do demonstrate there is plenty of controversy to be found.
The incarnation is of such momentous importance to mankind, the observation, study, discussion and focus on it would impact people, no matter what day might be selected for its observance. There are many traditions associated with Christmas which are quite pleasant: the smells, special foods, some of the most beautiful music ever written, family reunions, gift giving, and even good charitable efforts done in the name of Christ all seem to provide positive enforcement to honor the great gift the Father gave to mankind of His Son. It is with good intentions many people celebrate Christmas.
Others, with equally good intentions, point out truth matters, especially in matters concerning Him who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”(John 14:6a). It is an accepted fact by the majority of biblical scholars there is very little chance Jesus was actually born on Dec. 25th. There are some which try to make a convincing argument for this date or some other, but the hard evidence simply isn’t there. The best arguments I have seen come apart with careful research and analysis. I can say with conviction and confidence, information accurately and firmly pinpointing the time of Christ’s birth is simply not available to us at this point in history.
Also difficult to pin down is exactly why Dec. 25th was selected for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. In 274 AD the Roman emperor Aurelian chose Dec. 25th to honor the birth of the “Sun” god and in 354 AD Bishop Liberius of Rome set Dec. 25th as the birthday celebration for the “Son” of God. Why Liberius did this is not known for sure. Some think he was attempting to counter the pagan celebration by introducing a Christian celebration along side of it. Others think Liberius may have simply been recognizing a growing Christmas celebration already in progress by some professing Christians. There do not seem to be any conclusive records available from Rome which state clearly why Liberius chose Dec. 25th as the date to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It does seem a bit odd though, that three important festivals set by the Catholic church have ended up coinciding in time with competing pagan festivals. Easter, All Saints Day, and Christmas all have some traditions which have no biblical basis and seem to bear shadowy resemblances to non-Christian sources.
Another question concerning the timing of the birth of Jesus comes from the New Testament accounts of His birth in Matthew and Luke. The birth date is conspicuously missing from both records. Even the detail-conscious, thorough Luke, respected by both secular and non-secular authorities as being a first-class historian, leaves this “detail” out. This is significant for any Christian who believes the Bible is a supernatural book inspired by the Holy Spirit. If the Bible is not inspired by God, leaving out the birth date of Jesus could be a cultural oversight; the early church was not big on birthday celebrations. However, if the Bible is the inspired word of God, it is obvious God did not want that date known. It was not an oversight on His part; for whatever reason, God appears to have carefully hidden the timing of the birth of His Son. For the thoughtful, sincere Christian, that deserves some contemplation. It is commendable to search out a truth hidden in scripture, but to assume an answer which appears to be purposely not provided is another matter altogether.
It is this presuming about the birth of Jesus that makes some people uneasy with Christmas. Throw in questionable traditions and the materialistic pressure of the season, and a number of people have bailed out of the celebration altogether.
Nevertheless, it’s not ever desirable to throw the baby out with the bath water. Both Matthew and Luke give detailed accounts of the birth of Jesus which were intended to be studied as scripture inspired by God. The incarnation is to be rejoiced in; it is incredibly good news for those who belong to God. Without the entry of Jesus into the world as a human baby, there would be no propitiating sacrifice, no atonement and no resurrection for a redeemed mankind. It is an event to be remembered, not avoided or ignored.
This then is the conundrum which divides many sincere Christians. To celebrate Christmas or not to celebrate Christmas is the question and some celebrate to honor Christ, while others don’t celebrate to honor Christ. I think there are people on both sides of this question which deserve some commendation. Many of these Christians are really concerned as to what is appropriate reverence for Christ. That is a valid consideration or Christmas is nothing more than a winter festival with Christ’s name carelessly attached to it.
Interestingly, I happened across some scriptures which may give some important insight into the issue. It’s a passage most Christians probably would not think of in this context. In the 7th chapter of Zechariah a delegation is sent to inquire of God if certain observances should be continued or stopped. The Jews had, at this time, festivals which were given specifically by God and some which were not, certain observances solely instituted by the people. This inquiry in Zechariah was of the latter, certain days which God had not specifically endorsed. The question from the people was if they should continue to observe these days. God, like Jesus did so often in the New Testament, answered a question with a question. Were these observances being done for God or for their own purposes? Then the answer goes on to emphasize a theme which appears in other passages also: any holiday, given by God or not, means nothing if the person observing it is not living right before God. “Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in his heart” is the way the King James reads in Zechariah 7:9-10.
If we are going to observe any date in the name of Christ we need to walk worthy of that name every day or simply sever our celebration from being identified with Him. And in all fairness, many of us who homeschool go to a lot of effort and expense because we desire to walk worthy of His name.
We also need to consider though, the principle behind God’s question: If we observe the birth of Jesus, are we doing it for Him or for us? Birthday parties should be fun for all, but I have never been to one in which gifts were exchanged among the guests and the person being honored was the lesser focus. I am all for gift giving, but if we observe a birthday celebration for someone, it seems reasonable the gifts should all be directed to that person. A common complaint concerning Christmas is the commercialization of it and the spending spree many people feel obligated to do. If enough Christians would simply make Christ the main focus of their giving at Christmas time, think what an impact that would have for “the widow, the fatherless, the stranger and the poor” around the world. Such a move done by enough people would definitely be economically felt and noticed since so many commercial enterprises rely on Christmas spending for a huge part of their profits. In fact, it would be a tremendous shock to our economy and would undoubtedly be a more powerful witness to truth and the sincerity of Christians than the celebration of Dec. 25th is now.
As the author of this article, I feel I should be open about where I stand. Although I may participate in some good charitable efforts going on at Christmas time, I don’t observe the Dec. 25th birth date anymore. I believe the most convincing arguments for a season of Christ’s birth point to the fall of the year. That’s my personal opinion. As a family we aim at the autumn to remember and review the scriptures concerning the first coming of Jesus and this fall we offered Him a gift through the ministry of “Shoeman”, a ministry dedicated to drilling wells in some of the most desperate areas of the world, providing clean water for the poorest of the poor.
That is what we as a family do, but I am not anticipating much of an endorsement of our position. However, we that homeschool are pretty independent thinkers (thank God), and I think the majority of Christian homeschoolers can agree on this: adding the name of Jesus Christ to any celebration is a game-changer. Our obligation then becomes to honor Him in that celebration in appropriate ways acceptable to God. That is something I believe we would all do well to remember regardless of what we celebrate.
To celebrate or not to celebrate Christmas has to be a personal choice based on each person’s conviction. I believe there are issues all around us which are more important; issues of freedom, truth and morality which the Bible speaks clearly to. As Christians, we are called to take a stand in a hostile society and we need to be very careful as to what we allow to damage our relationship with each other. We are called to discern between right and wrong but judging the heart of another is not our right. I like how James Moffatt translates what Paul wrote in Romans 14:5&6, “Who are you to criticize the servant of Another? It is for his Master to say whether he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Master has power to make him stand. Then again, this man rates one day above another, while that man rates all days alike. Well, everyone must be convinced in his own mind;”.
Just thinking about Christmas. What do you think?
A “Heretic’s” View of Christmas by Ron Saladin
Heretic - “one who holds opinions that differ from established beliefs, esp. religious beliefs.” American Heritage Dictionary
This time every year I am reminded how different I am from most of Christendom with which I have so many other positive connections. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, I understand salvation is totally a work of God and not mine, and I believe in the inerrant inspiration of the scriptures in their original form, but each December I am brought up against the fact my turning away from a Christmas celebration makes me a heretic in many peoples’ view.
I wasn’t always a heretic. I grew up with Christmas. I love the smell of evergreens in the stores, even as I lament the cutting of these beautiful trees. Some of the most beautiful music ever written is played at Christmas, if you can filter out Grandma got run over by a reindeer and the one about Rudolph’s prominent nose. But I reject Christmas. Why?
In a word, syncretism.
Syncretism is what got Israel into trouble with God over and over. Syncretism is the mixing of the worship of the true God with ideas and practices which are offensive to God. Just putting the name Christ on Christmas doesn’t make it Christian. The day clearly and historically documented has strong ties to those who were opposed to the God of the Bible. December 25th can’t be “taken back” because God never lost it, nor can Christ be put back into Christmas because He never was in it to begin with.
A blatant example of trying to cover wrong behavior by putting God’s name on it is in Exodus chapter 32. It’s the episode of the golden calf party which Aaron proclaimed was a feast to the LORD. If you’re interested, read it for yourself.
Another thing to consider is from 1 Chronicles 13. I’ve heard a famous evangelist I really like and respect say something like, “don’t look at the pagan ties, look at the intent.” I am very aware God looks at the heart, and I am very grateful for that fact. However, that does not always justify doing the wrong thing.
I Chronicles 13 is a short chapter and again I would suggest it to be read, if you are still with me in this article. Verse 8 shows David and his companions with great good intent, but doing something in a wrong way in which God was very displeased. The Ark of God was not to be transported on a cart, not even a new one. What’s not said here is the Philistines (1 Samuel 6:7) had sent the ark back to Israel on a new cart. Perhaps that’s where the idea came from in David’s case. We don’t know. What we do know is God had told Israel specifically how the ark was to be transported and they were responsible for that knowledge. Their good intentions did not neutralize God’s displeasure.
We know Christmas has many shadowy ties to things which are not traditions God has established.
We also know Christmas is not Christ’s birthday in spite of some weak attempts to try to make it so. We also know the Bible does not instruct us to observe Christ’s birthday, but rather to observe His sacrificial death, resurrection, position of First of the firstfruits, Head of the Church, coming Judge, Our Atonement, the Husband of the Church, and the One to whom all power in heaven and earth has been given, He of which all creation waits, who, along with those born into God’s family, will rejuvenate the universe. In other words, we are told to observe the Holy Days of Leviticus 23 which are types of Christ and His work, given, it says in Leviticus 23:1, by God, the LORD - not Moses.
My family is not Jewish, and we don’t observe Jewish festivals such as Purim and Hanukkah. Nothing wrong with those days, and I could join in with Jewish friends in observing them, but they really don’t apply so much to me. But the Holy Days of Leviticus 23 apply to Christians. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul instructs the Corinthians church, a Christian church with many non-Jewish members, a church so devoid of legalism and focused on freedom as to be lax in the judgment of what was right and wrong to them, Paul says, “For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Here the non-legalistic Apostle Paul is telling a non-legalistic Corinth church, some 30 years after the sacrifice of Christ, to keep the feast, the Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately following the Passover.
Increasingly, Christians are coming to recognize these days are very instructive and relationally valuable in their connection to Christ. I encourage all to take a look at the Holy Days of the Bible.
I know many people I love and highly respect who celebrate Christmas. I hope from my heart those who celebrate Christmas with the right intent find their observance acceptable to God in the day we meet Him face to face. I, however, am not comfortable with Christmas. I feel much more secure and satisfied in observing holidays God Himself identified as His. To them I will look, remember, and celebrate and gladly bear the label “heretic” until Jesus Himself returns and tells us what His preference is. Zechariah 14:16 identifies one of those future millennial holidays, the Feast of Tabernacles, celebrated in the fall of the year, and which many people think was the real time of the birth of Jesus. We simply don’t know for sure when that birth was because the Bible seems to carefully and purposely hide that information.
A valid question is . . . why?
Heretic - “one who holds opinions that differ from established beliefs, esp. religious beliefs.” American Heritage Dictionary
This time every year I am reminded how different I am from most of Christendom with which I have so many other positive connections. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, I understand salvation is totally a work of God and not mine, and I believe in the inerrant inspiration of the scriptures in their original form, but each December I am brought up against the fact my turning away from a Christmas celebration makes me a heretic in many peoples’ view.
I wasn’t always a heretic. I grew up with Christmas. I love the smell of evergreens in the stores, even as I lament the cutting of these beautiful trees. Some of the most beautiful music ever written is played at Christmas, if you can filter out Grandma got run over by a reindeer and the one about Rudolph’s prominent nose. But I reject Christmas. Why?
In a word, syncretism.
Syncretism is what got Israel into trouble with God over and over. Syncretism is the mixing of the worship of the true God with ideas and practices which are offensive to God. Just putting the name Christ on Christmas doesn’t make it Christian. The day clearly and historically documented has strong ties to those who were opposed to the God of the Bible. December 25th can’t be “taken back” because God never lost it, nor can Christ be put back into Christmas because He never was in it to begin with.
A blatant example of trying to cover wrong behavior by putting God’s name on it is in Exodus chapter 32. It’s the episode of the golden calf party which Aaron proclaimed was a feast to the LORD. If you’re interested, read it for yourself.
Another thing to consider is from 1 Chronicles 13. I’ve heard a famous evangelist I really like and respect say something like, “don’t look at the pagan ties, look at the intent.” I am very aware God looks at the heart, and I am very grateful for that fact. However, that does not always justify doing the wrong thing.
I Chronicles 13 is a short chapter and again I would suggest it to be read, if you are still with me in this article. Verse 8 shows David and his companions with great good intent, but doing something in a wrong way in which God was very displeased. The Ark of God was not to be transported on a cart, not even a new one. What’s not said here is the Philistines (1 Samuel 6:7) had sent the ark back to Israel on a new cart. Perhaps that’s where the idea came from in David’s case. We don’t know. What we do know is God had told Israel specifically how the ark was to be transported and they were responsible for that knowledge. Their good intentions did not neutralize God’s displeasure.
We know Christmas has many shadowy ties to things which are not traditions God has established.
We also know Christmas is not Christ’s birthday in spite of some weak attempts to try to make it so. We also know the Bible does not instruct us to observe Christ’s birthday, but rather to observe His sacrificial death, resurrection, position of First of the firstfruits, Head of the Church, coming Judge, Our Atonement, the Husband of the Church, and the One to whom all power in heaven and earth has been given, He of which all creation waits, who, along with those born into God’s family, will rejuvenate the universe. In other words, we are told to observe the Holy Days of Leviticus 23 which are types of Christ and His work, given, it says in Leviticus 23:1, by God, the LORD - not Moses.
My family is not Jewish, and we don’t observe Jewish festivals such as Purim and Hanukkah. Nothing wrong with those days, and I could join in with Jewish friends in observing them, but they really don’t apply so much to me. But the Holy Days of Leviticus 23 apply to Christians. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul instructs the Corinthians church, a Christian church with many non-Jewish members, a church so devoid of legalism and focused on freedom as to be lax in the judgment of what was right and wrong to them, Paul says, “For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Here the non-legalistic Apostle Paul is telling a non-legalistic Corinth church, some 30 years after the sacrifice of Christ, to keep the feast, the Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately following the Passover.
Increasingly, Christians are coming to recognize these days are very instructive and relationally valuable in their connection to Christ. I encourage all to take a look at the Holy Days of the Bible.
I know many people I love and highly respect who celebrate Christmas. I hope from my heart those who celebrate Christmas with the right intent find their observance acceptable to God in the day we meet Him face to face. I, however, am not comfortable with Christmas. I feel much more secure and satisfied in observing holidays God Himself identified as His. To them I will look, remember, and celebrate and gladly bear the label “heretic” until Jesus Himself returns and tells us what His preference is. Zechariah 14:16 identifies one of those future millennial holidays, the Feast of Tabernacles, celebrated in the fall of the year, and which many people think was the real time of the birth of Jesus. We simply don’t know for sure when that birth was because the Bible seems to carefully and purposely hide that information.
A valid question is . . . why?
