NOTR - THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SHOW - 12.25.18
Tuesday, December 25, 2018 at 4:11PM Today's Show: THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SHOW - 12.25.2018
Chris discusses some of the important elements of the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus Christ into the world, with lessons for our modern time. The annual celebration of Christmas is certainly controversial among believers, but this year, we remember that for many Christians around the world, it is a time of accelerated persecution. In both Communist and Islamic countries, believers suffer greater danger because they remember the birth of Christ. This year, while we as Americans continue to be blessed by the freedom that God has given to our country, there are many of our brothers and sisters who suffer for the cause of the Gospel. "And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise." (1 Chronicles 16:35)
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Reader Comments (2)
I always find it interesting how such a Christian as yourself can get things correct
in your history of the bible series but fails to understand the lie of Jesus being born
Christmas not only do you sanction this lie You celebrate like it a command from God.
DO YOU NOT RELIZE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ERROR. That is what puzzles
Me most of all.
CJP: Dear William, we do not celebrate Christmas as if it were "a command from God"
as you say. We believe it is not wrong or pagan to celebrate the birth of Christ, if
a person's conscience before God permits them to do so, in accordance with Paul's
admonition: "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike.
Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." (Romans 14:5)
When I read of individuals who explain why they celebrate Christmas, it often makes me wonder if people ask themselves "How does God feel about it?" I see/hear a lot of responses like "I think" or "I feel". Just for a moment, set aside an emotional feeling or reaction or attachment to the holiday and think about how God feels or thinks. The Bible gives us plenty of passages that tell us exactly that. A Bible example that well illustrates why we would not wrap Christmas in pretty packaging with a bow and think God approves is found at Exodus 32. But first, remember that Paul reminded first century Christians at 2 Timothy 3:16 that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" So Bible examples can teach us and correct our thinking. Exodus 32 is the story of the golden calf. When Moses took too long (in the people's opinion) to return from the mountain, they asked Aaron to make a god for them. So Aaron took all of the gold the people had and made it into a statue of a calf. Here's where it gets interesting. After Aaron also made an altar for it, he said this: "tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD." (verse 5) If any are familiar with the account, God wasn't too happy with his people foolishly wrapping their worship in a shiny golden calf and calling it a festival to Him. Lives were lost because of this mistaken viewpoint. Again, set aside an emotional reaction and think about it. God uses his word to give us examples of how to worship. Christmas didn't exist in Bible times so we aren't going to have scriptures to tell us not to celebrate it. We have to reason and think "how would God feel". It's possible we might come to a different conclusion.
1Cor 11:25-26 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
CJP: We agree that the Scripture provides a guide to us for the perspective of God on how we ought to honor Him and live our lives. However, we must consider the whole counsel of God. The Hebrews who built the golden calf, specifically declared: "These be thy gods, O Israel ..." (Exodus 32:4). Nobody ever says that a Christmas tree is their "god." At least no one that I have known who celebrates Christmas, especially those who are Christians. Yet, we find elsewhere in the Scriptures, the declaration from Isaiah: "The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious." (Isaiah 60:13)
The fir tree is typically used as a Christmas tree. Therefore, seeing such trees inside a church, which is said to be the sanctuary of the Lord, or in the homes of believers who are called the "temple of God" (1 Cor. 3:16) cannot be compared with idolatry. As far as understanding how a decorated fir tree might be viewed from God's perspective, the only Scripture I know of says that it will "beautify" the place of God's sanctuary, and make the place of the Lord's feet "glorious."