The real problem with Christmas

Every year the controversy over Christmas grows more intense. In this country (America), there is the uproar over secular attempts to replace the greeting of "Merry Christmas" with "Happy Holidays." And the removal of manger scenes from public property.

Even among Christians there is the seasonal angst over the emphasis placed on materialism, over-indulgence of our children, wasteful, unaffordable spending, and a fictional Santa.And worse still is the sad realization that the holiday itself, which falls on December 25th, has more to do with the continuation of the pagan celebration of the winter solstice than biblical truth. For as most Christians know, the date of Jesus birth is not mentioned in the Bible.

However, all of this controversy is but a distraction from the real problem with Christmas. The real problem is the misguided focus it causes us all to put upon the birth of Jesus, rather than upon the message he came to deliver through his life and death. That message is summed up in one of the most quoted verses in the Bible: "For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten son..." (John 3:16)

The true message of Jesus is not found in his miraculous birth, but in his pointing us to the great love God has for His children, which was articulated through Jesus' death and resurrection. For if we believe his death atones for our sin, we gain victory over man's greatest enemy - death. And we receive the most sought after treasure in the world - eternal life. It assures us we will be awakened from the sleep of death to live forever with Jesus in the kingdom of God.

I'm certain the reason God didn't put the date of Jesus birth in the Bible was because He knew we'd make it a religious holy day. Under the New Covenant, the requirement to celebrate religious holy days was rescinded. When the early disciples in Galatia were coaxed into celebrating the Jewish feast days, which God did ordain under the Old Covenant,Paul scolded them, saying: "How is it you turn back again to the weak and and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you" (Gal. 4:9-11).

The problem with celebrating unauthorized holy days like Christmas and Easter, even though they may include some biblical truths, is they take on a life of their own. Their observance soon becomes a substitute for living lives of faith and obedience to the glory of God, and separating ourselves from the contamination of this world.

Jesus said the only way to worship God is "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23). Therefore, the more we separate ourselves and our families from the contaminated mixture of religious holy days like Christmas (Christ's mass) and Easter (from the goddess Ishtar), the more we separate ourselves unto God.