Should Christians celebrate Christmas or, How should a Christian celebrate Christmas? These are questions of concern for many sincere believers. In fact, many believers dislike how we celebrate the season and have refused to participate in the popular way it is celebrated. A number of reasons are given, and while I might agree with some of their concerns and some of the reasons offered against the observance of Christmas, But I do think that the true meaning of Christmas should be shared with all family and friends that are Christian.
Should Christians celebrate Christmas? A number of unorthodox new religions which profess to follow Christ insist that Christmas is a pagan festival to be shunned by all true Christians. Probably the most notable of these religions is the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who publish stinging attacks on the celebration of Christmas year after year. Other religions that take the same position include the World Wide Church of God (led by Herbert W. Armstrong) and the Assemblies of Yahweh.
The question of whether Christians should celebrate Christmas seems like a foregone conclusion. However, a number of Christians are strongly against celebrating Christmas. Are there good reasons for or against celebrating Christmas? How should we celebrate?
Christmas is for the most part everyone’s favorite holiday of the year. Whether it be because of the presents that are given and also received, the huge feast that one may eat on for days after, or the true meaning of Christmas and that is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is a day just like any other day of the year that has been recognized as the most important day in history. I as a Christian believe that it is because of the birth of the man by the name of Jesus that I am alive and well today. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and yes some opinions are a little more extreme than others but still, everyone is entitled to have their own.
The World Book Encyclopedia says, the early Christians “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.” The only birthday observances mentioned in the Bible are those of two rulers who did not worship God. (Genesis 40:20; Mark 6:21) Birthday celebrations were also held in honor of pagan deities. For example, on May 24 the Romans celebrated the birthday of the goddess Diana. On the following day, they observed the birthday of their sun-god, Apollo. Hence, birthday celebrations were associated with paganism, not with Christianity.
Scripture doesn’t specifically command believers to celebrate Christmas–there are no prescribed “Holy Days” the church must observe. In fact, Christmas was not observed as a holiday until well after the biblical era. It wasn’t until the mid-fifth century that Christmas received any official recognition.
If you truly believe in what Jesus represents as a Christian, the celebration of Christ’s birthday is an every day experience. To know that through him rests our salvation, all Christians need to take time each day to reflect what salvation and eternal life means and celebrate life with everyone in which they meet. Maybe more Christians need to go door to door and spread the good news of Christ to turn around the path that Christmas has taken over the years.
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