Christmas Traditions vs. Truth

Christmas has many traditions associated with it. Unfortunately, there are religious ideas about the holiday without Biblical foundations. One reason for that is certain Christmas carols. For example, “The Little Drummer Boy” sings “I am a poor boy, too.” Jesus temporarily gave up heavenly riches but that doesn’t mean He was born poor. His stepfather Joseph had the resources to travel to Bethlehem and would’ve spent money on lodging if there was room for them at the inn. Meanwhile, a group of wise men brought treasures to the Messiah.

Speaking of which, most people assume there were three wise men as in the song “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” Matthew chapter 2 doesn’t mention the exact number of wise men but refers to three types of gifts they had: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Notice these gifts were presented to a “young Child”…not a baby. Verse 11 also mentions them coming “into the house”…not before a manger. Therefore, the wise men didn’t see Jesus at the same time as the shepherds as depicted in nativity scenes.

Another popular Christmas carol “Away in a Manger” contains the lyric “But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.” Recently it occurred to me there is no Scriptural proof of that. I can’t imagine any baby not crying at all especially when he is hungry and needs his diaper changed.

This article isn’t intended to dampen your holiday but inspire you to study the Scriptures more for yourself. It’s important for believers to be Biblically correct when ministering to others especially regarding the reason for the season.

Have a Merry Christmas!

“Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” - 1 Timothy 4:13

It’s Not About the Bunny

Today is Easter (or “Resurrection Sunday” as some Christians prefer calling it). According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, Easter is “the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and held between March 21 and April 25, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.”

Some Christians avoid using the term Easter because it’s believed to have originated from the name of a goddess associated with spring. However, Easter is mentioned in the King James Bible. Acts 12:4 (KJV) says, “And when he [Herod] had apprehended him [Peter], he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.” Other translations use “Passover” instead of Easter.

Just like with Christmas, Easter has pagan practices associated with it. Probably the most famous of which is children receiving candy from a character known as the Easter Bunny. This tradition originated among German Lutherans. It was brought to America in the 18th century by immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area.

My parents taught my sister and me to believe in the Easter Bunny when we were little. One night before Easter, Tanya placed a carrot on the living room table to see if it would be eaten. The next morning, she noticed the carrot had teeth marks in it. Tanya believed this proved the Easter Bunny was real. While my parents may have done that for fun, propagating this mythical character takes away from the true meaning of the holiday.

Believing in a bunny won’t remit anybody’s sins. Easter is about honoring the risen Savior.

“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” - Romans 6:4

O Christmas Tree…Oh No?

With the holiday season approaching, many businesses and individuals have already put up decorations. Among them are Christmas trees. A popular carol “O Christmas Tree” originated from Germany as “O Tannenbaum”, which translates as “O Fir Tree.” The original lyrics had nothing to do with Christmas. Nevertheless, I remember singing the German version a time or two while in grade school.

Like other holiday traditions, some Christians oppose the usage of Christmas trees. One of my Facebook friends made a judgmental comment that people putting up Christmas trees “are worshiping the devil and have a mental disease.” Before giving my life to Christ, I didn’t have a Christmas tree in my apartment because of the time and expense involved. Instead, I drove up to Mom and Dad’s house for the holidays and enjoyed looking at their decorations. Nowadays, I still don’t own a Christmas tree mainly due to my missionary lifestyle.

Once I heard evangelist Jesse Duplantis talk about the time he bought and gift-wrapped a Christmas present for Jesus (“Why not? It's His birthday!”). Jesse then placed the present underneath his Christmas tree. The spirit of God bugged Jesse to tell Him in advance what His present was! This story serves as a reminder the Lord is not as stuffy as we sometimes perceive Him to be. God wants us to have fun and enjoy life as long as He is numero uno (Matthew 6:33).

Why make a big fuss over Christmas trees? I’ve never seen anyone bow down and worship one. In fact, most trees are decorated with a star on top to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem. Rather than protesting traditions with supposedly pagan origins, how about promoting the Reason for the Season…the One who eventually died on a tree for us?

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths” - Colossians 2:16

The Mind of a Believer

Some people have this idea that to be a Christian, you have to check your brain at the door. Recently an atheistic businessman published a LinkedIn article titled “Religious People have lesser IQ than non-believers!” In an attempt to back up his claim, the author included numerous graphs such as the one pictured here. He also added the caption “Charts speak for themselves.” 

We will now let God’s word speak for itself...

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” - Psalm 14:1 and 53:1

“...although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools” - Romans 1:21-22

“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” - Romans 8:6-7

"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." - 1 Corinthians 2:14

Jesus said in Matthew 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” In his book and seminar “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist”, apologist Frank Turek states, “Christians don’t get brownie points for being stupid.”

Despite the atheist’s claim Pentecostals have the lowest IQ, Spirit-filled Christians who regularly pray in tongues can receive downloads from heaven that cannot be accessed through natural means...

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.” - 1 John 2:20

“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” - 1 John 2:27

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” - Jude 20

I agree the atheist’s charts do speak for themselves. They speak of individuals who put them together “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4). All they have to do is repent and then they can have the mind of Christ.

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." - Isaiah 1:18

Begotten, Not Forgotten

Numerous times when I witness to Muslims, they object to Jesus being called “the Son of God” because Allah (the Arabic word for God) supposedly had no sons. When I quoted John 3:16 to one Muslim in particular, this man got hung up on the word "begotten" thinking it only refers to the result of a sexual union.

The words “begot” and “begotten” are used numerous times in the Bible, usually in geneaology listings. But those words have other uses besides records of human offspring. Look at The Message Bible’s rendering of John 1:9-13…

“The Life-Light was the real thing: every person entering Life he brings into Light. He was in the world, the world was there through him, and yet the world didn't even notice. He came to his own people, but they didn't want him. But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. 
These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten.”

1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV) says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” The New Living Translation uses the term “born again” instead of begotten.

Spiritual children of mature Christians can also be “begotten” as referred to in 1 Corinthians 4:15-17…

15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me.

17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

Paul also wrote in the tenth verse of Philemon, “I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains.” Onesimus, a runaway slave, was a spiritual son or protégé of the Apostle.

As you celebrate Christmas this weekend, look for opportunities to remind people of the reason for the season. God desires everyone to be begotten, not forgotten.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16

The Reason for the Season

Three years ago on the day after Christmas, I went to a grocery store with a friend of mine. The store was still running holiday advertisements on their loudspeaker. Not once did I hear the announcer mention the word “Christmas.”

When I was a kid, I often heard people say "Merry Christmas" to each other. Since then the world has gradually removed "Christ" from Christmas. In our politically correct society, Christmas trees are now often called “holiday trees.” School districts refer to Christmas vacation as “Winter Break.” They also prohibit religious songs from their music programs such as “Silent Night” in favor of ditties like “Frosty the Snowman.”

2,000 years ago, the apostles were commanded by authorities “...not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 4:18) Today there are businesses requiring their employees to say "Happy Holidays" to customers instead of "Merry Christmas." Some city governments forbid Nativity scenes being on display but allow statues of Santa Claus.

Whose birthday are we celebrating anyway?

It's true that many of the traditions associated with Christmas have pagan origins. But rather than making a big fuss about that, how about coming up with new holiday traditions that glorify the Lord? One of my relatives insists on us singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus before we open up presents. That's a clever way to keeping Christ in Christmas.

A recent Rasmussen Reports survey revealed that 69 percent of Americans still prefer the greeting "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays.” Still when I encounter someone who says “Happy Holidays” to me, I respond with a big smile on my face and boldly reply, “Merry Christmas.” I encourage you to do the same. It’s one way to remind people of the reason for the season.

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12