| "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37 |
Fellow Believers,At this time of the year, there usually are a few Christians wondering whether believers should celebrate Christmas and engage in gift-giving.
The question about celebrating Christmas arises because (1) the Bible does not state in simple language which day of the year was Jesus born, and (2) December 25 was originally a pagan holiday.
The best way to answer that question, I suppose, is to ask ourselves: Would the Lord be pleased by our devoting one day in the year to celebrating His birth? I think He would be. The fact is, whether they know it or not, Christmas causes people all over the world to acknowledge the Advent of the Messiah. And just because December 25 was originally a pagan holiday does not make that day any less worthy for observing Christ's birth than any other day.
What about gift-giving? It is a practice that has surely been carried much too faramong Christians as well as unbelievers. In Revelation 11:10, ironically, there is a reference to people of the world giving gifts to one another as they gloat over the death of the two witnesses. Meaning: During the final tribulation period, the world rejoices over the substantial silencing of the true gospel.
But Christians need not refrain from gift-giving. In the Book of Esther, there is recorded an historical parable in which an evil man named Haman (a type of Satan) schemed to kill all the Jews. But with the help of Mordecai (a type of Christ), the Jews ended up striking all their enemies down. And Haman was executed.
Mordecai then commanded all the Jews to celebrate annually two days "of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor" (9:21,22).
Spiritually, I believe, the presents and gifts spoken of in the last phrase refer to the Word of God. But the moral teaching of this passage does provide a scriptural base for us to celebrate the birth of our Savior by exchanging gifts in a modest way.
Fourth Quarter, 1993