By Roland Worth, Jr.
Sit down in a comfortable chair. Take two aspirin. Calm down. What I am about to say may upset and even anger you. However, it should not because it merely reflects the true facts of the matter. I am referring to Christmas. There is always a lot of talk this time of year about the need to “put Christ back into Christmas.” Frankly, we refuse to. We consider it a joyous secular holiday, a time for fun and games and to relax with close friends and family. But to put Christ into Christmas?
Few things could be more nonsensical. You see, to observe Christmas as a religious holiday is to act totally without scriptural authority. God considers the doing of religious acts that He has not authorized to be outright sin: Lev. 10:1-2 is one of the clearest passages proving that God works on this principle. Furthermore, the Bible condemns the observance of religious holidays that God has not authorized, “Ye observe days and months and times and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain” (Gal. 4:10-11). Religion has never been given authority to set up religious holidays. Men-yea, uninspired men-usurp the power that rightly belongs only to Jehovah in such matters.
Biblically speaking, there (1) is no command to observe Christ’s birth; (2) there is no example of it being observed; (3) there are no grounds on which to reasonably infer that it was observed by the early church. In short, there is no Divine endorsement for observing Christ’s birth. (Not to mention the “minor” problem that we can not be sure what day it was on or even what month or year it occurred!)
So, friend, enjoy the holiday. Rejoice in your prosperity and in the friends you have been blessed with. But if you wish to honor God on His terms (rather than on those that erring, sinful men invent) keep Christ out of your Christmas. He will be a lot happier about it. Season’s greetings.
Truth Magazine XXI: 49, p. 770
December 15, 1977