Do you celebrate Christmas?
Christmas is, without question, a very sensitive subject for many Believers—and we would emphasize understanding between those who do not celebrate it, and those who celebrate it in ignorance. We cannot find in Scripture where God mandates that His people observe a holiday with decorated trees, mistletoe, holly, Santa Claus, and presents. On the contrary, the Prophet Jeremiah directed Ancient Israel how God’s people were not be as the heathen who adorned trees:
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens although the nations are terrified by them; for the customs of the peoples are delusion; because it is wood cut from the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They decorate it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it will not totter’” (Jeremiah 10:2-4, NASU).
This same concept was emphasized in Deuteronomy 16:21:
“You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the Lord your God, which you shall make for yourself” (Deuteronomy 16:21, NASU).
It is true that neither of these passages directly describe the custom of the Christmas tree—which actually originated in Germany and Scandinavia. But, these two passages have caused many to seriously question what the custom of the Christmas tree has to do with the birth of the Messiah and where this holiday is in Holy Scripture.
We do not celebrate Christmas. We do not believe that the celebration of Christmas on December 25 was God’s original intention for His people. Christmas today is highly commercialized and is often more about self-indulgence than anything else. Of course, we are not against giving gifts, but the purpose of Christmas today for many people, including purported Believers, is about self rather than about seeing the Messiah lifted up.
We do not celebrate Christmas. But, we are not against people remembering the birth of Yeshua, either, although it probably did not occur during the Winter. The birth of the Messiah is a part of the Bible which is to be remembered and taught upon, something appropriate for God’s people any time of year. So with this in mind, it is important to remember that at “Christmas time,” people are relatively free to talk about Yeshua and the good news, and many are presented to Him who would normally not be during the rest of the year. Obviously, in spite of ongoing questions about December 25, God is going to work through those who sincerely believe that they are honoring Him.
This issue will continue to baffle many Messianics in years to come, as we learn to properly deal with those who celebrate Christmas in the wider Body of Messiah. As a faith community we will need to change all the “Christmas is pagan!” rhetoric to something less sensationalistic, yet still be able to properly communicate how as Messianic people we do not celebrate it. We also must emphasize understanding and fairness for others in this area. Christmas as it is known today is not a Biblically mandated holiday, and on this basis we do not celebrate it. But there is also the Biblical reality of the Child born at Bethlehem who is our Savior, so with this issue, let us truly not “throw out the Baby.”
