No Special Christmas Services
Many churches will be having special services today, because they believe this is the birthday of Jesus. Others who claim to believe He was born on December 25, are calling off services and taking the Lord’s day for the family to enjoy together. What should be the Christian’s attitude toward this day?
First, we do not know when Jesus was born. Albert Barnes (a Presbyterian commentator, who wrote a commentary on the whole Bible), commented on Luke 2:8 that His birth was not likely in December. Then he said: “But the exact time of his birth is unknown; there is no way to ascertain it. By different learned men it has been fixed at each month in the year. Nor is it of consequence to know the time; if it were, God would have preserved the record of it. Matters of moment are clearly revealed; those which he regards as of no importance are concealed.”
Adam Clarke (a Methodist who also wrote a commentary on the whole Bible said that no flocks would have been in the fields in December and “On this very ground the nativity in December should be given up...The time in which Christ was born has been considered a subject of great importance among Christians. However, the matter has been considered of no moment by Him who inspired the evangelists; as not one hint is dropped on the subject, by which it might be possible even to guess nearly to the time…” (Vol. 5, p. 370).
The World Book Encyclopedia says: “In A.D. 354 Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He probably chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun.”
So, the Bible says nothing about the time of Jesus’ birth, nor does it mention any celebration of it, yet many religious people believe Christmas is a religious obligation.
The Bible does teach celebrations, or memorials of the death and resurrection of Christ, but many who religiously observe what God’s word does not mention, ignore what it does teach.
The action of baptism is a reminder of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The apostle Paul included himself in this statement: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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” (Rom. 6:3,4). He clearly stated that there is a connection between the Lord’s death and resurrection and our baptism. When Saul of Tarsus was buried in baptism, his sins were “washed away” (Acts 22:16), because he was baptized into Christ’s death, and the new life followed that burial.
The observance of the Lord’s supper in the first day of the week (Acts 20:7) is a memorial of the death and resurrection of our Lord. Paul told the Corinthians: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). The early Christians observed the Lord’s supper every Sunday in remembrance of the Savior’s death and resurrection (1 Cor. 11:24,25).
Worship on the Lord’s day is a memorial of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It was early on the first day of the week that the tomb was found to be empty (Mt. 28:1-6). The Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 11:20) was eaten on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), which is probably the reason the apostle John said “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day…” (Rev. 1:10).
Some ask what difference it makes whether we have authority for our religious practices. Paul wrote, “You observe days and months and seasons and years, I am afraid of you, lest I have labored for you in vain” (Gal. 4:11,12). When people substitute water and light bread for what Christ authorized in the Lord’s supper, they are practicing lawlessness. Likewise when people make a religious practice of things that Christ did not authorize, they are acting without authority. Jesus said, “In vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mt. 15:9). God did not give a memorial for a baby in a manger, but for the death and resurrection of the Lord.
First, we do not know when Jesus was born. Albert Barnes (a Presbyterian commentator, who wrote a commentary on the whole Bible), commented on Luke 2:8 that His birth was not likely in December. Then he said: “But the exact time of his birth is unknown; there is no way to ascertain it. By different learned men it has been fixed at each month in the year. Nor is it of consequence to know the time; if it were, God would have preserved the record of it. Matters of moment are clearly revealed; those which he regards as of no importance are concealed.”
Adam Clarke (a Methodist who also wrote a commentary on the whole Bible said that no flocks would have been in the fields in December and “On this very ground the nativity in December should be given up...The time in which Christ was born has been considered a subject of great importance among Christians. However, the matter has been considered of no moment by Him who inspired the evangelists; as not one hint is dropped on the subject, by which it might be possible even to guess nearly to the time…” (Vol. 5, p. 370).
The World Book Encyclopedia says: “In A.D. 354 Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He probably chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun.”
So, the Bible says nothing about the time of Jesus’ birth, nor does it mention any celebration of it, yet many religious people believe Christmas is a religious obligation.
The Bible does teach celebrations, or memorials of the death and resurrection of Christ, but many who religiously observe what God’s word does not mention, ignore what it does teach.
The action of baptism is a reminder of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The apostle Paul included himself in this statement: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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” (Rom. 6:3,4). He clearly stated that there is a connection between the Lord’s death and resurrection and our baptism. When Saul of Tarsus was buried in baptism, his sins were “washed away” (Acts 22:16), because he was baptized into Christ’s death, and the new life followed that burial.
The observance of the Lord’s supper in the first day of the week (Acts 20:7) is a memorial of the death and resurrection of our Lord. Paul told the Corinthians: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). The early Christians observed the Lord’s supper every Sunday in remembrance of the Savior’s death and resurrection (1 Cor. 11:24,25).
Worship on the Lord’s day is a memorial of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It was early on the first day of the week that the tomb was found to be empty (Mt. 28:1-6). The Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 11:20) was eaten on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), which is probably the reason the apostle John said “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day…” (Rev. 1:10).
Some ask what difference it makes whether we have authority for our religious practices. Paul wrote, “You observe days and months and seasons and years, I am afraid of you, lest I have labored for you in vain” (Gal. 4:11,12). When people substitute water and light bread for what Christ authorized in the Lord’s supper, they are practicing lawlessness. Likewise when people make a religious practice of things that Christ did not authorize, they are acting without authority. Jesus said, “In vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mt. 15:9). God did not give a memorial for a baby in a manger, but for the death and resurrection of the Lord.