A. Christmas is an annual celebration
commemorating the birth of Jesus, usually on December 25th, and a legal holiday
in many countries. As celebrated, it contains elements from the Christian
tradition that endorse biblical events, as well as other elements that are
secular at best.[i] Following the spirit of
Romans
14:5, I believe Christians and Christian families are free to
celebrate Christmas, but that we need to deliberately and decisively keep it
out of the gathered fellowship of the church. We can acknowledge the biblical
elements in church at this or any time of the year,[ii] while
the non-biblical elements (of which there are many) have no place in the worshiping
church.
[i] The Scriptures seem to allow Christian individuals to celebrate other cultural holidays as well – such as Independence Day – as long as the celebrations remain within biblical constraints (i.e., not in rioting and drunkenness, etc.). (Cf. e.g. John
10:22-23, Jesus attending the feast of the dedication, a
Jewish festival originating circa 165 BC; also 1 Maccabees 4:59. Wedding celebration.)
[ii] The biblical elements include acknowledging, preaching or singing about the facts that Jesus was born
of a virgin, in Bethlehem, and so on, regardless of what day of the year it
occurred. Following a Regulative Principle of Worship means we should not worship in any manner not prescribed by Scripture, neither add elements that are not biblical.
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