The Christmas Spirit?

Matthew J. Brescia

At this particular season of the year, it seems easy for true Christians to forget that the world has never changed its mind about the Christ of God Who came down from heaven to die for sinful man.

It’s true that many of us, in some way or another, seem to get overly entangled in the "Christmas spirit" without realizing what sort of "spirit" it really is.

Without going into the history of the pagan origin of the celebration of Dec. 25th, suffice it to say that the so-called "Christian" world is decidedly in favor of Christmas lights, gifts, cheer, carols, trees and the gross deception that "Santa Claus is coming to town." The very same people are just as decidedly opposed to Christ - the light of the world, the Gift and Joy of God, the Song of heaven, the Sufferer on the cruel tree and the "Truly Coming One"

Be assured that it’s not a matter of "keeping Christ in Christmas" for He never claimed to be in it in the first place. The scriptures in no wise even hint that we should celebrate His wonderful birth, even if we were aware of its exact date. On the other hand, a direct command from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself tells us to commemorate His death on the first day of the week until He returns. Strange that something that is not commanded is picked up and universally celebrated by the masses, and yet even many professed believers refuse, whether through ignorance or wilful neglect, to heed His own request and command, "Do this in remembrance of Me." Most would never even dream of missing or dispensing with "the holidays" with all their revelry and drunkenness and greed, but obedience to His Word and appreciation of His death is readily and wholeheartedly rejected. That is most surely "a different spirit."

No one likes to be branded a "Scrooge" or to stick out like a "sore thumb" and we wouldn’t try to straighten out a "crooked and perverse generation" by telling them to drop their foolish customs, but we should "shine as lights in the world holding forth the Word of Truth." It behooves us to walk a path of separation and not to embrace or adopt worldly customs to avoid reproach for the Christ they supposedly "adore."

Can any unregenerate sinner worship or adore the Lord Jesus Christ apart from the Spirit of God? Does God accept or receive any praise whatsoever from the world’s Xmas spirit (they’ve crossed out His blessed Name)? Should we see how close we can come, or how far we can keep, from Rome’s blasphemous mass, be it "Christ’s Mass" or any other mass?

We should be careful, brethren and sisters, lest in our allowances and expediences we become like "salt without savor" which our Lord said is "good for nothing." Think about it. "Try the spirits."