Every time there is a holiday I get chat messages from Christians urging us to refrain from celebrating such. Whether Easter, Christmas, Valentine, etc. there is always a warning that these are or were from pagan origins and therefore Christians should not partake in these celebrations. Should we not celebrate on holidays? What do you think?
During a heated debate on whether to celebrate Christmas or not I remember one speaker posing the following to the other “What did the person who introduced you to Christmas say it was about” to which the respondent replied “Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ”. “Hold on to that”, the first speaker added. I was impressed by the answer as it opened my heart to some truths that I want to share with you.
On another occasion, I got into the same argument with a fellow brother who declared it’s wrong to celebrate Christmas and other holidays. “There is nothing wrong in doing good or the right things on Christmas day or any other holiday,” I said, to which he replied “Doing what on the Devil’s Day?” I sat down; thought about his words then the following text came to my mind.
Matt 5:14-16
14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
How many days did God create? The answer is seven. How many of those belong to the Devil? The answer is none. So how did we conclude that this and that day belong to the world and its followers? To my brother and everyone who thinks alike I have one question, what are you doing attending church every week on the Devil’s day, since all the days of the week are named after pagan gods from Sunday to Saturday?
Gen 1:1-5
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning — the first day.
God created the world and everything in it and it was good but something happened that has forever marked the events that will take place in the world until the second coming of Christ.
Gen 6:5-9
The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth — men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air — for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
We separated ourselves from God but he never tires from seeking and bringing us back to his care. This process has been repeating itself from the fall of our first parents to today.
What is our duty as Christians in all this you may ask? Our duty is not to sit back and watch the devil take over the world. We are to be light bearers and as the bible says no one takes the light and puts it under a table but they put it in a stand so that it shines the whole house. When the devil attempts to remove one of God’s laws we must set it right and point the world to Christ her maker.
Just because a country has been invaded and occupied by a foreign nation does not mean that its people lose their identity. The people still retain their identity but laws are changed to suit the dictates of their new master. Should that people reclaim their territory likewise do they retain their original laws as well?
The same happens with the law of God today. The devil is the invader and what he does he removes God’s stamp and places his own. This however does not mean that the world has become his. That the days which were created to glorify God have been assigned a pagan name and origin does not take away their original purpose. They still belong to God and so they can be used to serve the purpose for which they have been created.
Matt 10:16
16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
That means I can go to church on Saturday (supposed Saturn god according to the pagans) and worship the true God. He is the true God the author and finisher of it all and that will not change. That means on Christmas day (supposed x-mas or Santa Clause Day) I can remember him who died for my sins and put aside the habitual feasting and partying. That means on Valentine’s Day (supposed love-making day) I can celebrate the union of my marriage that was not instituted by man but by God himself in the Garden of Eden. My life and habits will only glorify God.
These holidays are a good opportunity for us to tell the world about the true God. Like the apostle Paul, we should utilize every opportunity we have to preach about Christ. Here is what he did in Athens.
Acts 17:23
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
The Apostle Paul urged us to practice good judgment and make good choices when it comes to certain religious preferences and practices. We are to follow that example especially when it comes to controversial subjects as these.
Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
May God help us to be able to stand for the truth and be the channels of light in these last and dark days of history.
God bless you and see you in the next lesson
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