Should Christmas Be Celebrated As A Religious Holiday By The Church?
There were three feasts the Jewish males were required by God to observe annually and religiously in remembrance of significant events in their history (Exodus 23:14-19). When Jesus died on the cross, He wiped out the Old Testament handwriting of ordinances, including the requirement of these feasts (Colossians 2:11-17). In fact, under the New Testament if anyone observed these annual events (called "years") as religious holy days, they were rebuked (Galatians 4:9-11).
Since holy days and years once authorized by God were later condemned by God, what of "holy", religious celebrations made up by men?
The only day Jesus authorizes all Christians to observe religiously is the first day of the week (Sunday, weekly observance, Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2). On this day Christians assemble and partake of the Lord's Supper, proclaiming the Lord's death till He comes (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The gospel, which is the power of God to save, contains and emphasizes the message of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection (not His birth, Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
There are several reasons as to why Christians do not observe the birth of Jesus annually and religiously:
The Bible does not reveal the day, season or year Jesus was born; therefore, Christians must not think or go beyond what is written by celebrating Christ's birth on December 25 or any other day (1 Corinthians 4:6; Revelation 22:18-19).
The Bible does not authorize us to celebrate Jesus' birth religiously (Colossians 3:17).
Timothy was to remind the church of Paul's ways in Christ; yet there is no record of Paul or the first-century church celebrating the birth of Jesus (1 Corinthians 4:17; Jude 1:3).
Be warned that there is a vast difference between spending quality time with family during secular holidays our nation celebrates such as "Christmas" or "Valentine's Day" and observing Christmas as a religious holiday in which you celebrate the birth of Jesus. The former is permissible, the latter is condemned.
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