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The Weekly Focal Point - December 1

Christmas

There are several modern-day Gnostics who, in the name of Christ, seek to dissuade us from celebrating the birth of Jesus each December. They go to great lengths to enlighten us regarding the pagan associations of the winter solstice, the worship of Druid gods, and idolatry related to evergreen trees. They chide us, saying we are somehow playing into Satan’s insidious scheme by honoring the birth of Christ with our Christmas traditions. Don’t believe it. This old “guilt-by-association” argument condemning our celebrations of Christ must be examined from a biblical perspective (See Romans 14:1-6; 1 Corinthians 5:9-10; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 1 Corinthians 10:25-30). To condemn our Christ-honoring praise for the incarnation each December because of some ancient pagan associations is as ludicrous as disallowing Sunday worship because “Sunday” was initially designated for the worship of “Sol” the Sun god. Historically Christians have rightly redeemed certain days, words and places for the worship of Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote when facing the critics in Corinth, “Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it’” (1 Corinthians 10:25-26). So let us utilize all we can to bring glory, honor and praise to God for the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-- Pastor Mike

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