I have received numerous personal emails after yesterdays post. I appreciate all the thoughts. I do need to address the importance of paying attention of listening to God's word and letting God lead us upward into Him. As a teacher and minister of God's word, I must try to help.
We must be a people that is focused completely at listening to the Lord and following His will otherwise we will not make it to the Lord (Matt. 7:21). Just because someone believes in the Lord does not mean they are of God. Jesus showed this plainly in John 8 when many of the Jews believed Him (8:31). Those who believed Him Jesus called them sons of the devil (8:44). Why? Because they would not listen to His word (8:43)! They believed what they wanted while ignoring other parts. Their minds were set on what they wanted and couldn't hear the words of Jesus. Those who are of God, Jesus said, hears the words of God (8:47). I would encourage you to read this chapter.
I want to follow the Lord and not some tradition of the world. We need to listen to Jesus, what He wanted His church to follow in His instructions. Before His death, Jesus proclaimed His Supper saying it was to be done in remembrance of Him (Luke 22:19). Jesus gave them bread to represent His body and the cup was a reminder of His new covenant in His blood (Luke 22:20). That's what He asked them (and us) to remember. The apostle Paul saw this so important that he taught extensively the church at Corinth how they were corrupting the "rememberance of the Lord." (I Cor. 10:15-22/11:17-34)
Prior to the Lord's ascension back to the Father, Jesus called those apostles together and told them to go into all the world with a gospel message and they were to proclaim that message (Mark 16:15-16). What is the gospel message? His death, burial and resurrection (I Cor. 15:1-4)! That is what they were to proclaim. It was His death, burial and resurrection that was the "good news" (that's what the term 'gospel' means). It was the Lord's death, burial and resurrection that the Lord's church was born out of. The power of God to save anyone is placed in the gospel and nowhere else (Rom. 1:16-17). The gospel is what gives hope to a lost world and reveals His grace (Col. 1:5-6). This gospel was not to be ignored or tainted in any form without severe consequences (Gal. 1:6-9). People will build faith and find salvation ONLY through the gospel or Jesus lied to those apostles and us!
Upon revealing this, we cannot just gloss over the warnings given by Christ's apostles about being taken captive by traditions of men (Col. 2:8). The teachings of the apostles are to mean something to Christ's church, His people. The apostle John warned that those from the world listens to the world while those from God listen to the apostles (I John 4:5-6). We need to be careful that we aren't formulating our beliefs off what the world tells to believe. When there are verses that teach us what to watch for, we can't just ignore them like the don't exist. We have to deal with them in an honest heart.
I pray those who read realize I am not trying to attack anyone. I am trying to help us think, putting the word of God in front of us to deal honestly with it in our heart and not ignore the teachings like they don't mean anything. Our world has set up things the Lord Jesus never set up and to jump on board and say its good to follow the world and their ideas of God that directly contradict the Scripture is to ignore the Lord and His word. Where does that put us?
10 comments:
I don't see anything in celebrating the birth of Jesus (like the Heavenly Hosts did) that directly contradicts scripture. The birth of Jesus may not be the gospel, but it leads directly to it. Paul points to it as a significant event in Galatians. If we're afraid of the traditions of men we need to get rid of church buildings, pews, baptistries, etc...
Again - I don't want to bind Christmas on anyone, but it is sad that so many Christians go out of their way to take Christ out of it in order to avoid the traditions of men.
Thank you as always for your thoughts. I respect what others say. Let me share this with 'Burnt': Buildings, pews and the like are not adored and worshiped! Those aren't traditions handed down to fix our attention on. Christmas was added several hundred yrs. after the resurrection of Jesus, which means man made it up to be part of our worship and adoration. That is the kind of tradition we are speaking about. Paul taught the church at Thessalonica to hold to the traditions taught by the apostles (II Thes. 2:15). Jesus condemned the Pharisees for holding to their traditions over the commandments and teachings of God (Mark 7:6-11). Christ isn't being taken out, only upheld in what the apostles were taught and the church was instructed to hold up the cross before the eyes of men. We still can't ignore Col. 2:8 as it has to fit somewhere in the heart of the believer.
Please know I am not trying to argue but the word of the Lord is not leading us to adore the birth of Jesus. The usage you speak in Galatians is showing the Jewish Christian the history and prophetic promises from the Old Law. Nothing in adoration, only a fulfilled prophecy to show them that God does keep His word! They were trying to bind OT days and festivals, seasons and months on the church which would have more legitimate reason than man made Christmas and Paul taught it was wrong.
For the saved, Christ is their life (Col. 3:3-4). Christ isn't seasonal but a life lived. The real question is: Are we proclaiming the gospel?
This is all food for thought. Thank you again for taking time to write and share with me!
Luke 2:9-14
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
If it was good news of great joy for all the people then - it is still good news of great joy.
The gospel isn't the death burial and resurrection of a man, but the death burial and resurrection of the creator of the universe who chose to leave His place of power to become a man. That is why I celebrate Christmas.
Burnt Ribs, yes, there was joy in the birth of Christ as mentioned in Luke 2:9-14, however it was joy as to the fullfillment of the prophecy from the Old Testament that Christ should come and be the only true sacrifice for sinful man giving a means to reconcile man back to God through Jesus. Keep the passages in context though. The birth of Christ and that joy described only is mentioned in passing if you look at the rest of the Bible. The focus is on the Gospel and the establishment of Christ's Church here on this Earth.
In addressing the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 2 Paul states the following in verse 2 "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."
From the perspective a Christian, one of the most important days in the life of Christ was the day he died and was buried; another is the day he arose from the grave overcoming death. With such, the new covenant was estabished giving anyone the ability to approach God through his son Jesus.
Choosing to celebrate Christmas because it was the birth of Christ (which it is doubtful that December 25 was that day due to several factors including the weather in that region of the world on this particular date and other things) is a tradition of Man that attempts to bring glory to Jesus outside of the instructions He gave us in the Bible. We are told to remember his death, burial, and resurrection every first day of the week and given examples of such in the early days of the Church. We are not given instructions or examples as to Christmas.
Should not our hearts be continously thankful to God for Christ and His sacrifice beyond one day, and at that one day that has nothing to do with that sacrifice? Many confuse celebrating Christmas with worship to God. They are not one in the same.
Anonymous,
I suppose one can say that the birth of Jesus is mentioned only in passing, but I've heard many in the Church of Christ use Acts 20:7 as a binding example that we should only take the Lord's Supper on Sunday. That, in my opinion, is something mentioned only in passing (I think Luke included this story to tell of Paul raising Eutychus) and some people are willing to damn others over this.
Just because some might confuse Christmas with worship doesn't make it wrong - nor is it wrong because there are no instructions for it in the Bible.
Also, just because the joy is due to the fulfillment of prophecy doesn't mean that we can't express that same joy.
Burnt...it saddens my heart when people cannot look honestly at what the church was really instructed in regard to proclaiming Christ and Him crucified. You seem to attack to try to defend what you believe. I don't want to attack. I don't want to keep you from Christ but we must deal honestly with the Scriptures.
In all this, you never once addressed the verses Brent used to teach us but went to things that really don't apply. Be thankful for Jesus as you said. Jesus condemned man's traditions! Paul condemned man's traditions so you just passed those Scriptures by. Let's not argue. This is Brent's blog and he teaches some wonderful things. I don't know if you know him personally but I can attest he is
not a 'traditionalist' in any sense. He is a very sincere man of God!
I just want us to be honest with Scripture and let them lead us forward IN CONTEXT. If we would be honest in heart, Christmas is a man made tradition. The word itself tells us that. Not to create any hurt or hard feelings but just simply be honest and look closely at where we all stand in light of God's word. I'm speaking I need to do the same!
Anonymous,
First - Christmas may be a man made tradition, but the Church is filled with man made traditions. The problem isn't traditions of man, but making those traditions a salvation issue. What did Jesus not do that upset so many which caused him to say that the Pharisees were teaching commandments of men as doctrine? Washing hands before eating. Is it wrong to wash your hands? No - it is wrong to make it a commandment from God though. Also Paul said not to let anyone judge you by the festivals you keep. I think that applies here as well.
Second - Is celebrating the birth of Jesus according to Jesus? I believe it is. Brent said that it is adoring the birth of Jesus. I disagree with that. It is adoring Jesus which I believe is according to Christ. I'm not adoring the birth of my mom when I celebrate her birthday - I'm adoring her.
Third - the birth of Jesus was called "good news of great joy for all people." Jesus' birth was celebrated in scripture. I don't see any reason people today can't celebrate the fullfillment of prophecy today just as they did in scipture.
Fourth - I beleive congregations that don't celebrate Christmas are shooting themselves in the foot when it comes to reaching the lost. Yesterday I had someone comment that the Churches of Christ must be like the Jehovah Witnesses since they don't celebrate Christmas. A few years ago an atheist on the Huffington Post quoted a brothers blog talking about Christmas to show that atheists have won the "Christmas Wars".
Again - I don't think Christians have to celebrate Christmas, but I do believe it is according to Christ and that not doing it hinders our work.
I have nothing against Brent or you - someone doesn't have to be my twin to be my brother.
Thanks for the discussion
"Just because some might confuse Christmas with worship doesn't make it wrong - nor is it wrong because there are no instructions for it in the Bible."
It does not make it right either.
Anonymous 3...Brent, you have always challenged my faith and thinking. That's what I have always appreciated about you. You do it in a loving way but straight forward. I thank you for sharing this and I pray that others will read carefully what you are saying. One thing I have learned from the previous posts is how some just don't read the Scriptures but use logic which makes me realize I do the same at times. I know I need to grow. Thanks for writing and please, keep writing. When are you going to write a book???
Anonymous 4...I sure don't want to give the wrong idea here but I just want to say thank you Brent for the way you handled the situation dealing with Christmas. I completely agree with what you said as it is not according to Christ but what really taught me was the way you didn't blow anyone out of the water when you could have taken that avenue. I know you know Greek and Hebrew and you could have argued from that. I too know Greek and Hebrew and realized that I would have used it to further my position. Knowledge makes one arrogant but love edifies! I read that somewhere! Thanks for teaching me and to God I give all glory for the way He uses you. I know why the congregation in Jefferson City continues to grow!
Post a Comment