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Today,
a lot of people in the world are celebrating the day called “Christmas”. The
real question that I have is are these people correct in celebrating such a
religious holiday? Is this something that a Christian can take part in and be
pleasing in the sight of God? Is everything in the “Christmas story” correct?
In this article, I will address these questions that need our attention. Let’s
begin with the questions about people being correct in observing this also can
a Christian take part in the observance of this Christmas “RELIGIOUS” holiday?
The first thing that I want to look at is the concept that if the majority of
the world is observing it, does it make it right or wrong? The answer is simply
NO. The Bible is very clear to the point that the majority of individuals are
going down the road that is the broad and wide road that is leading to
destruction (Mat. 7:13-14). So with that being said, the majority does not
determine right and wrong. But what about a Christian observing this day as a
RELIGIOUS holiday? As Christians, we are told that we are to have authority for
everything we do in religion (Col. 3:17). It is looking to Jesus, our Head,
King, and Master for guidance in what we should and should not be involved in.
When you look into the scriptures, we see that there is no command, nor
mentioning of “Christmas” or observing a day celebrating the birth of Christ.
For this very reason, we CANNOT SAY that we have scriptural authority to
celebrate this day regarding the birth of Christ. If God wanted us to observe
such a day, He would have stated it, which He did not. Now, let’s take a look at that question,
“is everything in the “Christmas story” correct”. Usually, you read about the
“nativity” and you will hear that Jesus was born on December 25 and that there
were 3 wise men that came bringing gifts to the manger of Christ. What if I
told you that none of this is true? Did you know that we can have a general
idea of when Jesus was born and it all revolves around Zacharias, John the
Baptist’s father? We know that John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, was 6
months older than Jesus (Lk. 1:26). We also know that Zacharias was a priest
who served during the division of Abijah (Lk. 1:5-8). Now the priests served on
a circuit or rotation according to their division and his was according to the
division of Abijah. With this knowledge, we also know that they served twice a
year and so if you take the circuit and see when Abijah was in place, and then
add 6 months after that, you will notice that this would place the birth of
Christ either in early spring or early fall. But we know from other things,
like the shepherds living out in the field with their sheep (Lk. 2:8), that
this was not in the dead of winter. So it is very clear that we are NOT talking
about December 25th. Another
thing that we need to look at is the wise men at the birth of Christ. What if I
was to tell you that the wise men were never at the manger of Christ? And
exactly how many wise men were there? We see in Matthew 2, the account of the
wise men and see when they came to Jesus THEY CAME INTO THE HOUSE (Mat. 2:11).
When you are talking about the timing of their coming, Herod killed all the
baby boys from the AGE OF 2 and under ACCORDING TO THE TIME WHICH HE HAD
DETERMINED FROM THE WISE MEN (Mat. 2:16). It is seen that Jesus was PROBABLY
ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD when the wise men came and offered their gifts. And the Bible
NEVER MENTIONS that there were 3 wise men. It only states that 3 gifts were
brought, but the world wants to say that there were 3 wise men. We don’t know
exactly how many there were. So what is a Christian’s response needing to be concerning celebrating Christmas as a religious holiday? We have no authority! But WE CAN observe this day as a secular holiday to be with family and to exchange gifts, just like any other secular “non-religious” holiday. We just have to be careful that we don’t do things that are against the will of Christ and do those things that we have no authority for. |
- Wesley Garland preaches
for Warners Chapel church of Christ in Clemmons, NC. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website: http://warnerschapelchurchofchrist.org/  |
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
The Truth About The Birth of Christ
How Much Does it Cost?
By Jeff
Arnette This is a question that we often ask. We
ask it whenever we are shopping for something we want. I did this just the
other day while at Goodwill. I was looking at the dress pants and found several
nice pairs of dress pants. After looking at the pants and deciding that I would
like to have them. I asked that all too familiar question, “How much does it
cost?” In life and in Christianity, this is an
important question to ask. In Matthew 16:24-28, Jesus reminds us of the cost of
following him. Giving up on our desires and taking up the cause of Christ is a
price we must be willing to pay. Jesus even took this so far as to say we must
be willing to give up our lives for him. Most of us would agree that at Goodwill we
are not paying much for the items there. Luckily for me those pants were only
$3.75 a pair. We spend great amounts of time trying to find the best bargain we
can. However, I am afraid that we are doing this to Christianity as well. Most of us like the idea of being a
Christian but we don’t want to spend much of our time, effort, or money to do
it. We are so concerned that it might take more than we are willing to give
that we often shortchange being Christians. Jesus understood that this would be the
case with people and ask the question, “What will it profit a man if he gains
the whole world and forfeits his soul?” Or “What shall a man give in return for
his soul?” Jesus has promised that it would be worth the cost saying that each
person will be repaid for what they have put into the Christian life. Not to
mention that we gain our souls for eternity by following him. How much does it cost is a great question
to ask. Perhaps this is the question that we should ask next time we consider
doing something we know is sinful. Is it really worth what it will cost me? |
- Jeff Arnette preaches for
the Central Haywood church of Christ, Clyde, NC. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website: https://centralhaywoodcoc.com/ |
Sunday, February 5, 2023
Be Immersed
By
Clifton Angel Baptism: an immersion or submersion of an object
or person. It is likened to a burial, in which one is completely covered in
dirt/rock (Romans 6:3–4). However, the burial or immersion of interest for this
study is in water. In the words of a friend, “What is so special about being
dunked in water?” I kindly submit to you that baptism is important because God
said so—not me. Let’s consider some Scriptural reasons for the need to be
baptized. 1. Baptism stands between the sinner and
salvation. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16).
Jesus’ words are simple and “unget-around-able.” We should be able to end this
article here, but for emphasis we will continue. Peter reemphasized this
teaching at 1 Peter 3:21: “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism
(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (NKJV). 2. Baptism stands between the sinner and
forgiveness of his sins. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). 3. Baptism stands between the sinner and
having his sins washed away. “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts
22:16). 4. Baptism stands between the sinner and
the cleansing blood of Jesus. “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful
witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the
earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood”
(Revelation 1:5). Coupling the truth of this verse with that of Acts 22:16
leads us to the conclusion that the point at which one contacts Jesus’ blood is
baptism. 5. Baptism stands between the sinner and addition
to the Lord’s church. Reading Acts 2:37–47 is a clear foundation to seeing that
those who are baptized are those who Jesus adds to His church. Why is this
important? Because His church is the only body of the saved (see Ephesians
5:23; Ephesians 1:22–23; Colossians 1:18). The list could go on. For, baptism stands
between the sinner and being in Christ (Galatians 3:27), which leads to a host
of other things the sinner lacks if he does not submit to baptism: All
spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3), Absence of condemnation (Romans 8:1), A
real reason to rejoice (Philippians 4:4), just to name a few. |
- Clifton Angel preaches
for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted
through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/ |
Look Up!
By Lance Cordle Recently, my wife and I
set up a bird feeder in a different part of the yard from the section we had
used previously. A cold front was on its way and we set the feeder up before
its arrival. Following the placement of the feeder, we watched to see if the birds
would find it in time to take advantage of it during the frigid temperatures.
As I watched some of the birds gathering in the vicinity of the feeder, I kept
saying to myself (because the birds could not hear or understand me), “Look
up!” I knew the source of their nourishment and strength was within their
reach, and that they needed to see it and fly up to it. It seems to me that
there is a similar situation when it comes to people and their spiritual
strength. The Psalmist confidently affirmed, “God is my refuge and strength, a
very present help in trouble” (Psalms 46:1). However, not everyone feels the
same way, and not everyone takes advantage of the strength available, even if
they know about it. Followers of God would
do well to remember the main point of one of the most famous incidents/stories
in the Bible. As young David arrived at the scene of an impending battle, he
was surprised and dismayed to know that the army of Israel, and in turn, the
God of Israel were being defied by their enemy. It is interesting to notice
that the English word “defy” or a form of it is used at least four times in the
seventeenth chapter of 1 Samuel, (English Standard Version) and is in reference
to the actions of the giant Goliath. When David heard of the taunts of the
enemy, he was quick to defend the LORD and assert that a victory over Goliath
could and would come through God Almighty. Before he killed Goliath, David made
it clear where his faith was placed and delivered a detailed summary of what he
was sure would happen to the Philistine, when he concluded, “For the battle is
the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand” (1 Samuel 17:47). When we are tempted to
be discouraged and sure of defeat, we must remember to look up—to the same God
who delivered David and others from physical and spiritual peril. The Lord has
promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). In a
masterfully worded rhetorical question, the divinely inspired apostle Paul
asked, “If God be for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31). Who, indeed? Our obstacles are real:
discouragement, lust, anger, jealousy, unbelief, to name a few. They can be
overcome—but we must look up! “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where
does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth”
(Psalms 121:1, 2). |
- Lance Cordle preaches the
Calvert City Church of Christ in Calvert City, KY. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com |
Happy Valentine’s Day
By Joe Slater Not even the Roman
Catholic Church can decide with certainty which (if any) of three candidates is
the real “Saint” Valentine. One popular view is that he was a “bishop” who kept
on solemnizing marriages despite Roman emperor Claudius II supposedly banning
marriage of soldiers in his army. This Valentine, so the story goes, was
arrested and eventually martyred. Historical evidence is lacking; even
referring to this as “legend” might be a stretch. More likely, “Saint
Valentine’s Day” is yet another attempt to “Christianize” a pagan holiday. In
this case, it’s the feast of Lupercalia, a fertility festival honoring Faunus,
the Roman god of agriculture. It was celebrated on February 15. Our calendar
puts Valentine’s Day on February 14. Oh well, close enough! As with Christmas,
Easter, and Halloween, celebrating Valentine’s Day doesn’t make you a pagan. Go
ahead, give your sweetheart a box of chocolates! When people’s minds are
focused on the birth of Christ, it’s a great opportunity to teach the truth
about it. Ditto with the Resurrection. So let’s use this holiday to teach the
truth about marriage! |
- Joe Slater serves as
minister of the Church of Christ in Justin, TX. He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com |
The Greatest Gift
By
David R. Ferguson William Sydney Porter, better known as the
short story author O. Henry, said, “The magi, as you know, were wise men –
wonderfully wise men who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented
the art of giving Christmas presents.” Although I enjoy the stories with their
clever plot twists from the pen of O. Henry, in this instance I disagree with
the conclusion of Mr. Porter. It wasn’t the wise men who invented the giving of
“Christmas” presents, it was God Himself. He did so when He gave us His only
begotten Son. This was the best “Christmas” gift ever. The wise men merely
continued the tradition. In Jesus, this supreme offering from the
Father, we see the glory of God on display. But what is that glory? Did it come
with a lot of pomp and circumstance, as Paul saw demonstrated as he declared
his defense and the gospel of Jesus Christ before King Agrippa, Bernice and
Festus? Did it come with fanfare? No. God’s glory is demonstrated through His
humility. In Jesus Christ we see Someone Who was willing to put aside all the
trappings of what it means to be God, the Creator of the universe, in order to
reach out to us. And it’s this humility that makes the conception, birth, life,
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ such glorious events indeed. As Paul
wrote so eloquently summing up the life and purpose of Jesus Christ, “Christ
Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality
with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a
servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a
man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of
the Cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). In Jesus Christ we see God coming to Earth and
being born in a lowly manger. The God of Heaven, even through the lowly birth
He chose, demonstrated how He intended to live a life of service. As Jesus
later would declare, “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy,
and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). In Jesus, God showed up as one of us. Even
one of His names, Immanuel, means “God With Us”. The One Who made it all, the
One Who holds it all together, the One Whom we call the Creator showed up
humbly, served His entire life meekly, and gave His life freely, and all that
you and I might lay claim to eternal life through His shed blood. There is
something amazing about being created in the image of God, being created to be
in a relationship with God, and to be someone that God finds value. You do have
great worth, indeed, for God saw fit to give you His one and only begotten Son!
Never forget that. |
- David R. Ferguson preaches
for the Mentor Church of Christ in Mentor, OH. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website: http://mentorchurchofchrist.com/ or davidferguson61@yahoo.com |
The Ruined Loincloth
By
Jeff Arnette In Jeremiah 13 there is a strange and yet,
intriguing story about a loincloth. The Lord instructs the prophet to buy a new
loincloth, put it on, and wear it without washing it in water. After some time,
the Lord tells him to bury it in the rocks near the Euphrates River. Again,
after some time has passed, he is told to dig up that old loincloth. Once
Jeremiah digs it up, he describes it as “good for nothing.” After all that time
buried in the dirt it was spoiled and now unfit for its intended purpose. In a time when money was tight and new
clothing hard to acquire the Lord’s instructions for Jeremiah seem odd at best.
It seems like such a waste of time, money, and energy to buy this new loincloth
and just bury it. When I spend money on something I want it to last. I want it
to be a smart purchase, and just as importantly, I want to know it was a good
deal. Why buy something if you’re not going to value it, use it, and take care
of it? The Lord often used object lessons like
this to teach the prophet who in turn had to teach the people what God is
saying by such demonstrations. Ezekiel was told to write on two sticks (Ezek.
37:15-28). Isaiah was told to walk around naked for 3 years (Isa. 20:1-6).
Hosea was told to marry a prostitute and give his kids weird names. Even
Ezekiel was told to lay on his left side for 390 days (Ezek. 4). The lesson of the loincloth was a hard
lesson for Israel. They had been bought for a purpose, brought close by the
Lord, and through pride & sin had become good for nothing. Being close to
the Lord had come with blessings but they had become proud and thought nothing
could touch them and that is going to change. The Lord is going to spoil their
pride by allowing them to be conquered by Babylon, who came from the Euphrates
River area. In their defeat they would learn the lesson
of the loincloth. With sin and rebellion comes defeat. Faithfulness to the Lord
always equals success but unfaithfulness will always defeat us. What about us?
How will we learn this lesson? Will it take total defeat, or will we learn to
trust in the Lord? We too have been bought (1 Cor. 6:19-20:
Acts 20:28) for a price. Where are we focusing our lives? Was His purchase and
actions for nothing? Instead of a life wrapped up in our own desires lets cling
to the Lord and His purpose for us. Then we will be good for something; a
people for his own possession, a people who will follow and praise him. |
- Jeff Arnette preaches for
the Central Haywood church of Christ, Clyde, NC. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website: https://centralhaywoodcoc.com/ |